LUSH LIVES

Elle Cleviden gives a quiet but satisfying performance of this queer contemporary romance. Parkie is a disabled white woman who is working as an appraiser for a New York auction house. Glory is a Black artist who's just inherited her great-aunt's Harlem brownstone. The two hit it off immediately when Glory brings in her aunt's belongings for appraisal. They soon get caught up in a personal and professional tangle. Cleviden brings a nice balance of flirtation and hesitation to their interactions. She shines in her portrayal of several colorful secondary characters with various accents and personalities. This is a smart, sexy story about two women who are struggling to live by their values in an imperfect world. L.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]