Over the course of an afternoon, Marlowe and I talked about her craft, finding her way in the publishing world, and living luxuriously on a budget here are the best parts. Isa and Gala may not have the upper hand, but they know how to play the cards they were dealt and, if it comes down to it, they know just how to charm the dealer. Happy Hour is sharp and playful-part tipsy retelling, part advice column for anyone in the “not a girl, not yet a woman” phase of their lives.

Everything about her demands to be remembered, and with this stunning debut, that shouldn’t be a problem. She’s probably the only shopper at the corner store wearing vintage Pucci. Like Isa, Marlowe draws strangers in with a knowing smile, brutally honest observations, and an enviable closet. Is that really what happened? Does it matter? Isa recounts the summer with the vigor you’d expect from an old friend fresh off a year abroad. In the novel, she and her best friend Gala flit in and out of New York’s social scene, getting by on good graces and bodega lunches, scraping together just enough cash to make rent. Protagonist Isa Epley makes many compelling cases for the audacious pursuit of pleasure. You never know if someone else may be emboldened to do the same.” That line has stuck with me ever since I read Happy Hour last year - I evoke it whenever I need an excuse to do no less than what I want. “If it makes you feel good and there’s a pinch of fear that while in public someone may throw a comment your way or think it’s too much, wear it. I bailed on work for a myriad of frivolous reasons: an estate sale, a midday hookup, a walk-in tattoo, and a frosted glass of vinho verde at the wine bar down the street. I imagine not much changed for those lucky enough to finesse their way into a boat, pool, or somewhere with central air, but for the rest of us, it was the type of unwavering heat that made you reevaluate your priorities. When I last spoke to Marlowe Granados, Toronto, like the rest of the Northeast, was wading through a thick haze.

Happy Hour by Marlowe Granados