Love in Exile is such an honest and insightful reflection on love, dating, and self-worth. Shon Faye writes about what she used to believe love was - and how that understanding shifted once she experienced it herself. What I especially loved is the way she weaves her personal story as a trans woman with sharp social commentary. She questions how much of what we call “love” or “motherhood” actually comes from our own desires, and how much is shaped by patriarchy and social expectations. Faye’s writing is intelligent, vulnerable, and deeply thoughtful. Her perspective outside heteronormative scripts offers a refreshing look at what love and relationships can be when we step outside the roles society hands us. I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it - hearing her read it herself makes the experience even more powerful and intimate. It’s always hard to rate a memoir because it’s someone’s real life, but this one definitely stayed with me. It made me reflect a lot on how we define love, success, and womanhood - and what we can reclaim for ourselves.