Page 41 of Only Lovers in the Building
“Rebecca Blackwell, will you usher me to literary stardom?”
“I’d be honored.”
Ben threw his arms around her. His phone came so close to plunging into the water, but he didn’t seem to care. “Baby,” he
whispered into her hair, “I’m so proud of you.”
Lily closed her eyes. Each day in his arms got better and better. Each day, an unknown dream came true.
Pop Shop
A Pop Culture Podcast
Category: Arts
Rating: 4.7 stars
August 2: Crushed Hearts by Kenya Parker
with Lily Lyon and Ben Romero
Lily: We’re back with a great read by one of my favorite authors. This is the third installment of a series set in enigmatic New
Orleans with lush depictions of Black life and culture. In Crushed Hearts , Madelyn’s boyfriend of seven years, Henry, abruptly ends their relationship. Not long after, she meets successful jazz musician
Wyatt. Can she learn to love again? Of course she can! Ben and I were more intrigued by Madelyn and Henry, the early years.
Ben: Seven years is a long time to let anything drag on.
Lily: They started dating in high school. This is the classic teenage-sweetheart setup.
Ben: We bring you this episode with apologies to my high school sweetheart, to whom I was a world-class jerk.
Lily: In that case, I’d like to take a moment to extend my sincere apologies to the boy in middle school who passed me a note asking
Will you be my girlfriend? with answer options Yes , No , or Maybe (Let’s meet at the bleachers after class and talk) . A clever, well-crafted note to which I replied New phone, who dis?
Ben: No, you didn’t!
Lily: Yes, I did. What can I say? He wasn’t my type.
Ben: What was your type at thirteen?
Lily: The class president, funnily enough a guy named Wyatt.
Ben: That tracks.
Lily: Anyway, to the boy whose heart I broke, I’ll just say you dodged a bullet, my friend. I wish you well.
Ben: Same.
Lily: With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, let’s move on.
Ben: I’d like to play devil’s advocate.
Lily: Go ahead.
Ben: You already know I have a soft spot for Henry. We’ve talked about this.
Lily: We have.
Ben: He’s portrayed as the evil ex-boyfriend. Only, I can’t help but think my guy was in a tough spot. Madelyn was his first,
in all respects. She was the first girl he ever asked out on a date. She was the only girl he’d ever kissed, the only lover
he’d ever had. When he tells her that he wants to explore and see what’s out there, that’s not a small request. It’s a cry
from the heart.
Lily: I reject your argument.
Ben: Of course you do.
Lily: From time immemorial, women have been required to save themselves for that one true love, to keep the so-called body count
as close to one—or zero—as possible, should that one true love fail to materialize.
Ben: This book isn’t set in biblical times, Lily. It’s set in New Orleans circa yesterday.
Lily: Feel bad for Henry all you want but take a minute to consider Madelyn’s point of view. Henry was all she knew. He was her
world. Imagine pouring all your love, time, and devotion into one man, and for that man to be Henry. What a waste!
Ben: So we agree. The breakup was for the best.
Lily: Absolutely. It was terrible to see Madelyn so crushed over it. I felt her pain at a visceral level. I don’t wish that on
anyone.
Ben: Imagine going through life without ever knowing that exquisite pain. What kind of monster would you turn out to be?
Lily: Exquisite pain. You are a poet. When was the first time you felt that pain?
Ben: My college girlfriend, freshman year. She broke up with me, hopped out of my car at a traffic light, and slammed the door
behind her.
Lily: Did she? Good for her.
Ben: How about you? Who was the first to break your heart?
Lily: A guy named Jackson.
Ben: I’m assuming you’ve changed the name to protect the innocent.
Lily: Of course. His real name is Asher.
Ben: Back to Jackson. What went wrong?
Lily: The classic. It’s not you, it’s me.
Ben: Ouch.
Lily: Then he just walked away. It was as boring a breakup as you can imagine. I would’ve preferred the slamming of a door, accusations,
and tears, anything but that.
Ben: Tonight, I’ll come by to get my books and slam the door on my way out.
Lily: Would you, please?
Ben: Anything for you.
Lily: We should say a few smart things about the book before our time runs out.
Ben: I have a feeling they’ll take back my Genius Grant if I don’t offer some critical analysis.
Lily: We can’t have that. We’ve been coasting on that award all summer. Go on! Wow us!
Ben: Crushed Hearts explores heartache with grace. The takeaway is universal. The heart is resilient.
Lily: Well said! We recommend this heart-wrenching romance. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comment section. We love
to hear from you. All the links are below.
Comments:
@Rosie_is_reading: Hey Ben! I’m engaged but say the word and I’ll ditch that ring in the Miami River!
@Pam909: Why is my heart crushed just listening to this? I love them so much omg... I’m crying.
@Books&Wine: If these two get married, BookTap followers should get an invite. We are DAY 1 Lily & Ben stans!!!!!