Marissa Higgins, author of the 2024 queer romance novel A Good Happy Girl, spent the six years between 2014 and 2020 exploring D.C.—from the Northwest neighborhood she called home to the city’s many bakeries. With Sweetener, her latest sapphic love story, her familiarity with the District and all its sweet treats is on full display.

Described as “delightfully freaky” by Vogue, Higgins’ novel, which came out in mid-August, follows a recently separated married couple, both named Rebecca, who connect with Charlotte on a lesbian hookup app and quickly discover they both enjoy dating—and sleeping—with her. Rebecca 1 was raised in foster care, and ekes out a meager existence as a cashier at an organic grocery store. Rebecca 2 is a doctoral student haunted by the demons of alcoholism. All three

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