Risk by Elana Dykewomon

Set against the backdrop of changing American politics from the mid-1980s to the post-9/11 world, Risk follows Carol Schwartz, an idealistic, Berkeley-educated Jewish lesbian working as a high school tutor in Oakland. Following the death of her mother, Carol struggles to process profound grief and a legacy of trauma rooted in her father's disappearance in the Vietnam War. Seeking escape, she begins to gamble her inheritance, navigating a growing addiction alongside her long-term relationship with her partner, Z.D. Rich with political discourse and community nuance, the novel offers an authentic look at the complexities of activism, fat politics, and queer survival.