Erica Buddington
Length: 143 pgs.
Publication Date: December 30, 2015
I first learned about Boroughs Apart in the most unique of ways. While perusing my Twitter timeline, I noticed a retweet made by author Christina C. Jones . The tweet stated “If you’d like to read more, you can purchase ‘Boroughs Apart here:’” and included an Amazon link to the book. Curious, I found the profile that the tweet originated from. The author, Erica Buddington, had tweeted out an excerpt from the book, one 140-character tweet at a time. I’d never seen anything like it before. In all honesty, I didn’t read the entire excerpt. I figured any author confident enough about their work to provide a sample in such a manner was producing a good product. Soon after I began to read Boroughs Apart, it was clear that Buddington would not prove my theory wrong.
This review took me a while to write since I had to read another book that gave me a similar feeling, The Wedding by Dorothy West. Dorothy West (Harlem Renaissance Writer) and Erica Buddington both share the ability to make writing about complex issues and relationships seem effortless. They both wrote their works (The Wedding and Boroughs Apart in particular) in such a manner that, as a reader, I was not wading in the emotions of the characters but reflecting on them.
Synopsis
When Evan and Ella meet by chance, they believe that class is the only thing that separates them. However, they soon find out that what they believed separated them connects them in more ways than one.
The Verdict
All books are rated on a scale of 1-5 Lilies found here.
Main Characters: 
Evan Marquis IV- Handsome, wealthy and…still lives at home with his parents.
Ella Williams- Young, works in an art gallery and motivated.
Unlike the supporting characters, Evan and Ella don’t feel developed. Their story progresses, but they feel the same at the end as when the story began. If someone were to make the argument that Evan and Ella weren’t the main characters, I could understand why.
Supporting Characters: 
The supporting characters in Boroughs Apart gave the novella dimension. The way their stories were woven into the novella was very interesting and left me wanting to know more about them.
Storyline:
While Boroughs Apart is fairly short, it’s rich imagery and subplots make for a fascinating story that will have you thinking about the characters long after it ends.
Overall:
I’ve never been to New York City and have only a basic understanding of the inner workings of the communities there. However, Erica Buddington painted a portrait of Harlem so vivid, that it felt as though I was walking the streets along with the characters while reading.
Would I Recommend It?
The price almost kept me from reading this book ($5.00 for a 143-page ebook is overpriced). However, you can read Boroughs Apart at no additional cost if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber. If you are like me and have to think of your budget when buying a book or trying out an author you are unfamiliar with, I recommend you #riskitall and try Boroughs Apart.
It's Lily O. 