When QWOC Books launched earlier this year, I was absolutely thrilled. Women of colour are significantly underrepresented in sapphic fiction. And even when there are books written by and about us – whether trad or indie – they don’t often get the same support or visibility as stories centring whiteness. So, I opened the catalogue, keen to find new favourites; and I wasn’t disappointed. They say never to judge a book by its cover, but right away I was enchanted by L.M. Bennett’s books, with two dark-skinned Black women looking nothing short of divine.
Bad Beat tells the story of two rival players in an elite poker circuit. When Miri eliminates her beloved mentor from a high-stakes tournament, Jax is determined to get revenge on this cocky upstart. In game after game these two women keep clashing. Whereas Jax has a deep respect for the poker community’s traditions and the elders who paved the way for her, Miri has had enough of the snobbery. And while Jax initially looks down on her rival, sure Miri uses her good looks and sexuality to fluster susceptible opponents, she’s by no means immune to those feminine charms.
I read Bad Beat for the Rivals to Lovers square in Sapphic Book Bingo, and Bennett absolutely nails this trope. Jax and Miri have an extraordinary connection. Locked in a competition mindset, they’re initially so obsessed with taking each other down that neither woman notices what is plain to everyone else around them: they want each other. Desperately. And the gradual shift from aggression to tenderness is absolutely mesmerising. Bennett created a beautiful relationship arc.
While both of these characters have iron-clad poker faces, they’re both vulnerable enough that it’s impossible not to empathise. Jax has just got out of a toxic relationship with a woman more interested in her credit card than Jax herself. She’s tired of being used by the people around her. Miss Edith, her mentor, is one of the only people to value Jax for who she is rather than what she can bring materially. Which is why she’s crushed when Miri eliminates Edith.
And though she’s outwardly arrogant, Miri’s fragile in her own way – and too proud to let others see it, which makes her all the more sympathetic. She didn’t grow up with the comfort or security Jax enjoyed, and so is unabashedly hungry for success; and the financial security a $2 million dollar pot could bring.
For both characters, the stakes are sky high. And though what I understand about poker wouldn’t fill the back of a playing card, I was absolutely hooked on this story. The slick pacing and vivid characterisation made it a joy to read. And I love Bennett’s use of language – the gorgeous descriptions, the witticisms grounded in African-American culture, and playful tone all combine to create a truly distinctive voice. There’s an authenticity to her style which I find irresistible.
My one criticism is that, after Jax and Miri first act upon their feelings for each other, the relationship arc loses direction. Though the tournament’s end is compelling, the way they drift apart for a time makes it feel anti-climactic. There’s a missed opportunity for a grand gesture.
Still, Bad Beat is a fantastic novella and I’m keen to read more of Bennett’s work. The premise, setting, and expert use of tropes make this romance a real pleasure. As Miri and Jax play against each other, the dramatic and sexual tension are off the charts. And it’s easy to imagine them together long after the last page has been turned, tearing up the poker circuit as a power couple
Lou Morgan 