2.5/5 Stars: 'Finding Yvonne' is a Young Adult, Romantic Contemporary by Brandy Colbert; 'Finding Yvonne' is an emotionally layered story, centred around an African-American woman torn between whether to attend a Musical Conservatory, and try to become a professional violinist, or to give up and pursue another profession. Colbert has an excellent ear for dialogue, and she does a fantastic job of capturing the particular anxieties of a highly intelligent, talented teenager at a crossroads; as well as, the weight of micro-aggressions about the themes of race to sexuality to economic status. Our protagonist engages in endless introspection, but the character feels flat. The lack of momentum makes it rather challenging to sustain interest in the story. The heavily branded 'musical' theme does not ring true; it felt brushed over once the second-half of the novel picked up. Plus, secondary characters felt under-developed, especially with their significance in the 'plot'. Needless to say, from the threads of love and romance, to re-defining family life, readers of all walks of life will find an entry point to this title.