The cleanest way to handle the backend and frontend charade I've seen until now is using https://github.com/hyperfiddle/electric which is a clojure DSL on top of react
Also worth checking out Dustin’s talk about optimistic UIs.
https://youtu.be/v-GE_P1JSOQ?si=3tZeAZqoroN1Vubp
And quick tutorial: https://electric.hyperfiddle.net/
Have you used electric clojure?