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Verdict: A hugely popular YA romance between an out track star and a closeted bisexual pageant girl, with strong queer representation and a heartbreaking look at an abusive home. But it divides readers sharply over instalove, poor communication and Morgan’s pressure on Ruby to come out — and there is little track on the page.
Best for: Teen and adult YA readers who want a coming-out story told from two very different perspectives.
Heat level: Low (YA)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.4/5 — a 3.69 Goodreads average across 31,750 ratings, 3.63 on StoryGraph from 9,319 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 2,735 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Out / closeted, opposites attract, instalove, new school, bisexual lead, dual POV.
Some Girls Do is Jennifer Dugan’s 2021 young adult queer romance from the author of Hot Dog Girl. Morgan, an elite track athlete, is forced to transfer high schools late in her senior year because being queer breaks her private Catholic school’s code of conduct. At her new school she meets Ruby, who restores her baby-blue 1970 Ford Torino and competes in beauty pageants to live out her overbearing mother’s dreams.
It holds a 3.69 average across 31,750 Goodreads ratings, with 59% of them four or five stars, 3.63 on StoryGraph from 9,319 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 2,735 Amazon ratings.
It sits in our contemporary coverage as a YA read rather than an adult romance.
What Is Some Girls Do About?
Morgan wants a fresh start and refuses to hide who she is. Ruby isn’t ready to come out. As their feelings grow, each is on a different path toward living her truth, and they have to decide if they can go the distance together.
The story alternates between Morgan’s and Ruby’s points of view.
What Works in This Book
- Ruby: Even many negative reviews single her out as the best thing in the book.
- Queer representation: Readers value the range of ways characters experience their sexuality, including bisexual rep.
- Sibling dynamics: Readers enjoyed the relationship between one of the leads and her brother.
- Emotion: 70% of StoryGraph reviewers tagged it emotional, and some were moved to tears.
Book Synopsis
A track star forced out of her school for being gay meets a pageant queen who would rather be under the hood of a car.
One is out and proud; the other isn’t ready. Can they meet in the middle?
My Review
Dugan is at her best with Ruby, whose home life is painfully bleak and whose fear of coming out is treated with care. The book also gives honest attention to the difference between being able to be out and being safe to be out.
But Morgan is a lightning rod. A lot of critical reviewers found her lacking empathy for Ruby’s situation, and many readers were frustrated by the pair’s poor decisions and inability to talk to each other after an instalove start. Others found the characters flat or the story familiar, and readers expecting track and pageants note that neither gets much page time.
My honest note: Read it for Ruby, and be ready to be annoyed with Morgan before she grows.
| Element | In Some Girls Do |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Morgan (out track star) & Ruby (closeted bisexual beauty queen) |
| Core tropes | Out / closeted, opposites attract, instalove |
| Setting | A new high school in senior year |
| Heat level | Low (YA) |
| Length | 336 pages |
| Series | Book one of two |
| Content notes | Homophobia, emotional and child abuse, lesbophobia, alcohol, outing |
How Spicy Is Some Girls Do?
It’s a YA romance; the focus is on feelings and coming out, not heat.
StoryGraph users flag graphic homophobia (82 reports), emotional abuse (48) and child abuse (32), among others.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a YA coming-out story with bi rep and emotional weight. It is on our sapphic sports romance list.
You may want to skip it if: miscommunication plots or characters pressuring others to come out will frustrate you, or you want lots of sport.
In short: Ruby carries it.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 21% five stars, 38% four, 30% three, 8% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, 73% called it character-driven and 82% said the characters develop strongly. Many reviews say it started cute and promising before becoming frustrating.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Ruby first. Second, the queer representation. Third, the sibling dynamics. Fourth, the emotion.
What readers argue about and complain about: Morgan, above everything. Second, poor communication. Third, instalove. Fourth, little track or pageant content.
The comparison worth making first: All the Worlds Between Us, another YA romance about an out athlete and a closeted girl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Some Girls Do young adult?
Yes. It is a YA contemporary romance from Penguin, with Amazon listing a reading age of 12 and up.
Is there much track in Some Girls Do?
Not much. One reader points out that Morgan is barred from running for most of the story, and the pageants barely appear on the page.
Why do readers dislike Morgan?
Many critical reviews object to Morgan pressuring Ruby to come out before she is ready, although readers note she does learn.
What are the content warnings?
StoryGraph users most often flag homophobia, emotional abuse and child abuse, followed by lesbophobia, alcohol, outing and domestic abuse. Ruby’s home life is bleak.
Is there a sequel?
Yes. Amazon lists Some Girls Do as book one of two.
If You Loved Some Girls Do, Read These Next
Try All the Worlds Between Us. For more, browse our sapphic sports romance list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Some Girls Do sets out to show two girls on different paths to coming out, and Ruby’s story lands. What holds it back is Morgan and the miscommunication. Worth it for YA readers. Check Some Girls Do on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Some Girls Do ranks as a fair YA romance — important, frustrating.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ 3.69 average across 31,750 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 59% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.63 on StoryGraph from 9,319 reviews
- ✓ 4.5 stars across 2,735 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 3.1/5
- ✓ Cute start
- ✓ Instalove
- ✓ Poor communication
- ✓ Out vs closeted tension
Characters ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ Beloved Ruby
- ✓ Divisive Morgan
- ✓ Great sibling
- ✓ Flat for some
Writing ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ Dual POV
- ✓ Easy read
- ✓ Familiar beats
- ✓ Little track
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Tagged emotional by 70%
- ✓ Bleak home life
- ✓ Coming out
- ✓ Moving for some
Heat Level ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5
- ✓ YA
- ✓ Low heat
- ✓ Feelings-focused
- ✓ No spice
Ending ★★★☆☆ 3.2/5
- ✓ Growth arcs
- ✓ Book one of two
- ✓ Hopeful
- ✓ Divisive journey
Re-read Value ★★★☆☆ 3.1/5
- ✓ $6.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 336 pages
- ✓ Reading age 12+
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
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