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Verdict: A warm, funny slice-of-life romance: autistic librarian Adrienne Stecher, who spends weekends with her beloved grandfather, is waging war on the neighbourhood peacocks when she accidentally soaks Casey Knight, a neighbour who adores the birds and is torn about her future. Readers praise the representation, the support system and the humour; a few felt the plot was thin.
Best for: Readers who want a gentle, humorous romance with an autistic and ADHD lead and a lovely family.
Heat level: 🌶️🌶️
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1/5 — a 4.29 Goodreads average across 107 ratings, 4.35 on StoryGraph from 24 reviews, and 4.7 stars across 47 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Neighbours, opposites attract, meddling grandparent, new adult, small town, neurodivergent representation.
Birds of a Feather is Laina Villeneuve’s 2022 small-town lesbian romance from Bella Books, about 88,500 words. Adrienne has always known she is different, and she is fine with her place on the spectrum; she has a routine that works for her.
It holds a 4.29 average across 107 Goodreads ratings, with 88% of them four or five stars, 4.35 on StoryGraph from 24 reviews, and 4.7 stars across 47 Amazon ratings.
What Is Birds of a Feather About?
If only she could get rid of the peacocks taking over her childhood neighbourhood. Her anti-peacock stance baffles Casey Knight, who finds the birds majestic and a welcome distraction from deciding whether to stay at the religious university her parents chose or leave to groom dogs.
Adrienne tries as hard to douse Casey’s attraction as she does to scare off the peacocks, but Casey catches her attention as effectively as a peacock rattling its train.
What Works in This Book
- Representation: Neurodivergent readers recognise themselves in Adrienne.
- Family: Her dad and her grandfather, Pops, who raised her, are a wonderful support system.
- Humour: The peacock war and the hose meet-cute had readers laughing.
- Communication: As one reader puts it, communicating is sexy.
Book Synopsis
A librarian at war with the peacocks. A neighbour who thinks they are majestic.
They might be birds of a feather after all.
My Review
Villeneuve takes a different path from typical romance, as a longtime reader notes, and readers learn a lot about falling in love with someone on the spectrum. Adrienne starts out convinced she is too much for anyone to date; Casey, estranged from a family that never accepted her sexuality, has her own reasons for caution. Their slow bond, nudged along by Pops and a strong secondary cast, is sweet and sincere.
The criticisms are mild. One reader felt there was no real plot beyond the romance, one found the peacock business a little over the top, one felt the vibe shifted near the end, and one could not invest in the characters.
My honest note: A charming, feel-good read with representation that rings true.
| Element | In Birds of a Feather |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Adrienne Stecher (autistic librarian) & Casey Knight (student, aspiring dog groomer) |
| Core tropes | Neighbours, opposites attract, meddling grandparent |
| Setting | A small California town near Los Angeles |
| Heat level | 🌶️🌶️ |
| Length | About 88,500 words |
| Series | Standalone |
| Content notes | Parental abandonment (past), homophobic family, religious pressure |
How Spicy Is Birds of a Feather?
Mild to moderate, though one reader rated it higher.
Readers mention Adrienne’s mother leaving because of her differences and Casey’s homophobic family.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a funny, tender romance with an autistic lead. It is on our neurodivergent sapphic romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you want a plot-heavy book.
In short: Peacocks, patience and Pops.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 41% five stars, 47% four, 12% three, and no two- or one-star ratings.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Representation first. Second, humour. Third, family. Fourth, communication.
What readers argue about and complain about: A thin plot, above everything. Second, too many peacocks. Third, a late shift in tone.
The comparison worth making first: Sculpting Her Heart, another neighbours romance with an autistic heroine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the neurodivergent representation?
Adrienne is autistic and has ADHD. Several neurodivergent readers found her experiences, including her sensitivities and coping mechanisms, very similar to their own.
Why the peacocks?
A flock of peafowl has taken over Adrienne’s grandfather’s neighbourhood, and her war against them, including a sprinkler that soaks Casey instead, drives much of the humour.
Is it new adult?
Readers describe it as a new adult, slice-of-life romance. Casey is still at a religious university chosen by her parents, weighing whether to leave and become a dog groomer.
How spicy is it?
Mild to moderate by our listing, though one enthusiastic reader rated it four peppers.
Is Birds of a Feather on Kindle Unlimited?
Not when we checked; the Kindle edition was listed at $9.99.
If You Loved Birds of a Feather, Read These Next
Try Sculpting Her Heart or The Rules of Love. Browse our neurodivergent sapphic romance list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Birds of a Feather sets out to be a warm, funny romance about accepting yourself and being accepted, and its humour and representation deliver. What holds it back is a slight plot. A delightful read. Check Birds of a Feather on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Birds of a Feather ranks as a strong neurodivergent-rep pick — warm, funny.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 4.1/5
- ✓ 4.29 average across 107 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 88% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 4.35 on StoryGraph from 24 reviews
- ✓ 4.7 stars across 47 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.9/5
- ✓ Neighbours
- ✓ Slow bond
- ✓ Communication
- ✓ Sweet
Characters ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
- ✓ Adrienne
- ✓ Casey
- ✓ Pops
- ✓ Strong secondary cast
Writing ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ First person
- ✓ Humour
- ✓ Thin plot for one
- ✓ Sincere
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Self-acceptance
- ✓ Family
- ✓ Hope
- ✓ Light
Heat Level ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
- ✓ Mild to moderate
- ✓ Four peppers for one
- ✓ Adult
- ✓ Romantic
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Gets the girl
- ✓ Standalone
- ✓ Warm
- ✓ Tone shift for one
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ $9.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 88,500 words
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ Feel-good
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