Bloom Into You Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Our review of Nio Nakatani’s complete eight-volume yuri manga Bloom Into You: a slow burn with a near-perfect ending, held back by early consent problems.
First Love
Bingo Love Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Tee Franklin’s Bingo Love follows Hazel and Mari from a 1963 church bingo hall to a second chance in their sixties. Gorgeous art and rare representation, squeezed into too few pages.
This Poison Heart Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Kalynn Bayron’s Medea retelling has wonderful moms and a gorgeous poison garden, but a slow first half, a thin sapphic romance and a hard cliffhanger. Here’s what readers say.
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Audre Lorde’s 1982 biomythography is a foundational Black lesbian life story, not a romance. Our evidence-led review of its prose, its portraits of women, its 3/5 heat and the slow start some readers flag.
Thanks for Listening Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Molly Horan’s YA ace romance has a lovable stage manager narrator, careful asexual representation and a starred Kirkus review, but readers say the love story moves too fast.
Forward March Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Forward March by Skye Quinlan is a warm ace lesbian YA rom-com with standout asexual representation, held back by a crowded plot and a political storyline readers say never lands.
Kissing Girls on Shabbat Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Sara Glass’s Stonewall Honor memoir of first love with a woman inside Gur Hasidic Brooklyn and the long fight to get out with her children. Moving and fast, held back by plain prose.
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Sabina Khan’s YA debut sends a closeted Bengali American Muslim teen from Seattle to Bangladesh. Readers call it important and moving, and they also call the writing flat. Here’s what the evidence says.
Cool for the Summer Review: Is It Worth Reading?
Dahlia Adler’s bi YA summer romance gives a questioning heroine real care and a warm summer with Jasmine, but its love triangle runs on miscommunication. Our evidence-led review.
If You Could Be Mine Review — Is It Worth Reading?
Sara Farizan’s Lambda-winning debut sets a forbidden first love in Tehran. Our evidence-led review: a vital premise and setting, held back by a thin, one-sided romance and a bittersweet ending.