Such a great variety of short stories, some I absolutely loved and they hit me right in the feels, some I found a bit too much for me in different ways but overall a really good book about the various loves, lives and struggles of trans girls!

An engaging collection of well-written stories read beautifully by the author. At times heart-breaking, eye-opening, and funny.

This was a really unique set of eleven short stories, spanning a host of young trans women dealing with life in all its glory - losses, love, the ups and downs, sex, relationships, and their identities. A tour of the diversity of human experiences, whilst still feeling as though there was a common thread and narrative voice weaving the collection together, gave this book a very well put together feel. In terms of queer fiction, this is a stellar showing of what can be done with short stories. Fantastic!

This was a really great short story collection read by the author. All of the stories felt very unique and separate from each other; varying in length, format, seriousness, and topic. The running theme is that it's all about transwomen and the fact that they are trans means something different to each character, just as it does to each trans person.

While this collection was first published nearly a decade ago, none of the stories felt dated or out of touch with a modern audience. The afterward by the author does a great job of filling in the nine-year gap between releases.

What an INCREDIBLE selection of short stories, all brilliantly read by the author!

These stories only have one thing in common: they are all about trans women. That aside, the stories are as different as the women they portray. Some are long, some are short. Some have a clear story arc, while some are witty listicles. Some are grounded, some are surreal. Yet they are all powerful, stunningly written, and unafraid of the realities of life – the good and the bad.

It’s brutally honest – and sometimes just brutal – but that’s what makes it so excellent. These women are fully formed, with all their assets and all their flaws, and exist unapologetically in the world. Their gender means something different to each of them, and the book doesn’t shy away from the complexities involved, both emotionally and practically.

I also liked how the stories took place in the same universe, with occasional references to each other – never enough that you were missing out if you didn’t spot them, or that it took over the narrative, but enough that you could sense this wider community.

From an audiobook perspective, it was really great to have the author narrate the stories. I do wish there had been a longer pause, and perhaps even a sound effect or short snippet of music, to better distinguish the end of one and the start of another, but frankly that’s just me being very picky.

An excellent short story collection that I highly recommend!

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and ECW Press Audio for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed listening to this. It was incredibly moving, emotional and empowering. The author added so much depth into these characters and it was amazing. I loved the multiple different stories and points-of-view.

4.5 stars

I believe I initially requested this book because I thought it was a novel, but there’s definitely joy in reading a collection of stories that are somehow similar but also drastically different at the same time. It was a great text that explore gender identity in a range of forms, settings, and styles. Overall, I quite liked it.

This was like most short stories. I enjoyed a handful but with this particular story, most of them fell flat. I was not a fan of the authors writing. Although I knew the stories would be trans stories, they all felt the same. I did however enjoy the narrator. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this as much as I thought.


Thank you to net galley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book I've read from this author and I think I'll likely refrain from reading more. The stories are a bit uninteresting overall. Character distinction is almost non existent and stories started to blend together. I also think there's a lack of diversity, specifically with race. One positive is that it is great to see trans representation and see non-linear journeys and imperfect characters.

Entertaining book full of short stories about the lives and experiences of young trans women. This book had me crying in empathy and support of individuals who have had to endure this difficult situation, laughing at some of the funnier sections, and being intrigued by some perspectives. I especially enjoyed the chapter discussing the relationship between one woman and her cat. Some were less engaging but overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review an advanced copy of this book.

I love Casey Plett! This is my third book by Plett, and each one is an absolute delight. I love how she narrates her own audiobooks, as it feels more authentic and adds depth to the stories overall making for an enriching audio experience. I loved the stories told in this novel, although I had a hard time keeping track of the characters at points due to their loose interconnectiveness and the choppiness between stories, but overall super enjoyed.

A Safe Girl to Love was a raw and honest short story collection that felt part memoir. It was emotional to read through many of the sexual assault scenes and because of the current political climate of the United States. Unfortunately, we're living in a world where freedom to be who you are is up for debate. I respect the author for sharing the many sides to the life of a trans woman and human. Often queer stories are expected to be polished portrayals of model society. They aren't given the chance to f up. I like that the author humanized each character. Overall I think this is an important collection for those thinking of transitioning, those in the process of transitioning and anyone who wants to be a good ally.

I really enjoyed this book! It gave me an insight I’ve never had before. It broke my heart, made me smile, cry, laugh, and made me happy also. This is a Book I could see myself reading more than once.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a well-written collection of short stories that will really show you the raw and painful experiences of being a trans woman. The subtle transphobic remarks by people you love; the expectation to "rise above the bigots" and take their bullshit; the constant disappointments you get from people that ultimately make you stop opening up... It is like a small needle poking at your heart, bleeding it out just a little bit at a time, not enough to kill you instantly.

Because of how raw the stories can be, this is not a light read I will recommend to everyone. However, I will recommend this book wholeheartedly to anybody who wants to learn more about the trans women (particularly white, young trans women) experience. There are so many aspects in life that I would never think transition would affect, and I appreciated the book for enlightening me.

I would have to say my favorite short story is the one about an escort driver and her cat. The cat can talk, how cool is that! And the cat’s love for her human is so messy and pure. I am so glad it didn’t end in a tragedy even though it felt like it could've…

Overall, this is a great collection of short stories. Painful, raw, and poignant.

cw/tw: alcohol, car accident, depression, drugs, homophobia, self-harm, sex, sexual assault, suicide (attempted in the past) transphobia, violence

A Safe Girl to Love has been on my radar for quite some time, and it didn't disappoint!

This is a short story collection centered on trans women in Canada and the northern US. Loss, polyamory, sex, religion, family, social justice, and more are covered in a way that feels representative of the good and bad of the trans experience while not being 'trauma porn'

I loved how real the conversations are. They're the same ones I've had with my friends and family after coming out, It shows the same fear and dark humor my friends and I possess. It's not a collection of short stories written for cis people, which is my favorite part of it. As much education is needed, I loved how basic concepts didn't need to be explained. It feels like a book for us.

Trigger Warnings: cursing, car accident, alcohol, homophobia, transphobia, smoking, church, sex, drugs, sex work, porn, violence, harassment, parental abandonment, depression, self harm, self hate, past suicide attempt, sexual assault

Representation: Transgender, Queer, Lesbian

A Safe Girl to Love is a book of eleven unique short stories featuring young trans women stumbling through loss, sex, harassment, and love in settings ranging from a rural Mennonite town to a hipster gay bar in Brooklyn. These stories, shiny with whiskey and prairie sunsets, rattling subways and neglected cats, show growing up as a trans girl can be charming, funny, frustrating, or sad, but never will it be predictable.

I was not a huge fan of this story. The book is written well and the characters are very realistic, I just felt like it wasn’t my jam. The audiobook is narrated well and I liked the connections between stories.

This is an extremely interesting collection of stories about young trans women. There are a number of shorter segments like Twenty hot tips to shopping success as well as the longer stories. Although I didn't enjoy all the stories as some felt very open ended or didn't seem to go anywhere, I still overall thought as a collection its an excellent set.
I think these really helped break up the book especially when dealing with such heavy themes. The author makes an excellent narrator.My one thought is that maybe specific trigger warnings should be given at start of each section.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for my honest rating and review.

4.5/5 - rounded down

Anthologies of short stories are typically very hit or miss from me, but this was definitely a hit. I had to check multiple times to make sure this was, in fact, fiction because these stories and these characters were so real and believable. I thought for sure these were just memoir vignettes. I think it’s impressive to write fiction that reads so REAL, but even more impressive when they’re short stories. To draw me in so immediately and have me feel very real emotions during such a short piece is something I haven’t experienced to this extent before!

All of the above sentiments are true for all of the short stories except for the one told from the cat’s perspective. I didn’t like that one but probably because it just kinda bummed me out for the damn kitty.

Thanks to ECW Press Audio and NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Some of these little stories are really well done, like "Twenty Hot Tips to Shopping Success," and others are just sort of meander-y and go nowhere and end abruptly. I really enjoyed the stories with Carla and Zeke (and was amused by Casey Plett's adorable grand plans for them to be made into a movie using the Taylor Swift album "Red" as the soundtrack). Some of the writing is just inexpert, suffering from over-casualness that makes it sound like it is not well-crafted, which really sells the work short.

A lot of these stories are just a slow grind of unhappy times - the drunken/drugged haze of being a woman in your mid-to-late twenties with the extra complication of being a transwoman, so that sexual assault, misgendering, violence, etc. just seem to be part and parcel of everyday existence. I'm not sure if that's what it is to be a transwoman, but I sure hope not. Plett herself points out in the afterword that these people aren't real, so there's no need to invest so much in their behaviors and how they might represent actual transwomen.

Plett is a surprisingly charming narrator, and perfectly captures the tone of the dialogue. It was an interesting listen. I liked it WAY more than Nevada, but Nevada is less a book to enjoy than an experience to get through and has its own importance. Imogen Binnie had to crawl so that Casey Plett could walk, maybe?

loved A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett so I was extremely excited to listen to this new audiobook version and it’s narrated by the author!! Plett does an amazing job narrating this book. Her joy really shines and I loved the voices. I loved all the stories and I’d definitely reread this collection. It’s one of my fave books ever!