I can already tell this is going to be one of my favourites for 2023.

An Epic Construct follows Penelope as she navigates a new queer dating app as she tries to find love in her late 20's. What follows this is an incredible journey of friendship, love, sexuality, gender, consent, boundaries, communication, self discovery and acceptance. This book has so much depth but is presented in a way that's light-hearted and funny which made it such an enjoyable read.

The characters in this book have my entire heart, although the book primarily centres around Penelope, Riley and Taylor, there were so many incredible side characters who also had amazing representation and diversity. I find with books I sometimes get overwhelmed when there are so many pointless side characters, but each side character in An Epic Construct had a clear purpose and added so much more depth to the storyline and I could imagine the book without them.

I don't think my review could ever show how much I loved this book but I'll be recommending this book to everyone who will listen. An easy 5 Stars and an incredible debut from Dawn Cutler-Tran.

Thank you so much to The Paper House & NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for a voluntary honest review.

This novel took me by surprise. This explores all the topics such as sexuality and gender. Then the meaning of interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. This is so good. It made me really think. The characters are a tight-knit group within the LBGTQ+ community which I appreciate. They learn about romance and themselves on this journey. I loved the writing and the plot pacing. I enjoyed this.

Wow. What a fantastic book! I wasn't even halfway through and I was already recommending this book to friends.

This book is a beautiful exploration of sexuality, gender, friendship, and romance. While the book centres around the characters of Penelope, Riley, and Taylor, we are also introduced to their close friends and family, all of whom are incredibly supportive, compassionate, kind, and with the exception of one straight character, are part of LGBTQPI+ community. Penelope, Riley, and Taylor are each on a journey of coming into their best and favourite selves, something I think so many of us are trying to do. In the case of these characters, it is largely concerning their gender and sexuality, but also how to be one's favourite self in a relationship, especially when it's new, tentative, and trust is slowly growing. I also love how the characters are trying new things, for example, Penelope hosting a drag brunch as a drag king. As she steps outside of her comfort zone, she is able to become more in tune with who she is and who she/they want to be.

The relationships that Penelope, Riley, and Taylor have with their friends are beautiful and, I think, something that we all deserve to have. Friends who love us, care for us, support, challenge us, cheer us on and cheer us up, who want the best for us. This book shows how powerful friendships can be, how important they are for our health and happiness.

This is a romance, so I would be remiss if I didn't speak to this element of the book. Well, the romance is extraordinarily well done, and even comes with a bit of a twist! While I clued in on the twist fairly early on, doing so only made me appreciate the writing of the book even more, the details and clues that are present.

Something I was so impressed with is how consent is approached in this book. It is explicit. It is often. There are discussions about boundaries, about needs, about preferences. And the characters are respectful, listen, and change their behaviours accordingly. When a character makes a mistake, even inadvertently, they own it and apologize.

Overall, I love this book. It is fantastic and I will happily recommend it to others. To note, while the characters are in their late 20s, I do think this is a book that people in their late teens could read and enjoy.
I understand there will be a second book and I will happily read it when it becomes available!

Thanks to NetGalley, The Paper House and the author for an e-ARC of the book. Opinions are entirely my own.

An Epic Construct is a sweet story about dating, gender, and self-exploration.

Penelope and Riley independently decide to start dating again using a queer app and they match together. From the first date, their respective anxiety helps break the ice while they start to learn more about each other and themselves.

I love their support networks and how healthily they communicate, even when they miscommunicate. Respect and consent are huge to them both, and it shows.

Rep: Sapphic, Achillean, Asexual, Pansexual, Bisexual, Trans, Nonbinary, Gender-fluid, Anxiety, and Depression

The cover is what drew me in and I'm so glad I got to read this. It had everything that was promised from the description, it worked well overall adn I enjoyed getting to know the characters. It was what I was looking for from this type of book. I enjoyed the way Dawn Cutler-Tran wrote this and look forward to more from her.

"You know…” Maria said, purposefully averting her eyes to watch Penelope place the food bowl on the ground. “Poppy and I are pretty good at keeping our little friend here alive. If you ever decided you wanted to get a cat, one or both of us could always stop by on days when you needed a little extra help around the house.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🏳️‍🌈🐈‍⬛🐇☕🎤

Honestly, this book is everything for a person struggling with their identity needs to read. Even if you identify as cisgender, then you need to read this book just so you know how those who are non-binary, gender fluid or trans feel about themselves, which will teach you how to treat them with the respect that they deserve.

This book is beautiful. It is informative, had a great storyline, and even though I had a feeling where it was headed, it was written so beautifully that when it came about I still cried. (in a good way)

I loved all the characters and how they just merged into one big queer family. I loved how everyone was supportive, always there for each other and helped each other through depressive states. I loved the connection between Nels and Riley. I loved everything. I can't wait for the next book.

I loved how everyone was queer. Pansexual, Nonbinary, Lesbian, Asexual, Bisexual, Transgender, Gay, Genderfluid and not to mention Drag Queens and Kings! This book had everything and it was truly beautiful.

Just like this cover.

Thanks to Dawn Culter-Tran and NetGalley for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.