This is so so sweet, I love so many of these poems and its the perfect antidote to these dark times. Hugely reccomend.

A beautiful, warm collection of pieces that everyone will find something in! Although I am usually not one for anthologies, short stories, or collections, it was easy to sit down and read through this whole thing in one sitting.

Vital reading in this current political and cultural climate. Powerful and comforting, I would encourage everyone to seek this out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great and beautiful collection of poems focusing on LGBTQIA+ poets, and the main theme that ties all these poems together is love. When reading this collection, I could tell there was a lot of thought, effort, and love put into these poems. It felt very heartfelt, and I think this is something that could touch a lot of people.

I really enjoyed the use of drawings and colour throughout the poems, and the intercorpation of a few short essays from some of the poets. I was really able to see into that person's mind when I was reading them. As well, the order of poems flowed very nicely.

There were some poems that I personally didn't love but I enjoyed reading all of them. Poetry can be very subjective so it makes sense that not all of them connected to me, but there were plenty of poems that did connect to me that I loved and I found myself searching up some of the poets afterwards.

Overall, I would 100% recommend this book and think that it fulfills its goal as being 'poems of tenderness and belonging'.

3.5 ⭐️

Love Is For All Of Us
Poems of Tenderness and Belonging from the LGBTQ+ Community and Friends

By James Crews and Brad Peacock

Published on May 6 with Storey Publishing

**Warning: some select poems have suggestive language or content some people may choose to avoid.

I enjoyed the variety and different stories. I embraced seeing these different ideas and perspectives that they all shared with a glimpse of what’s in the mind and heart. A few quite out of my realm. There is something special with the realm of poetry and essays. Some a truly moving pieces. Overall, with openness you could enjoy reading this collection.

Thank you NetGalley and Storey Publishing for allowing me to read and share my honest thoughts.

Wow. Normally I don’t rate the non-fiction I read but I absolutely have to give this a 5 stars. This anthology was so beautiful and many of the poems will stay with me for a very long time. The dedication & foreword were very moving and made me feel connected immediately, and I loved the inclusion of help hotlines and donations towards The Trevor Project. The illustrations were beautiful. Each and every poem is so special and, (as someone who has never cried at a non-fiction book before!), I was even brought to tears by a good handful of them.

Here are a few personal favourite poems.

☆ Bonneville Bathtub
☆ Father’s Day
☆ DEAR SON
☆ A Reminder from the Stars
☆ HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT, 2016
☆ DEAR DAUGHTER
☆ NOW IS OUR TIME

This anthology touched my heart and soul. I cannot recommend it enough and can’t wait to pick up my physical copy! Thank you very much for this gorgeous ARC. 🖤

"Poems of tenderness and belonging" sums this book up perfectly. Each poem flows so well into the next. The organization and thought that went into the flow of how each poem ends where another starts to begin is immaculate. It really ties together this nature style poetry together quite lovely. The artwork and colors within the pages do a lot to add to the overall atmosphere of the poetry written as well. You can tell a lot of thought and love went into creating this poetry collection. I hope to see this on bookshelves everywhere, as it feels like an important light that needs to shine for all who need it.

This anthology was warm and tender. A beautiful collection of poems about love, acceptance, and all the different parts of the queer experience. I appreciated the different themes and stories included in this book showing the love and care put into curating this collection..

I believe this anthology is sorely needed in our times now--a reminder that love is for all of us.

This is the kind of book you want to keep close—not just during Pride, but all year round. It’s a reminder that love isn’t a privilege for a few, but a birthright for all. Whether you’re seeking solace, affirmation, or simply beautiful language, Love Is for All of Us opens its arms wide and says, “You belong here.”

A perfect gift, a perfect reminder, and a perfect read.

The arrangement of this book of poems into different themes relying on imagery was lovely. I enjoyed the transformative visuals of people as stardust, of change as a caterpilalr becoming a butterfly, and of love as the small things we do in our lives that have a lasting impact.

The vulnerability of these stories made me feel deeply, even moving me to tears on multiple occassions. My favorite poem of the set has to be 'Anniversary'. I also found the stories of becoming to be a good interlude between the poems, allowing you to stop and process.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, this was a lovely read. And thank you to James Crews and Brad Peacock for your inspiring stories of love, enduring all.

Very beautiful collection of poetry. It is great to see such representation in the queer community and be able to connect to queer love poems.

A genuinely beautiful collection of poems, shedding light on queer love and acting as a beacon of light for the queer community in such trying times. Love really is, for all of us.

What a beautiful collection of poems! This was such a heartfelt read and I think can resonate with anyone. It was inspiring and touching and filled my heart.

What better time than now to find connection and kindness in "Love is for All of Us: Poems of Tenderness and Belonging from the LGBTQ+ Community and Friends" (Storey Publishing, 2025)? Writer-editor James Crews wows once again with another stellar compilation of poetry Focusing on the tenderness and quest for belonging often denied queer people by their families and communities of origin.

Unlike Crews's previous anthologies, such as "The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy" (Storey Publishing, 2022), "Love is for All of Us" is a collaboration with his husband, writer Brad Peacock. Crews wrote the introduction "The Countless Faces of Love," while Peacock wrote the epilogue "Now Is Our Time." Both have poems in the book. The Trevor Project will receive a portion of Crews's and Peacock's proceeds from the book each year.

Another bonus? American visual artist and author Lisa Congdon provided the artwork, including the cover art and illustrations peppered throughout the book. For example, near Allegria Barclay's piece "Mending," Congdon depicts cherry red thread stitched across the page with a dangling needle below. Mark Nepo's poem "My Love" contains the line "the way a hummingbird does all that work to simply hover," which Congdon illustrates with a multicolored hummingbird in flight.

Interspersed with poetry from Danez Smith, Ada Limon, Ellen Bass, AE Hines, Audre Lorde, Jacqueline Suskin, Andrea Gibson, Wendell Berry, and Ocean Vuong, there are poems from emerging poets, which is one of my favorite things about Crews's anthologies, in addition to their hopeful themes and colorful presentation.

Fans of James Crews's other books, including "The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal," Alison Hawthorne Deming's "The Gift of Animals: Poems of Love, Loss, and Connection," and Maria Popova's "The Universe in Verse: 15 Portals to Wonder Through Science and Poetry" should also enjoy "Love is for All of Us."

Thank you to James Crews and Brad Peacock, Storey Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC!

From the foreword, written by Richard Blanco, I felt a very intimate connection with this work, to the themes that would be presented in this anthology. And in the introduction, James Crews makes an undeniable point relating to the power of poetry.
This anthology holds a great weight. The poems here tell stories of love, of grief, of laughter, of loss and heartbreak. Some poems tell of intimacy, love, passion laid bare not without fear but despite and even in spite of it. Some poems tell of the loneliness that comes from carrying the weight of all that is heavy in life, for even when your loved ones surround you, there is a loneliness there.
This work speaks so clearly to a poetic, queer soul such as mine. It speaks to the true rawness of love, of queer love, of the ache and the break and the togetherness. It unveils the very everything of the human condition. So much is packed into these poems that have so, ultimately, few words that brought wondrous tears to my eyes. I felt so deeply understood, and I feel deeply grateful to have had to opportunity to read and digest this as a budding NetGalley reviewer. A heartfelt thanks to Storey Publishing for the opportunity!
I’d like to add that while it is difficult to pick favorites, some that spoke to me in particular and especially include: Ada Limón’s “On A Pink Moon;” Dorianne Lux’s “Enough Music;” Michael Blumenthal’s “Small Love Poem;” and Jason O’Toole’s “Father’s Day,” as well as “Dear Son.”

Netgalley ARC -this is a very sweet collection and I deeply love the colorful art style as well :) Recommend.

🌿☀️🌈🪻🍂⛈️🌙🏔️🦋🌷

Love Is For All Of Us is a beautiful collection of poetry about being a queer person and/or loving queer people. These works also share a common theme of nature imagery, which is woven into each story of beauty, hardship, grief, joy, transformation, grit, loss, and strength.

A couple of my favorite quotes:

“Don’t hold back for fear of those who despise rainbows and stardust, and the magic of you have always been.”

-Stephanie Burt

“The power of prayer won’t fix what isn’t broken”

-Aby Ray

Also, the epilogue is badass and serves as a good reminder to keep standing together and rebelling against the people trying to erase us. Love wins 🏳️‍🌈

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!!

A beautiful anthology about love and acceptance. This is basically a love letter about love, written by a bunch of authors. They came together so beautifully.

Poems that beautifully depict love in all its forms and all its connected emotions. Love, and these book, is for all of us.

This beautiful anthology is a vibrant celebration of love and life, honoring the LGBTQ+ community through powerful poems that explore love, identity, and loss. The stunning illustrations by Lisa Congdon added an extra layer of brilliance for me. I thought they perfectly complement the spirit of the collection. Standout poems for me were "king the color of space/tower of molasses & marrow," "Love Poem," "On C Block," and "Prayer for Werewolves." I would absolutely recommend this book if you are looking for a diverse collection of poems that celebrate queer, transgender, and nonbinary experiences.

Thank you NetGalley and Storey Publishing for an advanced copy of this book!