After reading The Next Best Fling, I had to read this one. It did not disappoint. I enjoyed Angela’s journey into discovering who she was. I was rooting for Angela and Krystal throughout the whole story. They had great chemistry. This was a great sapphic romance.

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for allowing me to listen and review this book.

I initially grabbed this book just based on the cover and it appeared to be sapphic, which it is but it’s more than that. The beginning almost lost me, it was slow there was a lot of words and it was slow but then it picked up thankfully. I liked the narrators voices, they did a great job with the characters voices.
Character wise I did enjoy the characters, I did think that they were way younger, so they read younger and I think with the social media as well. It read like a coming of age story but it was an older coming out story and finding yourself. I did think that the scavenger hunt was a neat idea, who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt.
I would recommend this read it just didn’t hit it out of the park for me.

I want to thank NetGalley and Forever for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Gabriella's first book, The Next Best Fling. It was one of my favorite books I read last year and I recommend it often, so I was particularly excited for her sophomore novel. Unfortunately, I did DNF this title and won't be recommending it.

A major issue for me was that the main character continuously had the most negative things to say about meeting your partner on a dating app, as if the mere idea of it was beneath her. As someone who met her husband on a dating app, this rubbed me the wrong way and made me feel like I should be ashamed of how my relationship began. It's probably not a good idea to alienate a major percentage of your audience by saying how horrible it is to meet someone online.

Also, the main character was NOT likeable at all. She was very annoying and childish for someone who was 27. I just couldn't get past it and I found myself not caring about her story the deeper into the book I got.

4.25 Stars

I adore a queer book that recognizes that sexuality is a spectrum, and we are always discovering more about ourselves. I especially appreciate a book that recognizes that ace people exist and that it isn’t as simple as people think. As someone who loves an ace person, I love seeing the representation of someone that is always working to deal with their feelings. I think that this book was well written and I always love when I get the chance to read a book where the MCs are sapphic. Some may not get the fact that one of the main characters is in her 20’s and has never been kissed, but I thought that that was a cute plot point. I think it was such an entertaining story to read about a woman on a journey to not only get her first kiss, but also to figure out who she is. This was the first book I have read by this author and I thought it was an enjoyable read. The diversity and inclusion were definitely a plus, things we don’t often get in romance stories.

Angela is one of those characters who can seem unrealistic but is all too real. It may seem crazy that 20 something year old has never been kissed, but it’s a very real scenario for someone that is on the asexual spectrum. Her journey to discover herself and her ever evolving sexuality was such a relatable thing. It was a little strange what she was willing to do before being kissed but I understand that some people hold that act as a far more intimate act than other things. I loved the character of Krystal. I wanted to see some from her perspective because I feel like she was someone I could definitely relate to. But I can appreciate that this book was more about Angela’s journey.

This was a sweet book and the best part of it was the inclusion and diversity. There is some fun spice in this book, but not so much that the plot is lost. I really enjoyed the themes in this book and even though I didn’t always get the characters’ actions, I was still able to relate to their journey. This was an enjoyable book with Latinx characters and so much queer representation.

Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez is a sweet, sapphic romance that blends late-bloomer charm with heartfelt identity exploration.

Angela Gutierrez is a librarian who’s never been kissed — and she’s ready for that to change. After going viral for a video about her ace identity and never-been-kissed status, Angela comes up with a scavenger hunt idea where the winner earns her first kiss. But organizing an event like that is a lot… and she’ll need help.

Enter Krystal Ramirez: confident bartender, queer heartbreaker, and Angela’s long-time crush. Despite claiming she’s not built for romantic love, Krystal is all in on helping Angela — and their chemistry is undeniable.

This story is full of community love, and queer joy. I especially loved the Mexican American rep and the affirming journey Angela takes toward understanding her identity and desires. That said, some aspects — like the scavenger hunt — felt underdeveloped, and the characters skewed a bit young for my taste at times.

Tropes & Themes:
• Influencer x bartender
• Mexican American main characters
• LGBTQIA2S+ rep
• Sapphic romance
• Unrequited crush
• Friends-to-lovers-ish
• Late bloomer / first kiss journey
• Mutual pining
• Identity exploration (asexual & aromantic spectrum)

A tender, sapphic romance with heartwarming representation and a fun concept — even if the execution felt a little young and underbaked in places. A sweet read if you’re looking for a sweet sapphic story with great rep and a premise that’s equal parts cute and emotional.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever and Hachette Audio for providing an e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

NOT THE MOCOS!! This book was such a ride, to be clear though I do not mean in the same way Angela's bike ride went! I loved it and loved them alll, except Esme, which just means that Gabby did her job really well lmao. I cannot waitttttt for the third installation of our quirky lil librarians, I was rooting for our girl to get her own book (and justification for the bad date!). The transparency that Gabriella put into her words throughout everything was so refreshing, and it was so beautiful to be taken to all the different parts of the spectrum. Being queer is beautiful and multi-faceted, so why should we let ourselves be held back by a labeled box?? Obviously, there were parts that could be triggering for those that experienced similar journeys, but that is also why it's so important that these stories are shared, so that these problems don't continue to happen in our world! This was a shining light in an environment that has felt so volatile of late and I so appreciate Angela and Krystal getting their happy (and HOTTTTT) ending.

I’m sorry, I tried, but I just could not get into this book. I don’t necessarily think it’s bad, just not for me. The main character just really annoyed me and I could not get into it even though I really tried.

Affirming and uplifting. A wonderful journey of self discovery!
I’m a firm believer that reading teaches us to be more empathetic through opening our eyes and hearts to perspectives that we may or may not share. It’s such a gift.

The messy (in the most real and relatable way!) and complex characters coupled with the exploration of sexuality—and all of its nuances— were a delight to read.

Thank you so much for the ARC, Forever!

Kiss Me, Maybe had a super cute premise, and I wanted to love it. A sweet, ace librarian navigating her firsts with the help of her longtime crush? Sign me up. The representation was refreshing, and I appreciated Angela’s honesty and awkwardness—it felt real and relatable. The idea of turning a scavenger hunt into a first-kiss contest was fun and quirky, and some moments had me smiling.
However, somewhere along the way, the story lost some of its momentum. The pacing dragged in spots, and while I liked both Angela and Krystal, their chemistry felt more “slow burn” than “scorching,” and not always in a good way. Krystal’s emotional walls made sense for her character, but it also made the romance feel a bit one-sided at times. I just wanted more spark, more tension, more payoff. It was cute and had a heart, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I absolutely loved how this book has a main character exploring her identity and sexuality. Angela’s character is so vulnerable and real. I just love a story where the main character is still trying to figure themselves are because in reality, when are we not? I loved getting the opportunity about the ace spectrum through her. The story also really tackled the family struggles in response to coming out in an honest way

The online scavenger hunt did a great job of tackling the concept of the pros and cons of the internet. While Angela experienced a lot of people connecting with her and her experiance, it did come at a cost with the negative responses. It was so great to see Krystal and Angela grow together too.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gotta say, I think I’m in the minority with this one. There were some things I loved but for the most part I just kept thinking that “this is set during COVID and she’s meeting people to try to kiss them.” lol I just couldn’t get that out of my head.

Ok so I usually LOVE books with influencers. They are usually today’s version of “celebrity romances.” But with this one, I just couldn’t get into it. I loved the thought of how she first went viral because I think that might actually happen. But the second half? When they started the contest thing? Yeahhhhhhh I didn’t care for that. ONLY because she said it was during COVID and everything was closed. And I just couldn’t get it out of my head. I know that they mentioned that it was mostly after it, but I just keep thinking to myself that I’m still wearing a mask lol So that part was a bit blah to me. And yes I know nothing happened until she wanted it to, but still, it ruined it for me.

The romance itself was cute and I loved the ace rep. And I just want to point out and praise Gamez for how she showed how identity is so fluid. I myself even went through all of the same questions that she had. I loved that she was brave enough to share it with the world tho. Definitely could never have been me lol

With that being said, I just want to point out that I don’t condone violence, but I really could have beat her family up. Those were supposed to be the people who are taking care of each other. But no they were the ones who teased her the most. And that ending?! Yeah I was mad af at her. I hated that they were STILL getting to her. She deserved to heal without them in her face.

Also, the love interest? Like were they all not paying attention? Did she seriously not know that they liked her? It was evident from the beginning. I knew who the person was immediately. But I was really confused. Does Late Bloomer mean doesn’t pay attention? Because it was immediately evident lol Maybe it’s just me and I’m being extra, but this one was not my favorite.

This wasn’t what I was expecting. I gotta say tho I’m still excited to see what else Gamez has in store. This one was just a one off with me. I’m just if these things don’t bother you, you’ll be fine.

I was very excited for the Latinx rep that was portrayed in the cover, but unfortunately the cover was all that was representative of the characters culture and/or background. I understood that the main focus was ace representation and the queer experience of figuring out who you are, but the book became repetitive.
Alrhought I liked reading about the characters themselves, I did not feel the chemistry between them. It really bothered me that them ending up together felt forced. It felt like them being together was the only option because they spent the night together.
I would have wanted more culture descriptions and not just fiesta being mentioned.

Sign me up for anything and everything written by Gabriella Gamez. While I think some readers are turned off by Gamez's quirky characters and storylines, I absolutely adore them. Kiss Me, Maybe is written for any one who has felt the pressure to discover themselves in private, without the support of family and friends. Its for the shy girls, the ones who are "late bloomers (though if there's a moral of this book, it's that the idea of being "late" to self discovery is nonsense), and to for those learning to prioritize their wants and needs. I saw another review that said something along the liens of Gabriella Gamez knowing that real life happens in the details -- the text messages, the internal thoughts, and small conversations -- and I could not agree more. Life isn't often full of big dramatic life changing moments, instead it's the little things that happen each day, and behind the scenes that make up our lives. I love how this is portrayed in this book. Additionally, as a San Antonian, I adored all of the references and settings throughout the book.

This is a beautiful sapphic story. And while sometimes the detailed definitions of queer identities felt a bit heavy handed, I felt like it did make sense in the context of the book -- since our MC is literally also figuring out her gender and sexual identity alongside the reader.

Please read this book!

I feel like I would have enjoyed this better if the Tik-Tok and scavenger hunt subplot were not included. It made it feel like a YA novel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Funny, heartfelt, and beautifully queer—Kiss Me, Maybe is another absolute gem from Gabriella Gamez

Gabriella Gamez has done it again—Kiss Me, Maybe is a pitch-perfect romance that balances humor, heat, and vulnerability with ease. This book is so much more than a cute premise—it’s an empowering, deeply emotional exploration of identity, love, and the very real messiness of late-blooming self-discovery. Kiss Me, Maybe is about finding love on your own terms, discovering your worth, and realizing that sometimes the perfect person isn’t the one you were searching for—it’s the one who’s been right there all along. This story will make you laugh, ache, and absolutely melt.

Five stars. Full heart. Forever recommending.

Kiss Me, Maybe follows Angela as she finds herself going viral for a video about her ace identity and how she's never been kissed. Now she's planning a scavenger hunt to have her first kiss and needs some help. Enter Krystal: someone Angela has been crushing on and a bartender at her local bar.

This book was absolutely stunning, from the cover to the romance inside. I felt as though the chemistry and trajectory of the romance between Angela and Krystal was realistic. Not many romance books I have read include someone identifying as ace, let alone someone who is working through if that is the label that best fits her identity. Gamez does a phenomenal job balancing building tension and giving us enough to keep rooting for the FMC's. I am very excited to see how Gamez rounds out the series, and will be (not so) patiently waiting to hear more from her!

I actually adored the characters. This book may be fiction, but so much of it felt real. Like this could be your friend's experience. I was drawn in so quickly and devoured it in one sitting, staying up until after midnight to finish it!!

Highly recommend!!
4.5 stars rounded up!!

I found this book absolutely phenomenal for the representation of asexual identity and particularly the diverse experiences being asexual. The fact that so much of the plot centered around TikTok, which I don’t have any personal experience with, wasn’t my favorite thing, but I still understood the message about finding community in online spaces and the struggle to convert that to real-world connections. I did find myself wishing for more of Krystal’s side of the story, as well as more time to get to know Letti as something other than another kissing option (although I suspect that may be because she’ll be getting her own book eventually). Also, the spice was limited to a couple scenes, but those were hot and well written, appropriate to the characters and circumstances. Overall, I think this is a great book for those looking for a sapphic romance that is a little different than the norm while still being sweet with a touch of spice.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kiss Me, Maybe is an amazing read. If you're looking for asexual representation, a scavenger hunt where the prize is a kiss, figuring out sexuality and discovering yourself then this one is for you.

Highly recommend!

This book has all the tropes for me: latinx, a librarian, a curvy bartender, two women falling in love, set in Texas, full of beautiful culture, incredible book cover. And yet it left me feeling like there was something missing at the end. I did appreciate it being written in first person, so I felt like we went on a journey with Angela trying to figure out her sexuality.