Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. These opinions are my own. I want to start off by saying, I don’t usually read sapphic romances, but this one sounded interesting and it also has Hispanic representation. I’m happy I read this book, it actually taught me a lot about the LGBTQ community beyond just gay and lesbian. Our FMC Angela is trying to find herself in the lesbian community, while also never been kissed. She believes she’s asexual but as the story moves along she finds herself questioning where she lands in the spectrum. I think this would be great for anyone who is still trying to figure themselves out.

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to Hachette Audio for the gifted ALC*

Sapphic scavenger hunt shenanigans? Yes please! I loved all of the ace and aro representation and the important discussions within this romance. As someone definitely on that spectrum, it felt true to my lived experience. The incorporation of TikTok was fun, both in the initial premise of a "dating the internet" series and the conflict it generates. It absolutely got STEAMY, even with Angela still holding out on her first kiss. The narration did detract from the book at times - the vibes just didn't quite fit the moment (be it feeling cheesy during the sexy scenes or too serious in the happy ones). But overall, the representation and premise was great.

Thank you to Forever for the arc!
DNF @ 15%

I would recommend this if you like books about self discovery, especially being an asexual lesbian, and “late bloomers” having their first kiss. I also think you’ll like this if you’re a fan of highly focused plots, lighthearted and low-angst romances, and introspective main characters.

One of the FMC’s, Angela, has a crush on the hot bartender at a bar she frequents. I love an unrequited crush, but when Angela and Krystal started talking, it was very casual and didn’t have the angsty tension I like at the start of a romance.

There also doesn’t seem to be any conflict beyond Angela having never been kissed. She posts to TikTok? It goes viral. She wants to set up a big scavenger hunt? No problem, the hot bartender will help. Everything is coming too easily to her and there’s no tension.

I used to really like super low-angst romances like this, and I might come back to it when I’m in the mood for an over the top plot, and a low angst mood.

The narrator did a great job with the mood of the story and creating unique voices for each character!

This is a great story about a young woman who is trying to be true to herself as she opens herself up to new experiences. After multiple incidents, our FMC is finally going to throw herself out there and experience all life has to offer her, no matter what. This book is perfect for anyone who is afraid of going for what they want for fear of rejection. It had some funny moments, some gut wrenching moments, and of course some spicy scenes as well.

A really beautiful story about experiencing your firsts with someone who makes you feel completely comfortable and safe.

Thanks to Caroline at Forever for the eARC and Net Galley!

The beautiful cover art initially drew me to Kiss Me, Maybe, and the 'librarians in love' theme deeply resonated with me. This novel centers on Angela Gutierez, a 27-year-old library assistant, student, and TikTok influencer navigating self-discovery. Gamez's writing is both sassy and grounded, effortlessly immersing the reader in Angela's world.
The story thoughtfully explores the societal pressures surrounding dating and the expectation for young women to settle down. What particularly stood out was Angela's journey in understanding her experiences as someone who distinguishes between sexual and romantic attraction, a perspective rarely centered in mainstream romance.
While trying not to reveal too much, I truly appreciated the depth of Angela's emotional exploration and her vision for a future relationship. The book thoughtfully portrays the challenges of modern romance, particularly the added layer of seeking relatable connections when one's experiences fall outside conventional norms. Angela's longing for Krystal resonated deeply with me, especially the difficult understanding that life rarely aligns perfectly with our desires. Furthermore, the spicy scenes between Angela and Krystal felt significant in the growth of their relationship and their own journeys.
Kiss Me, Maybe is a standout due to its diverse representation, writing style, plot line, and relatability of the main character (a refreshing departure from many mainstream romance novels). Gamez skillfully examines the nuances of self-identification and the fluidity of human nature. Angela's character, while feeling like a late bloomer, is portrayed with insightful maturity.
I sincerely recommend this book to readers who enjoy queer romance and those seeking authentic and diverse representation in their stories.

3.5 stars

This was such a lovely romance full of self exploration and all kinds of love.

As Angela sets off on a self discovery journey of her sexual identity, she takes to TikTok to share her journey and build an online community. What starts off as harmless fun soon spirals out of her control and turns into a scavenger hunt where the winner gets to be Angela's first kiss. In the process of planning the scavenger hunt, Krystal, Angela's long-time crush and favorite bar tender, becomes a close friend and maybe something more.

The characters are the shining star of both this book and Gamez's writing as a whole. They are so well developed and fully realized that even the side characters feel like fully formed individuals that really strengthen the story and add to the world building.

Following Angela on her self discovery journey was truly heartwarming. The way her and Krystal work together to uncover parts of Angela's identity, talk through everything and display beautiful consent was by far my favorite aspect of the story.

That being said, I did not love this plot as much as I wanted to. While I think the social media aspects were done really well and in a timeless way (as much as can be done when the pot hinges on TikTok), I just did not love the scavenger hunt/online presence aspects of this novel. However, Angela's friends are also skeptical of her online presence and kept the story feeling grounded. All the build up for the scavenger hunt felt like a bit of a let down in the end, even if I did enjoy why that was the case. If you like stories about social media, I think this will really work for you, but if you don't typically love stories with a strong social media presence, this will probably not work for you. Despite that, I do think that the characters really shine, and provide enough substance that the plot kind of falls to the wayside and you can just enjoy the character growth without needing too much from the plot.

Overall this was such a fun read with Gamez's typical flair for the dramatic that had my jaw dropping, and my heart thundering. While I didn't enjoy it as much as The Next Best Fling, it was still a delightful read and I can't wait to see what this author does next!

This cover by Leni Kauffman and Daniela Medina is everything. I swooned when I saw it. I chose once again to read a book because the cover seduced me! What’s really great is there is a scene in the book where the characters are wearing these exact clothes with the hair crowns. (sigh)

Gabriella Gamez does a fantastic job of taking us through trying to label our identity. Everything that Angela goes through as she tries to figure things out I have been doing my whole life. I understood her confusion and emphasized her frustration and lack of knowledge. Plus, let’s face it, labels are being added everyday (it seems like) and you never know how you are supposed to label yourself.

Kiss Me, Maybe is filled with homophobia from family members. It’s sad that Julian gets ostracized from his father. Angela’s cousins were such bullies in high school because Angela needed to fit into their ideas of what cishet is. Then what happens later in response to Angela’s coming out. There are also mentions of what happened to other people when they came out.

Then we get to Angela’s TikTok world, and I get it. I did it myself after the coyote attack. I was alone and needed someone to talk to so I spoke to the internet. Angela is just trying to find her voice. She wants to find out who she is outside of everyone’s expectations.

I like the formatting of the book in regard to the conversations and TikTok videos. I think it could have been formatted better for the phone texts. I find this an issue with most books though as authors try to include it, but sometimes it’s messy.

The romance between Angela and Krystal is sweet and slightly angsty. There’s drama there folks and not what you expect. The flirtation is cute, and I just love watching them fall in love. Oh, and just because Angela is on the ace spectrum, she’s sex positive and there are some wonderful scenes that you will be bookmarking.😉

Kiss Me, Maybe is the romance pick me up that I needed. I loved going on the scavenger hunt setup, the flirting, and the missteps. It’s the happily-ever-after I needed right now.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gomez. There's a lot of amazing representation going on in this story, proving it to be a modern romance for our times. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters, and there was something so swoony yet innocent about their connection that made it so you couldn't help but root for both of them. I loved seeing Angela's journey, and Krystal's journey as well; I felt like they both grew not only individually but also together throughout the story. They were genuine enough that you can't help but feel like they're friends of yours. This one will be out soon- next Tuesday, May 6th!

This was cute! A little predictable but super cute and light. I loved the representation of ace people especially in the queer spaces.

Thank you Forever pub for the eARC!

Kiss Me, Maybe is a sapphic romance that offers a refreshing look at identity, self-discovery, and life in the spotlight. Angela, the main character, is figuring out what being on the asexual spectrum means for her—both romantically and sexually. Gabriella Gamez handles this exploration with clarity and care, making it easy for readers to understand what that journey might look like for someone in real life.

If you're into social media and influencer culture, this book gives a pretty honest take. It shows both the sense of community and connection that can come from being online, as well as the pressure and backlash that often come with it.

It’s also nice to see returning characters like Angela’s best friend Marcela and her cousin Julian. Their support adds warmth and familiarity, especially for readers who’ve followed the series.

There's an intimacy that develops between Angela and Crystal as they truly open up to one another and start to realize that they are the ones they truly want. Their relationship needs both of them to work through their own issues and claim their love for one another.

I thought the narrator had a great voice to listen to, but I would have appreciated a bit more difference in narration of the two leads voices to understand a bit better as I listened.

Thank you to Forever and Hachette audio for the eARC and ALC. All opinions are my own.

3-3.5 stars. There were some really great things about this book, and there were things that really didn’t work for me.

To start with the great: the representation and honest conversations of sexuality, asexuality, and the fluidness of labels as a person discovers more about themselves. I felt like I learned so much about the spectrum sexualities can exist on and about microlabels I wasn’t aware of. I liked the idea of Angela finding her community and people she could have in depth discussions with about everything she was feeling and feel understood. I also enjoyed the family bond between Angela and Julian. The conversations about their family dynamics after coming out were raw and honest. It made me feel even more affectionate to the family members who held unconditional love for them.

What didn’t work for me: the “first kiss” of it all. Zero shame to Angela for not having been kissed before nor for not being experienced. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I could understand the way it made her feel. However, when it came to the relationship between Angela and Krystal, with all they did experience together, I felt far less invested in Angela getting her first kiss than I would’ve wanted to be. Like, get yours girls, but also if the idea was that kissing was more intimate or more meaningful, that was lost in translation for me when it’s someone going from zero sexual experience to full-throttle.

Overall, this was an informative read, but not something I absolutely loved. Thank you to Forever via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gabriella Gamez, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I was happy to return to the Librarians in Love series! I rated this book 3.5 stars.

Here’s what I liked/appreciate about this book:
The Latinx and LGBTQIA+ rep, specifically the sapphic and ace spec rep; the spice was really good! The family drama was kind of over-the-top but I found that to be an interesting aspect of this book apart from the romance. I liked her cousin Julian a lot!

What didn’t work for me in this book:
Though the book is adult in its spice level and age of characters, the overall plot with going viral on TikTok and then trying to capitalize on it to “date the internet” and make a scavenger hunt with the prize being her first kiss felt… immature? Angela, our main FMC, made some decisions that despite being inexperienced in the dating and physical intimacy world, still felt YA overall. I also wasn’t super invested in Krystal as a love interest, I feel like she kept her walls up for so long and then learning more about her past relationship and how she handled it… I understood why she is the way she was, but it was still difficult to read.

I would have liked to see more friendship moments between Marcela and Angela… she really kept her supposed best friend in the dark for a lot of the book.

Overall, I still had a good time, and I think a lot of people will enjoy this one!

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the eARC and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

Did Not Finish.

There are many good things in this one. The open discussions about the spectrum of sexuality and identity. The realities of growing up in a homophobic family. But there was a revelation about Krystal midway through the story and I honestly can't get over it. It changed how I view her as a love interest. And Angela continuing on with a scavenger hunt (with the prize being her first kiss) despite falling for Krystal made me feel icky. Sorry but I'm doneskis.

Honestly taught me some great things about A sexual and the LGBTQ+ community.
A super fun scavenger hunt storyline! I laughed out loud a lot as well.

💜 Romcom
💜 a sexual rep
💜 tiktok/ social media plot line
💜 super slow burn
💜 pining


Thank you @readforeverpub

Kiss Me, Maybe 🫱🏽‍🫲🏻 Casual of Chappell Roan
This was a fun one! Angela is a late bloomer who is ready to come out and embrace and explore her ace identity. After going viral online and choosing to "date the Internet," the fun begins to plan a scavenger hunt to win her first kiss!

But uh oh! She's got a crush on the bartender! *insert T-Pain song* Krystal is a cool girl who is down for helping but not for love. Cue yearning! Oh the yearning! Probably one of my favorite parts of this book.

I appreciated how at the core of this book Angela was looking to build community. While she had her parents, cousin, and best friend, she needed people in the queer community who could help her navigate this new stage of her life.

I know there is a discourse of this book not having a lot of Mexican representation even though it is marketed as if it had a lot. I am not the right person to say if its accurate or not, I just wanted to make it clear that I know about it.

Other than that, I loved this story so much. I thought it was so cute and I loved the conversations about asexuality and also the family dynamic of that one toxic cousin that you can still love and care for but just not want in your life. I thought these two ladies were just too cute and it took them a while but we got there.

I really love how Gabriella tells her stories.

Thank you to the Forever publishing for the advanced copy for a honest review.

Kiss Me, Maybe had me kicking my feet and squealing, while butterflies flew around in my stomach!

Gabriella Gamez’s second book in the Librarians In Love series was an absolute delight and a win for sapphic romance books. The whole time I truly was just so in love with Angela and Krystal, I mean who doesn’t love a long term pining situation turn to a romance that could rival our favorite 2000s romcom movies?

First off I love that Angela doesn’t have everything figured out when it comes to her sexuality as it was amazing to see a reminder that it can be fluid and sometimes we don’t find the label we feel we need right away. Or sometimes that label no longer seems to be the right fit. And for her to share that journey online to let others know they’re not alone and she even finds her own community was beautiful. Not to mention her journey of being a 27 year old who has never been kissed or dated was extremely powerful.

As a 29 year old who has never been in a relationship and has a lot of firsts still to experience I really appreciated seeing this in a romance book. I’ve recently come across many Tik toks of people in similar situations and I think it’s so important to be reminded there’s more of us out there than we realize. We also get a sense of community as well as be reminded just because we don’t live up to society’s expectations as to where we should be in our romantic lives doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with us.

Then we have Krystal who is learning how to let go of the past because she is allowed to make decisions when something doesn’t feel right, even if everyone tries to convince her it’s all her fault. Truly I love her and the way she supported Angela in every way she could, from the scavenger hunt to helping her stand up to her cousins. They definitely are both so supportive of each other and help each other overcome obstacles thrown in their way. And watching Krystal’s journey of healing from her past relationship and finding the confidence to let someone in again was perfection.

The two of them together truly create so much magic together. And their love story had me engrossed completely. I was truly falling for both of them the entire time.

Not to mention there were some amazing side characters who added so much to the story. And we also dealt with family dynamics, especially dealing with those who may not support your sexuality or may even treat you horribly due to being different. It was truly an amazing read and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Thank you Forever publishing for a free ARC and ALC copy of this book, I am always grateful.

I will start off by saying this book is so important in platforming identities that are often overlooked in readers spaces including ACE, Latinx, and a variety of queer identities are represented in this book. I also appreciate how integral these representations are to the story and are continually discussed through our main character, Angela’s, TikTok platform. Unfortunately, this was a “it’s not you, it’s me” kind of book. I thought the premise was interesting but I couldn’t really connect with the writing which led to feeling disengaged while reading. About 2 chapters in I switched to the audiobook which definitely was a much better experience for me personally! However, I struggled with our main character, I felt some of her actions and motivations were very immature for an almost thirty year old and I found the other characters to lack depth.

I chose to DNF this at 60%. I want to make it very clear however, that this was very much a me issue. This book will definitely be up someone’s alley even if that alley is not my own. I understand why this book has received the love it has so far and I think it is deserving even if it did not directly click with me.

At 27, Angela Gutierrez has just recently started to figure herself out - she's come out on TikTok as an ace lesbian who still hasn't had her first kiss. When she decides to make a scavenger hunt to 'date the sapphic internet' and ends up getting help from the hot bartender she's been flirting with for years, things go to 'it's complicated' for Angela quickly.
I LOVED Angela's exploration of her ace identity in this book - and that she has the space to grow and change and shape her identity over the course of the book was something i really appreciated. Gamez takes us on her journey so deftly, I really appreciated the nuance of who Angela was and who she was figuring herself out to be.
I also loved the family dynamics plot line explored here - the ways family can harm us and we're just expected to forgive for the sake of family and also that coming out isn't always an easy journey for people to go on.
And the chemistry between Angela and Krystal?? oo baby. i was living for it. Angela's first kiss may not occur until almost the end of the book, but she and Krystal certainly find the loopholes on their journey.
The main issue i had with the book was that the scavenger hunt played such a big role and then sort of fell flat for me by the end, and the third act break felt a little convoluted.
But overall this is a great ace-spec sapphic romance that i can't wait to recommend.

I love to see all sorts of representation in the books being written these days, and Kiss Me, Maybe features one that I want to see even more of: asexuality. I thought this rep was so well done, not just having an ace character, but having her question and grow into her identity. Gamez made sure to include a lot of the common discourse about asexuality throughout the pages and have that be something our main character, Angela, was grappling with, like sex revulsion, how attraction works, etc. I appreciated seeing Angela go through figuring those things out, and I think that this will be a great book to help asexual people see themselves and learn about themselves!

The rest of the book was really cute and quick to read (I love when I can just roll through a book without really wanting to stop). Though the tiktok premise was *almost* a little too far-fetched for me, it definitely is still something that could happen, especially how people react to things on tiktok. If I were to see what Angela was doing on tiktok though, I'd probably be judgy about it (i🙈 Angela feels a little immature for her age, and Krystal (a potential love interest) is just a little sketchy. I feel like to make it past some of their issues, we needed a little more depth. But regardless, it was a fun read.

In conclusion, I liked it! Probably like a 3.5-3.75.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC, e-ALC, and gifted copy!