Where There’s Room for Us was the best season of Bridgerton yet!

In Kiyoko’s regency-era romance where queer relationships are celebrated, but misogyny still runs rampant, the season’s incomparable, Freya, falls for the infamous sapphic Japanese-American poet, Ivy, in a family where she is expected to carry on the family legacy and estate through a husband and son.

This whole book is like a warm hug of queer joy, from the main romance to the sisterhood of Freya and her sisters. The tenderness, angst, and love between Freya and Ivy not only made sense in terms of their characters but also in their current circumstances of the regency era and everything that’s expected of women at the time. It was such a treat to watch them fall for each other, grow and blossom on their own, but always find their way back to each other. I also ADORED the bridge scene with Freya and her sisters, and felt that it’s such a universal experience to find belonging once you find your queer community.

I thought the whole book was very well written, from the exposition to the establishment of all the relationships, and especially the sapphic tension between the MCs, it truly felt like a movie I was watching. The third act was unexpected but was needed for the MCs to grow as people, figure out their path, and come back to each other on their own terms when they’re ready.

I wish we had gotten a bit more about the secret rebellion for women’s rights, but I do acknowledge that the MCs had a limited connection to it. Overall, it was a delightful romance full of growth and fighting for what you want, both in life and in love. Highly recommend for any sapphic reader, especially those with a knack for historical romance.

LOVE!! This was such a fun YA Regency romance and I devoured it in one sitting. Give me all the wlw stories, pls 😍✨ The banter? Chef’s kiss. The pining?? Off the charts. I want to time travel and wear a ballgown immediately. If you're into queer historical romance with heart and humor, this one is a win.

Gorgeous cover--I hope this is enough to get it some attention on bookshelves.

This was not the book for me. While I love a good romance, the time period didn't work for me in this book. I just couldn't get into it. I love Hayley Kiyoko as an artist and really liked her book "Girls Like Girls" but this book didn't do it for me.

I was really hoping to love this book more than I did. After Girls Like Girls, I was excited for Kiyoko's next release and I was left feeling neutral. It took me forever to fully get into reading this as is.

I think the big change and differences between her two novels are the eras. It was easier for me, personally, to get into Girls Like Girls, but as a period piece, this left a lot to be desired.

That being said, I still did love the journey of love between one another as well as self love and discovery.

Unfortunately, I think this book was just not for me. I read to the 50% mark and ultimately did not care enough about the characters to continue reading. The concept of this book is very cute and I know there will be readers who absolutely love it but it just isn’t my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me. The main characters were basically cartoons of wlw stereotypes and while the book eliminated homophobia from the equation it had to remind readers of sexism at what felt like every turn. Personally, I think if the goal was to make a story about an alternative universe where queer people aren’t ostracized for being queer, there should’ve been more effort put into writing a scenario where two women could live without any issues tied to sexism. I dnfed at 25% because every time I picked it up, I felt disappointed.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the arc! Minor spoilers ahead

I unfortunately did not enjoy this as much as I wanted to. I love Hayley Kiyoko and I adored Girls Like Girls (in the song, music video, and book form!!) but I think I'm realizing I don't enjoy historical fiction.

This was perhaps my longest read of the year. It took me almost 2 months to finish which is unlike me. I also haven't been reading very much at all (end of the semester is always brutal!!), so most of the blame for that is on me!

However, this book just didn't really capture my attention like I wanted it to.

We follow Ivy and Freya -- Ivy, who is from New York and moves to England with her brother when they inherit an estate there, and Freya, who is a socialite from a high-status family. Ivy is a poet, and one who has been making waves even across the pond. She catches the attention of Freya and the two fall into a whirlwind romance that they have to keep hidden.

While this is a reimagined 19th century where women can marry women and men can marry men, only male children are eligible to be heirs. Freya is one of four daughters. Her oldest sister is married to a man and has a daughter, her next sister is married to a woman, and her youngest sister is wild, not interested in settling down.

Freya's father, Lord Tallon, expects Freya to marry a suitable husband and have a male child to whom he can pass on his legacy. However, as Freya realizes she likes men AND women, her relationship with Ivy threatens the plans her father has created for her.

I just think overall the pacing was too slow for me. Towards the end I was more engrossed and felt the pacing was better, but then it became several (significant) time jumps which makes it feel like the resolution is very abrupt.

I think that if you really like historical fiction or shows like Bridgerton, you would really like this book too, but for me I just need a little more action.

I also felt that the conflict of women (or the adopted children of two women) not being able to inherit land fell flat. In the 1880s, when gay marriage is acceptable, I just didn't understand why they were so strict on inheritance. I understand that's the point, but I just found myself more frustrated than anything.

Working directly against Lord Tallon is The Ridings Society, which seeks to give women the right to vote and to inherit land/titles. Ivy becomes somewhat entangled with them when she helps her cousin to deliver packages to people involved. As a result of that, there are posters distributed that call out Freya's family and Freya finding out Ivy was involved causes tension between them and she calls off their relationship.

This was another plot point I was annoyed about for two reasons: first, Ivy barely had any involvement and didn't know what they were planning. Second, I wish they had either had Ivy be fully involved or not. It would've been more interesting if she was actually involved and we got to see her working with them.

Other than that argument, I did enjoy Freya and Ivy's relationship. I thought they were cute together and they had some swoon worthy moments. I was glad they got their happy ending.

There were some other side characters that I enjoyed, but I think there were too many which resulted in some not getting fleshed out enough. I did really like Prescott and Nadine and was happy they ended up together too.

While this was a cute, fluffy read, it just unfortunately wasn't my favorite.

2.5 stars rounded up

Sapphic period piece!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!

3.25 (?) stars bc it was cute and sweet but I felt like it was lacking something. I also have been on more of a literary fiction kick so I think the romantic happily ever afters that happen so wildly unrealistically can be frustrating to read after reading 100+ pages of somewhat irresolvable conflict between characters.

I wish we had gotten to see Freyas relationship with her father change a bit more and get some resolution on that end. One of my favorite parts of the book was Lord Tallon grappling with the love he has for his daughters versus his traditional views and I feel like it could’ve been expanded upon. It feels like that part of the story was built up only for it to be abandoned at the end??

I also think the world building in this left something to be desired—we as readers know it’s a slightly reimagined world but only a slight part of the world is reimagined.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it but parts of it felt rushed and forced.

For what it was, I really enjoyed this novel—It offered a refreshing take on the regency-era drama by placing it in an alternate universe that was both imaginative and engaging. One of the standout aspects for me was how it managed to deliver all the charm and intrigue of the period without the usual undercurrent of homophobia, well, for the most part. It was a welcome and much-needed variation in the genre.
The writing was strong, and while not every character was fully fleshed out, most were well developed and genuinely enjoyable to follow. The romance, which was central to the book, was one I wanted to root for.

This is not a slow burn by any means, in fact, it’s basically love at first sight. Their relationship felt like it was speeding along quite quickly, but when you think about that time period, I can definitely see how those feelings would come along faster. I didn’t mind. It was heartwarming, Ivy and Freya were a good couple and their connection was sweet and satisfying.

That being said, it wasn’t perfect. I agree with others when they mention that the ending felt rushed. I also think that if the book hadn’t been written in a duel POV, it would have been stronger. I wish Hayley would have just focused on one of the FMC, particularly Freya Tallon. I wanted to see more of her journey. I wanted to see more of Freya’s personal growth, away from her family. I wanted her to get involved in politics and maybe see her relationship with her father evolve. I wanted her to talk to her previous suitor and let him down gently instead of never hearing from him again.

The book was enjoyable, but it left me wanting.

This was also my first Hayley Kiyoko, and I guess her sophomore novel? Just based on that, I’m definitely excited to see how much she’ll improve in her next venture.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Always enjoy an alternative history book! In this one, in Victorian England, it’s legal for people in the LGBTQIAP+ community to get married. However women still have little rights. Including not being able to inherit a title. In Freya’s family the are all girls. One is married to a woman and another could be with a man or woman. Freya is one of two sisters that are interested in me. There’s pressure for her to find a man to settle down with so they can inherit. Ivy is an American who’s brother inherited a title. They now live in England and are trying to learn the ways. When the two meet there is an instant connection. But with Freya needing to marry a man can she give her heart to Ivy? A beautifully told sapphic romance! Hayley Kiyoko tells a story of love and excepting yourself! Heartwarming and heartbreaking! A sweet and charming story that I couldn’t put down!

This was a very sweet, light hearted read that didn’t give off the YA energy like Kiyoko’s first book did. I didn’t think I would enjoy a period piece but this was a pleasant surprise.

Rated 3.5 stars on storygraph. Where There's Room For Us is a dual-POV YA alternative history sapphic romance. In this Victorian England past, gay marriage is allowed, but women still have little rights, leading to sapphic marriages facing great oppression due to the misogyny they both face. Even if a sapphic couple has a son, he cannot inherit a title (and women cannot inherit titles at all). Freya is the second oldest of four sisters; her oldest sister is married to a woman, another sister is pregnant with her second child her first being a girl, and the youngest sister is a wild child who may end up with either a man or a woman. Being one of the two daughters who only "favor men" Freya feels great pressure to make a good match and pass on her family's title. This is her third season being out and a duke is courting her; her life is on track until she meets Ivy. Ivy is a brash American and a scandalous poet. When her brother inherits a title, the two of them make their way to England and try to learn the ways of British upper-class life. Freya and Ivy have an instant connection and truly see each other, but there is a lot standing in their way.
I instantly wanted to give up on this book and thought reading the whole thing would be painful, however the more I read the more I liked it. I think the writing did get better, but I also just got used to the not great writing. I have two main issues with the book, which are connected. The first is, I found the world building very clunky. It was heavy handed and clumsy, I felt like I was being force fed information but at the same time it was a lot more confusing and unclear than it needed to be. The second issue I had was that it wasn't rooted in real history enough. I love alternative histories and I think exploring the intersection of queerness and misogyny, specifically the lesbophobia that would create is highly interesting. However, alternative histories have to be done with a lot of research that I felt was missing here. A good alternative history understands and accurately portrays the history they keep and has a good understanding of what they've changed and how that would impact things. If an alternative history is not rooted enough in real history, the book is better off being set in a fictional world. There were thigs I liked about the book, I really loved the characters and I found the romanced between the two main characters very compelling. Overall, this book isn't that bad, but it isn't that good either.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This Is Where There’s Room for Us, is a heartfelt and empowering story that beautifully captures the complexities of identity, love, and self-acceptance. Drawing from her own experiences as a queer woman navigating fame and vulnerability, Kiyoko crafts a narrative that feels both intimate and universal.

This was such a cute read!! I love the premise of taking a historical event but normalizing LGBTQ+ relationships in a historical setting. Really appreciated that in this historical world, the relationships were allowed to exist without the secrecy or power dynamic issues that typically exist in historical romances.

The characters felt real and well-developed, although the dialogue between the leads sometimes felt a bit too youthful for their presumed ages. It didn’t ruin the dynamic, but it occasionally made moments that should have felt more mature come across a little flat.

Also, the pacing was inconsistent. The beginning was a slow build, and the ending felt so rushed. Also, I'm not taking a star away because I still really enjoyed this book, but I hate the third act break up/miscommuncation.

Overall, I really liked this book. It's romantic, whimsical, fun, and fresh. If you're interested, you should definitely read it!

God this was amazing and I had a fantastic time with this! It hit in all the right places and in all the right emotions!

the story of Ivy and Freya is sweet, romantic and very enjoyable. And the Bridge is definitely a place I'd want to visit! While reading, I almost wished it wasn't set in a real time and place -- since it was divorced enough from reality to be believable, but not so far as to become fantasy -- it just disconnected in that middle ground for me. I almost wished it was set in a place I knew /less/ about. Others might not feel the same way tho and I very much enjoyed the story!

**Book Review: *Where There's Room for Us* by Hayley Kiyoko**
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

If you’ve ever watched *Bridgerton* and wished it were queer—and just a little more emotionally grounded—Hayley Kiyoko’s *Where There’s Room for Us* delivers exactly that, and more. Set in a beautifully imagined, queer-norm Regency-era England, this sapphic romance is both heartwarming and deeply resonant, weaving love, identity, and societal pressure into a story that feels simultaneously timeless and fresh.

At the heart of the novel is Freya, a young woman in her third season of matchmaking whose future seems all but decided—until Ivy, the unapologetically bold and American sister of a newly arrived viscount, upends everything she thought she wanted. What begins as an unlikely friendship quickly blossoms into something more, and as the bond between Freya and Ivy deepens, so does Freya’s understanding of herself, her desires, and the life she truly wants to live.

The romance is tender and earnest—sometimes veering into "instalove," but in a way that feels forgivable thanks to the novel’s emotional honesty. There are moments of delightful tension, quiet longing, and mutual discovery that will resonate with anyone who’s ever fallen in love for the first time. Kiyoko skillfully balances romance with deeper themes of self-acceptance, familial duty, and the intersection of queerness and womanhood in a society that values neither.

Yes, the prose occasionally skews a bit youthful, and some readers may find certain scenes between the main characters to feel more like teenage crushes than early adulthood love—but that simplicity is also part of its charm. It feels real. These are young women still figuring themselves out, and their sometimes awkward, sometimes poetic dialogue reflects that beautifully.

Freya’s sisters, Ivy’s brother Prescott, and the surrounding queer community add depth and richness to the world. The novel celebrates found family and chosen support systems while still grappling with the limits imposed by tradition. And one particular scene—Angelica and Freya, three-quarters in—absolutely breaks and remakes your heart in the best way.

There are pacing issues, especially toward the end, where things wrap up a little too quickly and conveniently. But even those rushed moments don’t undercut the emotional impact of the story. The book manages to be hopeful without feeling saccharine, affirming without being preachy, and romantic without needing to be graphic.

**Bottom line:** *Where There’s Room for Us* is a touching, smart, and emotionally rich story about love, identity, and the freedom to be who you are—wrapped in the elegance and drama of Regency England, reimagined through a queer lens. Not just a romance, but a quiet revolution in how we tell historical love stories. A full-hearted 5/5 stars.

I was so excited to receive this arc because I love Hayley and Becca. I did have a good time and I liked the universe that it was somewhat acceptable for queer marriages. I struggled a little bit with the pacing some parts were too slow and then the ending was super rushed. I was really hoping to not have a miscommunication/3rd act breakup since I just hate those tropes. I'll still read whatever Hayley puts out next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to netgalley for providing this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

i really enjoyed the essence of this book, the storyline, the characters, and the setting. however, i do think the word/sentence choice during certain scenes and/or dialogue between the two main characters seemed a bit toned down for young adults. sometimes it seemed like the two main characters were in a middle school relationship, which is off quite a bit considering we can assume freya is around 19-21.

i did enjoy this story though, and i will always support hayley kiyoko because she is Super Cool™.

A great read! I am always looking for sapphic stories with well-developed characters and realistic love stories and this was actually so well done! Kind of like an Edenbrooke, but queer! I related to and loved these characters and enjoyed this romantic and hopeful story. The end felt a little rushed to me, but maybe that’s just cause I was rushing through it, enjoying the story so much haha. I liked that the ending was happy, but not perfectly tied up—felt like life.