I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!!

I'm not gonna lie, I read page one and I was worried. Openly gay guy, people referring to him as a "converted bi-kid" for a reason why gay guys weren't interested in him, not taking no for an answer - not just about a date, but explicitly about sex - and the love interest saying he's being a "total girl about this" because he doesn't want sex with someone he doesn't love. Very clearly written in the early 2010s, which it was. Doesn't excuse the writing, but did put it in a different perspective, at least a little bit, for me. But once you get past the party, it becomes a lot better. You can definitely tell when the authors reached a turning point, with characters taking accountability and talking through their issues. A lot of things were left unfinished, plot-wise, but I also found that a bit charming about it. Because that's how life is sometimes, Adrian's parents are probably still overbearing, he was probably unable to rejoin. I liked that those things weren't rushed to be fixed and finished. In my opinion, it was a positive about the story.

Although the beginning was definitely pretty rough for me, it ended up being worth it in the end. And a huge kudos to the artist, as they redid the first 80 pages since they've improved so much since then. That's such a massive commitment, and it definitely paid off. The art really sold the story for me. This is a very "real" story, with characters that aren't perfect by any means and it's important to remember that.

Thank you publisher and Netgalley for this advanced reading copy.

Honestly I don't really into the story. It's like the characters are desperate to have sex, and try to find anyone who is into man too. Not my favorite, but I love the character design

☂️🌧️🎭🌲

This was cuuuuute! At first I was worried Carter was going to be one of “those guys”- pushy, unrelenting, can’t take no for an answer. Thankfully I was proven wrong; he’s just ✨persistent✨I love how he showed up for Carter’s theater obligations and helped him get out of his own head. Adrian was a sweetie and much too hard on himself, I’m glad he had Carter to help him loosen up a bit. I think their personalities complimented one another and helped balance each other out. The art was super cute as well; it was very cozy and moody which definitely fit the rainy day vibes ☔️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!!! 🫶🏼

The RayView:✨✨✨✨
The HeatRay:
How It Be Spicin’?:
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What a funny graphic novel. Carter is absolutely hilarious with his attempts at flirting and making friends with Adrian. I feel for Adrian and the strife he’s going through with his family. It’s hard when your parents have a view of how you SHOULD be and take away from your true passions. I really wish there was more to this series and the characters within. I think these two and their friends could get up to quite the shenanigans.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The illutrations were cute, but unfortunately the text bubbles either didn't load properly or were completely illegible so I could only follow the story via the pictures. What I saw looked fluffly and cute HS romance, but I probably won't be re-reading it when it comes out.

So cute!! If you’re looking for a cozy romance read this I’d definitely recommend this comic. The art style was adorable, and I had a super easy time falling into the plot of this story. I loved getting to see the character development as time moved on. It felt easy and natural, just two kids navigating life together. The only aspect that threw me off a bit was that the scene transitions occasionally felt a bit jarring, but it was never hard to find my footing again. Overall, this was definitely a fun read. A great way to spend a rainy day!

This is a sweet love story, once we get past the problematic beginning.


While I really enjoyed the character development of these two characters, Carter and Adrian, what I didn’t like was that Carter couldn’t take no for an answer, when he tried to “court” Adrian. This got a bit uncomfortable. But once Carter started to see more of Adrian, other than just a hot boy to pursue, and saw him as a human being he could enjoy hanging out with, the story got soooo much better.


As the story developed and we saw that Adrian was a theater nerd and that Carter started watching the rehearsals and even volunteered to go pick up scenery, we see how these two could get together in the end.


Not quite on a par with Heartstopper, but what is. 🙂


Originally a webcomic, apparently the first half had to be redrawn because the artist had gotten so much better, while they wrote it.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 11th of November 2025.

This was so cute! It took me a bit to get invested in the characters but it was very satisfying to see how much they grew and changed over the course of the story. I will say that it felt a little rushed… At times I felt like I missed something but I looked back and didn’t find anything. Other than that it was a fun read! And the art style was absolutely adorable.

I recommend this to fans of Heartstopper and Bloom by Kevin Panetta.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-arc!

Carter has recently discovered that he likes men, so he finds the one other gay boy in his school, Adrian, and pursues him relentlessly. What Carter doesn’t know is that Adrian has been hurt before and isn't interested in getting into any kind of relationship. However, for over a month, Carter endlessly pursues Adrian, leaving love notes, following him everywhere, and hopefully finally proving that he is worth Adrian’s time. A cute little high school love story that I enjoyed very much.

#ThxNetGalley #HazelandBell #AlwaysRainingHere

Carter recently came out to his family and his friends that he is gay. His family was very supportive and basically knew before he did. Now that he is out, he is ready to meet other gay teens and "hook up" and explore his sexuality. He is very impulsive, head strong and likes to just enjoy life without having any strong set goals. That is until he meets Adrian.

Adrian, is a newly single , also gay teen. He is quite the opposite of Carter. Adrian is hardworking, high strung and motivated for the future. Unlike Carter, Adrian does not have the full support of his family. He feels a lot of pressure to be perfect and not disappoint his parents to the point he will go without sleep just to get extra study time in.

Carter tries many, many ways to woo Adrian. Most of these are epic failures.

The story brings us along the journey of these two very different boys finding them selves and finding each other, and making some new friends along the way.

This volume is beautifully illustrated and brings the story to life. I love how well the story shows the major differences in both Adrian and Carter and how they can bring out the best in each other. The raw truth and vulnerability will resonate with so many people who are still finding their way.

The side characters help move the story along too, you can really see how they are from two very different worlds but that even though they may not have the same friend groups or hobbies they aren't so different after all. Its awesome to see a story where the main characters have good friends there not only to be there and help them but also call them out when they are doing something wrong.

Sex is mentioned and talked about openly, however aside from making out there isn't anything illustrated that is to graphic for teen readers. I would personally not give this to a younger teen, but one who really does understand the more adult nature of relationships. (15/16+)

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books | First Second for the Digital ARC for review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. It was a lot of fun, and I liked Carter and Adrian a lot! They reminded me a little of Nick and Charlie from Heartstopper, except Nick was an emo gold retriever and Charlie was a drama geek. ❤
I also really loved how the jock asshole type was Carter best friend.

This is a cute queer graphic novel of two boys slowly moving from strangers to friends to lovers throughout the school year.

While Carter and Adrian start off as textbook (and sometimes off-putting) high-school caricatures, once they spend real time together, their relationship blossoms into something genuinely sweet and thoughtful. The progression from initial fumbling to deeper emotional connection slowly builds throughout their time together which feels realistic and attainable. As they are high schoolers, the genuine emotions, goofy banter, and teenage awkwardness are at the heart of this story, giving it a universally relatable charm.

The choices made in the artwork such as the simple line work and soft color palette create a comforting aesthetic that perfectly captures the feelings of a lighthearted teenage romance.

Ultimately, this is a cozy, heartfelt gay romance that wins you over with its gentle pacing, evolving characters, and beautiful art. It may start slowly, but anyone who loved Heartstopper or sweet, character-driven webtoons will find something to adore here. Whether you’re a graphic novel reader or a seasoned reader of queer romance, this one’s worth curling up with.

For as much as I liked the artwork, this actual story was pretty off-putting. It’s very awkward at the start with teens propositioning for sex? Stalker turned boyfriend? Idk this whole comic was a miss for me and there’s way better coming of age queer comics imho Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for the chance to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Always Raining Here is a cute YA graphic novel following two boys who have no idea how to do relationships. A heartbroken Adrian meets horny af Carter and a series of awkward, but increasingly adorable interactions ensue. These two are hot messes, but grow as people and begin to understand what makes a good relationship. While the art style isn’t my favorite and I could do with a brighter color palette, it is an enjoyable read for anyone who likes a YA romcom.

thank you netgalley for an e-arc!!
i've never read this web comic in the past before, so this was a little surprise. the beginning made me a little uncertain because of how persistant and creepy carter was in the beginning, but the story does get better as it goes on. it goes into home issues and mental health. i also warmed up to the characters dynamic

This was an amazing story overall. I definitely agree with one of the primary characters that the behavior of the other character is a little problematic at the beginning, but that’s the whole point. Character growth and development as both individuals and together. And I really appreciate how well the story was illustrated and written and had beautiful sweet poignant moments as well as more down to earth numerous moments and made it believable for me. If there is another book after this, either following the same characters or other side characters, I would absolutely choose to read that as well and highly recommend this illustrated novel!

I struggled with this one. I had a hard time connecting with the characters which then made it difficult for me to care about what was going on in the story.

Arc review
A ya graphic novel centered around a sex depraved high schooler who pesters the love interest instead of just listening to no? I don’t really think young queer kids need that in romance especially not since queer people are already labeled predatory by homophobes. Other then that it was kind of just bland not much substances and the character development was more ironic then realistic. Two stars since the art was cute and unique and some moments were sweet.

I really liked this story. It was cute and goofy, making it a really fun read. I enjoyed the art style as well. This was overall just a delight to read.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for letting me read this early!

Teenagers trying to figure out life and being gay at the same time isn't an easy feat! In this small town romance about two boys trying to figure out their sexuality and juggling their personal lives at home.

Carter is horny. Coming out as gay a month ago and wanting to get laid in his small town is not as easy as it seems. Then he laid eyes on Adrian. Adrian is looking for a relationship after getting his heart broken by a one sided love,

This book was cute and definitely easy to read. I like the art style and the way the story flow! I hope we get more of this universe or characters in hopefully more graphic novels.