Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the description of Kiss Me, Maybe, I was so excited to read it! Everything about it is my JAM... but it fell SO flat.

There was waaaaay too much telling and not enough showing. I tried to listen at regular speed but had to amp it up to 2x speed to get through it.

I'm incredibly disappointed because I love reading sapphic stories, but this just didn't do it for me unfortunately.

I like Gabriella’s writing. This wasn’t my favorite main character but I enjoyed the book. Thanks for the chance to listen!

Gabriella Gamez delivers a sweet, sexy, and delightfully charming romantic comedy in Kiss Me, Maybe—a fresh, sapphic twist on the beloved Never Been Kissed trope. With its lovable characters, playful humor, and just the right amount of spice, this story is a standout addition to the series and a feel-good read from start to finish.

At the heart of the novel is Angela, whose innocence and sincerity are impossible not to root for. Her longing to break free from the label of “never been kissed” is both endearing and relatable, drawing readers into her emotional journey. Enter Krystal, a no-nonsense bartender with a guarded heart and a surprising willingness to help Angela navigate the unknown. The dynamic between them is filled with tension, laughter, and slow-building chemistry that makes their relationship all the more satisfying.

Gamez does a wonderful job balancing lighthearted humor with deeper emotional beats, creating a story that’s as heartfelt as it is entertaining. The banter sparkles, the romance simmers, and the supporting cast adds just the right amount of color and warmth to round out the world.

Kiss Me, Maybe is a fun and flirty rom-com that delivers both laughs and feels, making it a must-read for fans of queer romance and anyone who loves a good twist on a classic romantic setup. Gabriella Gamez continues to prove her talent for writing romance that’s both inclusive and irresistibly enjoyable.

I listened to this book in one evening, I just couldn't stop! "Kiss me, maybe" has the perfect mix of humor, love (of different kinds) and exploration of Angela's identity, in a thoughtful, respectful and part informative manner. And that, without it feeling on the nose, which is not easy to do.

I love the fact that we have multiple queer characters, especially the ace rep of course, but also the Hispanic LGBTQIA+, both of them are still so rare in (romance) novels.

I feel like I could relate to Angela and her friends on many levels and I love the way they navigated their thoughts and emotions and supported each other. The slow-burn friends-to-lovers felt like it was at the perfect pace and gave me all the good feelings.

The audiobook narration is done beautifully, no notes, just love.

I fully recommend this book, especially if you're interested in learning more about the ace spectrum or life of non white queer people while enjoying a good romance book.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Gabriella Gamez and NetGalley for the audiobook arc!

I went into this read with no real expectations or comparisons, and I was pleasantly surprised. This was a charming, slice-of-life romance with a strong queer narrative that felt both warm and genuine.

What stood out most was the thoughtful representation of queer identity within the Hispanic community, a perspective that in my experience, isn’t often spotlighted in romance novels. The book also touched on important themes like bullying and the journey toward self-acceptance, particularly when identity is fluid. These elements were handled with care and added an extra layer of depth to the story.

Both of the main female characters are of Hispanic descent, and one is curvy, which added a refreshing layer of body diversity that’s often missing in romance. I appreciated the realism and relatability this brought to their characterization.

The romance itself struck a great balance between tenderness and steam. The spice was steamy and unexpected almost gave me whiplash because I did not expect it to be so hot! The spicy moments felt organic and authentic, never forced or cringy, which can be a tricky line to walk in romance. While the plot itself felt a bit flat at times, the engaging writing style and character-driven storytelling kept me invested.

Overall this was a sweet and satisfying read that offered meaningful representation, relatable characters, and a well-balanced romance. I'm glad this was my entry point into Sapphic romance.

Excellent read, seriously. Angela is embroiled in TikTok virality and also admits to being never been kissed or in any sort of relationship. There’s a whole lot of self-doubt and self-discovery baked into this story, as Angela navigates her desire to connect with others along with trying not to fall fully in love with her crush Krystal. Angela decides upon some sort of scavenger hunt for the ladies of the internet to give Angela her first kiss, and she recruits Krystal to assist, even though there’s clearly simmering feelings between them. We get some more messy drama in the form of Angela’s bullying cousins, and Krystal’s romantic backstory. I loved reading these two crushes become friends and then more. Audio was excellent!

Ok, I absolutely ate this one up- devouring the audiobook in a single day! Kiss Me, Maybe completely swept me up with its mix of heart, humor, and thoughtful exploration of identity. Angela was such a vibrant and relatable FMC, and I loved watching her navigate the complexities of coming into her own sexual identity as an ace lesbian. Ace rep is far too rare in romance, and this story did a beautiful job explaining it seamlessly.

Beyond Angela’s personal growth, the book also offers a fascinating lens into the nature of parasocial relationships and how they shape our perception of connection and self-worth. That added emotional depth grounded the story beautifully, while the slow-burn friends-to-lovers arc gave me all the warm fuzzies.

It’s equal parts introspective and swoony, and the audiobook narration brought it to life in such an engaging way. If you love romances that feel both tender and thought-provoking, this one belongs at the top of your TBR.

Thank you so much to Hachette for the all/arc of this one! I will definitely be acquiring a shelf trophy of this one as well!!

I absolutely loved this book! This was my first read for this author and I cannot wait to read more. I love the queer representation and how exploration of identity was depicted. I really hope people pick up this book and love it as much as I did!

The narration for this audio book was very monotone. It almost felt robotic or AI generated narration. I didn't feel any emotion or connection with the narration and the characters. Each character sounded the same. The story itself was not my favorite, and the narration didn't help with the content.

This was a really cute & enlightening read, and I found myself invested in Angela’s journey, and her relationship with Krystal 🥰

✦ tropes & stuff:
🌻 friends to lovers
✨ ace spec, bi & lesbian rep
📚 library assistant/influencer x bartender
🗺 scavenger hunt fun
💋 Mexican-American MCs
🫶🏼 found family
💜 single 1st person pov

📝 mini blurb:
Library assistant Angela goes viral on TikTok, for having never been kissed at 27 & in exploring her ace identity.

She decides to set up a scavenger hunt for her followers to earn her first kiss, and enlists the help of her longtime crush & favorite bartender, Krystal.

As they spend more and more time together, their connection only grows stronger.
Because of her past, Krystal believes she isn’t capable of one of the main things Angela is looking for - love.

⭐️: 4.5/5
🌶️: open door, several descriptive scenes

💭 what I loved about this one:
- Angela’s energy
- Angela & Krystal mutually crushing on each other 🥹
- that scene in the bathroom 🔥
- how it explored that social media can be amazing (in creating & finding community) yet also daunting (with hate comments and negativity)
- Angela’s exploration of her identity, and how we can change and grow as we learn more about ourselves. I learned a lot about the Ace community, and the spectrum of sexuality.

🙃 what didn’t quite work for me:
- I was missing a little with Krystal - I didn’t feel I knew her as well as I’d have liked. The story did focus more on Angela’s journey.

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
Loved the audio, highly recommend! Ruby Corazon did a wonderful job with Angela’s character, and brought the whole story to life in such a fun way 😍

📖 Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez
📚 book 2 • Librarians in love series (definitely can be a standalone! I haven't read the first book)
💜: contemporary romance (ff)
🎙 narrated by: Ruby Corazon

Thank you to Forever & Hachette Audio for advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

A special thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Gabriella Gamez for the digital arc audio in exchange for an honest review.

To begin, this book was unlike most sapphic-related romances I’ve read. Exploring your sexuality and exploring new realms of uncharted territory as an adult is difficult as Angela finds out. Coupled with her Tiktok fame and her torn feelings for two individuals, the book itself led me down many difficult pathways both expected and unexpected.

While I found the book witty and new-aged in its approach to reach a younger generation with frequency of slang and reference to Tiktok both in its initial homage/throughout the book, I did not enjoy the use of either throughout the novel. It did not fit with the plot at times that in itself was about discovering yourself and finding yourself outside of others perceptions. While the inclusion of Tik Tok may have helped this plotline, I found that it also could hurt it depending on your perception as a reader. What I will say about this novel that is extremely important is the cultural aspect/identity of the characters we see in this novel – the use of Hispanic, LGBTQIA+ characters are extremely important for others to read and see. We need more novels, literature, and stories like this one. Gamez wrote a novel that lets others take a seat at the table that before may have not felt seen or heard, and for me, that makes this novel/story very very important!

Now, is this to say I would not read this novel again? No, I would read it again and find joy and positive moments throughout. The use and identity of an ace character is crucial to have in literature such as that of Angela. Understanding and diving more into that would have made the plot stronger! Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would because I believe it's a piece of LGBTQIA+ literature that needs to be read and enjoyed. 4.5/5

Ugh I feel really bad for this one star, but I had to DNF this audiobook at 80%. The only reason I kept going was because of the queer MCs and Latina representation.

The narrator was not it. I could never tell who was talking and the dialogue never flowed quite right. The plot was not my cup of tea and I couldn’t get into the TikTok aspect of it. I didn’t feel connected to the characters and honestly they annoyed me quite a bit.

The good things about this book is the asexual and sapphic representation. Along with the Latina representation.

Side note: I enjoyed reading the first book in this series so I don’t know if reading this book instead of listening would have a different outcome or not.

Thank you to Netgalley, Forever publishers, Hatchette audio and Gabriella Gamez for allowing me to experience the AUDIO ARC of this book for my honest review. First I want to say that the narrator did an excellent job. I found her easy to listen to and it felt very natural despite multiple female characters she had to portray. Kiss me, Maybe was a good balance of sapphic romance, spice and emotional pulling of the strings. I am a huge fan of found family and also the complexities of family. Also love friends to lovers troupes! I thought this book did an excellent job of Ace representation, without feeling like you’re being educated, if that makes sense. There was SO much yearning, I loved it! And the scavenger hunt was a fun idea, that was the center plot of this book. Though truthfully, I rolled my eyes many times because SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER ***** Last WARNING SPOILER ***** the premises of the scavenger hunt was winning a FIRST Kiss. The fact that the MFC had such a hard time with kissing, but was able to go through with other sexual encounters rubbed me the wrong way. So shes OK having sexual encounters, but isn’t OK with a kiss – felt unrealistic to me. But that’s a me thing! I understand it’s a “Ive never been kissed” competition, so shes trying to up hold that truth. But again, you’re sexually intimate with another person. If I were a competitor, and knew she was being sexually intimate with someone else during the competition, you better believe I wouldn’t even participate. Or if I won and found out – how betrayed and unmeaningful winning the competition would’ve felt. Alas, I digress because ultimately – she does realize this and the competition changes. Overall, I enjoyed the book and liked how it ended. I appreciated the background being told to gain a deeper understanding of how their actions were manifested. For me this was a 3.75 read and enjoyed this authors writing style. Thank you again!

Finally, a good romcom for the girls with actual well written spice. I personally don't even like reading spice, but this was incredibly well done, and I just know the lesbians are gonna love this one.

I picked this one up, even though I'm not really into romance, for the representation. An asexual sapphic main character is just too good to be true. And I wasn't let down. The representation is incredible. It is so well done and realistic. I deeply appreciate how it's such a major part throughout the story as well.

Besides the amazing Ace representation, the relationship itself is also fantastic. Their tension was so good, and I was rooting for them throughout the entire book. I love how healthy their relationship is.

My only critique is that I hated the entire tiktok scavenger hunt aspect. I'm sorry, but it was so cringe. Every time we focused on tiktok, Angela felt sooo young, and I personally couldn't get into the scavenger hunt. I found it cringe. However, that is entirely subject, and since it was still well written, it doesn't make it a bad book at all. So if you're down for it, I highly recommend it. Even if you're suspicious about the tiktok aspect, still give this one a shot. It was so well written, had great tension with an amazing couple, and even though the tiktok part gave me the ick, I still greatly enjoyed this.

I adored this book, everything about the story line and the character development throughout the storyline, everything was perfect in my eyes.
The narrator was wonderful very clear and easy to understand and made my enjoyment for the overall book even better.
I now need to go and read this authors debut novel and I look forward to more books from this author and narrator

Yall know I’m a sucker for a queer love story and this did NOT disappoint! I love the diverse representation and the journey of finding yourself and discovering your sexuality. The family members being the bully in the story was dangerously close to home but I really enjoyed the resolution! And the way Gabriella Gamez has a way of writing so we can see so clearly the love between characters and Ruby Corazon bringing the words to life! I really did love this book!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this arc!

Prefacing this as always that I am not a romance reader and only really picked this up for the asexuality! I generally enjoyed it though, I liked the characters and relationship and exploration of identity and desire for community.

I was definitely bracing myself about the silly tiktok scavenger hunt plot - it definitely is silly but I think it could have been a lot more annoying and drawn out than it was. I’m glad it stayed in the background for the most part.

I think it did a good job at exploring asexuality in a way that felt personal, and also about her own identity not just revolving around her feelings about the love interest (re: figuring out she’s greysexual). I think the way it portrayed her not being exactly sure where she is on the ace spectrum felt authentic and relatable.
Alloace books are unfortunately very amatonormative or even arophobic a lot of the time. When the love interest was like ‘love isn’t for me’ ‘I can’t love’ etc and she’s like ‘noo :/ that’s so sad don’t say that’ I was like. oh boy here we go again. But that is unpacked a little, and there’s even a conversation about the fact that the LI isn’t aro, and it’s definitely for other reasons. Still feel a little iffy about it, but idk. There’s definitely still a lot of ‘I’m 27 and never been kissed i’m so lonely and tired of being single’ etc but I think she grows away from that a bit as the book goes on.
There’s frustrating moments but I found most of them were resolved/discussed pretty quickly.

I’m definitely happy for more books with asexual lesbians specifically, as well as by authors of colour! I think this is the only adult Latine ace book I’ve read, in fact.

I found it kind of vague about other aspects of her life - like her job at the library? did it mention she was studying something, but I don’t remember any details about what? I may have missed something in the audiobook. I like the exploration of her other relationships (friends/relatives) though I could have used a bit more of those!

Anyway - I thought it was pretty good overall!

I really struggled to rate this book. While it's not perfect, I loved reading from the point of view of an asexual lesbian. As someone who wonders if she might be ace, it was so refreshing to read a romance book with an ace main character that still has some sort of sex drive. I really enjoyed the romance aspect of the book- I love reading about late bloomers!
On the other hand, I was a bit underwhelmed by the scavenger hunt part of the book. I thought it could've been expanded on more and written differently. I also didn't connect with the audiobook narrator as much as I wish I would've.
*Thank you to both NetGalley and the publisher for an advance listening copy of this book!

as an asexual girl who spent most of her life assuming something was wrong with her because she was in love with the idea of love but never experienced the kind of attraction that she read about in books: this book meant the WORLD to me. i feel so seen and so understood 🫶

Thank you NetGalley for this Audiobook! I was such a huge fan of Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez, so this story was much anticipated!

This second installment in the Librarians in Love series brings us right back to Marcella and Angel, but this story takes us on Angel's queer journey. This is the first book I've read with a main character identifying as asexual, and I learned a lot. I was curious about how spicy a book with an asexual MC would be, and there definitely was spice!

I think the ensemble elements in this story were the strongest, I enjoyed seeing the large group dynamics.

Also the narrator did a great job at differentiating our two female main characters voices. It was always easy to follow.