This book was fun and inspiring. I loved the characters and how they used social media to build their own community as well as help them better understand their own identities. The narration of this book was great. I wish they could have been a bit more differentiation between the two FMC voices but there was enough that it wasn’t confusing. The story felt a bit odd to me with the sexual acts happening with ease despite having such a hang up on kissing someone.

This book explored identities and self discovery in a beautiful and insightful way. The characters each had their own journeys where they grew and learned from each other as the story went. I loved getting to see this process and falling in love with the story along the way. Narration was done perfectly to fit the tone of the story.

I LIVE for a book with good tension, it’s not always done right, but when it is?!

This was my first Gabriella Gamez book and I will be back for more — Marcella and Theo, I’m waiting for you!!! I love her writing and the fact that there was so much representation — hispanic, ace, lesbian. It was so informative and handled with so much care.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the scavenger hunt and parasocial TikTok aspect, but I can appreciate how it helped form the storyline and bring Angela and Krystal together. And again, the tension between them!!! The almost kiss?!

A big thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Gabriella Gamez for the ALC!

This book was so fun. I love the queer representation in here. The characters were really sweet and made you cheer for them. This book made me smile

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Netgalley and Gabriella Gamez for the ALC!

Kiss me, Maybe was a very big eye opener for me. I have very little knowledge about ace-spec identities and the broadness that comes with sexuality. This book was a glimpse into it and honestly it makes me want to find more books with it. The representation in this book was great, I fully enjoyed the idea of TikTok being used to help with the whole scavenger hunt.

I became invested in the love story between Angela and Krystal, and while I didn't feel there was a lot of tension to gravitate towards, I could feel a small pull between the two and why they do fit perfectly together. The more spicy scenes didn't feel to over the top or overdone. I actually felt it was nicely done, made sense and had the right amount.

What I didn't like however was that the scavenger hunt was a big deal for so long, and a major point of the book then within a few chapters felt like it didn't matter anymore. I could also see points where this felt very immature and even though I knew they were in their mid/late 20's, sometimes it felt as they were just 18.

For the Audio, I felt it was a great narration. I felt at sometime she change one of the characters tone, and then went back which bugged me. Overall though I really did enjoy the book and the Audio.

When 27 year old Angela's video about never having been kissed goes viral, she decides to use her newfound fame to start a scavenger hunt where the winner gets the honor of being her first kiss. Krystal, the bartender Angela has been crushing on for years, becomes her scavenger hunt planning partner. As they go through the planning process, their connection starts to deepen.

I really wanted to like this more than I did. My biggest hang up with this book was that the plotline felt really juvenile. Like if you took out the couple of smutty scenes and made the characters high school students, this could be a great YA book, but the plot felt like it didn't fit in an adult romance. The whole scavenger hunt idea that was supposed to be the driving plot of this book kind of just disappeared in the middle somewhere. I felt like I never really fully understood what the scavenger hunt was or how it would have worked. I also didn't feel any chemistry between the two characters throughout most of the book.

The narrator of the audiobook did do a great job though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hatchette Audio for the alc!

Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez is the second book in the Librarians in Love series! I love the premise of this book in general; going viral on social media and then using that to leverage your life and experiences is so fun and unserious. Angela is a “late-bloomer” in both “experience” and still figuring out her sexuality. Kiss Me Maybe has representation of sexuality of both FMC’s an ACE lesbian, and bisexual: I love that that sexuality and identity is fluid throughout the whole book and the care and the conversations surrounding feeling misunderstood and confused felt so real.

If you read Gamez's first book and loved the messiness, you will not be disappointed with the level of mess in Kiss Me, Maybe. This Sapphic novel

Kiss Me, Maybe was narrated by Ruby Corazon, who did a fantastic job capturing Angela's moods and feelings. You can tell that the narrator immersed themselves in the book and fit Angela's vibes perfectly. I’m an audiobook lover and had a great time with this one!

This book is messy and fun. I loved Angela using social media to “date the city,” and this scavenger hunt sounds like so much fun! And it’s set in San Antonio, TX, so I'm obsessed! Overall, the book was 10/10. Gabriella Gamez quickly became an auto-buy author, knocking her second novel out of the park!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Audio, and Gabriella Gamez for the ACL copy to review!

I'm always wary about reading books that center around social media and this book is a prime example why I am right to be. The dedication is about TikTok being banned and within the first 2 chapters alone, it was mentioned at least 10 times...I did not like that. I understand that there's obviously going to be mentions of popular social media apps in contemporary books but this felt excessive.

The characters did not feel real. I appreciated that the main character's asexuality was crucial to the story and that the author tried to show a less common part of the spectrum but a lot of the time, it felt like the author copy-pasted a google search response on asexuality. The conversations in the book felt unnatural, especially between the fmc and her love interest.

I loved the relationship between the mc and her family and friends though. I also enjoyed the author's writing style even if the story itself wasn't to my liking. I listened to this on audio and I found the narrator to be quite good. Her character interpretations were very engaging.

<b><i>"Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review" </i></b>

I really enjoyed Gabriella Gamez’ last book so I was excited to pick this one up! I liked this too. It was a little less messy than the first one and I liked that messy drama, but I still liked it. The characters were great and tiktok was included in the book in a way that somehow wasn't cringe so I am impressed by that.

I really wish that there were ace colors on the book cover. Obviously I am happy to see any obvious queer and sapphic representation but we get so little ace representation in romance books so I would have been nice to see it on the cover too.

The narration on this audiobook took my reading experience to the next level. I was already enjoying the content of the story, but Ruby Corazon made me feel so much throughout!

Now for the story - Gabriella Gamez the person that you are! I loved this one so much. I was a little nervous about the use of social media throughout because nuanced conversation is often missed, but I can tell that Gamez really thought through how it would be in this story. Watching Angela figure out her sexuality and being so comfortable with change as she figured it out was nice. Watching her realize her parents truly supported her made me tear up a little. It was great commentary on how we perceive our parents versus what their actions and facial expressions actually mean. A great reminder to just open your mouth and ask!

At times this story felt messy and chaotic, but in the way a journey like this is supposed to. It felt like Gamez had a strong hold of the reins the whole way though and I'll definitely be back for more.

Awesome narrator that truly made the character feel real and authentic!

I appreciate this book on so many levels. First and foremost it feels like a vital read for so many queer readers. There is such vulnerability in both FMCs and even supporting cast too. Lots of very real talks on family and being queer in Latine families.

I truly appreciate the sexual awakening and discovery of this book as well. I said this before but the vulnerability extends to all of the sensual and intimate moments as well. I istantly gravitated to this raw eotionally journey in this book.

I also have to give a quick shoutout to the QPR representation. QPR's are so unique and even dare I say delicate? This book captured the uniqueness of a QPR!

I love the family drama, I find it very relatable and great learning experiences. I think that this could have used a little more on-page, explicit and vibrant Latinx representation. There were "some" sprinkles, but I think this author is capable of more. Maybe with the more books get written, the more the author can see how much she feels comfortable adding in books. I just also think of all f the Latina/Latino/Latines trying to finding themselves in this most beautiful Ace and queer rep.

What great ACE rep this book had. The story was so relatable even though I don’t identify as ACE. I felt like it showcased how much of a spectrum being ACE can really be like and I know it’ll really help someone out there soon. I definitely would suggest this to anyone who is looking for a semi slow burn sapphic romance. I immediately suggested it to all the booksellers I work with and our store owner

*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.

Narrator did an amazing job I enjoyed the speed at which they spoke. She brought the FMC to life and kept me wanting to know more. 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!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook!

Kiss Me, Maybe is the second book in Gabriella Gamez’s Librarians in Love series. It follows librarian Angela Gutierrez as she seeks out a unique experience to gain her first kiss, alongside long-time crush Krystal Ramirez. Things don’t go according to plan, and both Angela and Krystal realize there is a lot more to each other than they thought.

I’m a huge fan of Gabby’s writing and was so excited to get my hands on this book! I learned so much about asexuality through this book. I thought I understood it in theory, but Gabby’s exploration of Angela’s sexuality and romance preferences showed me so much that I didn’t know. It was beautiful to see Angela allow herself the freedom to learn herself and change her mind and she discovered new things.

That said, Angela was not a perfect FMC. She was flawed and often immature. I didn’t fully understand her desire to keep her first kiss reserved <spoiler>while experiencing her first sexual encounters with Krystal. It felt disingenuous, which I think Angela figured out.</spoiler> I felt like Angela was a little sister that I wanted to shake sometimes, but in a way that just endeared her to me more.

Krystal had her own struggles, too. If she had been honest both with herself and Angela about her past, a lot of pain would’ve been avoided. Sometimes it felt like the characters in this book were almost too realistic - avoiding their problems and conversations like pros. 🥴 BUT, I was proud to see her character growth in the end, owning up to her mistakes and making better choices.

Now, if you think having an ace FMC means there’s no spice, you would be wrong (and in fact this is a huge part of Angela’s self-discovery). Gabby writes some of the STEAMIEST spice, and this book is no different.

I was hoping for a bit more of a showcase of San Antonio based off the cover art - it looked like it was going to be set during Fiesta! Maybe that’s a niche complaint, but as a San Antonio resident my immediate thought was that there would be more Mexican heritage shown.

The audiobook narrator and publication were top notch. I liked her portrayal of Angela.

The characters frustrated me sometimes, but I still really enjoyed the book overall. Imperfect characters make for a relatable story, and I’m all here for character growth!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC of Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez in exchange of an honest review!
Since I got and audio copy, the first thing I need to mention before I get into the content of the book is the absolutely amazing narration by Ruby Corazon. They made me feel every emotion lived by the characters, and the performance was perfect.

Now, into the book itself. Kiss Me, Maybe is a beautiful queer romance about Angela, an ace-lesbian librarian-influencer who has never been kissed, and Krystal, a bi bartender who thinks love isn’t for her but still wants to help Angela organize a scavenger hunt to get her first kiss.
I must admit that even though the scavenger hunt is part of the central storyline in this romance, most of the time I found it pointless and unnecessary. I really didn’t care for it. Still, the romance completely compensates with endearing, funny, real characters, a well written story, very hot steamy scenes, incredible queer representation, and an amazing narrator. It also hits a very soft spot for me, which is people struggling with figuring out their identity when they are already adults, and a happy ending after that.

At the end of the day, I would recommend people to read this book, and thankfully it comes out in a couple of days for everyone to do so! Be ready on May 6!

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC!

I loved the discussion and representation in the book and I honestly learned more about ace-spec identities. I also loved the idea of her using social media to reach out and connect with others that she can relate to. However, this was definitely a "It's not for me" thing, because Angela and the whole scavenger hunt thing felt very young adult and made me believe she was no younger than 18, only to find out she was 27. She was very adamant about this scavenger hunt and having her first kiss but was ok doing things with Krystal but also still want to do the hunt, just put me off.

One of the reasons that I was holding out for, for the rest of the book...was that I was hoping that we would get some resolution with her issues with Esme. I'm glad it got cleared up with Breanna and they were able to talk it out, however, the thing with Esme was never resolved. I wanted to know why she was this hateful towards Angela because I find it hard to believe it was because Esme had a failed Youtube career and that her white lie made that much of an impact on Esme to be that hateful.

There were times where it was confusing whether we were listening to dialogue or narration, which happened on often, but that's another "it's me thing"

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 story 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.

Despite enjoying the story, the audiobook narration fell short for me. While it wasn't a major detriment, the dialogue between characters came across as somewhat stilted and robotic.

Kiss Me, Maybe is a standout due to its diverse representation, writing style, 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.

The audiobook really added to my overall enjoyment of the novel. While there is only one narrator, there is also only one POV so it feels fitting and the narrator is phenomenal. Ruby Corazon expertly depicts all the characters, making them feel individualized yet put together into one seamless narration. She places emphasis in the right places and heightens the emotions of each character in a perfect way. She makes the dialog feel incredibly natural.

As for the social media aspects, the narration actually does a really great job of depicting what is happening in the story, or in this case, on the screen, without it feeling overly repetitive or odd and misplaced. I never felt myself growing confused or lost within the narration and followed along with the story seamlessly on the narration alone.

Audiobooks that play a bit of music right at the beginning and again at the very end are some of my favorites, and this one had a lovely little ditty that really set the vibe for the book to come.

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!