Thanks to Hachette Audio for the audioARC.

I was so excited for this because of the rep (MC is Latinx, ace-spec, lesbian, and has never been kissed at age 27). Unfortunately it didn't hit the spot for me.

Angela is doing a scavenger hunt with her first kiss as the prize. Very unrelatable that she was so confident that people would want to participate, but good for her. However I didn't really like the TikTok aspect, especially not the drama. Angela turns her first kiss into such a big deal, but then she's suddenly having sex and that's totally chill??

Anyways, I do like "late bloomer" stories bc it's so normalised to have done Everything™ at like 16, and it does make you feel different when you're older and you don't have much experience.

This just wasn't a good fit for me and I didn't connect with any of the characters.

OH MY GOSH!!!! I absolutely ADORED this book and these characters. This is the second book in the Librarians in Love series by Gabriella Gamez. I read the first book for a book club and thought it was just okay, so I was a little hesitant to read another book similar to that one, however this book is so SAPPHIC AND SO QUEER, its wonderful. I also thought the representation in this was well done and informative. The whole TikTok/influencer part of the book was kind of boring, but that's okay! This book was GOOD!

I think if I was more interested in influencers, then I could have enjoyed "Kiss Me, Maybe" more. While I liked some aspects, my thoughts overall are just meh - this mainly comes from feeling that some conversations were revisited too many times between Angela and Krystal.

I am new to the author but I couldn’t resist a book that is part of a series called Librarians in Love. The first book in the series 'The Next Best Fling’ (Jan 2023) has the romance of the best friend and co-worker of this FMC. Angela Gutierrez is 27 and has never been kissed. She has been slow to figure out her sexual identity, deciding the ace spectrum fits best. Her videos about her coming out experience are hitting her into influencer status. She comes up with the idea for a scavenger hunt to find a person who understands her interests and who will be her first real kiss. The one person she has had a crush on for the last several years is bartender Krystal Ramirez. Krystal has been off relationships since her last big break-up but she is all in for helping Angela plan her hunt.

This is one of the best books featuring an ace MC that I have read. It explains and educates on nuances of ace sexuality that I wasn’t aware of. I love the Mexican American representation and how that factors into Angela’s coming out to her parents and extended family. I really appreciate how well Angela and Krystal communicate and are honest with each other. The writing style is easy to read and the pacing is good. I am happy that f/f romances are getting more attention from larger publishers.

A lot of this story felt more YA because of the first kiss storyline. But Angela is 27 and an adult and the book goes spicy while holding off on that kiss. The story spends a lot of time on the celebrity of viral videos and the pitfalls of social media, which is real, but of less interest to me. I listened to the audio book and enjoyed the narration. The story is told from Angela’s POV so a single narrator is great. (3.5 Star)

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, but honestly, I’m a bit let down. I was so excited for a queer Latinx romance AND it’s based in the city I live in!! While I absolutely loved the queer representation and ACE education, I feel underwhelmed by the romance. More so, I feel annoyed with it. I wish we got to connect with Krystal more and watch Angela focus more on her rather than the TikTok plan. The care towards each queer character’s journey was something I really enjoyed, but that’s about as far as my attachment goes. I kept waiting for their relationship to elevate romantically which it never really did for me.

As a San Antonio reader I was able to see all the Fiesta elements for what they were, but they definitely weren’t explained or emphasized enough for readers outside of the area to understand the celebration. It would’ve been cool to see it make a bigger experience given the cover.

Now as far as the Latinx rep goes, I absolutely understand we (Latinx people) are not a monolith and our lived experiences are all so different! That being said, if you’re a Latinx reader not from SATX and pulled towards the book because of the beautiful cover thinking you’re going to see a heavy dose of your culture, I unfortunately have to say that’s not necessarily the case here. While there are a few small things throughout the story to let the reader know the characters are Latinx, they didn’t feel done in a way that displays the characters connection to their heritage, but rather just randomly dropped. I thought there would be significantly more cultural displays throughout. Maybe some Spanish/Spanglish between the characters! I also acknowledge that being able to speak Spanish does NOT correlate to someone’s Latinidad. Spanish is the colonizer me language and I would never hold the ability to speak it or not against anyone. Traditions, holidays, music, etc. But again, given the cover and marketing, I was just waiting for…more.

Plot wise a few pieces felt unfinished, unnecessary, or not properly explained. For instance Angela’s job and the cousin drama.

Overall I’m happy I read it so I could give my thoughts, but left it feeling meh.

I’m crossing my fingers for more Latinx experiences to be showcased in romance because our culture and stories deserve to take up space!💕

I received an ARC of both the Book and Audio via NetGalley. Thank you to Forever Publishing as well as Hachette audio for the opportunity to review this book. This was my first Gabriella Gamez book but it definitely will not be my last! I truly enjoyed this story. This book follows Angela a 27 year old late bloomer who has never been kissed. I really loved the TikTok element to this book as I felt it really resonated with how most of us get more information in today’s world. With the help of her friend/bartender at her local bar Krystal she goes on journey of self discovery and learning more about her identity. In addition to her finding her identity she is dealing with real world things like her work place finding her TikTok and some family members who are not as supportive as they should be. The Latinx and LGBTQIA+ representation in this book was top tier. I loved the Narrator Ruby Corazon and will definitely be looking her up for future audio books!

Angela’s cousin, Julian, faced a lot of backlash from their family when he came out. Angela herself was bullied by two other, female cousins when they learned she still hadn’t had her first kiss by twelfth grade. Because of this, she struggled with her identity as an ace-spec lesbian for many years. This is something a lot of queer people, myself included, encounter when we experience such deep, personal trauma as we’re entering those formative years when one’s own sexuality starts to truly blossom. It was refreshing to see Angela’s journey portrayed in such a frank, thoughtful way. It was especially refreshing to see ace representation in a contemporary romance.

At twenty-seven years old, Angela—a librarian and avid reader of historical romance—is tired of waiting for love to find her, especially when she isn’t sure what love might look like for an ace lesbian. After posting an “accidental thirst trap” on TikTok that goes mega viral, she decides to use her newfound fame to get her first kiss out of the way by making it the prize in an elaborate scavenger hunt. Meanwhile, she’s also juggling a massive crush on her favorite bartender, Krystal Ramirez, and grappling with the continued fallout of Julian’s rejection by his own father and other members of their extended family.

Angela’s evolving understanding of herself and her desires is a central theme of the story, and it’s written masterfully, allowing readers unfamiliar with asexuality in particular to understand the gradations and complexities of one of the most misunderstood queer identities. Her confusion and frustration as she navigates the swell of online attention (and, inevitably, trolls and bullying) alongside her growing feelings for Krystal was painful and relatable and beautiful.

While everyone’s queer identities are handled with care and thoughtfulness, the rest of the plot falls apart quickly. It relies heavily on convenience and coincidence. In the most glaring example of this, despite the size of San Antonio, everybody seems to know absolutely everybody else: one of Angela’s TikTok friends moves to the area without knowing she’s there; Julian has dated said TikTok friend in the past; Krystal just so happens to know a friend of the reclusive artist they’d otherwise have no way of contacting; Krystal’s ex shows up at Angela’s house as her cousin’s date right in time to deliver some crushing exposition. If this was a small town romance, I could believe it, but I checked and there are 1.5 million people living in San Antonio.

An enormous amount of focus and importance is placed on Angela getting her first kiss, but she has two (super spicy) sexual encounters with Krystal during which they don’t kiss on the mouth because I guess we’re just being picky and specific. I read a lot of romance (nature of the business and all), and while Kiss Me Maybe hits all the expected beats at all the expected times, Angela’s obsessive dedication to pulling off this TikTok stunt because her followers expect it makes all of her encounters with and feelings for Krystal seem cheap. She purposefully holds back from the love interest of the story because she’s worried about fake internet points. Her following is more important to her than Krystal’s feelings. While this might have been at least somewhat believable in a YA novel with a protagonist still in high school, it’s frustrating and bizarre for a main character scraping thirty. It’s impossible to believe this is a couple built to last, which is what most of us pick up a romance novel expecting to find.

At the end of the day, I would heartily recommend this book to other queer people looking for representation of identity groups that are woefully absent from mainstream media, but if you’re here for the romance or the overall plot? Pass.

It’s rare that I have such visceral reactions to a book, but Kiss Me, Maybe had left such a huge impression on me that has put this book on my favorites list. I was moved to tears, TWICE!! Which is not a common occurrence for me reading or listening to books! Not only is Gabriella Gamez’s writing incredibly beautiful and intelligent, but this particular story made me feel so seen in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. As a queer Hispanic woman with similar identities to Angela, her journey in life and love as a late bloomer hit very close to home.
This book has moved me in so many ways and I think it’s an important story to share and I highly recommend this book and the audiobook. I am an avid audiobook listening and it was really gratifying listening to an audiobook with a narrator that talks and sounds like me. Spanglish and all! The audio production was so well executed that it felt like I was actually having a conversation with Angela and listening to her tell her story. I want to thank Hachette Audio for allowing me the opportunity to listen to the audiobook as a Reviewer on NetGalley, and thank you Gabriella Gamez, for writing a story that I really needed to hear.

This was a cute friends to lovers story. Library assistant Angela finally feels confident in her identity as an asexual lesbian that she is ready to start dating and have her first kiss at 27 years old. But online dating, meeting someone at a bar, or asking out someone she already knows has no interest to her, so she comes up with an idea to make an online scavenger hunt where the prize at the end is getting to be her first kiss. She enlists the help of Krystal the bartender at her favorite bar, who Angela has had a crush on for 5 years, to help her plan the scavenger hunt which may end up being a terrible idea since with the more time they spend together the harder it is to avoid the chemistry between them.

I really enjoy getting to read books with Ace characters since that’s the LGBTQIA+ identity I’ve read the least about in romance books. I think the story does a really good job in exploring how much of a spectrum sexuality truly is. Since we see Angela try to understand what it means to her identity that she’s experiencing sexual attraction to Krystal.

I know some people don’t like books that are super pop culture/social media related. TikTok does play a HUGE part of the story and is the tool Angela uses for coming into her identity and online haters are the main antagonists of the book.

This was a 3.5 star read for me, but I’m rounding up since I felt like the narration made the story feel a little cheesy at times. Even though Angela is still figuring out her sexuality identity, she does about it with determination and her head held up high. But something with the narration (maybe how slow it was since I had to go up to x1.5 speed when I’m a dedicated x1.25 gal) made her seem super timid and shy.

Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of KISS Me, Maybe!

Librarian Angela Gutierrez has never been kissed. But after posting a video about her late bloomer status and ace identity, she's finally ready to get some firsts out of the way. Using her new influencer status to come up with a scavenger hunt idea in which the winner earns her first kiss, Angela realizes she may need some help to pull off the event. Enter Krystal Ramirez, hot bartender and Angela’s unrequited crush of five years. Despite vowing that romantic love isn’t for her, Krystal seems awfully determined to help Angela pull off the scavenger hunt and find true love.

Absolutely loved the representation in this one, and I think it offers such a great insight of the queer community. I feel like I definitely learned a lot myself, and it's always so nice to read about others' experiences, even in works of fiction. I really liked the journey Angela goes through, and I think it was very realistic and well executed. I think I would have liked this more had it also included Krystal's point of view; I found her story to be really interesting, and I would have loved to know more about it, and it would have added some depth to her character.

It's such an easy, fun read, while still maintaining some depth and some very interesting and important topics of discussion, and handling them well. There were some bits that had me confused, or rolling my eyes a little, but it's nothing too excessive and definitely a me issue. The writing is really great, and incredibly engaging, it makes really easy to want to pick this up and keep reading. Sometimes I did forget about the whole TikTok side of things, and it did take me out of it a little while I got reused to it, but it's not bad at all, and I feel like it could also open an interesting conversation on social media and parasocial relationships.

I listened to the audiobook for this one; it really made for a fun listening experience, and the narrator does an incredible job bringing to life these characters.

This listen was a gentle course in sexual identity laced with romance and spice - and I had a lot of fun with it. In an ideal world, learning about your sexuality should come naturally as you grow and have experiences. But we all know life doesn't allow this to happen without some drama. This is exactly what the story served, providing an entertaining and heartfelt story while keeping it real with familial, friendship, and social conflicts. I especially appreciated that this was a story of various, dynamic Latin characters navigating the conversation of sexuality. I did find the characters came across a bit younger than expected - minus the spice, this could have easily read as a YA novel. It was entertaining, nevertheless. I was really impressed by the narrator and their ability to carry this story alone, portraying so many characters! I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Gabriella Gamez for this advanced listener's copy!

I really enjoyed the first book of this series and excited to read Angela's story. She is a late bloomer and accidentally gone viral for posting a video about never been kissed.

There are few things that were a miss for me:
- For age, 27, she acted very young
- The scavenger hunt idea was just weird for me
- The ending was a bit of a let down
- I didn't buy the romance between Anglea and Krystal
- the never been kissed part confused me a little as usually, the kiss leads to other levels of spice. However, it got spicy for an asexual pretty quickly

I did enjoy aspects of the story:
- Angela finding her voice and standing up to her family
- Her friendship with her coworker, Marcela
- The representation of asexual

Ruby Corazon did a good job with the narration but the story was not the right fit for me.

Thank you @hachette.audio @readforeverpub for a copy of the audiobook.

This was a cute and sweet audiobook. The story was quite predictable but it was easy enough to get lost in and the characters were loveable (especially the hot bartender). I also felt like the narrator was a great addition to everything. All in all, it was a good read.

Rating: 4.25 of 5 above average-enjoyable

Angela has always felt like the oddball cousin. Her insecurity is reinforced by the high school antics of the fellow girls in her family. Understanding why she didn't have the same experiences that motivated those girls, that she was asexual, was only part of the battle. At 28 she's finally facing her fears. Angela sick of hiding when it comes to romance and missing out on firsts.

She pulls off the band-aid by throwing her confessional up on TikTok. . Through this platform she is determined to finally 'catch up' on her terms. She devises a plan to make the wait worth it. Or, at least memorable. It's a plan that happens to bring her out of the periphery and into the orbit of a woman she's secretly been crushing on for years.

Disclosures: I received an advanced copy of the audiobook via netgalley. I personally am ace-spec but confess Romance is not a genre I dig a lot into. :Knowing the usual trends of the genre in certain regards, I was beyond curious to see how it would handle having an ace-spec character. As Angela fears, sex and feeling desired, is a big part of many relationships. To not know what your own limits are or how understanding a person would be is incredibly intimidating let alone facing the choice to engage with it.

I was impressed at what a wonderful introduction this could be for someone to this section of the queer rainbow. It even taught me a term for a sub-sectional experience as someone who's been identifying for over a decade. Being older than Angela I didn't heave access to even the term until I was in college. It took me until i was 26 to embrace it. It was humbling and relieving to see someone of a younger generation face some of the same obstacles I did in navigating who you are.

For some people all the terms and subdivisions might be confusing. There were a few times the book expressed doubts, brought life experiences unrelated to identity specifically with several characters, and reiterated facts that in the moment felt a bit redundant. Reflecting, I that repetition served to show how messy and fluid something like this can be. Not everyone wants to go that deep into defining themselves. Yet the purpose of a label, at its best usage, is to help someone understand themselves. To the more expansive life matters, it hammers in how past mistakes and trauma can insidiously embed and manifest ages after.

Most of the romance readers here aren't coming to be educated. So let's get to what you're all here for. The story itself was sweet. Having leads with an established connection gave a nod to those drawn to second chance stories. Having Angela's parents being accepting in contrast to many in the family and out was a good choice beyond being the healthiest. Foundation and love is important to having strength for all else. The process of actively seeking a found family is almost as front and center as each character coming to terms with their past and the evolving relationship. The discussion of personal passion with the parasocial nature of today touched me as someone who dabbles in art spaces.

What about the spice you say! There is more than you might suspect for a book about seeking your first kiss. It is great to see someone grappling with just how, what, and why, these physical elements interact with their sense of self, It's presented as confusion instead of shameful doubt. Now from a story perspective at one point the spice level made the overall premise seem a bit deceptive. That's addressed somewhat but it did make me personally drop out a little giving it a little bit of a nudge down from absolutely adored levels . (Only projected all time favorites get the coveted five from me. )

An important element I hope others detect is a social-behavioral pattern we associate only with the coming of social media. Every day people are judged on their content's accuracy and validation. The verdict doesn't come from an official source but the whims of others. This make or break for success and mental well being is an age old problem. Opinions have always been will of the wind. From the less than scholarly-researched statements of town criers, to yellow press, to tabloids, and speeches it's all just a matter of engagement with society. This pattern will extend regardless of the author's preface about the fate of social media.

At the request of the publisher, I took a more active consideration of the audio elements. The narrator of this novel does quite well for someone with fewer credits to their name. The tone fit the protagonist. She was able to bring emotions and suitable moods for the scenes. In general there was a good flow

However there is one area that may either be a matter of experience, editing, or a combination. There were certain times when the transition between dialogue and narrative were fuzzy. There were a few times I thought I was in a characters head only to have another character respond and vice versa. Many of the characters had distinct enough twists to their lines but the ones that weren't as significant to the plot blended more together with the protagonist's. Overall I did enjoy the performance and will look forward to see where Ruby Corazon goes with her narration career. Growth is some times more exciting than a proven 'old' favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gabriella Gomez, and Hachette Audio for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

The audiobook was excellent, and Ruby Corazon's performance of the cast of characters was amazing. I didn’t realize that this audiobook had only one narrator. Ruby Corazon is very talented. I look forward to listening to more audiobooks narrated by her.

3 stars

I loved the message of the book. No matter anyone’s age people can explore their sexuality. I’m pleased that this book had not only Ace rep but also Demi and Bisexuality. Angela is a 27-year-old who has never been kissed. She makes videos on TikTok talking about sexuality and it blows up. She wants to host a scavenger hunt that will lead her to a potential match. She gets help from Krystal a bartender to put together the scavenger hunt. But complicated feelings start to blossom between them. The reasons this book does not have a higher rating is because the characters acted younger than in their late twenties and the fact that I could not see Krystal as a love interest for Angela. Krystal had a lot of things to work through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio & Gabriella Gamez for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Listen not all books will click with all readers- and maybe I'm in a reading slump? The positives: I completely felt the connection between the main characters and am glad they got their HEA. There are a lot of great aspects about found family and not giving your time and energy to blood family that doesn't accept you. I loved that. I learned a ton about the varied spectrum of sexuality. The process and experience of this discovery was wonderful for someone who's never experienced that.

But I did feel like the conflict for Krystal was meh for me. "I don't deserve love because I hurt someone else"? Yeah no. I feel like the whole premise of the scavenger hunt (which sounded so fun in the book description) was lost in the "issues" that didn't really matter?? Also- no kissing, but other much more intimate acts? I just don't... get it. Again, I could be in a slump. It looks like many others loved this book and I'm the exception. I see that as a me problem.

Narration was really well done- I would definitely seek books with this narrator again.

This was such a fun and addictive read! It was my first Ace Rep rom com and I was really excited to see the Queer and LatinX representation. I absolutely feel like the Queer Rep was really well done here, being educational without being heavy handed or feeling overly explanatory, given in a format that was easy to understand. The online storyline gave a lighthearted and fun atmosphere for educating and endearing honesty in the story, this was such a smart choice for giving info through TikTok comments and replies. It gave you delivery of vital info without it being heavy. I also really loved the scavenger hunt element as a hopeless romantic who likes the flare of whimsical extravagance. It lends well to the tension, hijinks and really ticked all the boxes for me! I loved the message we are shown that nobody is perfect, life is fluid and that discovering yourself is truly a journey especially when in the gaze of others.

Our FMC Angela is easy to root for, especially with her experience being perceived by both the internet and those she loves in her life. I thoroughly enjoyed how we get to watch her unpack her sexuality and identity while finding her own power. Her journey to find love was so endearing and I really enjoyed the elements of social media as someone who is chronically online myself. I think it will really connect to the Booktok and Bookstagram audience and hopefully show people the power of social media (good and bad) This would be a fantastic read for anyone who is on their own journey to discover who they are, or for a Queer reader like me eager to find Queer Rep! I have been recommending it to my friends already because seeing Ace Rep done right is just so refreshing and unfortunately hard to find! I look forward to checking out the rest of this authors catalog.

Audiobook;

The audio is spot on for me, and felt really reflective of the FMCs voice. I loved the emotion and energy the narration brought to all of the characters, the internal dialogue and the tone itself of the story. The performance gave everything I was hoping for with easily discernible voices for side characters and I would definitely recommend this book in audiobook format as it really brings this story to life. This would also be a great pick for someone new to audio because the performance is so fun and it can be read at whatever speed you prefer without it effecting the audio experience. I found I enjoyed it at my normal 2x speed and at regular which is rare for me!

Thank you to author Gabby Gamez, Forever Pub for the physical ARC as a gift, and to Hachette Audio for the ALC.

I loved Gabriella Gamez’s “Next Best Fling” and knew I had to read this new one, especially when I saw this BEAUTIFUL cover!!! and wow am I glad I did because Gámez has secured herself as a must read author for me!!!!

I love this story so much! there’s so much love, acceptance, adventure, healing, growth, and spicy spice. I loved Angela’s whole story here: the asexual representation that includes so much detail and nuance to the individual experience; the nuanced familial dynamics; how identity changes and grows over time, especially considering who we surround ourselves with; and mostly I loved seeing her become so comfortable in her own skin, regardless of what she could identify or define about herself to others, she finds comfort and peace in herself and as Krystal’s partner and friend. it’s so beautiful seeing Krystal and Angela get closer and closer here, especially from Angela’s pov getting closer to Krystal requires so much trust from us the reader (through Angela’s pov) to hold her story safely. it’s truly so beautiful.

this story is also so funny and spicy and satisfying to read! it’s definitely one of my top favorites of the year!!!!

the narration and production was so good!!! it let me fully immerse myself in the story, I was enamored with this audiobook from start to finish. thank you so much for the ALC!!!

ARC Review // Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez
Thank you @netgalley for the ALC!

Kiss Me, Maybe is a tender, heartfelt sapphic contemporary romance that beautifully centers a Hispanic love story. Both main characters come from Latina families, and their cultural backgrounds bring so much richness and authenticity to the narrative.

This story is full of LGBTQ+ representation and explores identity, coming out to friends and family, and the often-overlooked challenge of making new friends as an adult. The romance is soft, sincere, and perfectly paced—with just enough spice (2.5/5) to warm your heart.

I listened to the audiobook ARC and it was phenomenal. The pacing was smooth, and the narrator did an incredible job voicing each character with emotion and clarity—it truly elevated the entire experience.

I’m giving this one a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars!
If you’re looking for a cozy, queer romance full of culture, vulnerability, and charm, mark your calendars—Kiss Me, Maybe releases May 6!

What a great representation of what being asexual is like and the spectrum of it all. The characters were well thought out and the banter was really sweet.