This cover is gorgeous and the summary had me super excited but this one was just okay for me sadly. The beginning was a bit slow for me and I found myself reaching for other reads until it finally started picking up around 30% in or so. I adore alllll of the rep we get throughout but our key romantic characters were never really a hit for me and while I thought the scavenger hunt premise would be fun… we never quite got it? I mean in theory we did but not quite what I anticipated so it just sorta flopped for me on that front. However, I did really enjoy the interactions we get with our more accepting family members as well. I also didn’t hate the spice, I anticipated some spice but this had more than expected so 10/10 there. Haha. Overall, I didn’t feel the need to DNF and I think there are absolutely some people that are going to love this one so I landed on 3 stars for my rating. Huuuge thank you for the review copy! :)

For the book itself, the writing style is exceptional. I felt like both emotions and the physical elements were described in a way that the reader could actually connect with and feel. I felt the pacing was pretty good. I didn't get the sense that any specific part was dragging out. I was very confused about the physical transformation of the FMC. Unless I missed it, there didn't seem to be any lead up or context to that event. More importantly, though, I was confused about the premise of the book itself. Traditionally, there is more emphasis placed on the first kiss than the the first sexual act. We think of the first kiss being that expression of interest, spark, and connection whereas sex is a bit more primal and hormonal lust. When the premise of the book is an asexual person understanding themselves and exploring their sexuality, I feel like the first sexual act would be more impactful than the first kiss. The book explained a couple times why an asexual person would have sex or desire sex (and explained it well), but it really didn't address why a first kiss would be held higher than say a sexual encounter in a steamy bathroom within this context.

As for the narration, I was not a fan at all. I honestly thought the narration was AI generated, although it looks like perhaps that's not the case. She has a beautiful voice that is crisp and clean; however, I felt the inflections were almost entirely absent. She read from a script and lacked tone and emotive qualities. The voices of characters did not change, so I had to really focus to understand who was talking at any given moment. The pace was consistent to the point of robotic. If a friend wanted to buy this, I would tell them to buy the physical book and not the audio.

Technically this is a book 2, I didn't realize when I requested the ARC. I do not think it detracted from the story in any way. This is a great stand alone.

I love love love all of the queer representation in this book. Obviously, you can tell by the cover that it's a sapphic situation but the characters in the story have a wide range of sexual identities. They go into how they realized their identities, and the struggle of 'coming out' to family and friends. I think it's a really important topic that this book did well.

The romance itself is a great slow burn. I loved the characters.

I received an audio arc and loved the narrator.

The inclusion of social media use plays a big role in the plot, and it worked very well. A good slow burn between MCs was fun to read Angelica finding her voice in the bedroom and realizing she likes to take charge. She finds confidence and explores her sexual identity with the help of her audience and close friends/romantic interests. Reconnecting with family members but more so found family plays a big role.

To start on the most positive note, the audiobook production for this is excellent. The readers voice is one I could speed all the way up til 2.5 and still clearly understand every word. I would definitely listen to another book read by them.

As for the book, it was one big fat disappointment for me. This feels like it would be perfect for chronically online people. The plot is just a bit all over the place honestly….. I knew going into this it would be focused around Tik Tok, if that isn’t your thing please know it’s a huge part of the plot. And just as they are in real life, the people on social media are insufferable in the book too. For me, it just feels like why would you care what random people on the internet say AND on the other side, why tf do people want to comment on someone else’s life choices.

I feel so weird about the romance between Angela and Krystal…. It doesn’t seem right to me that they had sex before Angela had even experienced her first kiss. I mean, who am I to judge the steps someone chooses in their life. But honestly it felt very unrealistic to skip such a basic, if anything the most romantic part, of a romantic relationship. Krystal …. Sucks ???????????? The whole “I don’t deserve love because I hurt someone in the past” pls just go to therapy. And then she has ONE conversation with her ex and is ready for love again. It just felt like they could have been done years ago.

If I were to even recommend this to anyone, it would be a chronically online 18-21 year old who wants so bad to find a label that fits them instead of just accepting who they are and finding love.

Thank you for much to NetGalley and Hachett Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐

this was such a fun sapphic romance! i found myself giggling while listening to the audiobook, it truly was such a fun experience. i was rooting for sweet angela the entire time.

each character had their own unique personalities and i enjoyed (most of) their dynamic with one another. as somebody in the LGBTQIA+ community myself, i felt so connected to angela. i loved the queer representation in this so much and it tugged at my heartstrings when it came to just wanting to feel some sort of acceptance. i loved the chemistry between angela and krystal and adored the premise of the story; when krystal agrees to help angela (who happens to be a late-bloomer who has never had a first kiss), i knew from then on that i was going to absolutely root for these two to end up together.

"kiss me, maybe" was a delightful read/listen and i highly recommend! thank you to hachette audio for the ALC.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars
This was a sweet and thoughtful read that blends lesbian romance, self-discovery, and the complexities of modern life. At its heart, it’s a friends-to-lovers story that weaves together a love for books and art, and explores what it means to truly find yourself.

One of the standout themes was how labels don’t define you—something the story handled with care and nuance. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone and just find yourself.

The book also takes a look at the dual nature of social media—how it can connect and inspire, but also hurt and overwhelm. That balance felt very real and relevant.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was strong—easy to follow and vivid, really helping to bring the story to life in a visual way.

That said, I would have loved to have had a POV from Krystal. It felt like there was more to her story that we only got glimpses of, and it would’ve added depth to the overall narrative.

Overall, a heartfelt and relatable story that touches on identity, connection, and the power of choosing your own path

"Kiss me Maybe" is a light-hearted rom-com with plenty of representation, and what I felt at times was maybe obsfucating the actual plot. There's a lot of conversation about identity which will appeal to some but felt a bit heavy-handed for me.

Lesbian, Asexual, Mexican-American, and living in Texas? Is this story about me? No, seriously—Kiss Me, Maybe felt like it was written for me. It was very relatable, especially as someone who didn’t experience a lot of firsts, including my first kiss, until my mid 20s.

Obviously from the synopsis I could tell that there was going to be some element of influencer culture or social media, but I didn’t expect it to play such a big role. It’s totally fine, it just isn’t really my favorite aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

unexpectedly affirming, this book did wonders reaffirming my own asexual identity by showing me the multitudes of variances that exist within the ace spectrum itself. While a social media viral/influencer plot is not my favourite, I think the story did a really innovative take on what I would considera tired trope. I love the main characters, I love the family drama, the smut was intriguing annd fun, and the story overall was beautiful.

This was a DELIGHTFUL read! Our main character is an asexual lesbian librarian who has never been kissed and by happenstance is planning a city wide scavenger hunt to win her first kiss. It's the perfect balance of light and silly and thoughtful and introspective. You're going to have a hard time putting it down, so go ahead and clear your schedule.

Ruby Corazon knocks the narration out of the part. I enjoyed her pacing and performance so much that I will now be looking for her other books to listen to!

Thank you to the publisher for providing the audiobook ARC of the book to listen in advance.

I've read a few sapphic romances with ace representation, each with different angle. The main character, Angela, in Kiss Me, Maybe is 27-year-old with non-existing dating history. She has been bullied to lie about her romantic experiences and tries to figure out her true self. She's posting about her asexuality journey on TikTok and arranging a competition to find a woman to share her first kiss with. Krystal, a bartender Angela has a years long crush on, agrees to help her with the arrangements.

There is a handful of romances with similar starting point: someone is looking for love and the helping hand in the quest ends up being the love they've been looking for all along. I really like this trope so I was really interested in reading Kiss Me, Maybe. The story ended up being a bit too messy for me to fully love it, thus the 3.75-star rating, but I still enjoyed reading it. I finished listening to the book in one day and ended up staying awake until 1.30am. The ace rep alone made it worth the read. We need more books with aro-ace representation from all corners of the spectrum.

In Kiss Me, Maybe, there are quite a lot of side characters, toxic family relationships, communication problems, and happy ending. The book could have benefitted from dual POV. Now we only got Angela's point of view. I didn't really get why Angela's and Krystal's relationship took the route it took in the book. Krystal's POV could have made it more understandable.

The most interesting bit in the book was Angela's asexuality journey. While posting about her findings and figuring out the scavenger hunt details, she learns to understand herself and her sexuality. For a reader with limited knowledge on asexuality, the novel offered a lot of insight on the ace spectrum.

When Angela goes viral on TikTok for having never been kissed, she makes a plan to use her newfound fame to make it happen. She enlists the help of her bartender crush, Krystal, who becomes a contender for her heart.

This book has amazing ace spec representation and does a great job of providing really good explanations and information about different sexualities. Angela being a late bloomer in love was so refreshing to read! I don’t see many late bloomer stories in romance and this book did it well.

I had a hard time getting invested in Angela and Krystal’s story. Krystal wasn’t very likable to me. While they had great communication, Krystal was still very back and forth with Angela and it put me off of their connection. I enjoyed the tender moments they had but sometimes I just didn’t feel it. The inclusion of social media wasn’t a problem for me like I’ve seen it was for others. I think it added a fun element to the story and a great way for MC to try her hand at dating. Now the scavenger hunt was what fell short for me. It was supposed to be the big thing in the story but often times felt like it got pushed to the wayside. The ending is where it fully fleshed out and I enjoyed the way everything finalized. Overall good book with some fantastic representation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachetteaudio!

What a lovely roller coaster of emotions! I throughly enjoyed Angela's journey to self discovery and love. The characters were so complex and real that you just wanted to hug them, and maybe punch one of them (iykyk).

I have to say, as a first generation Mexican-American, the family dynamics and believes were spot on. I loved the random spanish words thrown in, because that's just how our bilingual brains work:). This is how you write a diverse ethnic character, in my opinion. Give us the childhood trauma, family dynamics, give us part of their culture (food, art, customs). The art scenes made me feel like I was back in San Antonio, the papel picado, the flower crowns, the murals (a suttle nod to Ms. Frida) and my favorite the street food.

Gabriella just keeps getting better with each book. Thats it, I just loved it.

mood after reading: 🍹💜🦋🎇💋🎊🌸🎡

I loved these characters!!! Angela and Krystal were the perfect blend of sugar and spice, I was shipping them from their very first interaction! As a fellow late bloomer, I really appreciated Angela and related to her journey of figuring out her identity later in life. I was so happy to see her grow more confident in herself as the book progressed and was cheering her on as she stood up to her toxic family members. And Krystal was a such a gem (pun intended). Her journey of forgiving herself and opening herself back up to loving again after her first heartbreak was inspiring, and I love how much of a girlboss she was!

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC!!

This was a really sweet read. I was a little nervous at the start about the TikTok/social medial focus but I thought it was handled really well. I loved Angela's exploration of her sexuality and what her identity is and what that means for her. It was handled with a lot of care. Stories about late bloomers are much needed in the romance genre. I like to read romances with all spectrums of love, experience and parings. I enjoyed Gabriella's first book too and thought this one showed some improvements. I look forward to reading what she writes in the future! Ruby Corazon killed it with the audiobook narration!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

An asexual romance is a far departure from the normal depravity on my TBR. But this cover was absolutely stunning and I am a sucker for Latina characters, so I had to give her a chance. I absolutely loved this story, fell for these characters, and was giddy for the spice. Thank you Net Galley for ARC!

Crystal’s embodiment of an imperfection was perfection. With her past experience breaking her ex’s heart, she believes she isn’t capable of love, nor does she feel deserving. Seeing her overcome her biggest obstacle (ehmm, herself) was so rewarding.

Angela is a late bloomer, figuring out her place on asexuality spectrum and navigating the confusion that is queer sexuality. Her POV throughout this book is so informative, and especially in these times when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, so SO important. The conflict with her family/cousins was intense. It’s hard to be honest with family, especially when you are just navigating how to be honest with yourself. An important reminder that at the end of the day, strangers on the internet don’t get to decide your identity!!

I love this cover. I went into this story expecting one thing, but I came out with a love for seeing Angela's journey as she learns more about her sexuality. I cheered for her throughout the story! Also, I was very interested in knowing how Angela and Krystal would be while creating this scavenger hunt. Going through the story, you can feel their mutual interest in each other and since this story is in single POV, I was in deep desire for insight into Krystal's thoughts, but I still enjoyed their journey!!

Okay the love for Sophia Bush is UNMATCHED and I feel very seen.

I’m also such a sucker for a sapphic romance and this one is definitely a top contender for my quarter 1 favs. Are you KIDDING??

I was smiling, I was giggling, and I was CRYING and falling in love with every character that made a cameo.
The writing is absolutely beautiful and the character growth?!? OH MY GASHHHHHHHH.

Angel has never been kissed and after having to delete a “thirst trap” from her tiktok per corporate request, she decides to host a scavenger hunt for a completely separate concept. After struggling almost her entire life with her identity, she reveals to the entire internet that she has never been kissed and the winner of the scavenger hunt with also win the rights to be her first.

Fun, exciting, cool, love that concept so much. BUT WHAT I LOVE EVEN MORE? That beautiful bartender that helps Angel every step of the way.

How gorgeous is this cover? It’s the reason I was first drawn to this book! I didn’t realize it was the second book in the Librarians in Love series until after I had started reading it. It can definitely be read as a stand alone. I didn’t feel like I missed anything by not reading the first book.

This was my first time reading a book with ACE representation. I feel like it helped me better understand the sexual identity. I enjoyed Angela’s character, but at times I found her to be immature for her age. TikTok also plays a huge part in this book. Social media in romances is fine, but I think it was almost like a character in the story. It’s mentioned a lot.

Krystal is a complicated character. I appreciated the character growth she went through as the story progressed! I struggled to really believe Krystal and Angela were right for each other. I did think the epilogue was cute, but I wasn’t totally invested in their romance.

I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this romance. It has lots of great representation. Though this wasn’t a hit for me, it was still good and I would read more from this author in the future.