well... the clock app mentioned at exactly 3% (and it's not even on the first chapter!)

clock app aside, it tackles real life situations offline; just like angela <spoiler>caught TWICE at erika's (her boss) library office for posting videos on the same app.</spoiler> also, natalia's side story got me tear up a little.

the audiobook however, i didn't know how to feel about this. the way she narrates nailed it, but when she voiced the characters, it has no feelings for it. that's why i gave it a low rating.

I was really excited for this book since I loved The Next Best Fling a lot.
I did enjoy this story too! The mystery scavenger hunt was nice. I liked that idea and how she included an artist. But it was obvious that she was going to end up with her.
All in all, this was a fun/aweet romance about someone trying to figure their identity out and get herself out there. Seeing the characters from The Next Best Fling was a happy surprise.

Phew this is definitely Casual by Chappell Roan turned into a book, but also it’s so much more!
Damn can Gabriella Gamez write tension, I was sweating. This book had so much heart, I can’t imagine being queer and not seeing yourself in here somewhere.

As a gay woman who doesn’t follow the stereotypical path in realtionships it was very refreshing to see so much validation from so many characters, even if out 2 main women are trying for that traditional happily ever after ( tradditional meaning women loving women has Sappho intended)

The Audio was perfection Ruby Corazon breathed so much life into the characters- I was in a chokehold the whole time


Thank you Netgalley and Hachette for the audio ARC

📚 Book Review 📚

Title: Kiss Me, Maybe
Author: Gabriella Gamez
Narrator: Ruby Corazon
Genre: LGBTQ Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨ Summary ✨

Librarian Angela Gutierrez, a late bloomer with a new influencer status, plans a scavenger hunt to find true love. She enlists Krystal Ramirez, her five-year crush, to help her execute the event. However, their bond grows stronger, and Angela realizes she is falling head over heels in love for a woman who may never be able to love her back.

💭 My thoughts

This was quite the emotional journey, throughout this story I experienced all the emotions. I love Angela, I love her story, I have loved seeing her find herself and find her voice. The relationship between her and Krystal was beautifully written! Gabriella has done an incredible job writing characters you immediately fall in love with and root for. There is nothing I would change or add to this story.

Ruby is an exceptional narrator, she was perfect for this role!

My only question is, do we get Julian’s story??

📌 Favorite Quote

"I've wasted so much time pretending to be someone I'm not, the amount of catching up I have to do feels insurmountable sometimes."

Perfect for fans of sapphic romance with lots of banter, perfect tension, and just enough spice!

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio | Forever for this ALC.

Thanks so much to netgalley and publishers for this ALC!

This book was fun! I enjoyed the characters, diversity, and friendships in this story. I love ace representation and the way this book approached it was a lot of fun! I really liked the narrator as well, I thought she did a great job of portraying the story!

This is beautiful and raw LGBTQIA+ representation! I absolutely loved the rollercoaster of figuring out sexual and expressive identity. This is a wonderful book with representation for BIPOC and queer voices. A cute romantic story with some realistic spice (because being new at something is okay.)! This shows a realistic view of both the positive and negative effects of social media as well. I enjoyed the elements of art, family, and self-discovery throughout this book. Well-paced writing with beautiful descriptions. I felt like I was a friend along the journey with Angela. Questioning identity and how that relates to family connection is so real in the queer community. It truly is a breath of fresh air to see this struggle represented and also to be able to feel so deeply while reading.

I really enjoyed this title. The discussion of coming into one’s own sexuality and self is highly important, especially right now. I particularly appreciated the range of representation, as asexual and aromantic sexualities are not often addressed at all, nevermind represented in literature. Would recommend!

This was so good, the narrator was amazing and I really like the story and it helped me understand more of the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. Angela was a protagonist I struggled with a little bit. Mainly because I absolutely loved the way she went about her identity. Especially when it comes to asexuality its just that much more difficult to determine where you land on the scale and her thought process was so very relatable that I read the first chapters in one sitting. I loved her scavenger hunt idea, I loved the pining between her and Krystal. And then I started to feel as though all I knew about Angela was her identity. I wanted more from her. I also felt like every single conversation she had was about her identity and again, I just wanted more. It felt a little bit one sided and self-absorbed. I wanted to know more about the people around her, especially Krystal. Because how do you fall for someone that either seems self absorbed (Angela) or you barely know anything about (Krystal). Then the rollercoaster went upward again because in the last third, I did get to know more. The spice was exquisite, the conversations deeper. Then I experienced a bit of a dip when I felt like the scavanger hunt was just so anti-climatic. But then the Epilogue was simply wonderful again and we ended on an absolute high note. So, all in all, this was a solid three star read from me!

Okayyyyy! Gabriella Gamez writes some amazing tension! Not to mention the spicy scenes?? Omg I needed a cold shower. As a lesbian woman, I am always looking for books with representation and this one did not disappoint. I really enjoyed Angela’s story and how TikTok helped her find her identity. I can relate to that so well as someone who was also a late bloomer and the app helped me find a sense of community. I really liked this book as a single POV because, let’s face it, we’ve all been there. We’ve all mistaken the signs of flirtation as just someone being nice. This story just felt so real.

The audio was very well done. I did speed up to 1.5x because I just felt like the narrator was talking too slowly and I’d find myself distracted. I don’t typically enjoy when female narrators imitate a male characters voice and vice versa, but this story did not have very many instances of that happening.

This is my first sapphic romance it was so cute, funny and flirty! I loved watching Angela find herself I just wish it was dual pov I would have loved to see Krystal yearn for Angela.

loved the ebook and i loved the audiobook for this one as well! the narrator does such a good job of capturing the fmcs personality.

Color me surprised that one of my favorite books of 2025 heavily features a TikTok storyline (I can't stand the app) but here we are, Kiss Me, Maybe is absolutely one of my favorites of the year so far. If you have the choice, I recommend the Audiobook because Ruby Corazon's performance is 💋👌!

What the book is:
🔘 A single person POV narrative of Angela Gutierrez, a 27 year old sapphic, ace spectrum, librarian in San Antonio TX who has recently gone viral for both coming out and revealing that she has never been kissed.
🔘 Book 2 in the Librarian's in Love series. When I read this, I had no idea that this wasn't a standalone novel which is massive credit to the author's ability to create authentic relationships that didn't need rehashing or justification. I can imagine that Krystal Ramirez was likely Angela's hot bartender crush in the first book and Gamez was able to parlay that into a believable friends-to-lovers in the span of the second book.
🔘 The chemistry between Krystal and Angela is palpable from beginning to end but the most beautiful part of their pairing is the genuine care and support Krystal provides for Angela as she discovers more about the layers of her identity.
🔘 Speaking of authentic, this novel doubles as a love letter to San Antonio without falling into the pit falls of overusing/over-explaining the city that can be off-putting to people that are more familiar.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Hachette Audio | Forever!

This had me giggling the wholeeeeee timeeee!! I am so so obsessed and the flirting was top tier!! So excited to talk about this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a really cute audiobook! What I loved about it was how our MC, Angela, is really figuring out her identity throughout the book. I really loved the nuance and complexity that was given to ace identity. At first this book read a bit like a YA which is why I was surprised when there were some very spicy scenes (which, don't get me wrong, I thought were great!) that I hadn't anticipated. I think these intimate scenes further deepened the exploration of ace identity, queerness in general, and gender for Angela. I thought this was really well done!

I'm not sure I ever really bought the scavenger hunt premise, and to me, this plot point seemed to really age-down the story. Though, I don't think the scavenger hunt took anything away, I'm just not sure that it added enough of what it was supposed to do in the plot. This whole emphasis on first kiss in general also felt a bit complicated for me, but not enough to really have any qualms. In all this is a cute story that features queer Latina MCs which is always something to celebrate!

If you're a mood / seasonal reader like me, I recommend this as a great summer read! It takes place in Texas, so there are lots of description of the atmosphere being warm. I think this would be a great book for a young adult who is either figuring out their identity, or has a friend that is, or is just allo and wants to better understand ace & queer identities.

This is book 2 in Gamez's "Librarians in Love" series. I did not read the first book, and didn't find I was missing anything. The couple from the first book is featured a decent amount, but again, this book can definitely be read as a standalone.

Such a great time reading this book. I loved getting such a dynamic character. An asexual who is a part of the lgbt community is such a refreshing change from a lot of sapphic romances I've read. So many cute and funny moments and so relatable and current with the times. Cute, cozy and delightful read.

#KissMeMaybe by Gabriella Gamez is a super cute sapphic romance. This book gives the reader great insight into communities and/or identities that might not be theirs while still maintaining an engaging and hard to pause story.

Kiss Me, Maybe is a warm, affirming sapphic rom-com that shines brightest in its representation of queer identities, particularly asexuality and Latinx culture. Angela’s journey to self-acceptance and first love is full of heart and good intentions, and the book does a lovely job of showing the power of community and connection—especially through the lens of social media and chosen family.

That said, while the themes were meaningful, I struggled a bit with the tone and believability. Angela’s character, at 27, often felt much younger in voice and behaviour, and the scavenger hunt plotline—though a fun concept—didn’t quite land for me. It felt more like a teen challenge than something an adult would commit to, and I found myself wishing the characters had been given more depth beyond their identities and cute banter.

Still, if you’re looking for a sweet, queer romance that uplifts and centres underrepresented voices, this is a worthwhile read. It’s light, quick, and celebratory in its portrayal of queerness—just don’t expect too much emotional complexity along the way.

Also, hats off to Ruby Corazon for her excellent narration.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, first a confession- I was excited to read/listen to this book when the book blurb said it was about a Late Bloomer. My mind took that to mean more of a later in life lesbian which I haven't gotten to read much about in fiction. However, it is very upfront and clear that this late bloomer isn't one based on age, at least not entirely. I know some may think 27 is old but as someone who is twice that age it feels very young. And you know, I did not mind my own mixed message assumption because it lead me to this book which is pretty delightful. Be prepared to experience angst, anxiety, attractions, and maybe even a hint at love.

TikTok adds a background that gives this book motion. If you aren't a TikToker don't worry, the author immerses us into that world in a way that makes you feel you have lived there all along. I wouldn't have been surprised if it happened across Discord since she is a gamer, though that part of the story gets a little lost with so much weaving and interweaving and unweaving of this story's tapestry. It is a rich tapestry of a different sort of heroine and a different sort of coming out and a different sort of romance and I am so thankful for that trifecta. This story shares how Angela, the aforementioned 27 year old, is discovering herself and how she is painting the picture of a life she can fully embrace. One that starts, in part, with a crush on a bartender- who can't relate to that!

Kiss Me, Maybe has an unlikely co-host to Angela's story- Asexuality. Don't let that scare you away, instead be prepared to learn a whole bunch about a rarely shined upon faction of the queer community for Asexuality is more than just one letter in the rainbow alphabet, it sits atop a prismatic pyramid where each layer sparkles and shines. In a world and climate where there are people who barely acknowledge the first four letters (LGBT) and sadly more who refuse the fourth and scoff at the first three, this book builds a strong platform stage with enough strength and space for both Angel and Asexuality to perform and embody their sexuality and livelihood of self.

The romp of the scavenger hunt gets condensed as Angel learns more about herself with the help of none other than Krystal, the sexy bartender herself. The story stays true to the awakening journey in those ways and truly every step in this journey. Kiss Me, Maybe would be a great book to share with anyone who questions their sexuality or has questions about sexuality. Not a bad addition to a Queer Lit or Gender Studies class. And I am thrilled that there was no maybe about Angela getting kissed. ~sincerely, sm for BB

3⭐️ This was a super cute sapphic romance 💘

I loved reading the expirence of an asexual woman, it was super eye opening to me. The idea of the scavenger hunt was super cute and fun, but I didn’t love how it ended up in the end.

I don’t love reading books where they have lots of references to TikTok or other social media. It was hard because I was listening to the audiobook so the comments and messages were a little lost on me. The narrator did a great job, I think it’s just me preference to read a book like this vs listening to is.