TW: Bullying, Homophobia, and Acephobia

(Disclaimer: I received the audiobook from the publisher, but this has in no way influenced my review. My thoughts are entirely unbiased and honest.)

I’m honestly so sad to give Kiss Me, Maybe this rating, because it's so rare for me to see a main character struggle with the same questions about their queerness and gender identity that I do.

What really made listening to this audiobook unbearable at times was the characterization of Angela, our heroine.

I think the editor (if there was one) should’ve pointed out to the author that her leading lady needs to be more than her queerness.

If you remove her thoughts about being asexual and a lesbian, there’s nothing else about her that’s memorable, so it’s hard to really feel excited for her journey.

The narrative is so focused on how she struggles with these identities that she came across as two-dimensional.

(I’m also asexual btw but if someone were to write about me, I hope it's not only about my orientation dkdkfkf)

Second, the love story is one of those “tell” types.

I wasn’t convinced that she and Krystal were attracted to each other before the story started; their conversations in their earlier scenes just weren’t written well.

The prose had to tell us it was tense, rather than actually describing it and letting the tension jump off the pages.

The flirty banter between them was just okay.

The author definitely needs to work on their dialogue writing in future works. One example I can think of is that no one casually uses the word "resonate" in real conversations.

Third, the scavenger hunt wasn’t that interesting.

It was a big plot point, but I just wasn’t convinced that it really mattered.

It bordered on absurd—because in the first place, how TikTok-famous and attractive do you think you are that the Internet would be willing to go through all that effort just to be your date or first kiss? dkfkfk

(Queer women are actually so picky in real life.)

Overall, I had to suspend a lot of disbelief to finish this book but in fairness there's a twist in the end that made it better.

No regrets in spending my time listening to this audiobook because I can see the potential this story had if only someone pointed out these areas for improvement before it was produced.

I hope this review may be constructive to others who want to write about female asexual leads. You need to make your heroine feel like a real person, not someone with only this label going for them.

Making their entire arc only revolve around queerness and throwing in every concept about their sexuality doesn’t leave you with an interesting character.

Nonetheless, it's still heartwarming to see that stories like this can be published where asexuals are just navigating life. Hopefully there will be more in the future.

I really enjoyed this Sapphic romance with excellent Ace/Aspec rep that has a newly out queer librarian trying to embrace her new sexual identity and find someone for her first kiss through an internet influencer fueled scavenger hunt challenge. With help from her lesbian bartender crush, Angela tries to navigate her new identity. It's steamy, heartfelt and fun while also tackling difficult topics like toxic family relationships and online cancel culture. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Claire Kann. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

AUDIO REVIEW:
the audiobook for this was FANTASTIC! ruby corazon did such a phenomenal job. the intonation was excellent, the emotion imbued in her voice was done perfectly, and the comedic timing was wonderful. time flew by when i listened to this. i was so engaged in the story and the audio made it even better. 10/10!

GENERAL BOOK REVIEW:
i really enjoyed this!!! a sweet sapphic romance with a lot of really important underlying themes. angela’s complex character conveys a lot of very important elements of being a young adult in today’s society. her understanding of her identity, her relationship with friends and family, and her experience with public perception played imperative roles in her character development. i learned a lot about different sexual preferences i hadn’t known about before and feel like i definitely have a deeper understanding of certain members of the LGBTQIA+ community now. the plot was really interesting and i honestly thought the integration of tiktok was super cool. utilizing it as a platform for speaking out and developing a safe space was neat, and i love that it gave angela the ability to meet people she resonated with. angela and krystal’s relationship was really fun to watch unfold. there were a lot of factors at play and obviously many things in consideration that led to a fair amount of bumps along the way, but ultimately ending in a beautiful love story.

thank you forever for the ARC!!! i look forward to reading more from gabriella gamez!

What do you do when you're almost 30 and have never been kissed? You date the internet via Tiktok, of course!

A sweet story about understanding yourself, finding love, and listening to your heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced audiobook.

After Angela posts a video about being a 27 year old lesbian asexual who's never been kissed, the video goes viral and starts her on a journey to get that first kiss. Angela decides to create a scavenger hunt, where the person who wins gets to give her that first kiss. She gets help from Krystal, her favorite bartender (and long time crush) to design the clues for the scavenger hunt. As the two get ever closer, Angela starts to wonder whether the person who should be giving her that kiss is right in front of her.

It was fun to dip back into the world we were first introduced to in THE NEXT BIG FLING (both Carmela and Theo make appearances). Angela's personality wasn't as exciting to me as Carmela's, but learning more about the ace community and seeing Angela's journey to figuring out how she would find the kind of relationship that works for her filled in some of that lost character energy. While the narrator didn't do a lot of differentiation in the voices of the characters, it was enough to keep the story moving forward in an engaging way.

KISS ME, MAYBE is out May 6, 2025

⭐️ 2.5 stars! Kiss Me, Maybe was such a sweet read. It was a slow burn for a while, but when Gabriella Gamez took off, she really took off!

Angela is a super sweet librarian who is struggling with finding her sexual identity. She knows for sure she doesn't like men, but does she like women? Does she like anyone? Is she asexual when she hasn't even experienced sex yet? It's hard to find out who you are and what you like if you're a virgin aaaaand you've never been kissed ... by anyone. Ever!

Welcome Krystal. An outspoken bartender (who is also Angela's longtime crush) who is determined to help Angela secure her first kiss. With the help of TikTok, a few strangers, and a scavenger hunt, Angela won't be a 20 something year old who's never been kissed for much longer.

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Gamez did an excellent job researching and explaining the spectrum that is sexuality! However, on the same token, the FMC's sexual identity became her personality. I really wish Gamez would've went more in depth into who Angela was a character and not harp so much on Angela being an asexual lesbian. It really felt like Angela and Krystal were only together because they were both lesbians; I wanted to know more about them aside from that.

For the narrator: Most of the time it seemed as if she were reading directly from a paper (which obviously she was), but this made some parts seem more robotic. It lost me and didn't submerge me in the story. Overall, she was a good narrator. She really hit the nail on the head with the steamy scenes. I've listened to books with steamy scenes and the narration made me feel awkward because I could tell they were awkward reading it. However, this was not that. Great job to the narrator overall.

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.

There’s just one problem: the connection between Angela and Krystal is getting stronger and stronger the more they hang out, until Angela isn’t sure she wants to go through with the scavenger hunt after all. But Krystal is convinced that she isn’t capable of love and before long, Angela realizes she's falling head over heels for a woman who may never love her back.


Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

Kiss Me, Maybe is an absolutely incredible novel that beautifully captures the journey of self-discovery and acceptance. The story follows Angela Gutierrez, who goes viral after coming out on TikTok, and her quest for her first kiss with the help of her long-time crush, hot bartender Krystal Ramirez. As Angela navigates her newfound fame, she realizes that her connection with Krystal may lead to something much deeper than just a kiss, challenging her understanding of love and identity along the way.

What I loved most about this book is its authentic ace-spectrum representation. Gabriella Gamez brilliantly explores the fluidity of being asexual, dismantling stereotypes and celebrating the diversity of identities within the community. The narrative is relatable, especially in its exploration of the complexities of social media, where connection and toxicity often coexist. The themes of found family versus blood family resonate deeply, particularly in the context of love and acceptance within the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The narrative adeptly contrasts Angela's explorations of her sexual identity with Krystal's off-page journey of self-acceptance. While Angela navigates her initial hesitations and societal views on relationships, Krystal wrestles with her own identity, questioning whether her feelings towards romantic love stem from a deeper sense of aromanticism or if they are a reaction to the harm caused by heteronormativity. This interplay adds depth to both characters, illustrating how societal expectations can shape and challenge one's self-perception and acceptance.

The pacing of Kiss Me, Maybe is chef’s kiss, with a slow burn that keeps you invested in Angela and Krystal's developing relationship. The writing style is engaging and heartfelt, making it easy to connect with the characters and their struggles. The tension between them is palpable, adding to the excitement of their journey from friends to lovers.

Overall, Kiss Me, Maybe is a beautifully written story that not only entertains but also educates and inspires. Gabriella Gamez has created a captivating and heartfelt story that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a meaningful romantic journey. You will laugh, cry, and cheer for Angela and Krystal as they navigate the complexities of love and identity. This book is a true delight!

This book was adorable and relatable!

I am VERY familiar with the struggles of trying to figure out your identity and dealing with all types of folks while doing so. Angela's journey made me tear up. The way Gabriella Gamez handles all of the queer info and exploration is seamless. I'm emotional over the fact that this book could be a huge eye-opener to someone who is struggling with their sexuality as well. I would definitely recommend it to people looking for all sorts of queer representation, especially those who fall on the ace spectrum. I personally am demipansexual and I felt so much love for this story and all the queer aspects.

The plot of this book is really engaging. Angela accidentally goes viral but then turns that "fame" into a path for confronting her inexperience with dating as well as help relate to other folks going through similar experiences. I really enjoyed all the communication she had with the different people she met online. A queer-awakening can happen at any age and it's so important to validate that. While I felt bad for Angela going through confusing emotions regarding her sexuality, I loved how REAL that was. Sexuality is such a spectrum that sometimes it's difficult to know where exactly you fall along it and that can be difficult to cope with. It was also genius on the author's part to envelope this story about exploration into a plot that involves a scavenger hunt! Not only is that so fun and cute, but it relates super well with the searching themes.

The romance and tension in this book is TOP NOTCH. I was obsessed with the way feelings are developed between the characters. They were so cute together and had me blushing. The grand gesturing was also just amazing. All the things the characters went through and overcame paid off in the best way. Oh and there is some fantastic spice in this book too!

I also liked the other relationships in the book. Julian was a great cousin and I liked how he could relate to a lot of what Angela was going through. It definitely helps when you have family members you can relate to. Marcela and Theo didn't get too much page time but I did enjoy their roles in the story and I'm definitely going to go back and read their book at some point. There were some bullies in the book (TW: bullying, cyberbullying, homophobia, unaccepting family members). I think the bullying and unaccepting family member aspects were handled really well and felt pretty accurate to what queer folks (and honestly people in general) often deal with.

I can be picky about audiobooks but I thought the narrator in this book did such a good job! I really liked her voice and inflections. I do tend to prefer a faster speed but even at the standard speed I thought this was great. The production quality was pretty good too, nothing stuck out to me or bothered me about it and I'd definitely recommend it.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio and Forever for this ALC provided through NetGalley!

Thank you to Forever Pub and Netgalley for an arc of this book. After reading The Next Best Fling last year, I was so excited for Kiss Me, Maybe. I mean, I believe in my review last year I said I wanted Angela’s story. But somehow it didn’t not land. While the research was there for asexual & queer representation, It definitely lacked in the latine culture representation. Still enjoyed it but wanted more cultura shown throughout

Kiss Me, Maybe was a fun and easy audiobook but it did leave me wishing it would’ve gone a little deeper on certain elements.

The narration was fantastic and definitely made the story more enjoyable. I would recommend the audiobook version.

It’s in the main heroine’s POV only and there are some great tropes like friends-to-lovers, sapphic yearning, never been kissed, hurt/comfort and a scavenger hunt.

The Mex-Am representation with both female main characters was written and represented perfectly. There was also LGBTQIA representation, which was amazing.

The heroine’s journey with exploring her identity was refreshing and led to some heartfelt moments. There were some family drama that was bit heartbreaking but I loved the amount of support the heroine had with her parents and friends.

The scavenger hunt wasn’t as prominent as I had been expecting. There were also certain elements that felt brushed upon and could have been more developed/explored on.

The romance between the main characters was really sweet. I enjoyed their development and how their romance unfolded from friends to lovers. The banter and spice between them was amazing as well.

Overall, just a lighthearted sapphic romance book with beautiful representation.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I have no complaints, this book is great and the narrator did a really good job.👍👍 I will definitely be checking out more by this author.

I really liked the audiobook! It definitely brought the story to life and I found that it didn’t get confusing like other audiobooks when there are captions (for example whenever Angela would have a caption for a video). I think the audiobook was executed well!

I really wanted to like this book. Actually, there were things that I did enjoy, particularly the representation and family dynamics as it reminded me of a family that I knew. Unfortunately I was bored.

I consumed the audiobook ALC but I just didn’t think in that it was written as well as it should have been. Many times good narration can help the writing but that didn’t happen in this case. The prose didn’t seem to flow and it seemed out of place for a 27 year old FMC. It made me feel like a YA story was written but for whatever reason it was changed a bit and the characters aged but still maintained the features of a teen.

The narrator, Ruby Corazon, did a good job with her recitation particularly speaking at a good pace for the 1x speed. I will mention that her high pitched voice did make the character sound much younger than the stated age.

Overall, I think folks will like the sapphic relationship, Latinx representation and many other representations of different identities. Some will like the heavy reliance on TikTok while others won’t as it is a lot. The book comes out on May 6, 2025

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Hachette Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

WHY ISNT THERE AN ACE FLAG ON THE COVER 😭😭😭

I'm gonna stay mad at it forever. Angela being ace is literally the glue holding this whole story together and they couldn't be bothered to include some purple, black, white, and gray?!

So I really wanted to love this and don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. I know that this book is going to undoubtedly end up on so many people's top books and I can see why but it didn't get there for me.

Basically we have Angela, who recently realized that she's on the asexual spectrum and she goes to tik Tok to post about being an asexual lesbian who has not been kissed at 27 years old. So essentially she goes a viral and forms this idea of doing a scavenger hunt for someone to earn her first kiss. This is a wild concept in my opinion. for someone who says they want it to be meaningful to hand it off to someone who wins a scavenger hunt seems contrary. I understand that the scavenger hunt was supposed to be hints that if you knew Angela you would win but how would strangers on the internet be able to answer those questions to win? I just feel like there's a little bit of a logistigal failure here.

Then we have Krystal, who is the hot bisexual midsize (don't try and tell me it's fat rep bc I will die on that hill) bartender than Angela has been crushing on for YEARS. Krystal sees Angela's videos and they start up a bit of a friendship beyond their semi-accquantainship on being bartender and patron. Angela desperately wants Krystal to be her first kiss but Krystal isn't ready for love and she might not ever be again.

Krystal offers to help with the scavenger hunt and Angela tries to stuff her feelings away. obviously that doesn't work.

So I think the asexual representation in this is fine. there are very clearly a variety of ways to be ace and on the ace spectrum and I think that this book is going to do a great job at delivering some of those possibilities to a more general audience. but honestly I feel underwhelmed and I'm going to be so transparent, I think that I'm holding a grudge against this cover because as a gorgeous as it is, it is not representative of the book and the representation that this book hinges on. this book would NOT EXIST without Angela's ace spec identity and to me it really feels invisible on the cover. I feel like a lot of care and thought went into planning this cover to make such a beautiful design with the different pride flag flower crowns and the decor in the background and their body shapes but why are we once again making asexuality invisible?

I know that some people are going to say it's not that deep but as an asexual person who has been constantly ignored or invalidated especially within queer spaces, I feel really let down and it affected my enjoyment of the book.

this probably is a solid four star read for me but I took off a whole star for my grudge about the cover. I'm just sad okay.

This was so good!! This is my second book of Gamez's, and I hope she continues this series! The characters were so good, and romance was sweet. I also feel like I know more about asexulaity and the different spectrums there are within asexuality than I ever have before, which just makes me love it even more. I listened to the audio version of this, and the narrator was great!! It was smooth and easy to tell who was speaking with her different voice inflections. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital and Audio ARC!!

After Angel posts an accidental thirst trap that goes viral she comes out with the truth - she’s never been kissed! Angel decides that she wants to possibly try dating. After talking it over with her friend and local bartender, Krystal, Angela comes up with a brilliant plan to deploy - A scavenger hunt. The prize? Angela’s first kiss!

I love Angela’s character growth, between finding her own sexual identity and standing up to her bully cousins - Angela made massive strides in her confidence! I love her friendships with Julian and Krystal as well. Both are so sweet and endearing.

The romance between Angela and Krystal is sweet, funny, and spicy. 🔥I love the moments of exploration and discovery between the two as well as self-discovery for Angela. I appreciate the tidbits about asexuality and demi-sexually as I feel like those are easily overlooked when we talk about the LGBTQ community!

I also had the pleasure of receiving an ALC and the narrator did a fantastic job! I flopped back and forth between the audiobook and ebook (or both at the same time) and it made for such a great reading experience!

Gabriella Gamez's Kiss Me, Maybe certainly delivers on building palpable tension between its two central figures, Angela and Krystal. The push and pull, the unspoken desires, and the electric atmosphere they generated were undeniably the strongest aspects of this novel. Gamez has a knack for crafting those charged moments that keep you turning the page, eager to see how their complicated dynamic would ultimately unfold.
However, my overall enjoyment of the book was significantly hampered by my struggle with Angela's character. I found myself in a constant push-pull of my own, torn between being invested in the central romance and being thoroughly frustrated by Angela herself. It was a peculiar dichotomy – the author successfully created a compelling connection between the leads, yet one half of that equation was consistently unlikeable.
What proved particularly jarring was the stark contrast between Angela's moments of extreme self-confidence and her equally frequent bouts of deep insecurity. This internal conflict, while perhaps intended to add depth, often came across as more irritating than relatable. Her arrogance felt at odds with her underlying vulnerabilities, creating a character that was difficult to root for, despite being at the heart of the story.
Ultimately, Kiss Me, Maybe is a book with a significant strength in its central relationship's dynamic. If you prioritize sizzling tension and are willing to navigate a narrative led by a flawed and sometimes frustrating protagonist, this might be a worthwhile read. However, those who value a more consistently sympathetic lead may find themselves as conflicted as I was in deciding how to feel about this novel.

Such a cute and informative audio read
Self exploration, flirting, firsts, family and TikTok drama
Influencer’s scavenger hunt on TikTok for her first kiss.
Angela (27) created a series for others like her to know “they still have time to fall in love and experience romantic firsts, if those are things they want for themselves”
The tension between Angela and Krystal!
This was my first book from this author and now I own The Next Best Fling.

Narrator’s voice a plus. And that cover!

*♡Thank you to to Gabriella Gamez and Hatchette Audio for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*

Kiss Me, Maybe is a cute romcom that captured my attention from the very beginning! I fell in love with Angela and just wanted to hug her constantly throughout the book 😂 Krystal, as a love interest, is such a complicated character. My opinion on her changed so much as the story progresses, which just shows how good Gabriella's writing is.
As a straight cis woman, who is not very knowledgeable when it comes to the ace-spectrum, this story really helped open my eyes to the world of fluid sexuality. I feel so enlightened and have a better understanding, without feeling preached to 🖤