This book had me taking notes and learning new terms that I hope to become better Ally to the LGBTQ+ community. This book also came to me around the time I made my first trip to San Antonio to see my sister! I wish I could have been there for the Fiesta Celebration, but I was able to see some of the cities lovely attributes. The characters are very relatable! The storyline is realistic for those who deal with the discovering their identity. The narrator was not bad, but it was difficult to decipher between characters sometimes. Just needed a little more vocal variation.

Thank you @netgalley for the chance to listen!

When 27-year-old librarian Angela Gutierrez posts a viral video about her lesbian ace identity and the fact that she has never kissed anyone, she decides she is ready to have some firsts. She decides to set up a scavenger hunt where the winner gets to give Angela her first kiss. Krystal Ramirez, the bartender Angela has had a crush on for years, offers to help Angela plan the scavenger hunt. The two grow closer, and Angela begins to wonder if she wants to go through with the scavenger hunt, even though Krystal doesn’t believe she is capable of a lasting love.

This was a cute, entertaining read with a lovable cast of characters. My favorite part of this book was how Angela was willing to have the tough conversations, not letting there be misunderstandings based on a lack of communication. I felt there were several times where the author helped explain identities and other things the reader may not be familiar with in a way that added to the story, instead of pulling you out of it. I know the series is Librarians in Love, but I really hope we get a book featuring Natalia, the artist who is a side character in this one. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC and Hachette Audio for the ALC, and NetGalley.

✨ Five stars isn’t enough for this beautiful, affirming, swoony sapphic romance! Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez completely stole my heart. I absolutely loved this story.

Angela Gutierrez, a 27-year-old librarian and late bloomer who’s never been kissed, is figuring out life, identity, and desire on her own terms. After going viral for sharing her story and ace identity, she sets off on a kiss-themed scavenger hunt—and who better to help than her longtime crush, bartender Krystal Ramirez, who insists she’s “not built for love”? (We all know how that goes 😏)

What stood out the most to me was how beautifully and thoughtfully Gamez explored Angela’s gray-asexual identity. As someone who isn’t part of the ace community, I learned so much—about what gray-ace can mean, how intersectional identities exist on a spectrum, and how important it is to hold space for nuance in stories about intimacy and desire. I walked away feeling like I understand a little more about a community I’m not directly part of, and that’s such a gift. Gamez writes with so much care and clarity—it never felt like a lesson, just real, human storytelling.

Angela’s journey is layered and relatable, and the chemistry between her and Krystal? Tender, awkward in the best way, and worth every single page of build-up. Add in queer community vibes, one very chaotic viral moment, and a genuinely satisfying slow burn, and I was all in.

I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration—easy to follow and full of warmth. Gabriella Gamez is a real talent, and I’ll absolutely be picking up anything she puts out next.

I listened to the audiobook, in addition to reading the ebook, and the narration was excellent—clear, engaging, and full of warmth. It really brought Angela’s voice to life in a way that made the whole story even more immersive.

5/5 stars
5/5 narration
3.5/5 spice

Tropes
-Friends to lovers
-Slow burn
-Late bloomer / never been kissed
-Queer joy & community
-One bed
-Mutual pining
-“I’m not built for love”
-Viral fame

I was really intrigued at the start but this ended up being a no-go for me. I thought Angela was using this social media scavenger hunt as a way to take the pressure off of the first kiss, get it over with and have some fun. But then it got serious and she was suddenly hoping this first kiss would be "the one" and that's where she lost me. I'm here for Gabriella's messy romances, but this felt more YA romance in a 27-year-old's body. It didn't work for me, but if you're feeling this vibes, it may be for you!

🌸Ace lesbian rep
🌸Self discovery with the Ace spectrum
🌸Brooke Davis/Sophia Bush obsession
🌸Experimentation or "practice"
🌸Flower crowns
🌸Ferris wheels
🌸Family drama
🌸3 open door spice scenes

🎧Audio Review
Narration wasn't bad, but there wasn't a strong distinction between Krystal and Angela's voices.

Even though this wasn't for me, you better believe I'll still be reading the next book in this series to see what is happening with Letti and Julian!! 👀

The story of this one was so beautiful. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and the pacing was fantastic. The exploration of Angela's asexuality was so incredibly well done, too.
I loved the development of her and Krystal's relationship, and could FEEL the tension between them. It was so good.
The only downside is that sometimes the narrator didn't distinguish between characters that well, and it often felt like some voices beld into other characters, but I still enjoyed the story.

I was sold at a queer librarian searching for love. Angela won me over instantly as she was so much more than that. Her willingness to further understand herself through her new experiences and conversations within an online community are incredibly relatable, as are her experiences with comp-het and compartmentalizing.
Angela's journey of identity as an asexual lesbian in her late 20's without yet having had experiences straight people often have during the teen years or very early 20's will speak to queer individuals across the spectrum. I hope that her adventures encourage others to do the same.
This read wonderfully as a stand alone. However I enjoyed the characters so much I need to find Librarians in Love # 1. I have a feeling all enjoy it just as much.

Before I get into my review, I first want to say thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC of “Kiss Me, Maybe.”

First of all, I thought this book was fun but drawn out just a bit. The book itself was cute, though, don’t get me wrong! The chemistry between the characters, Angel and Crystal, was good, and they were definitely meant for each other but featured the “it’s not you, it’s me” for the majority of the book.

But overall, this book was cute and a fun read with lovable (and hate-able) characters and had the right tension overall. Not to mention the amazing recognition of ace, queer, and Hispanic people.

The narration of the book by Ruby Corazon was amazing with the way she displayed emotions, really making the characters come to life.

⭐️⭐️

DNFed at 20%. Why does this read like a YA novel?

I was really excited to read a latinx sapphic a-sexual book but unfortunately it's just reading a little too young for me right now while the characters are almost 30...

Beyond a love story, this one is about loving yourself and truly taking the time to figure out who you are, how you see yourself and what you want in life. Angela is on a journey of self discovery --especially in terms of her sexuality-- and healing, finding love, and learning to let go of those who only aim to bring her down.

Kiss Me, Maybe is a soft and sweet story, but it doesn't shy away from the realities of how people treat anyone they don't understand, both online and in person. There are homophobic characters and awful comments --especially online since Angela has found a community and platform on TikTok-- as the story develops, but there are also so many supportive characters that are there for Angela throughout so it's a very realistic, authentic representation that highlights the joy of this love story without hiding/excusing the painful realities people face. There aren't too many ace-spec love stories out there so this book is helping to bridge a gap in fiction and it's a great addition with the reader learning more about ace-spec at the same time as the MC. Gabriella Gamez is a phenomenal writer and handles each topic with care, really developing all the characters so they feel complex and relatable. The tension and banter between Angela and Krystal are SO good; it's a bit of a slow burn for sure, but there's definitely spice! And I love that we see Marcela and Theo because I'm a sucker for any kind of connected stories.

There are a bunch of important secondary characters and I like that each of them is intriguing in their own right --whether because they're amazing or because they're villains you want to figure out. While Angela's experience shows the dark side of online communities, it also connects her with people who resonate with her experience and who go on to become some of her best friends. Pretty much everyone has some kind of social media at this point, so it's important to see it in stories and how it's changed the dating world and daily life in general. This one also really shows how broad the sexuality spectrum is with each character that's introduced. It opens the story up for so many people to feel seen and relate to one or more of the characters. I would have loved if it was dual POV rather than just Angela's because I found myself wanting to know more about Krystal and what was going on in her day to day life but we still see how she feels and learn about her past -- I just wanted more of that! Overall, it's a great romance that I'd highly recommend checking out.

I read and listened to this one and I really loved the audio! Ruby Corazon does a fantastic job narrating. I usually listen at around 2x speed so at that speed the pacing felt natural and each moment flowed well into the next. Her voice is clear and easy to listen to for hours.

Highlights:
*sapphic romance
*librarian x bartender fmcs
*LGBTQIA+ rep
*ace x bi fmcs
*latina rep
*found family
*slow burn
*scavenger hunt
*never been kissed

Thank you Forever & Hachette Audio for the digital ARC & ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Okay. So let me explain a few things. When I am on Net Galley, the first thing that grabs me about a book is the cover. Especially if it is by an unfamiliar author. That will cause me to read the description. That is how I decide if I want to read it or not.

The cover for this book was so colorful and I could kinda tell it was two women. The name of the author got me thinking that it would be women of color. Then I was intrigued by the description.

I am so glad that I read this book. Angela had never been kissed. She has a crush on Krystal, her favorite bartender. Somehow Krystal offers to help her with her idea of having a scavenger hunt where the winner will get to be her first kiss.

Angela identifies as an asexual lesbian. I loved the way this book paid attention to how asexuality is a spectrum. I loved how Angela dealt with her labels changing. I loved the fact that she was able to see that she had a strong found family as well as a few supportive members of her biological family.

Angela and Krystal had chemistry. It was very clear to me, as the reader, that they were not going to remain just friends. It was enjoyable watching their romance grow all while Angela is supposed to be putting together this scavenger hunt.

I really enjoyed this book. It was everything I wanted an asexual romance novel to be.

Kiss Me Maybe is my latest favorite romance. I loved the character growth and the questioning. It's about love, but also realizing that sometimes people will never be the person we want them to be. That they will not change and that to love ourselves, they don't need a place in our lives. It's also about self discovery and acceptance. For those who want the queer feels and questioning, the uncertainty and complexities, Kiss Me Maybe is for you! I was always looking forward to listening and following Angela's journey like a Tiktok follower!

Kiss Me Maybe has fantastic narration from Ruby Corazon who expertly voices the doubts of Angela.

Thanks to @HachetteAudio and @NetGalley for the advance listener copy! I really enjoyed this audiobook—the narrator did a great job, and the story kept me engaged from beginning to end.

Kiss Me, Maybe follows Angela, a woman in her late 20s who is still trying to understand her romantic and sexual identity. While her journey touches on themes often explored in younger coming-of-age stories, it felt refreshing to see this kind of self-discovery happen later in life. Angela’s experience highlights orientations that aren’t often represented in mainstream romance, which I really appreciated.

The book deals with some heavier topics—internalized shame, family bullying, and homophobia—but still manages to be fun and hopeful. I especially loved how supportive Angela’s parents were, which stood in strong contrast to her uncle, who had rejected his own son for being gay.

Angela’s romance with Krystal was a highlight. The chemistry, tension, and longing between them were beautifully written, and the spicy scenes were well done—though I wouldn’t have minded a little more depth in that area. That said, both Angela and Krystal could be frustratingly indecisive at times. Some of the same emotional hurdles kept coming up, which made parts of the story feel a bit repetitive. I also felt Angela held on to her past hurt from her cousins for too long without really addressing it.

Overall, Kiss Me, Maybe is a thoughtful, emotional, and inclusive story about identity, healing, and love. Despite a few pacing issues, it’s definitely a romance worth picking up!

This was a fun read about a late bloomer goes accidentally viral, and uses her new fame to get her first kiss.

I appreciated the ace representation in this as Angela spent her life hiding her true self and after getting teased by her cousins. I also enjoyed the connection she formed with Krystal and their chemistry. The story overall felt a bit young though as Angela was immature and I didn't love the scavenger hunt.

Not a favorite for me, but I did enjoy the audio narration by Ruby Corazon.

Kiss me maybe looks like a cute book from the cover but it actually is so multilayered and handles a lot of issues queer women face, especially if they are late bloomers. So please read the trigger warnings before reading! All subject matter is handled with such care from Gabriella Gamez so it’s definitely worth reading!

This book tackles some heavy subjects such as homophobia, misogyny, questioning and redefining your sexuality and sexual identity, different experiences of coming out from different stages of life, bullying online and in person.

I think this book perfectly tells the story of finding your true self, whether that is in private, in public, online in different capacities - god forbid your journey goes viral! And then everyone on the internet is invested in your story! And how on a dime the comments sections can turn on you. There is no right timeline. There is no right way for any of it but you’ll figure out who you are on the timeline that is meant to be yours and I think that’s beautiful! Finding your community also helps in so many ways!

But at the end of the day it’s the love story of Angela and Crystal 🤍 honestly I feel like Angela and Crystal’s love story isn’t the main focus of this book, it’s Angela’s discovery of herself, the good and bad about sharing yourself on the internet, how homophobia has affected her family, the friendships she made along the way on to Angela finding love with Crystal.

🤍 Librarian x Bartender
🩷 Asexual representation
🧡 Identity and Sexual Exploration
🩷 Slow burn (w/ years long crushes & yearning)
💙 Friends to lovers
💜 Found Family
🤍 Lesbian x Bi FMCs

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio | Forever for letting me listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Fantastic Ace representation!!! As someone also on that spectrum, I found Angela to be very relatable. I cared less for the social media side of the story and found that read a bit more YA than a book about a 27-year-old. I did find the romance between Angela and Krystal to be very sweet and believable. I will read more from Gabriella.
The narrator, Ruby Corazon, did a great job of brining Angela to live. The book is entirely from Angela's perspective so only one narrator was needed.

Another surprise love for me - it had some slow parts but the overall pacing of the story was ok. I enjoyed the love story and the representation in the book.

When I first saw this book cover, my immediate reaction was "oh the bi and lesbian flag flower crowns are SO cute!" and then, within the first chapter of the book, the main character says she's an asexual lesbian. And if I had the ebook, I'd search, but I'm pretty sure the word asexual/ace is mentioned WAY more often than lesbian or bi/bisexual. So WHY isn't the ace flag on this book cover? It's an integral part of the plot and the main character, who's decision was it to not put it on the cover?

That said. The asexuality in this book is interesting. The character starts out identifying as ace (specifically Aegosexual), but as her relationship with Krystal develops, she figures out that graysexual might be a better term for herself. Great! I saw a lot of myself in this exploration and my own identity as an ace person. BUT. I'm not sure if it's the writing style or the narration style, but I just felt like I was being preached to through the entire book. It felt less like this book was written for ace people, and more like it was written for allo people to understand ace people better. So I didn't really enjoy that aspect -- like, they didn't try and explain the appeal of bisexuality or lesbianism throughout the book, did they?

I also just hated the "we can have sex but I draw the line at kissing" trope. I've always thought it was stupid in books about sex workers, but having it in this book's context was even MORE stupid. So at least this book helped me recognise that that's a trope I hate and should avoid in the future.

But because of this "we can have sex but I draw the line at kissing", there were multiple times in the book where I just thought "these characters are already in a relationship. Why is there still 4 hours left in this audiobook. This could have been an email."

ALSO, the book starts with an author note about the TikTok Ban that Did Not Happen, and that was just embarrassing. The US government is such a huge joke.

Okay. Woof. Things I did like: both characters were likeable. The plot line about Krystal's hang-ups over why she doesn't want to be in a relationship again and the big reveal about what she hadn't told Angela was compelling. Angela's cousins definitely added more interest to the story.

Angela is a librarian who goes viral after coming out as ace-spec, and decides to go on a little bit of a journey to find her first kiss. Krystal, a bartender she’s had a crush on for basically forever, steps in to help—and what starts as a kind of awkward, playful scavenger hunt slowly turns into something real and tender.

I loved how honest and vulnerable the story felt. Angela’s experience navigating her identity was written with so much care, and Krystal’s own emotional arc added a nice balance. Their chemistry is gentle, not flashy or in-your-face, but it works—it made me root for them the whole way through and their connection felt truly believable!

The audiobook narration by Ruby Corazon was really well done. Her voice totally fit the vibe of the book. At times I wished the character voices were a little more distinct, but overall, her performance felt authentic and easy to listen to. The pacing was great too—I found myself slipping into the story pretty easily and didn’t have any trouble following the chapters.

My only real critique is that the scavenger hunt element, which is such a fun setup, kind of fades into the background as the romance develops. I wish it had stayed a stronger part of the story. But honestly, the emotional payoff between the characters made up for that.

I’d definitely recommend this as an audiobook. The narration pairs nicely with the tone of the story, and it’s perfect for anyone looking for a cozy, queer romance with great representation and a lot of heart.

Loved the first book in the series (The next best fling) and will continue to support books with librarians/library worker MCs. I enjoyed the MC's journey to understand her identity further and finding a safe and supportive community through her journey. I found the incorporation of social media as part of the plot, and reflecting on parasocial relationships to be interesting and an insightful commentary.
The narration was compelling and engaging when it came to conveying emotion. Overall, I thought it was an excellent story with compelling characters.

"It took me a long time to get here, but I'm ready for more than I've allowed myself to have up to this point, and I'm not letting anyone stop me this time."
After so long of not knowing who she is, 27-year-old Angela figures out that she's queer and on the ace spectrum. Determining this has helped her put a name to what has made her feel so different for so long.
Angela accidentally goes viral when she posts a Tik-Tok video talking about her recent self-discovery and identity journey, including the fact that she's never been kissed. Angela receives tons of encouraging and positive comments in response to the video. This gives her an idea to give away her first kiss to the winner of a scavenger hunt, in hopes that it could lead to a real connection and relationship.
Then there's the cute local bartender, Krystal. She is jaded towards relationships after a failed engagement put her in a major slump, but she decides to help Angela make this scavenger hunt become a reality.
Angela never realized how many obstacles that her Tik-Toks would create for her, from family and job issues to people attacking her validity. She will have to decide if she still wants to continue with everything that she's set in motion, or if she will give up when the going gets tough and confusing.



I really enjoyed how the author makes you feel like you are in Angela's shoes and getting to experience her journey with her. There is believable character growth and quite a bit of unexpected spice.
The narrator was actually my favorite out of all the audiobooks that I've listened to this year. I could listen to her talk all day, her voice was clear and engaging and made the story flow nicely from one part to the next!

💘Friends to lovers 💘
🌈Queer Romance 🌈
💡Self- Discovery💡
📙Librarian FMC📘

"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."

"Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, great art is in the eye of the interpreter."

"But if there's anything I've learned about labels, is that there's always room for fluidity and change when something no longer fits like it once did."

"There are no age limits on life achievements."

"My life is so much fuller than I ever thought it'd be.
I guess that's what happens when you're surrounding by people you love and who love you in return. They fill your heart, they never leave you alone, and if you ask me, no kind of love is truer than that."

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC !