A sweet (and furry) queer sports romance with off-the-charts chemistry.
An animal rivals-to-lovers romance based on a popular WEBTOON series.
After an accident takes out another entrant in a competition in which ice skating meets martial arts, Emile Fia, a small, light-brown deer with tiny antlers and enormous ears, is shocked to find he’s up against Radu Basanko, a statuesque, dark-brown fruit bat who’s currently the world’s top-ranked skater—and a charmer at that. Their size difference could be dangerous, but Emile handles the battle well, until he cuts his hand on his blade and Radu suddenly starts behaving erratically. And just like that, Emile learns Radu’s biggest secret. Their relationship enters new territory after Radu apologizes, swears he wouldn’t hurt Emile, and begs Emile to keep quiet about his hidden identity. If Emile’s nightmares are anything to go by, this is a difficult favor, but it’s one he promised to keep. Over time, though, even his scariest nightmares begin to shift into dreams that are steamier in tone, albeit with Radu still starring in them. Now that he’s in on the secret, Emile starts to learn about a new world—and possibly even get tangled up in it. With stylish outfits, expressive characterization, and engaging banter, this series opener incorporates animal behaviors and quirks into its anthropomorphized characters. Emile is unintentionally funny, Radu is flirty, and their appealing friends of various species round out the cast.
A sweet (and furry) queer sports romance with off-the-charts chemistry. (bonus comic) (Graphic romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9780316459839
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Delightful.
A sweet second-chance romance set against the backdrop of the Korean entertainment industry.
Eighteen-year-old Min Sori’s life is a far cry from that of the average girl her age. To start with, there are her parents: Her father is a politician with presidential aspirations, and her mother is CEO of Joah, the major record label who signed XOXO, the hottest boy group of the hour. Sori’s relationship with her ambitious, absentee parents isn’t the closest—in fact, it’s strained at best. Sori has her own career as a rising model and Joah trainee, although she’s lost her passion for music and doesn’t really want to be an idol anymore. She just needs to find the courage to tell her mom that. But Sori is exhausted, thanks to her stressful family situation and feelings for ex-boyfriend Nathaniel Lee, XOXO’s Korean American lead vocalist and dancer, who’s extremely off-limits. It doesn’t help that their chemistry is still sizzling or that his family feels more comforting to her than her own. When push comes to shove, she may have to confront her feelings all at once—for Nathaniel, her parents, and her future. This charming companion to XOXO (2021) features lived-in characters and a swoony love story. Romanized Korean is smoothly incorporated throughout the book, and the South Korean setting is richly developed.
Delightful. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780063299306
Page Count: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
A winning romance featuring wonderful worldbuilding in both the realistic and magical realms.
A passion for Dungeons & Dragons both brings together and tears apart two love-struck Ohio teens.
After a disastrous debacle with her former best friend and their Dungeons & Dragons group, 16-year-old Quinn finally has a chance to start over in a new town close to her beloved grandmother. On her first day of school, she meets Kashvi, who invites Quinn to join her D&D group’s latest livestreamed campaign. Quinn falls in easily with Kashvi and her friends, including Dungeon Master Sloane (who uses they/them pronouns), Kashvi’s twin brother, Sanjiv, and classmate Logan, whom Quinn instantly falls for. The only problem? The group has a hard and fast policy against its members dating each other. Making matters more complicated, Quinn’s grandmother has decided that Quinn and Logan are meant to be—and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring them together. As the D&D campaign ramps up, Quinn is faced with a conundrum: Can she suppress her feelings for Logan while battling imaginary dragons and real-life trolls by his side? Throughout, Boyce successfully melds humor with heartfelt moments, especially evidenced in the scenes involving Quinn’s grandmother. The portrayal of the D&D group’s dynamics is nuanced and realistic, peppered with sharp dialogue and snappy quips. Quinn and Logan’s relationship is a torturous slow burn with a payoff that’s worth the wait. Most major characters are coded white; Kashvi and Sanjiv are South Asian.
A winning romance featuring wonderful worldbuilding in both the realistic and magical realms. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: Dec. 31, 2024
ISBN: 9780593899205
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Delacorte Romance
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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