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
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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