Forced into one final journey, Ellinore teams up with her brooding rival, an ambitious barmaid, and a young bard as they face dangerous creatures, shifting loyalties, and unexpected feelings along the way. With time running out, Ellinore will have to confront both the truth about herself and the cost of saving the people she loves.

Much like the traditional hero’s journey, I experienced some ups and downs with Ellinore’s trials. Let’s get into it.

F.T. Lukens creates a magical setting that feels like you could spend an eternity in it. Some may not like it, but I actually love the mix of very modern words and slangs used in fantasy stories because they make them feel more accessible for newer and younger readers—and even as a vetted fantasy reader, I just always love the funny juxtaposition of magical creatures like dragons with the usage of expressions like “clocking someone”. Never gets old for me.

Character creation is, as always, where Lukens absolutely devours.

Ellinore, especially, is someone I immediately took a liking to. From the way she describes the pressure she feels to live up to the image this kingdom and its rulers has built up while absolutely not wanting to ever hurt someone all the way to how she has done everything in life to provide a better and safer future for her family and especially her brother Zig just had me feeling for her. Here is a girl who would sacrifice everything for her family to have a better life and yet can’t tell them the truth because it could cause them to lose everything they hold dear—and not only because Zig has a history of struggling with keeping things to himself.

Zig is a bit of a spitfire. You can tell where he gets his attitude from—always overshadowed by his sister, trying to get attention in the worst possible ways and much of their fragile relationship is due to miscommunication, which was hard to stomach. Yet Zig is also fierce in his loyalty when it comes down to it, which I appreciated.

Also, can I just say how much I love that we have a gender-nonconforming love interest? It felt so nice to see that representation in a fantastical world and while the romance isn’t very present in the novel, it still made my heart so happy! Give me queer characters in any setting, any age, any world, I am here for it! Aven is at times deadpan, at others ridiculously sassy and yet they have this energy about them that made them feel almost unreal? It’s hard to describe but at any given time I thought they could just float up into the sky and rule the entire kingdom, which I guess tracks with their lineage. The interactions between them and Ellinore also varied from outright confusion to downright sass competitions and this push-and-pull really drew me in.

We also have a variety of fantastical beings that enrich the story. Dave, in particular, a dragon Ellinore supposedly “slayed” but in reality ended up being friends with, is a fantastic addition to the story. He brings a sense of calmness to the whole situation with his sarcastic commentary, yet obviously deeply cares for Ellinore and wants to keep her and her brother safe.

And while some characters, both those that joined the journey and those that opposed it, did remain in a one-dimensional “villain” vs. “helper” role throughout the various encounters, I think it worked as a nice background to what are fully fleshed-out main characters that breathe fresh life into the narrative.

And speaking of the narrative: When it comes to the plot of The Last Best Quest Ever, you might guess that it’s a hero’s journey. We have a reluctant or, well, pretend hero who is forced to go on a seemingly impossible quest to save her loved one. Classic, right?

I guess I just expected a bit more. With a set structure as the hero’s journey, it’s really all about putting your own spin on it to make it feel new and exciting to a reader. For instance, So This Is Ever After is my favourite book by Lukens and while it also follows the hero’s journey, it adds so many spins to it that at times you forget you are reading a quest-structured book at all.

Yet The Last Best Quest Ever definitely fell into the pitfall of going through the motions a few times and it wasn’t helped by the fact that some encounters just felt exactly the same without ever heightening the stakes. Don’t get me wrong, the world building was wonderful and we meet a variety of different magical creatures and individuals that add to the tapestry of the fantastical world.

Somehow, though, Ellinore always finds a way to talk herself and her companions out of trouble with little to no resistance from the antagonists, which was frustrating. What’s more, they sometimes even help her get farther along which is great in terms of story progression but feels earned too easily considering her quest is supposed to be impossible to achieve.

I would have loved more grittiness to the journey or obstacles that truly hindered the questers. Even the “final” beats of the story fell somewhat flat because the lead-up just didn’t make me worry at all for the characters.

So in the end, despite the stakes being so high, it never felt like there was actually a moment where Zig’s life was really about to be forfeit.

Despite the structure not hitting quite right for me, I did love the underlying message pervading Ellinore’s journey about how hard it can be to find your place in the world where you are struggling to live up to other’s unrealistic expectations, especially when you have an entirely different outlook on what life is supposed to be about and what should really matter. I loved this juxtaposition of Ellinore absolutely not wanting to be a hero, yet ending up being one just by being herself and trusting her instincts.

So while The Last Best Quest Ever didn’t entirely floor me, it still has all the ingredients to be a perfect read for others (who perhaps have not spent three years dissecting Campbell’s hero’s journey for a dissertation and can quote the stages and plot points to hit by heart)!

If you’re a fan of the epic hero’s journey formula and want to dive into a new adventure with a ragtag group of questers and magical beasts to best…or befriend, then The Last Best Quest Ever might be the perfect read for you!

The Last Best Quest Ever is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 26th 2026.

Will you be picking up The Last Best Quest Ever? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

A fraudulent teen quester must team up with a brooding, royal rival on a perilous adventure to save her brother’s life in this “witty…lively, heartfelt” (School Library Journal, starred review) young adult romantasy full of mythical creatures by the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This is Ever After.

Seventeen-year-old Ellinore has the best questing record in the kingdom. Not even Aven—the infuriatingly charming royal who’s become her fiercest rival—can compete. But every one of Ellinore’s triumphs is a lie. The monsters she’s slain? Staged. The treasures she’s claimed? Planted. Tired of the charade, she shocks the realm by retiring during a royal feast.

Her hopes for a quiet life vanish when her reckless twin brother, Zig, bets his life on her ability to retrieve the horn of the mythical Elder Beast—a creature no one believes is real. To save him, Ellinore must return to the spotlight for one final quest. She’s joined by Zig, eager to prove himself; Aven, determined to finally outshine her; and a ragtag crew of unlikely questers with big dreams, questionable skills, and a knack for trouble.

As the stakes rise, Ellinore must decide who she really wants to be: the fraud the kingdom celebrates, the hero it needs, or someone entirely new.

The post #ReadWithPride: The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

But when Nikki announces a tell-all memoir about their messy past on the Nik and Andy show, Andy’s carefully rebuilt world starts to crack. One impulsive text later, Nikki is standing in her flower shop, demanding answers and stirring up feelings Andy never fully buried.

Now, old sparks are flying, tempers are flaring, and Andy must decide: protect her peace, or risk everything for a second chance with the one woman she never truly got over?

Have you ever read a second-chance romance and actively rooted for the couple to not get back together? Because I have.

But let’s talk about the good things first.

The premise of the novel is exceptional, putting a spin on beloved tropes and with the gorgeous cover in mind, the juxtaposition of a life lived in Hollywood with the quiet, unassuming serenity of a flower shop just really worked for me. The setting truly feels like a home, not just because of Andy’s best friends in the novel that add a lot of comic relief and genuine support, but also because of how she is treated in this town by others.

Beyond the setting, my favourite part of the novel were definitely all the little glimpses and background tidbits we get from Nikki and Andy and their time in Hollywood. Stories about celebrities can be a bit of a hit or miss, but this aspect worked really well in the story.

It’s fascinating to peek behind the curtain of such an extraordinary world, and Dugan truly shines here. She offers sharp, insightful observations on how growing up young and impressionable— especially in Hollywood—can distort your sense of self, trap you in a manufactured identity, and warp your understanding of life beyond the spotlight. The juxtaposition of those memories with how Andy is now living her life and fearing to be back in the spotlight were handled so well and despite Nikki not getting her own POV in the book, we still learn about her time in Hollywood and the ways that has affected her choices, especially in terms of writing that tell-all memoir.

There is also undoubtedly chemistry between Nikki and Andy. If you ignore some of the underlying issues, the two of them really rocket up the heat whenever there are intimate moments. And even with what we learn about them when they were younger makes you think that there might have been potential for a true romance if the stars had aligned in their favour back when they were on the same TV show.

Now, I’m a huge fan of second-chance romances when they are done right and with Anderson in Bloom, I have to be honest, I just couldn’t connect with the romance. Don’t get me wrong, both Nikki and Andy work so well as individual characters. They’re intriguing, a bit catty, struggling with a lot on their own beyond their feelings for each other and overall just leave you wanting to spend more time with them—but again, individually.

The moment these two are on the same page, every interaction suddenly feels like a battle, and not in the good way that makes you kick your feet and giggle because you can tell it’s all a lead-up to one of the greatest romances of all time. There’s push and pull between them, yes, but it never really amounts to anything beyond more hurt feelings, more toxic behaviour or more altercations that do make you wonder how these two ever were together in the first place without actively plotting to plan each other’s murder. This is in part due to the fact that for Andy Nikki is the villain of the story whereas Nikki never seemed to harbour any antagonistic feelings toward Andy (despite some scenes that definitely make you as a reader question this). The middle part of the novel especially suffered from this lack of communication – and miscommunication on both parts – that just never seemed to end.

The thing that took away from my enjoyment here is that the characters themselves seem quite self-aware, yet it amounts to nothing in the grand scheme of things. At one point in the book, one of them even realises that this back-and-forth and the “relationship” in general is making her regress to some very toxic behaviour she thought she’d left behind her right with the other trappings of Hollywood. So Andy’s self-aware enough to understand that…but does not have the agency to do something about it, which just felt frustrating. Especially in Andy’s case I was also sad to see all the growth she had made after leaving Hollywood and all of that sort of flying out the window once Nikki comes back into her life. There’s a lot to say about show and tell in this book because Andy has such a different understanding of who she is and then the actions that actually make her completely go against those values because she’s led by her hurt feelings. It just amounted to a character that’s indecisive and led by the actions and words of others, which didn’t work for me, especially with how it placed her in relation to Nikki. Alas, I am known as a hater of the miscommunication trope and this was so present throughout the entire story (even with the obligatory third-act-break-up) that it might just be my own preferences that made the romance fall short and not one I could root for.

Nevertheless, I did have a good time reading this book. Dugan’s writing flows as easily as always and has you turning page after page without noticing how quick the time passes. So if you’re a fan of the miscommunication trope paired with a second-chance romance about former Hollywood co-stars falling back in love, then Dugan’s Anderson in Bloom might be the perfect fit for you!

Anderson in Bloom is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 3rd 2026.

Will you be picking up Anderson in Bloom? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From the author of Love at First Set, a hilariously sexy enemies-to-lovers, second-chance rom-com about a reclusive former child star turned florist whose quiet life is turned upside down when her annoyingly hot ex (and former costar) shows up in town, with plans to write a tell-all memoir.

Former child star Anderson “Andy” Ducharme is hiding—has been for a long time, if she’s honest with herself, which she isn’t.

When she suddenly cut off all ties and left LA six years earlier to work in a flower shop in coastal New England, she wasn’t just running away from toxic relationships, embezzling agents, and all the rest of her Hollywood life; she was running to something… sort of, if you squinted, and if you accepted that what she was running toward was little more than a vacation daydream she had made up with her (in)famous ex, and former costar, Nicole “Nikki” Price.

Then Nikki announces her plan to write a tell-all book about growing up in Hollywood and their tumultuous time on the Nik and Andy show, and Andy’s feelings of hurt and betrayal come rushing back. Emboldened by anger (and maybe one too many drinks), Andy does something very stupid: she texts her ex for the first time in years. No one’s more shocked than Andy when Nikki actually shows up to her small florist shop, looking for answers.

Andy is fully prepared to send Nikki away, but it seems Nikki has some unfinished business as well. Now that she finally knows where Andy’s been hiding, she’s not letting her go so easy. And with each passing encounter, Andy can’t deny the simmering physical attraction that threatens to boil over every time they get close.

But can the two of them really reunite without wrecking Andy’s carefully rebuilt life? Or is she setting herself up for a fresh heartbreak?

The post #ReadWithPride: Anderson in Bloom by Jennifer Dugan appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I’ve said it in my review of Julian Winters’ adult debut and I’ll say it again: it really feels like he was made for this genre. It felt so good to be back in this world and to get to reunite with characters I have come to love—but from a different perspective.

Last First Kiss serves as a wonderful continuation of the foundation I Think They Love You laid with the Carter “dynasty” and their successful business empire 24 Carter Gold. While you can read it as a standalone, I highly recommend checking out I Think They Love You first. Knowing all the characters beforehand and now seeing them through a different lens—take for example Denz, who is the main character in I Think They Love You, but in Last First Kiss takes on the role of Jordan’s best friend whom he fiercely misses while is off living his best life after getting his own happily ever after— added another layer of depth to the story. But even if you dive into this not knowing anything about the Carters, you’re sure to fall head over heels in love with the characters.

Jordan is an absolute delight to follow. Jordan is many things—a perfectionist, a dreamer, an overthinker but above all, he is a self-deprecating sarcasm machine. His inner monologue kept making me laugh out loud. The way he manages to face every challenge head on no matter how insurmountable it seems but then lowkey considers running for the hills so he doesn’t have to see Jamie had me cackling. I could have spent another 500 pages in his head. Jordan has so much on his plate and puts so many expectations on himself that I constantly just wanted to give him a hug and tell him he’s doing great. So much of what drives Jordan is who he is to others and how he never wants to fail in fear of being abandoned and that hits especially hard once you understand how deeply Jamie is woven into all of it.

Jamie meanwhile, is, to use Jordan’s words, “the human embodiment of a border collie” and you know what? That translated so well to the page. Jamie is fiercely loyal (to a fault sometimes, unfortunately), an absolute goofball and also a ray of sunshine that brightens everyone’s days. He’s also so in tune with the people around him and what they need to a point where he puts their well-being above his own. There’s layers to him and why he behaves the way he does that takes a while to come to light—and that brings its own struggles with it that complicates his and Jordan’s relationship.

Now, let’s be real: sometimes a narrative that keeps a moment in the past hidden from you for a huge chunk of the story can drive you up the walls with how much you have to piece together without having all of the puzzle pieces. Here, that isn’t the case. Winters strikes the perfect balance between keeping the reader intrigued enough to want to find out what really happened between Jordan and Jamie and handing you snippets of their last encounter to make you understand just how much of an impact it had on Jordan—and why he’s loath to show it.

Every moment between Jordan and Jamie was filled with so much delicious tension despite how they traded sarcastic comments. You have these two characters who feel so much for each other and are evidently in love yet don’t quite know how to put themselves out there for very different reasons.

And somehow, despite the things the reader doesn’t know about Jordan or Jamie, it just works perfectly to make you root for their happily ever after.

There are so many instances in Jamie and Jordan’s story that had me smiling as they fell into old habits and familiar banter. I’m a sucker for best friends to lovers because they just add this layer of being known to the romance.

And once their relationship heats up, oh boy, I was done for. The comfort checks? I’m going to be busy combusting emotionally because that was so so appreciated that Jamie and Jordan were so careful around each other while simultaneously wanting to be as close to each other as they could.

Jordan’s journey with labels, particularly landing on demisexuality, is handled with so much care and authenticity. While I’m very aware that no two experiences are the same, I was so enamoured by the way Jordan’s journey unfolded and how much I related to his struggles of not quite being sure how to label himself when he only likes this one person and… doesn’t really know what to do with those feelings or how to act on them because he doesn’t understand them himself. It felt so reminiscent of my own experience, the constant second-guessing, the trying to fit the mould, the way you keep wondering what’s wrong with you because surely no one else feels like this, right? I can tell that this representation is going to matter to so many readers and I’m glad they’ll have this book to pick up and go “oh, so I’m not alone in this”.

I could keep singing this book’s praises, especially for each of the secondary characters that somehow felt like real people and propelled the story forward, but just let me give you one example: Javier.

Oh how I loathed Javier when he first reappeared as the guy who wants Jordan’s job – and the promotion Jordan has been vying for. I hated him with a passion, wanted him to get out of Jordan’s hair and ride off into the sunset with…whoever. But Winters, of course, surprised me here.

Watching Jordan and Javi shift from rivals to reluctant partners to genuine friends was so satisfying and served as a great reminder that sometimes the people who challenge us most are the ones who help us grow.

Really, my only gripe with the novel is the third-act break-up (which I have come to accept as a given in traditionally published romances and yet will still loathe until the end of my days because how dare you rip my babies apart when I just got them) but even that Winters finds a way to make feel natural and overall necessary to solidify Jordan and Jamie’s happily ever after.

All in all, this novel was an absolute delight, and I for one am already itching to get my hands on Winters’ next story—whether it’s in the Carter universe or not, he’s sure to hit another homerun.

If you’re in the market for a fantastic best-friends-to-lovers romance with heartfelt demisexual rep, an amazing cast of characters that liven up the pages and top-tier sarcastic banter that will have you giggling and kicking your feet, then Last First Kiss is the perfect second-chance romance to keep you warm this winter!

Last First Kiss is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 27th 2026.

Will you be picking up Last First Kiss? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

Sparks fly in this second chance m/m rom com when an unlucky-in-love event planner realizes the man-of-honor at the high profile wedding he’s planning is the same man who broke his heart.

They say you never forget your first kiss. But Jordan Carter wishes he could forget the one he shared with Jamie Peters as teens. And the one they almost shared again last year before Jamie made it clear he wasn’t the “right” man for Jordan to be with while he’s figuring himself out.

Now, Jordan’s fully focused on his career at 24 Carter Gold, his family’s event planning company, and ready to move on – until his boss assigns him to plan a new client’s high-profile wedding. The bride’s man-of-honor? None other than Jamie.

As things ramp up the closer they get to the wedding, so does Jordan’s relationship with Jamie, with sarcastic asides turning into steamy hook-ups. But can Jordan afford to pursue Jamie if he’s still unsure of who he is? Or is knowing who he loves enough? Venue shopping, cake-tastings, and dress fittings with the man he can’t forget just might change the man Jordan Carter is meant to become.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters is a second chance romance about finding yourself–and the love of your life.

The post #ReadWithPride: Last First Kiss by Julian Winters appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Mortality is such a curious thing, right?

Anyone who’s ever listened to Queen’s Who Wants to Live Forever or read any of the many outstanding vampire novels we have been graced with, has probably asked themselves the question: Would I want to live forever? Do the many benefits of the concept live up to the fact that you’ll outlive all your loved ones? And what if, whoever you are, you spend eternity looking for a place to belong – and are denied it at multiple turns?

Abdi Nazemian handles these introspective questions so well in this story. While books dealing with mortality or belonging can sometimes read a bit stuffy, this is not the case here. Every emotion is felt by Oliver and Bram with an intensity that makes you feel part of a much bigger story.

This familiar ache, this intrinsic wish to belong—no matter the place or time—translates beautifully onto the page. The yearning for a world that gets better, that learns to be better simply because you want it to do better, to become safer, kinder, not just for yourself but the loved ones around you is a constant glimmer of hope that pervades the narrative.

And in the end, Exquisite Things serves as a powerful reminder that home is rarely a place and much more often a person (and if you’re very lucky, even an entire found family).

While I don’t really want to go too much into detail about the characters (this story truly feels like one you have to experience, not interpret based on a synopsis), I can say that at its core, Exquisite Things is a story about two boys who live forever and who always find each other, in every timeline. A romantic concept that is often hindered by Oliver and Bram themselves, who are by no means perfect, make mistakes, are messy and altogether enthralling in how they navigate and come to terms with their fate. Oliver’s depression is as painful as it is realistic because some pain, some fears are always present, no matter the timeline. Meanwhile seeing Bram feel this infinite loneliness until he finally finds who he belongs with will rip your heart out time and again—but make the happy ending all that more cathartic.

Where Nazemian truly shines, in my opinion, is in bringing a setting to life.

To jump between two points of perspective and flesh them out enough to the point where you feel you truly know and understand these characters is already quite a feat, but pair this with the multiple timelines and you either have a recipe for disaster or for a magical story. Nazemian turns the concept into the latter. You follow a journey that spans the late 19th century to present day and somehow, every timeline feels more vibrant and realistic than the last. The underlying themes of queer resistance, community, cheeky references to Oscar Wilde and the ever-changing values and rules of society are so well-placed that you feel as if you’re on a time-traveling journey yourself.

While my personal favourite was the 80s timeline, I am itching to share this book with friends and find out whether they prefer one of the others. Each timeline (and each POV, for that matter) has something so special, whether it be a plot point that you don’t see coming, a moment between the boys that has your heart breaking or being mended, or a tidbit that makes you want to research more about the current timeline and whether things really transpired like that or whether the author took some liberties at points.

It’s a treat that I’m sure readers will gobble up and keep them thinking long after they close the book.

A captivating, out-of-the-ordinary love story about two boys who find eternal life awaits readers in Exquisite Things. With a touch of magical whimsy and a found family that reminds you of what—and who—really matters in life, this book is a must for fans of time-hopping romances and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Exquisite Things is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 23rd 2025.

Will you be picking up Exquisite Things? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From Stonewall Award–winning author Abdi Nazemian (Only This Beautiful Moment) comes the epic queer love story of a lifetime. Perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Shahriar believes he was born in the wrong time. All he’s ever wanted is to love and be loved, but 1895 London doesn’t offer him the freedom to be his true self, and Oscar Wilde’s trial for gross indecency has only reaffirmed that. But one night—and one writer—will grant Shahriar what he’s always wished for: the opportunity to live in a time and place where he can love freely. Rechristened as Shams and then as Bram, he finds what feels like eternal happiness. But can anything truly be eternal?

Oliver doesn’t feel that 1920s Boston gives him a lot of options to be his full self. He knows he could only ever love another boy, but that would break his beloved mother’s heart. Oliver finds freedom and acceptance in the secret queer community at Harvard that his cousin introduces him to. When he meets a mysterious boy with eyes as warm as a flame, his life is irrevocably changed, forever.

Spanning one hundred and thirty years of love and longing, this tale of immortal beloveds searching for their perfect place and time is a vibrant hymn to the beauty of being alive, a celebration of queer love and community, and a reminder that behind every tragic thing that ever existed, there is something exquisite.

The post #ReadWithPride: Exquisite Things by Abdi Nazemian appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Alison Cochrun coming through with the late-bloomer-coming-out-wlw-travel-adventure of readers’ dreams!

The Camino acts as a wonderful setting for Sadie’s journey of self-discovery and, of course, the romance. While I’ve never walked the Camino myself (outdoors are not my vibe), I do remember Cochrun’s updates on Instagram when she walked it and even without having explicit knowledge of the track myself, you can tell the author knew what she was writing about. The scenery comes alive around Sadie and Mal and at times it feels like you’re walking right beside them. There are many moments of bonding not just between the two but their entire group about the agony of blisters or just getting to know each other while they trek on. Portugal and Spain feel simultaneously inviting and like something out of a dream that makes you want to pick up your own gear and join Sadie and Mal.

The secondary characters that joined them on the tour and the ones they meet along the way made for some entertaining moments as well. While some fell a bit too much into certain European stereotypes (and this is coming from a European, so take it with a grain of salt) and could have fleshed out a bit more, they added a variety and depth that served as the perfect multicultural background to this romance.

And speaking of the romance: Cochrun knows her tropes and delivers a lovely rendition of the “showing you the queer ropes” one in Every Step She Takes. I think we can all agree that it’s one of the best tropes out there when it comes to journeys of self-discovery and Mal’s helpful guidance definitely did the trick. While I sometimes would have wished for a bit more depth to some of these scenes, they for sure were entertaining and kept the pacing on track.

In order for me to enjoy a romance book though, I need a bit more than the romance—I need characters that grow on their own so they can then grow together – and Every Step She Takes thankfully offers just that. Beyond Sadie’s own slow journey of accepting this new part of herself and feeling more comfortable with identifying as a lesbian, we also have Mal, who is dealing with her own baggage. Feeling unmoored after her estranged father’s recent passing, she doesn’t really know what she wants in the beginning of the story and while this causes some frustration at points, it also felt way too relatable. It made the romance shine all the brighter to see these characters struggle on their own yet help each other in the best of ways.

One thing I think Cochrun always excels at is showcasing gay panic in your adulthood. Sure, we all sometimes feel like we’re stuck in the mindset of a teen while our bodies remind us daily that we are, in fact, not teens, but gay panic? Yeah, that is ageless and it’s as much fun in your thirties as it is in your twenties…or even earlier.

Don’t get me wrong, I love and am all for the many amazing stories we get about kids and teens figuring out their identity,  but especially for people that realized they’re queer later in life, these kinds of stories geared toward their age group can mean so much. They act like a beacon reminding you that it’s never too late to figure out what – and who – you want in life and love. And for that, Cochrun provides you the perfect backlist…and a shiny new story to boot.

All in all, if you’re in search for a late bloomer sapphic romance and enjoyed travel novels like Anita Kelly’s Something Wild and Wonderful, then Every Step She Takes is the queer women travel adventure you don’t want to miss out on!

Every Step She Takes is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 2nd 2025.

Will you be picking up Every Step She Takes? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

A swoon-worthy sapphic romance following two women who are thrown together on a European adventure, from the Lambda Literary Award–winning author of the “sexy, insightful, and utterly charming” (BuzzFeed) Kiss Her Once for Me.

Thirty-five-year-old Seattleite Sadie Wells needs an escape. She’s desperate to escape her monotonous routines, the family business that has consumed her entire life, and the unexpected gay panic that has her questioning everything she thought she knew about herself. So when her injured sister offers Sadie her place on a tour along Portugal’s Camino de Santiago, she decides this is the perfect chance to get away from it all.

After three glasses of wine on the plane and some turbulence convince Sadie she won’t even survive the flight, she confesses all her secrets to her seatmate, Mal. The problem: the plane doesn’t crash, and it turns out Mal is on her Camino tour. Worst of all, Sadie learns that she is on a tour specifically for queer women, and that her two-hundred-mile trek will be a journey of self-discovery, whether she wants it to be or not.

Fascinated by the woman who drunkenly came out to her on the plane, Mal offers to help Sadie relive the queer adolescence she missed out on as they walk the Camino. As Sadie develops her newfound confidence, Mal grapples with a complicated loss and unexpected inheritance. But as their relationship blurs the lines between reality and practice, they both must decide if they will forever part at the end of the tour or chart a new course together.

With “funny, poignant” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) prose, Alison Cochrun explores the power of letting go of your past and realizing that it’s never too late to live as your authentic self.

The post #ReadWithPride: Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Romance fans, rejoice! The Build-A-Boyfriend-Project is here to soothe your souls and give your 2000 rom-com loving hearts the queer do-over it desires!

Fans of the fake dating trope are sure to love the set-up and overall progression of messy Eli helping awkward Peter become the perfect boyfriend. From the disastrous first date that had me cringing (in a good way) to the whole scheme playing out, this is a revival of How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days for sure.

There are cute do-over dates, Eli’s struggle to make Peter someone who is not glued to his phone and work in general in favour of actually holding hands with the guy he is on a date with to cute practice kisses and more.

Peter was by far my favourite character—who wouldn’t fall in love with a hot nerd who is as adorable as he is awkward? Come for the fake dating, stay for Peter Park and his wholesome cinnamon roll vibes.

Eli meanwhile was very relatable—he’s a bit of a mess, stuck in his job, working with his ex who never appreciated him and a boss who doesn’t see just how valuable Eli is to the company. The dread of never achieving your goals is ever-present and definitely set the scene for why Eli ends up causing the mess he does.

Beyond that, there is also a lot of discussion of what it means to be stereotyped in the world or the struggles of navigating the dating space when you’re trans. Deaver here truly shines as Eli and Peter both get their moments of sharing their struggles and feeling more accepted for having told someone who understands and can relate to it.

One point I did really enjoy was the way Deaver calls into question the validity of current news publications, especially those online. In an age of Buzzfeed clickbaits and fake news, it was lovely to see Eli stand up for what he believes in and follow his heart in how much he believes that real, true, emotional stories such as Peter’s queer coming-of-age can still make an impact and  will offer community to the right readers and even encourage them to share their own stories—if only you give them the space for it.

Overall, it’s a fun take on a classic, but admittedly, the book sometimes didn’t quite seem to know how serious it was supposed to take itself. On the one hand, there were fun moments but they always got paired with lectures about the current state of the world, which, yes, I absolutely want more of in books because we are all living in the same dystopia at the moment, but the timing always felt like you were scolded for laughing at the very things the book just told you was funny.

Also, what I will say is that the predictability of the plot as well as the fake dating fell a bit flat due to the whole setup of Eli’s character and his morals. On the one hand, Eli constantly berates bad online journalism and how nothing has integrity anymore (and more so how his boss is after the clicks instead of the honest truth) and how important honesty is but then goes and basically lies to everyone in his life.

It just didn’t track that Eli is super honest and woke about everything from work to relationships to telling Peter what it means to date someone and cherish them, even to a point where he tells others whenever something is not correct behaviour but then doesn’t just simply tell Peter up front that he’s basically two-timing him and his boss to get the most out of this article thing. Peter, good soul that he is, would have understood his motivations and probably even helped him advance in his career. Yes, Eli is messy and his motivation here is clear, but because of how he is presented, that just didn’t feel like something he would do.

Therefore, the inevitable third-act break-up and the abrupt, rushed happy ending could have done with a bit more work. However, if you suspend your disbelief, that surely won’t be a hindrance to your enjoyment of a genuinely great read. This is sure to make you want to rewatch some old favourites and bask in the glory of the fake-dating-to-real-lovers trope.

Overall, The Build-A-Boyfriend-Project is a fun mix of classic 2000 romcoms and 2020 Netflix remakes of them. If that’s your jam, then you’re in for one hell of a treat!

The Build-A-Boyfriend-Project is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 5th 2025.

Will you be picking up The Build-A-Boyfriend-Project? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

Bestselling and award-winning author Mason Deaver’s adult romance debut follows a journalist in a dead-end job who agrees to teach his disastrous blind date how to be a better boyfriend. Readers will delight in this sweet and steamy queer romance with trans representation!

Eli Francis is stuck. Stuck in an assistant position at the online magazine Vent when he should be a writer. Stuck with a boss who dangles a promotion but would rather he just fetch the coffee. Stuck working alongside the ex who has had no trouble moving up at work…or moving on.

When Eli’s roommates push him to date so he can get over his ex once and for all, they set him up with Peter Park. Tall, handsome, and unbelievably awkward. The date is a complete disaster, and further proof to Eli that love isn’t for him. But when his boss overhears Eli recounting the catastrophic night, he suggests teaching Peter to be a better boyfriend through a series of simulated dates so he can write an article about it.

But Eli has other ideas…Eli plays along, pretending to write the article, while secretly interviewing Peter about growing up queer in the South and coming-of-age dating wise in adulthood. Eli hopes writing this sort of piece will finally get him the promotion he deserves. And in exchange, he will teach Peter how to be a better boyfriend.

But the more time Eli spends with Peter, the closer they become, and the lines between what’s real and what’s fake begin to blur. Before long Eli is forced to face his greatest fears to become the writer he wants to be and secure the love he’s always needed.

The post ReadWithPride: The Build-A-Boyfriend-Project by Mason Deaver appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Sure, her friends think it’s a parasocial crush, but Amelia is convinced they’d hit it off—if only she could meet him. So when Walter announces a nearby meet-and-greet, Amelia ropes her best friends into a road trip for one last adventure before graduation. Even Natalie, her newly single, guitar-strumming bestie with a serious side-eye for romance, agrees to come along.

But somewhere between playlists, pit stops, and emotional detours, Amelia starts to wonder: What if her butterflies aren’t for Walter after all?

“We’re living so many moments at once, Amelia. So many.”

The thing is…I think this is Becky Albertalli’s most profound work yet?

Don’t get me wrong I love all of her books and Simon vs. The Homo-Sapiens Agenda will forever be my favourite for a multitude of reasons, but this one? I feel like I learned so much about myself while reading it.

This feels like an in-depth study in parasocial relationships wrapped up in a fast-paced, unputdownable road trip story.

Amelia is an incredible character to follow. Her mind is wonderfully wild, with leaps of thoughts and witty quips that make the book fly by. And while there is a plethora of things to say about the fun friend group, the slow-burn friends to lovers romance arc that’s sure to make you scream “would you just kiss already”, for me, this story was truly about being a fan and just how much of your life can be influenced by it.

You know when you read a book that portrays fandom and shipping and thinks it’s super accurate when it’s actually so cringe and over the top you lowkey want to jump out of a window to escape it?

Yeah, no, Amelia, If Only is the exact opposite of that.

I love how real Amelia’s obsession with Walter felt. As a reader, you get insights into how she sees Walter as a friend even though she has never met him precisely because his videos have shaped so much of her own queer experience and how it helped her feel not only understood but seen. On top of that, you also get to see the wild fandom following Walter through YouTube transcripts and social media threads and comment sections—and later on, when you meet the man of the hour, even how he feels about the spotlight and the notoriety that comes with it.

Fandom (and shipping and conspiracy theories and literally everything that makes being part of fandoms so great) is portrayed so realistically that, in the right hands, this book could change the way you view being a fan, re-evaluate your own actions and where the line is between getting invested in someone’s art that they share with the world…and thinking you have a right to comment on their personal lives – and why you shouldn’t cross that line.

Because—as Albertalli flawlessly shows here—there is a line, though it might as well be a dot to some people because they’re so far removed from it (if you get that reference, we can be friends).

We all love to be part of fandoms, but this book also reminds us that we only ever see a part of someone’s life, not who that person is entirely and how it affects them when we treat them like commodities—and leave comments that should maybe have stayed thoughts inside your own head.

One thing that has me so excited is that I’m one hundred percent certain that every reader will think of different examples whenever Amelia is spouting her profound truths about fandom and questioning her own actions. Whether that’s a debate that’s spanned for years in media or something super niche in the ice skating fandom that’s only discussed in random Reddit threads, I bet a variety of fandom moments will come to mind—which makes this book feel interactive and resonant in the best of ways.

In the age of forced coming outs, guessing games in comment sections of stars and social media exploits in general, Amelia, If Only provides a succinct, devastatingly accurate yet humorous take on what it means to be a fan – and how the reality of meeting your idols doesn’t always live up to your daydreams.

All that paired with an amazing friends-to-lovers arc, a supportive friend group and the most unhinged and relatable main character makes Amelia, If Only pure art. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Albertalli or just want to dip your toes into a book that’s all about being a fan, this one is not to be missed!

Amelia, If Only is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 10th 2025.

Will you be picking up Amelia, If Only? Have you read it already? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Amelia Applebaum isn’t in love with Walter Holland. He just happens to be her favorite moderately famous, chaotically bisexual YouTuber. Who she just happened to invite to prom. (But it’s fine. No, for real. If you delete the post, it didn’t happen.)

Okay, maybe her friends are right: She’s slightly parasocially infatuated. But Amelia just knows sparks would fly—if only she could connect with Walter for real.

If only he would host a meet and greet.

If only it were just a short road trip away.

And if only Amelia could talk her best friends into making it the perfect last hurrah before graduation—even her newly single, always-cynical, guitar-toting best friend Natalie.

One thing’s for sure: All roads lead to butterflies.

But what if Amelia’s butterflies aren’t for Walter at all?

The post #ReadWithPride: Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

After finally escaping the chaos of her alcoholic mother’s home, Boo is searching for a sense of stability. But with her girlfriend Mimi’s disapproving mother looming, Boo starts to wonder: is trading one toxic environment for another really a step forward?

I don’t know why but the bubblegum pink happy colour vibes of the art paired with the darker themes this series portrays just vibes with me. It feels jarring at times yet at others it serves almost like a beacon of hope that brighter days are still to come, even when the present does not look like it. It reminds me a lot of She-Ra, so if you love that series’ artistic style, you’re sure to love Rainbow as well.

There are also so many small details in the art that I love—from Boo’s stretchmarks to the way Mimi’s hair just flops a certain way when her mood shifts, it makes the characters feel even more alive and as if they’re ready to jump off the page. You can tell the effort that went into this to make sure readers are fully immersed in this beautiful graphic novel.

Similarly, Boo’s vivid imagination is portrayed in such a lovely and heartwarming way. It’s her refuge when things in reality don’t make sense to her but also offers her a whole new perspective on who she is as a person. I especially enjoyed that Mimi just runs with it and engages with Boo’s fantasies rather than ignore or be annoyed by them. It shows that these two were a match made in heaven!

And speaking of Boo and Mimi: I loved the slow progression of their romance! While Boo realises quite quickly that she has feelings for Mimi, the scene where she comes to that realisation was just so heartwarming. I wish everyone got to experience that sort of safe setting when they choose to come out. Mimi, meanwhile, had a whole different struggle to face as her mother is very queerphobic and her father struggles to stand up to her. I loved how fiercely she protected her identity and called out her dad for having to do better if he truly loves her. A reminder that love is unconditional and should never be taken for granted.

What I will say is that the dark themes here hurt just as much as they did in volume one and I highly encourage readers not to be fooled by the cutesy art—there is real depth here that will make you either feel like you can relate or at the very least have empathy for Boo and Mimi’s personal struggles. The struggles are well-balanced with moments of levity and support from corners where you might not expect it from.

Overall, this is a wholesome, whimsical sequel to Rainbow! Vol. 1 that invites readers to dive back into the magic of Boo’s happily ever after – a hard-won, cathartic one at that!

Rainbow! Vol. 2 is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 6th 2025.

Will you be picking up Rainbow! Vol. 2? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Heartstopper meets Magical Boy in this heartwarming YA graphic novel full of heart, adorable illustrations, and a storyline every teenager can relate to.

Teenager Boo Meadows’s story continues in this second volume! With pink hair and a very vivid imagination, Boo has trouble separating from the real world. In her daydreams, she dances beautifully at balls or fights monsters as a magical girl. In reality, she has a complicated home life, work stress, school stress, and a wicked crush on the girl of her dreams.

After life became too toxic to endure, Boo has moved out of her alcoholic mother’s house. Can Boo and Mimi stick together? And is dealing with Mimi’s unapproving mother any better than Boo’s mom?

The post #ReadWithPride: Rainbow! Vol. 2 by Sunny & Gloomy appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

You know, one of the very first books I reviewed for The Nerd Daily had me finish the book, sit in silence staring at a wall and just go “what the hell did I just read?”—funnily enough, the same thing happened with Till Death.

If you enjoyed Wattpad stories of the late 2000s/early 2010s and feel like basking in nostalgia, then, boy, do I got the book for you!

The best way I can describe this story is a genderbent version of that one Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode where Buffy loses her virginity to Angel and then Angel promptly turns into an emotionless, murder-y vampire that has no scruples or morals anymore.

Sound good? Then this book is for you!

We follow George and Howard whose paths cross when George puts the love of his life into a home for the elderly—the home where Howard volunteers at. George and his partner James’s relationship was certainly interesting and the intimacy between them that was cultivated over the years of James having lived his own life and finding his way back to George who didn’t age at all was heartwarming. We get glimpses at their past while also seeing how dementia can take so much from you but also the people around you.

Howard, meanwhile, is struggling to find a place in this world as he is ridiculed at school and dealing with the constant threat of violence simply for being queer.

Kellan McDaniel pairs this setup with a lot of retrospective on how much and yet so little has changed when it comes to people being incredibly stupid and homophobic and somehow that behaviour still being acceptable in the world. There are a lot of moments where George reminisces about memories from the past or where Howard talks about the importance of progress that felt a bit too info-dumpy and less about emotional investment, but there were also wholesome moments that highlight the importance of queer community and finding a home with the people who love you unconditionally. You could definitely tell a lot of research went into portraying these moments accurately which I really appreciated.

What I will say is, however, that I for the life of me could not tell the different POVs apart. Sure, context clues like George reminiscing about his memories or Howard talking about his grandmother taking him in let me know whose head I was in but the voices were mostly interchangeable (until the third act, which we’ll come to in a second).

Still, their romance has a lot of sweet moments as they are both searching for intimacy and partnership and find this in each other almost immediately. Then things took a…turn.

Now, not to spoil too much but let’s just say that if you live for the dramatic, over-the-top “avenge everyone who’s ever wronged you and run off into the blood-soaked sunset” then you are going to gobble this story up like nobody’s business. It’s definitely an interesting choice to be made for the storyline this follows and while I personally just decided to go with it and accept this for the story it is, I also get why a lot of reviewers DNFed this the moment things started to go sideways. Really, the last third of the book will most likely be what makes or breaks this story for you.

Overall, if you’re in need of a good palate cleanser between heavy reads or just want to have a fun time without having to think too much about consequences and the likes, then sink your teeth into and feast on the unique storytelling of Till Death.

Till Death is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 18th 2025.

Will you be picking up Till Death? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Two gay men—one young, one ageless—sink their teeth into reclaiming their lives and identities from those who would silence them in this insatiable romantic horror novel from Hugo and Nebula Award–nominated author Kellan McDaniel.

Howard is biding his time until he can finally leave for college, where he has been promised it gets better. The last thing he expected was to meet a boy. But George reminds Howard of the movie stars from the 1960s he’s obsessed with. Plus, George is endearingly formal and well-read, and his grandpa fashion is super authentic.

After over twenty years together, George is about to lose his life partner. He met James when they were teenagers then lost track of him until they reconnected in their early sixties. Now, James is going somewhere beyond George’s reach—because George is a vampire, forever trapped in the body of a nineteen-year-old.

As the two grow closer, George begins to see a future beyond losing his first love, and Howard stops imagining himself always being alone…even if companionship comes at the cost of his mortality. When the discrimination the men have suffered their whole lives rears its ugly head to take away their happy ending, they finally strike back at the world that’s done its best to subdue them their entire lives.

The post #ReadWithPride: Till Death by Kellan McDaniel appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In this installment, we follow Kristopher Clause as he begins to rebuild his joy after the painful and chaotic fallout surrounding his father’s schemes. When holiday magic goes missing in the land of St. Patrick’s Day, Kris is drawn into a mystery that might just offer him the escape he desperately needs. Along the way, he encounters the St. Patrick’s Day prince, a figure who initially seems like an adversary (especially considering this isn’t the first time they met at odds) but ultimately becomes everything Kris could have hoped for in his quest for a happy ending.

If you haven’t yet read The Nightmare Before Kissmas, I’d highly recommend doing so before diving into this one. While Go Luck Yourself stands on its own, having the context of book one will enrich the experience and deepen your understanding of certain familial relationships. After what happened in the first book, Kris’s brother Coal is busy picking up the pieces left by their father, who, now living his best life in the Caribbean, hands over the holiday empire to his son in the midst of a midlife crisis. Meanwhile, Kris investigates the St. Patrick’s Day mystery, eager to distract himself from the emotional turmoil of a recent rejection from Iris – which we all were kind of rooting for in the first book, let’s be real. Disguised as an ambassador from Christmas, Kris now works to rebuild trust in the wake of his father’s actions.

One of the highlights of Go Luck Yourself is the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Kris and the St. Patrick’s Day prince, Loch (though we will not speak about this name because it haunts me—Loch means hole in German, in case you were wondering. You can guess the kind of jokes I have become very familiar with from prepubescent boys from an early age on). Although the tension is resolved fairly quickly, it’s still an enjoyable ride watching these two attempt to one-up each other, with Kris’s magical abilities adding a nice layer of fun. While Loch, the prince, could have used more depth in terms of characterisation, his more understated presence worked well in the context of Kris’s family drama and the book’s overall focus on mental health. The exploration of self-imposed pressure and its consequences is particularly poignant and relatable.

Kris and Loch’s romance, though filled with ups and downs, ultimately shows how their bond helps each of them grow. Their support for one another is a key theme, offering space for personal growth throughout the story. Additionally, there are plenty of cameos from characters in the first book, sure to delight fans who couldn’t put it down.

That said, I did encounter some of the same issues I had with The Nightmare Before Kissmas. The fluctuating tone of the narrative was jarring at times, especially when combined with the characters’ shifting emotional states. While I understand that anxiety and emotional turmoil can cause such shifts, the tone didn’t always match the characters’ inner thoughts or were so interchangeable that it was hard to remember whose head we were stuck in, which made it harder to follow at certain points. There’s also a tendency to summarise scenes or reiterate information from the same point of view, which occasionally made the pacing drag. Moreover, some abrupt tonal shifts—particularly from light-hearted fun to heavy, almost war-like drama followed up by intimate scenes—felt out of place.

While the intimate scenes in the story may not be for everyone, and the dominant/submissive dynamics could be polarising depending on your preferences (especially if you’re only exposed to traditionally published romance), they add an element of tension to the romance that might appeal to some readers. For me, I couldn’t help but notice the influence of Raasch’s previous YA works blending with her attempt to create a more mature, adult-themed narrative.

Another point of critique is the characters’ lack of agency. While this isn’t as glaring as in Coal’s story, it’s still noticeable that these are grown adults who often take a passive approach to their own lives. This gives the story a certain YA feel, despite the more mature content.

However, if these issues didn’t bother you in the first book, they’re likely to be less of a concern here, as the subtlety of the second book’s execution makes them easier to overlook. Ultimately, Go Luck Yourself retains the fun, witty dialogue, holiday-themed antics, and irresistible chemistry between the protagonists that made the first book a hit.

Personally, I’m still hoping for a Netflix adaptation—or something similar—that can bring Raasch’s delightful world to life in a Hallmark-esque holiday movie.

So cuddle up, get yourself a nice hot ale (if you’re into that) and count your lucky stars while falling head over heels for this enemies-to-lovers holiday romcom!

Go Luck Yourself is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 11th 2025.

Will you be picking up Go Luck Yourself? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

It’s enemies to lovers in this sexy and delightful holiday mash up that pairs the spare prince of Christmas with the crown prince of St. Patrick’s Day!

Someone has been stealing Christmas’s joy, and there’s only one clue to the culprit―a single shamrock.

With Coal busy restructuring Christmas―and their dad now having a full midlife crisis in the Caribbean―Kris volunteers to investigate St. Patrick’s Day. His cover: an ambassador from Christmas to foster goodwill. What could go wrong?

Everything, it seems. Because Prince Lochlann Patrick, Crown Prince of St. Patrick’s Day, happens to be the mysterious student that Kris has been in a small war with at Cambridge. They attempt to play nice for the tabloids, but Kris can’t get through one conversation without wanting to smash Loch’s face in―he’s infuriating, stubborn, loud, obstinate, hot―

Wait―hot?

Kris might be in some trouble. Especially when it turns out that the mystery behind Christmas’s stolen magic isn’t as simple as an outright theft. But why would a Holiday that Christmas has never had contact with, one that’s always been the very basis of carefree, want to steal joy? Can a spare prince even hope to unravel all this, or will Kris lose something way more valuable than his Holiday’s resources―like his heart?

The post #ReadWithPride: Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch appeared first on The Nerd Daily.