I am a big Alice Oseman fan. She writes the best relationships, whether it’s sweet, loving boyfriends Nick and Charlie in Heartstopper or nerdy, passionate friends Frances and Aled in Radio Silence.
Her newest novel, Loveless, finds Georgia Warr testing lifelong friendships and forging new ones as she learns to accept her aromantic asexuality. After reading Loveless, try these books and comics about the messy process of identity discovery.
Unlikely friends Esther, Daisy and Susan weather personal revelations and lots of university drama in Giant Days. John Allison’s snarky writing style and interest in tempestuous but close relationships will resonate with Oseman fans.
Mads has had seven awkward kisses with boys, but Kiss Number 8 upends all the relationships in her life. This beautifully inked graphic novel follows Mads as she struggles to accept truths about herself that her friends and family might reject.
Taichi Ichinose didn’t intend to befriend Futaba Kuze, but when she asks for help winning over her crush – Taichi’s childhood friend, Toma Mita – he agrees, and everything changes. Blue Flag is a cerebral, reflective series about navigating unrequited crushes and being queer and closeted.
In Let's Talk About Love, Alice Johnston didn’t expect to be heartbroken just as she wrapped up freshman year of college. Worse, her ex, Margot, rejects the validity of Alice’s asexuality. When a ridiculously cute boy becomes her coworker, Alice must learn to prioritize her own needs to get a shot at a new relationship.
Tash Hearts Tolstoy – seriously, she does, and her greatest joy is co-creating a YouTube series based on Anna Karenina alongside her friends. The series going viral should only have good consequences, but all her relationships get complicated, and she’s scared her crush will reject her when he learns she’s asexual.
Find more stories with asexual characters on the Intersectional Young Adult Lit website! Do you have a favorite ace and/or aro character?
Add a comment to: Identity is Messy: Books and Comics for Fans of Loveless and Heartstopper