Young Adult Romance Novels with Enjoyable Representation
For those who peruse the internet in pursuit of books with variety, here are a couple Young Adult romances to binge-read.
1. Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach
Not Here to Be Liked follows Chinese-Vietnamese Eliza Quan as she competes against fellow teen Len DiMartile for the position of editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. Although Eliza is the most qualified for the job; popular, male Len, who joined the team on a whim, seems to be gaining everyone’s favour instead. An enraged Eliza expresses her thoughts in a literary composition that becomes viral when someone posts it to the school website, sparking an unpremediated feminist revolution among the students. Amidst the chaos, Eliza is driven to work alongside Len on a project and ends up becoming smitten with him. A must read if you are fond of flawed characters and clever dialogue, this debut novel by Michelle Quach is sure to leave anyone itching for more.
Age recommendation: 14+
2. We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Quinn Berkowitz, the fresh-out-of-high-school, harpist daughter of two wedding planners, has been crushing on Tarek Mansour, the son of catering company owners, for months. Having confessed her feelings for him in an email the previous summer but never having received a response, she dreads running into him at her parents’ multitude of commissioned events this summer.When she finally sees him, the two are thrown together and forced to collaborate to fix wedding mishaps.Several awkward interactions later, Quinn is dating Tarek, but her anxiety appears to be catching up to her. She opens up about her own fears and inner turmoil and can only hope that by allowing herself to fall for Tarek, she is taking a step in the right direction.This lighthearted and humorous novel contains realistic mental health representation (OCD, anxiety and depression) and diverse characters (Jewish and Muslim main characters). You can find the trigger warnings here.Age recommendation: 14+
3. Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jagirdar
When Hani Khan, a well-liked, carefree highschooler, comes out to her friends as bisexual, her words is instantly disdained. How can she be bisexual if she’s only dated guys? Distressed, she blurts that she has been dating Ishu Dey, the only other brown girl in their year. Ishu is antisocial and studious, living in the shadow of her older sister; and is certainly not on the best terms with Hani. Becoming head girl would be the ideal opportunity to prove herself to her parents, only no one would vote for her. When she finds herself in the midst of Hani’s fib, she agrees to fake date in exchange for a boost in popularity.A heart-warming Sapphic novel with South-East Asian representation (Muslim and Hindu) that explores themes such as biphobia and Islamophobia.
Age recommendation: 12+
1. Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach
Not Here to Be Liked follows Chinese-Vietnamese Eliza Quan as she competes against fellow teen Len DiMartile for the position of editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. Although Eliza is the most qualified for the job; popular, male Len, who joined the team on a whim, seems to be gaining everyone’s favour instead. An enraged Eliza expresses her thoughts in a literary composition that becomes viral when someone posts it to the school website, sparking an unpremediated feminist revolution among the students. Amidst the chaos, Eliza is driven to work alongside Len on a project and ends up becoming smitten with him.
A must read if you are fond of flawed characters and clever dialogue, this debut novel by Michelle Quach is sure to leave anyone itching for more.
Age recommendation: 14+
Age recommendation: 14+
Quinn Berkowitz, the fresh-out-of-high-school, harpist daughter of two wedding planners, has been crushing on Tarek Mansour, the son of catering company owners, for months. Having confessed her feelings for him in an email the previous summer but never having received a response, she dreads running into him at her parents’ multitude of commissioned events this summer.
When she finally sees him, the two are thrown together and forced to collaborate to fix wedding mishaps.
Several awkward interactions later, Quinn is dating Tarek, but her anxiety appears to be catching up to her. She opens up about her own fears and inner turmoil and can only hope that by allowing herself to fall for Tarek, she is taking a step in the right direction.
This lighthearted and humorous novel contains realistic mental health representation (OCD, anxiety and depression) and diverse characters (Jewish and Muslim main characters). You can find the trigger warnings here.
Age recommendation: 14+
When Hani Khan, a well-liked, carefree highschooler, comes out to her friends as bisexual, her words is instantly disdained. How can she be bisexual if she’s only dated guys? Distressed, she blurts that she has been dating Ishu Dey, the only other brown girl in their year.
Ishu is antisocial and studious, living in the shadow of her older sister; and is certainly not on the best terms with Hani. Becoming head girl would be the ideal opportunity to prove herself to her parents, only no one would vote for her. When she finds herself in the midst of Hani’s fib, she agrees to fake date in exchange for a boost in popularity.
A heart-warming Sapphic novel with South-East Asian representation (Muslim and Hindu) that explores themes such as biphobia and Islamophobia.
Age recommendation: 12+
Comments