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Some Girls Do
336 pages
A tender, emotionally charged exploration of what it costs to hide who you are, and the swoony thrill of finally being seen.
What it feels like
Reading this YA romance feels like sitting in the passenger seat of a classic car on a warm afternoon, caught between the thrill of a new crush and the heavy anxiety of keeping it hidden. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, driven by the alternating perspectives of two girls navigating entirely different stages of their queer identities. It balances the light, swoony textures of a high school romance with genuine, aching vulnerability regarding parental expectations and the trauma of homophobia. The prose is accessible and dialogue-rich, grounding the reader in the messy, earnest reality of teenage emotions. It is a perfect fit for anyone who loves a story where the hardest battle isn't just winning the girl, but finding the courage to live authentically in the open.
- Mood
- tender
- emotionally charged
- sun-warmed
- Tone
- earnest
- vulnerable
- angsty
- hopeful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- navigating the closet · parental expectations · courage and vulnerability · queer joy · living authentically
- The writing
- Accessible and emotionally direct, the dual-POV narrative relies on snappy dialogue and vivid internal monologues to distinguish its protagonists.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from guarded secrets and defensive friction to a tender, hard-won embrace of authentic love and self-acceptance.
- Who it's for
- Teen and adult readers who crave sweet, swoony queer romances that don't shy away from the messy, painful realities of coming out at different paces.
Content notes
- homophobia
- toxic parenting
- past forced outing
- bullying
About the book
In this YA contemporary queer romance from the author of *Hot Dog Girl*, an openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual teen beauty queen with a penchant for fixing up old cars.
Morgan, an elite track athlete, is forced to transfer high schools late in her senior year after it turns out being queer is against her private Catholic school's code of conduct. There, she meets Ruby, who has two hobbies: tinkering with her baby blue 1970 Ford Torino and competing in local beauty pageants, the latter to live out the dreams of her overbearing mother. The two are drawn to each other and can't deny their growing feelings. But while Morgan--out and proud, and determined to have a fresh start--doesn't want to have to keep their budding relationship a secret, Ruby isn't ready to come out yet. With each girl on a different path toward living her truth, can they go the distance together?
Description from Open Library.
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