Books like Only mostly devastated

A queer reimagining of a classic summer-nights romance that balances laugh-out-loud banter with the tender ache of real-world grief. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Only mostly devastated.

bittersweet
swoony
hopeful
tender

01
Perfect on Paper
Sophie Gonzales
A sharp, big-hearted rom-com about a know-it-all advice dispenser who has to learn how to take her own medicine.
Shares:
- hopeful
- wry
- humorous
02
Boy Meets Boy
David Levithan · 2006
A joyful, utopian queer rom-com that feels like a warm hug and a confetti cannon going off at the same time.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
03
More happy than not
Adam Silvera
A heartbreaking, speculative exploration of whether erasing our deepest pains is worth losing the truth of who we are.
Shares:
- bittersweet
- earnest
04
What If It's Us
Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
A bustling, Broadway-infused summer romance that asks if the universe actually knows what it is doing when it pushes two opposites together.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
05
Ander and Santi Were Here
Jonny Garza Villa
A tender, sun-drenched queer romance that celebrates the vibrant sanctuary of community before confronting the heartbreaking realities of the American immigration system.
Shares:
- bittersweet
- tender
- earnest
06
I Wish You All the Best
Mason Deaver
A tender, emotionally raw exploration of healing, found family, and the quiet courage it takes to let yourself be loved.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
07
Openly straight
Bill Konigsberg
A funny, heartfelt exploration of what happens when the desire to shed labels accidentally means shedding your true self.
Shares:
- hopeful
- wry
- earnest
- humorous
08
They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera
A ticking-clock romance that breaks your heart while desperately urging you to live.
Shares:
- bittersweet
- tender
- earnest
09
Heartstopper, Volume 1
Alice Oseman
A warm hug of a graphic novel that captures the dizzying, delicate butterflies of a first crush.
Shares:
- hopeful
- tender
- earnest
10
The upside of unrequited
Becky Albertalli
A warm, witty, and deeply relatable exploration of the terrifying leap between crushing from afar and risking your heart in the real world.
Shares:
- hopeful
- tender
- wry
- earnest
11
You Should See Me in a Crown
Leah Johnson (Young adult author)
A joyful, anxiety-laced, and ultimately triumphant celebration of queer Black girlhood and the courage it takes to take up space.
Shares:
- swoony
- hopeful
- earnest
12
Almost Perfect
Brian Katcher
A messy, emotionally turbulent exploration of teenage heartbreak, prejudice, and the rocky road to genuine understanding.
Shares:
- earnest
- angsty

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