If you loved

Books like The Henna wars

A spirited queer rom-com where cultural pride, family expectations, and the messy thrill of first love collide in a high school rivalry. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Henna wars.

hopeful
stressful
sweet
tender

01
Love & Other Natural Disasters
Misa Sugiura
A delightfully chaotic summer rom-com where fake dating schemes snowball into genuine feelings.
Shares:
- earnest
- romantic
02
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel
Sara Farizan
A warm, witty exploration of the sheer panic and ultimate joy of a high school queer awakening.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
- family expectations
03
When Dimple Met Rishi
Sandhya Menon
A sun-drenched, joyful romantic comedy that feels like a warm hug on a summer afternoon.
Shares:
- earnest
- first love
04
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
05
If You Could Be Mine
Sara Farizan
A desperate, heart-wrenching exploration of how far a person will go to keep the one they love when the world forbids it.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
- conflicted
06
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:
- hopeful
- earnest
07
Crier's War
Nina Varela
A simmering, slow-burn romance wrapped in a tense political rebellion where the line between human and machine blurs.
Shares:
- earnest
- romantic
08
Ophelia after All
Racquel Marie
A warm, funny, and tender exploration of what happens when the person you thought you were no longer fits the person you are becoming.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
- romantic
- coming out
09
Ayesha At Last
Uzma Jalaluddin
A vibrant, banter-filled romp through family expectations and mistaken judgments that feels like a warm hug.
Shares:
- romantic
10
Cinderella Is Dead
Kalynn Bayron
A dark, defiant fairy tale where the glass slipper is a trap and the princesses are holding the matches.
Shares:
- earnest
11
Some Girls Do
Jennifer Dugan
A tender, emotionally charged exploration of what it costs to hide who you are, and the swoony thrill of finally being seen.
Shares:
- hopeful
- tender
- earnest
12
Love, hate & other filters
Samira Ahmed (Fiction writer)
A cinematic coming-of-age story that balances the sweet warmth of first love with the harsh realities of navigating prejudice.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
- first love

Back to The Henna wars