I wondered at first why I was approved for a digital galley of Girl Crushed, as YA publicists tend to get far too many requests and can be selective etc.
Anyway, now I know. It’s because if you’re a bisexual reader hoping for an f/f rom-com, this book will slap you in the face over and over until you give up and either stop reading f/f for a while or find some way to have hope again that maybe that next f/f romance will not erase or actively hate on your identity.

I was excited, I wanted to love this book. I did not. ( )

Literary Merit: Great
Characterization: Great
Recommended: Yes
Level: High School

In "Girl Crushed" Quinn navigates romantic relationships, friendship, and looking ahead to college.

Quinn is starting her senior year of high school after having been dumped by her girlfriend, Jamie, just a month before. While trying to figure out what the breakup means, Quinn starts talking to Ruby Ocampo, number 1 on the "Straight Girls We Wish Weren't" list that Q and Jamie created before the breakup. Ruby is the lead singer of Sweets, a high school band, and Q is very excited to be talking with her. What Q realizes, though, is that Ruby is not exactly what she was hoping for. When a local coffee shop faces financial hardship, Quinn, Jamie, and Ruby come together to help the shop through the hard time.

This novel is a wonderful romantic comedy that deals with interpersonal relationships which include friendships, romantic interests, and familial interplay. The writing is also very gender-inclusive. There are moments where gender norms are turned on their heads, such as when Ruby and Q go to the park and see a young boy who is wearing a tutu and bestowing magic upon flowers with his wand. Additionally, they/them pronouns are used casually. There are many delightful references to lesbian culture sprinkled throughout.

Content includes underage drinking, allusion to sex, and some language.

Recommended. ( )

Jamie broke up with Quinn right before senior year. They were the first 'out' lesbians at their school. Quinn is heart broken. She was dreaming of going to UNC on a soccer scholarshio and visiting Jamie at NYU when they started college. But it wasn't meant to be.

Instead, Quinn hooked up with Ruby, number one on hers and Jamie's list of Straight Girls We Wish Weren't." And Jamie befriended Nathalie, number 3 on the list. But Jamie and Quinn remained friends, sort of.

Amid all the turmoil of senior year and getting into school, Jamie and Quinn also needed to help Triple Moon Cafe, a gay coffee ship/bookstore, stay in business. That also required dealing with Ruby, singer in hot local band.

Despite all the planning, things don't go according to plan. That doesn't mean it won't end well...just different.

Girl Crushed is a cute, light read and Jamie and Quinn are adorable. ( )

While I appreciated that this wasn't a coming out story and Quinn's identity was already known and affirmed prior to the novel's start, the handling of bisexuality left much to be desired. Queer charcters being genuinely shocked and/or even failing to consider a character could be bisexual was a confusing choice and, additionally, the main character wasn't particulary likeable. The romances (both of them) fell flat for me and felt rather unearned. I felt as though I was just expected to believe in Quinn & Jamie's romance without any real proof of its existence.