Interabled: True Stories About Love and Disability from Squirmy & Grubs and Other Interabled Couples

by Shane Burcaw, Hannah Burcaw

YouTube sensations Shane and Hannah Burcaw are back with a groundbreaking, uproarious collection of essays and short stories about what it means to be in an interabled relationship.Follow the lives of several couples as they navigate their love story in an ableist world. Sometimes tear-jerking, sometimes funny, but always heartwarming, this moving collection comprised of interviews and short stories - with interludes from Shane and Hannah about their own dating and marriage journey - will have readers laughing and sobbing as they discover true stories of love and commitment.With their signature wit and hilarious voice, authors, bloggers, and entrepreneurs Shane and Hannah Burcaw have put together a true story collection of sweet and unforgettable love stories about interabled couples.

Genres: Nonfiction, Disability, Audiobook, Romance, Biography, Memoir, Anthologies

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2025

About the author

Shane Burcaw grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and graduated from Moravian College with an English degree. He is the author of several award-winning books about disability. He is the President of a nonprofit organization called Laughing At My Nightmare, Inc. and a renowned public speaker who has performed across the country from universities to elementary schools to Fortune 500 companies. On his YouTube channel, Squirmy and Grubs, which has gained 1,000,000+ subscribers and worldwide media attention, he and his wife, Hannah, share a hilarious and authentic examination of what it’s like to be in an interabled relationship. They live in Minneapolis, MN with their fluffy labradoodle, Chloe.

Reviews

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! Interabled is a collection of stories from couples where one or more of them is disabled. It's funny, insightful, sweet, and a book I hope will be read widely. The authors are YouTubers Squirmy & Grubs, and they intersperse their own stories with those of a bunch of other couples. Queer couples, interracial couples...it's really a wide range of kinds of people and disabilities.

I feel like I learned a lot reading this, but it was also just a delightful read broken up into short, easily digestible chapters. You hear funny stories and romantic stories, but also about the constant ableism and microaggressions they experience. A lot of which is truly horrifying. They talk openly about lack of accessibility in many spaces including air travel for people who require electric wheelchairs and how difficult it is. But also it's about the assumption that a disabled partner is a burden and can't be romantic. Which clearly is not the case! Highly recommend picking this up. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Calli Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly healing for me. As someone with a progressive disease, I often worry what other people think of me. I get the burden complex. And I fear about future relationships. But this book helped me see the many interabled couples out there who have found love, friendship, and comfort. I cried from the first chapter to the last and want everyone in my network to read this!

Also, I highly recommend the audiobook! Shane and Hannah are hilarious.

[Chloe Dillon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a fan of their YouTube channel so I feel a bit guilty giving this 2 stars…but note I’m a hard grader. My honest feedback is that I think they expected most people to listen to the book (like I did) but I just found the voice actors to be super cringe (aka the chapters based on other couples.) I liked Hannah and Shane’s chapters, but over half of their stories you have already heard if you follow them on YouTube.

Also: as someone who studied critical disability studies/gender studies I appreciated the diversity of the different people’s identities and disabilities in the book, but I didn’t feel like there was that much variation in the stories themselves or any actual stakes that make the stories interesting. The way the stories were told of these other couples didn’t have you invested in any of them, and for people who would already be picking up this book, most of them would feel like it is just right on the nose and we are not learning anything new or getting any new insights.

Despite all this, I liked the book enough to finish it. I appreciate what the book is trying to do (normalize interabled relationships and for the record maybe that is why it is so boring because these relationships are normal just like everyone else’s!) in addition, even though Shane really needs to pull back on his use of metaphors and similes etc., this couple really does make me laugh!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This unique book made me laugh out loud more than once, taught me quite a few concepts about ableism, and gave me insight into different types of romantic relationships. I loved it (but I already love Hannah and Shane Burcaw from their YouTube channel so I may be biased). They tell stories in the book that they've never shared on YouTube, but there is some crossover that I didn't mind.

We also hear from other interabled couples, not just Shane and Hannah. I lost count of how many narrators there were, but there are quite a few, including Shane and Hannah. The overall takeaway from all of the stories told was that ALL couples have struggles in life, provide caretaking, and share intimacy in their own ways. If the goal was to normalize interabled couples, the goal was accomplished.

If you like heartwarming and funny stories about real-life romantic couples, this is your book.

I read this as an audiobook and received the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so fun and quirky, and I loved seeing how differently abled couples see each other. It was sweet and such a great reminder that love isn’t just what you see in the romance novels. It looks so different for everybody. The narrators and their unique writing style was fun too! Definitely listen to this one!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will always read anything Shane Burcaw writes.

felt a little repetitive, but really cool to have perspectives of love and disability from several sources.

[akacya ❦]

2025 reads: 213/300

this essay and short story collection details various aspects of interabled relationships. part of the book contains information gained from interviews of other interabled couples, and the other part consists of short stories from various points of the authors’ relationship. honestly, going into this, i didn’t know that shane and hannah burcaw are youtubers. they referenced their youtube channel a few times throughout this book, and it did make me interested to look into their channel, even though i don’t frequent youtube. i read this book via audio, and i really enjoyed the personality clearly depicted through this form. i would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in learning more about interabled relationships.

[lily ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

would it be dramatic to say that this book made me believe in love again

and no, i’m not saying this in an ableist “it’s sooo romantic for a nondisabled person to take care of their disabled partner! what a hero!” kind of way. i’ve seen a few other reviews saying that they didn’t feel engaged in the stories of couples apart from shane & hannah but i personally felt like they were romantic as shit 😭 the elaborate proposals…childhood best friends, with him randomly working out & bulking up one summer just to reveal that he was getting fit so he could push her & her wheelchair up a mountain…peak romance 😭 i loved every single story told!! not to mention that there were several points in the book where i literally burst out laughing. conquering ableist notions & being comedic geniuses at the same time? 10/10 i really recommend this book

[Wendy Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ I listened to the audiobook. I like Hannah and Shane so I follow them on YouTube and watch their videos semi-frequently. I liked the stories about them, a lot of which I had heard before. They have a cute sense of humor. The stories about the other couples were, to me, less engaging and interesting. However, my favorite couple was Lexi and Eric. Their story would be worth a whole book. It was so precious. This book felt longer then it should have felt. If you have interest in them I would recommend it, but just barely.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: ableism, chronic illness, infertility, medical content, pregnancy (recounted), domestic abuse (recounted), vomit, excrement, physical injury (recounted), car accident (mentioned, off-page), blood, cancer (mentioned)

I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a free audio e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Spanning many different walks of life and different types of disabilities, Interabled is a hilarious, heartfelt, and informative look at disability and relationships. This book was so sweet and it was great to see the different types of disabilities featured in the book as well as its intersectionality with identities such as gender, race, sexuality, and religion. Each of the couples featured in the book felt so relatable and hearing their stories truly had some great romances being featured. I also felt that the differing formats of how readers learned each couple's story was a nice touch since you're not necessarily hearing the same questions for five chapters in a row.

Also, the narration in this book was spot on. Having a full cast in this production, with the authors narrating the chapters that focus on their relationship, really brings this book to life. It's almost like you're there with them having a conversation instead of just listening to them narrate their book.

If you want an audiobook with great narration by a full cast, hilarious banter, and some of the sweetest love stories, I would definitely recommend checking out this book.

[Brittany Devereaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC audiobook from NetGalley. I know of Shane and Hannah from TikTok. They are hilarious (I love how they are always giving each other a hard time!) and their love is so pure. This book offers us a glimpse into experiences Shane and Hannah have had, as well as experiences of other interabled couples. The book is very easy and enjoyable to listen to with quick chapters filled with genuine (and often funny) love stories. I have a lot of respect for Shane and Hannah for really laying it all out there and showing the reader pieces of their lives together. Shane and Hannah narrate this book themselves and their banter makes it so fun to listen to! Thank you to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Anisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in 24 hours. It was such a fun, interesting, and informative read. I loved the different styles of each chapter whether it was q and a, storytelling, or a personal story they shared. I can’t imagine how they sifted through 600 couples, but the ones they included in the book were perfect. A nice mix of ages, races, sexual orientations, disabilities, etc. By the end of each chapter I felt like I saw the deep love between each couple. I highly recommend reading. Plenty to learn and helps combat any ableist ideas you as a reader might have. So fun to get to see the finished product. Great job Hannah and Shane!

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed Shane's books, but the inconsistent story telling style in the book drove me crazy.

[readingwithjaney]

I really enjoyed this collection of stories about interabled couples! Disability awareness is incredibly important and it lacks a lot of representation in literature. I am a big fan of Shane and Hannah and have watched them on YouTube for a long time. I also read Shane’s first book, so I was so excited for this one!

That being said, I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if the point of view didn’t switch to a new couple every chapter. While the diversity of the couples was incredibly important, it made it more difficult to learn about all of them in depth. I would’ve preferred they focused on a few couples and then they could’ve described their stories more. Also, I would’ve liked to have more focus on Shane and Hannah’s relationship (I know there was a lot of focus already, but I would’ve preferred even more) because the two of them are freaking HILARIOUS and their sections cracked me up.

I listened to this on audiobook, which may have contributed to my difficulties understanding the different perspectives. The voice actors were the same for each different couple, so I think this just caused all of them to get jumbled up in my head. It may have been easier had I read the book with my eyes.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one! I would absolutely recommend it and I doubt you’ve read anything like it!

[Ellie Schaben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Libro FM, Macmillan Audio, Hannah & Shane Burcaw, and Roaring Book Press for an ALC of this book!

I actually really enjoyed it! It’s interesting to hear the audio since it sounded ALMOST like a podcast vs. I can’t imagine the structure in a book. Since the stories are all told by the people that are featured, I thought it was so engaging to hear firsthand. I am not disabled, but this book really challenged my implicit bias of disabled people and their relationships. The questions that people have the audacity to ask?! I was embarrassed to know that ableism is SO frequently experienced in everyday life. It also made me think about accessibility in different ways. I think this is a perspective-changing novel that really is full of valuable information!

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly LOVED this collection of stories. I’ve been a long time watcher of Hannah and Shane’s YouTube channel and was so excited for this book release! I listened to the audiobook version and found myself smiling, tearing up, and endlessly frustrated by ableism in the stories that were shared from the couples. It’s a perspective-giving opportunity to get glimpse into the lives of those in these interabled relationships!

Creativity was ever present in the book from the structure of intertwining different voice actors, interviews, chronology of the two authors’ relationship all throughout and more. Audio is the way to go on this one, as Shane and Hannah’s banter is a breath of fresh air - can’t recommend enough!

[Tori DeFazio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook Interabled. 

This book is a MUST listen to anyone who wants to learn more ABOUT disabled people FROM disabled people. I’m extremely thankful to both Hannah and Shane for sharing intimate information about their relationship to advocate and normalize interabled relationships. Thank you to the lovely couples who shared their stories regarding disability and relationships including love, joy, sorrow, ableism, and triumph. 5 stars.

[Christina Cordaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to relate to all the interabled love stories in this book! Justin and I do share a unique love story, especially with us both living with rare diseases, but it is nice to know we are not alone! I especially love how every story stresses how caregiving is not one-sided just because the one person is disabled because they can be the emotionally strong one for both 🥺

Even if you're not in an interabled relationship, this is a great read and puts things into perspective!

[Victoria Panaro]

I'm not going to give this a star rating because this was true stories about people with disabilities. It was actually about couples with disabilities interview style which was really interesting too find out about different disabilities that they didn't know about in the authors I knew from watching them on YouTube and it was interesting to see their stories distributed throughout the book. If you are interested in about other people with disabilities You should read this book.

[Marly Schrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming, heartwarming, and eye-opening read! Shane and Hannah do a fantastic job sharing and honoring the love stories of many couples (including their own story!) while also highlighting the absolute close-mindedness of ableism in our society. At times quirky and silly, and at other times somber and earnest, Interabled examines the foundations of relationships, and acts as a wonderful tool to examine one’s own relationships. I would highly recommend!!

[Julia Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

so informative!! loved all of the different stories and how they were formatted. gave very interesting insight into so many different kinds of ableism. also so cool to read a book by people you know (adjacently)

[Angie F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up.

Interabled by Shane and Hannah Burcaw contains personal stories of the authors and interviews with couples that are also in interabled relationships. Even though the authors said this book took longer than expected, it was worth the wait because the variety of experience, humour and empathy shared by both Shane and Hannah and the couples whose stories were included in this collection were very much appreciated by this disabled reviewer who does not often see her own experiences reflected. I am so glad that this book exists and that it attempts to reflect the depth and breadth of the disabled experience navigating life and relationships in a world that rarely takes us seriously.

Thank you to the authors for continuing to be vulnerable in sharing their experiences and advocating for change. I appreciate the variety of stories that were told in this audiobook. I found myself being able to relate to a lot of it, but I don't think you need to be disabled yourself to get something from this book. Anyone who has an interest in the human experience and love stories will get a lot out of this.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook early in exchange for an honest review.

[Allison Peart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed hearing stories about various interabled couples and the similarities and differences of these relationships.

[green bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5* great stories and i love how it shows such a wide range of relationships, everyone is different but we're all kind of the same. so close to a 5* but mostly because i wished each story had the bio before
took me longer to read than it should have because it was hopping around with stories, but i get that's the point of the book
love these guys, wish there was a book on each relationship

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much, the Burcaws are hilarious and their humor comes straight through in this collection, along with so much love and frank discussions of ableism, accessibility, and caregiving. I loved their stories and interviews and the passion throughout this project.

[Taylor Suttner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book but it was just all right for me. Some of the stories were sweet, some were a little dull. The overall theme is that disabled people have regular relationships and it is mentioned that disabled people don’t want pity and that it’s not a bad thing to be disabled. I have two severely disabled brothers and they will never be able to find a partner and fall in love. One of them is aware that he cannot have a family and wants it. It eats at him all day every day. So I disagree. I do feel bad for my brothers. I want them to have what typical people have. I want them to be happy. Maybe higher functioning disabled people don’t feel it is bad because they can still hold a job, have a family, live on their own, and enjoy life. But there are more severe people out there that are not really living, just existing. And that is a bad thing.

[Erin Arntson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Shane and Hannah are hilarious and compassionate in their writing. I loved reading their stories and those of the other couples. The representation is very wide and I definitely learned broadened my perspective reading this book. Would highly recommend!

[Ericka Clou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is nonfiction but I felt ALL the feelings. Wanna read great love stories that get at the heart of what love is? This is for you! Also you can learn about living and thriving with disabilities.

[Jason Winchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny, really practical

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was substanceless and purposeless. It had the vapid shallowness that I generally associate with Youtubers. It is unclear who their intended audience was - if you follow their Youtube channel you have probably already heard most of the stories about the authors in this book, and if you don't follow their Youtube channel you are probably more interested in the other couples in this book who only get a few pages each. There was no serious discussion of the barriers that disabled people face trying to live our lives and date, but it also failed to be a fun romp. I'm just so desperate for writing about the disabled experience that I kept reading even though it was clear this book didn't have anything to offer.

Also, as disability advocates the authors should know better than to fuck around with an accessibility tool like audiobooks. Accessibility consensus is that audiobooks should be as close to to reading as possible. Their switching off narrators every other sentence was annoying and difficult to follow; it was even worse that the audio drama narration style. I can understand why abled people who choose audiobooks for fun like audio dramas, but no one wants the narration to change rapidly. Truly obnoxious.