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Long Island Girls
Not yet published
Expected 23 Jun 26An unforgettable novel of love and belonging, set in the indie music world of the early 2000s.
The only thing Susan loves more than music is Eliza, and both keep breaking her heart.
The first time Susan and Eliza meet, it's 2005, and Susan is barreling down the Long Island Expressway driving a group of friends to an indie rock show. Eliza is a surprise addition to the backseat, and she doesn't quite fit in; she's a little too pretty, and she doesn't know anything about music, but Susan is drawn to her anyway. Their flying sparks lead to combustion when Susan recognizes Eliza as the girl from a nude photo boys have been sending around. They part ways, and Susan assumes that’s the end of it. Susan goes off to college and onto a career in Brooklyn's indie music scene, where she navigates a toxic job at a small record label and learns hard lessons about who exactly has the privilege of making art under late-stage capitalism.
In 2015, in her twenties, Susan has a chance run-in with Eliza on a dating app, and they finally embark on a relationship. But Eliza is plagued by her traumatic past, which involves people Susan is still involved with, and that's where it all falls apart again. Over the next few years, Susan's career takes off, she helps dismantle a predatory work environment, and meets someone new who might actually be good for her. Yet she can't stop thinking about Eliza. What might have been, if things had gone differently? And who might Susan become if she could only let Eliza go?
At once a hilarious-yet-tender coming of age story; a steamy, complicated romance; and an authentic celebration of queer joy, Long Island Girls is for anyone who has ever struggled to stop getting caught up in "what-ifs" and start appreciating what is.
The only thing Susan loves more than music is Eliza, and both keep breaking her heart.
The first time Susan and Eliza meet, it's 2005, and Susan is barreling down the Long Island Expressway driving a group of friends to an indie rock show. Eliza is a surprise addition to the backseat, and she doesn't quite fit in; she's a little too pretty, and she doesn't know anything about music, but Susan is drawn to her anyway. Their flying sparks lead to combustion when Susan recognizes Eliza as the girl from a nude photo boys have been sending around. They part ways, and Susan assumes that’s the end of it. Susan goes off to college and onto a career in Brooklyn's indie music scene, where she navigates a toxic job at a small record label and learns hard lessons about who exactly has the privilege of making art under late-stage capitalism.
In 2015, in her twenties, Susan has a chance run-in with Eliza on a dating app, and they finally embark on a relationship. But Eliza is plagued by her traumatic past, which involves people Susan is still involved with, and that's where it all falls apart again. Over the next few years, Susan's career takes off, she helps dismantle a predatory work environment, and meets someone new who might actually be good for her. Yet she can't stop thinking about Eliza. What might have been, if things had gone differently? And who might Susan become if she could only let Eliza go?
At once a hilarious-yet-tender coming of age story; a steamy, complicated romance; and an authentic celebration of queer joy, Long Island Girls is for anyone who has ever struggled to stop getting caught up in "what-ifs" and start appreciating what is.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a way to end 2025(I'm writing this on the 31st)!
I got this ARC on a whim, I don't know the author and it sounded intriguing but I didn't even check if it was romance of litfic or what, I just read “indie music world” and requested it. I'm so glad I did.
This is a fantastic book, an easy 5 star read. It was so beautifully written, I could see everything described and felt like I was there. It helps that I grew up partially in the era described here, so it was really nostalgic. But when we're moving through the years I was surprised to see how a movie was going in my mind of what happened during those years and it made the experience of reading this book just absolutely perfect.
This was a hard read at times, definitely check trigger warnings, but it was so beautiful and a little cathartic. From growing up queer in a time where it wasn't as nice out there, to having anxiety and not knowing what is the right decision, navigating adult life when you have no clue what you are doing and feeling like you were supposed to still be a kid. There's a line about chance that really stuck with me, I'm very set in my own ways and I just don't know how to handle things changing. I'm much like the main character in that way, it freaks me out and I just can't function.
During that ending I had chills all over my body, that was POWERFUL. I wasn't really sure where we were going with this, the beginning led me to think this was one thing but it was a completely different story, and I loved that.
I felt seen in many ways, and in different parts of the book. It was just a great time and I couldn't ask for a better way to end the year.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!
I got this ARC on a whim, I don't know the author and it sounded intriguing but I didn't even check if it was romance of litfic or what, I just read “indie music world” and requested it. I'm so glad I did.
This is a fantastic book, an easy 5 star read. It was so beautifully written, I could see everything described and felt like I was there. It helps that I grew up partially in the era described here, so it was really nostalgic. But when we're moving through the years I was surprised to see how a movie was going in my mind of what happened during those years and it made the experience of reading this book just absolutely perfect.
This was a hard read at times, definitely check trigger warnings, but it was so beautiful and a little cathartic. From growing up queer in a time where it wasn't as nice out there, to having anxiety and not knowing what is the right decision, navigating adult life when you have no clue what you are doing and feeling like you were supposed to still be a kid. There's a line about chance that really stuck with me, I'm very set in my own ways and I just don't know how to handle things changing. I'm much like the main character in that way, it freaks me out and I just can't function.
During that ending I had chills all over my body, that was POWERFUL. I wasn't really sure where we were going with this, the beginning led me to think this was one thing but it was a completely different story, and I loved that.
I felt seen in many ways, and in different parts of the book. It was just a great time and I couldn't ask for a better way to end the year.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!
Want to Read
October 15, 2025"The only thing Susan loves more than music is Eliza, and both keep breaking her heart."
#BEENTHERE
#BEENTHERE
December 19, 2025
Long Island Girls by Gabrielle Korn. Thanks to @stmartinspress for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Susan met Eliza one night in 2005’s and hasn’t stopped thinking about her since. As Susan comes into her identity, dates, starts a career, she’s always thought of Eliza. Now their lives are about to come back together.
A great coming of age story that shows what it was like growing up in the early-mid aughts. I was in college by then and reading the book I could see how dangerous of a time it was to be a teen. Not only does the book show the perils of the time period, but it’s a terrific coming into gay story as Susan grows into her identity as a lesbian. I also loved how the story shows the strong connections we make with certain people, and how we become infauted, not necessarily because of that person but because of circumstances around the relationship.
“We had the entire world at our fingertips. Something no generation had before ours. And what did we use it for? We used it to torture each other.”
Read this book if you like:
-NYC settings
-Coming of age stories
-Queer identity treks
-Sexual assault recovery tropes
-New adult timelines
Long Island Girls comes out 6/23.
Susan met Eliza one night in 2005’s and hasn’t stopped thinking about her since. As Susan comes into her identity, dates, starts a career, she’s always thought of Eliza. Now their lives are about to come back together.
A great coming of age story that shows what it was like growing up in the early-mid aughts. I was in college by then and reading the book I could see how dangerous of a time it was to be a teen. Not only does the book show the perils of the time period, but it’s a terrific coming into gay story as Susan grows into her identity as a lesbian. I also loved how the story shows the strong connections we make with certain people, and how we become infauted, not necessarily because of that person but because of circumstances around the relationship.
“We had the entire world at our fingertips. Something no generation had before ours. And what did we use it for? We used it to torture each other.”
Read this book if you like:
-NYC settings
-Coming of age stories
-Queer identity treks
-Sexual assault recovery tropes
-New adult timelines
Long Island Girls comes out 6/23.
October 26, 2025
“Everything is changing all the time, regardless of our feelings about it.”
One of my favorite quotes from the book is also exactly a perfect reflection of its best themes. The book follows Susan and has a few snapshots from her life. Sort of like how the memories on your phone hit you hard sometimes… it’s incredible how not much seems to change day to day but a snapshot from 2019 can really knock you off your stool.
Starting in 2005, Susan doesn’t know who she is and has typical self-centered teen relationships. She comes across Eliza briefly but immediately loses track of her and sees her as the one that got away.
The first chapter is rife with early 00s nostalgia, you’ll be surprised at things that have since faded away that were so entrenched in the every day. The Lancôme juicy tubes and downloaded punk rock.
The subsequent chapters jump and while you miss Susan’s coming out, her career start, I love the way this book skips the “big event” scenes and just cuts to a sort of a normal day. Just as in real life, people who are main characters in one phase of your life become a forethought in the next.
All throughout, Susan sort of romanticizes Eliza although she truly doesn’t really know her. It’s less of a Romance than a coming of age LitFic character study. It is solidly Susan’s POV and shows a jump in her maturity and a loss of innocence and a growth with each passing year.
“Maybe love is trusting how someone feels about you.”
You’ll highlight several sentences.
Thanks to NetGalley and st martins press for the ARC. Book to be published June 22, 2026.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is also exactly a perfect reflection of its best themes. The book follows Susan and has a few snapshots from her life. Sort of like how the memories on your phone hit you hard sometimes… it’s incredible how not much seems to change day to day but a snapshot from 2019 can really knock you off your stool.
Starting in 2005, Susan doesn’t know who she is and has typical self-centered teen relationships. She comes across Eliza briefly but immediately loses track of her and sees her as the one that got away.
The first chapter is rife with early 00s nostalgia, you’ll be surprised at things that have since faded away that were so entrenched in the every day. The Lancôme juicy tubes and downloaded punk rock.
The subsequent chapters jump and while you miss Susan’s coming out, her career start, I love the way this book skips the “big event” scenes and just cuts to a sort of a normal day. Just as in real life, people who are main characters in one phase of your life become a forethought in the next.
All throughout, Susan sort of romanticizes Eliza although she truly doesn’t really know her. It’s less of a Romance than a coming of age LitFic character study. It is solidly Susan’s POV and shows a jump in her maturity and a loss of innocence and a growth with each passing year.
“Maybe love is trusting how someone feels about you.”
You’ll highlight several sentences.
Thanks to NetGalley and st martins press for the ARC. Book to be published June 22, 2026.
October 28, 2025
She wonders if she could flush her whole body down the toilet, disappear forever into the sewer, join a family of rats, eat garbage.
November 14, 2025
The nostalgia. The self discovery. The millennial girlhood. 🥹♥️
As a girl who grew up in the 90s/2000s, I loved Long Island Girls! It is such a unique yet relatable story. Gabrielle delivered lovable complex characters, real life trauma and struggles, and a deep dive into relationships, both intimate and platonic.
So good. Highly recommend!
As a girl who grew up in the 90s/2000s, I loved Long Island Girls! It is such a unique yet relatable story. Gabrielle delivered lovable complex characters, real life trauma and struggles, and a deep dive into relationships, both intimate and platonic.
So good. Highly recommend!
January 29, 2026
Gabrielle Korn always manages to write beautiful queer stories.
In 2005, Susan meets Eliza on a trip to a concert and realizes she likes women, and this one specific one a lot. When Susan recognizes Eliza from a picture the boys, they go to school with have been passing around, Eliza gets uncomfortable and the two lose touch. In 2015, Susan is working in the music industry and has embraced her sexuality when she and Eliza match on a dating app. However, the past may come to haunt them again. Told in four periods of time, this story follows Susan throughout her life, with Eliza making her appearances. A meditation on self and the different kinds of love.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
In 2005, Susan meets Eliza on a trip to a concert and realizes she likes women, and this one specific one a lot. When Susan recognizes Eliza from a picture the boys, they go to school with have been passing around, Eliza gets uncomfortable and the two lose touch. In 2015, Susan is working in the music industry and has embraced her sexuality when she and Eliza match on a dating app. However, the past may come to haunt them again. Told in four periods of time, this story follows Susan throughout her life, with Eliza making her appearances. A meditation on self and the different kinds of love.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Want to Read
February 4, 2026just got the arc... god bless
November 24, 2025
Not only did I really enjoy this book, but I really related to it. As a lesbian that grew up in Staten Island during the 2000s/2010s, this book felt like a time-capsule filled with moments and memories that I felt so near and dear to my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for the ARC!
October 20, 2025
Dare I say that most people can probably relate to romantizing something, and building it up in their head to be quite different from what it actually is.
The human nature of wonder, yearning for things we don’t have, and believing that life would perfect if we could grab hold of that thing that is just ever so out of our reach.
That is essentially what this book is.
Susan is endlessly chasing that high of one that got away, no matter how many times it ends in heartbreak.
I feel like I have really just gone on a journey with this book, and with Susan.
From early 2000s teen girlhood, to the life of a struggling recent-college graduate, to still trying to figure out life in her late 20s, all the way to new feelings, maturity and new beginnings in her 30s.
Theres a lot of ground getting covered here.
I think that’s pretty fun, with quite a bit of depth, naturally.
Also, slightly unnerving! But thats probably just me. There is something scary about watching all of that time pass by in a short 300 pages.
I didn’t really connect with Susan as much as I would have liked to, and I’m not really sure why.
Not that she was unlikable, it’s just one of those stories where I feel like there is some distance between the reader and character.
Though, I liked reading her story and watching her grow into herself.
I think women’s fiction can be a little bit difficult to review sometimes, because I think that everyone will probably have a unique experience with it.
What things you relate to, what characters you can see yourself in, what exactly the story means to you (if anything), and if the messages are something that you have already come to learn-or if you’re still working on it.
But, I can say that I thought this was nice, enjoyable, and probably contains something that a lot of people have felt in some way, at some point in their life.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and author Gabrielle Korn, for providing me with the eARC of “Long Island Girls”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: June 23, 2026
The human nature of wonder, yearning for things we don’t have, and believing that life would perfect if we could grab hold of that thing that is just ever so out of our reach.
That is essentially what this book is.
Susan is endlessly chasing that high of one that got away, no matter how many times it ends in heartbreak.
I feel like I have really just gone on a journey with this book, and with Susan.
From early 2000s teen girlhood, to the life of a struggling recent-college graduate, to still trying to figure out life in her late 20s, all the way to new feelings, maturity and new beginnings in her 30s.
Theres a lot of ground getting covered here.
I think that’s pretty fun, with quite a bit of depth, naturally.
Also, slightly unnerving! But thats probably just me. There is something scary about watching all of that time pass by in a short 300 pages.
I didn’t really connect with Susan as much as I would have liked to, and I’m not really sure why.
Not that she was unlikable, it’s just one of those stories where I feel like there is some distance between the reader and character.
Though, I liked reading her story and watching her grow into herself.
I think women’s fiction can be a little bit difficult to review sometimes, because I think that everyone will probably have a unique experience with it.
What things you relate to, what characters you can see yourself in, what exactly the story means to you (if anything), and if the messages are something that you have already come to learn-or if you’re still working on it.
But, I can say that I thought this was nice, enjoyable, and probably contains something that a lot of people have felt in some way, at some point in their life.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and author Gabrielle Korn, for providing me with the eARC of “Long Island Girls”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: June 23, 2026
March 3, 2026
I received an arc from goodreads and read it over the course of a week! I loved it! Susan definitely had to grow on me but I loved watching her (as well as everyone else in the story) grow over the course of twenty years and honestly, as someone who's terrified of getting older, it made me a little less scared. Life is beautiful, growing old is a privilege and you never know what life will hand you. We are an amalgamation of our experiences and the circumstances we are dealt and who truly knows why we are the way we are. Reading this has shown me a new way of thinking about my own life -- I need to work on how I see myself and my life. I shouldn't be so negative and I should also appreciate my time in the present instead of being scared of growing older and dying.
I genuinely enjoyed this and recommend it for anyone and everyone.
I genuinely enjoyed this and recommend it for anyone and everyone.
October 21, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was unlike anything i’ve ever read and i could not put it down. If i wasn’t so busy I would’ve finished it in one sitting. The story leaps off the page and all the characters feel so real that it’s endearing. I would read thousands of pages of what happens to each character of his book and that’s saying something because I don’t really like character driven stories. The timeline can get a bit jumpy and points but it didn’t bother me too much. The long span of time this book covers allows for the characters to grow and mature without making the book longer than it needs to be. Seriously check this one out next year.
October 21, 2025
Am I from Long Island? No. Have I ever been to Long Island? No. Am I a girl? Yes!!!!! I am a girl and I love lesbianism and queer literature and I love this book!!! I am ecstatic for this release so I can share my adoration of this story with everyone who will listen (and everyone who will not.)
December 29, 2025
I wish there were more chapters to help break this up, I feel like the chapters could’ve been “parts” which could’ve been broken down into chapters. But I really enjoyed the themes and I particularly liked the friendships and secondary characters (Katie, Jake and Jonny).
April 16, 2026
Very mid to me. Insta lust turns into over a decade of obsession? Not my thing. Also, I don’t like reading about Trump or COVID, but I’m aware that’s a me problem. I did enjoy all the nostalgia tho.
Thank you St Martin’s Press for the arc 🫶
Thank you St Martin’s Press for the arc 🫶
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
oh, this book spoke to my millennial lesbian soul.
January 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe there’s irony in the fact that I felt so seen as a Gen Z reading a coming of age experience of Millennials, but how could I not when LONG ISLAND GIRLS perfectly enraptures the queer experience in all ages of life. (Also, I’m an early 2000s Gen Z, sooo maybe I have some credibility here. No? Okay…onward)
I know a book is going to be a 5 star read when I make a playlist for it. When I finished this book, I immediately turned on Around U by MUNA and felt the same intense overwhelming sensation you feel when exiting a theater after convincing yourself you’re larger than life.
Is that dramatic? Perhaps. But it’s exactly true to my feelings toward this book. First, the cover lured me in, but the story devoured me. I laughed, I cried, and suddenly growing older doesn’t seem so scary to me.
Partial SPOILER??!
My favorite line: “All this time she thought she was obsessing over Eliza, but really she was just infatuated with her own desire.”
It’s so often that we find ourselves infatuated with a person or place, and convince ourselves we need them/to live there to be happy. When really that intense need just tells more about us than it does them. A friendly reminder to look inward. This book was also a free therapy session for me, and alas I enjoyed every second of it.
Pick. Up. This. Book.
Maybe there’s irony in the fact that I felt so seen as a Gen Z reading a coming of age experience of Millennials, but how could I not when LONG ISLAND GIRLS perfectly enraptures the queer experience in all ages of life. (Also, I’m an early 2000s Gen Z, sooo maybe I have some credibility here. No? Okay…onward)
I know a book is going to be a 5 star read when I make a playlist for it. When I finished this book, I immediately turned on Around U by MUNA and felt the same intense overwhelming sensation you feel when exiting a theater after convincing yourself you’re larger than life.
Is that dramatic? Perhaps. But it’s exactly true to my feelings toward this book. First, the cover lured me in, but the story devoured me. I laughed, I cried, and suddenly growing older doesn’t seem so scary to me.
Partial SPOILER??!
My favorite line: “All this time she thought she was obsessing over Eliza, but really she was just infatuated with her own desire.”
It’s so often that we find ourselves infatuated with a person or place, and convince ourselves we need them/to live there to be happy. When really that intense need just tells more about us than it does them. A friendly reminder to look inward. This book was also a free therapy session for me, and alas I enjoyed every second of it.
Pick. Up. This. Book.
December 16, 2025
‘Long Island Girls’ is a your typical LGBT+, coming of age novel. Very easy to read, and in most parts, droll from recycling the same cliche LGBT+ tropes in most other queer fiction. From obsessions with ex’s, heavy hand social-political convos with parents, and general queer issues, the writing and plot really doesn’t add anything to the literally landscape that didn’t already exist. I will say, I have read this authors ghostwritten work, and it was the same struggle then, the lesbian girl crush obsessions, miscommunication, and explanations about queer culture that are too heavy handed. She also tends to do a lot of describing with little showing which can lead to things dragging out- I’ve learned my lesson that these books are just not for me. But if you’d like a Renee Rapp style fever dream, this is the perfect book for you.
October 15, 2025
An epic story of millennial girlhood, coming of age, coming out, and 20 years of bumping into people you have feelings for. I could not put this book down. I absolutely loved Susan’s character and each of her connections with the other characters. There is so much nostalgia for me as a millennial throughout this book and I love that it follows the characters from 2005 up till 2025. Beautiful writing, interesting character personalities, and a relatable and captivating plot! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 29, 2025
I started off really loving the book until I got about halfway through and it felt like I was just reading the same thing over and over at different ages. I wanted to like it more than I did, I do think that the writing style is super interesting but I wish that more dramatic things happened in Susan's life. Her parents felt like a half complete story that kept randomly coming back.
November 13, 2025
This is one of the times when I think the book blurb really nailed exactly what the novel is—this is really a story about relationships (both platonic and romantic), life changes, and just growing up in general. And even though this is most definitely a queer novel, I think it's the kind of story that even non-queer readers will be able to easily relate to. From intense crushes to worrying about employment to wondering if your closest friends are drifting away, many readers are sure to have experienced at least one of the situations that show up in this novel.
I really liked how this was set up so each chapter is a new year in our main character's life. The reader really gets to see Susan at all her most important milestones—both the good and the ugly. Although at times I wanted to knock some sense into her, Susan felt like a real person that you could meet in real life and that was nice to see. I enjoyed reading her story and I really wanted to see her manage to succeed.
I would definitely recommend this novel to people who enjoy reading coming of age stories—especially if you're looking to get a little early aughts nostalgia in as well!
(Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
I really liked how this was set up so each chapter is a new year in our main character's life. The reader really gets to see Susan at all her most important milestones—both the good and the ugly. Although at times I wanted to knock some sense into her, Susan felt like a real person that you could meet in real life and that was nice to see. I enjoyed reading her story and I really wanted to see her manage to succeed.
I would definitely recommend this novel to people who enjoy reading coming of age stories—especially if you're looking to get a little early aughts nostalgia in as well!
(Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book had a lot of promise examining the toxic music industry in New York City and a sapphic obsession spanning a decade but it didn’t quite work for me. The writing style is very simplistic and there was a lot of cheap feeling nostalgia bait, especially with the chapters set in the early 2000s.
I felt a lot of distance from Susan, the main character. Things just work out for her like the lead singer of a band immediately clocking she’s queer and kickstarting her career at an indie record label. Even the central conflict around men in positions of power taking advantage of young women feels really distant from the main character, never really impacting her.
She’s got that ‘not like other girls’ thing going on, we’re often told she’s conventionally attractive but she doesn’t feel that way because her childhood friend is prettier than her. She’s selfish and self-absorbed while also having low self esteem which makes for a protagonist I’m not super compelled by.
I did like how this explores her fixation on Eliza, a girl she met as a teen and met again as a young adult, and how both women have idealised each other in a dehumanising way. There’s also some interesting commentary on how the culture of the early 2000s impacted young girls, but again this felt a bit too surface level for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
I felt a lot of distance from Susan, the main character. Things just work out for her like the lead singer of a band immediately clocking she’s queer and kickstarting her career at an indie record label. Even the central conflict around men in positions of power taking advantage of young women feels really distant from the main character, never really impacting her.
She’s got that ‘not like other girls’ thing going on, we’re often told she’s conventionally attractive but she doesn’t feel that way because her childhood friend is prettier than her. She’s selfish and self-absorbed while also having low self esteem which makes for a protagonist I’m not super compelled by.
I did like how this explores her fixation on Eliza, a girl she met as a teen and met again as a young adult, and how both women have idealised each other in a dehumanising way. There’s also some interesting commentary on how the culture of the early 2000s impacted young girls, but again this felt a bit too surface level for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
December 4, 2025
Okay wow Gabrielle I love you. How do you capture humanity exactly the way it should be captured???
This coming-of-age queer novel set in 2005 Long Island is an honest portrait of relationships (to people and technology) at that time. Korn captures the suburban world of record stores, "garage band" shows, family pressure, and aching uncertainty with incredible authenticity. The relationship between the characters (specifically Susan and Eliza) throughout their lives feels extremely authentic to the queer experience —messy, electric, and full of possibility. The story balances nostalgia with emotional depth, rage, and devastation, reminding us how transformative our first relationships can be. This novel lingers long after the final page, As with all of Korn's novels. Well done!!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This coming-of-age queer novel set in 2005 Long Island is an honest portrait of relationships (to people and technology) at that time. Korn captures the suburban world of record stores, "garage band" shows, family pressure, and aching uncertainty with incredible authenticity. The relationship between the characters (specifically Susan and Eliza) throughout their lives feels extremely authentic to the queer experience —messy, electric, and full of possibility. The story balances nostalgia with emotional depth, rage, and devastation, reminding us how transformative our first relationships can be. This novel lingers long after the final page, As with all of Korn's novels. Well done!!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
October 19, 2025
Thank you to those at St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Gabrielle Korn for this ARC! I was preselected for this ARC and it was an interesting read. I haven't read a lot of books with this setting, starting in the 2000s and coming to 2025. It was fascinating to see all the characters as they grow, especially Susan and Eliza. There was so much angst, which isn't always my cup of tea, but I loved the women empowerment that was there throughout the book. It was nostalgic in terms of women going for what they want and getting it. That was my impression by the end of the book and hope for the characters as they continue to live their lives. Overall, nice read!
November 28, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read an ARC of Long Island Girls! I was so invested in Susan and Eliza’s stories as they changed over the decades. I loved how that even though there is a romance in it, it is truly a coming of age story that focuses on Susan, and the ups and downs of her personal and professional life. Many of the themes really resonated with me. I felt at times there were certain plot elements that felt unnecessary, but overall I really enjoyed sapphic yearning and maturing alongside Susan.
February 1, 2026
The perfect sad girl queer coming of age. My heart ached for Susan and I was always rooting for her. She is so beyond naive but she is fierce and surprisingly unapologetic about who she THINKS she is. Korn does a stellar job of allowing Susan to grow without it feeling forced and clunky. The way the book is broken up drives the plot forward really well. It is left open ended but I felt very satisfied with the way things played out. And the millennial nostalgia was perfectly encapsulated centering around the music scene
December 5, 2025
I love Gabrielle’s writing, and I’ve loved her other books, but LONG ISLAND GIRLS is her best yet. I lived a different life than Susan in so many ways but I still felt like I knew EXACTLY where she was at in every stage of her life, not just because of the millennial nostalgia tinging the pages but because Gabrielle made her so crystal clear that Susan feels like a long-lost friend. A gem of a book.
December 16, 2025
always love to read more lesbian coming of age stories. the third person POV story telling wasn’t my favorite but it is a debut. I enjoyed the full arc from young teens to late queer adulthood. While i wouldn’t have made the choices susan did and would recommend a therapist i enjoyed the book overall!
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March 4, 20264 stars; review to come June 2026
April 20, 2026
“it’s the small moments between the big ones where real happiness lives”
when i picked up this arc i was thinking i would just be reading a gritty, queer love story, and boy was i wrong! it was so much more than that- this was very powerful, heartbreaking and nostalgic read.
thanks to netgalley for the chance to read an advance copy!
when i picked up this arc i was thinking i would just be reading a gritty, queer love story, and boy was i wrong! it was so much more than that- this was very powerful, heartbreaking and nostalgic read.
thanks to netgalley for the chance to read an advance copy!
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