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Shapes of Love: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26Loveless meets This Time It’s Real in this aroace story about challenging the idea that romance is the ultimate life goal and finding where you fit in when you don’t follow society’s script.
When nineteen-year-old Sasha’s first album throws her into stardom, her fans become obsessed with discovering who inspired her love songs. Except, Sasha is aroace-spec (aromantic, asexual), and she’s not interested in romance (unless it comes in the shape of a slowburn enemies-to-lovers book or a star-crossed-lovers manga). Her music is all about her favorite love stories, not her own.
After running into Kai, her estranged best friend who she hasn’t seen in two years, pictures of them together leak, and everyone assumes he’s Sasha’s muse, the “boyfriend” who broke her heart. Pressured by her label and fearing fan backlash, Sasha agrees to a PR relationship with Kai for six months - but her sense of self is put to the ultimate test. Where does she fit in a society that equates happiness with romantic love? One where even her closest friends prioritize their partners over her?
Under the guise of their faux romance, Sasha and Kai get a chance to rebuild their platonic bond and heal the wounds of their past. But when actor Asher Grish enters the scene, threatening to shake the foundation of Sasha’s PR relationship, she finds herself at a crossroads. Either she loses herself, or her career.
L.V. Peñalba’s Shapes of Love is an unforgettable story of finding the people that feel like home - even if that home isn’t what the rest of the world expects. It's not a romance, but it's most definitely a love story.
"Shapes of Love is an honest, distinctly relatable exploration of aroace identity, the entertainment industry, and what our relationships mean to each other. I felt mortifyingly seen when Sasha admitted her songs were mostly about anime and TV ships. This book was utterly unputdownable." - Ann Zhao, author of Dear Wendy
When nineteen-year-old Sasha’s first album throws her into stardom, her fans become obsessed with discovering who inspired her love songs. Except, Sasha is aroace-spec (aromantic, asexual), and she’s not interested in romance (unless it comes in the shape of a slowburn enemies-to-lovers book or a star-crossed-lovers manga). Her music is all about her favorite love stories, not her own.
After running into Kai, her estranged best friend who she hasn’t seen in two years, pictures of them together leak, and everyone assumes he’s Sasha’s muse, the “boyfriend” who broke her heart. Pressured by her label and fearing fan backlash, Sasha agrees to a PR relationship with Kai for six months - but her sense of self is put to the ultimate test. Where does she fit in a society that equates happiness with romantic love? One where even her closest friends prioritize their partners over her?
Under the guise of their faux romance, Sasha and Kai get a chance to rebuild their platonic bond and heal the wounds of their past. But when actor Asher Grish enters the scene, threatening to shake the foundation of Sasha’s PR relationship, she finds herself at a crossroads. Either she loses herself, or her career.
L.V. Peñalba’s Shapes of Love is an unforgettable story of finding the people that feel like home - even if that home isn’t what the rest of the world expects. It's not a romance, but it's most definitely a love story.
"Shapes of Love is an honest, distinctly relatable exploration of aroace identity, the entertainment industry, and what our relationships mean to each other. I felt mortifyingly seen when Sasha admitted her songs were mostly about anime and TV ships. This book was utterly unputdownable." - Ann Zhao, author of Dear Wendy
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
Want to Read
October 21, 2025MORE AROACE REP IN MEDIA
NOW
Did Not Finish
April 4, 2026DNF @ 45%
The FMC is 19 going on 20, so I was hoping for something more older YA. But the tone ended up being very young YA. The plot and subplots ended up being more simplistic than I thought they'd be.
Despite that, I did love the aroace rep. I wish there were books like these when I was younger so I wouldn't feel so alone. I really hope that Sasha's situation will help teens understand that amatonormativity doesn't have to be the norm and that if they're aroace (or any flavor of aro and/or ace), they're still worthy of love and respect.
I also really liked the fame aspect of the story, especially Sasha's internal conflict when it came to being authentic vs. putting up a sanitized PR-approved version of herself for the public. The fan interaction and online comments were cute and fun.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this arc.
The FMC is 19 going on 20, so I was hoping for something more older YA. But the tone ended up being very young YA. The plot and subplots ended up being more simplistic than I thought they'd be.
Despite that, I did love the aroace rep. I wish there were books like these when I was younger so I wouldn't feel so alone. I really hope that Sasha's situation will help teens understand that amatonormativity doesn't have to be the norm and that if they're aroace (or any flavor of aro and/or ace), they're still worthy of love and respect.
I also really liked the fame aspect of the story, especially Sasha's internal conflict when it came to being authentic vs. putting up a sanitized PR-approved version of herself for the public. The fan interaction and online comments were cute and fun.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this arc.
February 17, 2026
3.75
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was super cute but definitely a little too ya for my taste. I get what it was trying to do hence my rating and i would have loved this so much more if i read it 5 years ago. I think it talked about a very important topic even thought it was a bit on the nose and predictable at times. I also think some of this was overdramatized such as everyone being in a pr relationship and the grammy speech at the end. That being said i can recognize that I am a bit older than the target audience and I think this is a great way to have aroace representation for a younger audience!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was super cute but definitely a little too ya for my taste. I get what it was trying to do hence my rating and i would have loved this so much more if i read it 5 years ago. I think it talked about a very important topic even thought it was a bit on the nose and predictable at times. I also think some of this was overdramatized such as everyone being in a pr relationship and the grammy speech at the end. That being said i can recognize that I am a bit older than the target audience and I think this is a great way to have aroace representation for a younger audience!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This was so beautiful and the representation was amazing!! The main character has you rooting for her the whole way as she learns more about herself and how to live as her self. It is on the slower side, but that's to be expected of a contemporary and definitely worth it. I feel it teaches many great lessons and will have the reader looking into themselves and understanding more about how humans are. I also love that is calls out people's weird parasocial relationships with celebrities, so much. Though Sasha is the lead and amazing, I think everyone should read for Kai!!
Read
January 19, 2026oh this was amazing - hilarious, wonderful aroace representation and so important, I swung between crying and cackling at the anime references (shout out to Levi Ackerman's Cravat) and 'Friday' aka Wednesday lol
A YA contemporary about an aroace TikTok singer that's blown up into fame, and the love story she feels like she has to fake. Or does she?
(Disclaimer I work for PRH!)
A YA contemporary about an aroace TikTok singer that's blown up into fame, and the love story she feels like she has to fake. Or does she?
(Disclaimer I work for PRH!)
May 9, 2026
Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was SO refreshing to see aromantic and asexual rep in a novel. I feel like it’s SO rare.
All of this felt very realistic. The parasocial relationships between fans and the artist they admire, the PR/reputation-obsessed manager, the drama in a tight-knit friend group. I loved that Sasha wrote her songs inspired by anime and other stories she loved, and it was cool to see her starting to figure out her autism diagnosis.
I also loved Asher’s character, his relationship with Kai, the Wednesday knockoff show Friday—so many things!
This was a fun, wholesome read that I think will make a lot of people feel seen.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
All of this felt very realistic. The parasocial relationships between fans and the artist they admire, the PR/reputation-obsessed manager, the drama in a tight-knit friend group. I loved that Sasha wrote her songs inspired by anime and other stories she loved, and it was cool to see her starting to figure out her autism diagnosis.
I also loved Asher’s character, his relationship with Kai, the Wednesday knockoff show Friday—so many things!
This was a fun, wholesome read that I think will make a lot of people feel seen.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for providing en eARC in exchange for a honest review.
Sasha has been a famous Grammy nominated pop star for 2 years but she has never forgotten where she came from, and the important people in her life. All her fans think her album was written about her own personal love life, but Sasha really gains inspiration from her favourite fictional characters. After she almost put herself as aroace she reconnects with her estranged best friend from high school Kai.
Kai and Sasha are photographed together and the media pushes the narrative of them being together. Sasha’s team pushes her to stay in the closet and date Kai for PR to save her image. They both agree as it will give them time to rebuild their friendship and protect Sasha’s privacy. Things get complicated when insecurities about Sasha’s place in the world are brought up, and when Kai starts to fall for someone from Sasha’s world.
I truly think this was a beautiful exploration of the power of platonic love. A lot of society is driven by romantic love, and that love is valued more than other types of love. Sasha’s struggle with feeling loved and valued in a world that views her as broken and confused was so emotional, I really related to her. The pacing of this book is where I struggled, but overall this was a lovely read.
Sasha has been a famous Grammy nominated pop star for 2 years but she has never forgotten where she came from, and the important people in her life. All her fans think her album was written about her own personal love life, but Sasha really gains inspiration from her favourite fictional characters. After she almost put herself as aroace she reconnects with her estranged best friend from high school Kai.
Kai and Sasha are photographed together and the media pushes the narrative of them being together. Sasha’s team pushes her to stay in the closet and date Kai for PR to save her image. They both agree as it will give them time to rebuild their friendship and protect Sasha’s privacy. Things get complicated when insecurities about Sasha’s place in the world are brought up, and when Kai starts to fall for someone from Sasha’s world.
I truly think this was a beautiful exploration of the power of platonic love. A lot of society is driven by romantic love, and that love is valued more than other types of love. Sasha’s struggle with feeling loved and valued in a world that views her as broken and confused was so emotional, I really related to her. The pacing of this book is where I struggled, but overall this was a lovely read.
November 8, 2025
4.5 stars
This was a really beautiful love story on many levels. I really loved Sasha and Kai and Asher and Mia and their relationships with each other. Highly recommend, especially to people looking for more aroace rep in media!
This was a really beautiful love story on many levels. I really loved Sasha and Kai and Asher and Mia and their relationships with each other. Highly recommend, especially to people looking for more aroace rep in media!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sasha’s debut album is filled with love songs, and so her fans have assumed there is a secret boyfriend and have tried to puzzle out his identity. However, Sasha is aroace (aromantic and asexual). Her love songs are about her favorite fictional characters and stories. Sasha wants to share that she’s aroace but her record label and manager are opposed, and she worries that her fans will feel betrayed if they find out there is no boyfriend (or girlfriend). A series of mishaps result in Sasha being photographed with Kai, a former close friend and a guy she previously dated (before realizing she was aroace), and the paparazzi “outing” Kai as the mystery boyfriend. Which leads her manager to propose faking a relationship temporarily.
This does not work out as planned but that it is ultimately the best for Sasha and Kai (and others) because Sasha will eventually decide that being true to herself is more important than her career or the public’s perception of her.
The story focuses heavily on the difficulty and discomfort of being aromantic and asexual in a world where romantic relationships are prized/prioritized. Sasha is happy being aroace, recognizing that it feels right to her. However, it also comes with a lot of loneliness because she doesn’t have the romantic attraction/connection with anyone, and she knows/fears that even her closest friendships will change when the other person finds their “one.” As she says at one point in the story, she loves romance, just not when it involves her. And as much as she knows that being aroace is right for her and is a good/positive thing, it is still a struggle to accept that she will likely never have romantic feelings for anyone given that romantic love is the societal norm; it is hard not to feel like she is missing out. That conflict and seeming disconnect makes her friendship/relationship with Kai difficult. She loves Kai but it is not a romantic or sexual attraction type of love; rather, they understand each other in a way that others don’t.
And Sasha is not the only character struggling to reconcile themselves with societal expectations. Kai has his own secrets and insecurities that will be revealed, as do Mia (their mutual friend) and Asher (an actor with whom a friendship will develop). These four characters are enjoyable and engaging— people the reader will want to care about. Sasha’s producer, Shirley, will play an important role, being “unconventional” in relationship status and sexual orientation but having already realized the importance of being true to themself.
The message of being true to yourself is an important one. It is not always easy, especially if you don’t fit the “norms” — and Sasha and other characters don’t on multiple levels. However, society would be better if we were more accepting of differences and more willing to let people be who they want to be (so long as it is not harmful/dangerous).
One of the things I liked about the story is Sasha receiving messages from fans about how her music influenced them or impacted their lives. I also liked how the friendship that developed between Sasha and Asher, including Kai developing a friendship with Asher through Sasha, results in positive changes for all of them, as they reveal and explore their beliefs and challenge each other regarding those beliefs about relationships, friendships, public persona versus private reality, etc. I also liked the mix of cultures and cultural aspects found in the book, and the influence and importance that various cultures had on the major characters and the events in their lives.
This does not work out as planned but that it is ultimately the best for Sasha and Kai (and others) because Sasha will eventually decide that being true to herself is more important than her career or the public’s perception of her.
The story focuses heavily on the difficulty and discomfort of being aromantic and asexual in a world where romantic relationships are prized/prioritized. Sasha is happy being aroace, recognizing that it feels right to her. However, it also comes with a lot of loneliness because she doesn’t have the romantic attraction/connection with anyone, and she knows/fears that even her closest friendships will change when the other person finds their “one.” As she says at one point in the story, she loves romance, just not when it involves her. And as much as she knows that being aroace is right for her and is a good/positive thing, it is still a struggle to accept that she will likely never have romantic feelings for anyone given that romantic love is the societal norm; it is hard not to feel like she is missing out. That conflict and seeming disconnect makes her friendship/relationship with Kai difficult. She loves Kai but it is not a romantic or sexual attraction type of love; rather, they understand each other in a way that others don’t.
And Sasha is not the only character struggling to reconcile themselves with societal expectations. Kai has his own secrets and insecurities that will be revealed, as do Mia (their mutual friend) and Asher (an actor with whom a friendship will develop). These four characters are enjoyable and engaging— people the reader will want to care about. Sasha’s producer, Shirley, will play an important role, being “unconventional” in relationship status and sexual orientation but having already realized the importance of being true to themself.
The message of being true to yourself is an important one. It is not always easy, especially if you don’t fit the “norms” — and Sasha and other characters don’t on multiple levels. However, society would be better if we were more accepting of differences and more willing to let people be who they want to be (so long as it is not harmful/dangerous).
One of the things I liked about the story is Sasha receiving messages from fans about how her music influenced them or impacted their lives. I also liked how the friendship that developed between Sasha and Asher, including Kai developing a friendship with Asher through Sasha, results in positive changes for all of them, as they reveal and explore their beliefs and challenge each other regarding those beliefs about relationships, friendships, public persona versus private reality, etc. I also liked the mix of cultures and cultural aspects found in the book, and the influence and importance that various cultures had on the major characters and the events in their lives.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book had me tearing up at the end just like, “I love platonic love.”
Sasha is aroace and writes her music about AUs and stories that have had a big impact on her. However, all her fans think that she’s actually writing about a mystery boy and a mystery relationship she doesn’t have. Queue the chaos.
This book reads kind of YA. Sasha is on the edge of 20, but I feel like she’s discovering a lot about herself still. She knows she’s aroace, but as someone who recently became famous, she’s unsure where that identity fits in the media, in her music, and in her fame. She’s also been told by a therapist that she exhibits autistic symptoms, but hasn’t had the time yet to dive into that potential diagnosis, so we see her exhibit a lot of bad habits (sleep, eating, etc.) that come with dysregulation. I think this makes her seem younger, in a way, as she’s still trying to figure out a lot about herself in a short period of time. That being said, I think her philosophy and the questions she’s asking throughout the book really show her maturity and critical thinking as she examines the world and society and the expectations that have been thrust onto her by her fans and her label. That being said, the end is quite YA in spirit, but I loved it anyways.
I love love love how platonic love is pushed in this book, how Sasha and her friends questions love and what it is and what it can be. I am a firm believer that self love and platonic love (having ride-or-die friendships) is so much more important than romance (friendship just doesn’t sell as well in a capitalistic world). The problems they face as people under the microscope, as well as people still living through a time of self-discovery, are realistic and soul crushing. I appreciate how we see both sides of the coin (before and after, friends versus love, etc.) and how that impacts Sasha and her friends as the story progresses and their narrative is highjacked by social media, the paparazzi, and the people around them.
I think this book is so important and it speaks a lot to not only sexual orientation and identity in that sense, but also where the characters feel like they fit as part of the diaspora. All of it is addressed so well and with care and I adore this book for putting a lot of big feelings into words.
This book will help a lot of young people (and adults, too, I think), and I’m so happy it exists!
TW: aphobia, homophobia, discrimination, misogyny, stalking; lesbophobia, gaslighting, sexual harrassment
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley, and finished copy gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours, by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.
Sasha is aroace and writes her music about AUs and stories that have had a big impact on her. However, all her fans think that she’s actually writing about a mystery boy and a mystery relationship she doesn’t have. Queue the chaos.
This book reads kind of YA. Sasha is on the edge of 20, but I feel like she’s discovering a lot about herself still. She knows she’s aroace, but as someone who recently became famous, she’s unsure where that identity fits in the media, in her music, and in her fame. She’s also been told by a therapist that she exhibits autistic symptoms, but hasn’t had the time yet to dive into that potential diagnosis, so we see her exhibit a lot of bad habits (sleep, eating, etc.) that come with dysregulation. I think this makes her seem younger, in a way, as she’s still trying to figure out a lot about herself in a short period of time. That being said, I think her philosophy and the questions she’s asking throughout the book really show her maturity and critical thinking as she examines the world and society and the expectations that have been thrust onto her by her fans and her label. That being said, the end is quite YA in spirit, but I loved it anyways.
I love love love how platonic love is pushed in this book, how Sasha and her friends questions love and what it is and what it can be. I am a firm believer that self love and platonic love (having ride-or-die friendships) is so much more important than romance (friendship just doesn’t sell as well in a capitalistic world). The problems they face as people under the microscope, as well as people still living through a time of self-discovery, are realistic and soul crushing. I appreciate how we see both sides of the coin (before and after, friends versus love, etc.) and how that impacts Sasha and her friends as the story progresses and their narrative is highjacked by social media, the paparazzi, and the people around them.
I think this book is so important and it speaks a lot to not only sexual orientation and identity in that sense, but also where the characters feel like they fit as part of the diaspora. All of it is addressed so well and with care and I adore this book for putting a lot of big feelings into words.
This book will help a lot of young people (and adults, too, I think), and I’m so happy it exists!
TW: aphobia, homophobia, discrimination, misogyny, stalking; lesbophobia, gaslighting, sexual harrassment
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley, and finished copy gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours, by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This is a really cute, non-traditional love story.
We follow our protagonist, Sasha/ Sassy, who is an up-and-coming famous artist. She has to navigate the realities of fame after living a life relatively unknown to the public.
Sasha has two main best friends, Mia and Kai, but after a failed high school relationship, her friendship with Kai is strained. We enter the story with Kai entering back into the picture and get to watch as Sasha and Kai try to figure out how to become friends once more. In this journey, we also meet anther famous actor, Asher, who ends up joining our friend circle, and we are introduced to many important role models in Sasha's life, such as Shirley the producer, Sasha's moms and sister Sonia, and her manager Marissa.
Each person has a distinct role they play in helping Sasha discover what her priorities are in life and who she really is. Marissa is our kind-of antagonist character, as she is so focused on the "sassy" image that the world relates that she ends up neglecting Sasha's own feelings.
Ultimately, this is a story about validating all different kinds of love. We see lots of queer relationships that are successful in this book, and Sasha has the unique character element of being aroace, which is not a common identity that main characters get. And so because of that, we as the readers, go on the journey to learn what "love" means for someone who is aromantic and asexual, and in this manner, we see that there are a plethora of definitions for love. Sasha's is based off her relationships with her support system, and is inherently platonic, but this novel shows us that that type of love is just as valid and important as romantic love.
I think this is a very unique story and opportunity to normalize all different forms of love in society. I think this would especially be a helpful read for high schoolers who themselves may be questioning what "love" means when it defies heteronormative standards. That age is an especially challenging period as you're struggling to truly discover yourself, and just seeing the validation that this book provides would be so helpful.
Thank you to goodreads for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
We follow our protagonist, Sasha/ Sassy, who is an up-and-coming famous artist. She has to navigate the realities of fame after living a life relatively unknown to the public.
Sasha has two main best friends, Mia and Kai, but after a failed high school relationship, her friendship with Kai is strained. We enter the story with Kai entering back into the picture and get to watch as Sasha and Kai try to figure out how to become friends once more. In this journey, we also meet anther famous actor, Asher, who ends up joining our friend circle, and we are introduced to many important role models in Sasha's life, such as Shirley the producer, Sasha's moms and sister Sonia, and her manager Marissa.
Each person has a distinct role they play in helping Sasha discover what her priorities are in life and who she really is. Marissa is our kind-of antagonist character, as she is so focused on the "sassy" image that the world relates that she ends up neglecting Sasha's own feelings.
Ultimately, this is a story about validating all different kinds of love. We see lots of queer relationships that are successful in this book, and Sasha has the unique character element of being aroace, which is not a common identity that main characters get. And so because of that, we as the readers, go on the journey to learn what "love" means for someone who is aromantic and asexual, and in this manner, we see that there are a plethora of definitions for love. Sasha's is based off her relationships with her support system, and is inherently platonic, but this novel shows us that that type of love is just as valid and important as romantic love.
I think this is a very unique story and opportunity to normalize all different forms of love in society. I think this would especially be a helpful read for high schoolers who themselves may be questioning what "love" means when it defies heteronormative standards. That age is an especially challenging period as you're struggling to truly discover yourself, and just seeing the validation that this book provides would be so helpful.
Thank you to goodreads for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
THANK YOU to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC!
I hope I can someday meet the author and get a signed copy because this story was THAT meaningful to me.
The aroace community is eating tonight, folks 😭
This book made me feel all the things: happy, sad, confused, angry, hopeful.
I relate SO much to Sasha. The struggle of finding yourself, dealing with others' opinions, and trying to fit yourself into a small box. Oh, and how she goes down Wikipedia rabbitholes? Chef's kiss. Hello twin. Her journey was amazing to watch.
Sometimes my brain just shuts down, like a computer that's about to overheat, and simple tasks like cooking become hard to do. RELATABLE content.
Kai was the perfect male best friend. His redemption arc was short (thank gawd) and he quickly grew into one of my favorite sidekicks.
"Why not? We could be roommates. Except we'll actually be roommates." "Historians will call us lovers." VERY PRO QUEERPLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS. MAY THIS LOVE FIND ME.
And Asher? AMAZING. He made me feel so sad - he was looking for not just his person, but his people. His story was well-done, and maybe we can all be a bit kinder to nepo babies.
I didn't love Mia as much as the other two friends, but her storyline about falling out of touch when you leave high school behind is one that can resonate with many. Also, girl, never settle for a toxic man. Being alone > feeling lonely in a relationship.
The aroace community is often misunderstood, or we're told something is wrong with us.
I would kms. being in love is the best feeling in the world? she's probably going to be alone forever. i'd feel sorry for her if it's true.
This book is a true exploration of self-love, not just for aroace folx, but for the LGBTQIA+ community as whole.
"who the fuck cares? do you know how harmful it is to speculate about someone's sexuality?
I need this book to BLOW UP so I can get some Muse fan art, please & ty.
I hope I can someday meet the author and get a signed copy because this story was THAT meaningful to me.
The aroace community is eating tonight, folks 😭
This book made me feel all the things: happy, sad, confused, angry, hopeful.
I relate SO much to Sasha. The struggle of finding yourself, dealing with others' opinions, and trying to fit yourself into a small box. Oh, and how she goes down Wikipedia rabbitholes? Chef's kiss. Hello twin. Her journey was amazing to watch.
Sometimes my brain just shuts down, like a computer that's about to overheat, and simple tasks like cooking become hard to do. RELATABLE content.
Kai was the perfect male best friend. His redemption arc was short (thank gawd) and he quickly grew into one of my favorite sidekicks.
"Why not? We could be roommates. Except we'll actually be roommates." "Historians will call us lovers." VERY PRO QUEERPLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS. MAY THIS LOVE FIND ME.
And Asher? AMAZING. He made me feel so sad - he was looking for not just his person, but his people. His story was well-done, and maybe we can all be a bit kinder to nepo babies.
I didn't love Mia as much as the other two friends, but her storyline about falling out of touch when you leave high school behind is one that can resonate with many. Also, girl, never settle for a toxic man. Being alone > feeling lonely in a relationship.
The aroace community is often misunderstood, or we're told something is wrong with us.
I would kms. being in love is the best feeling in the world? she's probably going to be alone forever. i'd feel sorry for her if it's true.
This book is a true exploration of self-love, not just for aroace folx, but for the LGBTQIA+ community as whole.
"who the fuck cares? do you know how harmful it is to speculate about someone's sexuality?
I need this book to BLOW UP so I can get some Muse fan art, please & ty.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
First, I want to thank Colored Pages Book Tours, Wednesday Books and L.V. Peñalba for the gifted physical copy of Shapes Of Love to read and provide my honest review.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Shapes of love was such a beautiful young adult story. It follows the life of Sasha whose song came popular overnight and is now living the life of a star. Her top hits are songs all about love but what her fans don’t know is that Sasha is holding onto a secret as to what these songs are truly based on.
I think I related to this story a lot because I’m also a fan of different singers. Being a fan, I tend to really enjoy the messages that my favorite artists send in their music. However I also understand how sometimes certain fans can be overly curious about an artist’s personal life and once a rumor happens, everything just snowballs into something crazy. Watching Sasha do her best to protect her career but also not hide who she is was done in a great way. The inner struggle to decide what the best course of action was for her was the part of the story that made me start to feel for her. Even though their life is public, doesn’t mean that they can’t keep somethings private.
Seeing Sasha go about this bump in the road with her close friends and manager just made for a good found family sort of vibe. I also really liked the nice and sweet fans who’ve done their best in making Sasha know just how much of a positive impact she made on their lives. I feel like that was the entire point of having fans and artists being together. Society has a strange way of making people feel like they need to be open and give up everything in order to please everyone however that’s not really the case and I really enjoyed seeing this journey that Sasha was on and how the supporting characters all seemed to play their role in helping her come to terms with herself and what she truly wants in life.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Shapes of love was such a beautiful young adult story. It follows the life of Sasha whose song came popular overnight and is now living the life of a star. Her top hits are songs all about love but what her fans don’t know is that Sasha is holding onto a secret as to what these songs are truly based on.
I think I related to this story a lot because I’m also a fan of different singers. Being a fan, I tend to really enjoy the messages that my favorite artists send in their music. However I also understand how sometimes certain fans can be overly curious about an artist’s personal life and once a rumor happens, everything just snowballs into something crazy. Watching Sasha do her best to protect her career but also not hide who she is was done in a great way. The inner struggle to decide what the best course of action was for her was the part of the story that made me start to feel for her. Even though their life is public, doesn’t mean that they can’t keep somethings private.
Seeing Sasha go about this bump in the road with her close friends and manager just made for a good found family sort of vibe. I also really liked the nice and sweet fans who’ve done their best in making Sasha know just how much of a positive impact she made on their lives. I feel like that was the entire point of having fans and artists being together. Society has a strange way of making people feel like they need to be open and give up everything in order to please everyone however that’s not really the case and I really enjoyed seeing this journey that Sasha was on and how the supporting characters all seemed to play their role in helping her come to terms with herself and what she truly wants in life.
January 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I haven’t had too many books that have hit me in a way this book did. Sasha’s journey is a pretty close mirror to my own. I realized I was ace over a decade ago and just came to the realization I was aro about a year or so ago. There aren’t many books on aroace experiences so I was so excited for this one.
The idea of love is in such a box. There are so many other important relationships. The idea of a soulmate is not just a black and white idea. I wanted so bad what Sasha had with her friends. A group or a person to be there for you no matter what. To show that you aren’t unloved and can love people in your own way. Asher, Kai, and Mia were all so great. Even though there were moments of hardship, they all had each other. I couldn’t stop tearing up or smiling during this. The idea of people not accepting you or understanding you hits so hard for me too. I haven’t really discussed my sexuality with people offline. I understand Sasha’s fear and hesitance. Especially since she’s famous.
This book brought out so many emotions for me along with some thoughts about things I hadn’t really thought about or accepted before. This book is going to be close to my heart. There is so much to love. You can love so many different people in so many different ways that matter. People will love you for who you are and there will be people who accept you and want to stay in your life no matter what shape or form it takes. This was hard hitting and exactly what I needed to read. I’m so happy there are others like me and people I can relate to out there writing books for other people understand themselves or others better.
I haven’t had too many books that have hit me in a way this book did. Sasha’s journey is a pretty close mirror to my own. I realized I was ace over a decade ago and just came to the realization I was aro about a year or so ago. There aren’t many books on aroace experiences so I was so excited for this one.
The idea of love is in such a box. There are so many other important relationships. The idea of a soulmate is not just a black and white idea. I wanted so bad what Sasha had with her friends. A group or a person to be there for you no matter what. To show that you aren’t unloved and can love people in your own way. Asher, Kai, and Mia were all so great. Even though there were moments of hardship, they all had each other. I couldn’t stop tearing up or smiling during this. The idea of people not accepting you or understanding you hits so hard for me too. I haven’t really discussed my sexuality with people offline. I understand Sasha’s fear and hesitance. Especially since she’s famous.
This book brought out so many emotions for me along with some thoughts about things I hadn’t really thought about or accepted before. This book is going to be close to my heart. There is so much to love. You can love so many different people in so many different ways that matter. People will love you for who you are and there will be people who accept you and want to stay in your life no matter what shape or form it takes. This was hard hitting and exactly what I needed to read. I’m so happy there are others like me and people I can relate to out there writing books for other people understand themselves or others better.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Shapes of Love
by L.V. Peñalba
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
Shapes of Love is positioned as not a romance, but still a love story, and that distinction is important. L.V. Peñalba centers an aroace-spec main character navigating sudden fame, industry pressure, and a culture that insists romance is the ultimate measure of fulfillment. Sasha’s struggle is not about choosing between two love interests. It is about holding onto her identity when the world keeps trying to rewrite it for her.
The premise works well. A PR relationship layered over a broken friendship creates emotional tension without relying on traditional romantic payoff. The book also does a strong job addressing parasocial fandom culture and the entertainment industry’s tendency to manufacture narratives for public consumption. That element feels timely and sharp.
Sasha’s aroace identity is handled with care and clarity. The novel makes space for the nuance of being someone who loves love stories yet does not experience romantic attraction in the expected way. For readers looking for more representation in this space, this will likely resonate deeply.
At times, the emotional conflicts lean heavy. Some situations feel drawn out longer than necessary, and there are moments where clearer communication might have diffused tension more naturally. Still, the heart of the story remains grounded in self acceptance and chosen connection.
This is ultimately a book about redefining what love can look like and refusing to let outside expectations dictate your worth. It may not land for every reader, but its perspective feels important and sincere.
3.5 stars.
by L.V. Peñalba
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
Shapes of Love is positioned as not a romance, but still a love story, and that distinction is important. L.V. Peñalba centers an aroace-spec main character navigating sudden fame, industry pressure, and a culture that insists romance is the ultimate measure of fulfillment. Sasha’s struggle is not about choosing between two love interests. It is about holding onto her identity when the world keeps trying to rewrite it for her.
The premise works well. A PR relationship layered over a broken friendship creates emotional tension without relying on traditional romantic payoff. The book also does a strong job addressing parasocial fandom culture and the entertainment industry’s tendency to manufacture narratives for public consumption. That element feels timely and sharp.
Sasha’s aroace identity is handled with care and clarity. The novel makes space for the nuance of being someone who loves love stories yet does not experience romantic attraction in the expected way. For readers looking for more representation in this space, this will likely resonate deeply.
At times, the emotional conflicts lean heavy. Some situations feel drawn out longer than necessary, and there are moments where clearer communication might have diffused tension more naturally. Still, the heart of the story remains grounded in self acceptance and chosen connection.
This is ultimately a book about redefining what love can look like and refusing to let outside expectations dictate your worth. It may not land for every reader, but its perspective feels important and sincere.
3.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the eARC of Shapes of Love by L.V. Peñalba.
The representation in this book makes it a worthy addition to the great conversation. As an avid romance genre reader and also someone on the AroAce spectrum, I can tell you this was a story that felt pertinent and real. I did not have the vocabulary to understand how the things I felt and experienced differently while in my youth, this conversation became easier as the vocabulary expanded. I saw my experience first in an AroAce story that I read in my 30s. I hope everyone, everywhere can see themselves and their experience in a story someday! This book is surely a mirror for some folks out there that have not seen themselves in a LOVE story, this is a way to see that every shape and color and brand of humanity is valid and worthy of love, even if they seek it, feel it, find it, or experience it in a way that others do not understand. Humans NEED LOVE, they need connection, they need belonging and people that are their ride and dies! Not all humans NEED romantic or sexual relationships, but they will always NEED LOVE, the Beatles said it and I believe it, "All we need is LOVE," and Jackie DeShannon's lyrics, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love." And we don't need to judge the shape of it. That is what this book could be for someone out there who feels like they are unworthy of love if the shape of their love or their need for love is different or misunderstood, Your shape of love is valid and you are worthy of love, just as you are. You are ENOUGH, even if it's messy. It will probably be messy, that's just how being human is sometimes. Just keep being authentic, the world needs YOU!
The representation in this book makes it a worthy addition to the great conversation. As an avid romance genre reader and also someone on the AroAce spectrum, I can tell you this was a story that felt pertinent and real. I did not have the vocabulary to understand how the things I felt and experienced differently while in my youth, this conversation became easier as the vocabulary expanded. I saw my experience first in an AroAce story that I read in my 30s. I hope everyone, everywhere can see themselves and their experience in a story someday! This book is surely a mirror for some folks out there that have not seen themselves in a LOVE story, this is a way to see that every shape and color and brand of humanity is valid and worthy of love, even if they seek it, feel it, find it, or experience it in a way that others do not understand. Humans NEED LOVE, they need connection, they need belonging and people that are their ride and dies! Not all humans NEED romantic or sexual relationships, but they will always NEED LOVE, the Beatles said it and I believe it, "All we need is LOVE," and Jackie DeShannon's lyrics, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love." And we don't need to judge the shape of it. That is what this book could be for someone out there who feels like they are unworthy of love if the shape of their love or their need for love is different or misunderstood, Your shape of love is valid and you are worthy of love, just as you are. You are ENOUGH, even if it's messy. It will probably be messy, that's just how being human is sometimes. Just keep being authentic, the world needs YOU!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5/5 - Sasha’s music is about love, and her fans are obsessed with figuring out who the object of her affection is. Sasha is aro & ace, and her music is not about a romantic partner, but rather relationships in media. When she runs into her former friend, Kai, pictures of them together leak, and everyone assumes that Kai is her boyfriend. Her label pressures her and Kai into fake dating. During this fake dating, they rebuild the platonic friendship they once had. Sasha begins to wonder where she fits into society when she is not looking for romantic love.
This was a beautiful book full of representation, questions, and heart. I loved Sasha, and was rooting for her the whole time. We delve into the emotions of being aro & ace in a world where romantic relationships are prioritized. The author captured the worries of loneliness in a world where everyone Sasha knows is pairing up. I felt what Sasha felt.
We also get to meet Sasha’s friends who are also struggling with their own questions and relationships. I enjoyed getting to know her friends Kai, Asher, and Mia.
I could not believe this was the author’s first book! They wrote with so much heart and emotion. They were able to stress the importance of being true to yourself, and knowing that everyone experiences relationships in different ways.
I think the aro & ace communities are often misunderstood. This book did a great job of explaining it and exploring self-love, friendships, and the different ways you can love. This book is not just for those that are aro or ace, but rather for anyone who loves and supports the LGBTQIA+ community.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.
This was a beautiful book full of representation, questions, and heart. I loved Sasha, and was rooting for her the whole time. We delve into the emotions of being aro & ace in a world where romantic relationships are prioritized. The author captured the worries of loneliness in a world where everyone Sasha knows is pairing up. I felt what Sasha felt.
We also get to meet Sasha’s friends who are also struggling with their own questions and relationships. I enjoyed getting to know her friends Kai, Asher, and Mia.
I could not believe this was the author’s first book! They wrote with so much heart and emotion. They were able to stress the importance of being true to yourself, and knowing that everyone experiences relationships in different ways.
I think the aro & ace communities are often misunderstood. This book did a great job of explaining it and exploring self-love, friendships, and the different ways you can love. This book is not just for those that are aro or ace, but rather for anyone who loves and supports the LGBTQIA+ community.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“I’ve always hated the expression More than friends, as if romantic love were one step above friendship.”
A deep, meaningful and funny “romance” book that has so much to tell us about identity and love. A YA book that is very true to the voice of Gen Alpha. Shapes of Love challenges our assumptions about romantic love and partnership.
Sasha (stage name Sassy) is just at the crux of stardom and she has found a solid audience. Her campaign year for Best New Artist Grammy, the world is very interested in her love life. She accidentally likes a post potentially outing her as aroace. Although her closest friends know, her producer Shirley and studio does not. As a PR stunt, her manager decides to hire her ex boyfriend and ex best friend Kai for fake dating for 6 months. She also gets a guest role on her favorite show and they meet Asher, a nepo baby with a penchant for partying.
Young Adult books can sometimes be heavy handed in their messaging, but I found this to be very meaningful and plot driven. The characters are wonderful. As a cis middle aged lady, I picked this up to educate myself so I can be a better and more educated ally to our aroace friends. I definitely found myself reading and realizing I have a lot to learn about the aroace community. Shapes of Love is the perfect title to describe all the ways we experience love, connection and partnership. And romantic love is not the only path, just like there’s not only one way into the ocean.
If you enjoy queer YA romance, don’t miss this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026.
A deep, meaningful and funny “romance” book that has so much to tell us about identity and love. A YA book that is very true to the voice of Gen Alpha. Shapes of Love challenges our assumptions about romantic love and partnership.
Sasha (stage name Sassy) is just at the crux of stardom and she has found a solid audience. Her campaign year for Best New Artist Grammy, the world is very interested in her love life. She accidentally likes a post potentially outing her as aroace. Although her closest friends know, her producer Shirley and studio does not. As a PR stunt, her manager decides to hire her ex boyfriend and ex best friend Kai for fake dating for 6 months. She also gets a guest role on her favorite show and they meet Asher, a nepo baby with a penchant for partying.
Young Adult books can sometimes be heavy handed in their messaging, but I found this to be very meaningful and plot driven. The characters are wonderful. As a cis middle aged lady, I picked this up to educate myself so I can be a better and more educated ally to our aroace friends. I definitely found myself reading and realizing I have a lot to learn about the aroace community. Shapes of Love is the perfect title to describe all the ways we experience love, connection and partnership. And romantic love is not the only path, just like there’s not only one way into the ocean.
If you enjoy queer YA romance, don’t miss this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing free review copies of the eBook and audiobook of Shapes of Love! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.
Shapes of Love follows Sasha, a young adult musician who is aroace. While this isn't your typical love story, I thought it was quite beautiful, showing love in many different forms. It was very diverse with several characters that were LGBTQ+, plus characters from different races and cultures. I felt like Sasha was a relatable character who portrayed being aroace in a positive light while still showing realistic struggles a person might have. I'll admit that I hated seeing her hiding her true identity from her fans, but I also understood why she felt the way she did. I also like that she represented a person who is (probably) autistic very well. I loved watching her character grow over the course of the story. I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and seeing their journeys and interactions as well. At times the book felt a bit slow, especially at the beginning, but I didn't notice it as much as I kept reading. There's a lot of internal monologue, and it overall seems like a very introspective book. I think the book handled some interesting topics very well, and even kept some lighthearted humor along the way.
I had the opportunity to read the audiobook version of the book, and I thought the narrator did a great job. She used different voices for different characters, and even did accents for the characters who had them. I thought her delivery of the text added to my enjoyment of the book.
Shapes of Love follows Sasha, a young adult musician who is aroace. While this isn't your typical love story, I thought it was quite beautiful, showing love in many different forms. It was very diverse with several characters that were LGBTQ+, plus characters from different races and cultures. I felt like Sasha was a relatable character who portrayed being aroace in a positive light while still showing realistic struggles a person might have. I'll admit that I hated seeing her hiding her true identity from her fans, but I also understood why she felt the way she did. I also like that she represented a person who is (probably) autistic very well. I loved watching her character grow over the course of the story. I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and seeing their journeys and interactions as well. At times the book felt a bit slow, especially at the beginning, but I didn't notice it as much as I kept reading. There's a lot of internal monologue, and it overall seems like a very introspective book. I think the book handled some interesting topics very well, and even kept some lighthearted humor along the way.
I had the opportunity to read the audiobook version of the book, and I thought the narrator did a great job. She used different voices for different characters, and even did accents for the characters who had them. I thought her delivery of the text added to my enjoyment of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧/5
Quick Reasons: diverse romance and characters; relatable, realistic characters; could not tear myself away from this read; lots of fun
Huge thanks to L.V. Peñalba, Wednesday Books, and Colored Pages Book Tours for the ARC! This review is voluntarily written and in no way impacted by this gesture.
This is a fun read with a quirky, sassy, relatable first person narrative. True to its title, this is a love story... but not a LOVE story. Still, there are some similar tropes to those you would anticipate-- some "meet cute" adjacent moments, a play on some miscommunication tropes, a good amount of will they/won't they. Overall, I had a ton of fun with this read, and could not bring myself to put it down once I started.... so I stayed up until 1 AM to finish it. Whoops! 😅
The diverse cast of characters was also so nice to read. This book really does a great job of putting readers INTO Sasha/Sassy's mind, and makes the discourse both front and center while also helping readers better understand what being aroace can look like and can feel like. There is other representation, too-- bisexuality, demisexuality, pansexuality, polyamory, and more. As a reader represented by multiple of these orientations, I was pleased to see them here.
Overall, this is a fun read with a sassy first person narrative and a wide cast of characters, and I highly recommend it to other readers. What will you discover within these pages, Penguins? I hope you'll take the time to find out!
Quick Reasons: diverse romance and characters; relatable, realistic characters; could not tear myself away from this read; lots of fun
Huge thanks to L.V. Peñalba, Wednesday Books, and Colored Pages Book Tours for the ARC! This review is voluntarily written and in no way impacted by this gesture.
This is a fun read with a quirky, sassy, relatable first person narrative. True to its title, this is a love story... but not a LOVE story. Still, there are some similar tropes to those you would anticipate-- some "meet cute" adjacent moments, a play on some miscommunication tropes, a good amount of will they/won't they. Overall, I had a ton of fun with this read, and could not bring myself to put it down once I started.... so I stayed up until 1 AM to finish it. Whoops! 😅
The diverse cast of characters was also so nice to read. This book really does a great job of putting readers INTO Sasha/Sassy's mind, and makes the discourse both front and center while also helping readers better understand what being aroace can look like and can feel like. There is other representation, too-- bisexuality, demisexuality, pansexuality, polyamory, and more. As a reader represented by multiple of these orientations, I was pleased to see them here.
Overall, this is a fun read with a sassy first person narrative and a wide cast of characters, and I highly recommend it to other readers. What will you discover within these pages, Penguins? I hope you'll take the time to find out!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
[Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title]
4.5/5 stars rounded up
----
Young musical sensation, Sasha, gets roped into a fake dating PR scheme in order to convince her fans that her viral love songs come from personal experience — despite her being a closeted aromantic and asexual that draws inspiration from books and TV shows. What's more, it's her high school ex-best friend, Kai, who gets signed on as her partner, shoving the two of them into new and precarious territory.
What starts as a far-out premise hits the mark as a hopeful exploration of what it means to live and love as a queer person in a society that has been designed against us. While Sasha is always confident in her sexual and romantic identity, she feels constant pressure from her label and her fanbase that leads her to feel that life would be easier if she could just be like everyone else. Even in her private life, she worries about being left behind as her closest friends pursue partnerships of their own. However, as the story progresses, Sasha eventually learns that platonic love can be as deep and meaningful as anything else — and that no amount of industry success or fan approval is worth the price of living inauthentically.
I was rooting for Sasha and her posse the entire way through! Bonus points for the Jujutsu Kaisen, Haikyuu, and Pride and Prejudice references.
[Edited because I realized belatedly that my cat deleted half of a paragraph when she was walking across the keyboard :')]
4.5/5 stars rounded up
----
Young musical sensation, Sasha, gets roped into a fake dating PR scheme in order to convince her fans that her viral love songs come from personal experience — despite her being a closeted aromantic and asexual that draws inspiration from books and TV shows. What's more, it's her high school ex-best friend, Kai, who gets signed on as her partner, shoving the two of them into new and precarious territory.
What starts as a far-out premise hits the mark as a hopeful exploration of what it means to live and love as a queer person in a society that has been designed against us. While Sasha is always confident in her sexual and romantic identity, she feels constant pressure from her label and her fanbase that leads her to feel that life would be easier if she could just be like everyone else. Even in her private life, she worries about being left behind as her closest friends pursue partnerships of their own. However, as the story progresses, Sasha eventually learns that platonic love can be as deep and meaningful as anything else — and that no amount of industry success or fan approval is worth the price of living inauthentically.
I was rooting for Sasha and her posse the entire way through! Bonus points for the Jujutsu Kaisen, Haikyuu, and Pride and Prejudice references.
[Edited because I realized belatedly that my cat deleted half of a paragraph when she was walking across the keyboard :')]
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
~~Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martian's Press for the ARC!~~
3.5/5 stars rounded up!
Soooo, I cried at the end. As heavy-handed as it is, it is so needed. Love comes in all shapes and definitions; no one should dictate what love is but you. That got me really in the feels.
I've contemplated that I'm somewhere on the aspec for a long while now (Moreso the aro front, but I don't feel like going into specifics), so a lot of Sasha was thinking about and going through resonated with me a lot. I also loved the exploration of autism, as well. I really do believe this will hit with many other aspec folks who've most likely felt everything Sasha had.
I loved Sasha's friend group, and I loved the family they knitted together. And the queerplatonic relationships? Oh, my lord, may this type of love find me one day. But it wasn't just the main cast of side characters but also the smaller ones who felt realized, too, like Rosa and Shirley. It just felt like everyone had an important part to play, no matter how small.
The only slights I have may be the fact that, one, I'm much older than this book's intended audience and felt some things were a bit too on he nose for me, and two, some parts of the plot dragged here and there. I definitely would've loved this had this come out when I was closer than teenagerhood than thirty.
Overall, this is such a wonderful book for aroace rep, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves once it officially publishes.
3.5/5 stars rounded up!
Soooo, I cried at the end. As heavy-handed as it is, it is so needed. Love comes in all shapes and definitions; no one should dictate what love is but you. That got me really in the feels.
I've contemplated that I'm somewhere on the aspec for a long while now (Moreso the aro front, but I don't feel like going into specifics), so a lot of Sasha was thinking about and going through resonated with me a lot. I also loved the exploration of autism, as well. I really do believe this will hit with many other aspec folks who've most likely felt everything Sasha had.
I loved Sasha's friend group, and I loved the family they knitted together. And the queerplatonic relationships? Oh, my lord, may this type of love find me one day. But it wasn't just the main cast of side characters but also the smaller ones who felt realized, too, like Rosa and Shirley. It just felt like everyone had an important part to play, no matter how small.
The only slights I have may be the fact that, one, I'm much older than this book's intended audience and felt some things were a bit too on he nose for me, and two, some parts of the plot dragged here and there. I definitely would've loved this had this come out when I was closer than teenagerhood than thirty.
Overall, this is such a wonderful book for aroace rep, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves once it officially publishes.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I love the aroace representation, along with other LGBTQIA+ characters and topics interwoven in the story. I think it’s great that there is representation, especially in YA genre, and that people can either read and see themselves in it or read and learn something about people who are aroace. There was a large focus on the discomfort that comes with being aromantic and asexual - everything from fear, loneliness, feeling ‘other’, etc. There is also commentary on the entertainment industry, especially around fame and power imbalance.
I also think this book will resonate with people beyond the LGBTQIA+ community. Shapes of Love is a coming of age story, as Sasha tries to balance being true to herself while also not risking her growing career. She’s facing an internal battle to figure out what to share about herself, and with who, while in the public eye (meaning others are trying to write the narrative for her).
But I don’t tend to like YA books for a handful of reasons, a lot of which held true in this book. The writing is a little too direct and on the nose, I would personally have liked more subtlety and showing vs telling. I also struggled with how much drama there was, feeling over the top and unnecessary at times.
Ultimately I would say if you like YA, this is worth a read.
Thanks to L. V. Peñalba, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I also think this book will resonate with people beyond the LGBTQIA+ community. Shapes of Love is a coming of age story, as Sasha tries to balance being true to herself while also not risking her growing career. She’s facing an internal battle to figure out what to share about herself, and with who, while in the public eye (meaning others are trying to write the narrative for her).
But I don’t tend to like YA books for a handful of reasons, a lot of which held true in this book. The writing is a little too direct and on the nose, I would personally have liked more subtlety and showing vs telling. I also struggled with how much drama there was, feeling over the top and unnecessary at times.
Ultimately I would say if you like YA, this is worth a read.
Thanks to L. V. Peñalba, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Romantic relationships can't be the only way to have someone deeply care about you."
There's a lot of beautiful representation in this book, and I was especially drawn to how it portrays friendships. While the book centers on an asexual and aromantic main character — and I appreciated getting to learn more about that lived experience — I think the exploration of friendship's deeper role in our lives will resonate with anyone, regardless of their sexual identity.
We get to see friends prioritizing each other alongside romantic relationships. We get to see them navigating what their relationship looks like through moves and life changes—how they can evolve together instead of growing apart. We get to see friendships rebuilding after conflict instead of simply fading away.
I'm grateful that teens and young adults have access to stories that model the kind of intention and vulnerability that go into building lifelong friendships. And it’s all framed within an engaging story about the good, the bad, and the ugly of a rapid rise to fame.
This would make a wonderful gift for any young reader in your life who's approaching graduation or a move and wondering what comes next for their cherished friendships, or a sweet read for anyone who enjoys reading YA!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There's a lot of beautiful representation in this book, and I was especially drawn to how it portrays friendships. While the book centers on an asexual and aromantic main character — and I appreciated getting to learn more about that lived experience — I think the exploration of friendship's deeper role in our lives will resonate with anyone, regardless of their sexual identity.
We get to see friends prioritizing each other alongside romantic relationships. We get to see them navigating what their relationship looks like through moves and life changes—how they can evolve together instead of growing apart. We get to see friendships rebuilding after conflict instead of simply fading away.
I'm grateful that teens and young adults have access to stories that model the kind of intention and vulnerability that go into building lifelong friendships. And it’s all framed within an engaging story about the good, the bad, and the ugly of a rapid rise to fame.
This would make a wonderful gift for any young reader in your life who's approaching graduation or a move and wondering what comes next for their cherished friendships, or a sweet read for anyone who enjoys reading YA!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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May 3, 2026Sasha or "Sassy" is an aro/ace Grammy-nominated singer who knows who she is and what her sexual identity is. But her career interferes with both her music and her confidence. When she engages in a PR relationship with her "former" best friend, she has to figure out how to tell her fans who the real Sassy is. This contemporary romance involves fake dating, found family, and lgbtqia themes.
As an asexual reader and music journalist, I felt deeply seen throughout many chapters of this book. In my work interviewing and writing about musicians, I often hear how much of themselves artists feel pressured to hide unless they’re explicitly given space to be open. Having been out as an asexual woman for the past three years—and having participated in ace meetups and community spaces—I connected strongly to the themes of identity and self-discovery.
In my early 20s, I’ve noticed many of my ace peers are already talking about settling down, having children, or buying homes, which can feel isolating at times. That’s part of why this story resonated so much with me. Sassy, on the brink of 30, is still figuring herself out, and that uncertainty comes through vividly in both her songwriting and her personal journey. Her experience felt honest and familiar, reflecting the ongoing process of growth that so many of us are still navigating.
I really enjoyed this book and will be purchasing it for my shelf.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 rounded up because I love when I really click with an acearo book. This is definitely a book I wish I could’ve had as a young adult and that I’m so grateful for as an adult.
I absolutely loved this, it felt extremely personal and I really enjoyed how much it touched on the loneliness that can come with being acearo, but also the joy in finding people willing to get you and love you in return. The loneliness aspect plays so well with Sasha’s quick rise to fame, and as she puts it “the centrifuge”, of trying to keep up with fame and keep sane.
This book takes a look at people in many stages of looking for and experiencing love, whether it be romantic or platonic. I don’t want to spoil anything but a lot of the “harder” conversations characters had about what it is to love in the last quarter of the book had me on the verge of tears at times.
I’ve seen a couple reviews mentioning that the characters seem younger than their ages, I’d agree with this to a degree but I think it lends to the commentary of fame and these 19/20 year olds being thrust into the spotlight. They’re not ready for it and ultimately are kinda still kids (speaking as a 25 year old who still doesn’t quite feel like an adult and would probably act similarly if I suddenly became famous).
Thanks to Alexa who told me I needed to read this, how dare you /pos, and to PRH AUS and NetGalley for the ARC.
I absolutely loved this, it felt extremely personal and I really enjoyed how much it touched on the loneliness that can come with being acearo, but also the joy in finding people willing to get you and love you in return. The loneliness aspect plays so well with Sasha’s quick rise to fame, and as she puts it “the centrifuge”, of trying to keep up with fame and keep sane.
This book takes a look at people in many stages of looking for and experiencing love, whether it be romantic or platonic. I don’t want to spoil anything but a lot of the “harder” conversations characters had about what it is to love in the last quarter of the book had me on the verge of tears at times.
I’ve seen a couple reviews mentioning that the characters seem younger than their ages, I’d agree with this to a degree but I think it lends to the commentary of fame and these 19/20 year olds being thrust into the spotlight. They’re not ready for it and ultimately are kinda still kids (speaking as a 25 year old who still doesn’t quite feel like an adult and would probably act similarly if I suddenly became famous).
Thanks to Alexa who told me I needed to read this, how dare you /pos, and to PRH AUS and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Whether you are aroace, both, neither, or somewhere in between, I highly recommend reading Shapes of Love. With romantic love being so heavily prevalent in society, it’s important to remember that love takes many forms: friends, family, partners, and more.
I was so unbelievably excited when I saw the last-minute NetGalley email. As an ace person, this book was everything I wanted and more. I felt so seen just within the first few pages, and that feeling only got stronger as I read on.
Although Sasha is aroace, there are many examples of love, romantic and otherwise, throughout the book. Kai and Asher’s romance is sweet, and Mia’s situationship is a great example of what NOT to get stuck in (it’s better to be single than be with someone who diminishes you). Sasha’s family have relatively small parts, but it’s clear how much they love each other. Shirley was a surprisingly fleshed-out side character, especially in the last few chapters, and they care deeply for the people around them. There’s even pet love included - Asher and his cat Muse were one of my favorite parts.
I hope we see more of these stories in coming years; it’s astounding what a little bit of representation can do, especially for people who may not have the words to describe what they’re feeling quite yet. I’ll be watching Peñalba’s page with great interest. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Whether you are aroace, both, neither, or somewhere in between, I highly recommend reading Shapes of Love. With romantic love being so heavily prevalent in society, it’s important to remember that love takes many forms: friends, family, partners, and more.
I was so unbelievably excited when I saw the last-minute NetGalley email. As an ace person, this book was everything I wanted and more. I felt so seen just within the first few pages, and that feeling only got stronger as I read on.
Although Sasha is aroace, there are many examples of love, romantic and otherwise, throughout the book. Kai and Asher’s romance is sweet, and Mia’s situationship is a great example of what NOT to get stuck in (it’s better to be single than be with someone who diminishes you). Sasha’s family have relatively small parts, but it’s clear how much they love each other. Shirley was a surprisingly fleshed-out side character, especially in the last few chapters, and they care deeply for the people around them. There’s even pet love included - Asher and his cat Muse were one of my favorite parts.
I hope we see more of these stories in coming years; it’s astounding what a little bit of representation can do, especially for people who may not have the words to describe what they’re feeling quite yet. I’ll be watching Peñalba’s page with great interest. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Shapes of Love is a thoughtfully written novel that explores the multitude of ways love can be expressed and how society limits these expressions through preconceived labels and definitions around relationship types. As Sasha struggles with her PR straight girl image, her authentic aroace self, and the rabid fans who dissect every song she's written and assigned their own meanings to, you truly feel for her.
Preconceived ideas around relationships, worthiness and lack of belonging when we don't fit into those boxes is a reccuring theme throughout. As is the pressure of being forced into maintaining a false public persona mandated by the studio in order to be more marketable.
With themes of found family, sexual identity, being true to oneself, and not allowing others to mandate how you love Penalba has crafted a heartfelt and deeply moving story that begs the reader to create their own Shapes of Love and fearlessly share them with the world.
I highly recommend this novel for anyone whose either strictly defined love and put it into rigid boxes or anyone whose ever felt broken because they don't fit into those boxes. In other words: I recommend this to absolutely everyone. Read it and allow your heart to be touched the way mine was.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the gifted e-arc. All opinions are my own and freely given.
Preconceived ideas around relationships, worthiness and lack of belonging when we don't fit into those boxes is a reccuring theme throughout. As is the pressure of being forced into maintaining a false public persona mandated by the studio in order to be more marketable.
With themes of found family, sexual identity, being true to oneself, and not allowing others to mandate how you love Penalba has crafted a heartfelt and deeply moving story that begs the reader to create their own Shapes of Love and fearlessly share them with the world.
I highly recommend this novel for anyone whose either strictly defined love and put it into rigid boxes or anyone whose ever felt broken because they don't fit into those boxes. In other words: I recommend this to absolutely everyone. Read it and allow your heart to be touched the way mine was.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the gifted e-arc. All opinions are my own and freely given.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is a YA book with LGBQTIAP subject matter. A young rising singer, Sasha has written an album full of angst and her fans are wondering who is the person being sung about. When her manager arranges for a former boyfriend is enlisted to be "the one" as a PR event, the situation predictably goes awry. Feelings get hurt, friendships get overwhelmed and eventually all ends well.
The character is a aroace-spec (aromantic, asexual), I was unfamiliar with these terms and both are listed as being part of the spectrum. I understand an author's desire to write a story where people can identify with the characters. For me, the aroace aspect of the story didn't resonate with me. I understood the character's confusion, her questioning of herself, even how she felt but for me, it was no different than any other character questioning their feelings. The aroace aspect felt unnecessary to me, what should of been a component of the story became the story which I believe didn't do justice. I'm not the target audience which maybe the reason this story just didn't click with me. It's a fast read and a YA reader would probably enjoy the story, the romance and the mixture of emotions throughout the book. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martins Press.
The character is a aroace-spec (aromantic, asexual), I was unfamiliar with these terms and both are listed as being part of the spectrum. I understand an author's desire to write a story where people can identify with the characters. For me, the aroace aspect of the story didn't resonate with me. I understood the character's confusion, her questioning of herself, even how she felt but for me, it was no different than any other character questioning their feelings. The aroace aspect felt unnecessary to me, what should of been a component of the story became the story which I believe didn't do justice. I'm not the target audience which maybe the reason this story just didn't click with me. It's a fast read and a YA reader would probably enjoy the story, the romance and the mixture of emotions throughout the book. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martins Press.
April 6, 2026
Shapes of Love is an amazing book about love, just not necessarily romantic love. Sasha is a pop star who went viral for her love songs and her fans are obsessed with figuring out who her boyfriend is. However Sasha is aroace and there is no boyfriend. After a chance reunion with her childhood best friend, and ex, Kai, she enters a PR relationship with him.
I absolutely loved this book! Sasha is amazing in it. I loved her journey through out the book, as she’s struggling to figure out herself and being aroace in a alloromantic and allosexual world. And then balancing this with her fame and her PR relationship.
I loved the side characters too. There was a good variety in level of acceptance and some journey to acceptance. The found family aspect was amazing too.
The focus on platonic love was great and great reminder on how important these relationships are as well. As a society we prioritize romantic relationships and put platonic relationships as lesser, when that shouldn’t be the case.
Shapes of Love is a great book with diverse representation and a love letter to all kinds of love.
Thank you to the NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book! Sasha is amazing in it. I loved her journey through out the book, as she’s struggling to figure out herself and being aroace in a alloromantic and allosexual world. And then balancing this with her fame and her PR relationship.
I loved the side characters too. There was a good variety in level of acceptance and some journey to acceptance. The found family aspect was amazing too.
The focus on platonic love was great and great reminder on how important these relationships are as well. As a society we prioritize romantic relationships and put platonic relationships as lesser, when that shouldn’t be the case.
Shapes of Love is a great book with diverse representation and a love letter to all kinds of love.
Thank you to the NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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