Loving Lauren: A queer love story about identity, healing, and holding on

by Carly Bryant

Photographer Sierra Turner has always been better at capturing other people's moments than living her own. Until one afternoon in the park changes everything.

Lauren creates beauty for a living, but they've spent years learning that being seen comes with risks. When their worlds collide, both must decide whether love is worth the vulnerability it demands.

Loving Lauren is a contemporary LGBTQIA+ romance about chosen family, personal growth, and discovering that sometimes the most beautiful love stories begin when you finally stop running from yourself.

Features pansexual and transgender protagonists with themes of family, identity, and healing. A tender, character-driven romance with gentle intimacy and emotional depth.

"Some things don't feel imagined. They feel like prologues, and Sierra wasn't ready to let go of the beginning."

Loving Lauren is a standalone romance, but the found family you'll meet here... they'll show up again.

Genres: Romance

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2025

About the author

Carly Bryant writes contemporary romance with messy emotions, awkward charm, and characters who learn to love themselves as much as each other. Her debut novel, Loving Lauren, is set to release November 13, 2025. When she’s not writing, you can find her watching true crime documentaries, overthinking text messages, or trying to keep her houseplants alive. She believes love stories should be equal parts swoon and sincerity.

Reviews

[Lena Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank you author Carly Bryant for asking me to arc read for you this wonderful book. It's beautifully written in flowing eloquence of word and descriptive images.

You're taken on a journey of exploration, self-discovery, healing and knowledge. Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith.

This is a different kind of love story as each love is always unique. I give it 5 stars.

[Autumn Aria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. It whispered of calm and tranquility, peace and contentment and happy days of times long past.

The core message of this story is, of course, acceptance. The acceptance of the self and of the other. The focus is on transgenderism; they are even today marginalized, shunned and despised by the transphobic majority. Though the idea of acceptance is far wider and includes homosexuality, race and religion being the major ones, but often overlooked, includes age, looks and body shape.

Can we truly claim to be non judgmental and open minded, to be against prejudice and bigotry if in our hearts there is still the lingering discomfort of being around such people?

We are after all of the human race sharing a common ancestry. Today there are 8.2 billion humans on earth, would it be too difficult to understand that with such numbers there will always be immeasurable diversity?

This review was not so much a review but a shout-out to anyone who've ever felt different, unwanted and misunderstood.
It's okay to be a non-conformist.

As for the actual story itself, there were some incredibly sweet, touching and romantic scenes. But also scenes where it was like really bad Casu Martzu cheese spread out much too thick making me want to toss my cookies...

It's the kind of low-angst, low-stakes romance reminiscent of Jacqueline Ramsden but with a touch of high-angst drama of Elle Spenser. It is in essence a cozy romance but with an element of the melodramatic.

3.5 stars because I blame the Casu Martzu.

I received a free copy of this book from booksprouts and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elisa Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was truly honored to be asked to read this debut novel by Carly Bryant. She is not only a wonderful person but also an incredibly talented new voice in romance. The cover immediately caught my attention—it’s absolutely stunning and perfectly captures the tone of the story.

While this isn’t a genre I typically gravitate toward, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The writing is strong, the pacing flows effortlessly, and the emotional depth of the characters pulled me in from the very beginning. Carly’s ability to convey heartfelt emotion and authentic connection is impressive, especially for a debut.

A beautifully written, emotionally engaging story that left a lasting impression. Highly recommended for romance lovers. 10/10.

[Venus Tibbetts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this book early! I loved everything about it and connected to the characters so much. I have never read a romance book that was so tender. Second chance romance has the chance to really turn me off but really it just showed me why I loved these characters so much. Their individual growth was the perfect base to regrow together. The found family in this book is also top tier 🥹💕 I can't wait to see what's to come, thank you so much Carly for the opportunity to meet your characters!

[krystina Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional constipated marshmallow…. Once you read. This will make total sense! Plus it’s how I felt reading this. I absolutely loved the story line and Lauren! You can deeply feel all the feels that the two main characters are feeling throughout the whole story. Sierra is amazing. She loves hard and gives her all to everything and everyone. Lauren is harder on themselves than they need to be. But finally learns to love themselves as much as they love sierra. Plus you get a sassy cat thrown into the mix and who doesn’t love that. Salem may be my most favorite character here! But seriously 10/10 definitely recommend!

[VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some stories don’t just entertain — they move you. Loving Lauren by Carly Bryant is one of those rare reads that slips under your skin and stays there.

Photographer Sierra Turner is great at capturing other people’s moments but not her own. Then one ordinary afternoon in the park introduces her to Lauren — an artist who’s spent years learning that being seen can be dangerous. When their worlds collide, both must decide if love is worth the risk.

Bryant’s writing is gentle yet gut-deep, full of sensory beauty — sunlight, camera clicks, the hush before a first kiss. The romance is soft, slow, and real, with pansexual and transgender representation that feels natural and honest. The found family adds warmth and balance, grounding the story in love that heals as much as it hurts.

By the final page, I wasn’t just cheering for Sierra and Lauren — I felt their growth. Loving Lauren isn’t just a romance; it’s a quiet reminder that being vulnerable is the bravest thing we can do, and that sometimes the most beautiful love begins when you finally stop running.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Loving Lauren” is a sweet, feel-good escape with charming characters and heart-tugging moments. Light, warm, and utterly easy to devour. A delightful detour from my usual dark, twisty reads.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving Lauren by Carly Bryant is a heartfelt LGBTQ+ romance that explores love, identity, and self-acceptance. The story follows Lauren as she learns to open her heart again while navigating the emotional challenges of being truly seen for who she is. One of the characters is pansexual, and I really appreciated how the author portrayed that with honesty and respect. The book shows how powerful acceptance from a partner can be, but also how the most important acceptance comes from within.

Carly Bryant’s writing feels warm and genuine, making the characters easy to connect with. Loving Lauren is an emotional and hopeful read that celebrates both love and self-discovery. Thank you Carly Bryant for the ARC! This story was such a beautiful reminder that the most important acceptance comes from within. I also liked leaning how she came up with the character for Salem because it was personal and something I was able to learn about Carly.

[Ashleigh Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I got it: I applied for this ARC because I enjoy a non-traditional romance, but this also sounded tragic and lovely.

Why I read it: It’s coming due for release (11/13), and I always try to get my ARCs done before release. Plus, it’s an unknown book, and I love hyping unsung heroes in the book world.

What I liked: I knew I was in trouble when, at 50% in, everything was going great. If anyone knows the romance genre, it’s never a good sign if everything is tied up with a neat bow and you still have half the book to go. However, this is a promising sign that there’s not a third act break-up, but something bad in the second act which takes the third-act to recover from. That’s exactly how this book is. It’s beautiful, tragic in places, healing, and gave me so much hope for this series as a whole.

[Bobby Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely surprised me in the best way. At its heart, it's a gentle, uplifting story about accepting yourself and accepting others; especially when you don't fit the mold people expect. It celebrates individuality, quirks, differences, and all the messy bits that make people human. The message is delivered with warmth, so that it's impossible not to feel seen while reading.

The story follows photographer Sierra Turner, someone who has always felt more comfortable capturing other people's moments than living her own. Everything shifts when a chance meeting in the park brings Lauren into her life; an artist who has learned the hard way that being truly seen can be risky. As their worlds collide, both women must decide whether opening up, letting go of old fears, and choosing vulnerability is worth the love growing between them. It's a romance built on healing, trust.

The romance is sweet, soft, and very feel-good. There are plenty of adorable moments that made me stop and smile, balanced with a few overly dramatic scenes that honestly just added to the fun. The tone is light, cozy, and comforting; the kind of story you breeze through because the characters feel easy to love and the emotional stakes never tip into anything too heavy.

What stayed with me most was how supportive and hopeful the whole book felt. It's a lovely reminder that being different isn't something to hide; it’s something to embrace. This story wraps that idea in heart, humour, and gentle charm. I finished it feeling lighter, happier, and really glad I got to read it early. A wholesome, warm-hearted read I'd definitely recommend. Worth the 5 stars.

I received this advanced reader copy to review and this is my honest opinion.

[Joshua Covington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this publication for the purpose of review.

TW
*Transphobia (external)
*Family rejection
*Discussion of abuse (non-graphic)

Sierra spotted Lauren across the park and was immediately entranced. There was just something about them Sierra and her camera lens were drawn to, even if she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was. After camping out at the park for days hoping to get a glimpse of them again, Sierra finally meets Lauren at their favorite local coffee shop. There's an immediate spark, but is a spark enough?

I have some complex feelings walking away from this book and I hope to do them justice. For clarity, Loving Lauren follows Sierra (she/her, pansexual) and Lauren (they/them, trans). Before Lauren is formally introduced into the story they are described by she/her pronouns. I really like the representation in Loving Lauren. Good trans representation is one of my favorite things to read, and Lauren's story was great to read. I also haven't personally read any story with a pansexual POV character so that was a very welcome and unique treat for me. Sierra's internal dialogue about her sexuality alongside her talking about it with her friends and family were refreshing to read, and I honestly could have gone for more of it.

There were a lot of parts of the burgeoning romance, especially in the first half of the book, that felt like a warm hug. There are lots of little vignettes of Lauren and Sierra doing cute couple things and generally being syrupy-cute. Lauren likes to post pictures of the two of them doing things together with sappy captions and it's so easy to put myself in that feeling of being young and in love during those scenes.

I will say that it felt like reading two different books. The first half felt very low stakes and cozy. I described it to my wife like warm cookies on a cold winter day. There's very little angst, the drama is very understated and largely outside the main relationship or handled pretty quickly. Then there's a massive swap in tone right in the middle of the book based around two of my least favorite things: miscommunication and a "third act" breakup. Up to that point the narration has followed most of the events hour by hour, or at least day by day, and then at the halfway point we start getting lots of time skips that are sometimes months at a time. In some ways that's needed to follow the process of grief but it felt like there was so much time lost at points. We do get to follow some of the work done to process that as Sierra shares some things with her friends, sees a therapist, and starts to use her art to explore her grief. What's lost for me is getting to see any of that from Lauren's POV.

That's maybe the other issue I had is that there's very little from Lauren's POV. There are a few chapters from their perspective but they're very scattered and it's probably less than 5% of the total page count if I had to guess. The latter half of the book felt like it really could have used a few chapters from their perspective to show the work they're doing alongside Sierra, since the breakup is entirely due to Lauren's trauma and insecurities. I had a few other minor POV gripes but nothing that really took away from the story.

Despite wanting to see more of the re-adhesion and healing Lauren and Sierra did together in the last part of the book I really enjoyed this read. This is exactly the kind of book I hope to find and read ARCs for. Loving Lauren feels like an uncut gem with a lot of heart, a great story, and some unique outlooks to explore. Thank you so much to the author for an opportunity to read an advanced copy!

[Kaisbooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so tender. It's not always hopeful, but it is raw and emotional, and proves that you don't need to be changed to be loved.

The writing in this book is softly reflective, and you can tell from the writing style that the author had so much love for these characters. It is loving, comforting, and introspective, and goes perfectly with the characters as they find their way through the book.

The conflict in the book felt repetitive. The characters had the same realizations in different words, and the narration shows the readers each day in the MC's life, which got a bit boring. It takes up a major chunk of the book, and I believe with some editing to make that segment shorter, the tension of the story could be kept while holding space for the reflections of the MC.

A huge thank you to Carly Bryant for this ARC!

[Marizete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving Lauren is a beautiful love story—not only between two people, but also with oneself and with family. Carly writes with such care and intention, capturing the nuances of different sexualities and the challenges that come with feeling “different.” I especially loved how she wove art into the narrative, showing its power to heal—whether it’s mending a broken heart, soothing life’s wounds, or helping you rediscover parts of yourself.

While third-person narration isn’t usually my preferred style, this story still drew me in. The themes of friendship, acceptance, and self-discovery were heartfelt and uplifting. I found myself both cheering and crying throughout.

A truly wonderful read—and one I definitely recommend.

[Nadija Mujagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I love the cover of Loving Lauren—it immediately drew me in. I believe the author has contributed to several anthologies, but this marks her debut full-length novel, and you’d never guess it’s her first.

The story follows Sierra, who falls in love with a transgender individual. Their feelings are mutual at first, but Sierra soon faces emotional challenges that test the strength of their relationship.

While this isn’t the genre I typically read, I truly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to readers who appreciate emotionally charged, character-driven stories.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for a gifted ARC!

Adult lgbtq+ contemporary romance with meet-cute, insta love, second chance, and found family. I enjoyed this book! This was an emotional, heartfelt, and humorous story filled with beautiful friendships and self-growth. The main characters, Sierra and Lauren, were so sweet together and their friend group was 10/10 🤩

If you love photography, art, coffee shop dates, surprise romantic gestures, and the magic of falling in love, then you should definitely check this one out!

[Samantha Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heart warming story of love, finding who you are, and acceptance, the story of Sierra and Lauren culminated in a beautiful ending.




Personally, I do feel the writing style wasn't for me. Some points were really fast paced, while some were super slow. It felt overall inconsistent at times.