Does Love Always Win?

by Diane Billas

Does Love Always Win is a sapphic coming of age young adult novel that explores coming out and understanding one’s sexual orientation.

Sam “Shorty” Daniels has a plan for her senior year, but her romantic life being a hot mess was not part of the agenda. Shorty quickly discovers she’s not attracted to her newest boyfriend and fellow marching band member Zack despite her many hours of daydreaming of what it would be like to date him. Their flirting previously had been so intense that those feelings have to come back again, right?

When Shorty’s asked to show the snarky new girl around high school, Shorty’s instantly intrigued by Kristy’s wit, and they bond over their love of writing. They quickly become inseparable, and Shorty has a breakthrough moment realizing why none of her other relationships worked out.

Just as Shorty is about to break up with Zack, her bitter ex-boyfriend Bryan threatens to out her to the entire school and Shorty’s conservative parents. Will Shorty be able to overcome Bryan’s ridiculous blackmail scheme and get her dream girl?

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Young Adult, Queer, Young Adult Romance

318 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2023

About the author

Diane Billas is an award-winning author of the YA sapphic contemporary romance novel DOES LOVE ALWAYS WIN?, featured in Parents Magazine, and the YA superhero novel SUPERFICIAL, both with Creative James Media. Her sapphic short stories are featured in Wild Ink Publishing’s PROM PERFECT anthology and Of the Publishing Persuasion’s JINGLE THESE BELLS spicy holiday anthology.

Diane Billas lives in Philadelphia with her husband and son. When she’s not writing she can be found reading multiple books at once, performing the French horn and piano, or dreaming of the next country she’s going to visit. Diane can be found at dianebillas.com, on Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @dianebillas, and on Instagram/Threads @dianebillaswrites.

Praise for SUPERFICIAL

"Diane Billas creates a believable, engrossing story that creates strong characters and their special interests before delving into a folklore and fantasy-based quest for justice and survival." -Mid-West Review

"With a bit of romance and humor thrown in to sweeten the deal, and LGBTQ themes, this is a real edge-of-your-seat page-turner that you won't put down until you reach the end." -Reader's Favorite


Praise for DOES LOVE ALWAYS WIN?

"Diane Billas infuses a lot of humor and heart in this absorbing love story bound to resonate with young adult readers. Does Love Always Win? is the perfect blend of romance and coming-of-age rolled into one. With lively and vibrant characters, the narrative pulls you in and captivates you." - Reader's Favorite

"This book was an absolute delight to read, and I enjoyed every second of it. If you love books with relationship drama, this is certainly the one for you!" -Candlelight Reading

Reviews

[John Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam (aka Shorty) is starting her final year of High School. She is the elected president of the student council, plays trumpet in the school marching band and has just been dumped by her football star boyfriend because she won't 'put out'. She is excited to begin a new relationship with her longtime crush fellow bandmate Zeke, which will be her third boyfriend in as many years. It seems everyone in her school is changing relationships with each other all the time.

Then she is tasked with showing the new girl, Christy, around school for the first week. So lots of drama ensues with past and present boyfriends, while Shorty is developing feelings other than just friendship for the new girl. This is new territory for her and most at her school. What ensues is a mostly entertaining journey into discovering herself, standing up to a bully and accepting that she must take control of her life and not hurt others. 3.5 stars

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to put into words how special it is to finally see and read this book.

Full disclosure, I am in no way presenting this as an unbiased take. The author, Diane, is my wife, and I had the privilege of reading Does Love Always Win? multiple times throughout the writing process as a beta reader, editor, her biggest fan, and finally now being granted an ARC from CJM, the publisher.

From its inception, Does Love Always Win? has always been Diane’s story, the book she wished she had read growing up. As a heterosexual adult male, I’ll be the first to admit LGBTQ+ YA is not my forte. I certainly can’t speak from the perspective of what this’ll mean for the target audience or even what it means to Diane being able to share her story. But I can speak from my own experience of having read and enjoyed this novel now multiple times through its various iterations.

This story is genuine. “Shorty” and her love interest Kristy both have their flaws, but you can’t help but root for them. Even having read this multiple times now, I still facepalm every time Shorty lies to her friends and betrays herself. Yet I still find myself patiently waiting/wishing for Shorty to take the leap and discover herself. It takes time; it’s a journey full of confusion, frustration, and ever present reminders of how hard coming of age is, particularly in Shorty’s case where she finds herself constantly trying to balance what she wants relative to what she thinks everyone else wants of her. Reading through her struggle, it’s difficult not to question if love will actually win.

SPOILER ALERT

It does, as it should. Love is love regardless of orientation, and it’s a joy to discover that along with Shorty. It’s been an honor joining Diane on this journey, and I can’t wait to see all the lives her work touches.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself fortunate to have received an Advance Reader Copy from the author, and I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this book. The relatable characters made it accessible to anyone who has ever attended high school, regardless of their sexual orientation. It's an important story that needed to be shared, and I'm grateful to the author for doing so. I highly recommend this book.

[LGBT Representation in Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: Break-up, parental abandonment, cursing, alcohol, homophobia, parental abandonment, religion/Christianity, past cheating, underage drinking, cheating, coming out, blackmail

Representation: Vegetarian, Pansexual, Indian, Gay, Lesbian, Black

Does Love Always Win? is a young adult, contemporary romance that explores coming out and understanding one’s sexual orientation.

Sam “Shorty” Daniels has a plan for her senior year, but her romantic life being a hot mess was not part of the agenda. Shorty quickly discovers she’s not attracted to her newest boyfriend and fellow marching band member Zack despite her many hours of daydreaming of what it would be like to date him. Their flirting previously had been so intense that those feelings have to come back again, right?

When Shorty’s asked to show the snarky new girl around high school, Shorty’s instantly intrigued by Kristy’s wit, and they bond over their love of writing. They quickly become inseparable, and Shorty has a breakthrough moment realizing why none of her other relationships worked out.

Just as Shorty is about to break up with Zack, her bitter ex-boyfriend Bryan threatens to out her to the entire school and Shorty’s conservative parents. Will Shorty be able to overcome Bryan’s ridiculous blackmail scheme and get her dream girl?

This finished copy and eARC were provided by the author as part of the street team in exchange for an honest review.

This contemporary piece shines a light on the questioning feeling that many of us experienced as we grew up. Overall, I thought this story was very true to the high school experience but was not my cup of tea. I think it’s hard to balance the immaturity of typical high school students with creating relatable characters for someone who didn’t live the same way. Otherwise I enjoyed the story and thought it was written very well. I always enjoy a romance and the characters in this story are so messy and real.

[Jessieirwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself fortunate to have received an Advance Reader Copy from the author, Diane Billas, and I treasured the trusted confidence that she invests in her writing works.

Communicated with thoughtful detail, this young adult novel revolves around characters who are in high school, but the realm of attractions and connections is very relatable to readers of older adult ages. The protagonist, Sam, a.k.a. Shorty, and her high school world are fascinating and authentic. New friends, old friends, best friends, frenemies, quasi-friends, friends that could hold the key to something more…the environment of relationship development is nurtured with attention to the reality that people are important and we all need each other to get through this thing called life.

The character development and narrative arch includes human truths and wisdom - the author speaks with a clarity and a penchant for revelation of truths.

Each chapter is valuable to the telling of this novel, each character is built into the bridge that the reader walks across to get from Point A to the final destination. Not a paragraph is wasted, the story is lean and vibrant, it’s heartbeat resonating with each revelation and discovery.

The message of the novel is multi-faceted and valuable. I consider this to be a well-written and well-edited novel, whose publication will be embraced with fervor and enthusiasm. I recommend this book and will eagerly anticipate future publications from this author.

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a well written novel. It kept me very engaged through the whole read and flipping pages, so that says a lot right there. Sometimes I was loving the story, sometimes I was metaphorically yelling at the page for people to stop being stupid, but either way I was invested. This wasn’t quite a novel to grab 5-stars; there wasn’t anything specifically “wrong” with it, but it was simply 4-star material. This was a fast book to read, which is another selling point for people like me who love to rip through stories and get to the next one.

Little warning because some people hate this type of thing; the majority of this novel involved people making dumb decisions and acting immature or like idiots. This can be annoying, HOWEVER they were written consistently, and their dumb behavior honestly makes sense (mostly) given that they were teenagers in high school. Sometimes behavior toed the line of being unrealistically dumb or “just for the sake of the plot” but it mostly stayed on the believable-yet-frustrating side of that equation.

[Jonathan Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is based on an ARC that I've been given. This book is fine. It has a surprisingly large, and yet well-developed and fleshed out cast of characters, that it juggles quite well, almost effortlessly. The plot itself is pretty basic, but it I think the book’s other elements are bound to keep the young target audience’s attention. What other elements? Well, that’s what the rest of this review will be about.

The book follows main character Sam Daniels, aka Shorty, from the beginning of her senior year in high-school all the way to the homecoming dance. As someone who doesn’t live in the USA, all I have to go on with regards to the timeframe of this book comes from context clues. I’ll say, and feel free to correct me on this, about two months. On her first day, she meets new girl Kristy, who she has to show the ropes, and starts her relationship with Zack, a guy she’s had a crush on since forever, but with whom, for various reasons, she could never officially enter a relationship. Over time, however, she realises that Zack might not actually be right for her, and her ex-boyfriend, and the quarterback of the high-school’s football team, Bryan, sets a blackmailing ploy against her in motion.

There is a lot to this plot I am not revealing, because spoilers, however, as this is a queer contemporary romance, I think you can already guess at least what some of those plot points focus upon, namely queer and social angst. That’s fine, those are interesting facets to explore, I am however disappointed at the superficial manner in which they are explored. Even considering that this book is written for a YA audience, as is coincidentally my own, there could’ve been more done with the elements of the story, a deeper exploration into the attitudes and tasks of the people involved, and how the building blocks of the world impact what the characters are going through. Instead, it goes into some very shallow and predictable drama, most of which is caused by the characters themselves being short-sighted and shallow, the kind that, had I been in that high-school and witnessed it, I would’ve rolled my eyes at how the mistakes of these characters caught up with them, again, and then cursed them under my breath, all while wondering why my life was still boring.

That being said, the character work in this book is quite good. There are eight characters the readers are directly meant to follow, each of whom is given a surprising degree of depth, relatability, and complexity, and many more secondary or tertiary ones, all of whom also come to life, even if in more discrete ways. Their baseline personalities, as well as their relationships to each other, help elevate their presentation to a meaningful degree, and give all of them their own distinctive voices and mannerisms, to the point where even characters with minimal page time become fully-fledged characters.

The worldbuilding, by comparison, is somewhat lop-sided. I think the staging, or the ways in which the individual locations of the setting are presented, is done quite well, and the outfits all characters are described in have somewhat of a charm to them. There is, unfortunately, not too much beyond that. The world is just a stage for Diane’s characters to fool around and do stupid mistakes in. There could’ve been more done with the setting, and with these characters. Maybe new situations could’ve require them to downgrade their activities. Maybe there could’ve been a greater emphasis on the trials of the side characters, something that would make the leads reflect on their own problems and issues.

Overall, while I am, at best, neutral towards the main narrative of this book, the presentation has plenty of strengths that manage to hold my attention.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Other commentators have mentioned the positive themes of love and acceptance, so I won't touch on those. I'm glad this was a love story. My main issue with this book (and the reason for the one star), is because it was not a story this particular author should have been telling. The author has been very open online about how she is pansexual. Pansexuality is valid, and it's great that she has found LGBTQ community, and has felt accepted as a pan member (she talked about this on her blog).

But why did she write a MAIN character, who is a lesbian, who's entire character arc centers around realizing her sexual orientation as a lesbian? That is not a pansexual person's story to tell. That is not a straight person's story to tell, or an asexual person's story to tell, et cetera. While there is certainly overlap between coming out as pansexual and coming out as gay, there are VERY different implications for wha the person's life can/will/might look like. There are very different stereotypes and micro-aggressions each group face. There are different societal risk factors and hate-crime dangers. (I'm not saying one sexual orientation is "harder" than the other. I'm saying they're not the same experience, no matter which way you look at it).

So essentially what the author chose to do was take a real-life experience of a marginalized and stigmatized population, that she herself has NEVER experienced, and decided to write a first-person POV book about it. As a lesbian myself, that feels.... icky. And a bit exploitative. Like, why couldn't she just flip the characters? Make Kristy a lesbian, and make Shorty realize she is pansexual herself. Problem solved. What was it about writing a lesbian main character, first person POV, that the author was drawn to? Why did she think SHE was the person to tell this story? There are already lesbian/gay women authors writing stories like this, and trying to get them published. Lots of them have been published. Stop speaking over us. Because that's what writing and publishing a book like this is doing--- you're trying to add to a conversation that you'll never have the manual for. (and also, as a lesbian reader myself, this book really felt like it missed the mark. I didn't see myself in Shorty, and her internal monologue didn't feel relatable, as someone who is actually gay).

In summary, do I think the author is a terrible person? No, absolutely not. And I hope if she ever sees this review, she doesn't feel like this was an attack. Instead, I hope she seriously asks herself why she wrote a lesbian main character, instead of a pansexual one; and why she thought it was appropriate to do so. I hope she asks herself if she truly believes this was space she should have been taking up.

If she writes more books in the future, I really hope her main character is pansexual. Pansexuality is still "new" to a lot of people, so having more books with main character pansexual rep, written by an actual pansexual person, would be really cool :)

[Jenna Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review! This story follows a high school girl named Sam/Shorty. Shorty has dated many guys but has never felt excited to be with them, including the boy she is with now. When a new student comes to the school, Shorty gets along well with her and soon has a new friend. Then, she starts to consider what it might be like to be more than friends with this new student, Kristy. Shorty goes through A LOT before she is able to get her happy ending.

I enjoyed the overall storyline and plot of this YA book! I liked being able to see Shorty grow throughout the book, learn more about herself, and start to accept herself as she is. I was grinning by the end of the book because I love happy endings and seeing Shorty accept herself and not be afraid of other people’s opinions was so lovely. I also enjoyed reading about the other characters in this book and their relationships with Shorty as well as how their relationships were able to grow and develop throughout the book.

I did feel like parts of the story were rushed and all over the place as well as the writing was quite cheesy. I also had to remind myself many times that these characters are high school students so I shouldn’t get frustrated with their level of maturity.

I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book and I look forward to reading more of this Diane Billas’ work in the future!

[Cynthia · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the big issues I have with this book is the pervasive misogyny, from boys and from girls, but also from the story itself. At first, I hoped it was a realistic representation of how girls are taught to hate themselves and their gender, even if clearly this depiction was not questioning how boys are taught to sexualize and objectify and control girls and women. But at no point is there any attempt at subverting this representation, even a clumsy on-the-nose attempt. We even see the main character and love interest do it to themselves and each other, and we're told it's romantic or sexy or wtv. Boys are also presented as "good guys" despite their constant objectification and sexualization of their (girl) friends and controlling jealousy of their girlfriends. This of course means that the villain has to be so caricaturally misogynistic and abusive that it's overly dramatic and pointless.

[Misha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most YA of all of the YA books I've read for a while, I think.

I usually enjoy YA where there is a certain amount of depth to the inner workings of the mind of a younger person coming to terms with impending adulthood and the world and their relationship with their own identity, but this one was chock full of unnecessary drama. The characters, in-universe, remark frequently that there is too much drama and the villain is very cartoonishly terrible. Not much nuance so not a read I enjoyed much, but may appeal to younger readers.

[Beatrice Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plan for senior year was to enjoy it, and hopefully it would be a breeze. But Sam didn’t plan on all of her drama in the love department. After wanting it for so long, her boyfriend, Bryan, finally broke up with her, and she was free to go for Zack, the band nerd she had a crush on. But when she realises that she feels as little for Zack as she did for Bryan, she recognizes she is once again simply stuck in a relationship she is not comfortable in.

When Sam is asked to show around a new girl at school, she thinks nothing of it. When she meets Kirsty, though, something changes. Kirsty quickly becomes a very good friend of Sam’s, and as they grow closer, Sam starts to understand why she didn’t find herself wanting to kiss, or do anything more, with Bryan or Zack. She did, however, want to do those things with Kirsty, and the feelings were so strong and new, she simply couldn’t deny them.

I absolutely adored every second of this book. I could not put it down! The pages seemed to turn themselves, and I was simply along for the ride as the story played out in front of me. I loved Sam, she is an absolutely amazing character. She jumps between relationships without a break, and finds herself struggling with each one, but is almost trying to prove to herself that she is straight because she ‘has a boyfriend’. Although it never feels right, and she is always looking for excuses not to spend time with them. She is certainly troubled by the fact that she does not feel anything for any of her boyfriends, it is something that clearly worries her. She had grown up in a conservative, Christian household, and having gone to church so often, she has always been taught that things like homosexuality are a sin, and that a woman must marry a man and have children with him. The problem is that she definitely does not want to get that close to any man, but would quite happily do so with Kirsty. This book brings across Sam’s emotions wonderfully. She is nervous and afraid, but she doesn’t show it to anyone. The secrets she keeps to herself are enough to make her extremely unsettled, and bouncing between different people and the things they expect of her is slowly wearing her resolve down.

This book is full to the brim with drama, not only with Sam’s relationships but also with the people around her. There are break-ups, and a few stray kisses between people you wouldn’t expect would like each other, and on top of it all, it’s still school, and everyone has classes and homework! The social calendar gives Sam little time to sit and figure things out, for she is always going to one person’s house, or she has marching band, or has to do her homework. How she had time to even sleep with so much going on is remarkable!

Obviously, there is one character that I must loathe in every book. Sam’s ex-boyfriend, Bryan, is absolutely nasty. He can’t quite believe that Sam doesn’t want to be with him, and that after he broke up with her, she didn’t beg him to take her back. Whether he was slightly heartbroken or just bitter, there is no excuse for his actions in this book. He affected so many different people and made Sam’s life misery as he conducted a very serious blackmail agenda. Despite Bryan claiming to be heartbroken because of his previous girlfriend, and Sam leaving him bringing up past traumatic feelings, I could not find an ounce of sympathy to give to Bryan. Zack, on the other hand, was quite lovely, although rather full-on in the kissing department. Although she wasn’t attracted to him, he did treat Sam wonderfully, and I did feel sorry for him because there was no way Sam was ever going to like him back as much as he liked her.

Sam spends a lot of this book completely terrified that someone is going to find out about her and Kirsty, and mess up her life. She knows how strongly she feels for Kirsty, but her terror does cloud her judgement on quite a few occasions, and she brings a lot of drama down on herself. The fear that can surround realising you are not straight, and worrying about spending time with the person that you love in case someone sees you, is heartbreaking to read about. I just wanted to give Sam a hug, and tell her that I loved her no matter what.

This book was an absolute delight to read, and I enjoyed every second of it. If you love books with relationship drama, this is certainly the one for you! This is definitely an author to watch, as this book was amazing, and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

[Kelly Grattan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing I hate more than "all rainbows" reviews for books, especially when you know those initial reviews of any new book are those solicited by the author and their team. This is definitely one of those early reviews, but I'm going to strive to be honest with mine.

I'll begin by saying that as a 42 year-old, I have no desire to read YA books, but when a friend publishes one - and especially when it's her debut novel - you read it anyway. I was fairly excited about this one just for the fact that it's an LGBTQ book geared towards young people, of which we definitely need more. And, I was equally as excited because I have a specific teenager in my life who I couldn't wait to buy this for.

That being said, I really couldn't put this down. The only reason it took me 2 days to read was because I needed to spend some quality time this weekend with my husband, who is away every week for work. As someone who is very critical of books that appear to be on the "fluffier" side - a quick beach read or romance novel type book - those churned out with no real literally skill, this is definitely not that. This is a writer who can write and one who is going to put a real mark on this genre.

I was brought along for this ride through a teenager's discovery of her authentic self all the while being bullied. She was real, making mistake after regular teenage mistake. We've all been there. As someone who had it very, very rough in high school, I could readily relate. For what should have been a simple story that wasn't designed for adults, I should not have gotten as emotional as I did as I hit the climax and resolution. I still get slightly choked up as I remember the details. Think Queer Eye when the "star" of the episode is embraced for who they truly are but is also given the support needed to feel really good about it. Who doesn't get emotional at that?

All I can say to wrap this up is that we need more books just like this, as pre-teens, as teens, AND as adults.

P.S. If I had to criticize anything about this book it's that no teacher I've ever known or currently know would use the word "freaking" ; )

[Jessica Rush · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🏫👩‍💻💄🏖️👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏼

First and foremost, thank you to Diane Billas for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

Samantha "Shorty" Daniels is our lead in this book, and she is going through some typical teenage stuff when it comes to dating boys. What is not typical for her, is why she doesn't find it exciting to kiss the boy that she has daydreamed about for years. Fresh out of another relationship that she got broken up for because she 'didn't put out' put her in the perfect situation to start dating Zack, but to her disappointment, their first kiss was anything but sparkly. It doesn't help that it happened to also be the first day of the school year, and her ex-boyfriend, Bryan, of one day, is calling her names in class. Add the complication of having to show the new girl around, it's safe to say her first day isn't going to plan.

But to Shorty's surprise, Kristy is actually cool, despite her snarkiness. She wants to make sure she's not alone at lunch after one of the girls asks too many questions, and they end up being partnered for a lot of school class projects. So over the week, they get closer and she realises that maybe the feelings she feels aren't just friendly. Shorty has to deal with this, on top of being with Zack, and being harassed by Bryan (evil, evil boy).

This book is ultimately about the thoughts and feelings about realising that not straight, and dealing with both internal and external homophobia. Since I have been in the exact same position as Sam when I was in high school, when I started to realise I liked girls and not just friendly manner, I can emphasise what she was going through. What I didn't like was the way she dealt with it. But she learned her lesson, and in the end, everyone is happy.

I loved how Shorty and Kristy are basically opposites attract, one being short and the other being tall, one loving pink and one loving black. I loved that Kirsty was able to find happiness despite what happened to her when her family found out she was pansexual.

Thanks again to Diane.

[Booktokqutiepie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I begin my let me start by saying this is not my normal go to genre and that this book is a YA sapphic contemporary romance. meaning it is about high schoolers in their senior year exploring their feelings on sexuality. Read the trigger warnings and know what you are about to delve into before reading.

Sam aka Shorty our FMC is entering her senior year of high school. She has a plan or thinks she has a plan but the year starts off with some weird twists. One, her current boyfriend Bryan breaks up with her calling her a tease because she won’t go past smooching. That same night she speaks to her bestie Hannah and they talk about a fellow band mate Zach who she’s had a crush on for a long time. She thinks dating him could be the answer to her chemistry issues with her past boyfriends. For this to be a high school drama once she starts canoodling with Zach he makes her 4th boyfriend. So on the first day of school it co,es out that she already has a new boyfriend, that she’s student council prez, and that she’s been assigned to show the new girl Kristy around school.

Kristy and Sam click as friends right off and bond over a shared like of writing and reading. Without being too spoiler-y the pair gets closer while she is still dating Zach and their friendship begins to grow into more. Now the FMC struggles with voicing her feelings, lying to her friends, a religious family and a big time bully in her ex Brian.

This book made me remember just how awful high school could be but also about how the friends you make then that truly love and support you will always be there.

So yes Love in all forms always wins imo!

That being said since this is not a book I normally would have chosen to read as I am normally a dark fantasy romantasy shadow zaddy kind of girl for what this book is I would say it’s a solid 4 ⭐️

[Gwen Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am grateful for an Advanced Reader Copy of Does Love Always Win? by debut author, Diane Billas. It was an easy, enjoyable read that was hard to put down due to the pacing, writing, twists and turns and drama.

To be perfectly honest, Young Adult and sapphic stories are not my cup of tea ordinarily. As a heterosexual, happily married woman (for 36 years+), this is not the type of book that I'm drawn to. However, to be perfectly transparent, I used to work with Diane, so I was very interested to see the story that she'd talked about for so long, come to life.

I found myself drawn to the main characters of Sam/Shorty and Kristy right away and I couldn't help rooting for them. While Kristy was more self-assured, Shorty had to find her own way as she navigated love and her sexuality. Diane's spot-on character voices and language choices took me right back to high school where popular peeps, bullies (Bryan), testosterone-pumped boys (Zack and company) and catty girls often make life difficult for themselves and others.

Regardless of your sexual preference, there are so many pertinent themes in this book that all readers can enjoy: being your authentic self, trying to fit in, accepting others for who they are, not wanting to disappoint parents, speaking up for yourself, being honest, speaking up for others who are being bullied, and so many more.

Books like these are needed in today's world. Everyone deserves to be heard, including Shorty. Thank you, Diane, for telling her (your) story.

Does Love Always Win? I won’t spoil the ending by answering that question. A question, by the way, that so many people, regardless of their sexuality, often wonder. Diane sets out to answer that question in her debut novel. And answer it… she does!

[Robin Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to the author for the eArc!

Does Love Always Win? was fun, fast, and flirty!!! Shorty is this cute, popular, pink-loving girl who seems to have a very normal high school experience when we’re introduced to her-except that none of her relationships feel right.

She goes through a break-up right from the beginning of the book, but readers see almost immediately that it’s not a big deal. She’s had quite a few boyfriends, and she seems only a little concerned that break-ups don’t bother her the way they should.

To cope with this break-up, Shorty jumps into her ideal relationship with a guy she’s had a crush on forever—only it’s not really ideal. Turns out the relationship was better in her head, and Shorty just isn’t physically attracted to him.

BUT she is physically attracted to the new girl, Christy, who is pansexual and confident. As they get closer, we get all of these swoony scenes!!! I'll tease with two phrases: hot tub and beach scene!

Shorty is still nervous about coming out because everything is so new, but she also doesn't want to lead on her new boyfriend either.

Enter Shorty’s ex from the beginning of the book, who immediately starts blackmailing Shorty. He wants revenge, and he’s trying to take down as many people as possible.

The tension is high as Shorty risks losing everyone she loves. I highly recommend reading to find out if love win 💖

[Bruce Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam “Shorty” Daniels is a busy high school senior with a seriously complicated social life. Her ex-boyfriend, Bryan, is a true jerk. Her current boyfriend, Zack, generally is a nice guy, but Sam isn’t feeling any spark with him.

In fact, she’s not feeling anything romantic about any of the boys at her school. Sam dates guys because she thinks that’s what she’s supposed to do. All the girls at her lunch table have boyfriends and Sam wants to fit in, and can’t understand why she isn't attracted to guys.

Then Kristy, a new student, joins their group and Sam figures it out! Kristy is out and proud—and Sam is smitten. The problem, then, becomes figuring out how to tell her boyfriend, friend, and conservative parents that she’s queer. It’s a problem that becomes much more complicated when one of her classmates discovers her secret and threatens to use it against Sam if she doesn’t do exactly what he says.

Author Diane Billas handles a complex issue with a great deal of care and kindness. Unfortunately, many LGBTQ+ kids don’t feel comfortable sharing their authentic selves with their peers or even their family. So Does Love Always Win? is an important story to tell, because it reminds these kids they aren’t alone.

Billas also does a great job of creating and juggling a large, interesting cast of characters. I certainly found myself rooting for Sam & Kristy, and I bet fans of teen dramas and rom-coms will as well. I’m excited for Billas’ next book, Superficial, a YA superhero LGBTQ+ novel releasing September 2024.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to the author for an ARC of “Does Love Always Win?” This review is based on that ARC which I have just finished reading.

I had hoped to have finished the book and posted my review on release day, but working on my PhD had to take priority.

This story was full of complicated feelings for Shorty that she was eventually able to come to terms with. Kristy was an absolutely fantastic, self-assured character who I absolutely loved. Her experiences are important and relatable, providing hope to people struggling with accepting their identity and showing it can be okay in the end. The message of the book is vital for anyone who wants to pick this up, but especially for young queer people.

The book was a bit confusing at times due to the flow seeming to jump a little bit, likely through the editing process. There were also several grammatical mistakes throughout the book, which sometimes made it a little difficult to read. (These may have been corrected prior to the official release. My review is based on the ARC I received.)

Either way, I found myself enjoying it due to the important message, well written characters, relatable story and the fluffy scenes within the book.

A final note: The writing really helped in not liking the character Bryan due to the behaviour he presents throughout the book. This character plot line was very well done by the author.

[Melody (buenobooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does love always win? A sweet and romantic YA read.

I received this as an ARC but as always will be completely honest with my reviews.

I really enjoy the topic of this story, focusing on the LGBTQIA+ community, a book I wish was around when I was younger. A great take on discovering yourself.

The Main FMC Sam aka Shorty, is a high achiever who is struggling to figure out who she is and why she is feeling something is always not right or missing. She then meets Kristy, who is pansexual and also going through some family issues of her own. There was many different topics discussed through this story.

As the book went on I did notice some grammatical errors and the use of incorrect tenses. Things like this really effect me when reading as I tend to get quite immersed in the story and if something small is off it tends to take me out of the story altogether. I feel as this is debut novel, small things like this really need to be focused on more, but in saying this, it could be that different parts of the world speak differently or done for more realism.

Overall this is definitely a YA novel and an easy read. Sweet and not too heavy hitting despite the subject matter.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshing and positive story about self-discovery and self-acceptance.

Sam, AKA Shorty, is a typical high school senior excited to start her year. Better yet, the guy she has has a crush on forever wants to be her boyfriend! How much better could senior year get? But when they kiss, things just don't feel right for Shorty. She is confused and doesn't want to hurt anyone. Then she meets Kristy, a new girl to her school, and everything changes. Her senior year is definitely going to be different than she expected.

This story roped me in and I couldn't put it down. The character development of Shorty throughout the book is absolutely phenomenal. Every chapter leaves you wanting more. The story is one of trial and hardship while finding yourself and accepting yourself for who you are. The author does such a beautiful job writing about heavier topics with grace and positivity. Life is not always what it seems and sometimes people surprise you (in positive and negative ways). Does Love Always Win is a fantastic and quick read that is a definite for people who enjoy YA LGBTQ+ romance.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the author. Thank you😊
Actually ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 star.

The whole message this story transmits is so freaking important. I have seen myself through Sam, even though I'm bi, the struggle of understanding certain feelings about who do you feel attraction, and the religious guilt is so strong, being scared of being rejected... it really delivers that. I truly appreciate it.

The reason isn't 5 stars was partly because some of the writing felt a little all over the place in some parts of it, it felt a little rushed, and I feel that I didn't get to know much about Kristy. However, I believe it has to do that this novel main focus was not about the romance but about Sam coming of age and finally, finding herself after years of self-doubt and heteronormativity.

Overall, this is a beautiful YA novel, and I recommended it to anyone who loves a lgbt+ coming of age story.

Also, I can't wait to see this author's growth in the coming years because I feel this author has a lot to tell, and they have a really good voice to do it.

[Emm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via RABT.

Does Love Always Win? I can’t answer that, because it would spoil the reading experience. What I can tell you, is my own personal reading experience. This book is all about self-discovery as our main character Sam “Shorty” Daniels as she explores her sexuality and begins to fine out who she truly is. The characters (although shallow and predictable at times) are well-written and have a surprising degree of depth and complexity. I enjoyed seeing Shorty grow throughout the story, learn more about herself, and begin to accept herself as she is. I enjoyed the overall plot, however, I did think that parts of the story felt rushed. That being said, the story held my attention.

The message of the novel is multi-faceted and valuable. I consider this to be a well-written and well-edited novel, whose publication will be embraced with fervor and enthusiasm. I recommend this book and will eagerly anticipate future publications from this author.

[Carmen DaVinleam · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read a book, it starts out at 5 stars. I always go in telling myself that I’m going to love this book. As I read things can happen that makes it lose stars along the way. Bad grammar, poor story, or other things like that. However there are times when the story can gain stars back as well. All that being said, let me tell you what I think about Does Love Always Win? By Diane Billas.

I received this book as an ARC copy, but I need you to know that as soon as I can get my hands on the actual paperback, hardback, whatever physical copy, I’m going to do exactly that.

Our main character Sam (Shorty to her friends) is a try hard young woman with everything to prove. She’s doing so much; her plate is so full. She’s got an attractive boyfriend, (she’s had several for that matter) but something is still missing… she’s not sure what. Shorty is just trying to stay afloat in high school while trying to be what everyone wants her to be. She does whatever is expected of her but she’s realizing that none of those things are the right things.

Especially when making out with her hot boyfriend, and all she can do is think about all the other things she needs to be doing.

She gives her mom a hard time, but what teen doesn’t, especially when her mom keeps sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong (so valid, Shorty, I get it.)

But when Shorty meets the new girl, Kristy, things start to shift, to change, and Shorty begins to question herself more than she already does.

I won’t give big spoilers for this book (but I'll flag it as spoilers in case anyone is like me and hates any spoilers at all) as I think it’s a must read for anyone interested in the LGBTQ journey. I enjoyed following along Shorty’s path, and seeing where she ended up. Sam/Shorty is a middle-class young woman/band geek/writer/student-council-president and this book follows her through a journey that many have gone through, and it is worth the read. Especially if you yourself are on the fence about who you may or may not like/love/fancy.

This book was an easy read, with few grammatical errors. There were some tense shifts every now and then, too, but no book is perfect when it comes to grammar, there’s going to be a couple of errors here and there. It could also boil down to people from different places speak differently, so it might be geographical and not errors at all. Though the errors were not distracting, I only mention it, because I mention grammar in every review I write.

My biggest issue with the book is that I didn’t feel like Kristy’s story line was over, which could mean a sequel, but I don’t know if that’s in the works or not. I loved Kristy as a character, and wanted more for and about her journey, too. To round her out even more and close her story line.

I liked almost every side character, especially the teachers, they were so relatable and real. I felt like I was back in a classroom full of teens! I also like that this book touched on bullying, too.

Be sure to read all trigger warnings before you pick this book up. But it was a quick read and I enjoyed it very much.

My rating started at 5, went down to a four due to the grammatical stuff I mentioned before, but then by the end came back up to a five because I was happy with the ending. I love a good LGBTQ novel and I feel like this one did a good job staying true to itself and the characters inside its pages.

Would read again. Would recommend to others. Will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

Does Love Always Win? is a heartfelt story that centers on a high school student’s journey of self-discovery.

(I don’t plan to write much in the way of spoilers, but have tagged this review as containing such just in case.)

Shorty is a likable and relatable protagonist, and I found myself rooting for her throughout her successes, as well as throughout the choices (which might be seen in hindsight as mistakes) that she makes when she feels trapped with limited options.

Shorty’s anxiety regarding her life’s developments and crises is palpable, and her day-to-day thought process is very understandable & human - I feel many people will relate to these things.

In bringing us this journey of self-acceptance, along with plot themes of bullying, coming out, and managing extra-curricular activities (in addition to the cast of Shorty’s friends, family, and love interest), the Author crafts a well-rounded and enjoyable tale.

[Clinton Chico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book. “Does Love Always Win?” is a LGBTQ YA novel that mixes romance with coming of age elements. One of its best selling points are the characters- they’re bright, vibrant, and authentic (almost to a fault). While the plot is mostly centered around basic high school drama, it’s the characters that make you want to take the ride. Each character feels real and unique, and the dialogue is full of personality.

Now, the one caveat - this is a YA novel, which means it’s full of high schoolers. I, myself, write YA so I know the stigma the genre can sometimes get - writing that is dumbed down, plots that are silly - and I promise you this is NOT that. The writing is sharp and the pacing is fluid. It’s a very fun read in all the best ways.
HOWEVER it is also full of high school characters who occasionally do really stupid high school things, and if that annoys you, you might not like this book. Even the good kids, like Shorty and Kristy, are sometimes shallow and self-absorbed, like when they hyper-fixate on who sits where at lunch. They hop in, out, and then back into relationships, sometimes in a matter of hours. There’s a lot of “being with someone to make someone else jealous” and a lot of deliberate miscommunication. Like I said, they’re high schoolers that are authentic to a fault.
The fact that I had to watch Shorty and her friends make one really bad decision after another didn’t stop me from enjoying the book, but it did keep it from being a perfect read (it’s still a very enjoyable one). A great book for a YA audience, or any adult who wants a fun story with diversity, representation, and a HEA.

[Doug Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does Love Always Win? is the tale of Sam (Shorty) and Kristy meeting and ultimately falling for each other, with a painful detour while Shorty considers her own orientation. Since this is high school, there is also a great deal of teenage angst. Beyond that, there is a serious bullying incident, parental rejection and forced outing. The story arc does not sugar coat these things, even if some of them are resolved with unexpected ease.

One issue with the plot is the very distracting dating activities of most of the teenagers in the supporting cast. They spend all their time getting into, and then out of, relationships. As the dating couples all change partners every few scenes the developing relationship between Shorty and Kristy keeps disappearing amongst the swirling hormones. Towards the end things eventually settle down enough for the reader to focus on Shorty and Kristy. After several messy scenes the couple do get together in time for a satisfying conclusion.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Daniels thinks she knows what her senior year is going to entail- she has her best friend Hannah and a new boyfriend Zack, who she has been lusting after for years. Her whole world is shaken up by the emergence of a new girl, Kristy, a transfer student. Sam, aka Shorty, has dating multiple boys over the years, but she never really enjoyed kissing them. Upon meeting Kristy, Sam realizes the reasons why: perhaps she likes girls. There is a boy in the grade, Bryan, who is committed to making Sam life a living hell, and upon realizing that Sam is engaged in a lesbian relationship, he blackmails her. She is forced to stay in a relationship with Zack to prevent Bryan from exposing her secrets, which causes Kristy to blow up at her due to being placed in the middle of the strange triangle. Sam is stuck deciding should she come out or should she give in to the blackmail? Read Does Love Always Win by Diane Billas to find out.
#bookloungereviewteam

[Samantha Picaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate and grateful to receive the ARC. I finished this book very quickly because it was so good and cute. Shorty was a refreshing main character not only because she's the LGBTQIA+ representation that is still needed in literature but also because perfectly embodies the pressure that teens feel to fit in and find themselves.
Kristy was my favorite character. She didn’t exist just to help Shorty discover herself. She had her own goals and struggles, and made her own share of mistakes, making her just as human as Shorty. She’s also one of the few pansexual characters I have seen in books.
I definitely encourage readers to add this to their TBR list if they enjoy sweet romances, stories of self-discovery, and the inclusion of serious themes such as bullying and coming out.
***(I received the ARC for free in exchange for an honest review).

[Ashli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted an ARC of this novel.

This novel is the opposite of what I have been reading but in a good way. I'm used to reading books with LOTS of spice, so this book was a breath of fresh air.
As a high school teacher, I could see many of my students in the characters of Sam aka Shorty, Kristy, Hannah, ack, Tyler, Erin, Cashi, and, unfortunately, Bryan. This world has many Bryan's in it, but it also has plenty of Shorty's, Kristy's, and Cashi's.

This was a YA novel that covered many topics that high schoolers are dealing with in today's world. Trying to fit into a mold that society or their family thinks they should fit into and the author does a great job of telling Shorty's story.

I like to keep my reviews free of spoilers, so readers can go into stories blind and really enjoy the book more. I have to say, I really enjoyed this story and I am really looking forward to reading more from this author.