I KISSED A GIRL

A movie star and a makeup artist fall in love on the set of a horror movie.

Noa Birnbaum has just dropped out of UCLA for a makeup gig on a real Hollywood production. Even though it’s a low-budget horror flick called Scareodactyl, Noa loves horror movies, and she’ll gain valuable experience for her portfolio. As an added bonus, she’ll be working with actress Lilah Silver, her longtime crush. Lilah hopes this role, her first leading part, will finally put her career on the map and pave the way to landing more prestigious films. Alexander’s debut has all the hallmarks of new-adult romance: It's about young people freshly out in the world experiencing the awkward, emotional struggles of a first relationship. Lilah is plagued with insecurities: She knows she can act, but too many people assume she’s just a pretty face. She is comfortable with her bisexuality but has never had a relationship with a woman. Meanwhile, Noa feels awkward around Lilah’s cool, Hollywood smoothness. Noa grapples with her own internalized misogyny, which causes her to unthinkingly judge Lilah’s more traditionally femme traits and interests. Lilah and Noa are attracted to each other, but they are young and inexperienced, and their romantic tension is rooted in misunderstandings and snap judgments. They each make assumptions about the other’s behavior, which stalls their budding relationship. Both women’s fears and worries are detailed in long internal monologues, but without action or forward progress their thoughts sometimes devolve to navel-gazing. Production problems and the threat of a stalker bring movement and action to this warm, gentle romance.

A sweet, low-heat debut will appeal to readers who like introspective, angst-y romances.