It’s no wonder genre fiction has ardent devotees, myself included. It taps into the same deep-seated desire for story that has kept orally transmitted tales alive for millennia. Words like convention and trope are often used negatively, but creativity actually flourishes within structure. Craftspeople, musicians, and artists master form and technique before applying their own interpretations to their pursuits. When readers and authors are in harmony around fundamental genre expectations, readers are free to focus on other details, from characterization to social commentary. Romance explores selfhood, understanding one’s true desires, negotiating interpersonal conflict, and developing communication skills, all core parts of the adolescent experience. Here are some delightful, textured teen romances to revel in.
Vivid settings form the backdrop for two romances with strong senses of place: French Kissing in New York by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (Delacorte, Jan. 3) and The Karma Map by Nisha Sharma (Skyscape, March 1). In the former, a small-town French girl explores New York City, seeking the American boy she spent a single romantic night with. In the latter, Tara Bajaj and Silas D’Souza-Gupta, teens on a religious pilgrimage around North India, bond as they explore many facets of identity.
When you live at home and are financially dependent on your parents, your family’s feelings about your romantic entanglements will inevitably matter. Bengali American Zahra in The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim (Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster, Jan. 3), queer Black Mahalia in Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garrett (Knopf, Jan. 10), and the Chinese Filipina protagonist of Chloe and the Kaishao Boys by Mae Coyiuto (Putnam, March 7) wrestle with dilemmas—from socio-economic factors to cultural and parental expectations—as they follow their hearts.
When you know someone long enough, your relationship will evolve. Friendships become strained—and sometimes they bounce back and turn into something more. In 6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe (Little, Brown, Jan. 24), two girls whose mothers are best friends have been thrown together through life’s ups and downs, not always happily. But now their emotional intimacy gradually grows into romantic love. Gloria Chao’s When You Wish Upon a Lantern (Viking, Feb. 14) follows lifelong friends Liya and Kai, whose parents are rival shop owners. After an early romantic overture went awry, they’ve awkwardly avoided each other, but Liya’s new business endeavor paves the way for a do-over.
Nothing says love like being seen and wholeheartedly accepted. Miles, the protagonist of Always the Almost by Edward Underhill (Wednesday Books, Feb. 14), was hurt when his boyfriend Shane broke up with him after Miles came out as trans. Miles wants Shane to change his mind and take him back—until he meets Eric, a boy who falls for him just as he is. In The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher (Wednesday Books, March 14), two teens meet while working at a Renaissance faire. Arthur genuinely finds Madeline beautiful; she struggles with negative feelings about her size as part of her journey to accepting his affection—and her own body.
In this digital age, it’s easy to hide your identity, as the couples in NerdCrush by Alisha Emrich (Running Press Kids, Feb. 7) and Chaos Theory by Nic Stone (Crown, Feb. 28) learn. In Emrich’s debut, Ramona, whose love for anime and manga is not respected by her family, reaches out to her classmate and crush, Caleb—but as her cosplay alter ego, Rel. When will she reveal the truth? In Stone’s latest novel, which compassionately explores race, family, and mental health, Andy doesn’t know at first that the girl he texted by accident—and has bared his soul to—is really his classmate Shelbi.
Laura Simeon is a young readers’ editor.
