When it comes to romance novels, a common trend is girl meets boy, they develop a case of the hots, problem strikes, and with their love they solve the problem and live happily ever after. I won’t lie, they’re fun to read, no doubt. Like any other genre, it gives the reader a chance to jump into another’s life and escape from the mundane. Though, it is a bit more difficult to live vicariously though a character when you can’t relate to them. Sure, use a dash of “suspension of disbelief” and you’re all set, but it really is not the same.

My own preferences are a bit more niche, and heck, I’m still figuring some of that out, but nevertheless, I decided to find books that fit me better. After some light research on what exists out there, I discovered a book called Perfect Rhythm by Jae (yep, one name), which has a homoromantic, asexual lead (say that three times quick). If you don’t know what that means, it’s just that the main character romantically likes people of their own gender and does not experience sexual attraction. I don’t fit that description perfectly, but it works better than an overly heterosexual story. Now, a little bit about the book:

After returning home due to her father’s stroke, world famous pop star Leo “Jenna” has run-in after run-in with her father’s home care nurse, Holly. What starts as minor squabbles turns into appreciation, and the two find that even though their lives are drastically different, they can’t help but fawn over the other. Each side has their fears with the relationship, though. Holly is asexual and has reservations about a relationship with a sexual person. She also doesn’t want to leave her home town if the relationships flourishes. As for Leo, she has to deal with her father’s disappointment towards her career and sexuality, as well as remember how to get along in rural life.

I gushed to a friend about how much I enjoyed this book, both for its story and its inclusion, and they summed it up better than I could: “This is why representation matters.” I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment; I never internalized it so fully until I experienced it for myself. The book is well-written, has a semi-believable story (how often do mega pop stars return home and fall in love with someone from a different world than their own?), had no major plot holes or discrepancies, explained the characters’ preferences without it feeling like an info dump, and was respectful of the readers. Oh, yep, you read that last one correctly. There was a content warning before an explicit chapter. I’ve never seen that in a book before, and although I read the chapter anyways, I felt so… cared for? By a book? I surprised myself by how much I appreciated that. Overall, I give this book a 5/5 for being so well rounded and enjoyable. Would read again.

Happy reading,
-Beppa