Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Loveless

I don’t think I ever felt so seen like this. Like omg, Georgia, yes I love fanfic too but the idea of romance irl? No, not for me. At least it seems very unlikely to happen

I 110% recommend it to anyone who resonated with the blurb, it’s such a good book with aromantic asexual representation.

~~Also, I found a~~ ~~playlist of a fanmade audiobook till the end of Part 2 - High Standards chapter (page 87)~~~~. I didn’t listen to it but it's free so…~~

Content Warnings

proza's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was a really enjoyable read.
It's safe to say that my AroAce self-discovery experience is not exactly the same as Georgia's, but they are quite similar in many ways and there were so many aspects of it that felt so relatable to me, and reading those parts made me feel seen and valid.
This book also provided me with the vocabulary I needed to express my feelings and my desires, and for that I am very greatful to Alice Oseman.

Now I'll go over the other parts of the book.
The general plot – while predictable at times – was enjoyable. All main characters were extremely likeable, and they each felt like their own individual people with unique personalities.
I feel like Oseman used the first-person perspective remarkably well; Georgia's narrated the story using her own voice and it made me understand her perspective and motives much better.
That being said, the story is fast from perfect. I felt like most of the problems and obstacles that Georgia went through were resolved much too quickly and easily (one example would be

how Jason forgave her way too quickly and seemed to forget she ever hurt him after her apology

), and that other characters reacted to things in a way that felt out of place for them.
Another problem I think I need to cknowledge is that the book only presents one AroAce experience , and I think that it doesn't clarify the fact that there are other ways to be aromantic or asexual well enough. It is important to remember that there are infinitely many ways to be AroAce, and that all of them are completely valid.

Overall, I think that while it has many flaws, it is a very good book that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I am glad to have read it.

Content Warnings

booksjessreads's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Loveless was such a joy to read. I haven't read a book that so candidly and unapologetically discusses asexuality like this book does.

Oseman's writing is really easy to read and this book has fast pacing. Despite the subject matter, especially our main character discovering her sexuality, the fast pacing doesn't make the plot or characters hard to understand.

I often find YA predictable and sometimes too cliche and I find sometimes, there can be a lot of info dumping which makes the read less engaging. However, despite this book being predictable in places, the writing was really smooth and it was a really enjoyable read. I really enjoyed the exploration of asexuality in this book. It was covered in a really good level of detail which is both engaging from a YA perspective, but also written in a way that makes it easy to understand for someone that may not know much about asexuality.

A really good read and would highly recommend!

Content Warnings

kyliebliss's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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jordan_noel's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I really did love this book. I’d never read or seen any shows or books that explored the aro-ace spectrum so thoroughly. It was detailed and funny and heartwarming. The characters made sense and we’re extremely lovable and made difficult decisions with a continuous caution in mind, even though many did go wrong.

Despite everything that fell apart in the book, there was continual love, shown in many different forms. There was an overall sense of togetherness that can make practically any “un-belonging” reader feel welcome.

The only thing I really have to criticize about this book was the placement of the last scene. It showed a depth to Rooney and Pip that I thought would’ve fit in great had it been in its chronological position. But because it was at the end of the book, it felt like a missed opportunity to explore that same depth throughout the book in all of the main characters. I did enjoy its inclusion, I just wish it had been in its chronological place.

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theashtree's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

As an aroace person, this book made me feel more seen than media has ever made me feel. Highly recommend to a-spec people who need some good representation, people with a-spec friends, people who want to learn more about the ace and aro spectrums or just anyone looking for a good read!

Content Warnings

maple_dove's review

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emotional hopeful reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book is so good.

Loveless follows Georgia Warr (She/Her), a first-year in college with two best friends. She yearns for a romantic relationship like the movies. However, she will find that that is not what she really wants.

What I liked/loved:

The aroace rep. I like that Georgia is an aroace character which doesn't hate the idea of romantic or sexual relationships (initially). Not everyone aroace person is repulsed by the idea of romance or sex and with the heteronormativity many of us live in, even aroace people can get confused on what we actually want.
The non-romantic, but full-of-love relationships. Love is often characterized as something solely romantic. This book challenges that falsehood, and I'm all for it.
Discussion about LGBTQ issues. Always.
Character arcs where it reveals people are not always as they seem. People often have more depth than we can perceive first glance.
Georgia Warr. She's quiet and awesome. A great combination, no matter what society says. 💛

What I Didn't Like

There was nothing I could particularly point as "flaws." Loveless is amazing. The characters feel so realistic and real.

Favorite Quotes:

In the end, that was the problem with romance. It was so easy to romanticize romance because it was everywhere. It was in music and on TV and in filtered Instragram photos. It was in the air, crisp and alive with fresh possibility. It was in falling leaves, crumbling wooden doorways, scuffed cobblestones and fields of dandelions. It was in the touch of hands, scrawled letters, crumpled sheets, and the golden hour. A soft yawn, early morning laughter, shoes lined up together by the door. Eyes across the dance floor.

"Anyway, you're only eighteen, you've got so much time--" I started to say, but didn't know how to continue.
[...]
It was something that adults said all the time. You'll change your mind when you're older. You never know what might happen. You'll feel differently one day. As if we teenagers knew so little about yourselves that we could wake up one day a completely different person. As if the person we are right now doesn't matter at all.
The whole idea that people always grew up, fell in love, and got married was a complete lie.

Friends are automatically classed as "less important" than romantic partners. I'd never questioned that. It was just the way the world was. I guess if always felt that friendship just couldn't compete with what a partner offered, and that I never really experience real love until I found romance.
But if that had been true, I probably wouldn't have felt like this.
[...]
I had been so desperate for my idea of true love that I couldn't even see it when it was right in front of my face.

"Actually," I said, trying as hard as I could to keep the irritation out of my voice, "I'm not really interested in getting a boyfriend."
"Oh, well," she said, patting my leg again, "plenty of time, my love. Plenty of time."
But my time is now, I wanted to scream. My life is happening right now.

"You're OK with--with just being friends?" I asked.
He smiled and took my hand again. "'Just friends' makes it sound like being friends is worse. I think this is better, personally, considering how terrible that kiss was."
I squeezed his hand. "I agree."

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