A review by cassimiranda
Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

emotional funny inspiring 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? No

4.0

This is a single POV romance novel focusing on an asexual woman named Alice, her post-breakup love interest, her best friends, and her search for a career path. It is marketed by a YA imprint, but I'm not sure why given that the protagonist is halfway through college. Is it the lack of explicated sex? If so, that's disappointing given the focus of the book is very much on her asexuality. I also found several early scenes painfully cringe worthy - by which I mean they caused major secondhand embarrassment for me as the reader.

Still, I think that there is a lot to love here. It isn't about Alice discovering her aceness or about coming out. She knows who she is and what she wants. The author explains Alice's sexuality, but it doesn't feel overly didactic. Takumi, the love interest, is a cinnamon roll. Their relationship is the best part of the story for me. Her two best friends... well, I wished I liked them more.

Their possessiveness is infantilizing, and I really wished Alice had asked them why they don't get a dog and name it Seymour Asses if they wanted a devoted shadow who would sit and wait for their attention forever. [Think Alice would be proud of my Futurama reference?]

The final conflict is between Alice and her parents. I'm torn here, because I think it was done well - but on a surface level. I wanted more depth because

what we did get also felt like Alice was being treated as a tween not a college aged woman.

That is a repeat theme in the book, clearly. I wish it hadn't been, given the stereotypes about ace people. I smiled a lot, I liked Alice, and I loved Takumi. Also, the low-key Buffy reference gets bonus points! So despite the disappointing elements this is still a four star for me.