Shapes of Love

Sasha is 19, but at a time when many people her age are going off to college, she’s on a different path. She’s better known as Sassy, a popstar whose first album threw her into the limelight. Her fans are desperate to know who inspired her songs, but Sasha has no interest in romance. She’s aromantic and asexual. However, a run in with her estranged best friend leads to a PR relationship with him.

There are not enough books with aromantic and asexual characters, especially not ones that take a close look at what love means. Sasha is a fantastic vessel for this book, primarily because of her position in the spotlight. She wants to come out, has to a few people, but her manager encourages her not to come out to her fans. It leaves her torn. Should she be true to herself or come out and risk disappointing her fans? Those worries are added by the messages Sasha receives from fans who have been heavily impacted by her music.

I think the topic of love is explored fantastically in this book. Sasha is grappling with what love means to her and how she is meant to exist in a world that does not create space for people like her. It’s a very interesting discussion and the author manages to discuss it well.

The characters in this book are fantastic! They all feel alive, even the characters I didn’t like. No one felt flat or one-dimensional, they all seemed to have a life outside of Sasha, one that influences who they are as a person. This book was brimming with life and love because of these characters, because they felt so true to life and real.

The age rating for this book threw me for a bit. The book is marketed as a YA romance and it does read like a YA book. However, there are moments where certain topics such as sex or marijuana usage are discussed so frankly and openly that I did wonder if the book was better suited for a New Adult label. I know that teens often have these discussions, but the way they were discussed in the book did not seem to match that of a YA novel.

The story in this book is fantastic. It’s one that tackles the pros and cons of being a star, especially at such a fragile age. It also tackles other conversations around social norms and love. I cannot understate how impactful I found some of these conversations to be. But even with a lot of heavy discussions, the book never felt like it dragged or was hitting you over the head with its messaging. The plot was driven forward by conflict and relationships, constantly moving in a way that made it hard to put the book down.

A fantastic love story about finding your family and being true to yourself, SHAPES OF LOVE surpassed my expectations. It manages to be deeply moving while also having a good dose of humor and fun. A perfect choice for someone looking for a love story but not a romance.