Heart-Stopping Books to Pick Up After Finishing Season 2 of Heartstopper 

It’s never too late to start the series everyone’s talking about. Boy meets boy, they become friends, then fall in love. This sweet coming-of-age YA graphic novel series is just as heartwarming as the title suggests. Exploring fledgling love, friendship, coming out and all the high school drama along the way, it’s the perfect time to start discovering this emotional but uplifting series with a B&N Exclusive Edition of Volume 1 coming this November and Volume 5 coming in December.  

Prepare for university and a long-distance relationship alongside Nick and Charlie as Nick gets ready to head off to college. As the two try to wrap their minds on a year apart, they wonder if their relationship has what it takes to stay together.  It’s the perfect quick read filled with teenage angst, relatable college situations and “what if” moments that stay with you long after the last page. 

One challenging holiday season reunites Tori, her little brother Charlie and his boyfriend Nick as the three try to set aside their heartache for a harmonious Christmas day. A beautifully rendered tale of sibling dynamics and early love, This Winter can be read as a stand-alone (or between Heartstopper, Volume 4 and Solitaire in the Heartstopper timeline). 

The novel that first introduced Nick and Charlie through Tori (Charlie’s older sister), Solitaire gives us a chance to meet her as she struggles to find herself. Tori’s rawness and dark humor will charm readers as she tries to uncover a mystery and survive high school in this first US printing of Alice Oseman’s debut. Discover more about Tori and her melancholy in this guest post from David Levithan, Alice Oseman’s US Editor. 

Time Out is a charming coming-of-age story about a basketball player who discovers who he is without the sport when he comes out and his town and team become hostile towards him. This is a slam dunk of a queer romance with themes of grief, love and prejudice. 

R. Eric Thomas’s YA debut about two Black queer best friends spending one final day together before one of them moves away is a joyous and wild ride in the same vein as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Tenderhearted and funny, Kings of B’More is an unforgettable tale of friendship and belonging as the best laid plans go awry.  

Pop star, actor, director-turned-author Hayley Kiyoko debuts her first novel based on her hit song with Girls Like Girls. A sapphic summery read, this is a touching and empowering story of self-acceptance and first love.

A warm story of two teens on the cusp of adulthood, Bloom is a perfect concoction of sweet (romance) and salty (growing up). A delightful story of innocence and the courage to dream, this graphic novel brings together two teens trying to decide what’s next after high school.   

A queer enemies-to-lovers tale about rival family businesses fighting for survival, Café Con Lychee is the perfect fusion of tenderness and determination. With characters messier than a brand new cook in the kitchen, this rom-com is both humorous and heartfelt as two teens in a Romeo and Juliet type rivalry begin to fall for each other.  

Adapted from the popular webcomic, Check, Please! is a slow-burn romance between two college hockey players as they compete in a very physical sport. Both playful and sweet, this graphic novel is an irresistible tale full of drama, mishaps and pithy banter. 

Pick up Boy Meets Boy for a queer YA romcom full of finding, losing and pursuing love. Grab a copy of our exclusive edition for an author’s note, a Q&A and a musical biography of the book, check out David Levithan’s guest post about the way queer representation in YA has evolved over the years, and then hear how Boy Meets Boy started as a short story in his Poured Over episode. 

In a rivals-to-lovers tale about two hockey players vying for the top spot in the NHL draft, A.L. Graziadei breaks the ice with his YA debut. A refreshing story of family legacy, mental health and identity, Icebreaker is the perfect novel to pick up for anyone who enjoys sports fiction, but the romance shines even if you’re not a hockey fan.  

A talented seamstress creates dazzling gowns for a prince’s alter ego to wear in The Prince and the Dressmaker, a delightful fairy tale about identity, art and family. With whimsical illustrations and a stellar story, this graphic novel is a journey of self-acceptance, first love and secrets.  

A reality-show inspired rom-com about two girls and their ex-boyfriend, Never Ever Getting Back Together is a sizzling tale of love, hate — and banter. One ex-girlfriend is ready for vengeance and the other is open to a second chance, so get ready for a story full of drama, revenge and a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you swooning. 

Becky Albertalli has brought us brilliant journeys of self-discovery and queer identity in beloved stories like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and What If It’s Us; now we’re getting Imogen, Obviously. A striking story of identity exploration and change, Albertalli’s latest novel is full of humor and compassion that is sure to resonate with many readers.   

A sapphic spin on fake dating, this is a fresh and luminous story of two girls who enter a mutually beneficial pact. Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating is a richly nuanced novel of identity, deception and the messiness of love.