Brothers of the Vine
Forever Evermore
Women of W.A.R.
Netflix’s Heartstopper is returning this week, we’re getting the final seasons of High School Musical: The Series: The Musical AND Sex Education in the next few months, and Amazon’s movie adaptation of Red, White and Royal Blue is dropping next week!
What a time to be alive!
If, like me, you’re in the mood for queer young adult romance with ALL the feels, here are some reading and watching recs for you!
Watch: Heartstopper (2022-present)
Teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love.
Watch it on: Netflix
Read: If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber
Sometimes love has its own script.
Harry wants nothing more than to write Hollywood screenplays. The first step? Winning the screenwriting competition that will guarantee admission into the college of his dreams. With his priorities set, he’s determined to spend his summer free of distractions — also known as boys — and finish his script. After last year, Harry is certain love only exists in the movies anyway.
But then the cause of his first heartbreak, Grant, returns with a secret that could change everything — not to mention, there’s a new boy in town, Logan, who is so charming and sweet, he’s making Harry question everything he knows about romance. As Harry tries to keep his emotions in check and stick to his perfect plan for the future, he’s about to learn that life doesn’t always follow a script.
‘A romantic hero’s journey with a happy ending that will leave you smiling and swooning. If You Change Your Mind shows readers they have the power to write their own stories, even when their hearts are pulling them in different directions. I loved it!’
– Adam Silvera, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End
‘Fresh, funny, and full of heart – I adored If You Change Your Mind. The perfect summer romance!’ – Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of Take Me Home Tonight
Watch: Heartbreak High (2022-present)
Amerie, along with her news friends Quinni and Darren, must navigate love, sex and heartbreak at Hartley High.
Watch it on: Netflix
Read: A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron
Edward Dinnissen leads a charmed life. He’s the Crown Prince of Canada, gets the royal treatment at his exclusive private school, and resides in a ritzy mansion. He thrives off being the perfect prince as he prepares for the Investiture Ceremony on his eighteenth birthday, the final step in his role as heir — and Canada’s future king. But this closeted crown prince has just one tiny problem: he’s unsure how to tell his parents, his beloved country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.
Billy Boone should be happy with the simple life. His family’s ranch is his favorite place in the world, he loves his small town, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. So why does it feel like something’s still missing? Maybe it has to do with the fact that this proud-and-out cowboy feels destined for something more…
When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City, they discover that they are long-lost twins, and their lives are forever changed. Together, will these twin princes — ‘twinces’ — be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal train wreck?
Watch: Sex Education (2019-present)
Socially awkward high school student Otis may not have much experience in the lovemaking department, but he gets good guidance on the topic in his personal sex ed course — living with mom Jean, who is a sex therapist. Being surrounded by manuals, videos and tediously open conversations about sex, Otis has become a reluctant expert on the subject. When his classmates learn about his home life, Otis decides to use his insider knowledge to improve his status at school, so he teams with whip-smart bad girl Maeve to set up an underground sex therapy clinic to deal with their classmates’ problems. But through his analysis of teenage sexuality, Otis realizes that he may need some therapy of his own.
Watch it on: Netflix
Read: I Like Me Better by Robby Weber
This is not how soccer star Zack Martin thought his summer would go.
When the captain’s prank means trouble for the whole squad, Zack’s left with no choice but to take one for the team and cover for him.
Now he’s trading parties and beach days for community service at a seaside conservation center — fair enough. But thanks to his new reputation, the cute intern, Chip, won’t even give him a shot. Still, Zack finds himself falling for Chip between dolphin encounters and shark-costume disasters, which means he suddenly has way more on the line than he ever expected.
Zack may be good at winning on the field, but can he keep up the lie without losing himself?
Watch: Young Royals (2021 – present)
Prince Wilhelm adjusts to life at his prestigious new boarding school, but following his heart proves move challenging than anticipated.
Watch it on: Netflix
Read: What We Left Behind by Robin Talley
From the critically acclaimed author of Lies We Tell Ourselves comes an emotional, empowering story of what happens when love isn’t enough to conquer all.
Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They’ve been together forever. They never fight. They’re deeply, hopelessly in love. When they separate for their first year at college — Toni to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU — they’re sure they’ll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, their relationship will surely thrive.
The reality of being apart, however, is a lot different than they expected. As Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, falls in with a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship.
While Toni worries that Gretchen, who is not trans, just won’t understand what is going on, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in Toni’s life. As distance and Toni’s shifting gender identity begin to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide — have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?
“An important read about strength, self and discovery.” —Tess Sharpe, author of Far From You
“With vividly drawn characters and killer prose, this is Robin Talley’s writing at its best. I couldn’t put it down.” —Miranda Kenneally, bestselling author of Catching Jordan
“An honest and searing love story, impressively complex and nuanced in its examination of the evolution of a long-distance relationship. Important. Brave. Necessary.” —I.W. Gregorio, author of None of the Above
Watch: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019-present)
Set at East High School, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” introduces members of the drama club and their faculty advisers as they work their way toward the opening night of the musicals that they produce. New romances blossom, old friendships are tested to their limits while new ones are formed, rivalries flare, and lives are changed forever as these students discover the transformative power that only high school theater can provide.
Watch it on: Disney Plus
Happy binging!