LGBTQ fiction for today’s teens!

School Library Journal starred series

Real Love is a collection of hi/lo YA novels that focus on realistic teen relationships. The novels feature diverse teen characters in contemporary settings as they experience love, romance, dating, sex, body image, LGBTQ issues, and more. 

From authors who write from real-world experience, these contemporary YA romances will engage the most reluctant teen readers.


New in the series

  • Dogs Don’t Break Hearts

    Dogs Don’t Break Hearts

    After being gaslit by his ex-boyfriend and losing his friends’ trust, Beck volunteers at a pet shelter, where he finds canine comfort and a new romance.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Lonely in Happy Town

    Lonely in Happy Town

    A romance set in the world of gaming, a lonely teen finds himself crushing on a girl — both in his favourite video game and in real life.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Line Drive to Love

    Line Drive to Love

    Caught between earning her spot on the team and the girl she might love, Rory is forced to choose: the game or the girl.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 14-18
  • Summer with Sunil

    Summer with Sunil

    Faced with a boring vacation with their parents, a chance encounter at the beach could turn Dominic’s dull summer into an adventure of self-exploration and young love!

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 14-18
    Reading level: Grade 3

About the series

  • Themes: LGBTQ+; love and romance; body image; dating & sex, cross-cultural romance; and more
  • Featuring diverse characters and contemporary settings
  • Written by authors who connect with today’s teens
  • Reading levels grades 3 – 5
  • Realistic plots
  • Ages 13+

Reviews

“This accessibly written title will draw in reluctant readers and appeal especially to gamers.  Journey and their friends come across as true-to-life nerds… LONELY IN HAPPY TOWN will engage readers, leaving them alternately cheering and screaming at the cast.”
-Kirkus Reviews


“… realistic situations and characters seem universal.  LINE DRIVE TO LOVE will appeal to a diverse audience… Romantics will enjoy the relationship of Rory and Shanti, and sports fans will relate to Rory’s ambition as a player as well as to the many team dynamics in the book.  Jendrick gives her readers game scenarios as well as a chance to see the interpersonal relationships behind the scences…. Highly Recommend.”
-CM: Review of Materials – 5/5


“… NOT NOT NORMAL is a wonderful story of overcoming hard things, focusing on the things the things that make us unique and recognizing those are our superpowers.  Being different isn’t what makes us unlovable or not enough.  It’s exactly what makes us human and lovable and more than enough.”
-Love Bytes


LUSCIOUS LOVE …. Is a lovely story of learning to chart your own course…. Mina is a body-positive fat girl who’s considering whether she might actually be pansexual.  She’s a delightful main character, exploring all the facets of growing up and becoming one’s own person.”
– Kirkus Reviews


STUCK WITH YOU…. two charming leads readers can’t help but root for….. An adorable romance with strong coming-of-age elements.”
– Kirkus Reviews

Books and sets in the series

  • Dogs Don’t Break Hearts

    Dogs Don’t Break Hearts

    After being gaslit by his ex-boyfriend and losing his friends’ trust, Beck volunteers at a pet shelter, where he finds canine comfort and a new romance.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Lonely in Happy Town

    Lonely in Happy Town

    A romance set in the world of gaming, a lonely teen finds himself crushing on a girl — both in his favourite video game and in real life.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Line Drive to Love

    Line Drive to Love

    Caught between earning her spot on the team and the girl she might love, Rory is forced to choose: the game or the girl.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 14-18
  • Not Not Normal

    Not Not Normal

    It can be hard to see in ourselves the good things others see in us. Not Not Normal shows readers that if we let our friends in, the love they have for us can help us grow our self-confidence.

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 14-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Summer with Sunil

    Summer with Sunil

    Faced with a boring vacation with their parents, a chance encounter at the beach could turn Dominic’s dull summer into an adventure of self-exploration and young love!

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 14-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Luscious Love

    Luscious Love

    The classic summer love story of a girl meeting a girl, and the lingerie store they both work at that threatens to ruin it all. 

    $16.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: HL730L
  • No Limit on Love

    No Limit on Love

    A nonbinary romance set amidst a storm, and its character’s struggle with climate anxiety.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: HL640L
  • Secret Me

    Secret Me

    Secret Me is a coming-out story that reflects the lives of teens today. It’s a moving romance of authenticity and heart.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13+
    Reading level: Grade 5
    Lexile Reading Level: HL850L
  • Stuck with You

    Stuck with You

    Two frenemies become lovers in this story of Queer joy and playful romance.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL550L
  • Real Love: LGBTQ+ Teen Fiction 20 volume set

    Real Love: LGBTQ+ Teen Fiction 20 volume set

    Short, readable books focused on teen LGTBQ romances.

     

    $299.95, Set
    Interest ages: 13-18
  • In a Heartbeat

    In a Heartbeat

    A romance about a trans teen boy who wants to get away to reinvent himself, only to find someone who loves him for who he is.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL530L
  • Walk This Way

    Walk This Way

    A romance about a teen who feels he has to hide the fact that he does drag to get a boyfriend.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL620L
  • The Love Code

    The Love Code

    A lesbian teen romance set in the competitive world of technology and robotics.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL540L
  • Confessions of a Teenage Drag King

    Confessions of a Teenage Drag King

    A teen living a double life discovers that the girl they have a crush on appreciates both aspects of their identity.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL600L
  • Love, IRL

    Love, IRL

    A same-sex romance that explores what happens when love online and in the real world collide.

    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
  • Ace of Hearts

    Ace of Hearts

    Alvin is ready for romance, but he may never be ready for more
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: 800L
  • We Three

    We Three

    A teen finds romance at summer camp and becomes the centre of a polyamorous relationship with two very different partners.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: HL600L
  • Prom Kings

    Prom Kings

    A light-hearted same-sex romance about finding the person you are meant to be with, who might be closer than you think.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 2
    Lexile Reading Level: HL550L
  • What Makes You Beautiful

    What Makes You Beautiful

    The story of a young person finding a place among other LGBTQ teens, and discovering the truth about their own orientation and gender.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL630L
  • Charming

    Charming

    A young woman follows her heart to find her voice in a modern LGBT retelling of a classic fairy tale.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 3
    Lexile Reading Level: HL520L
  • Cinders

    Cinders

    A young woman’s kindness, inventiveness, and hard work earn her love in a modern LGBT retelling of Cinderella.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: HL570L
  • Just Julian

    Just Julian

    A young gay man finds the courage to stand up for himself in an LGBTQ twist on Romeo and Juliet. Romeo gives Julian the strength to face his depression and take a stand against homophobia.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: HL660L
  • Romeo for Real

    Romeo for Real

    A young man comes to terms with his sexuality in a modern retelling of a Shakespearean classic. When Romeo’s homophobic friends can’t accept him as gay, he must prove that his love for Julian is real.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4
    Lexile Reading Level: HL600L
  • True to You

    True to You

    In the bizarre world of pro wrestling, a teenage hopeful finds a relationship where he can be true to himself as a gay guy.
    $14.95, Paperback
    Interest ages: 13-18
    Reading level: Grade 4

Author Spotlight

KATERINA BAKOLIAS (she/her) is a queer, Greek-Canadian, playwright, and screenwriter. With a passion for entertaining, she aspires to write stories that resonate with a queer female audience who enjoy comedy and drama. Her debut short film Roomies premiered at the 2020 FIN Film Festival and is now featured on CBC Gem. Additionally, her play Til Death Do Us Part delighted Nova Scotian audiences at its premiere in May 2022. Recognized for her talents Katerina received the RBC Chrysalis Emerging Artist Award in 2020. Committed to amplifying female voices, she actively creates new and compelling works across the realms of theatre, film and now literature. She lives in Nova Scotia.
Katerina’s second play THE GHOST OF VIOLET SHAW is set to premiere at NEPTUNE THEATRE in Halifax, Nova Scotia between April 28 – May 24, 2026.

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