Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Alice is working at a library to pay her student loans. She just broke up with her girlfriend and is having an identity crisis as well as trouble with her roommates. While working at the library, she meets one of the interns, Takumi. As Alice and Takumi work more closely with each other, Alice begins developing feelings for Takumi, but is hesitant to pursue those feelings based on past relationship experiences and the fact she has just discovered she is asexual. Alice and Takumi confront their feelings for each other and attempt to figure out how their relationship will continue. As well as navigating her feelings for Takumi, Alice is also having trouble reconciling with the deepening relationship between her two best friends/roommates.

I thought Let's Talk About Love was a very well written book. Alice was a funny narrator with a wide scope of interests throughout the novel. It was clear that Alice was her own person with her own personality and interests without being a shadow of her significant other. The relationship in the book between Alice and Takumi was humorous and showed a beautiful friendship that developed into a romantic relationship, not a relationship born out of thin air. Alice's friends seemed like the picture perfect assortment of quirky best friends to come to the rescue of any protagonist. Alice, as a queer, black female, will bring many readers to relate to her struggles, whether they be from racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, islamaphobia, or antisemitism.

Reviewed by Claire, Grade 9
Montrose Library