This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story

Bookseller recommendation

“This is a perfect summer listen for adults who enjoy YA or older teens. Bird has been recently dumped by his cheating (ex) best-friend-turned-girlfriend and is still pining over her while trying to return to the friendship they both treasured. Amid the first day of school chaos Bird finds out that his childhood best friend (and first crush/kiss!) has returned and now his feelings are all over the place. Oliver-James was rendered deaf by a childhood illness so there is sign language descriptions throughout the book and many scenes made more interesting by the addition of Ollie's way of traveling through a hearing school. Cuteness, artistic creativity realized, make ups, break ups, and all the messiness in between. My favorite part of the book, however, is how the sexuality of the characters is handled. Bird floats from a girlfriend to a boyfriend with no comment or angst, his girlfriend cheats and then dates another girl without wondering if she's bi or pan or gay. Ashley asks Bird to ask Oliver James if he is interested in her even knowing he has a boyfriend because not everyone dates just one person. The full spectrum of sexuality is treated as a non-issue. No one is judged, no one has to grapple with what it all MEANS. It's a beautiful world in which we are all just trying to find ourselves and each other.”

— Genavieve • Books & Company