Loveless

"I've learnt some Things. Like the way friendship can be just as intense, beautiful and endless as romance. Like the way there's love everywhere around me - there's love for my friends, there's love for my paintings, there's love for myself."

This is my 3rd book for the pride readathon. This week's pick is exploring the BQIA spectrum.

Have you ever felt so many different emotions all at once after reading a book? Have you ever felt you could go into the book and hug a character and cry with them? God, this was such a beautiful book. I tend to use the word beautiful for books that make me introspect on myself, for books that break my heart and rearrange it again. I wanted to write this after organizing what I thought and felt about this book. But here I am, not knowing what I want and am going to write. Let's see where this goes.

Georgia Warr doesn't have crushes, the one she thought was a crush is a made-up one. She's never been in love, never kissed anyone. She is obsessed with the idea of a romantic relationship. Now that she's off to University, she decides to have her uni experiences by any possible means. Thus starts the story of finding her identity along with her friends- Pip, Jason, Rooney and Sunil.

This is the first book I've ever read where the MC is an aromantic asexual. The others I read are always side characters and such. The author did wonders in writing this story. The thing is, this is not just Georgia's story, this book covers others' stories and touches many topics such as the stigma around asexuality and orientations that come under this umbrella term even in the LGBTQIA+ community, the cultural aspects surrounding it and everyone's perception on love.

Romantic love is a social construct. The idea that you can't be happy without being in love with someone has been drilled in everyone's mind. Georgia's obsession with being in a relationship stems from this societal perception. When she realises she's aro ace, God, the author has written her internal feelings so well. It's like I was there with Georgia when she was going through this, when she was hurting.

"Give your friendships the magic you would give a romance. Because they're just as important. Actually, for us, they're way more important."

Her friend circle, are some of the best characters I've ever read. Pip and Rooney with their chaotic behaviour, Jason with his collected demeanour, Sunil - I don't have any words for him. He's arguably my favourite from the circle.

Without wanting and knowing anything I've rambled a lot. I'm not even going to recommend this book because if you read what wrote I'm hoping you'd read this magnificent story.