Ciara Smyth’s The Falling in Love Montage is the perfect LGBTQ+ read to round up pride month — especially if you’re looking for something equal parts fluffy and thought-provoking.
Reading LGBTQ+ books is the perfect way for readers to celebrate Pride Month, especially with many of us still staying inside as much as possible. And as June comes to an end, many of us are attempting to cram one last novel onto our June reading lists.
So, if you are someone looking to fit one last story in this month, let me recommend on that’s equal parts adorable and heartbreaking: Ciara Smyth’s The Falling in Love Montage. This YA romance is a can’t-miss rom-com following a high school senior, who, for some very understandable reasons, doesn’t want the feelings and commitment associated with a relationship.
Instead, Saoirse spends her time kissing straight girls at parties — a seemingly foolproof way to ensure she’s never hurt by another girl again, and a great way to shirk commitment that won’t matter down the line anyway.
You see, it’s not just that Saoirse doesn’t want to get her heart broken again. (But really, she doesn’t.) Ever since her mother was diagnosed with dementia and had to be put into a care home, Saoirse can’t help but wonder if that will happen to her by the time she’s her mother’s age. If so, what’s the point of building a career and forming relationships she simply won’t remember?
Of course, not wanting commitment never stops anyone from developing feelings — especially in a rom-com — and that’s exactly what happens when Saoirse meets Ruby. Although she sets a long list of rules for herself when it comes to how close the two can get, life happens and their relationship becomes increasingly complicated.
The worst part is that part of Saoirse wants she and Ruby to form a closer bond — but another part of her wants to run screaming in the opposite direction at the very thought.
If you’re in the mood for a fun and fluffy romance that doesn’t shy away from the more serious topics lurking beneath the surface, The Falling in Love Montage will deliver on both fronts. And with a story you’ll devour in nearly one sitting, it’s a great choice to round out June — or to kickstart July for that matter.
In case you still need convincing, though, here are three reasons you should definitely give this YA debut a shot.
It’s a Love Letter to Rom-Coms
If you’re a fan of romantic comedies, there’s no question about whether you’ll enjoy Smyth’s debut, which pays homage to the genre by simultaneously replicating its typical formula and picking it apart for the reader.
The book itself gets its name from the “montage” that happens over the course of a rom-com — you know, the sequence of quirky dates the couple goes on before they break up, go through the grand gesture, and then live happily ever after.
Although Saoirse isn’t interested in the breaking up or the happily ever after, she agrees to have a summer-long montage with Ruby, during which they’ll ride a Ferris wheel, eat ice cream, and even frolic (whatever that entails). After they’ve had fun, they’ll go their separate ways, no complicated strings attached.
Of course, that plan gets derailed when Saoirse and Ruby develop feelings for each other — forcing our main character to confront some of the complicated thoughts and feelings she’s been avoiding all this time.
And, well … if you’re a fan of rom-coms, you can guess where the story goes from there. Smyth does a great job of replicating the formula with some noteworthy deviations that only make this novel even more devourable.
Fleshed Out, Relatable Characters
Although the romance between Saoirse and Ruby is at the center of The Falling in Love Montage, the characters are what truly make this book a pleasure to read — and it’s not just Saoirse and Ruby you’ll fall for (although you’d be hard-pressed to find a more relatable protagonist or a more likable love interest).
Reading this book, you’ll find yourself growing increasingly invested in all of the recurring characters — from Saoirse’s complicated father and his new wife to Ruby’s seemingly popular, easygoing cousin. Heck, you’ll even find yourself rooting for Saoirse’s ex-girlfriend at times — and she broke our main character’s heart!
Smyth does a stellar job at making all of her characters, even the ones we only get brief glimpses of, complex and multi-faceted. Each of them has their own story to tell, and you’ll want to discover where every story ends — even if you’re supposed to be focused on the main plot.
It Tackles Serious Topics
Although The Falling in Love Montage is a sweet romance story at its core, it tackles dementia in a realistic way that shows readers exactly what Saiorse’s mother — and her loved ones — are going through. It’s heartbreaking and difficult to read at times, but it’s a necessary conversation to have (and, hey, at least it’s balanced by the book’s happier storylines).
In a way, The Falling in Love Montage also tackles grief — just not the kind associated with death. Instead, it shows what it’s like to grieve for people who are still around — and posits that relationships changing and ending isn’t necessarily a reason to avoid them altogether.
The Falling in Love Montage is available now in print, e-book, and audiobook format.