By Kai Spellmeier (author)
"Soulmates, secrets, and all-consuming love, this multi-layered LBGTQ+ romance is a paradigm of page-turning “will they, won’t they?” YA fiction."
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May 2026 Debut of the Month
With a charming small-town seaside setting providing the radiant stage for a YA romance that glows with love and longing, Kai Spellmeier’s Boy Friends is a beautiful book to escape into, with deeper themes of grief and family conflict coming into play alongside the book’s biggest question: will Luca and Simo become bona fide boyfriends, and delete that tantalising space between “boy” and “friends”?
While Luca has long loved Simo in every sense of the word (as his best friend, and in a romantic, fancy-the-pants-off-him fashion), he’s set on keeping that to himself, fearing revealing the truth will damage their friendship. But when a huge notice board in their town declares that “Simo and Luca are in love”, it turns out that neither boy can ignore their true feelings for long.
Along their journey of discovery, Simo and Luca face additional challenges. In Simo’s case, he comes to open up about traumatic loss, while Luca discovers shocking family secrets.
Written in an authentic and charmingly earnest style, with tonnes of super-cute moments, thrilling points of tension, and poetic reflection, Boy Friends is ideal for teen and young adult readers who relish friends-to-lovers, will-they-won’t they? romances. Recommended for fans of Simon James Green , Phil Stamper’s Golden Boys series, Alice Oseman , and Rainbow Rowell - the punch-packing ending sets things up fabulously for what promises to be an electrifying sequel.
How do you delete the space between boy friends? Cosy, seaside romance perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Rainbow Rowell, Sophie Gonzales and Gilmore Girls.
Read the full description
Luca has secretly been in love with his best friend Simo for as long as he can remember. He wishes he knew how to tell him the truth, but he's terrified that the truth will mean losing his best friend.
When an anonymous message on the town noticeboard announces that SIMO AND LUCA ARE IN LOVE, both Luca and Simo are forced to confront their deepest secrets and feelings for one another. They've always been the very best of boy friends, but the time has come to close the space between them.
Curl up and prepare to be swept away by this cosy, beautiful love story perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Sophie Gonzales.
Kai Spellmeier is a German author currently living in England. He is a Children's & YA scout in London and has published three YA books in Germany to great success. He writes joyful queer literature and has been blogging about queer books on Instagram for many years. Boy Friends is his English Language debut.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Boy Friends and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Boy Friends features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Romance / Relationship Stories, PSHE: Sexuality, Gender and Relationships, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage fiction: Romance and love stories, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: LGBTQ+, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Boy Friends was written by Kai Spellmeier and published by Bloomsbury Young Adult an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
Boy Friends has 320 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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