Titles Worth Trying: Romance [Middle School]

When fourteen-year-old Gabe checks for survivors after a global pandemic he finds Relle, a strange hopeful girl for whom Gabe eventually develops a crush, but after they return to the mainland tragedy strikes, forcing Gabe to set out on a dangerous journey to find other survivors where the world might be normal--like Before.

"Since her parents divorced, twelve-year-old Peyton has known that to achieve happier outcomes in her life, she's got to focus on eliminating her flaws--and on making sure her first boyfriend is truly right for her. Guided by her collection of inspirational quotes and her growing list of ideal boyfriend traits, Peyton is convinced that this summer will be the perfect summer, complete with the perfect boyfriend! But when she discovers a boy lying unconscious...

Fourteen-year-old Dylan Kershaw's idea of a dream holiday includes at least three things: beaches to bask on, cosmopolitan culture, and a chance for romance (or at least his first kiss) with another boy. Unluckily for Dylan, his mum's treating the family to the least dreamy holiday ever: a £9.50 break at Starcross Sands, Cornwall's Crummiest Caravan Park. But Starcross Sands might not be so bad after all, especially if Dylan can win the heart of...

Told in two voices, seventh-graders Essie, in North Carolina for just one semester, and Ollie, a non-binary, "gender weird" classmate, develop a gentle romance while Essie ponders her label.-- Essie is not excited about moving to North Carolina for her dad's visiting professorship, and counts the days until she can return home. Then she meet Ollie, who is nonbinary. Ollie is smart and confident, and begins to juggle their passion for queer advocacy...

"Jeremy is not excited about the prospect of spending the summer with his dad and uncle in a seaside cabin in Oregon. It's the first summer after his parents' divorce, and he hasn't exactly been seeking alone time with his dad. He doesn't have a choice though, so he goes. On his first day, he takes a walk on the beach and finds himself intrigued by a boy his age running by. Just like that, his summer changes. On a trip into town, he meets Runner Boy...