Dear Wendy

By: Ann Zhao

Narrated by: Natalie Naudus, Rebecca Wang, Elaine Wang, Daisy Guevara, Tara Sands, Nicky Endres, Angel Pean, Ann Zhao

Dear Wendy's Sophie and Jo, two aromantic and asexual college students, engage in an online feud while unknowingly becoming friends in real life, in this dual POV Young Adult contemporary debut from Ann Zhao

Sophie Chi is in her first year of college (though her parents wish she'd attend a “real” university rather than a liberal arts school) and has long accepted her aroace (aromantic and asexual) identity. She knows she’ll never fall in love, but she enjoys running an Instagram account that offers relationship advice to students at her school. No one except her roommate can know that she’s behind the incredibly popular “Dear Wendy” account.

When Joanna “Jo” Ephron (also a first-year aroace college student) created their “Sincerely Wanda” account, it wasn’t at all meant to take off or be taken seriously—not like Wendy’s. But now they might have a rivalry of sorts with Wendy’s account? Oops. As if Jo’s not busy enough having existential crises over gender identity, whether she’ll ever truly be loved, and the possibility of her few friends finding The One then forgetting her!

While tensions are rising online, Sophie and Jo grow closer in real life, especially once they realize their shared aroace identity and start a campus organization for other a-spec students. Will their friendship survive if they learn just who’s behind the Wendy and Wanda accounts?

Exploring a-spec identities, college life, and more, while perfect for fans of Alice Oseman’s Loveless, this is ultimately a love story about two people who are not—and will not—be in love!

My favorite book in a while

This book has such a homey, nostalgic feel for a life I never lived. It is the feeling I always want to get from romance books without the baggage of traditional romance. Strongly recommend to any ace/aro spec people who want a book to enjoy the feeling of being young and not knowing what is going on.

Ace Love, Loneliness, and Friendships in the Modern World

I am so happy to hear and read a love story that I know so many AroAces would appreciate! The scope and diversity of the characters (even seeing demisexuality mentioned!) and the way they navigate love and loneliness is what makes this book one to tell your Aspec (and Allo Friends) about!

Kinda slow for most of it, but it resolves well.

Kinda slow for most of it, but it resolves well. I really enjoyed the book.