26 must-read romance books like In the Key of Dale by Benjamin Lefebvre

Cover of In the Key of Dale by Benjamin Lefebvre

In the Key of Dale

By: Benjamin Lefebvre

4.04

Format: 300 pages, Paperback

For fans of the Netflix series Heartstopper (based on the bestselling graphic novels by Alice Osema…

"And I was crying. And I said to you, “I know you’re dead, but I’m so glad to see you, because I’ve missed you so much."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

"Now I’m crying as I type out these words. I can’t seem to stop. But I don’t want to stop. Tears don’t hurt like the ache does."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

"Ma thinks its nice that I have soft music playing in the background while I do my homework. What she doesn’t get is for me, the homework is in the background while I listen to the music."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

"I recognized some of the songs—one was by Tracy Chapman—but most of them were new to me, and if there’s one thing I enjoy in this life, it’s listening to a fantastic song for the first time."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

If you liked the romance plot in In the Key of Dale by Benjamin Lefebvre , here is a list of 26 books like this:

Cover of Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

1. Only This Beautiful Moment

By: Abdi Nazemian

4.46

Format: 400 pages, Hardcover

From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three genera… read more

Similar categories in Abdi Nazemian's Only This Beautiful Moment book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Glitterland (Spires, #1) by Alexis  Hall

2. Glitterland (Spires, #1)

By: Alexis Hall

4.02

Format: 336 pages, Paperback

In the past, the universe is a glitterball I hold in the palm of my hand. In the past, I am bri… read more

Similar categories in Alexis Hall's Glitterland (Spires, #1) book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • lgbt
"...I would have told a thousand lies to have him, and a thousand more to keep him."

-Alexis Hall, Glitterland (Spires, #1)

"I’m not here because I’m broken. I’m here because I’m whole. Difficult, potentially undeserving, but whole. And I don’t need you, I just want you. I want you"

-Alexis Hall, Glitterland (Spires, #1)

"I half imagined I could taste the silver on his nails, as sharp as glitter in my mouth. Maybe when he touched me, colour would spill from his hands like heat."

-Alexis Hall, Glitterland (Spires, #1)

"I felt him move and turned my head to deflect his kiss so that it landed on the side of my jaw instead of my mouth. It shimmered there briefly like some iridescent, impossible butterfly."

-Alexis Hall, Glitterland (Spires, #1)

Cover of Ryan and Avery by David Levithan

3. Ryan and Avery

By: David Levithan

3.89

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

From the New York Times bestselling author of EVERY DAY, this is a queer love story for the ages--t… read more

Similar categories in David Levithan's Ryan and Avery book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"When Ryan's pickup appears within the snowfall, Avery's heart becomes the opposite of snowfall-that strange, windblown moment when you look and see the snow is actually drifting upward. Snowrise. Whe…"

-David Levithan, Ryan and Avery

Cover of If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch

4. If I See You Again Tomorrow

By: Robbie Couch

4.13

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

A New York Times bestseller! From the author of The Sky Blues and Blaine for the Win comes a spe… read more

Similar categories in Robbie Couch's If I See You Again Tomorrow book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt

5. Wren Martin Ruins It All

By: Amanda DeWitt

4.25

Format: 352 pages, Kindle Edition

Now that Wren Martin is student council president (on a technicality, but hey, it counts) he’s goin… read more

Similar categories in Amanda DeWitt's Wren Martin Ruins It All book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"I think I might have a crush. Shit ."

-Amanda DeWitt, Wren Martin Ruins It All

"Halloween would be . . . okay," she says, with all the deliberation of a somewhat uncertain judge delivering a verdict. "But no sexy catgirls. Or boys. No catpeople."

-Amanda DeWitt, Wren Martin Ruins It All

"You might have saved the Dance," I say loftily, "but I saved this school from Cats ." "Not all heroes wear capes," Ryan says, pushing open the classroom door. "You know, I kind of like Cats ." "You l…"

-Amanda DeWitt, Wren Martin Ruins It All

Cover of This Is Why They Hate Us by Aaron H. Aceves

6. This Is Why They Hate Us

By: Aaron H. Aceves

4.06

Format: 390 pages, Hardcover

Enrique “Quique” Luna has one goal this summer—get over his crush on Saleem Kanazi by pursuing his … read more

Similar categories in Aaron H. Aceves's This Is Why They Hate Us book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"People are exhausting. Sure, they can be fun sometimes; they can “open you up to new experiences"

-Aaron H. Aceves, This Is Why They Hate Us

"What a horrible weight it is to be silent when you want to shout, to hold back when you want to reach out, to freeze when you want to melt."

-Aaron H. Aceves, This Is Why They Hate Us

"I guess it's true that us queers are starved for stories that mirror our lives. I can't remember a time when I saw a queer person in a movie or TV show or book that I didn't have to actively seek out…"

-Aaron H. Aceves, This Is Why They Hate Us

"Why is the world like this? How is the world like this? How is it that humans have created a society that allows a child to come to the conclusion that they would be better off dead than alive becaus…"

-Aaron H. Aceves, This Is Why They Hate Us

Cover of Lose You to Find Me by Erik J. Brown

7. Lose You to Find Me

By: Erik J. Brown

3.81

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

A romantic, heartfelt, and hilarious queer coming-of-age story from All That's Left in the World au… read more

Similar categories in Erik J. Brown's Lose You to Find Me book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

8. Skater Boy

By: Anthony Nerada

4.03

Format: 312 pages, Hardcover

In this YA pop-punk debut about queer romance and destroying labels, a teen risks everything to wr… read more

Similar categories in Anthony Nerada's Skater Boy book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"If we can convince our own minds we aren't good enough, we can't really be disappointed when we don't get what we truly want."

-Anthony Nerada, Skater Boy

Cover of 10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1) by Alexis  Hall

9. 10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1)

By: Alexis Hall

3.91

Format: 432 pages, Paperback

Fake amnesia. Real feelings? Real problems. Sam Becker loves―or, okay, likes―his job. Sure, man… read more

Similar categories in Alexis Hall's 10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1) book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • lgbt
"I don't think he'll be able to tell. Memory is peculiar. Worst comes to absolute worst, I'll just arrange to get whacked on the head again and say that's brought everything back." "That's not a thing…"

-Alexis Hall, 10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1)

Cover of The Long Run by James Acker

10. The Long Run

By: James Acker

4.31

Format: 400 pages, Hardcover

Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt an… read more

Similar categories in James Acker's The Long Run book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Milo and Marcos at the End of the World by Kevin Christopher Snipes

11. Milo and Marcos at the End of the World

By: Kevin Christopher Snipes

3.91

Format: 376 pages, Hardcover

When Marcos moves to town, Milo is forced to acknowledge the feelings he's kept hidden, especially … read more

Similar categories in Kevin Christopher Snipes's Milo and Marcos at the End of the World book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"There are two things I can definitely taste: salt and hope."

-Kevin Christopher Snipes, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World

"Maybe a God that roots for love is the only God worth believing in."

-Kevin Christopher Snipes, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World

"I really do have to make a choice between you and my parents, or you and God, or you and the whole stupid planet, then I choose you. From now until the end of time. I choose you."

-Kevin Christopher Snipes, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World

Cover of Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa

12. Canto Contigo

By: Jonny Garza Villa

4.27

Format: 352 pages, Hardcover

When a Mariachi star transfers schools, he expects to be handed his new group's lead vocalist spot—… read more

Similar categories in Jonny Garza Villa's Canto Contigo book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • music
  • lgbt
  • young adult
  • contemporary
Cover of Icarus by K. Ancrum

13. Icarus

By: K. Ancrum

4.08

Format: 382 pages, Hardcover

Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, this… read more

Similar categories in K. Ancrum's Icarus book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden

14. Anything But Fine

By: Tobias Madden

3.96

Format: 336 pages, Paperback

Luca is ready to audition for the Australian Ballet School. All it takes to crush his dreams is one… read more

Similar categories in Tobias Madden's Anything But Fine book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"What is it about hot jocks being dorky that is so impossible to resist?"

-Tobias Madden, Anything But Fine

Cover of The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers by Adam  Sass

15. The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

By: Adam Sass

3.47

Format: 344 pages, Hardcover

A charming YA rom-com perfect for fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue and What If It’s Us. Micah… read more

Similar categories in Adam Sass's The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"Wow,"

-Adam Sass, The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

"A weary world deserves a little dreaming."

-Adam Sass, The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

"I don’t need ninety-nine boys. I just need one."

-Adam Sass, The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

"Why is it so much easier to execute someone else’s vision than to realize your own?"

-Adam Sass, The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

Cover of My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy

16. My Fair Brady

By: Brian D. Kennedy

4.00

Format: 352 pages, Hardcover

My Fair Lady meets the classic teen film She's All That in this charming and swoony new rom-com fro… read more

Similar categories in Brian D. Kennedy's My Fair Brady book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • high school
  • lgbt
  • young adult
  • contemporary
Cover of Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde

17. Henry Hamlet's Heart

By: Rhiannon Wilde

4.15

Format: 328 pages, Paperback

A sparkling queer YA romance set in Brisbane, Henry Hamlet’s Heart follows one guy and his sometime… read more

Similar categories in Rhiannon Wilde's Henry Hamlet's Heart book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Teenage Dirtbags by James Acker

18. Teenage Dirtbags

By: James Acker

4.07

Format: 384 pages, Hardcover

From the author of The Long Run comes another unflinchingly raw and boldly hilarious novel about an… read more

Similar categories in James Acker's Teenage Dirtbags book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Catfish Rolling by Clara  Kumagai

19. Catfish Rolling

By: Clara Kumagai

3.73

Format: 432 pages, Hardcover

Magic-realism blends with Japanese myth and legend in an original story about grief, memory, time a… read more

Similar categories in Clara Kumagai's Catfish Rolling book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of As You Walk On By by Julian Winters

20. As You Walk On By

By: Julian Winters

3.95

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

The Breakfast Club meets Can't Hardly Wait with an unforgettable ensemble cast in another swoony YA… read more

Similar categories in Julian Winters's As You Walk On By book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • high school
  • lgbt
  • young adult
  • contemporary
Cover of Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green

21. Heartbreak Boys

By: Simon James Green

3.94

Format: 400 pages, Paperback

Faking the best summer ever is a lot harder than it looks... At the start of summer, Jack and Na… read more

Similar categories in Simon James Green's Heartbreak Boys book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
"Whatever you are, we can remedy it"

-Simon James Green, Heartbreak Boys

"I don’t know why other people have to make things so hard."

-Simon James Green, Heartbreak Boys

"Pretty people get away with being utter shits, and no one seems to care."

-Simon James Green, Heartbreak Boys

"I don’t expect people to love me. I just wish they didn’t hate me quite so much."

-Simon James Green, Heartbreak Boys

Cover of In the Key of Dale by Benjamin Lefebvre

22. In the Key of Dale

By: Benjamin Lefebvre

4.04

Format: 300 pages, Paperback

For fans of the Netflix series Heartstopper (based on the bestselling graphic novels by Alice Osema… read more

Similar categories in Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • music
  • high school
  • lgbt
  • young adult
  • contemporary
"And I was crying. And I said to you, “I know you’re dead, but I’m so glad to see you, because I’ve missed you so much."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

"Now I’m crying as I type out these words. I can’t seem to stop. But I don’t want to stop. Tears don’t hurt like the ache does."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

"Ma thinks its nice that I have soft music playing in the background while I do my homework. What she doesn’t get is for me, the homework is in the background while I listen to the music."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

"I recognized some of the songs—one was by Tracy Chapman—but most of them were new to me, and if there’s one thing I enjoy in this life, it’s listening to a fantastic song for the first time."

-Benjamin Lefebvre, In the Key of Dale

Cover of When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw

23. When It All Syncs Up

By: Maya Ameyaw

3.94

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

A Black teen dancer with dreams of landing a spot in a prestigious ballet company must learn to dan… read more

Similar categories in Maya Ameyaw's When It All Syncs Up book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • young adult
  • contemporary
Cover of Another First Chance by Robbie Couch

24. Another First Chance

By: Robbie Couch

4.28

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

They Both Die at the End meets You’ve Reached Sam, in this heart-stopping speculative young adult n… read more

Similar categories in Robbie Couch's Another First Chance book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron

25. A Tale of Two Princes

By: Eric Geron

3.27

Format: 448 pages, Hardcover

Will these long-lost twin princes be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations toget… read more

Similar categories in Eric Geron's A Tale of Two Princes book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Dragging Mason County by Curtis   Campbell

26. Dragging Mason County

By: Curtis Campbell

3.53

Format: 220 pages, Hardcover

A laugh-out-loud YA debut that examines the realities of small-town queer life and celebrates the t… read more

Similar categories in Curtis Campbell's Dragging Mason County book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • contemporary
  • young adult
  • lgbt
Cover of Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena

27. Of Light and Shadow

By: Tanaz Bhathena

3.67

Format: 448 pages, Hardcover

Of Light and Shadow is a novel about magic, mayhem, love, and betrayal--the story of a bandit and a… read more

Similar categories in Tanaz Bhathena's Of Light and Shadow book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • romance
  • young adult
Cover of Heartbreak Homes by Jo Treggiari

28. Heartbreak Homes

By: Jo Treggiari

3.90

Format: 304 pages, Paperback

A gripping locked-door YA murder mystery told from multiple perspectives from Governor General's Aw… read more

Similar categories in Jo Treggiari's Heartbreak Homes book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • young adult
Cover of Bliss Adair and the First Rule of Knitting by Jean  Mills

29. Bliss Adair and the First Rule of Knitting

By: Jean Mills

3.64

Format: 312 pages, Paperback

"Storytelling at its finest " -- Terry Fallis, two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Hum… read more

Similar categories in Jean Mills's Bliss Adair and the First Rule of Knitting book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • young adult
Cover of 40 Days in Hicksville by Christina Kilbourne

30. 40 Days in Hicksville

By: Christina Kilbourne

4.35

Format: 264 pages, Paperback

Kate doesn’t want to spend one minute in the “Hicksville” her mother moved them to, much less the y… read more

Similar categories in Christina Kilbourne's 40 Days in Hicksville book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

Cover of How to Be Found by Emily Pohl-Weary

31. How to Be Found

By: Emily Pohl-Weary

3.32

Format: 272 pages, Paperback

A young adult novel about inner-city teens who understand that chosen family is just as important a… read more

Similar categories in Emily Pohl-Weary's How to Be Found book and Benjamin Lefebvre's In the Key of Dale

  • young adult

25 must-read contemporary books like In the Key of Dale by Benjamin Lefebvre

Transform Your Habits

Only This Beautiful Moment

Abdi Nazemian

4.46

Transform Your Habits

Glitterland (Spires, #1)

Alexis Hall

4.02

Transform Your Habits

Ryan and Avery

David Levithan

3.89

Transform Your Habits

If I See You Again Tomorrow

Robbie Couch

4.13

View all the books

19 must-read fiction books like Icarus by K. Ancrum

Transform Your Habits

The Sunshine Court (All For the Game, #4)

Nora Sakavic

4.59

Transform Your Habits

Otherworldly

F.T. Lukens

3.99

Transform Your Habits

You Should Be So Lucky

Cat Sebastian

4.39

Transform Your Habits

Evocation (The Summoner’s Circle, #1)

S.T. Gibson

3.66

View all the books

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