“Captures all the best and most terrifying parts of loving both yourself and others, masterfully balancing a dreamy romance with the raw honesty it takes to sustain it. This book is a true delight.” ―Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer

“Steven Salvatore writes complicated love stories with such sincerity, thoughtfulness, and emotional resonance. My heart didn't stand a chance-I loved it from once upon a time all the way to its joyfully complex ever after.” ―Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“I devoured this novel. . . . Compulsively readable, unapologetically human, and refreshingly original, this is a modern gay fairy tale that will turn even the most jaded reader into a hopeless romantic.” ―Nicolas DiDomizio, author of Burn It All Down

“Reading And They Lived was like a jolt of lightning to my soul. The characters are so bright, the emotion is so vibrant, and the love is exquisitely electric. Chase's story is a reminder to all of us that we're deserving of love from ourselves and others, and-even through the hardships-to enjoy the journey and live.” ―Jason June, author of Jay's Gay Agenda

“Sincerely funny and heart-achingly real. . . .Salvatore delivers the memorable queer fairy tale readers are craving!” ―Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running With Lions

“Salvatore has done a superb job of dealing with a dramatic complexity of issues while creating equally complex, highly empathic characters. Readers will urgently root for a happily ever after.” ―Booklist, starred review

“Taking on coming out, the challenges of art-making, the importance of mentors who get where one is coming from, and the joys and terrors of romance, Salvatore sweeps readers off their feet.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A sex-positive, LGBTQIA+ romp through an artist's freshman year of college, with quick, witty dialogue and sure pacing that makes it a perfect crossover title for older teens and college students in the vein of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl and Margot Wood's Fresh.” ―School Library Journal

“[Chase's] growth, supported by queer mentors and friends, provides affirming representation of questioning and nonlinear healing . . . A dramatic and refreshing storm of emotion.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“This charming, joyful story-about self-love, fighting for what's right, and the love to be found in chosen family-will make you want to put on a pair of red heels and blast Mariah Carey.” ―Booklist, starred review, on Can't Take That Away

Steven Salvatore is a gay chaos agent whose obsessions include Star Wars, Mariah Carey, his loud Italian family, boating in the Adirondacks, exploring Italy, and having and then dissecting his existential crises (not in that order). For twelve years, he was a studied, accomplished writing professor having held many positions within higher education spheres; he now works as an academic advisor at Manhattanville University. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and he's a book coach and founder of Queerative Writers, a full-service creative hub for LGBTQ+ aspiring writers. A lifelong New Yorker, he now lives in New Jersey with his amazing fiancé Chris. He is the author of AND THEY LIVED…, CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY, and NO PERFECT PLACES.
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