Note: I know Heartstopper, based on the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman, is also a great new TV show release on Netflix, and I’m excited to watch it! I didn’t include it on this list because I’m focusing on summer-set romances, but I’d love to see more queer YA romances adapted to the screen! Particularly if they’re sapphic or trans! Some great summer romances that would be great on screen that immediately come to mind are One True Loves by Elise Bryant, which is about a Black teen who heads out on a Mediterranean cruise the summer before college, hoping for some clarity about her future. Then there’s Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest, which is a great story of family, legacy, and trying to make up for past mistakes set against the backdrop of Hollywood. And for a more central sapphic romance beyond the secondary ones we get in Heartstopper and Simon, then I’d love to see Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen brought to the screen—it’s a great summer novel about finding new friends, keeping hold of old friends, and finding romance in unexpected places. We can only assume that the second season will follow the second book, It’s Not Summer Without You, but it will be interesting to see how the story evolves! I hope that we continue to see more great YA adaptations of all sorts hitting streamers in the future, and I can’t wait to see what great TV shows and movies are in store for us!
