This book is a self-help/guide for self-discovery and acceptance. It is well written and fairly interesting. the narration is pretty good and helped give the story a personal feeling. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to listen to this audiobook.

2.5 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“Love Is Love: The absolute must-have guide to coming out from TikTok's favourite agony uncles” by Matthew Mackinnon & Ryan Payne

📕 Edition: ARC Audiobook via @netgalley

A resource for anyone grappling with their identity and seeking guidance in their LGBTQIA+ journey. Though I initially mistook this for more of a memoir, this book is more of a guide for self-discovery and acceptance. I found this to be a tad bit boring but admittedly I am probably not the intended audience so I could definitely see how it could be useful for others.

Matthew and Ryan, known as social media sensations, leverage their platform to offer solace and support to countless individuals navigating the complexities of LGBTQIA+ experiences. The book is a treasure trove of advice, touching on pivotal issues such as coming out, combating bullying, handling unsupportive families, and self-identity exploration.

This was quite an entertaining audiobooking experience. I love how these two are living their truths out loud and in a way to provide community for others of this community. They are providing a sense of belonging to those who feel misunderstood and alone. #LoveIsLove #NetGalley.

Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy!

Cute quick listen! The back and forth banter of personal stories felt as though you were sitting with friends better understanding what they have been through.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

3.5/5

When I picked up this book I had no idea who Matthew or Ryan were. Even though my TikTok feed is extremely queer, I don’t recall running past these two before. This book could be a great resource for young people struggling with their identities. For me personally, I thought the book was a little too basic, but I think there is definitely an audience out there who will find this book beneficial. I like that sections and information were packed into short little segments. It kept things moving and fresh. I also enjoyed that they included lots of stories from their friends and community members. Overall, a good read and potentially helpful resource.

I love a good lgbt romance. this was super cute and I loved both of the male mcs. it did leave me wanting more but I think its perfect for pride month.

*As is the nature of a memoir, many topics are discussed and could be considered trigger warnings for many people.*

Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, anxiety, coming out

Representation: Gay,

Love is Love is a memoir/queer guide from TikTok and social media stars, Matthew and Ryan. Everyday they invite millions of people into their lives as a gay couple. From playing pranks to their adventures travelling, they are proud to share their love for each other (and their cute furbaby Roscoe) with the world.

Matthew and Ryan are not only the fun-loving faces of social media, they’ve become the online agony uncles for a new generation, receiving countless messages from their followers looking for answers to so many questions. The couple knows it can be an emotional rollercoaster, and they are here to support and guide you every step of the way.

Packed with bite-size entries, tips and advice on everything from coming out to working through some of the confusing feelings you might have, looking after your mental health, finding your tribe and feeling confident in your own skin, Matthew and Ryan have created the ultimate guidebook they wish they’d been given when they were discovering who they were. They share their inspirational journeys – how they each found themselves and then each other. From Tinder and the moment they met across a crowded dancefloor with Matthew dressed as an ice lolly to the joyful life they’ve created together.

Love Is Love will help you navigate your journey through the rainbow and show you how to be proud to be authentically YOU!

I thoroughly enjoyed this guidebook memoir. The authors are very funny and I always love it more when they narrate their own work. Both men are quirky and share some great tips for the next generation of queers!

This is an upbeat and inspiring support guide for people of the lbgtq community! I loved the narration on this one!! #loveislove

I want to preface this review with two disclaimers. First, I was not at all aware of who Matthew and Ryan were before picking up their book (although I did take a peak part way through their introduction at their TikTok). Second, I'm in my thirties, so not really the target audience of the book. All that being said, I think this book was great!

I think any story about coming out takes a lot of guts and vulnerability. Love is Love is short, and broken down into some big ideas and concepts about queer identity. Matthew and Ryan acknowledge this is more of a starting point in a queer journey than a comprehensive guide, and I think this would be such a valuable resource for kids grappling with their sexuality or gender identity. I definitely with the book had existed when I was a kid!

The book has some Love is Love moments with family and friends, and stories from other content creators as well. Matthew and Ryan also get vulnerable and share their own coming out stories - both the good and the bad. I appreciate them for baring their stories for us, and was charmed by Love is Love.

Matthew and Ryan narrate the audiobook themselves, and while I do love hearing their own voices read their stories, there are times when pacing/tone can get a bit distracting. Overall well done, but maybe could have used a bit more direction at points. But I also applaud them both for diving in on this, voice acting is NOT easy!

I'm really torn on how to rate this book because it's so different from the ones I usually read.

This is a nice read, it is accurate and informative, even if sometimes the subject at hand isn't exactly straightforward or has a definitive definition. I appreciated the references to notable and reliable sources.
I don't necessarily this book is needed, per se, by the younger generation, because with the internet all the answers one would find in this book would be easily found on the web; on the other hand, I believe having all the information in one place and from a somewhat reliable source is nice and convenient.

I must admit I didn't know the authors before receiving this ARC, and after looking them up, I feel like this book is the classic "book by an influencer", because I don't think it brings anything new into the topic, even if, unlike the other influencer books, could be quite useful for the younger or the newcomers into LGBTQ+ community, or even to the curious and willing to learn.