I’d like to preface this by affirming that this series centers queer joy. That said, the characters in these books haven’t had the easiest lives and deal with the lingering impacts of past trauma. Proceed with caution if the below may be uncomfortable.

• Alcohol and marijuana use, both recreational and medicinal; one POV character in recovery from addiction (no relapse); other POV characters drink and smoke, sometimes in excess and as an emotional crutch.

• Brief non-graphic flashback to past sexual assault during a non-consensual kiss. Brief non-graphic flashback to child abuse.

• Unintentionally coercive relationship/sex. Both parties consent but could be perceived as pushing someone into a relationship they don't want (not end-game).

• Depictions of depression, anxiety, memory loss, PTSD, panic disorder, mood disorder, and physical long-term side effects of drug abuse.

• The characters have all different body types and appearances. This series takes a body-neutral approach, but sometimes the main characters and side characters exhibit judgmental attitudes that are common in real life. For example, Lee self-identifies as chubby and experiences occasional body-shaming but does not internalize it, and Tara has trouble keeping weight on and is often teased by her friends for being too skinny. Several characters also perceive "fat" to be a negative word (for example, "You were not fat, just husky!"), which goes unquestioned.

  • There is an unlikable side character with a big forehead who is insecure about their receding hairline. This is not meant to shame anyone experiencing hair loss, but someone (who happened to be insecure about their forehead/hairline) was incredibly rude to me once, and I have a petty streak.

• References to past events include physical abuse, emotional abuse, child abuse, homelessness, assault, murder, stalking, bullying, self-harm, underage sex, human trafficking, suicide, bullying, heavy drug use, and terminal illness.

  • Many of these refer to Blanche, who was trafficked as a minor. They are in denial about that in book one, so while that is not explicitly stated yet, I want to acknowledge that it will be a part of their character arc throughout the series. The 33-year-old with two decades of experience as a sex worker is not a plot hole and will be addressed in the future.

• Explicit sexual content between people of all genders both trans and cis, including MM, MF, FF, and FX; depictions of sex work; references to negotiated BDSM.

  • Note: this is not a trigger warning that LGBTQ people (particularly bi and trans people) exist, but instead, a chance for the transphobes to see themselves out.