The new indie college romance book that’s spicy, smart, and unapologetically feminist, and we are absolutely obsessed.
If you’ve been scrolling BookTok looking for your next five-star read and you haven’t heard of Sex Positive by Brooklyn Rose yet, consider this your sign from the universe. We’re shouting about this one from the rooftops over here at Darling Reader, and for very good reason. This book? It has everything.
Sex Positive by Brooklyn Rose: Synopsis
Meet Charlie.
Charlotte “Charlie” Rogers is a college senior on a mission. She wants to tear down the patriarchal shame machine that is abstinence-only sex education and replace it with something that actually helps people. She’s passionate, outspoken, and completely sex-positive.
There’s just one tiny little problem. Charlie has never actually had sex.
The irony is delicious, and Brooklyn Rose leans into it perfectly. Charlie’s secret, that she’s been preaching something she’s never personally experienced, is both hilarious and deeply human. It’s the kind of premise that makes you immediately root for a character, because who among us hasn’t talked a big game about something we’re still figuring out?
Enter Wesley Quinn.
Just when Charlie thinks she has things under control, in walks Wesley Quinn. Archwood University’s resident playboy. Her former best friend. The guy who broke her heart three years ago and has apparently been living rent-free in her head ever since.
When a failed hookup leads Charlie to accidentally claim she slept with Wes, he confronts her. She confesses the truth. And then, because apparently Wesley Quinn is built different, he offers to fix the problem.
What starts as a purely “experimental arrangement” between two people who definitely “don’t” have feelings for each other, quickly turns into something neither of them saw coming. Old emotions resurface, walls come down, and Charlie starts to realise that the arrogant, infuriating Wes she thought she knew might not be who he actually is. He falls first. She resists. We suffer beautifully. You know the drill.
The Tropes & Spice?
Let’s just go through them because honestly each one deserves a standing ovulation (and yes you read that right):
- Rivals to Lovers: the push-pull tension is immaculate.
- Second Chance Romance: complicated history, unresolved feelings, yes please.
- He Falls First: absolutely the most devastating trope in existence and we love it.
- Golden Retriever x Black Cat: you had me at golden retriever.
- Ride or Die Friendship: the found family of it all gives the story so much heart.
- New Adult: all the messy, emotional intensity of figuring out who you are, who you love, and what you actually want from life.
Spice Level: 4/5 Spicy 🌶️
More Than Just a Romance
Here’s what really sets this book apart: Brooklyn Rose isn’t just writing a spicy college romance for the fun of it (although it is extremely fun). She’s writing with purpose.
Brooklyn is a passionate advocate for reproductive justice, sexual health education, and the right for people to advocate for their own pleasure. That activism is woven into Charlie’s story in a way that feels authentic and moving rather than preachy.
When Charlie’s dream of launching a sex-positive education programme is threatened, the stakes feel real, because for Brooklyn, they are real. This is a book about taking control of your own pleasure. In every sense of the phrase.
About Brooklyn Rose
Brooklyn Rose is a writer of romance stories that centres sex positivity, female empowerment, and characters who are wonderfully, messily human. Born and raised in Michigan, she now lives in New Hampshire with her partner and what we can only imagine is a very impressive book collection.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her deep in a romance novel, out on a long run, or binge-watching her latest TV obsession. She’s our kind of person.
Sex Positive is the first book in her Sex Positive Series, so if you fall in love with Charlie and Wes (and you will), hopefully there should be more to come in this spicy series!
Perfect For Fans Of…
If you love Hannah Grace or Elle Kennedy, Sex Positive has your name all over it. It’s got that same perfect blend of emotional depth, spicy tension, and characters you want to be best friends with in real life. Read It. You Won’t Regret It.
Sex Positive by Brooklyn Rose is available now! Explore more details on the dedicated book page or buy now!
