Day’s YA: WHERE THERE’S ROOM FOR US

WHERE THERE’S ROOM FOR US by Hayley Kiyoko
9781250356314
11/4/25
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

It’s 1880, and Ivy Yada-Lovell is well-known both in America and across the Atlantic for her daring and slightly salacious books of poetry about her many romances with the women of New York. When her brother, Prescott, inherits an estate in the English countryside, they both trade their life in Manhattan for the high society in England. After moving, they are quickly introduced to their neighbors at the next estate over, the four Tallon sisters. 

Freya Tallon’s life has always been planned out for her. Freya is supposed to marry a great man. She is supposed to produce heirs. She is supposed to carry on the family line. Even though she has two older sisters, that responsibility has fallen to her. Her eldest sister, Angelica, has so far only given birth to girls. Her next sister, Marigold, favors women, and the laws state that children of families with two mothers are excluded in the line of succession (not to mention that women aren’t allowed to vote on those very laws). The youngest of the Tallons, Dani, favors almost anyone, and no one expects her to settle down anytime soon. So it’s up to Freya to marry a wealthy lord and give birth to the Tallon heir.

But everything changes for Freya when Ivy (literally) waltzes into her life at the annual pre-season ball. For the first time, she feels excited about her future. Ivy asks her questions that she’s never considered before. She makes her feel alive in a way she never thought possible. But Freya has never felt this way about another woman before, and that complicates things. When Ivy gets involved in the fight to get women the right to vote, their relationship is further complicated. As their connection grows deeper, they are both torn between their duties to their families and beliefs, and their desire for each other. 

This historical novel set in a reimagined 1880s Regency England—where everyone is free to love whoever they choose—explores queer identity in a way that feels both timely and timeless. The alternating chapters between Ivy and Freya’s POV offer two very different but equally captivating perspectives, as Freya navigates her own queerness for the first time, and outspoken, independent, and self-assured Ivy is figuring out how she fits in in the prim and proper world of high society. Heavily inspired by Hayley’s own romance with Becca Tilley, this story is deeply personal to the author, and I felt that come through on every page. 

In addition to the romance, I found the sibling relationships to be especially endearing. Not just between the four sisters, but also between Ivy and Prescott. Every secondary character is vital to the story, and I cherished them all (but chaotic and hilarious Dani might just be my favorite). Readers of Casey McQuiston and Lex Croucher will fall head over heels for the swoon-worthy queer love story full of banter and yearning, fans of Bridgerton will appreciate the glitz and glamour of Regency England with a modern twist, and anyone who fell in love with the March girls in Little Women will adore the Tallon sisters—all four headstrong, charismatic, and delightful. As a fan of all of those things, this was an A+ read for me.

Happy reading!
<3 Emily

Day’s YA Archives