Queer, Tejano, and Totally in Love: Gabriella Gamez on Centering Culture in Romance

Romance takes many different forms. For author Gabriella Gamez, it arrives in the pages of her novel, Kiss Me, Maybe.

Hailing from South Texas, Mexican-American author Gabriella Gamez is an artistic soul who replenishes her creative streak by immersing herself in all kinds of stories, which is proven by her bestselling series, Librarians in Love. In her latest novel, Kiss Me, Maybe, Gamez introduces librarian Angela Gutierrez, who finds herself in an unusual predicament: at 27, she’s never been kissed. After posting a video about her situation, and her asexual identity, Angela unexpectedly becomes an influencer. To take control of her narrative, she launches a scavenger hunt where the winner earns her first kiss. But things get complicated when Krystal Ramírez, the charming bartender and Angela’s longtime crush, enters the picture. As the hunt gains momentum and her relationship with Krystal deepens, Angela starts to realize she may be falling for someone who doesn’t believe she’s capable of love. 

Diving deeper into her novel of self-discovery and steamy romance, I spoke with Gamez about the heartfelt and flirty story behind Kiss Me, Maybe.

For Kiss Me, Maybe, Gamez was inspired by her own self-discovery. “Like Angela, I came into my own queer identity later in life,” Gamez recalls. “I’d love for there to be more visibility on what it means to be asexual and the wide scope of experiences it represents.” Gamez hopes to showcase various experiences within the ace-spectrum in the characters for the future.

Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez

In opening up about her own identity, Gamez thoughtfully explores the journeys of her characters, especially the importance of writing queer love stories that center pleasure and joy. She explained that Kiss Me, Maybe is her first queer romance, and that it was a true joy to write. These days, she primarily reads and writes romance, a genre she loves for its ability to not only center but celebrate pleasure, joy, and emotional connection.

“I write my stories for me, but when I publish them, I hope the readers who find them not only enjoy the ride, but feel seen in ways they never have before,” Gamez shared. “And that after arriving at the very end, they feel hopeful for themselves, too.”

Gamez channels her personal insights into Angela Gutierrez, crafting a character whose journey is just as much about upbringing as it is about romantic love. As a third- or fourth-generation Mexican American, Gamez admits that she sometimes feels disconnected from her culture, an experience that deepens her connection to her characters. “Any time I write about parents or family members in my books, I’m often thinking of my own and the ways I interact with them,” Gamez says. “Families are complex and messy, and mine is no different. I wouldn’t say I’ve based every single family member of Angela’s on my own—just that in building her family, my own was always on my mind.” 

Of course, identity isn’t just shaped by who we are, but also where we come from. For Gamez, place plays a powerful role in her storytelling. Moving to San Antonio, Texas, for college, Gamez stated that it became the place where she built her life. Gamez shares that she loves bringing San Antonio to life on the page, especially because it’s a city that isn’t often represented as the setting in many mainstream books. 

“What I love most, though, is getting messages from readers who live here and who are just as excited as I am to see their city represented,” Gamez said. “It’s easier to romanticize places you don’t live in, but there’s something special about romanticizing places you do, and getting to view it from a different lens.” 

Just as setting grounds her stories in authenticity, Gamez’s characters stand out for how unapologetically real they feel: flawed, tender, and deeply human. Gamez explains that her characters, like Angela and Krystal, feel the most honest to her. “I don’t want to read about perfect characters being perfect together with little to no obstacles between them,” Gamez stated. “I want drama. I want angst. I want to feel something. But more than anything, I want to see these characters put in the work to be with each other.”

While Gamez’s stories add meaningful representation to the genre, she’s also aware of the larger gaps that still exist, especially when it comes to queer Latinx narratives in romance.

“Traditional publishing has a lot of gatekeepers, often with biases of their own, that prevent authors from breaking out, which is why you see so many inequities when it comes to representation and especially intersectionality,” Gamez stated. 

Gamez goes on to say that traditional publishing still has a long way to go when it comes to filling those representation gaps, though she admits she holds little hope that meaningful change is coming anytime soon.

While traditional publishing may lag behind, Gamez points out that the indie and self-published romance world has been leading the way for years, especially when it comes to giving readers the representation and stories they’re craving.

“There is such a wide range of Latinx authors doing incredible work in this space, meeting intersections between queerness, body positivity, mental health, and more,” Gamez stated. 

When it comes to uplifting others in the genre, Gamez is quick to shout out fellow queer Latinx romance authors whose work has inspired her and paved the way for greater representation such as Adriana Herrera, JJ Arias, Cat Giraldo and Johana Gavez. 

While her stories offer swoon-worthy moments and romantic escapism, Gamez also weaves in the layered realities that come with representing queer and Latinx experiences on the page. Gamez believes readers are drawn to the authenticity in her stories and enjoy seeing it reflected in her characters' journeys.

“Yes, I do pride myself in writing the kind of swoon-worthy romances that people will want to read, but it’s also important that I’m writing about people like me who deal with the same sort of issues and go through the same things, and are just as allowed to be messy and complex as they are to fall in love,” Gamez said. 

At the heart of her writing is a desire to make readers feel seen, especially those who haven’t always found themselves reflected in love stories. For Gamez, representation isn't just about checking a box; it’s about creating space for queer, Latinx, and asexual readers to recognize themselves in the pages, to feel celebrated, and to know they deserve love stories too.

“I’ve gotten messages from people, some who share Angela’s cultural background and some who don’t, who told me they’ve never felt so seen after reading Kiss Me, Maybe,” Gamez confessed. “At the end of the day, I wrote this book for myself first because I needed a book like this to exist a long time ago. All I hope is that this book continues to reach the people it needs to, regardless of where they come from.”