Hello,
I would like to read books that contain the following elelments if you're able to find them. Thank you in advance for anyone who's willing to help.
– an autistic or AuDHD FMC (could be canon, coded, implied, or headcanon) who is rather introverted/shy, sensitive to rejection/critiques, but she's brave and straightforward with communication, and sincere.
– a NT (neurotypical, non-autistic) OLDER MMC who is very gentle, kind-hearted, caring, calm and protective but in a respectful way (doesn't see the FMC as less or little), who probably has subtle service sub tendencies…?
– age gap from +5 to +20 maximum…?
– Contemporary setting! (no fantasy, paranormal, historical, futuristic… etc. just ordinary daily, slice-of-life).
– could be contempory romance but not obligated (could be coming-of-age, YA, or general fiction that contains platonic (but maybe romantic-leaning) storyline.
– some epistolary passages (a few letters or mail exchanges would be cute, but it's not obligated)
– if it's stated that the FMC is autistic/AuDHD, would prefere an own voice work by autistic/AuDHD writers than by NT writers… but as long as it's well researched and written then it's fine, I guess?
– prefer low to no spice if it's contemporary romance genre! but if there's spice it's fine too.
Books I've read that correspond to what I'm searching for:
– One Last Dream for December by Lottie Cardew (3 or 5 years of age gap… I think it's 3… AuDHD canon FMC, calm, caring MMC single dad, Christmas theme which I adore too!)
– Broken Records by Belle Chapin (10-year of age gap if I remember correctly, autistic-coded FMC, older NT MMC, music themed, which I adore)
– If Only You by Chloe Liese (5-year age gap, autistic FMC and NT MMC, friends to lovers)
– Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard (implied autistic FMC, NT MMC who's 12 years older I think…? Didn't really like this one but I quite liked the FMC)
– Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (age gap, rather platonic with a touch of romance which I adore)
– Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (it's YA coming-of-age and no age difference between the main characters, but I love the FMC and is finding some FMCs like her)
(I've also read books by Helen Hoang, Mazey Eddings, Elle McNicoll, Talia Hibbert, Jackie Khalilieh, Maggie North, Amber Crewe, Rachael Lucas… etc. I've read most of the own voice neurodivergent authors in Romance genre already.)
Thank you again for your help!
– Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata is the only book I've found that corresponds so much to what I'm searching for, but I'm taken aback by the racist microagression passages directed toward the FMC's culture in this book so I'm very hesitant with it… 🙁
Thank you again for any suggestions!
by Flashy_Training_734