Roadqueen: Eternal Roadtrip to Love

In Chua’s clever manga about the game of love, Leo is the most sought-after student at Princess Andromeda Academy, an all-girls’ school only accessible by motorcycle. Though she’s constantly pursued by a crowd of admirers, loner Leo loves only her bike, dubbed Bethany. When standoffish Leo is tricked into forfeiting Bethany by the beautiful and mysterious transfer student Vega, Vega offers only one way to win it back: for Leo to date her for a week and prove she can play a “decent lesbian” (instead of simply playing hard to get). As Leo attempts to figure out how to make her “girlfriend” happy, the two develop an intimate bond, rediscovering old wounds from Vega’s past—and Leo’s hidden fears. Chua’s evocative visual storytelling is reminiscent of Naoko Takeuchi, with just a hint of Kohei Horikoshi—elegantly composed, but full of cartoony dramatic fun. Her riffs on the classic “enemies to lovers” trope are as genuine as her characters themselves; humor and slapstick repeatedly give way to tender, vulnerable moments between Vega and Leo (as well as some keen commentary on internalized homophobia). Even readers ambivalent about romance will find something to love in this hilarious and heartfelt book. [em](Oct.) [/em]