Knitting Needles: A Heartwarming Queer Romance

When I began this book, I wasn’t sure what direction the author was going to take. I must say that author Ezra Wren found a lovely path in between the serious realities of life for a trans soul and the blush of a new romance.

When Oscar and Aaron meet at a gender clinic on the day of their top surgeries, lightning strikes. They understand one another. Their past journeys may have been very different, but they “get it”. There’s something very remarkable about meeting someone who understands you because they have some shared experiences with you. It’s special and it’s something that creates a bond faster than you may expect.

By opening this novel with the scenes within the walls of the gender clinic, Wren establishes this world clearly and firmly and great with care. This is a world in which trans people are living and thriving. They are healing. There are moments of joy, moments of pain, and it’s a journey.

These two take a minute to get reacquainted once their bodies have healed because their hearts and minds are healing from far different wounds. It’s not surprising really; both of them are living in a world that has taught them to guard who they are.

There are some speed bumps… both Oscar and Aaron have a lot of love to give, but their experience of family has been challenging. Their relationship grows in coffee dates, texting, and online messages. About halfway through this story, I found myself describing it as a warm cuddle because that was exactly how Wren’s words felt. Even during the most trying times for the characters, there was hope and forward movement.

Knitting Needles is a romance that builds slowly and realistically. There are mistakes, there are wins, there are challenges, and there is trauma and ultimately there’s recovery. It’s remarkable to find an author who can so fully capture such a journey for two such relatable characters.

Oscar’s story touched my heart. Oscar reminded me of a friend I had a long time ago, someone who was shaped by hurtful interactions with their family. This friend of mine, somehow, managed to dig through grief and pain and find hope and joy. Oscar has the same talent. It’s subtle, but Wren has written a character it is remarkably easy to fall in love with.

This is a beautiful, timely story. It healed a little bit of my heart and brought me so much joy. I’m going to get a physical copy of this one because I know that I’ll be reading it when I need some light in the darker moments of my life.