Quick Synopsis

A heartfelt and sexy romance novel following one bi woman’s messy journey through coming out—and reluctantly falling for a straight man.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Girl comes out as bi. Girl falls for a straight guy.

Simone Whittaker has spent the first three decades of her life pretending to be straight. But when the girl she never dared call her girlfriend walks away, she decides she’s done living in fear. Her uptight parents don’t take the news well, but a viral coming-out post and a new job at Toronto’s Rainbow Museum offer a fresh start—and a crash course in queer adulthood.

That is, until her first day of work, when Simone ruins a project designed by Ryan Foley—the museum’s gruff and annoyingly hot carpenter—earning her the top spot on his enemies list. When they’re forced to take a work trip to the Whistler Pride and Ski Festival together, Simone vows not to let a grumpy straight guy ruin her first Pride. But Ryan keeps surprising her—thoughtful, vulnerable, and impossible to ignore. As sparks fly on chairlifts and by crackling fires, one snowstorm—and one bed—changes everything.

Back in Toronto, however, reality sets in. Dating a guy—and being mistaken for straight—weren’t exactly part of Simone’s coming-out plan. As the pressure builds between the identity she’s just beginning to explore and the relationship that wasn’t supposed to happen, she starts to wonder: What if claiming one part of herself means erasing the other?

Book Review

See You at the Summit is a novel both about self-discovery as romance. Simone is starting over after a break up and is finally coming out as bisexual. At the same time, she starts a new job at a soon-to-open LGBTQIA+ museum. While on a work trip to a Whistler ski resort, an unexpected romance sparks, challenging how Simone understands her identity and her expectations for a coming out journey.

I was initially drawn to See You at the Summit based upon its premise and my desire to read bisexual representation when I can actually find it. While there is a lot of heart in its pages, I found this novel to feel more like young adult or new adult story. Simone felt immature as a character, and her reactions to events reflected this. As the narrative progressed, its messaging and queer themes began to be a bit too heavy-handed. Although the topics Jordyn Taylor addresses are vital, the approach was very direct and repeated. As a result, the novel really spells everything out for you, rather than letting you sit with an event or idea and draw your own conclusions. This often makes a story feel like it is directed at a younger audience since the author does not have faith readers will draw the intended conclusion.

Before I discuss what See You at the Summit does well, I want to note a few additional observations. The novel is told in third-person, which is not my preference, and left me feeling disconnected from the characters. I did not feel the attraction or chemistry between Simone and the male protagonist. In addition, the initially interesting and engaging characters became rather one-faceted. They were eventually defined by one personality characteristic, which became overplayed. Nearly every character also made a 180-degree personality change at some point during the story that was then explained later on. The absence of foreshadowing was definitely felt and took me out of the story several times.

Although See You at the Summit has its low points, the best part of the novel is its bisexual representation and coming out journey. Taylor wrote a nuanced story that reflects the reality of first admitting your sexuality to yourself, then coming out to others, and what comes after when you begin dating to reflect your sexuality. Simone struggles with the labels and expectations of being queer and the pressure to express her sexuality in the “right” way. Layered into her insecurities is internalized biphobia that is so prevalent in society and even the queer community. Taylor did a great job exploring these difficulties through Simone’s journey and also depicting that no queer utopia exists, despite the best intentions and expectations.

Overall, See You at the Summit is a strong narrative about coming out as bisexual and as an adult. The book’s romance is not its strongest storyline, although the novel is still enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a true-to-life coming out story.