LOVE, DISCOVERED
A novella by Isabella Goldstein
First love is never simple, especially when it's hidden.
A tender, unflinching coming-of-age novella about queer first love, secrecy, and the perilous line between care and desire. Published by JMS Books LLC.
"I turned around, and there you were. Petite, dark-haired, in a crisp blue shirt and jeans, with a slightly shuffling walk, and those eyes that pointed away from the world. When you finally lifted them to meet mine, that’s when I saw you, truly, for the first time.
Truly, because your eyes said more than most people’s. They gave away the things you didn’t want them to know."
A story about first love: the kind that arrives quietly, grows ferociously, and changes you before you realise what’s happening
Sixteen-year-old Iris returns from a family holiday to find her world subtly shifted. Her best friends have made new connections, her place feels less certain, and then there’s Ava.
Quiet, brilliant, and guarded, Ava draws Iris in with an intensity she can’t quite explain. What begins as a tentative friendship deepens into late-night conversations, shared walks, and a fragile closeness built on trust, care, and unspoken longing.
As Ava struggles with disordered eating and self-destructive coping, Iris becomes her anchor, the one person Ava leans on, confides in, and trusts completely. But Iris is hiding something too. Beneath her steady presence is a dawning realisation she’s terrified to name: she’s falling in love.
Torn between wanting to protect Ava and wanting to be seen herself, Iris begins to fracture under the weight of secrecy, guilt, and her own desire. When a moment they can’t take back forces everything into the open, Iris must confront what she’s willing to risk, for Ava, and for herself.
Meet the Author
Isabella Goldstein writes stories about the messy, beautiful journey of becoming yourself. Born from a passion for authentic queer narratives, Love, Discovered is her debut fiction.
A communications strategist by day, Isabella holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Bristol and has written non-fiction for OpenDemocracy and LabourList. She lives in East London with her partner.
Love, Discovered is the first in a planned series following Iris and Ava through the joy, chaos, and heartbreak of first love.
Get in Touch
Have questions about the book or just want to share your thoughts? I'd love to hear from you! You can contact me at izzyg7@hotmail.co.uk or via the contact form below.