Girls Girls Girls
Finalist for the 2026 LAMBDA Literary Award
Finalist for the 2025 CALIBA Golden Poppy Award
Longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award
"Jam-packed with queer angst and queer joy . . . and a truly incredible amount of heart. I devoured this novel." —Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One
"A teary-eyed love letter to the San Francisco that remains and to its establishments that are long-gone. But above all [Girls Girls Girls] tenderly tells the story of a vulnerable young queer person in an unfamiliar place, just trying to create a new version of home." —San Francisco Chronicle
It’s the summer of ’96 and secret girlfriends Hannah and Sam are driving across the country from Long Beach, New York, to the fabled queer paradise of San Francisco, finally free from the stifling demands of Hannah’s devout Orthodox Jewish mother. In San Francisco, they can be a real couple, out in the open, around other queer people.
But when the financial strains of West Coast living push the girls to start stripping at the Chez Paree, Hannah feels trapped. Until she meets Chris, an older butch lesbian, who is immediately taken with her. Desperate to stay in San Francisco and away from the leering men at the club, Hannah proposes an escort arrangement.
As Hannah falls deeper into Chris’s world, and Sam starts to meet new queer friends, a rift forms between them. Without Sam, who is Hannah? And what does San Francisco mean to Hannah alone? An achingly tender and resonant story of survival, first love, and growing up queer in the '90s, Girls Girls Girls is a piercing exploration of the choices we make in the thrilling and often confounding search for ourselves and home.
Finalist for the 2025 CALIBA Golden Poppy Award
Longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award
"Jam-packed with queer angst and queer joy . . . and a truly incredible amount of heart. I devoured this novel." —Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One
"A teary-eyed love letter to the San Francisco that remains and to its establishments that are long-gone. But above all [Girls Girls Girls] tenderly tells the story of a vulnerable young queer person in an unfamiliar place, just trying to create a new version of home." —San Francisco Chronicle
It’s the summer of ’96 and secret girlfriends Hannah and Sam are driving across the country from Long Beach, New York, to the fabled queer paradise of San Francisco, finally free from the stifling demands of Hannah’s devout Orthodox Jewish mother. In San Francisco, they can be a real couple, out in the open, around other queer people.
But when the financial strains of West Coast living push the girls to start stripping at the Chez Paree, Hannah feels trapped. Until she meets Chris, an older butch lesbian, who is immediately taken with her. Desperate to stay in San Francisco and away from the leering men at the club, Hannah proposes an escort arrangement.
As Hannah falls deeper into Chris’s world, and Sam starts to meet new queer friends, a rift forms between them. Without Sam, who is Hannah? And what does San Francisco mean to Hannah alone? An achingly tender and resonant story of survival, first love, and growing up queer in the '90s, Girls Girls Girls is a piercing exploration of the choices we make in the thrilling and often confounding search for ourselves and home.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I recently finished reading Girls Girls Girls by Shoshana von Blanckensee and wanted to share my thoughts on it. The book provides a raw look at queer life in the 1990s, following Hannah as she leaves her sheltered life in Long Beach, NY, for San Francisco. It beautifully depicts her journey from a girl who felt she didn't belong to a woman who realizes she can make a home anywhere.
There were a few specific aspects of the book I wanted to highlight:
- Relationship with Bubbe: Their bond was a beautiful example of unconditional love. I was particularly moved by Bubbe’s perspective, she wasn't concerned that Hannah was gay, but rather about the hardships she might face. She wanted Hannah to have an easy life, not necessarily a straight one.
- Relationship with Chris: Though uncomfortable at times, this dynamic was unique and important. It showed the lengths one might go to for human connection. Despite not being attracted to Chris, Hannah seemed to find safety in her as they both navigated their own struggles. Their final scene together was beautifully written.
- Relationship with her Mother: The dynamic here was heartbreaking, especially the scene where her mother spat in her face. While the eventual apology wasn't perfect, it represented a significant effort toward healing. Additionally, I felt for Hannah’s sister, who rightfully deserved to be upset about their lack of communication.
this book did a fantastic job of capturing the queer experience during that era. It is a love story, but perhaps not in the way one would traditionally expect.
Set in the mid 90s, the read follows a young Hannah moving on whim with her best friend/lover as soon as they finish high school from NY to San Francisco to embrace an open sexual life. Full of complications of a first independent relationship, first time living independently from home, first time with monetary responsibilities, and the ties of family at a distant, the author celebrates youth and autonomy in the main character and how life can be a roller coaster. It was a good read.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.