• Author / Artist: Alice Oseman  
• Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books / Hodder Books  
• Publishing year: 2020
• Pages: 384
• Cover: Alice Oseman
• ISBN: 978-1444952773

https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/alice-oseman/heartstopper-volume-3/9781444952773/

Review:

Paris trip

Nick and Charlie couldn’t be happier together now that they are finally officially a couple. Nick came out to his mom as bisexual and their best friends all know, apart from Tao, Charlie’s best friend. Apparently, when Charlie came out a few years before Tao unwillingly was the reason the whole school knew about him being gay and that’s when the bullying started. Charlie just learned this and he’s not sure he wants to tell Tao about him and Nick, because they both decided not to tell people yet.

Year 10 and 11 are getting ready for the Paris trip that Summer. Nick and Charlie share a room with Aled and Tao and though the couple wants to share a bed, Tao somehow foils this plan. Their trip is a success and the entire group is having a lot of fun. Tao and Elle grow closer towards each other, which would be amazing as Tao has strong feelings for Elle. Nick is struggling a bit with the idea whether they should tell people they’re a couple. During a kissing match, he gives Charlie a love bite, which sparks a new gossiping round. Nick tries to connect with his father, who lives in Paris (with a surprise for Nick’s friends and Charlie), and wants to meet up with him and come out to him. In the meantime, he notices something strange about Charlie and how little his boyfriend actually eats.

When the Paris trip is over, friendships are forged, made stronger or have even become new relationships! The Paris Squad has been created!

In this volume Alice Oseman shows us how same-sex couples can struggle with being out together and share their love with the world. A broken relationship with a brother and a father figure and the hint of a mental health issue is part of this story as well, both will be explored even more, later in the series. Alice doesn’t shy away from all the real life problems teens encounter. No matter what sexuality or gender, everyone recognizes at least one of the problems these kids in the Heartstopper comics encounter. But between all the possible problems is so much sweetness and so much love between these characters and that is what makes these comics so beautiful and so lovely. Love is universal and Alice Oseman perfectly shows this to us.

This volume ends with a mini-comic about Tao and Elle, a year before they become an item.