Thank you to Alex Chan for allowing me to repost this book review of Love Expanded by Wren Burke. You can find this article in its original form (and so much more) on Alex Chan's website. It was originally posted on April 28, 2026.
Love Expanded by Wren Burke
Reviewed by Alex Chan
Genre/s: asexuality, non-fiction, social-justice
Published: 2025
Reader rating: 5 stars (out of five)
Notes: An intersection between ace/aro experiences and broader experiences of love and relationships; it’s a mix of queer theory and sociology.
This book explores asexuality, aromanticism, and the broader ways we love and relate to each other. It’s more in-depth than a typical “Asexuality 101” primer; instead of defining basic terms, it assumes some familarity and weaves a narrative with a diverse range of perspectives and lived experiences. We’ve read several books for Ace Book Club that try to bring in other perspectives, and I found this more successful than the others.
Somebody described this book as “a collection of windows” into other ideas, which feels right. It touches on friendship, legal protections, race and culture, parenting, living arrangements, and more – areas where aspec experiences collide with wider society. It never goes into depth on any one topic but illustrates what non-traditional relationships can look like with real examples.
Most ace/aro non-fiction feels niche and difficult to recommend if somebody’s not interested in those specific queer experiences; I feel Love Expanded could appeal a wider audience. It uses aspec experiences are a lens to discuss human connection as a whole, rather than as an isolated subject.
There’s an overlap here between queer experiences and society more broadly. The author’s own biases and age shine through, and I don’t think they’re a professional sociologist, but it still made me wonder if I’d enjoy reading more formal sociology.
Want some quotes, highlights, or chapter notes? Visit the original post at Love Expanded, by Wren Burke – alexwlchan.
From Alex Chan
I’m a software developer, writer, and a hand crafter, and I live in the UK. In my day job I build software for digital preservation, and I think a lot about archiving and long-term systems.
This website is where I share stuff I find interesting or fun. That includes notes on technical problems I’ve solved, personal reflections or thoughts, and fun toys that I’ve built.
I’m queer and trans, and my pronouns are “they” or “she”.
I hope you like it!
Add comment
Comments