A Queer Romance That Knows Exactly How To Make Your Heart Flutter

“Heartstopper” starts with Charlie Spring, a high-strung, openly-gay teenager with a tight-knit group of friends who are “borderline outcasts.” Coming out of a complicated relationship and still shouldering the burden of high school homophobia, he finds himself seeking solace in a budding friendship with Nick Nelson, a cheerful and soft-hearted rugby player on who he quickly develops a crush. Despite his friends’ vehement warnings that he’s setting himself up for heartbreak (they make a point of dubbing Nick “the straightest person [they’ve] ever seen”), Charlie can’t help but wonder if Nick could possibly return his feelings. Spoiler alert — of course he does! That’s not the struggle though; the hard part is getting to a place where either of these nervous wrecks might speak their feelings aloud. The ensuing events are told in chapters like “Crush” and “Kiss,” where the duo navigate their feelings and all the possibilities they promise.

Not to reiterate what the title says so clearly, but “Heartstopper” is exactly what it seems: a heartwarming YA tale that knows exactly how to make your heart flutter. Naturally, the story lives and dies on the chemistry of its leads, who need to convince us of their affections, but no worries there — Kit Connor and Joe Locke soar through this series with ease. Connor has previously proven his penchant for emotion in the opening scenes of “Rocketman,” where the young star played a young Eton John. As Nick, he radiates golden retriever energy when he’s grinning in Charlies’s direction, then falls into silent conflict as he struggles to make sense of his feelings. Locke, a newcomer, is a breakout in his own right, operating like a bundle of raw nerves as Charlie jumps from earnest hope to anxious overthinking. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg — the series boasts charming performances across the board from the young cast. With them, the show balances embracing inclusivity while never shying away from the bigoted environment that surrounds it. Charlie’s friend group includes Elle, (trans TikTok sensation Yasmin Finney), who recently transferred from Truman to the all-girls school where things should be easier and are instead complicated for new reasons. But much like Charlie and Nick will come to realize, Elle finds comfort in a community.

“Heartstopper” is a welcome change from stories where threats from the outside threaten to endanger queer love. Outside pressures aren’t nonexistent, of course — after all, Nick’s struggle with his feelings stems from having to wonder how his mother might react or how his friends will judge. It makes something as simple as kissing the boy he likes needlessly difficult — until finally, it doesn’t. There’s so much that can get them down — raw emotions, teen nerves, and irritating societal pressures — but (prepare for some cheesiness), do you know what prevails over all of that? Love.