
What a Girl Wants
A (True) Story of Sexuality and Self-discovery
$26.10
- Paperback
272 pages
- Release Date
15 September 2026
Summary
‘Courageous, moving, bold and beautifully, brilliantly written.’ - Daisy Buchanan, bestselling author of Insatiable
I am 13 years old and these are my secrets.
- I have a crush on Jet from ITV gameshow Gladiators. So strong! So pretty!
- I still play with Barbie dolls. It’s mostly making them scissor. Or snog. Or lie on top of each other with feeling.
- I just kissed my best friend. Spoiler alert: she’s a girl.
From the suburbs of Leeds to the …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781035037179 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1035037173 |
| Author: | Roxy Bourdillon |
| Publisher: | Pan Macmillan |
| Imprint: | Bluebird |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 272 |
| Release Date: | 15 September 2026 |
| Weight: | 196g |
| Dimensions: | 17mm x 131mm x 198mm |
| Audience Age: | 18 |

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Critics Review
Courageous, moving, bold and beautifully, brilliantly written. – Daisy Buchanan, bestselling author of Insatiable
Smart and funny – genuinely brilliantly, laugh out loud funny. What A Girl Wants is unabashed, bold, even confronting at times and it’s exhilarating to read Roxy’s words, to be witness to her life. – Laura Kay, author of The Split, Making It and Wild Things
An inspiring and refreshing read! I wish this had been around when I was 19. And 29, and 39… – Val McDermid, author of The Mermaids Singing
What a girl NEEDS, because every girl NEEDS to read this – relatable for the girls who’ve gone through it and reassuring for the girls who are going through it. – Charlie Craggs, author of To My Trans Sisters
This is the book I wish existed when I was younger, all told in Roxy’s wonderful, unique, inimitable way. Roxy has my heart. – Adele Roberts, broadcaster and author
Beautiful, kind, inclusive, hilarious, passionate. A taster of how glorious things can be when a girl gets what she wants. – The L Word star Rachel Shelley
Jam-packed with hilarity and heart! The personality that has always made Roxy’s journalism a must-read shines through! – Rosie Wilby, comedian, broadcaster and author of The Breakup Monologues
Funny, thought-provoking and totally charming… An important and passionate book on the power of sexuality, creativity and love. Brilliant. – Karen McLeod, author of Lifting Off and In Search Of The Missing Eyelash
Heartfelt, sexy and highly entertaining, Roxy Bourdillon’s memoir is also tender on the realities of growing up queer under Section 28 and what it means to be out and proud today. – Holly Williams, author of The Start Of Something and What Time Is Love?
A no holds barred trip down memory lane that packs a hilarious, nostalgic and seriously sapphic punch. – Jamie Windust, author of In Their Shoes
A fabulously femme romp through a queer life, that will be a guiding light for anyone embracing their truth. – Lotte Jeffs, author of This Love, The Queer Parent and How to Be a Gentlewoman
Hilarious, honest – and sometimes painful… From her first secretive kisses to arguments with femmephobic bouncers, Roxy’s stories are affirming – and occasionally outrageous! At once a giggly gossip-fest with your lesbian best friend, and a fiercely feminist call to arms, What A Girl Wants is a must-read! – Rachel Dawson, author of Neon Roses
An honest, uplifting and inspirational journey of discovery. I loved it! – Mari Hannah, author of The Murder Wall
An exuberant, open-hearted memoir about growing up a lesbian under Section 28, and about living a richly queer life in 21st century Britain. – Kate Young, author of Experienced
I loved this book on so many levels… It’s beautifully written, a truly uplifting and engaging read. – VG Lee, author of Mr Oliver’s Object of Desire
I adored What a Girl Wants. It’s such a lovely, warm book to escape to. It gave me so much joy. – Kate Holderness, actor and author of Be More Keanu
A warm, tender, and playful memoir of growing up lesbian under Section 28 all the way up to becoming the DIVA magazine editor-in-chief. – Lily Lindon, author of Double Booked
A joy to read. – Rosie Jones, comedian
Roxy Bourdillon
Roxy Bourdillon is an award-winning writer and the editor-in-chief of DIVA, the world’s leading magazine for LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people.
As a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from A-listers Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Keira Knightley to the legendary Rebel Dykes.
When she’s not busy writing or editing, she can be found co-hosting the LGBTQIA+ podcast podDIVA, alongside Rachel Shelley (aka The L Word’s Helena Peabody).
Roxy’s groundbreaking work in queer media has earned her a place in both the Pride Power List and the Attitude 101: LGBTQ+ Trailblazers Changing The World.
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