[4][5][6] Portrayed as a popular and aloof "cool girl", Laura continually breaks up with Freddy, only to start their romantic relationship up again whenever the former desires.

[3][7][8] While focusing on a way to prevent a further break up, Freddy inadvertently distances herself from her social circle, which includes Buddy, Eric, and her best friend Doodle, by repeatedly neglecting her friendships with them.

[3] Valero-O'Connell told the Los Angeles Times that the previous December, First Second editor Calista Brill had sent her an email asking if she had interest in testing to be the artist for Tamaki's next book, to which she agreed.

[5] When asked if there were any specific inspirations for Laura Dean, Tamaki stated that she "always liked the idea of an ex-ex-girlfriend story, about the girl that got away and then shows up a week later with a smile like nothing happened," and added that a lot of her relationships when she was younger "weren't fairy-tale girl-meets-girl, girl-finds-true-love-type things.

[12] She added that television series My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks, as well as John Hughes films, influenced the novel's development.

[6][17][18] Particularly, media publications noted the presence of a dynamic cast of LGBT characters, who were portrayed with a diversity in their races, sexualities, gender expressions, and body types.

[4][19][6] While Laura has been cited as having as "charismatic appeal" or being "enigmatic",[4][8] the novel also depicts her as the catalyst for a bad and abusive romantic relationship involving two girls.

[6] In Laura Dean, subplots involving Freddy's friends help "address other issues faced by queer teens and sexually active young women.

[5][24] The Toronto Star wrote "[Tamaki and Valero-O'Connell] showed that a story about a lovelorn queer teenage girl, published in a YA book, can be relatable to anyone who's ever had a bad relationship.

"[20] Kiely wrote that "Tamaki and Valero-O'Connell slyly undercut the rocky romance, preventing it from veering into melodrama with endearing moments between the girls' other friends and flashes of humor," adding that the author–illustrator duo's "tenderhearted narrative sings with real, honest emotion that will resonate with anyone trying to figure out love.

"[7] Quill & Quire also commended the two's collaboration, writing "Tamaki and Valero-O'Connell have developed a sophisticated storytelling dynamic, which involves sparse dialogue pushing the narrative forward while detailed illustrative attention to body language and facial expressions provides the emotion.

"[3] Forbes writer Rob Salkowitz wrote that Laura Dean's inclusion of a "depoliticized and unfussy depiction of gender-fluid teen culture in the 2010s" makes the novel "a step forward in LGBTQ graphic literature.

"[22] Katie Bircher of The Horn Book Magazine praised the novel's writing, as she opined that "Freddy's insightful and painfully honest first-person narration [...] is balanced by dialogue full of witty banter and warm moments of friendship.

[24] Also lauding the novel's dialogue, Quill & Quire wrote that it "feels more authentic than most YA teen-speak, with characters holding back, not risking too much, worried about saying the wrong thing.

[5]Of the artwork, Sava wrote "the visual storytelling is precise and thoughtful, and it's evident that the artist has spent a lot of time designing spaces that feel lived in and characters who immediately exhibit specific personalities.

Lush arrangements of greenery are a key visual motif, adding an element of natural beauty to the panels while evoking different emotional responses.

"[5] Quill & Quire praised the coloring work in the novel's illustrations, writing "the pages are predominantly black, white, and grey except for splashes of the most beatific shade of peachy-pink, which perfectly accentuate the bittersweet quality of this story of high-school heartache and friendship," and added "this singular [color] becomes an anticipated comfort throughout the entire story.

[23] In January 2020, Laura Dean was named as Printz Honor Book, with the American Library Association writing: "Through soft-hued illustrations and cinematic scope, this graphic novel captures the intoxication of teenage love and the search for identity.