Happy February Friends! Where on earth did January go? I feel like this year is already flying by and it’s only just started! It’ll be bloody March before we know it, and then Christmas will be back round again… With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought it was the PERFECT time to share some romance books that you totally need to be picking up this month. If you’ve been following me for a while now, you will know that I absolutely LOVE reading romances, meaning I had a tonne of books to wade through in order to narrow the list down to just 14. So to try and make things a little easier, I wanted to share specifically queer romance reads. I’ve made it a point over the last year to get some more queer books on my TBR, and I’ve read some absolutely fabulous books thus far. So if you want to add a little more romance to your February and want to make it a little more queer, then these fourteen books are ones you definitely need to be checking out! The post contains some affiliate links.* Let’s kick things off with Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail* by Ashley Herring Blake, the second book in the Bright Falls series and an opposites-attract coming-out story. Designer Astrid Parker has been given her dream design job – giving Bright Falls’ iconic Everwood Inn a complete makeover. To top it all off, the renovations are going to feature on an episode of Innside America, giving Astrid the exposure she so desperately wants for herself and her business. And hopefully her mother will finally see her as a success, especially after the disaster that was her engagement. There’s just one major hurdle in the form of Pru Everwood’s granddaughter Jordan, who’s not only the lead carpenter on the renovations, but is passionate about the inn’s history and is vocal about her dislike for Astrid’s plans. The show’s producers love the drama that the tension between the pair is causing, but when the cameras stop rolling, the duo grow closer as they work to combine both of their ideas for the inn. For Astrid, being around Jordan allows her to explore her identity and come to some startling realisations about her relationship with her mother and what she wants in life. If you’re into the opposites-attract trope, there’s Boyfriend Material* by Alexis Hall, the first book in the London Calling series. When his reputation is tarnished by the press, negatively affecting his job, Luc realises he needs to do something to turn things around, especially with a big fundraising event coming up that needs to be a success. That something is getting into a fake relationship so he can start being portrayed as a wholesome gay, not a party-all-night fall-over-drunk-in-the-street gay. His best friend Bridget is super excited to set him up with her only other gay friend Oliver. The problem is Luc has always fancied Oliver and the few encounters he’s had with him have ended badly. Perfect Oliver would never be interested in someone as messy as Luc. But when Oliver reveals he needs a date to his parent’s wedding anniversary, they strike up a mutually beneficial deal – they’ll fake date publicly until both events have come and gone, and then they’ll amicably go their separate ways. But, as with any fake relationship, the line between what’s real and what’s not soon becomes blurred as they both start to learn more about each other. Even though they’re from completely different worlds, they slowly start to realise how well they actually fit together. They just have to figure out how good they work together before they reach the agreed expiration date on their relationship.. Don’t stress, I wasn’t going to miss the first book in Ashley Herring Blake’s Bright Falls series - Delilah Green Doesn’t Care* is one of my all-time favourite books. It’s been twelve years since Delilah Green hightailed it out of Bright Falls for New York, and for the most part, she’s never looked back. But now her step-sister is getting married and has hired Delilah to be her wedding photographer, which includes all pre-wedding events in the two weeks leading up to the big day. Delilah and Astrid have never really been close, but with her wicked step mother offering a large cheque, Delilah really can’t say no. As Delilah pumps herself up to spend time with her sister and her best friends Claire and Iris, what Delilah doesn’t expect is the mutual attraction between herself and Claire. Hooking up with her sister’s best friend is just the kind of thing that will piss Astrid off, but as Delilah gets reacquainted with Claire, it’s the last reason she has for getting close to her. And when Delilah, Claire and Iris start working together to try and secretly help Astrid see that her fiancé is horrible, Delilah can’t help but feel like she’s got more in common with Astrid than she realised, and that maybe running away from Bright Falls in the first place wasn’t the answer to all her problems... I couldn’t put together a queer romance list without including the cuteness that is the Heartstopper* series by Alice Oseman. If you’ve watched the series but not read the graphic novels, you NEED to rectify that before season two drops at some point this year. Charlie is the only openly-gay student at an all-boys school, and although it’s been a bit of a bumpy road over the past year since he was outed, things are finally starting to settle down. In his new Form Group, Charlie meets Nick, a rugby player the year above him. Their paths have never had the chance to cross until now, and it’s not long before they become friends. Charlie’s falling hard and fast for Nick, even though he knows he doesn’t have a chance. However, Nick’s slowly starting to question his own sexuality as he gets closer to Charlie. Charlie’s dreams might all be about to become reality... For the boyband fans out there, you definitely need to pick-up If This Gets Out* by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich. Saturday is the biggest boyband in America, and after a successful American leg of their world tour, they’re about to head overseas for the European leg. Members Angel, Jon, Reuben and Zach haven’t been out of the USA before, so it’s a big exciting adventure, even if they are being kept under tight reigns from their management. No one is feeling the pressure from management more than Reuben, who’s being forced to keep his sexuality out of the public eye, even though he’d love nothing more than to come out and be true to himself. As they travel through Europe, Reuben and Zach grow closer and closer, and it’s not long before Zach is questioning his own sexuality. The budding relationship between the pair, along with issues growing for Jon and Angel, is what pushes all four boys to realise just how controlling their management really is, and just how much they’re never going to be allowed to be their true authentic selves Another one of my absolute favourite reads from last year was In The Event Of Love* by Courtney Kae, the first book in the Fern Falls series, and a swoony holiday read. When her holiday plans blow up after a tabloid scandal cancels the event she was planning, Morgan Ross takes a chance on heading home to Fern Falls to help organise a holiday fundraiser, hoping it’ll help her tarnished image. She hasn’t been back to her mountain-side home for years, not since she packed up her life for bigger things in LA, leaving behind her father, friends, and her former best friend-turned-crush Rachel Reed. Morgan’s plan is to be in and out of town before she has to see too many people, especially Rachel, but that plan is foiled the moment she arrives and accidentally crashes into the sign for Reed Family Tree Farm, and she’s suddenly face-to-face with the girl who broke her heart. Turns out, her other best friend Ben has set her up, hoping that Morgan’s event planning expertise can help raise funds for the tree farm to save it from the corporate business sucking the life out of a neighbouring town. Morgan and Rachel have to face their feelings for one another, and the events that led to their heartbreak after graduation, if they stand a chance at saving Fern Falls, their friendship, and maybe even a future together While we’re on the topic of holiday romances, you can’t go past Alison Cochrun’s Kiss Her Once For Me*. Last Christmas, Ellie Oliver had it all – she had recently moved to Portland for her dream animation job, and although her mother had once again abandoned her for Christmas, things took a very positive turn during a meet-cute at a bookstore on Christmas Eve with a woman she fell in love with in just one day. Now, with Christmas around the corner once again, things couldn’t be more different – she lost her dream job, is working in a cafe for a boss who’s a bit of an ass, her bank account is about to hit the red, she’s on the verge of losing her apartment, and her heart is still broken from the events of last Christmas. As her life begins to crumble around her, Andrew, the owner of the cafe’s building, offers her a lifeline – they can become fake engaged in order for him to secure his inheritance from his grandfather, and she’ll be given a cut of the money which will help her live more than comfortably. The plan is simple enough until Ellie is invited to spend Christmas with Andrew and his family at their cabin in the mountains, only to learn that the woman who broke her heart a year ago is actually her fake fiancé’s sister Jack. Now Ellie is torn between keeping up the ruse in order to help Andrew secure the inheritance and get her cut, and following her heart to rekindle things with Jack and get her happily ever after For fans of a good age-gap romance, you will definitely enjoy Mistakes Were Made* by Meryl Wilsner. Escaping her university’s Family Weekend to an off-campus bar results in Cassie hooking-up with an older woman in the backseat of a car. Older women are nothing new for Cassie, but hooking up with who she later learns is her friend’s mom, Erin, is. Their connection to one another, and their age gap, should be enough to put an end to any further hook-ups. That’s until Parker invites Cassie home with her for Christmas for two weeks. Now, Cassie and Erin are under the same roof and their chemistry is still undeniable. Soon, they’re sneaking around behind Parker’s back, texting all the time, FaceTiming while they’re cooking dinner, and meeting up whenever they’re in the same neighbourhood. They’re both happier than they’ve ever been, but their relationship has the potential to destroy other relationships around them, but maybe it’s a risk just worth taking Ya’ll know I love a good a sports romance, and Leigh Lennon delivered some good ones with her Love Is Love series, especially in the second installment My Only Regret. In one night, Bank Weston's world changed forever - he'd finally come out to all his fans and his new husband Dallas Phillips up and left because he couldn't follow through with coming out himself. A year has passed, in which Dallas has come out, and now that the football season is over, Dallas is keen to get involved with some LGBTQ+ events around town for a new foundation now that he can finally be open with himself. What he doesn't expect is Banks to also be involved. He's never stopped loving Banks and hates himself for handling things the way he did, and even though Banks won't admit it, he's still in love with Dallas, but hates him for his actions. When they come across a brother and sister who have no one, they realise their marriage can be used to give them a family. They can fake things for the sake of giving Jonah and Sally the life and security they deserve. But faking it comes with repercussions that will hurt way more than when Dallas left. A reality dating show with a queer twist is the topic of Sophie Gonzales’ Never Ever Getting Back Together*. Maya and Skye have one thing in common – they share an ex-boyfriend and their time with him most certainly overlapped. Now, two years after Jordy cheated on Maya, he’s bringing six of his exes together for a reality dating show so he can re-explore the connections he once had. For Skye, Jordy was the one that got away, and she’s hoping that maybe she can reconnect with him again on the show. For Maya, she wants nothing to do with Jordy after the way he broke her heart and made her out to be the bitter and unhinged ex. But she can’t pass up the opportunity to get revenge and show the world that he’s not the sweet and caring guy he portrays himself to be. And while Maya knew she would not only have to spend time with Jordy but also Skye, she wasn’t expecting to be sharing a room with her as well. It’s a rocky start to their time on the show, but when Maya and Skye finally clear the air, they realise that working together might be the best way to bring their ex down. What they didn’t expect was sparks to fly, and not with Jordy Another age-gap romance is Meryl Wilsner’s Something To Talk About*, which also delivers a good slow-burn. When Hollywood producer and writer Jo invites her assistant Emma to join her at the SAGG awards, the duo could never have been prepared for the amount of media attention that would follow them after their red carpet walk. There to help be a buffer so Jo didn’t have to discuss her upcoming film project, a photograph of the moment Jo made Emma laugh to calm her down on the red carpet goes viral and the rumours start to spread that the pair are in a relationship. As a closeted lesbian, Jo has never once spoken publicly about her love life and she isn’t about to start now. But with someone from within the production team of Jo’s TV series leaking information to the press, Jo and Emma are soon second-guessing the interactions they have with one another, especially when they start working more closely together as Jo works on her film project and prepares to step away from her TV series. Emma has always admired and looked up to Jo, and she would be lying to herself if she didn’t have a tiny crush on her, but the dynamics of their working relationship, the 14-year age gap between the pair, and the media frenzy surrounding them reminds her of why nothing will ever happen between the two of them, even if there is a spark bubbling under the surface.. If you’re wanting more queer twists on reality dating shows, then The Charm Offensive* by Alison Cochrun needs to be at the top of your TBR. Dev loves his job as producer on reality dating show Ever After and loves crafting the settings for two people to fall in love. The show is back for another season but Dev’s got his work cut out for him – Charlie is far from the perfect Prince Charming everyone is expecting. Dev is given the task of helping Charlie come out of his shell and look like the perfect Prince the world is expecting to watch fall in love. Ever After is the chance for disgraced tech-whizz Charlie to get back in the game, but he is struggling to feel comfortable in the world of reality television. As Dev and Charlie spend more and more time together, Charlie is able relax and come out of his shell, but in doing so, he starts to question things about himself. Ever After has produced many long-lasting relationships, but this season has a twist that neither Dev nor Charlie, nor the network, were expecting, but it could just be the greatest love story to ever air It’s time to turn the heat up in the kitchen with the penultimate book on this list, Ruby Barrett’s The Romance Recipe*. Amy’s dreams of owning her own restaurant have finally come to fruition, but after months of dwindling customers, things are not looking good, even with former-reality cooking show star Sophie as her head chef to entice people in. But Sophie’s celebrity status isn’t what caught Amy’s attention – ever since watching Pop-Up Kitchen she’s admired Sophie’s cooking skills and also has a little crush on her. What Amy thinks is just a straight-girl crush is actually mutual attraction. For Sophie, figuring out that she’s bisexual has been a long-time coming, and now that she’s single and free to explore this part of her, she’s only got eyes for Amy. Amy likes being in control and doing things on her own, so instead of opening up to her head chef about what’s going on, she’d rather make decisions that she thinks is the best for everyone. Their lack of clear communication and bubbling sexual attraction leads them to a casual but not-so-casual relationship. When Amy suggests that they apply for a new foodie television show that could help save the restaurant, their dynamic is tested, both in and out of the kitchen And finally, another holiday romance with an opposites-attract trope is You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince* by Timothy Janovsky. After he buys a literal island, Matthew Prince is sent off to spend December with his grandparents in the small town of Wind River in order to avoid a PR scandal. His accounts have been frozen, he’s banned from social media, and Wind River is the last place on earth he wants to be, especially when it means missing his iconic New Years Eve party. To make matters worse, Matthew has to literally bunk with Hector Martinez, a student of his grandfather’s who is boarding with his grandparents while he finishes his degree. And it’s safe to say that the pair doesn’t get off to the best start. When the organiser of the local holiday charity gala falls ill, Matthew steps up to offer his event-organising expertise, hoping that if he does a good job it’ll mean he can get home sooner. With the promise of helping him get home to Texas to see his family, Matthew also enlists Hector to help with planning the event. Surrounded by the magic of a small-town Christmas, it doesn’t take long for Matthew to not only soak up the Christmas spirit, but maybe a little love along the way too.. If you want even more romance books to read, be sure to check out my Books page where I’ve grouped all of the books I’ve read by genre, linking them to my reviews. Please note that this page is still a work-in-progress (I’ve read and reviewed a LOT of books since I started blogging), so there are still books missing from the list, and not every book is linked to a review yet (the joys of still being in the progress of merging my old book blog with this one).
I’d love to know some of your favourite queer romances, or just romances in general - you can honestly never have too many romances on your TBR! Well, maybe you can since my TBR is only getting longer… anyway! Happy Reading! Victoria :) |
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