We all have those days where you have an oh shit moment and realise you’re behind on your Goodreads challenge and what are you going to do??? Well. I have for you here a guaranteed way of boosting your numbers. Read loads of novellas! (Although, to be honest, I don’t really know what constitutes a “novella” and what’s a short story or even a novelette, but that’s a whole other kettle of fish.) Anyway, these are some of the best ones I’ve read (and they’re all gay, of course).
Penhallow Amid Passing Things
Iona Datt Sharma
Goodreads
Rep: wlw mcs
Why Should I Read It?
Classic enemies to lovers romance with smugglers and the Revenue, but the twist is they’re both women (who needs men amirite). And there’s a quiet overlay of magic in the tale too.
Holly & Oak
R. Cooper
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc & li
Why Should I Read It?
Another enemies (though more like rivals) to lovers novella here. In this one, each character represents a King who has to be sacrificed to welcome in the seasons and keep the town prosperous. It’s just a lovely and soft tale with some unrequited love angst to keep you going.
Prom and Other Hazards
Jamie Sullivan
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mc (ownvoices), bi li
Why Should I Read It?
You know that unique kind of pining that comes from a friends to lovers story? Well this has plenty of that. It’s about a girl who starts working in a dress shop to save up money to buy a suit to go to prom. And it has the softest most perfect ending ever.
Avi Cantor Has Six Months To Live
Sacha Lamb
Goodreads
Rep: gay trans mcs (ownvoices)
Why Should I Read It?
Listen, I’m kinda running out of new things to say about why you should read these books, but trust me on this one. You want to read it.
That Could Be Enough
Alyssa Cole
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mcs, black mcs (ownvoices)
TWs: period typical racism
Why Should I Read It?
I recced this before and I’ll rec it again, because who doesn’t love a good historical f/f story that has a happy ending. No, really, if you don’t, it’s probably because you haven’t read this one yet.
Have You Seen Me
Katherine Scott Nelson
Goodreads
Rep: bi mcs
Why Should I Read It?
Well, firstly, you can read it for free (or, when I read it you could, so I assume you still can). And there are not one, but two bi characters in this. Plus, if you don’t really feel like romance, then there’s none in this one (as far as I remember).
Yellow Rose
Yoshiya Nobuko
Goodreads
Rep: Japanese wlw mcs
Why Should I Read It?
It’s always nice to read classic lit where LGBT characters get their own stories. And this one is a soft lesbian romance from Japan. Of course, in true early 20th century style, we can’t get a happy ending, but it’s a sweet novella nonetheless.
Lies and Reverie
Camilla Quinn
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mcs, gay side character
Why Should I Read It?
Imagine Jane Austen, but with lesbians, and that’ll give you something approaching what this story is like. It’s less a romance so much as the beginning of a romance, but still so good.
Witch, Cat & Cobb
J. K. Pendragon
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mcs, trans mcs
Why Should I Read It?
A talking cat. A talking cat. What more convincing do you need? Also, a princess running away from an arranged marriage and trans characters. But like. A talking cat!
Super Bass
Kai Ashante Wilson
Goodreads
Rep: mlm mcs, black mcs
Why Should I Read It?
Oh god how do you even describe this one. It’s a really nice, short (and gentle) fantasy story. It’s also one of those ones that works really well this short (you know how sometimes, there’s almost too much plot to a novella? Well, not in this one).
I hope you’ve found something to read here! In writing this post, I did realise that actually I have even more I could add, so there’ll probably end up being a part two at some point. In the meantime, though, what are some of your favourite novellas?
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