Book Reviews: Gay Books for the Soul

A while back, I did a post titled lesbian books for the soul. Well, it just so happened that I had 3 books to review (two backlist, one out in May), which all happened to be gay, and so was born this post. These are all books that I enjoyed reading, so I really hope that this post convinces you to pick at least one of them (if not all of them!) up. And feel free to let me know if you do!

Belle Nash and the Bath Souffle

William Keeling
Goodreads
Rep: gay mcs
Genre: adult historical mystery

Reasons to Read

One. First and foremost, this is a book that’s a whole lot of fun. It toes a line between outright absurdity and humour, and seriousness very well. I had a great time reading this one, which, really, is the least I ask for in any book. I read most of this book in a single sitting, that’s how much fun I had with it.

Two. It’s definitely a thoroughly researched book, and the background author’s notes attest to that. It’s the kind of book that the research brings to life, that you can feel as though you’re right there alongside the characters. You don’t even need to have been to Bath to feel as though you’ve walked its streets before when you read this one. Frankly, that’s the best part of the book, the part that elevates it from being fun and diverting to really very good.

Three. It would be remiss of me not to mention the characters, as varied and vibrant as they are. This is a book where the entirety of the cast leaps off the page. No matter whose POV it is, you won’t want to put the book down and really, that’s down to the characters and how real they feel.

Loyalty, Love, & Vermouth

Eric Peterson
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, gay characters, lesbian characters
Genre: adult contemporary

Reasons to Read

One. Central to this book is the idea of the found family. It’s a story about finding your people and growing to love yourself, in my view. Actually, it’s a story about love in general: love for your pets, love for your friends, love for yourself. And, as we all know, gay love is actually something revolutionary.

Two. I said it’s a story about love, so this next point may seem like it contradicts that, but hear me out: it’s not a story about romance. And this is good! Because gay people are still gay when they’re not in relationships and sometimes it feels like we need more books about that. You don’t stop being gay just because you don’t have a significant other—it’s also about things like your outlook on life, or your view of friendship, to name a few things—and, frankly, this book shows that, and shows it well.

Three. In general, this is just a very sweet read. If you want a quick, low-stress read (I say low-stress, but you might find yourself a bit stressed about Mamie’s health and wellbeing), then this is the book for you. This is definitely a very enjoyable book overall.

Going to Beautiful

Anthony Bidulka
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, Indian Canadian Hindu trans character
Genre: adult mystery

Reasons to Read

One. This is a book full of love for small towns and their communities. It’s a book about found families and biological families, and sometimes somehow loving the latter despite everything. The mystery is the vehicle for all of this and I think that’s probably my favourite use of mystery plots.

Two. Speaking of the mystery, though, it’s a slowburning one. It’s less that it’s a mystery from the outset, but more than, on arriving in Beautiful, Jake slowly discovers there to be a mystery. That slow build is very effective in this book, because it’s about a town, or rather, family of secrets. Secrets Eddie kept from Jake, that his family keep from the town, and secrets that the town itself keeps. The slow uncovering of secrets keeps you on your toes and keeps you turning the pages.

Three. One of the central themes of this book is grief: it opens with Jake losing his husband, and really, it’s less a mystery novel per se, than an exploration of grief and coming to terms with loss. I said it’s a book about love, and I think that’s also key to this point: you don’t have grief without love and this book carefully, beautifully interweaves the two. In losing Eddie, Jake comes to know the town and community that Eddie left behind and he comes to love them. They don’t replace Eddie, but they sit alongside Jake’s love for him.

So, have any of these caught your eye?