When I told Charlotte that I want to make a rec list for LGBT romance books, she told me to only include “actually romantic ones”. If I knew what she meant. And I did! I really did.
So that’s what you can expect here: 10 romance books with pining turned up to the absolute maximum, and ones where you can almost physically feel the love the characters have for one another. You’ll probably gonna cry, but you can thank me later!
A lot of those titles are available on Scribd, so if you want to check out that service but don’t have an account yet, use my invite code to get 2 months for free! (This also gives me one free month.)
Related: Historical LGBT Romances, New Adult LGBT Romances
Contract Season
Cait Nary
Goodreads
Rep: gay mcs
Why Should I Read It?
If I were to name one romance book to explain my taste in the genre, I would name this. (Or anything else by Cait Nary.) It has all the best parts: characters you will adore & root for, amazing chemistry between said characters leading to unbearable pining, and finally a happy ending that feels like a victory for all of us. You will read this in one sitting, you will suffer, but you will be happy about it!
Take a Hint, Dani Brown
Talia Hibbert
Goodreads
Rep: Black bi mc, sapphic side characters
TW: panic attacks, past death of family members
Why Should I Read It?
Who else holds the power of creating straight male characters I will love with my whole heart? Truly, Talia Hibbert is the romance queen. This book is hilarious, it’s sexy, it’s full of love (not even only romantic love!), and it’s all your fake dating dreams coming true!
Know Not Why
Hannah Johnson
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc & li, bi side character
Why Should I Read It?
This is one of those books where the characters actually learn from their mistake and grow! Yes, you will absolutely want to fight the main character at the beginning of the story, but listen! All his shit gets called out by other people, and what’s more important, he genuinely changes his behaviour. And thanks to that process he finally allows himself to fall in love.
Sunset Springs
Kacen Callender
Goodreads
Rep: Black trans gay mc, gay li
TW: transphobia, homophobia, racism
Why Should I Read It?
You should know that the best word to describe Kacen’s books is tender. That’s the case here as well. Despite everything the main character has to deal with, it’s still a very warm book about love and second chances, and people surprising you. It will make you feel loved and safe, I guarantee.
A Tiny Piece of Something Greater
Jude Sierra
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc with cyclothymia, Brazilian gay mc
TW: abuse and homophobia from sibling
Why Should I Read It?
Similarly to Kacen’s book, this is a very soft and tender one, too. It’s one of those rare romances that aren’t a “will they, won’t they?” story, and instead focuses on the relationship itself. On how it develops, how it helps the characters heal and face the world.
In the Event of Love
Courtney Kae
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, bi li, gay side character, bi side character, Asian trans side character
Why Should I Read It?
I think if I didn’t include this book, Charlotte would change all our passwords. Not that I needed convincing, really… It’s one of those romances where you fall in love with both characters yourself, so you can easily understand why they want to be together. And they work to make it happen, overcome all the obstacles, because, love does always win!
Related: our review of In the Event of Love
Abroad: Book One
Liz Jacobs
Goodreads
Rep: Russian Jewish gay mc, Black gay mc, bi mc, Indian lesbian character, trans achillean character, achillean & lesbian characters
Why Should I Read It?
Imagine if “FRIENDS” but they’re at college, and they’re basically all gay. It has that vibe of peak coziness, while still managing to be a romance full of yearning, a one that makes your heart hurt. (A little bonus is the conversation about communism, but that might just be me being Slavic.)
Hold Me
Courtney Milan
Goodreads
Rep: Mexican trans woman mc, bi Thai-Chinese mc
Why Should I Read It?
Okay, so you want an enemies to lovers romance! Sure! I will even do you one better, and rec a book where the characters not only start out as enemies, but actually work to trust each other. You can clearly see their journey. And like Callender’s books (which I might be bringing up a lot, I know), this one strucks the perfect balance between the difficulties of life & the optimism, the happiness.
Almost Like Being in Love
Steve Kluger
Goodreads
Rep: gay mcs
Why Should I Read It?
I described this book before as “a love story that spans decades and almost brings a new meaning to romance”, and I was right. It’s told through multiple mediums (emails, lists, post-it notes, journal entries, court transcripts, etc.) which makes it very fun & quirky. But it’s actually as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.
Related: my review of Almost Like Being in Love
Fire Season
K.D. Casey
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc with anxiety, Jewish Italian American bi mc with alcohol use disorder, sapphic side characters, gay hard of hearing side character
TW: panic attacks, past alcohol & drug use
Why Should I Read It?
Let’s get this out of the way: PINING! This book will definitely make you wanna bash your head against the wall. But what else can you expect when your main character is into the other guy from the second he meets him, and just assumes the guy is straight. And then we have the second main character slowly figuring out he’s bi, with all which that entails. A magical experience.
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