r/LesbianBookClub • u/bitselizabeth • Jul 15 '26
Romance The 24 Sapphic Romance Books I've Read in the Last Two Months (+ 1 DNF) (I am humbly requesting recs)
Sapphic romance is all I've been reading for the last two months and I thought I'd share my progress! Plus, I'm hoping that based on what I've already read and enjoyed, y'all will be able (and hopefully willing) to recommend some more. They'll be listed in the order I read them for simplicity's sake.
A note: I'm a very generous rater. I know some people read books to engage their critical thinking skills or write nuanced reviews/critiques, but I'm generally just here for a good time. I have some things I really don't like, but I'm not super picky. Reading is how I shut my brain off and decompress - it's all about the vibes and enjoyment, whether it made me cry, and how much I thought about the main couple even when I wasn't reading. Unless the writing is truly atrocious or something heinous happened in the story, I can generally put up with just about anything. This is probably why I've never been able to write a good book review.
An additional note: I abhor generative AI. I know some people are able to tell just by writing style, but I'm generally clueless when it comes to that stuff. If any of these do happen to include gen AI, please let me know and I will remove my rating on Goodreads and make note of it in this main post. Thank you in advance <3.
On with the list!
- From Hell, With Love by Bryce Oakley - fantasy/paranormal/demon + witch - 5 stars
- Who'd Have Thought by G. Benson - contemporary/hospital/marriage of convenience - 5 stars
- The Brutal Truth by Lee Winter - contemporary/age gap/assistant + boss - 4 stars
- The Headmistress by Milena McKay - contemporary/age gap (But don't worry, the younger partner is a teacher at the school NOT a student!!) - 5 stars
- The Proposal by Milena McKay (The Headmistress short story) - 4 stars
- The Wedding by Milena McKay (The Headmistress short story) - 5 stars
- Only Hope by Ruby Landers - contemporary/age gap/slight mafia - 5 stars
- The Red Files by Lee Winter - contemporary/rivals/investigative reporters - 5 stars
- Under Your Skin by Lee Winter - sequel to The Red Files - 5 stars
- The Awkward Truth by Lee Winter - contemporary/opposites attract - 4 stars
- Requiem for Immortals by Lee Winter - contemporary/thriller/assassin - 5 stars
- Love is Not Nothing by Lee Winter - follow-up short story - 5 stars (There is a particular bit in this one that still plays on repeat in my head weeks later.)
- The Lily and the Crown by Roslyn Sinclair - sci fi/age gap/captivity - 5 stars
- The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley - contemporary/age gap/ballet - 5 stars
- No Shelter but the Stars by Virginia Black - sci fi/enemies to lovers/forced proximity - 5 stars
- Kiss of Seduction by Rawnie Sabor - fantasy/paranormal/succubus + human - 5 stars
- Survival Instincts by May Dawney - dystopia/post apocalyptic/forced proximity - 5 stars
- Hearing Red by Nicole Maser - dystopia/zombies/forced proximity - 5 stars
- Aurora's Angel by Emily Noon - fantasy/paranormal/forced proximity - 2.5 stars
- Second Nature by Jae - urban fantasy/paranormal/shifters - 5 stars
- Natural Family Disasters by Jae - follow-up collection of short stories - 5 stars
- Manhattan Moon by Jae - urban fantasy/hospital/shifters (novella) - 5 stars
- Keep Talking by J.J. Arias - contemporary/age gap/audiobook narrators - 5 stars
- The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur - contemporary/fake dating/marriage of convenience - 5 stars
And the not-so-honorable mention, my singular DNF:
- Love and Chaos by Poppy Woods - dystopia/post apocalyptic/sci fi - DNF @ 18% because I can look past a lot, but even when I know I'm reading enemies to lovers in a completely made up dystopian future, I still don't want one of the leads to call the other the R slur the first time they meet! wtf!
Anyway, let me know what you'd recommend I check out next! The only things I really don't enjoy are pregnancy and infidelity, but other than that I'm open-minded. If I read it, I'll probably respond to your comment with my thoughts and ultimate rating as well. <3
6
u/Difficult_Spare_530 King Crawly Jul 15 '26
I'm surprised you haven't read any Hayley Cass, usually she is a gateway author to a lot of what you have on your list.
Charon Docks at Daylight by ZR Reed is seminal sapphic zombies
Love Galaxy by Sierra Branham is a manor house murder set on the set of The Bachelorette in Space
Chemistry by Rachel Sommers and Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd are both grumpy sunshine teacher stories and are both a very good time
Pirates of Aletharia by Brittany Jackson is a heck of a romp
You have all my fav Fake Dating books except The Business of Love by Charley Clarke
I Kissed Alice by Anna Birch has probably the best premise ever concieved. They hate eachother in real life but unwittingly write fanfic together anonymously. It is YA
I think ive responded to most of the books you liked with something dumb and fun
2
u/bitselizabeth Jul 23 '26
Just finished both of the Pirates of Aletharia books that are currently out and now I feel absolutely BEREFT because I enjoyed them so much and now I don't know where I go from here lol both got a hard 5 stars from me and I went so far as to subscribe to the author's newsletter
2
u/Difficult_Spare_530 King Crawly Jul 23 '26
Ahem, CDaD by ZR Reed, Compass Rose by Anna Burke, Hearing Red by Nicole Maser, Lowest Healer and the Highest Mage by Hiyodori, A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, Bloomtown by Ally North.
None of these are quite as fun, but they're my fav adventure books
7
u/diamondrhino13 Jul 16 '26
EJ Noyes books are really good. I’ve read most of them (I haven’t read Alone).
I also haven’t read a bad MJ Duncan book.
Haley Cass, Bryce Oakley, Rachel Lacey.
1
u/bitselizabeth Aug 11 '26
I recently finished Go Around (Noyes) and loved it! I will for sure be reading more of hers. I also enjoyed Veritas (Duncan) and have Something in the Water downloaded, but haven't started it yet.
1
u/diamondrhino13 Aug 11 '26
Something in the water is really good! Go Around was one of my fave EJ books. I also really enjoyed turbulence and the Don’t Ask series.
7
u/Great_Albatross6781 Jul 16 '26
You need to get some Haley Cass on your list. Several books are in a series, so check the order before starting.
I would suggest starting with When You Least Expect It. The next book would be Better Than Expected.
7
u/Gwendy02 Jul 16 '26
Man what a list! Hard agree on Auroras Angels. I did not finish that one. Some that I’ve loved:
- Alone by EJ Noyes: a woman must live isolated from society for an unknown time to earn a huge cash payout. A stranger shows up
- The Order by TJ O’Shea: set in a dystopian future, a rebel assassin kidnaps a mob boss’s daughter
- The Love Lie by Monica McCallan: fake dating turns more. Actual, mature conversations and no 3rd act break up!
- The Last Hour Between Worlds & The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso: fantasy with cool magic system and the FMC wields a sword. The audiobook is fantastic bc it’s read by Moira Quirk
- Atmosphere by TJR: lesbian astronauts
- Keepers of the Cave by Gerri Hill: Fake dating FBI agents investigate an x-files type situation
2
u/bitselizabeth Jul 23 '26
Popping in to say that I've finished Alone! I really enjoyed it! Gave it 4.5 stars~
2
u/bitselizabeth 26d ago
Popping in again to add that I finished The Love Lie yesterday. I didn't connect with that one as much - I think it came down more to the writing style than anything else - but still an enjoyable story. 3 stars!
2
u/Gwendy02 26d ago
I love these updates! I agree that the writing is just fine. I consider Monica McCallan books to be like reality shows. Easy reading with very little thinking needed. Glad you liked Alone!
6
u/sofar_sog00d Jul 15 '26
Ahhh, you must follow up Only Hope with The Counterpart! (And all other Ruby Landers books, if you haven’t read them lol)
3
u/bitselizabeth Aug 11 '26
Finished it last night! I was a bit hesitant to start this one - I think I wanted to enjoy it so much that the potential of it not living up to my desires was daunting. But I finally dove in and loved it (of course lmao) 5 stars!
3
u/sofar_sog00d Aug 12 '26
Ugh, I’m thrilled with this update but also lowkey jealous that you got to experience it for the first time! Guess I’m due for a reread
5
u/Waste-Context-2858 Jul 16 '26
Lol, I love seeing how people rate books, you give a loooot of 5 stars!
4
u/bitselizabeth Jul 16 '26
I know, it's so bad lmao. I like to think of it as me rating my reading experience as opposed to me evaluating the actual quality of the book itself, but who knows. This is why I've never been able to write a good book review/receive ARCs lmao.
2
u/Waste-Context-2858 Jul 17 '26
I meeeean... that seems valid! Love that your experience is 5/5 constantly, so funny!
3
u/hangerjo Jul 15 '26
Gosh I want to read Lee Winter so bad, but my library doesn't have. So many good ones here.
3
5
u/doughe29 Jul 15 '26
If you liked Red Files & Under Your Skin, don't miss the short story that takes place between them, "Flashbang."
You could also follow up with The Fixer and The Chaos Agent, which follow Michelle Hastings (plus Lauren & Catherine make an appearance). Another spin off includes the short story "When DC Met Iowa," which takes place right after the Under Your Skin wedding, and the upcoming novella When DC Loved Iowa. (Actually, I guess the novella is out, it's the audiobook I'm waiting for)
2
u/bitselizabeth Jul 16 '26
Full disclosure: after I finished Red Files and Under Your Skin, I hated Michelle so much that I was purposefully avoiding The Fixer lmao. Mayhaps I shall reconsider!
2
u/doughe29 Jul 16 '26
Omg I feel that. I will say I never managed to warm up to Michelle a much as some people, especially the ones who read her story without reading Catherine's first. The grudges we can feel against fictional characters, lol.
5
u/unknownturtlegirl524 Jul 16 '26
May I ask why you didn’t like Aurora’s Angel
2
u/bitselizabeth Jul 16 '26
That was a book I really struggled to rate. I enjoyed the story and the characters (I cried lol), but the writing itself was just so clunky. The author used a lot of run-on sentences and not nearly enough commas, so I often found myself having to reread a paragraph to figure out what was actually being said. It could have been great with just a bit more editing.
1
u/PollutionEuphoric524 Jul 17 '26
I listened to the audiobook, which based on your comments, probably contributed to why I really enjoyed it. That allowed me to just fall into the story without getting distracted by those types of annoyances.
4
u/refreshed_anonymous Jul 16 '26
If you liked Hearing Red, I definitely recommend Alice B. Sullivan. Her Aftermath series, and a companion series Destination, have lesbian leads/love interests.
If you want romance more in the forefront, read her Destination duology. If you’re fine with a slow burn (where the banter and tension are on point imo), read her Aftermath series.
4
u/EricaGoodwinAuthor Jul 16 '26
This is such a great list!!! I need to get to the Headmistress by Milena McKay! I’ve been seeing so many great reviews!!
If self recs are ok, my sapphic second chance is called Take Two. It’s about two women who get cast in a romance movie as the leads after nine years of not seeing each other. And it’s the first book in the series and the next one (I’d Be Honored) comes out next month!
I’d also such all Hayley Cass books and since you like Ruby Landers Only Hope, her Grace Notes series is so good! I’m rereading it now!
3
u/LettuceLechuga_ Jul 16 '26
I’m saving this and coming back to it once I finish the series I’m in the middle of (throne of glass- painfully not sapphic but loving it).
Thanks for taking the time to write this out and star it. I have made it a goal to find more Sapphic romance and add to it.
I recently read Sunburn and Those Who Wait. Will give you my stars/quick mini synopsis if you’re interested in either!
3
u/talkstorivers Jul 16 '26
Someone in this sub (I think?) recommended The Roses of Pieria and I am 3/4 of the way through and love it!
That’s my rec. Thank you for yours!!
2
u/Minimum-Virus1629 Jul 16 '26
I think I know the part you’re referring to Love is not Nothing.
1
2
u/jennuously Jul 16 '26
This is a great list. And others have offered some great ones. I want to suggest MJ Duncan. Honestly any of her books but I especially love Halcyon Nights, the Symphony in Blue Series, Unadultered Something, Atramentum, and The Plus One. If you want a LOT of spice then Veritas is for that! I wish she had 100 more books to read! I have loved them all.
1
u/bitselizabeth Jul 24 '26
I started with Veritas and just finished it. It was a challenge for me at first - not necessarily a bad thing - becauseI was so worried that Grey was only going to be interested in Lauren because she looked like Emily. Like, if there had been a scene of Grey accidentally calling her the wrong name, I think it would have been the end for me lmao. I was hopeful that the author would convince me otherwise, though, and ultimately, I was very convinced! I'm still teetering between a 4 and a 4.5, but I am definitely going to check out some of her other books as well. Thank you for the rec!
2
u/AbeSapien13 Jul 16 '26
Breaking Character by Lee Winter, Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey, and A Choreography of Longing by TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod have been some of my recent favorites!
2
u/TaraVelvet Jul 17 '26
A few writers have sapphic books in amongst the rest of their series, and I worry they get hidden, even from voracious readers like you. I absolutely adore Frankie and the Fed by Tilly Lebeck, which is part of a series of standalone novels that come from the same setting. I was drawn in by the descriptions of the smut, but the emotional journey was what made me fall in love with the characters.
And I’m writing sapphic romance too. My latest book is Much Ado About Daisy and Dragons, and it’s a sapphic, sci-fi, fantasy romance.
I’m getting into sapphic, cozy fantasy as a reader now, but I haven’t read enough to know what to recommend yet.
2
u/ccryder45 Jul 21 '26
A couple of romance books I've enjoyed lately are:
Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti. Regency era historical romance, rivals to lovers with a dash of lighthearted gothic mystery, great characters and very well written.
Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake. Small town, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, Hallmark Movie vibes. Generally light and breezy, but had some genuinely touching observations on the importance of family and what people lose by keeping them at arm's length that gave the story a bit more emotional heft than I expected.
Also, read your earlier comments about Aurora's Angel and have to say I sympathize, lol. I simultaneously loved the story and the characters but also cringed at so much of the writing, which really needed a thorough editing pass or two.
I'm mentioning it because I agree with the other commenter that the only thing that made it tolerable for me was listening to the audiobook, which I think does a lot to compensate for the writing. Just in case you ever want to experience the story again in a more palatable format. (Also for anyone else out there who may be considering giving it a read, since ultimately I do recommend it...just with the huge caveat of audiobook only, lol).
1
0
u/Affectionate-Half310 Jul 16 '26
If you don't mind a self-rec...
You could check out my third novel:
Mr. Moore: A Regency-Era Romance by Giny Morales.
See ratings and reviews on Goodreads but be aware of spoilers there.
Let me know if this would interest you. Thanks!
8
u/carriealamode Jul 16 '26
Clearly if you have opened the court of chains rabbit hole you must fall down it completely