Here’s our monthly list of recommended lesbian books. Last month we presented in this section the list of GCLS awards winners, so this month we are including both July and August releases. For the first time, we are also including an Audiobook. We have eight new releases plus our usual last year and lesbian classics recommendations. Enjoy!
Recommended new releases:
Traditional romance:
‘Beautiful Dreamer‘ by Melissa Brayden
Philadelphia real state broker Devyn Winters left her small hometown of Dreamers Bay a few years ago. She likes the fast pace of a big city and works hard in her successful career. When she comes back to Dreamers Bay due to a family emergency, she meets again with former high school classmate Elizabeth Draper. Unlike Devyn, Elizabeth likes the slow pace and small-town dynamics. They couldn’t be more different from one another, but their attraction is undeniable. They both know that any relationship will be temporary. How are they going to avoid heartbreak?
Overall, a well-written and entertaining romance in a small-town setting. 4.5 stars.
‘The secret chord‘ by Virginia Hale
Best friends Kate and Tilly used to be classmates at St. Joan of Arc Catholic boarding school sharing some heated make-out sessions. After graduation, they parted ways, Kate to study teaching, Tilly to become a nun. Twelve years later, they meet again at the same school, sharing teaching positions. Tilly isn’t a nun but is engaged to an Anglican Church vicar. After so many years, Kate has lots of questions about the past and lots of feelings in the present, but Tilly is completely out of limits… or is she?
Overall, a perfect friends-to-lovers lesbian romance book with an unusual setting. ‘The secret chord’ goes straight into my list of best books of 2019. 5+ stars.
‘The Village Romance Series‘
A lesbian romance trilogy set in the Cotswolds, each novel is a standalone story.
‘A shot at love‘ by T.B. Markinson
Josie Adams is a political speechwriter whose career implodes after a press-fueled scandal. She leaves America for the Cotswolds to lick her wounds in the town where her mother lives and owns a pub. There she meets Harriet Powell, a nerdy but lovable journalist, and despite Josie’s wariness of anyone working for the press, their attraction is hard to deny. Will they have their happily ever after?
Overall, a very entertaining opposites-attract romance, filled with witty dialogues, nerdy random facts, and sizzling chemistry. 4.5 stars.
‘A taste of love‘ by Clare Lydon
Natalie Hill works at her aunt’s gin distillery based in the Cotswolds and is convinced she’ll remain single forever. That is until newly-arrived city-slicker Ellie Knap opens an ice-cream parlour in front of Natalie’s shop. Ellie is hard to resist with her tall, dark good looks and her exquisite ice creams flavours, but Natalie fears that Ellie’s stay in the Cotswolds won’t be permanent. Will they have a happily ever after?
Overall, an entertaining, flavoursome and love-filled city country girl romance book. 4.5 stars.
‘A lesson in love‘ by Harper Bliss
Helen Swift is a 49-year-old Oxford University professor with a midlife crisis and a secret life as a cozy mystery author. When she meets her new DPhil supervisee, Victoria ‘Rory’ Carlisle, things start to spiral out of control fast. Rory is young, charming, gorgeous and so off-limits. Their mutual attraction is hard to resist but a romantic involvement between supervisor and student is frown upon. Can they have a future together?
Overall, a very good age gap lesbian romance book with superb tension-building and resolution. 4.5 stars.
Drama:
‘Burn it down‘ by K Aten
This story stars Ash, a firefighter with a dark past. After a horrible fire that leaves her on medical leave for psychiatric reasons, Ash is swimming in guilt. When Mia, a beautiful and sweet woman buys the house next door, Ash’s attraction is strong. But Ash is broken and broken doesn’t work in relationships. Is Mia the one for Ash or will Ash’s past filled with secrets push Mia away forever?
If you are looking for a romance that will make you feel, this is a great choice. 4.5 stars.
Paranormal:
‘The Grim assistant‘ by Jodi Hutchins
Sam is a postal worker and an avid surfer. After a freak accident that leaves Sam technically dead, Sam meets Margo who claims to be a Grim Reaper. Margo offers Sam a deal. Sam can become her temporary assistant, helping spirits move on, or she can move on herself. Sam is young and wants to stay alive to be with her sister but is the bargain too good to be true?
I would recommend this to lesbian paranormal romance book fans. 4 stars.
Young Adult:
‘Love under Glasse‘ by Kristina Meister
El Glasse’s mother controls her life. What she does, who she dates, even what she’s allowed to say. She often blogs anonymously about her feelings for Riley, the girl who works at the ice cream parlor. Riley is fierce, free, and rides a killer motorcycle, and El cannot help but love her. But Mama Glasse can never find out about her sexuality—unless El is willing to rebel.
If you want a good YA with a little grit, this book is a worthy choice. 4 Stars.
Last year’s book that you should read:
‘The music and the mirror‘ by Lola Keeley
This is the story of Anna, a newbie in a successful dance company, and Victoria, former prima ballerina and its current artistic director. It gives us an insight into the ballet world with its high competition, the physical demands, the threatening of injury looming all the time, the jealousy and egocentric behaviours.
Overall, a fantastic debut novel. Highly recommended even if you are not interested in ballet. 5+ stars.
Classic lesbian book of the month:
‘Desert of the Heart‘ by Jane Rule (1964)
Set in the late 1950s, this is the story of Evelyn Hall, an English professor, who goes to Reno to obtain a divorce and put an end to her disastrous 16-year marriage. While staying at a boarding house to establish her six-week residency requirement she meets Ann Childs, a casino worker and fifteen years her junior. Physically, they are remarkably alike and eventually have an affair and begin the struggle to figure out just how a relationship between two women can last.
Audiobook:
‘Alone‘ by EJ Noyes, Narrated by Abby Craden
Celeste Thorne is taking part in a scientific experiment that involves solitary confinement for four years with a final prize of half a million dollars. More than three years into the study, she finds a woman lurking in the border of her compound. Olivia Soldano is beautiful, caring and enigmatic but her sole presence in the house breaks the rules of the experiment and ultimately, can Celeste trust her?
Now, if this book was excellently written, the audio result is extraordinary. Overall, 5+ stars.
