Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at the end of each day. Mostly, Lincoln had gotten loud, Jerry had gotten quiet, then said, “I love […]
The Eidolon (2023) K.D. Edwards (Magnus Academy) This story occurs in parallel to The Hourglass Throne, the third book in The Tarot Sequence. We discover what happened to Max, Quinn, and Anna when they were kidnapped by Lady Time. I truly have no idea if you could read this story without having read the Tarot […]
Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper I just needed the mental hug. Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble was rough on my mental well-being. He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at […]
Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists (2017) Angel Martinez Off kilter and knew this would work to distract me. Rating: 8.5/10
Agents of Winter (2022) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) I was slightly worried I wasn’t going to enjoy this anywhere near as much as His Quiet Agent, which I adore. It is different from the first story, His Quiet Agent, and also from the short story Merlin in the Library. But it is definitely the […]
His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto Arthur Drams likes his job. But he doesn’t like that he is going nowhere with it. “Hi, Arthur Drams, level two analyst, trying, badly apparently, to make friends because I’m really tired of getting promoted sideways because my own supervisors forget I exist.” As he is already out […]
Human Enough (2019) ES Yu Noah Lau joined the Vampire Hunters–first as an Intelligence Analyst, but after issues with his supervisor, then as a hunter. Although people assume he joined in revenge for the murder of his parents, he really just did not want another child to have to live through what he and his […]
For Better or Worse (2017) R. Cooper I reread the previous book, so I had to reread this one. To this day he could remember the exact feeling of relief at discovering terms like demisexual and gray ace, and his immediate need to know more, and then still, always, that faint shame of not being […]
Purloined Poinsettia (2022) Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mystery) Motts has been fascinated by cold cases since her childhood best friend was murdered and no one every caught. Recently, she’s discovered that the majority of girls she went to school with have been killed in the interim. Now, as they are slowly closing in on […]
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Identity, and the Meaning of Sex (2020) Angela Chen What is ace? The book opens with a decent explainer. What I didn’t know was what it felt like to want sex without a specific person in mind. To think about sex at all when I was alone. To feel […]
Lessons in Love (2008) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) Set in England in 1905. Jonty has returned to St Bride’s College as a fellow in English. He is immediately drawn to dark, silent, and grumpy mathematics fellow Orlando Coppersmith. The words aren’t used (because of the setting) but Orlando is very clearly demi. Orlando thought it […]
Something Fabulous (2022) Alexis Hall (Something Fabulous) Set in Historical England. To be honest, I don’t think this is historical England as much as fantasy historical England. Which is fine, since as he says in the author’s note, almost everyone in the story is queer. Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern is expected to marry […]
How to Be a Movie Star (2019) T.J. Klune (How to Be) Josiah Erickson wants to be a movie star. From his first acting role–as a block of cheeses–he has wanted nothing more than to act. Unfortunately, he tends to create stories in his head. A man a few chairs down stood up. He had […]
Perfect Rhythm (2017) Jae (Fair Oaks) Leontyne Blake grew up wanting nothing more than to escape the small town where she grew up, and now she has that, as pop start Jenna Blake. But at the end of her tour she receives a call from her mother, that Leo’s father has suffered a stroke and […]
The Heartbreak Bakery (2021) A.R. Capetta Syd is finishing up high school while working full time in the Proud Muffin–the bakery and community space that is a second home for so many LGBT teens and adults in Austin. But when Syd is dumped by their girlfriend, the accidentally bake Break-Up brownies which not only breaks […]
The Murder Next Door (2021) Sarah Bell Set in England in 1912. Louisa is startled to discover their next door neighbor has been found dead–and the wife has disappeared with their young son. Ada saw Mrs Pierce hurry away from the house early in the morning, with a look of terror on her face. I […]
The Quid Pro Quo (2021) A.L. Lester (Bradfield Trilogy) Set in England in 1920 Walter met Sylvia when they were both working at the same hospital at Royaumont. They only got the worst cases here now… had done for a while, since the brass had worked out that the lady doctors had a better surgical […]
Pickled Petunia (2021) Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mystery) The third Motts mystery finds a young woman at Motts’ door, asking for help in finding her mother. It also find the London detective in charge of the cold case from Motts’ childhood worried that the person who killed her best friend as a child has […]
The Charm Offensive (2021) Alison Cochrun I am having a really hard time writing this review. Because I keep diving back into the book and reading passages an getting sucked back in. Charlie Winshaw was forced out of the company he helped found, and now he’s hoping to rehabilitate his image by appearing on a […]
Network Effect (2020) Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries) MURDERBOT Murderbot has gone off on a research expedition with several of Dr Mensah’s family members. Thiago: “You trust it that much?” Mensah: “With my life, literally. I know what it will do to protect her, and you, and the rest of the team. Of course, it […]
Making Love (2017) Aidan Wayne Carla is a cupid, and she wants nothing more than to go out into the world and find True Love matches for humans. But as good as her aim is, Carla is terrible at seeing possible chemistry between people. A cupid’s arrow only held the Spark of Interest. It got […]
The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (2019) KJ Charles (Lilywhite Boys) Set in London in 1893. Christiana is in trouble. She got into debt, then her debt was purchased by Kammy Grizzard, and she failed to follow through on what he wanted. She is surprised when two strange men break into her dressing room before Bad Things start […]
All the Wrong Places (2016) Ann Gallagher (Bluewater Bay) I needed to read an ace romance, and I feel like I’ve reread them all recently, so this one it was. Brennan is a semi-pro skater who has had terrible luck with all his girlfriends and doesn’t understand what’s wrong with him. Zafir is a single […]
Model Exposure (2017) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) This picks up immediately after the end of the previous book. Ollie is healing, but so is Kade. But Kade doesn’t like having to admit that he needs help, and fears that if he needs help, he’ll lose Ollie. “Ollie needs me.” He was healing from a (thing). […]
Model Investigator (2017) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) Back to Ollie, this book takes off after the events of the previous book–which ended on a cliffhanger. First and foremost, this is one of the few mysteries I’ve ever read that actually has characters deal with some of the real-life consequences of repeated concussion. The sparkles around […]
Model Bodyguard (2016) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) The second book in the Haven Investigations series switches from Oliver’s POV to Kade’s POV. Which is fantastic, because Oliver sees Kade as strong and almost perfect, whereas Kade actually? A huge mess. This was the stuff of nightmares— a mental hospital. It wasn’t my first trip. No, […]
Model Citizen (2015) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) Oliver Petroskovic hoped that once he bought the house his life would start to be more settled. Sure, he’d do more modeling gigs, but with the house he was finally able to repay his brother for the years spent raising him. He’d paid for private school and attended […]
The Book of Candlelight (2000) Ellery Adams (Secret, Book, & Scone Society) It feels like it won’t stop raining in Miracle Springs. Although the rain is good for business, Nora’s store is a mess, and she needs more “shelf-enhancers” so she bikes over to the local flea market to search for finds. When she later […]
Pierced Peony (2021) Dahlia Donovan (Motts Cold Case Mystery Series) When an inspector from London comes to visit Motts about a cold case from her childhood, the two unexpectedly discover another body–opening another cold case. “You’ll never guess what I’ve learned.” “Marnie.” Motts was amused at how everyone around her, aside from the policemen in […]
Poisoned Primrose Dahlia Donovan (2020) Poisoned Primrose (Motts Cold Case Mystery) Motts is a 39 year-old asexual, biromantic autistic who is living on her own for the first time in a house left to her by her aunt. Unfortunately, when digging up the untended garden, remains are discovered, which causes no end of problems for […]
Blank Spaces (2016) Cass Lennox (Toronto Connections) Devon took a hefty gulp, then pressed his mouth to Toned’s. Vaughn saw liquid dribble from one corner as the gulp passed from mouth to mouth. His stomach rolled. That couldn’t be hygienic. He couldn’t really say much about Jonah’s clothes, except that they were so tight they […]
Play It Again (2019) Aidan Wayne Dovid had been a pretty typical child. Just that, thanks to medulloepithelioma— a type of incredibly invasive cancer— he grew up missing two parts a typical child possessed, after they were removed in order to get rid of the cancer entirely. But he kept bumping into chairs. The tables […]
Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists (2017) Angel Martinez “I drove … down to Dover a few weeks ago.” “To the farmer’s market?” Ben said around a mouthful of pie. “Long way to go for strawberries.” Luka gave Ben an odd look. “He didn’t say anything about produce.” “Well, no, but why else go all the way—” Ben […]
That Kind of Guy (2019) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) (N)ecessity was the mother of every skill Zach had. Growing up poor with a busy single parent and a missing older brother had led him to learn a lot of practical shit at a very young age. The hard way. And those skills had never been allowed […]
For Better or Worse (2017) R. Cooper Everything looks like friendly teasing if you don’t know what sexual tension is. I get confused.” To this day he could remember the exact feeling of relief at discovering terms like demisexual and gray ace, and his immediate need to know more, and then still, always, that faint […]
Upside Down (2019) N.R. Walker “If you do, I’ll be so embarrassed I’ll be forced to quit and move and join the witness protection program.” Merry stared at me. “Siri, what is an overreaction?” “How do you know? You can’t know. That’s an improbable equation, and you’re just guessing and that makes you a lying […]
The Ex Talk (2021) Rachel Lynn Solomon Shay Goldstein loves radio–especially public radio–and for the most part loves her job as a producer. What she doesn’t love is her co-worker, Dominic Yun, who constantly mentions his master’s degree in journalism. I’d read mixed reviews about this, so my expectations weren’t especially high. So I was […]
Family Matters (2018) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) My feelings for this book are summed up in just how WONDERFUL this cover is. Because it’s awesome, and so is the book. Plus: Why do you wear a kilt? It’s the tail, isn’t it? Though kilts are cool. As with the previous book, there are three stories: […]
Grumpy Bear (2021) Slade James (Bear Camp) Coleman Sawyer runs a gay clothing optional camp. Luke Cody is headed back to the south after yet another bad relationship, and another failure to launch his career as a singer-songwriter. When he’s told there’s temporary work at Bear Mountain Lodge that might help him land on his […]
Making Love (2017) Aidan Wayne Carla wants to be cupid that finds and brings about True Love. But although her aim is perfect, her ability to figure out who to aim at… is much less so. “Oh,” Carla said, abashed. She’d seen the travel match in both of their profiles and hadn’t dug deeper to […]
Three Stupid Weddings (2018) Ann Gallagher The world is terrible. I wanted something cute to re-read, without any boinking. This fit the bill. Please note that one character is trying to deal with an eating disorder that developed from emotional abuse from his ex-boyfriend, but it’s not heavy. the “you need to gain weight” crowd […]
Blind Faith (2013) N.R. Walker (Blind Faith) Carter Reece has moved to Boston to take a position a veterinary clinic. One of the unexpected things is that the clinic still does house calls for a few people–one of whom is Isaac Brannigan–a man who uses brashness and arrogance to hide his fear of losing those […]
Two Rogues Make a Right (2020) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) Set in London ~1817-1818 Will Sedgwick’s best friend, Martin Easterbrook, had been found fevered and somewhat delusional in the attic of Hartley Sedgwick’s home (a home that by rights should have belonged to Martin). So Will stole him away to the country in the […]
How to Be a Normal Person (2014) TJ Klune Gustavo Tiberius lives in Abby, Oregon and is not a a little odd. He doesn’t really mind that much, because he is mostly content with his life. IT WAS seven in the morning when the alarm clock belonging to Gustavo Tiberius rang and he opened his […]
Vincent’s Thanksgiving Date (2014) R. Cooper Vincent has issues with anxiety, and it makes him avoid talking to people–even his super cute neighbor who works at the florist. There was no easy way to explain being a grown man who was terrified of meaningless conversations and meeting new people. Saying small social embarrassments haunted him […]
A Gentleman’s Position (2016) K.J. Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1820 It’s not that this is a bad story, it’s just that I really don’t care that much for Richard, so it’s difficult for me to care about him having a HEA. David Cyprian I do like, but I really don’t understand […]
Upside Down (2019) N.R. Walker Jordan O’Neill is unhappy. Things have been going terribly for him in all of his relationships, so his co-worker convinces him to go to an asexual support group, to see if perhaps that’s what’s going on. I didn’t need another label. I had enough of them. I had enough hang-ups, […]
Blank Spaces (2016) Cass Lennox (Toronto Connections) Vaughn Hargrave is tired of dating. He doesn’t want what every other guy wants, so he’s decided he’ll just stop trying. Devon took a hefty gulp, then pressed his mouth to Toned’s. Vaughn saw liquid dribble from one corner as the gulp passed from mouth to mouth. His […]
Turning Darkness Into Light (2019) Marie Brennan Audrey Camherst, grand-daughter of the famous Lady Trent, is a scholar in her own right. But it’s so hard when I can feel everyone looking at me, waiting to see what I’ll do. Not my family, of course; if I decided I wanted to retire to a country […]
Family Matters (2018) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) This is two books and a short story. The first story is about Dionysus and Leander (the Minotaur of the cover. (with a KILT. Which is PERFECT.)) The second story is a short story about a young woman stumbling upon Artemis and the muses in the forest. “That’s […]