5 Lesbian Romance Books to Kick Off Pride Month!
Hey lady lovers. It’s time to graduate from fanfic. At least for a little bit.
It’s very nearly the most wonderful time of year! Pride is upon us, my babes. And what better way to kick it off than with some sweet lady lovin’ lesbian books.
Don’t get me wrong. I was (and sometimes still am) a shameless lover of a good lesbian fanfic. But trust me. The below lesbian romance books filled that same special void. They had me up until 3am, clutching my blanket to my chest as I fought to the ending through tears and sleep-heavy eyes.
Lesbian romance books have come a long, long way since my days as a baby gay. And for that reason alone, I am ecstatic to share this list with you all. Let’s get started.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
I don’t care how old this book is (2017) or how many times you’ve read it (thrice personally), this is one of the best lesbian books I’ve ever read. Telling the story of a Hollywood icon likened to Marilyn Monroe, this book spans decades and hits on not just lesbian romance but the dynamics of LGBTQ+ life in the decades in which it takes place. It is beautiful and toe curling and heart wrenching. This is a must read for every woman loving woman. You can check it out here.
Night Tide
By Anna Burke
Tides change, but some feelings can’t be washed away. Lillian Lee doesn’t believe in love at first sight. Hate is a different story—and one she is intimately familiar with. Luckily, she hasn’t seen her arch-nemesis, Ivy Holden, since graduating from veterinary school five years ago. But when an unexpected medical condition forces her to relocate to be closer to family, she can’t turn down the opportunity. Her new job at Seal Cove Veterinary Clinic has everything she needs: flexibility, proximity to her family’s summer home, and the chance to do the work she loves. Unfortunately, it also has Lillian Lee. Thrown back into each other’s orbits, Lillian and Ivy must find a way to work together, despite the treacherous emotions threatening to drown them both.
Enemies to lovers? Don’t mind if I do. Some tropes are tropes for a good reason and this is perfect proof of that. Dive in for yourself, full pun intended. Give it a look here.
Honey Girl
By Morgan Rogers
With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She’s a straight A, work-through-the-summer certified high achiever. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that. This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her parent’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.
Coming of age and coming of gay. What more could you possibly ask for. This book is full of laughs, tears, and heartfelts all in a pretty little package of relatability. Honey Girl can be found here.
The One to Hold Your Hand
by Erica Lee
Reese James’ life was never easy. Trying to stay upbeat and positive while her twin sister battled cancer took its toll on her. The one thing getting her through was her relationship with her lifelong best friend Bette Mitchell. Unfortunately, constantly blurring the lines between friendship and something more was destined to blow up at some point, and that’s exactly what happened when Reese hit her rock bottom. A look back on Reese and Bette’s relationship through the years shows what brought them to the point they are at today. Is their history enough to lead them into a future together or is there too much heartbreak between them to move forward?
If you are a sucker for punishment the way that I am, this book is the perfect fit for you. The emotional rollercoaster that this story takes you on is impossible to describe without experiencing yourself. And the best part? If you have a Kindle, you can read it free here!
When Katie Met Cassidy
Camille Perri
Katie Daniels, a twenty-eight-year-old Kentucky transplant with a strong set of traditional values, has just been dumped by her fiancé when she finds herself seated across a negotiating table from native New Yorker Cassidy Price, a sexy, self-assured woman wearing a man’s suit. At first neither of them knows what to make of the other, but soon their undeniable connection will bring into question everything each of them thought they knew about sex and love. When Katie Met Cassidy is a romantic comedy about gender and sexuality, and the importance of figuring out who we are in order to go after what we truly want. It’s also a portrait of a high-drama subculture where barrooms may as well be bedrooms, and loyal friends fill in the spaces absent families leave behind.
Sexy. Sexy, sexy, sexy. So much sexy. Lesbians in power suits? Lesbians with witty banter? Lesbian smut? Check, check, double check. If you always filtered to rated M or E, this is the read for you.
And there you have it! Your literary gateway to the most colorful month of the year. Have you already read any of these? Are there any standouts? Let us know in the comments!
AND keep an eye out for a few more of these lists coming this week…we’re sending out lists for all our ladies and theys.
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