Queer romance novels that changed my life

Enjoyed Heated Rivalry? Have I got recs for you!

At a 7-year-old’s birthday party, several friends and I discussed one of my favorite topics: smutty, feminist romance novels.

A lovely newsletter reader, Chelsea, suggested I turn my favorites into a newsletter.

And thus, the list below was born.

It wasn’t until I started writing that I fully realized how formative all three books were for me, from helping me embrace my queer identity to deciding to seek a diagnosis for ADHD.

Each book is also funny and charming, offering a delightful escape.

If you read them, I’d love to hear what you think!

Love,
Lelia

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

Summary: This joyful and deliciously smutty trilogy follows three best friends in the fictional small town of Bright Falls, Oregon. Delilah’s a fearsome photographer striving to make it in New York City when her family obligations (and financial needs) require her to return to Bright Falls. There, she reconnects with Claire, a single mom who’s neglected her love life to raise her precocious kiddo and run a bookstore.

My experience: The chemistry and connection is so powerful between these characters, it feels real. I was reminded so vividly of my own past experience in queer relationships that reading Delilah Green helped me embrace my queer identity and decide to come out.

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Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni

Summary: Our protagonist, Nareh Bedrossian, is a high femme, closeted bisexual woman whose mother is desperate to set her up with a nice Armenian boy. In the process of her mother’s matchmaking, Nareh falls for a nice Armenian girl, but Nar doesn’t know how to let her crush know she’s interested.

My experience: Sorry, Bro is hands down the best thing I’ve ever read about femme and bisexual invisibility. Voskuni flawlessly captures the tension so many of us feel: hiding our sexuality out of fear while simultaneously grieving our invisibility.

Note: Don’t be dissuaded by the title. “Sorry, bro” is a common phrase in the author’s Armenian community. This book is a gem.

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Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

Summary: A beloved mentor’s last wish is a cross-country roadtrip, which prompts two former friends to cram into “the gayest van west of the Mississippi” along with their dying teacher. After 10 years of not speaking, their complicated past can’t be avoided. Rich with explorations of aging, death, and second chances, this book is a multifaceted and legitimately fun read.

My experience: Cochrun’s portrayal of ADHD was so relatable to my own that the book prompted me to finally get a diagnosis and explore medication.

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Honorable Mentions

While they weren’t as life changing as those listed above, each of the books below offered an immersive and joyful escape.

• Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
  The audiobook is excellent, and the book is being made into a TV series by A24!

• Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
  The whole Brown Sisters trilogy is a fun, very smutty series, but book #2 is my favorite.

• Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
  Casey’s from south Louisiana! Also, Amazon made this into a pretty fun movie.

• A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

  A cozy and whimsical read, this book includes a quirky found family and a semi-villainous talking fox.

Trust Yourself to Try

• Have a queer rom com to recommend? I want to know! Please put it in the comments.

• Do you have favorite books that were formative? I’d love to hear about them and why.

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