Pride Month Reading List: The Best LGBTQ+ Romance Books to Read Right Now
June is here, which means it's the perfect time to build out your Pride Month TBR with some of the best queer romance being written right now. This list covers a lot of ground: sapphic love stories, MM romance, romantasy, contemporary, sports romance, and dark gothic fiction. There is genuinely something here for every kind of romance reader.
Why LGBTQ+ Romance Deserves a Spot on Every Bookshelf
Romance has always been the genre of hope, and queer romance carries that in a way that feels particularly meaningful. These stories center joy, desire, identity, and belonging. They give us relationships that push against expectation and still find their way to a happy ending.
It also matters who is writing these stories. Seeking out books by LGBTQ+ authors, not just books with LGBTQ+ characters, is one of the most straightforward ways to support queer voices in publishing. This list does both, and I hope it gives you plenty to add to your shelves.
Sapphic Romance Picks You Won't Be Able to Put Down
That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey
If you're looking for a summer read that will make you genuinely ache in the best way, That Summer Feeling is it. Bridget Morrissey writes sapphic romance with this incredible warmth and emotional depth that makes her characters feel completely real. This one has all the hallmarks of a perfect summer romance — nostalgia, longing, and the specific kind of magic that only happens when you're brave enough to reach for what you actually want. Morrissey is a master at writing the slow build, and this book is proof.
Bump Set Sparks by Jennifer Moffat
Sports romance plus sapphic love? Yes, please. Bump Set Sparks brings the tension and competitive energy of volleyball to a romance that crackles on every page. There's something about enemies-to-lovers dynamics in sports settings that just works, and Moffat absolutely delivers. If you've been sleeping on sapphic sports romance, this is your sign to wake up.
Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
Okay, if you know me, you know I can't do a reading list without at least one romantasy pick and Ava Reid is simply one of the most gifted prose writers working in fantasy today. Fable for the End of the World is lush, dark, lyrical, and the sapphic romance at its heart is devastating in the most gorgeous way. Reid creates worlds that feel like they exist just slightly out of reach, full of myth and magic and impossible longing. This one is for the reader who wants their romance to also wreck them a little. In the best way.
Get Over It April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake
This one has a premise so deliciously uncomfortable that you'll be stress-reading it in one sitting. April Evans is already dealing with enough, a closed tattoo shop, sublet home, no love life to speak of. Then, she discovers her summer cabinmate at a swanky New Hampshire resort is Daphne Love, the woman who stole her ex-fiancée. Oh, and Daphne has absolutely no idea who April is. The setup alone is chef's kiss, but what makes this book work is how Ashley Herring Blake handles the messy, slow unraveling of resentment into something much more complicated and tender. Add in an art competition with a London museum prize on the line, and you've got a romance that balances romantic tension with genuine emotional stakes. Blake is one of the best in the business at writing sapphic love stories with real weight, and Get Over It, April Evans is another winner.
Every Step She Takes
A Lambda Literary Award–winning author sends a 35-year-old woman on a queer awakening along Portugal's Camino de Santiago, and yes, it's exactly as emotionally devastating and charming as it sounds. Sadie Wells drunkenly confesses all her secrets to a stranger on a plane, her gay panic, her suffocating family business, her desperate need for escape, only to discover that stranger, Mal, is on her exact same Camino tour. A tour specifically for queer women. What follows is a two-hundred-mile journey of self-discovery that Sadie absolutely did not sign up for (but desperately needed). Cochrun writes with this precise, funny, tender voice that makes you feel every step alongside these characters. Every Step She Takes is a book about finally getting out of your own way and the person who might be waiting on the other side when you do.
Here We Go Again
Since we're already talking about Alison Cochrun, we have to talk about Here We Go Again, a Lambda Literary Award winner and one of the most beloved sapphic road trip romances in recent memory. Logan and Rosemary were childhood best friends turned bitter rivals, and now in their thirties they're both still stuck in the same small town, still unable to escape their complicated history. When their beloved former teacher reveals he has only months to live and asks them to take him on a cross-country road trip, there's no getting out of it. What unfolds across Washington state, the Grand Canyon, the Gulf Coast, and coastal Maine is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, with two women slowly realizing that the thing they've been running from might be exactly what they need. Cochrun is working at a genuinely elite level here. If you haven't read this one yet, add it to your cart immediately.
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Honey Girl is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. On the surface it's about Grace Porter, overachieving PhD astronomer, daughter of a stern ex-military father, a woman who has done everything right her whole life, drunkenly marrying a stranger named Yuki in Las Vegas and then actually following that impulse somewhere real. But underneath it's a deeply felt story about burnout, identity, and the terrifying freedom of not knowing exactly who you are outside of your accomplishments. Grace fleeing Portland for a New York summer with a wife she barely knows is both completely chaotic and completely understandable, and Morgan Rogers writes her with such tenderness and honesty that you'll find yourself rooting for her to fall apart just enough to find herself again. A Goodreads Choice Award nominee and one of the most emotionally resonant debut novels in recent sapphic romance. This one lingers.
Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Second chance romance. Former best friends. Forced proximity. Alexandria Bellefleur puts all the best romance tropes in a blender and the result is Count Your Lucky Stars, a sparkling, witty sapphic rom-com that is genuinely hard to put down. Margot Cooper has sworn off relationships entirely until she comes face to face with Olivia Grant, her childhood best friend and first love, while touring a wedding venue with her newly engaged crew. Ten years, zero contact, and somehow all the feelings are still right there. When a series of mishaps lands Olivia in Margot's spare room, the forced proximity does exactly what you'd expect and exactly what you're hoping for. Bellefleur writes with this bright, funny, emotionally intelligent voice that makes even the most familiar tropes feel fresh and alive. A Lambda Literary Award–winning author at the top of her game.
House of Rayne by Harley Laroux
If your sapphic romance needs to come with a body count and a haunted manor, House of Rayne is about to become your new obsession. Harley Laroux takes gothic supernatural suspense and wraps a sinfully spicy sapphic love story around it. Salem arrives at a remote Pacific Northwest island and finds herself irresistibly drawn to the dark, secretive Rayne, just as something starts hunting them through the forest at night. Laroux writes with a raw, atmospheric intensity that makes the pages feel genuinely dangerous, and the romance hits hard precisely because both women have so much to lose. For the reader who wants their sapphic romance to come with sharp teeth, this is it.
No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey
Fake dating. A wedding weekend. One bed. Rachel Lacey is clearly having the best time writing this book, and that energy is completely contagious. Lia Harris has been dropping hints to her overbearing mother about a girlfriend who doesn't exist and now her brother's London wedding is coming up fast and she needs an actual human being to show up with. Enter Grace Poston, a fun and gorgeous stranger set up by Lia's best friend, who agrees to play devoted girlfriend for the festivities despite hating weddings and not being interested in anything serious. What neither of them planned for is that they'd actually, genuinely like each other, spectacularly, in fact. No Rings Attached has all the cozy, warm-hearted charm of a great contemporary sapphic romance, with enough genuine chemistry and emotional honesty to make it feel like more than just its delightful setup.
MM Romance That Belongs in Your Permanent Collection
Father Material by Alexis Hall
Alexis Hall is a genuinely special author, and Father Material might be one of his most emotionally resonant books yet. Hall has this gift for writing men who are messy and tender and trying so hard, and the romance here is layered with so much feeling that you'll want to reread passages just to sit in them a little longer. Hall's MM romance consistently centers emotional intimacy alongside physical attraction, and Father Material is no exception. If you haven't discovered Alexis Hall yet, start here.
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
This is the one that will convert anyone who thinks they don't like hockey romance. Heated Rivalry is a secret relationship, rivals-to-lovers story between two NHL players, and it is intense. Rachel Reid writes with this punchy, propulsive energy that makes the pages fly, but she never skimps on the emotional stakes. The tension between these two men, professional rivals, secret lovers, complete disasters for each other, is absolutely electric. If you read one MM sports romance this year, make it this one.
Hunt the Villain by Rina Kent
Rina Kent brings her signature dark, twisty storytelling to MM romance, and Hunt the Villain is exactly the kind of book that makes you feel slightly unhinged in the best possible way. Kent writes obsession and moral ambiguity with this delicious intensity, and if you're a reader who loves a villain love interest and a romance with serious bite, this book delivers. It's dark, it's addictive, and you will absolutely be texting your book besties about it at midnight.
Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Two powerhouse romance authors team up for an MM college romance that starts on a hookup app and goes completely, gloriously sideways. LobsterShorts is a jock with a secret science geek streak. SinnerThree is a finance major moonlighting as a male dancer with too much stress and not enough sleep. They meet online to arrange something casual and then fate has the audacity to make them next-door neighbors in real life without telling them. Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy are individually two of the funniest, sharpest writers in romance, and together they are unstoppable. The banter in this book is elite, the slow dawning realization of who these two men are to each other is perfectly paced, and the emotional payoff is everything you want it to be. A USA Today instant bestseller that absolutely lives up to its reputation.
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
If you've been anywhere near the romance corner of the internet in the last few years, you already know this book exists, but if you somehow haven't read it yet, that changes today. Red, White & Royal Blue is the Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Debut and Best Romance of 2019, a New York Times and USA Today instant bestseller, and one of those rare books that genuinely crossed over into mainstream cultural conversation. The premise is irresistible: Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the first female US President, has a very public, very embarrassing altercation with Prince Henry of England, and their handlers force them into a staged friendship to smooth over the diplomatic fallout. What neither of them expected obviously, is that the fake friendship would turn into something real, something secret, and something that could shake two governments to their core. McQuiston writes with this electric, propulsive wit that makes the pages disappear, but the emotional depth underneath all the glamour and banter is what makes this book unforgettable. It's funny, it's swoony, it's surprisingly moving, and it will make you feel like the world is a little more full of possibility than it was before you started reading.
LGBTQ+ Authors Worth Celebrating Year-Round
Pride Month is the perfect time to shine a light on the authors behind these books because supporting LGBTQ+ writers is just as important as reading LGBTQ+ stories. Many of the authors on this list are out and proud members of the community, and their identities inform the authenticity, joy, and emotional truth that makes their books so powerful.
A personal favorite I have to call out: Meghan Quinn. She is one of my absolute favorite romance authors, full stop. Quinn is an LGBTQ+ author with this unmistakable voice. She’s funny, warm, deeply human, and completely addictive. Now, her books are M/F romance rather than queer romance, but that doesn't make her any less worth celebrating this month and every month. Quinn writes love stories that feel real and joyful and messy in all the right ways, and her characters are the kind you carry around with you long after you've finished the book. In fact, she will often sprinkle easter eggs from her own life into her books. If you haven't found her catalog yet, Pride Month is as good an excuse as any.
Beyond Meghan, here are more LGBTQ+ authors whose work deserves a permanent spot on your shelves:
Alison Cochrun — A Lambda Literary Award winner writing sapphic romance with emotional precision and a gift for characters who feel achingly real. Here We Go Again and Every Step She Takes (both featured above) are essential reading.
Ashley Herring Blake — One of the most consistently excellent sapphic romance authors working today. Blake writes with warmth, depth, and a talent for complicated feelings that never feels overwrought.
Casey McQuiston — The voice behind Red, White & Royal Blue (featured above) and One Last Stop. McQuiston writes queer romance with wit and heart in equal measure and has done more to bring new readers into the genre than almost anyone.
Alexandria Bellefleur — A Lambda Literary Award winner whose sapphic rom-coms are as funny and sharp as they are emotionally satisfying. Count Your Lucky Stars (featured above) is a great place to start.
Morgan Rogers — The debut author behind Honey Girl (featured above), Rogers writes with a lyrical, introspective voice that sets her apart. One to keep a close eye on.
Rachel Lacey — A prolific and beloved sapphic romance author known for her warm, cozy storytelling. No Rings Attached (featured above) is a fan favorite for good reason.
TJ Klune — If you want MM romance that will genuinely wreck you emotionally (and you do, trust me), TJ Klune is your author. The House in the Cerulean Sea is a perfect entry point into his world.
Sarina Bowen — Co-author of Top Secret (featured above) and one of the most dependable voices in MM romance. Her solo catalog is equally worth exploring.
Andie Burke — Andie Burke writes sapphic romance with real emotional intelligence and beautifully drawn characters. Absolutely one to watch.
Iris Morland — For readers who love their sapphic romance a little steamy and emotionally complex, Iris Morland delivers.
For more LGBTQ+ authors, click here.
How to Celebrate Pride Month as a Book Lover
Beyond reading, here are a few ways to lean into Pride Month as part of your bookish life:
Buy from LGBTQ+ owned bookshops. Many indie bookstores are queer-owned, and supporting them directly means your dollars go somewhere meaningful. We have a great one in the Milwaukee area. If you like to shop online supporting indie bookstores, check out The Well Red Damsel.
Leave reviews. Queer romance still gets less visibility in mainstream spaces than it deserves. Leaving a thoughtful review on Goodreads, StoryGraph, or Amazon takes five minutes and makes a real difference for these authors.
Share your reads. Post about what you're reading on social media. Normalize queer love stories showing up in your regular book content, not just during Pride Month.
Gift a queer romance. Know a reader who hasn't explored this genre yet? A book recommendation, especially one you loved, is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give.
The Bottom Line
LGBTQ+ romance is some of the most vibrant, emotionally intelligent, and just plain fun fiction being written right now. From Ava Reid's dark romantasy to Alexis Hall's emotionally devastating MM romance to Meghan Quinn's laugh-out-loud contemporary (though M/F romance) stories, there has never been a better time to explore LGBTQ+ authors and LGBTQ+ romance.
So grab one of these books, make yourself a cozy drink, and settle in. Love stories belong to everyone, and this month especially, let's celebrate that.
Happy Pride, happy reading. 🌈📚
If you loved this post, drop your current read in the comments. I'd love to know what's on your nightstand!