Never Say Never

Never Say Never by Rachael Sommers is a slow burn, age-gap romance that highlights how we should allow ourselves to be happy, especially when happiness comes so rarely.

Camila Evans has finalized her divorce. But it’s okay because she doesn’t need love to build a television empire and raise her son, Jaime, alone. What she needs is a nanny, someone who will care for Jaime as if he was their own. But finding someone who is competent, nurturing, and can elevate to her standards has proven difficult. 

Emily Walker is fresh out of college, bright, a little naive, and new to New York City. She’s charming, caring, and has been completely infatuated with Camila long before she walked into her office to interview for the nanny position. It’s a little unsettling to be working for the woman she’s had a crush on for years. 

The more time they spend together, the more the sparks of desire threaten to ignite. Professional lines start to blur, but Camila is steadfast in resisting temptation. 

Rachael Sommers is a great writer of lesbian romance. 

Sommers, Rachael. (2021). Never Say Never. Germany: Ylva Publishing. 

Houseswap 101

Houseswap 101 by Jaime Clevenger is a fun lesbian romance novel.

When Devyn Lancaster comes home from a busy shift at the hospital, the last thing she expects to find is a woman weed-whacking her garden. It gets worse when she learns her ex-husband invited the woman to trade houses with him—all without telling her a thing about the plan.

Robbie Price was looking forward to a month-long vacation in San Diego. A break from the Seattle rain in exchange for doing a few home repair projects and taking a cute dog to the beach seemed well worth a house swap. Then she meets her coworker’s ex-wife.

For Robbie and Devyn, even tolerating each other feels impossible at first. And neither expect to learn to like each other. But at the end of the month, parting ways is what feels impossible.

Jaime Clevenger is a great go-to writer when looking for a great queer romance. 

Clevenger, Jaime. (2024). Houseswap 101. FL: Bella Books.

The Candidate

The Candidate by Tracey Richardson is a lesbian / bisexual romance.

Presidential candidate Jane Kincaid--gorgeous, dynamic and extremely driven--is taking the country by storm, passionately outlining her blueprint for America. Voters quickly fall in love with her... and so, unwittingly, does Secret Service Agent Alexandria Warner.

Their mutual attraction begins to take on a fiery life of its own, and soon Jane fears that their intense feelings for each other are a tinder box that could destroy the landscape of her career... and alter the history of the country.

Jane had always expected the road to the White House would exact a high personal toll. She just never knew how high... until she's forced to choose between her heart and her political destiny.

Richardson, Tracey. (2008). The Candidate. Florida: Bella Books. 

Wrong Number, Right Woman

Wrong Number, Right Woman is a sweet queer romance.

A single text message can change everything! Flirting has never been Denny’s strong suit, but so what if she’s too shy to ask women out? She’s content with her simple life, working as a cashier and helping her sister raise her niece. But then she gets a wrong-number text message from a stranger named Eliza, asking her of all people for dating advice! Eliza is Denny’s total opposite: witty, outgoing—and straight. Despite their differences, the accidental text sparks an unlikely friendship. Soon, Eliza—self-proclaimed queen of disastrous first dates—would rather banter back and forth with Denny than to keep trying her luck at online dating. When they meet in person, there’s an instant connection. But what Eliza is feeling can’t be attraction, right? It doesn’t mean a thing that she’s starting to wish the guys she dates would be more like Denny. Or does it? Can the wrong number lead to the right woman after all?

Any book by Jae is a fun, queer read!

Jae. (2020). Wrong Number, Right Woman. Germany: Ylva Verlog.

Just for Show

Just for Show by Jae is a lesbian romance that starts with a role-playing part.

What happens when an overachieving psychologist with OCD tendencies and an impulsive, out-of-work actress start a fake relationship?

Claire Renshaw thought she had it all: a successful career as a couples therapist, a publishing contract for her self-help book, and a happy relationship. But her perfect world falls apart when her fiancée calls off their engagement. Because of that, even her book deal might be off the table. After all, readers don’t want relationship advice from someone who can’t even make her own relationship work.

So Claire sets out to hire herself a fake fiancée.

Lana Henderson, the actress who shows up to audition for the role, is not exactly Claire’s ideal woman. Her frankness and the messes she leaves everywhere drive Claire up the wall. At least she won’t fall in love with someone like Lana.

But soon, Lana starts to win her over with her big heart, tickle fights, and—gasp!—carbs after six. The longer they pretend to be a love-struck couple, the less fake their kisses feel and the more the lines between reality and role begin to blur.

Once the book contract is signed, will they walk away or is their relationship no longer just for show?

Jae is a great queer romance writer. Just for Show is a great read. This is one for the sweeter lesbian romances I have read lately. Take a copy to the beach with you - on paper or audiobook.

Jae. (2018). Just for Show. Germany: Ylva Verlog.

Just Kiss Her

Just Kiss Her by Clare Lydon is a romance where Brook falls for the one person who is off limits.

When Brooke's best friend Noah asks her to pose as his girlfriend for his sister’s resort wedding, she can't refuse. Sure, she’s a lesbian, but it's a free holiday. How hard can it be to fake it for a few days?

Harder than Brooke imagined when she meets Noah's mum, Jen. Sophisticated, confident, and utterly gorgeous, Jen is everything Brooke wants. With each sizzling glance, casual touch, and chance encounter, an irresistible attraction pulls Brooke towards the one woman she can’t have.

As their holiday in paradise unfolds, this scorching love triangle is about to reach its breaking point under the hot Mexican sun. Jen is strictly off-limits, but Brooke's heart doesn't care for rules. Can she keep her feelings buried, or will she just kiss her?

Clare Lydon’s latest is a deliciously tempting age-gap romance where a fake girlfriend falls for the mother she can't have. 

Lydon, Clare. (2024). Just Kiss Her. ?: Custard Books

Love at First Set

Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan is a fun queer romance with someone off limits.

The gym is Lizzie’s life—it’s her passion, her job, and the only place that’s ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst.

When their son, Lizzie’s best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at his perfect sister Cara’s wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culminate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women’s bathroom—except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.

Now, newly directionless Cara is on a quest to find herself, and Lizzie—desperate to make sure her bosses never find out her role in this fiasco—gets strong-armed by James into “entertaining” her. Cara doesn’t have to know it’s a setup; it’ll just be a quick fling before she sobers up and goes back to her real life. After all, how could someone like Cara fall for someone like Lizzie, with no career and no future?

But the more Lizzie gets to know Cara, the more she likes her, and the bigger the potential disaster if any of her rapidly multiplying secrets get out. Because now it’s not just Lizzie’s job and entire future on the line, but also the girl of her dreams.

Dugan has written another fun, sexy romance. Once you read her, you will go back and read the rest of her books—or listen to them on audiobook.

Dugan, Jennifer. (2023). Love at First Set. New York: Avon.

Overtime

Overtime by Tracey Richardson is a great lesbian-bi romance.

Professional hockey star Sarah Brennan can handle brutal body checks and playoff pressure, but studying Irish literature under the sharp-eyed Professor Claire Joyce might be her toughest challenge yet. Claire’s disdain for athletes is legendary—and personal, thanks to a failed marriage to a pro athlete. The only catch? Her hockey-obsessed ten-year-old daughter worships the ice Sarah Brennan skates on.

As Sarah contemplates life after her final season, she finds herself drawn into the warm orbit of Claire’s small family. But with Claire’s walls built as solid as center ice, it’ll take more than a hat trick to prove that sometimes the best plays happen after the final whistle.

Richardson has written a great romance set around sports and literature. 

Richardson, Tracey. (2025). Overtime. New York: Bella Books.

Love Next Door

Love Next Door by Rachael Sommer all stars when a gorgeous, tattooed woman moves in next door to a baker and her son.

Reserved tattoo artist Riley Foster has just moved apartments and can’t take her eyes off the single mom who lives next door. Riley is trying very hard not to succumb to the cliché of falling for the straight girl as she gets to know Kim Jackson, an outgoing baker with an adorable nine-year-old son.

A friendship forms and Riley even finds herself roped into playing Kim’s fake girlfriend to get her meddling family off her back.

What could go wrong…except for Kim suddenly questioning whether she’s not as straight as she thought! As the sexual tension slowly builds, it’s hard not to wonder whether they’d be good together for real. But is it worth risking a great friendship if Riley doesn’t feel the same way?

Sommers has written a beautiful friendship to romance story with two fully formed characters with whom you will want to be friends. 

Sommers, Rachael. (2024). Love Next Door. Germany: Ylva Publishing.

Cover Story

Cover Story by Celia Laskey is the story of a new Hollywood star and her publicist. 

A hilarious, emotional love story about an extremely anxious publicist who's tasked with keeping an extremely gay starlet in the closet - but who ends up falling for her instead.​

It's 2005, and Ali is a publicist for Hollywood's biggest stars. Part of her job entails keeping gay celebrities in the closet-which is pretty ironic, since she's a lesbian herself.

When Ali is assigned a new client, Cara Bisset, upcoming star of a (hetero) romantic blockbuster, keeping Cara's sexuality under wraps becomes Ali's biggest challenge yet.

Bold, unpredictable Cara hates that she has to hide such an integral aspect of her identity, and after a series of increasingly close calls, Ali is sent on her worldwide promotional tour to help with her image. Instead, she finds herself drawn to Cara's confidence and bravery.

For the past year, Ali has been consumed by grief after unexpectedly losing her partner. But with Cara, Ali's fears about the world subside, and she begins to question the Hollywood closeting system that she contributes to.

Laskey has written an entertaining love story. Great beach read. 

Laskey, Celia. (2025). Cover Story. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

Playing for Keeps

Playing for Keeps by Jennifer Dugan is a young adult lesbian romance between a baseball pitcher and an umpire.

June is the star pitcher of her elite club baseball team—with an ego to match—and she's a shoo-in to be recruited at the college level, like her parents have always envisioned. That is, if she can play through an overuse injury that has recently gone from bad to worse.

Ivy isn't just reffing to pay off her athletic fees or make some extra cash on the side. She wants to someday officiate at the professional level, even if her parents would rather she go to college instead. 

The first time they cross paths, Ivy throws June out of a game for grandstanding. Still, they quickly grow from enemies to begrudging friends . . . and then something more. But the rules state that players and umpires are prohibited from dating.

As June's shoulder worsens, and a rival discovers the girls' secret and threatens to expose them, everything the two have worked so hard for is at risk. Now both must choose: follow their dreams . . . or follow their hearts?

Jennifer Dugan writes great lesbian romance novels for adults and young adults. Read one today.

Dugan, Jennifer. (2024). Playing for Keeps. New York: Putnam.

The Ride of Her Life

The Ride of Her Life by Jennifer Dugan lesbian romance set on a horse farm.

Molly McDaniel’s life is falling apart. Between her day job as a barista, her night job at a call center, and her crushing student loans, she’s barely getting by. And that dream she has of starting a wedding event planning business? The dream that led to all those student loan in the first place? She can feel it slipping farther and farther out of reach every day. So the absolute last thing she needs is to discover she’s inherited a run-down, struggling horse barn out of the blue, courtesy of her estranged late aunt.

Molly is so ill-equipped to run the barn, it’s laughable. She certainly doesn’t have the money, time or knowledge needed to save it, no matter how much faith everyone who loved her aunt has that she will. But the more Molly gets involved, the more she starts to wonder: maybe the barn is a blessing in disguise. If she can sell the land, the profits could be the small-business seed money miracle she’s been waiting for. So what if she’s starting to love everyone in the mismatched family she’s found here?

Well, everyone except Shani, the resident farrier and family friend who took care of Molly’s aunt in her last days. Judgmental, grouchy Shani, who refuses to give up on the barn; who walks around like she so much better than Molly; who’s actually really good with the horses…and kind of thoughtful. And obnoxiously hot. And unfailingly loyal.

Dugan has written another great lesbian romance. Her books are always enjoyable and worth a read.

Dugan, Jennifer. (2024). The Ride of Her Life. New York: Avon Books.

Love at 350º

 

Love at 350º by Lisa Peers is a lesbian romance centered around cooking. 

Kendra Campbell is the owner and chef at a well-known restaurant in Sonoma, CA. She is also a notoriously ruthless judge on a reality cooking contest show, Bake-O-Rama. 

Tori Moore is a high school chemistry teacher. She teaches her students chemistry in a cooking class. Her dream has always been to open a bakery. Her two teenage children secretly enter her into a competition to apply to Bake-O-Rama, where the prize money could help their mom's dream. 

Peers has created a great romance novel with delicious food and attraction.

Peers, Lisa. (2023). Love at 350º. New York: The Dial Press. 

The Dos and Donuts of Love

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar is about doing what you love. 

Shireen Malik has just broken up with her girlfriend. Her best friend is in Bangladesh for the summer. She works at her family's donut shop - You Drive Me Glazy.  And she is waiting to hear if she will be on a new Irish teen cooking competition. 

When she finds out she has made it on the show she is excited but scared that her ex, Chris, will also be there. 

Jaigirdar has created a lovely teen romance for fans of shows like the Great British Baking Show and fans of puns! This is a wonderful summer read. 

Jaigirdar, Adiba. The Dos and Donuts of Love. New York: Feiwel & Friends. 

Something to Talk About

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner is a romance between a television producer and her assistant - but not like you think based on that statement. 

Jo Jones has been in Hollywood since she was a child actor. Now she works behind the scenes as a writer and showrunner. Her current series is the most popular show on air. 

Emma is Jo's assistant. She dropped out of film school but loves working on a tv show. 

Jo hates going to award shows - and it is rumored that she will be writing the next superhero movie, a new format for her and the first time a woman will be writing the popular hero. 

To have a buffer from the questions and single men who she has no desire to see, Jo invited Emma. Which sets off rumors of lesbian love between to inappropriate coworkers. Rumors that will change everything.

Wilsner's first book, this is a story of friendship that becomes more. It is sweet and reads like readers are getting inside information about how tv shows work. Fun read!

Wilsner, Meryl. (2020). Something To Talk About. New York: Berkeley. 

Mistakes Were Made

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner is a steamy queer romance story. 

Erin Bennett is visiting her college daughter at her parents' weekend. Tonight her daughter Parker is with her father. Erin is not going to sit around; she is going out to a bar. 

Cassie Klein avoids campus on parents' weekend. She has not seen her mother in years and avoids families when possible. When she sees a beautiful older woman across the bar, she sends a drink.  

The following morning, Parker texts Cassie and invites her to breakfast. She wants a buffer between herself and her mother - things have been strained since the divorce. In Cassie's life there are only two people for whom she would get up at the ungodly hour of eight am after a night of drinking and hot sex. Cassie is one of them.

Wilsner has written a super hot romance story. Her characters are fully realized and compelling. Read this book.

Wilsner, Meryl. (2022). Mistakes Were Made. New York: St. Martin's Press. 

All This Could Be Different

All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Matthews is the story of one woman trying to make it on her own in a system that exploits immigrants. 

Graduating college during a recession, Sneha agrees to move to Milwaukee for a job as a consultant. She has little other choice as she needs a job to get a green card once her school visa expires. 

She has been in the United States most of her life. Her parents moved back to India after her father was set up to take the blame for a scam his business partner pinned on him. Since then, Sneha has been reluctant to trust anyone.

Building a life for herself, dating and living through mid-West winters, this beautifully human novel will stay in your head for a long time. 

Mathews, Sarah Thamkam. (2022). All This Could Be Different. New York: Viking.

it Goes Like This

The teen band Moonlight Overthrown was a smash hit. They were the first out, queer band and their followers will be loyal for as long as time. Unfortunately, they broke up almost two years ago. The internet is now littered with rumors and occasional sightings of one of the four band members.

Eva is in Los Angeles going to college. She still works in the recording industry, but now as a song writer. She is quite enjoying her less paparazzi filled days. She has not spoken to her band mates since the last show. They have a group text, but no one has written in a long time.

Celeste now has a solo career. She is on tour with her second album.

Gina is an actor now. She just finished filming a Netflix project.

No one has heard from Steph is.

Eva is surprised, and a bit hurt, when Celeste and Gina are photographed at an LA party together. The photo also stirs rumors of a band reunion – which seems very unlikely from the point of view of each of the band members. That is, until something happens to bring them all together…

Moreland has written a fun summer read. The characters are well thought-out. It seems like she knows a lot about the music industry. If you are looking for a great queer YA, this is the book for you.

Moreland, Miel. (2021). It Goes Like This. New York: Feiwel & Friends.

Cool for the Summer

Larissa Bogdan just finished her junior year of high school. Whatever her plans were will have to change as her mom tells her they are going to the Outer Banks for the summer. Her mom’s boss summers there, and they have to work. They will be staying in his beach mansion.

Jasmine Killary has spent most summers in Outer Banks. It is the time she spends with her father, the rest of the time she lives with her mother. She sees the same friends each year – all the children of the very wealthy.

Larissa and Jasmine spend the summer going to parties and getting closer. When they say goodbye, they don’t think they will see each other again – just a summer fling. But on the first day of school Larissa sees Jasmine walk down the hall. She has moved in with her father to finish high school.

Adler is a wonderful writer. Her YA romance is great!

Adler, Dahlia. (2021). Cool for the Summer. New York: Wednesday Books.

Melt With You

Fallon and Chloe were best friends, until a year ago when they hooked up. They have not spoken since. Unfortunately, their moms co-own a business where they work in the summer.

Love At First Bite is a popular ice cream truck, both in their upstate New York town, and on the summer food festival circuit. Fallon and her mom were going to drive the truck to Memphis and them Dallas, but now her mom must fly out for a meeting with potential investors.

Chloe is back after her first year of college. She tried to text Fallon a couple of times, but never heard back. Now they are going to be in a truck together for four days.

Dugan has written a YA romance in a unique setting. It is unlikely that things will not be delt with, one way or another.

Dugan, Jennifer. (2022). Melt With You. New York: GP Putnam’s Sons.