BEST LGTBQAI ROMANCES AND HOT NEW RELEASES TO READ THIS FEBRUARY

February 14 is almost here!

“St. Valentine’s Day” celebrated in the United States and in other places around the world. Even though officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church The inspiration behind this celebration is a mystery with multiple versions one of them a Roman priest imprisoned, tortured and decapitated for performing secret weddings and another, a Bishop also a martyr. Whatever the real story of Saint Valentine is, it was the medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer established the holiday’s romantic tradition with his 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules,” writing, ““For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.” (source).

Last year I shared my all time favorite love stories, most of them forbidden romances and this year I wanted to bring you some of the most popular LGTBQAI romance books, starting with my all-time favorites. As usual, the list includes a variety of genres and categories for all tastes and reading moods. Happy LGTBQAI romance reading!

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ADULT | HISTORICAL | FICTION

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Alice Walker’s iconic modern classic is now a Penguin Book.

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence. Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery and Sofia and their experience. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker’s epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

“The Color Purple” is also featured on the Best Books to read for Black History Month and you’ll see it on many BOOKIVERSE reading lists because it is one of the absolute best books and movies I’s ever read and watched. This all-time favorite is the most poignant, authentic and deeply moving LGTBQAI, Feminist, Historical Fiction I’ve ever read!

YOUNG ADULT | CONTEMPORARY

Dante can swim. Ari can’t. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari’s features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself. But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other―and the power of their friendship―can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side. 

Aristotle and Dante is like a mixed-media composition with a soft watercolor background of beautiful family ties and values and friendship and love… And over it all kind of blunt aesthetic elements like sadness, loss, hardships artistically blended in a way you don’t know where the joyful things end and the sorrowful begin!. Click HERE or on the cover to read the rest of the review.

YOUNG ADULT | CONTEMPORARY

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

“Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda” is a sweet YA contemporary tale about overcoming prejudice and the importance of love, family and friendship. Click HERE or on the cover to read the rest of the review.

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YOUNG ADULT | CONTEMPORARY

Things Chloe knew: Her sister, Ivy, was lonely. Ethan was a perfect match. Ethan’s brother, David, was an arrogant jerk.

Things Chloe should have known: Setups are complicated. Ivy can make her own decisions. David may be the only person who really gets Chloe.

Meet Chloe Mitchell, a popular Los Angeles girl who’s decided that her older sister, Ivy, who’s on the autism spectrum, could use a boyfriend. Chloe already has someone in mind: Ethan Fields, a sweet, movie-obsessed boy from Ivy’s special needs class.

Chloe would like to ignore Ethan’s brother, David, but she can’t—Ivy and Ethan aren’t comfortable going out on their own, so Chloe and David have to tag along. Soon Chloe, Ivy, David, and Ethan form a quirky and wholly lovable circle. And as the group bonds over frozen-yogurt dates and movie nights, Chloe is forced to confront her own romantic choices—and the realization that it’s okay to be a different kind of normal.

“Things I should Have known” was such a precious OwnVoices, LGTBQAI and autism story, such a joy to read!

OTHER “MUST READ” LGBTQAI BOOKS (reviews coming soon!)

LGBTQAI ROMANCE MOST ANTICIPATED NEW RELEASES TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT

BEST SCREEN ADAPTATIONS TO WATCH

UPCOMING LGTBQAI REVIEWS

And, what about you? Have you read any of these books or watched any of these adaptations? How did you like them? What books should I add to this list? Let’s chat in the comments!