A gay romance that isn’t about teenagers and isn’t super smutty
I feel like all of the mlm books I’ve been reading are either about 16 year olds or have some really intense sex scenes and don’t feel genuine! Thank you!
Cat Sebastian has some really good gay romances that typically have one or two sex scenes but they aren’t explicit (more of the “our bodies moved together” type language).
I quite liked *You Should Be So Lucky* (historical baseball) and *The Queer Principles of Kit Webb* (historical ex-thief and about to be disgraced lord). Both books are about men in their 30s give or take a few years I believe.
Bookslutforsmut on
You can try Foz Meadows, Everina Maxwell, Gil Martin, M. L. Massey, Freya Marske, K. D. Edwards, Alexandra Rowland, and David R. Slayton
As best I can remember even if sex is on pahe in any of these it is only once scene per book, very vague and between adults.
Oodahlalee on
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (not exactly a romance, but the main character is a closeted gay man who has a love affair with another man)
lascriptori on
The Binding by Bridget Collins is great. It’s more emotional romance, less sex.
I adore the KJ Charles Slippery Creatures series. It gets a bit smutty but very well written.
nobodyfast on
Tales of the city series? There is sex in it but I wouldn’t call it smutty because it includes all aspects of their lives not just sex
Or Lie with me by Phillipe Besson, the core event is a teenage fling but it’s mainly about him reflecting on this as an adult
Fun-Lengthiness-7493 on
The later Tales of the City books, from about Michael Tolliver Lives! on might work for you. There is sex but it’s in context and pretty mild in description.
unlovelyladybartleby on
The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt.
I’m not gay and I hate baseball, but I grabbed this book in an airport bookshop in the late 90s and it’s still on my shelf and gets reread regularly.
The MC is a professional baseball player who realizes that he’s developing feelings for his second baseman. Notable side characters include an inscrutable Egyptian psychiatrist, identical twins obsessed with Joan Lunden, and a berserk dalmatian who is the subject of several murder plots.
The sex isn’t explicit at all, and the m/m relationship is based on compatibility and caring.
LaughterAndBeez on
You can try Less by Andrew Sean Greer or The Guncle by Steven Rowley. Not exactly romances I guess but they do deal with relationships.
IndigoSunsets on
TJ Klune writes gay men. I’ve read House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door. The love story isn’t the focus of either, but it’s there and sweet and slow.
rhack05 on
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Viclmol81 on
Maurice
Giovanni’s room
In Memoriam
The Hearts Invisible furies
The Dove In the Belly
The Charioteer
drcherr on
SURFACING by Daniel Stephens is perfect! It’s a three tissue box gay romance, with a great HEA!!!
MisfitMaterial on
Not exactly high literature, but _Boyfriend Material_ and _Husband Material_ by Alexis Hall is funny, sweet, and romantic without being (overly) sexy. Like, sex happens, but nothing like smut.
15 Comments
I don’t have an answer but thought this overlapped with your request so it might be helpful: [M/M romance books with little to no spice : r/suggestmeabook](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/1evgreu/mm_romance_books_with_little_to_no_spice/)
Cat Sebastian has some really good gay romances that typically have one or two sex scenes but they aren’t explicit (more of the “our bodies moved together” type language).
I quite liked *You Should Be So Lucky* (historical baseball) and *The Queer Principles of Kit Webb* (historical ex-thief and about to be disgraced lord). Both books are about men in their 30s give or take a few years I believe.
You can try Foz Meadows, Everina Maxwell, Gil Martin, M. L. Massey, Freya Marske, K. D. Edwards, Alexandra Rowland, and David R. Slayton
As best I can remember even if sex is on pahe in any of these it is only once scene per book, very vague and between adults.
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (not exactly a romance, but the main character is a closeted gay man who has a love affair with another man)
The Binding by Bridget Collins is great. It’s more emotional romance, less sex.
I adore the KJ Charles Slippery Creatures series. It gets a bit smutty but very well written.
Tales of the city series? There is sex in it but I wouldn’t call it smutty because it includes all aspects of their lives not just sex
Or Lie with me by Phillipe Besson, the core event is a teenage fling but it’s mainly about him reflecting on this as an adult
The later Tales of the City books, from about Michael Tolliver Lives! on might work for you. There is sex but it’s in context and pretty mild in description.
The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt.
I’m not gay and I hate baseball, but I grabbed this book in an airport bookshop in the late 90s and it’s still on my shelf and gets reread regularly.
The MC is a professional baseball player who realizes that he’s developing feelings for his second baseman. Notable side characters include an inscrutable Egyptian psychiatrist, identical twins obsessed with Joan Lunden, and a berserk dalmatian who is the subject of several murder plots.
The sex isn’t explicit at all, and the m/m relationship is based on compatibility and caring.
You can try Less by Andrew Sean Greer or The Guncle by Steven Rowley. Not exactly romances I guess but they do deal with relationships.
TJ Klune writes gay men. I’ve read House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door. The love story isn’t the focus of either, but it’s there and sweet and slow.
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Maurice
Giovanni’s room
In Memoriam
The Hearts Invisible furies
The Dove In the Belly
The Charioteer
SURFACING by Daniel Stephens is perfect! It’s a three tissue box gay romance, with a great HEA!!!
Not exactly high literature, but _Boyfriend Material_ and _Husband Material_ by Alexis Hall is funny, sweet, and romantic without being (overly) sexy. Like, sex happens, but nothing like smut.
Song of Achilles
Giovannis room
Both are beautiful, both will break your heart