Following on from EM Forster’s “Maurice”

Totally on a whim I picked up a copy of Maurice last September and I can definitively say it is the best book I’ve ever read. I’ve been trying to find more that hits similarly, but I’m not having much luck.

Here’s what I like about Maurice:

• the language is easy to read while still being well crafted.

• the plot doesn’t rely much on miscommunication between characters

• the friends to lovers plot was great

• sex wasn’t explicit and was used meaningfully (although I’m not against slightly more explicit stuff)

• always a fan of a “forbidden love” story

Here’s what I’ve tried since and why it didn’t hit. I did like some of these books they just aren’t exactly what I’m looking for.

• Giovanni’s Room: not enough romance, super depressing.

• The Charioteer: too much build up, not enough pay off

• Howard’s End: just not that interesting to me

• Brideshead Revisited: the main character was awful (although the romance on the ship home from America was excellent)

• Alec: I DNFed after 100 pages. It read like bad fanfiction.

Please help, I’m dying for more good quality romance!