Somehow the last 12 books I have read, have all ended up being about death or r*pe. So I’m trying to find a lighter book.
I will read just about anything but prefer romances to be wlw or LGBTQ+. Can totally be a memoir or non-fiction as well, just on the happier side.
by Away_Analyst_3107
11 Comments
Cozy fantasy, Legends and Lattes and prequel and sequel
One Last Stop, by Casey McQuiston
Maurice by E M Forster is a gay romance written & set in 1914. There are definitely some sad moments throughout, but no death or anything. And it has a happy ending. It’s known for being ahead of its time in the way that it portrayed gayness as something happy. Forster was gay, and said “A happy ending was imperative. I shouldn’t have bothered to write otherwise. I was determined that, in fiction anyway, two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows, and in this sense [they] still roam the greenwood.”
Seconding legends and lattes!
For some other cute, light wlw books “written in the stars” by Alexandria Bellefleur and “one last stop” by Casey McQuiston were both fun reads!
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer. It’s LGBTQ+, but more fantasy adventure than romance
I just finished Like In Love with You by Emma R. Alban and it was delightful! It’s a WLW historical romance 🙂
Anything by Becky Chambers should work. They’re not exactly fluffy, but they’re fairly light and there’s no sexual violence.
There are some dramatic scenes and emotional ones. Sometimes people die.
But it’s all in general just nice stories with a wide range of gender diversity.
It seems everyone is recommending Legends and Lattes, but I would be hesitant to do so personally because there is a major subplot about one of the leads being stalked and harassed. It’s not detailed, but myself and a friend who read it both found it was treated far too lightheartedly for our tastes and felt quite uncomfortable about it, so I’d just say be wary of that if you do decide to pick it up.
In a similar niche to L&L, the Arrowmount books by J.A. Collignon are a cosy fantasy romance series. The first features two men, retired adventurers who are setting up a bookshop in a seaside town, and I loved it- haven’t got round to the second yet but I know that one is sapphic.
*Frontier* by Grace Curtis is a sci-fi Western and a sapphic romance, about a mysterious woman who crashes down from space and is roaming the planet looking for her girlfriend. It does have *some* death in it, which admittedly hits very hard, but it also manages to be very funny and, based on your ask here, I’m sure you’d not be too upset with me for spoiling that it does have a happy ending.
The funniest novel I have ever read in my entire life, which is also super queer, is *Running Close to the Wind* by Alexandra Rowland. Adventure on the high seas. A dysfunctional polyamorous triad (M/M/NB). An extremely plot relevant baking competition. I have never laughed so much whilst reading a book.
If you like period romance, *Of Socialites and Prizefights* is a gaslamp fantasy following a woman seeking true love’s kiss in order break a curse from a spurned suitor. She has never been in love, but starts to fall for a beautiful butch boxer. The protagonist does have to deal with *some* unwanted attention from men, but besides the curse, I don’t remember anything bad happening to her and all is well in the end.
If you like graphic novels, *If You’ll Have Me,* by Eunnie is a sapphic love story, super cute and fluffy, just a feel-good read. There’s also the *Tea Dragon Society* trilogy, which whilst being aimed at middle grade all have lots of queer rep and are just so warm, gentle, lovely, and life affirming, the perfect antidote to too many depressing books, in my opinion.
edit: grammar
How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow
If you like reality tv shows Hot Summer by Elle Everhart was good.
Cleat Cute was fun for me, fairly spicy
Mistakes were Made was a p easy read
I don’t want you like a best friend wasn’t heavy from what I remember
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune