Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Have her check out the MLR Press website.  It is only GLBT stories and they are available in both print and ebook.  I have found several excellent books and authors there.

The Ranch Series by J.L. Langley (The Tin Star, The Broken H, etc.) Very good! : )

Samhain Publishing has a large list of gay romance in paperback, all of which are available to order. I’d be happy to provide her with a complete list, or I can give her one that tailors to her specific needs.

Here are 4 titles I really loved:

Mexican Heat by Laura Baumbaugh & Josh Lanyon
Bravo! Brava! - Anthology
Lost Temple of Karttikeya by Laura Baumbaugh
Inland Empire by James Buchanan

But there are many there.  = )

Caught Running by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Faith and Fidelity by Tere Michaels
Crossing Borders and/or St. Nacho’s by Z.A. Maxfield
Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale

Also, the Adrien English Mysteries by Josh Lanyon aren’t necessarily romance focused, but they’re fantastic and available in paperback.

Oh, all the others I suggested are also available in paperback (duh!)

If she’s willing to consider some fantasy titles that have strong romantic elements, Lynn Flewelling has more than one series that might work. Although, those might already be included in the book display I suppose, since it sounds like she’s already got a selection started.

Nobody’s mentioned Alex Beecroft yet?  She’s worth a look, and I believe all her books are available in print.

Pride/Prejudice and Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander by Anne Herendeen, and Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight. All of which I would not have discovered without the Smart Bitches *grins*

Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner series (five books and counting) would also be great for those who like fantasy. The m/m romance doesn’t officially start until the third book, but that allows for actual buildup and sexual tension, which made it all the sweeter when the boys finally admitted their feelings.

@elph—Great minds think alike!

Some of the classics that she ought to have.

1/ Gaywyck by Vincent Virga
2/ Maurice by E.M. Forster
3/ Kiss of the Spider Woman Manuel Puig
4/ An Idol for Others Gordon Merrick (actually anything by Gordon Merrick)

And I have to shill Don Sakers YA “Act Well Your Part”.

For the L part of LGBT here are some romances I have enjoyed. Available from Amazon or direct from the publishers (digitally or paperback) at boldstrokesbooks.com or bellabooks.com

Radclyffe and Karin Kallmaker are two of the most prominent authors and most of their books are good.

Georgia Beers - Too Close to Touch (contemporary)
Erin Dutton - Fully Involved (contemporary)
Shea Godfrey - Nightshade (Fantasy)
Meghan O’Brien - Thirteen Hours (OMG Steamy)
Nell Start & Trinity Tam - everafter (Paranormal)
Gabrielle Goldsby - Wall of Silence (Romantic Suspense)
Tracy Richardson - No Rules of Engagement (Contemporary/Military theme)
K.E. Lane - And Playing the Role of Herself (well disguised fanfic)
Andi Marquette - Land of Entrapment (Romantic Suspense)

I would suggest Heidi Cullinan’s Special Delivery and Double Blind.

Also Lynn Lorenz’s Common Powers series.

Are we equating GLBT romance with m/m romance?

If we are, I’d suggest Jane Seville’s Zero at the Bone and Brooke McKinley’s Shades of Gray, both in paperback from Dreamspinner.

For YA there is Alex Sanchez. Not necessarily romance per say, but very good. For Lesbian, I liked Geri Hill and Karin Kallmaker, one’s mystery/romance and the other seems to be contemporary.

David Levithan’s Boy Meets Boy is a really sweet, fun YA romance.

Two gay romances (not M/M):
Steve Kluger’s Almost Like Being in Love 
Sean Kennedy’s Tigers & Devils

Neil Plakcy’s Mahu mystery series, which has a romance thread.

If firemen are your thing, check out Tory Temple’s Fireline and Tinder at Torquere Books. Hot, if you pardon the pun.

Anything published by Blind Eye Books: http://blindeyebooks.com/

The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey is one of the best fantasy books out there. My friend said it wasn’t until he read this book that he felt “okay” enough to come out.

The books are—in order
Magic’s Pawn
Magic’s Pride
Magic’s Price.

I would recommend anything in the PD Publishing line up: http://www.pdpublishing.com Several books have won either/or GLBT and Regional Fiction awards, like Anne Azel’s Gold Mountain, Lois Cloarec Hart’s Kicker’s Journey and very recently Geonn Cannon’s Gemini.

My own Turning Point and the sequel Turn for Home are contemporary romances.

Mickey Minner (“Sweetwater”) writes historical romances.

Moondancer Drake writes paranormal romances (“Ancestral Magic” “Natural Order”) with Native American themes and non-traditional characters.

Nene Adams writes very eclectic romances featuring a female pirate, a “female Sherlock Holmes”, and shapeshifters.

I second the recommendation of Jane Seville’s Zero at the Bone (I’m still thrilled it did so well in DA BWAHA) and would add A Red-Tainted Silence by Carolyn Grey at Loose Id.

jmc, just curious, how do you define “M/M” and how do you see it as different than “gay romance?” Almost Like Being In Love and Tigers and Devils, both fantastic books and excellent recommendations, don’t have descriptive sex; is that the difference for you?

Whatever label you put on them, those two books are excellent and I tend to count Sean Kennedy’s Tigers and Devils as my favorite MM romance/gay romance book of all time. I’d certainly encourage any librarian developing a GLBT display to include them specifically for readers who are curious about non-hetero fiction but aren’t sure they’d be comfortable reading explicit sex scenes between two men. Good call, jmc. :) 

now45: Now, if only 45 of my favorite gay romances/MM romances were in print…

I would absolutely recommend the amazing Adrien English mystery series by Josh Lanyon. The writing is sparkling, the mysteries are great, and there is a fabulous M/M romance arc at the core of this series. To me, it’s really a kind of a fun MM romantic suspense series.

There are 5 (I think) in the series.  The Hell You Say won the 2006 USABookNews awards for GLBT Fiction; Josh is also an Eppie Award winner and a three-time Lambda Literary Award finalist. MLR press.

Also, definitely LB Gregg’s Men of Smithfield series. Only two of them are in print (Gobsmacked and Happy Ending, in the Smart Ass series put out by MLR press). LB Gregg writes witty, fun contemporary romances - they’re very like romantic comedy, really - about men in a New England town.  The characters are vulnerable and wonderful. The writing is great.

LGBT YA, with some romantic elements:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle
The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson

Our Boundless line has a number of LGBT romances, several of which are suitable for younger readers.

Calico by Dorien Grey is a Western historical romance suitable for YA and up.

She’s the Girl by Susan Brooks is also suitable for YA and up.

Alan Chin’s two novels both address relationships, although Island Song is the true romance. The Lonely War is both a study of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and a love story, set in World War II. These are more suitable for readers 18 and older.

*cracks knuckles*
Prepare to be title-smacked.

Adult romances I have less of a grip on, but one of my favorites is:
Collision Course by K.A.Mitchell.  Published by Samhain. 
Samhain and Dreamspinner Press both have print options for many of their books, so I’d look into them if you want to display some pure romance/erotic stuff.

An author I am just about to read adult-wise has made some pretty big mentions as well.  Tom Dolby.  His books Trouble Boy and The Sixth Form are supposed to be marvelous.  Both in print, too.

And, because I’m a teenager, hormonal, and advocate for LGBTQ fiction for teens…

The Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez (libraries should always carry this series!  His books Bait and The God Box are also recommended.  They usually have some level of romance.)

Boy Meets Boy and Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan (Again, staples.)

Hero by Perry Moore (LGBT + Superhero = WIN)

Ash by Malinda Lo (Romantic Cinderella retelling with lesbians)

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd (One of the best books I have read period.)

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner (New YA - Lesbian again, very sweet)

Also look into authors like P.E.Ryan (In Mike We Trust and Saints of Augustine), Hayden Thorne (numerous books for small press publisher for teens, Prizm)

Look on www.dearauthor.com/wordpress at the archives for Joan/Sarah F.‘s reviews.  Many of those books are available in print as well.  She would recommend authors such as Alex Beecroft and Erastes.  Running Press also published a line of m/m historical romances that are all in print as well. 

Hope that helps!

interest 37?  I do show interest in this.  But I’m not 37.  I knew Carnies were the masterminds behind this website…they stink at guessing ages!  :mad:

All through the Night Suzanne Brockmann’s novella that was published to celebrate “MassEquality”.

spamword Heavy69= Why would 69 ever be heavy?

Some of my books are available in print too, most of them are historical gay romance, Cane and its sequel Conflict from Phaze Books. Beyond the Veil, also from Phaze Books. I have a story in the ghost print anthology from MLR Press, Past Shadows. I also have a contemporary series from MLR Press, The Tomcat Line, that is out so far in ebook but will shortly be released in print. 

Hope that is of interest!

OH and Santa Olivia by Jacquelin Carey is a UF that has a strong YA Lesbian coming of age sub-plot. (The heroine is gay.)

I Kiss Girls is a young adult lesbian romance that’s available in print.

Maybe she could check out the winners of the LAMBDA awards for the past few years? Here’s the list for 2010:

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/awards-finalists/

I would second the votes for Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner books, and Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English series. Lynn’s books are really good Fantasy Adventure with a really nice coming of age/romance built in, believable characters and a nice healthy well rounded relationship. Josh’s Adrien English is a murder mystery series based around a m/m relationship that isn’t quite the same one you find in most m/m romance novels.

Just off the top of my head:
Ginn Hale - Wicked Gentlemen
Perry Moore - Hero
Alex Beecroft - False Colours
Abigail Roux & Madeleine Urban - Caught Running, Cut and Run, and Sticks and Stones
Anything by Lee Rowan (although, the ‘Royal Navy Series’ books are the best, imho)

Jenna Black’s Morgan Kingsley ‘Devil’s’ series has a strong delicious m/m thread, although Adam and Domonic are very very good secondary characters, rather than the focus of the series…a good ‘gateway’ read, poss?

Also! I believe R.W. Day’s A Strong and Sudden Thaw is back in print, with a new publisher, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone. One of my favourite books.

Cleis Press has several GLBT books out in print and so does Alyson Books.

I speed-read the suggestions.  Hope I’m not repeating.

These are classics:

The Price of Salt.  Patricia Highsmith (f/f)
Maurice.  E.M. Forster (m/m)

I love library displays!

Pam Regis

Second vote for Santa Olivia, by Jacqueline Carey. Finished it a few days ago, and I love-love-loved it. The main character, Loup Garron, is wonderful, and the way the book treats the main “vigilante with superpowers” story line is very mature - her actions don’t come out of nowhere, and it’s made clear that even with her unusual abilities, Loup (pronounced “Lou”) has to work hard and long, with the assistance of her friends, to have any chance of winning her battle at the climax of the book.

Jacqueline Carey had a lesbian heroine in Santa Olivia and the love story is F/F in Naamah’s Kiss, both of which are in paper.  I’ve got Naamah’s Curse on my TBR shelf, but the blurb makes it sound like the F/F love story continues.

Not solely in the romance genre, but it works for me: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. (Lesbian.)

@CourtneyLee:  For me, the main distinction between M/M romance and gay romance is what you’ve pointed out, the inclusion of descriptive sex in the books.  I think other readers might also point to the publisher (traditional gay publishers vs. epublishers specializing in erotic romance) and intended/target audience.

I’d be happy to supply your librarian with a list, but 95% of our books are in print and available. Ever title is sent to the ALA for review and several have been nominated for the new ALA Rainbow Recommended List. I’d even send free copies of some of the titles I have on hand from the returns supply to her.

Laura Baumbach
MLR Press, LLC

Romance:

Any books by Mark A. Roeder but especially Outfield Menace and A Better Place (YA Romance)
G.A. Hauser The Boy Next Door
Dreamspinner has print versions of their books
Kensington has a GLBT line and some of them are Romance focused

Oh, and another YA Romance is Rainbow Boys and Rainbow High by Alex Sanchez

I just finished Jane Bites Back last week, and went looking for other books at the local library today. Much to my surprise I found out the author (Michael Thomas Ford) has a backlist of gay romance/contemporary novels. I’ve not read them yet, but I did very much like the ‘voice’ in Jane Bites Back.

http://www.michaelthomasford.com/
http://www.michaelthomasford.com/books

@jmc I really liked Sean Kennedy’s Tigers and Devils. Australian Football and Snark and Realistic relationship building. Awesome!

The best part of this entry is reading the comments and going oh, yeah I loved that one and ohhhh, I’ve got to check that one out

A few fantastic books that aren’t Romance (cap R) but have wonderful lesbian relationships:
- Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters (also a GREAT BBC miniseries)
- Blue Place (and the sequels Stay and Always) by Nicola Griffith.  This is a kick-ass noir style mystery/thriller series with a heroine who is a martial arts expert.  SO good.

I also liked Santa Olivia by J. Carey.

Forgot to mention Rob Byrnes, Lambda Award winner for his M/M romantic novels.  One of my favorites is When The Stars Came Out.

I would enthusiastically suggest anything by K. A. Mitchell, but specifically Collision Course and Regularly Scheduled Life.  In fact, I would say Regularly Scheduled Life is one of the most powerful, most beautiful books I’ve read this year.  Be warned though:  the sex is graphic and very hot!!

Ya books

Anything by Julie Anne Peters - seriously, anything.

Susan Juby’s Another Kind of Cowboy—isn’t strictly romance, but it’s wonderful.

Nancy Garden’s Annie on my Mind - it’s a classic.

Steamy adult m/m
Heidi Cullinan’s been mentioned earlier for Double Blind and Special Delivery.  They’re great, as is Myles and the Magic Flute.

Helpless by MJ Pearson is fabulous.  All her GLBT romances are wonderful!!

Rick Reed has published many books focused on gay characters, but “Orientation” was REALLY good…  Romance and reincarnation…  It was thought provoking…

Lisa

Your library may already own these books.

Susan Brockmann has on ongoing male male romance throughout her Troubleshooters series.  There was a novel published in that series that celebrated the Mass. marriage of Jules (FBI agent) and Robin (actor).

JR Ward has ongoing plot lines throughout the last few books of some bro-mance.

It’s already been mentioned, but Alex Beecroft’s False Colors is absolutely my favorite M/M romance.  Love the historical setting, and it has a great cover for display!

You have to read Regularly Scheduled Life by K.A Mitchell Published by Samhain and should be available in print! It is a book I always come back to—it is a beautifully written story and worth checking out! Also No Going Home and Home of His Own by T.A. Chase are wonderful as are all of his books (many genres as well)!

More mainstream, and not really romance but still good…. Gabaldon’s Lord John books, especially Brotherhood of the Blade. And the library probably already has them on the shelves.

I’ve recently enjoyed Radclyffe’s INNOCENT HEARTS and TOMORROW’S PROMISE (lesbian).

Kirsten Saell’s CROSSING SWORDS and BOUND BY STEEL feature a bisexual heroine.  I haven’t read the first but I loved the second.  It’s erotic fantasy f/f/m.

Another vote for Sean Kennedy’s TIGERS AND DEVILS and LB Gregg’s HAPPY ENDING.

Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen. That and Almost Like Being in Love, you’ll pry from my cold, dead hands.

Oh, and Love and Loyalty by Tere Michaels is finally available in paperback now, along with Faith and Fidelity! Also very good.

Are there any recommendations for good romance novels with transgender characters? I would happily give my right arm if anyone does (or have I missed any in the comments?).

@Kezia
Susan Smith’s Of Drag King’s and the Wheel of Fate might meet your criterion.

Oooo, my favorite topic. I second (third? fourth?) Almost Like Being in Love, Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner series, Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English Mysteries, Maurice, and anything by J.L. Langley (The Tin Star or Without Reservations are good ones to start, though my personal favorite is My Fair Captain *g*).

I’d add:

Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling (fantastic all around)
The Price of Temptation and Discreet Young Gentlemen by M. J. Pearson (pure, cracky romance novel fun! loooove the cheesy cover art, too)
The God in Flight by Laura Asagiri
The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Psycop: Partners by Jordan Castillo Price

I had a bunch more, but realized they didn’t really fit in the “romance” category, so I’ll stop there. ;)

@Kezia: This isn’t available in print, but I liked Circle of Change by Laney Cairo for a transgender romance. I found it quite enjoyable, though not 100% perfect.

The Rest of Our Lives, by Dan Stone—witchcraft and sweet gay romance.

I’m totally goin to be uncouth and recommend my own two m/m romances, By Degrees (which has been on Torquere Press’s top seller list for almost a year now) and In the Rough, both in print. (They do have explicit sex, though.)

From other authors, I really liked Willow Bend by Ally Blue at Samhain, as well as An Agreement Among Gentlemen and Bareback, both by Chris Owen at Torquere Press.

For bigger name authors, Tanya Huff has an old book. It’s a fantasy novel, and the m/m romance is a subplot, but it’s very sweet and always makes me go “aww.” It was originally printed on its own as The Fire’s Stone, but is easier to find these days in a reprint of it and another of her novels in Of Darkness, Light, and Fire. She also has a trilogy, a follow-up to her vampire trilogy (but you don’t have to read the vampire trilogy if you just accept some things you won’t know about) that has a m/m romance as a subplot throughout the whole arc, Smoke and Shadows, Smoke and Mirrors, and Smoke and Ashes (all of which the library may already have!).

Phew. Enough out of me. ;)

JB

@msbehavin247 and Dana

Thank you so much! I hadn’t known about either of them. You both just made my day :)

I would second the recommendation for Tipping the Velvet by Sara Waters.  It’s a fabulous Victorian lesbian romance, that can be appreciated by straight readers as well.

Seconding the recommendation for Jordan Castillo Price’s PsyCops series - The print titles are, in sequence, PsyCop: Partners (Torquere Press) Psycop: Property (JCP Press) and Camp Hell: A Psycop Novel (JCP Press)

Oh - and Manna Francis’ Adminstration series, which is published by Casperian Press.

Historical romance “Whistling in the Dark” by Tamara Allen from Lethe Press

Touching YA urban fantasy “Vintage” by Steve Berman from Lethe Press

Charitable Anthologies “I Do” and “I Do, Two” from MLR.

Enjoy.

If we’re going to suggest short story anthologies, then I submit To Love and To Cherish. The collection is subtitled “an anthology of lesbian love and marriage”, and features 14 romance short stories around the theme of marriage/commitment proposals, wedding/commitment ceremonies, and life in lesbian families.

It’s published by loveyoudivine and available in print at Amazon.
Marriage Equality USA receives all proceeds from sales.

Helpless by MJ Pearson would be nice. *eg*

I’m a gay teen reader and for YA, I’d suggest looking a bit further than Alex Sanchez et al. “Vintage” by Steve Berman is a modern ghost story/romance with a twist. Highly recommendable. “The Vast Fields of Ordinary” by Nick Burd and “What They Always Tell Us” by Martin Wilson are not your typical YA romance novels, but they do explore first gay love and I highly recommend them. “Love & Sex” edited by Michael Cart is a great YA anthology. And lastly, “Clay’s Way” by Blair Mastbaum because it’s hot.

My short story collection with gay cowboys, fairy firemen and a transgender heroine is out in print, and just got a starred review from Booklist - it’s for adult and young adult readers both.  “Diana Comet and Other Improbable Stories.”  Great for libraries everywhere :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Diana-Comet-Other-Improbable-Stories/dp/1590210948

There’s also a YouTube video to go with it - that’s about women sf writers over the last 75 years:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYMvGUUwq7E

“Annie on my Mind” is one of my very favorite YA romances of any orientation.  So much love for that book.

Also, another great author is ML Rhodes. She has a contemporary fantasy called Falling from Amber Quill (I’m pretty sure it’s in print). She also has a fantasy shapeshifter series with dragons called the Draegon Lords, also at Amber Quill. The first two are in one print volume and the third and fourth will do the same once the fourth is released this year. Excellent books, very good vs evil with a diabolical villain.

I recommend Dark Designs, by Luisa Prieto. I LOVED this story. It’s a dark fantasy with romantic elements. M/m romantic elements :)

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Designs-Luisa-Prieto/dp/160820071X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271998535&sr=1-1

Just wondering - if a book is m/m/f, would that count as a GLBT book?  If so, I think Samantha Kane and Kate Pearce both have books/series where there is definite man love as well as a woman loved by both.

Nobody has mentioned Patricia Nell Warren’s The Front Runner—an absolute classic.  (What a shame it’s not available as an ebook.)

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
There are some lesbian romance elements in Jim C. Hines’ Princess series (The Stepsister Scheme, The Mermaid’s Madness, soon to be Red Hood’s Revenge)
Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden
Fairy Tales: Traditional Stories Retold for Gay Men by Peter Cashorali
I am sure there are more I should be able to list but can’t think of right now…

@ Sandra :

I second the Lord John books by “The Diana”. Very mainstream, though not strictly a romance. Still awesome!

Thank you so much, everyone!  I am in awe of all the support and knowledge.  I’m sadly not actually an Awesome Librarian myself, I’m just an awesome stay at home mom who keeps telling the awesome librarian what to read.  I can’t wait to see what she does with all these suggestions, and I can’t wait to read them myself!

My bisexual erotic romance ONDINE (eXcessica Publishing) would love to be a welcome addition to anybody’s shelf:

https://www.createspace.com/3429723

Hugs,
Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

And, because I’m a teenager, hormonal, and advocate for LGBTQ fiction for teens…

Spits coffee on Aunt’s keyboard.  That was hilarious.

I’m chiming in before finishing the comments, so bear with me.  I’m totally addicted to m/m erotica right now, especially of the romance variety.  I want to point out these are definitely erotica, not just romance (but there’s plenty o’ that):

Bareback by Chris Owen is in print, and I personally think it’s the best gay cowboy romantica evah.  The follow-up book,

Natural Disaster

may or may not be in print.

Someone mentioned JL Langley’s Ranch series, which is really good.  Especially The Tin Star. 

Langley also has a short in The Ties that Bind that I freaking love—part of an anthology of m/m erotica that’s pretty good.  Lightish BDSM, but I’m not sure it’s in print.

Also, TA Chase has a m/m cowboy series I like - No Going Home and A Home of His Own are in print in one volume (the third book is only in ebook format, and not epub yet, dammit.  Grumble).

Me again, sorry.

Probably doesn’t need to be said, but I just want to clarify—I thought the “teenager, hormonal” part was hilarious.  Not the “advocate for LGBTQ” part.  That part is very cool.

Why yes, I am a white, almost middle-aged heterosexual who is pussy-footing around the minority.  Sue me.

I second the recommendation that Carrie check out the list of recent Lambda award winners. 

Personally, I like:

Malinda Lo’s Ash (beautiful YA fairytale retelling with a bisexual heroine and a f/f love story)

Valerie Taylor’s The Girls in 3-B (classic lesbian pulp, but unusual for its time in having a happy ending and, probably because it’s written by a woman, a lot less misogyny than your average pulp novel).

Alex Beechcroft’s False Colours (I’m not sure if it really counts as LGBTQ romance, as the writer is straight, but it’s a beautiful historical novel and I loved it).

Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith (lesbian historical novels - Fingersmith in particular is a gorgeously atmospheric gothic thriller)

Perry Moore’s Hero (I’m a longtime comics fan, and the fact that Stan Lee endorsed the book made me cry tears of joy).

Shanim Sarif’s The World Unseen and I Can’t Think Straight

And I remember liking Christopher Rice’s A Density of Souls a lot when I was a teenager.

There are also a lot of wonderful m/m romances out there from publishers like Samhain (and from SF writers like Lynn Flewelling and Jaida Jones), but I wouldn’t necessarily classify them as LGBTQ literature, except for the ones by authors like Josh Lanyon who are themselves queer.