We’re still deep into beach read season, but make sure you bring a cooler with you, because these books are gonna get you thirsty! (Some more literally than others, if you know what I mean.) (Oh, you don’t? Read on, then!)
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The Pairing
Author: Casey McQuiston
Released: August 6, 2024 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, RomanceTheo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other’s lives once and for all.
Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It’s in the past.
All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately.
It’s not until they board the tour bus that they discover they’ve both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they’re trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It’s fine. There’s nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game. And why stop there? Why not a full-on European hookup competition?
But sometimes a taste of everything only makes you crave what you can’t have.
If your idea of a perfect summer is a sex-filled gastronomical romp around Europe, congratulations: you have found your bookish soulmate in McQuiston’s newest, perfect for oenophiles, foodies, and anyone stricken with wanderlust (or just simply lust). It’s cheeky and fun and has a lovely nonbinary coming out scene – perfect as summer slips into new beginnings.
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Settle the Score
Author: Kris Ripper
Released: August 13, 2024 by Montlake
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, RomanceLost goals make way for new dreams. Two enemies must face their cold past and find new warmth in this wintry, forced proximity rom-com from Kris Ripper, author of Book Boyfriend.
Aspiring investigative reporter Des Cleary had dreams of a better world—one more accepting of people like him—when he broke the story of Orion Broderick’s relationship. A story that kicked Orion out of the soccer halls of fame and sent him careening into obscurity. Racked with shame, Des abandoned his own career for good.
Now working at an LA marketing firm, Des gets a daunting recruit Orion for a Pride campaign aiming to get LGBTQI+ kids into sports. But this is no shot at redemption—how could Des ever make up for what he’s done?
Des finds Orion’s cabin in the snowcapped mountains. His strategy? Keep it professional and get out quick. Nature has other plans. Snowed in together, Des and Orion have a chance to address past wrongs and lost goals. Time and shame have changed them both, but winter has a way of clearing the way for fresh beginnings.
I am delighted to see Kris Ripper return with a new book, and double delighted that ze’s bringing us a sports-adjacent rom-com just in time to provide a distraction for those mourning the end of the Olympics. And forced proximity at a snowed-in cabin?? I know some readers like reading wintry books in the winter, but this is exactly what I wanna be reading the next time the thermometer breaks 90.
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I’ll Have What He’s Having
Author: Adib Khorram
Released: August 27, 2024 by Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, RomanceA smart, tender, vivacious romantic comedy about mistaken identities, the line between love and sex, and the way one night—and one person—can change your life forever.
When it comes to love, Farzan Alavi is a disaster. After his most recent heartbreak, he’s drowning his sorrows at Kansas City’s newest wine bar. Only instead of being crowded between strangers, he’s escorted to a VIP table for one. There, the hot sommelier does more than treat him to the meal of his life. The way he flirts with Farzan ignites instant sparks.
There’s just one problem: David Curtis thinks Farzan is Frank Allen, Kansas City’s most influential food critic. The truth only comes out after the two spend an unforgettably hot night together. Good news—both think the mix-up is hilarious. Bad news—David is studying to become a master sommelier and has no interest in a relationship.
Neither expects their paths to cross again . . . until Farzan inherits his family’s bistro and needs David’s restaurant knowledge. The two agree to an exchange: David will answer Farzan’s questions, and Farzan will help David study for his test. Only business turns to pleasure when neither can ignore the attraction still sizzling between them. But with David set on moving after his test, and Farzan committed to his family’s restaurant, how can their relationship last past the expiration date?
I’ve followed Adib Khorram from spectacular YA (seriously, if you haven’t read Darius the Great is Not Okay, let me tell you, it is something special) to spectacular picture books (my kid and I learned so much about Nowruz!) and I love that even in his newest category, aka his adult debut, he’s still writing queer Iranian protagonists who feel like real people with real insecurities, real bodies, and real friendships. There are so few authors doing what he’s doing, if any at all, and I’m so happy to see him in this space. This one’s the first in a series, and I’ll definitely be following along to the next one.
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You’re the Problem, It’s You
Author: Emma Alban
Released: August 27, 2024 by Avon
Genre: Historical: European, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Mischief and Matchmaking #2The enemies-to-lovers queer Victorian romance follow-up to Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend, in which a young lord and a second son clash, but find themselves thrust together again and again by their meddling cousins.
“That man is, without a doubt, the absolute most obnoxious…
Bobby Mason is sick of being second: born the spare, never trusted with family responsibility, never expected to amount to much. He’s hungry to contribute something that matters, while all around him his peers are squandering their political and financial power, coasting through life. Which is exactly why he can’t stand the new Viscount Demeroven.
…insufferable…
James Demeroven, just come of age and into the Viscountcy, knows that he’s a disappointment. Keeping his head down and never raising anyone’s expectations is how he’s survived life with his stepfather. To quiet, careful James, Bobby Mason is a blazing comet in his endless night, even more alive than he was at Oxford when James crushed on him from afar. But Mason is also brash and recklessly unapologetic, destined to shatter the fragile safety of James’s world. Worst of all, he keeps rubbing James’s failures in his face.
…hottest man to ever walk the ton.”
They can barely get through a single conversation without tensions boiling over. Neither Bobby nor James has ever met a more intriguing, infuriating, infatuating man.
If only they could avoid each other entirely. Bad enough their (wonderful but determined) cousins Beth and Gwen keep conveniently setting up group outings. But when an extortionist starts targeting their families, threatening their reputations, Bobby and James must find a way to work together, without pushing each other’s buttons (or tearing them off) in the process…
Alban’s Sapphic histrom debut kicked off my new year in the absolute most delightful way, so I’m thrilled to see the series continue with more Victorian hijinks, this time involving the menfolk. Plus, it looks like cameos from Beth and Gwen are guaranteed by the blurb, and I am definitely ready to hang with those ladies again!
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Hers for the Weekend
Author: Helena Greer
Released: August 27, 2024 by Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: Carrigan's Christmasland #3Readers of Mia Sosa and Alexandria Bellefleur will love this swoony, sexy opposites-attract romcom from USA Today bestselling author Helena Greer, where the relationship may be fake, but the feelings are very real!
No-nonsense Tara Sloane Chadwick is practically perfect. An impeccably mannered Southern belle, she’s the youngest to make partner at her law firm and still friends with all her exes. However, when the woman behind her most humiliating breakup invites Tara to her wedding, Tara panics at the thought of showing up alone and impulsively declares she’s bringing her very serious girlfriend.
One issue: Tara is seriously single.
Waitress and wild child Holly Siobhan Delaney may be lusting over Tara—but Tara only dates women she can marry, and Holly’s sworn off relationships. So when Tara needs a fake girlfriend, Holly’s eager to propose a no-strings, temporary fling. Only sharing secrets and steamy kisses show Holly the caring woman beneath Tara’s picture-perfect exterior, tempting Holly to break her own rules. Can these two opposites trust their feelings enough to try for forever—or will their relationship go down in flames?
Lovers of Carrigan’s Christmasland rejoice! The third book is upon us, and it brings fake dating, some pining, and Only One Bed. If we have to leave Carrigan’s behind (and I think this is the last one in the series), this sounds like a delightful way to go!
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Sadly, I really didn’t like The Pairing – I love food I love lovers-to-enemies-to-friends narratives, I like sex, I adore A Room with a View…and nope, I hated all the characters and didn’t believe in the romance.
The rest are on my TBR!
The ALIEN SCIENTIST is the fifth book in Eryn Ivers’ Interspecies Alliances series. The description characterizes it as super-steamy but I’d say it’s moderately steamy (and unusual). The backdrop is a galaxy torn apart by conflict and the (mostly) males fighting to keep it together. Each novel follows a different couple and at least one is an alien.
It’s definitely for those who like to escape into sci-fi with strange beings. I can’t easily compare it to anything else but if you liked Lily Mayne’s MONSTROUS series with its ‘monsters’ you might like this, although I think Mayne has better character and relationship development. I still enjoyed this series as a diversion from reality.
CW: terrorism, mentioned refugee crisis, war, invading armies, science fiction violence, mind-altering substances, past trauma related to authority and medical figures
Corpse at Captain’s Seat, the latest in Josh Lanyon’s Secrets and Scrabble series of cosy mysteries with a m/m pairing came out last week and I am eagerly devouring it. This was originally slated to be published months ago, then disappeared from Amazon til now.
* lovers-to-enemies-to-friends with benefits-to friends-to-lovers, I should correct.
Am I the only one who hates referring to f/f romance as “sapphic”? We don’t refer to m/m as “platonic” (or any other of a whole bunch of greek and roman contenders) – why does f/f romance get a cutesy name?
@M.E. If I understand correctly, it’s not meant to be cutesy; it’s meant to be inclusive term to describe romantic relationships between women and nonbinary people happen.
Chandra McCann at Autostraddle wrote a deep dive into the resurgence of the adjective ‘Sapphic,’ which started showing up online in the 2010s, but dates back much earlier. They concluded:
“[“Sapphic”] can potentially avoid some of the ambiguity of other labels. “Queer” is a broad and subversive umbrella term, but it can also refer to queer cis men. “Bisexual” and “pansexual” are often considered mutually exclusive with “lesbian”. Furthermore, while “lesbian” increasingly encompasses some nonbinary identities, it is still widely assumed to default to “women attracted to women” (and, unfortunately, its adoption by transphobes means that it doesn’t always clearly signal inclusion of trans women). In short, there is no other term or phrase that can transmit the concept of “all queer women, and some nonbinary people, who are attracted to other women and/or some nonbinary people” in such an efficient way as “sapphic” can.”
@Sarah – but then why just m/m? Isn’t that equally exclusive of nonbinary folks? What conveys “all queer men and some nonbinary people, who are attracted to other men (male-presenting?) people and/or some nonbinary people”?
I’m probably just splitting hairs because “sapphic” yuks me out in an inexplicable way the same way “moist” or “dripping” or “panties” etcetera etcetera do to some other folks.
@M.E. I think the m/m equivalent word is Achillean, which I had to look up after reading an article referenced in this week’s Links post. Having now seen definitions for both words, I’m trying to get past my own immediate negative reaction to them. Sapphic has always given me a cliquey (sp?) vibe of “we are the Cool People who use the Cool New words, not like you fuddy duddy outsiders”. I gather that is not supposed to be the effect.
@ME I have the opposite reaction, because I love Sappho’s poetry so much. Which may not ever help you at all – like sometimes I can learn to love a flavor I don’t initially like and sometimes (looking at you mayonnaise) it is always made of squick.
Anyway, there’s a translation that I don’t especially like because I find it silly to call her Psapsfo even though it’s a more accurate transliteration. But maybe a little absurdity could help manage the mental shudders, to think of it as psapfic?
If there’s any chance that you’re interested in the poetry, everyone says the Carson translation, which is lovely but I’m pretty excited about the new Rayor and Lardinois.
I have been told I care too much about Greek poetry, yes. I don’t believe that’s possible, but uh, hopefully I haven’t made things worse.
@kkw – I think it’s more that calling f/f romance “sapphic” feels euphemistic vs. just plain m/m, man-on-man action. It reminds me of all the stereotypes of men wanting sex and women wanting luuuuuv with maybe a little side of kissing and hanky-panky. It has absolutely nothing to do with my opinions on sappho and her poetry.
Anyone else go “eewwww” at the “who can sleep with the hot Italian guide first”
That person is at work. They shouldn’t be some kind of token prize then instantly discarded as they find their way back together