This Rec League is from Alex. Thanks, Alex!
I’ve been on the hunt for sapphic historical romances that take place between the 1950s-80s. Outside of those date parameters is fine, but 20th century preferred. I just want historical happy queers that don’t die tragically. If it helps, I loved Lev AC Rosen’s Evander Mills series, and Cat Sebastian’s We Could Be So Good, I just need more lesbians (who doesn’t?)
Amanda: Last Night at the Telegraph Club immediately comes to mind, but that’s YA.
Sarah: Bingo Love, a graphic novel
Tara: Lee Lynch’s books aren’t typical romances, but she’s a foundational author and her impact can’t be overstated. I would highly recommend starting with The Swashbuckler.
Sarah: Tara: “Did someone say ‘MORE LESBIAN ROMANCE??!'”
Tara: Hahahah! I did! BUT! It’s also a tricky time period, because a lot of the 20th century sapphic historical romances are romantic blends at best.
Sarah: “Get me the Book Review Subaru! It’s an emergency!”
Tara: Reverence by Milena McKay is a recent release that’s set in the 1980’s with a ballerina who defects from the USSR.
Okay, I’ve gone through all the sapphic books I’ve read from that period. I’ve only read one from Jaycie Morrison, which was Basic Training of the Heart ( A | BN ), but she’s written more. There are a handful of others, but I haven’t read them, so I can’t vouch that they’re all happy.
Susan: In that I have the same problem as Tara; a lot of the stuff I’ve read set in the 1900s is cross-genre rather than specifically romance.
The Elusive Mr. Vanderbridge is a short story/comic about rival reporters trying to find out why a famously tee-total architect disappears every Friday night, only to turn up smelling of cigarettes and whiskey. It’s short and thus light on the plot, but it’s charming and full of queer community.
Passing Strange by Ellen Klages is a fabulist historical novella set during the 1939-1940 World’s Fair in San Francisco, and it’s all about queer relationships and magic; the main couple are part of a wider friend group of queer women, and those relationships are important to them. The ending is bittersweet, but I think it works.
(All of these have a webzine version and an AO3 version.)
Most of these are INCREDIBLY not safe for work, I am not joking, the least safe for work.
Reverse Cowgirl (Not Gay as in Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, Queer as in Dude Ranch) by Shukyou — City girl goes to a dude ranch as part of a work outing, and learns that she doesn’t have to follow the boring life plan laid out for her. (The lesson comes via attractive butch ranch hands.) Webzine or AO3
The Jazzman’s Last Jive by Shukyou — A gangster’s moll during prohibition takes a sweet young thing under her wing. The sweet young thing has bigger plans for the gangsters they’re hanging around. Webzine or AO3
War Bonds by Shukyou — Bisexual polyamorous romance about two women working in a factory in WWII america who move in together and fall in love. (One of them is married to a navy sailor; the focus is very much on the f/f relationship.) Very sweet and funny, but some weird time skips! Webzine or AO3
What books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
Laurie R. King has a mystery series with a lesbian protagonist and a relationship arc. The Kate Martinelli series begins with A Grave Talent and has six titles. The first four were released between 1993 and 2000. Not a romance, so light on the heat. However, IIRC, there is a strong element of found family in the series: Also, King is a very fine writer.
Lily Hammond has a few set in 1930s-1950s era New Zealand – The Way Home is my favorite (during WWII, a new doctor in town and a farmer whose sister in law just died in childbirth, so is now having to raise the baby)
If paranormal is fine, Hatchett Grannies by Avery Morstan is about two immortal best friends in a rock band in the 1980s (short story though)
The Great War series by Renee Dahlia is post WWI (the last book is m/m, the rest are f/f)
Author Jae has a list of some https://jae-fiction.com/sapphic-books-set-in-the-20th-century/
Sam Ledel’s “Worth A Fortune” may fit the bill. It’s a post-WWII second chance romance between a lumber heiress who finds herself penniless after her father dies and the woman who answers her personal ad for a secretary – and turns out to be the one who got away.
Ann Aptaker’s “Flesh and Gold” (book 4 in a series) is set in 1950s Havana; crime/mystery with what looks like a romance element.
Lucy Jane Bledsoe’s “A Thin Bright Line” is a 1950’s STEM romance between a (presumably white) editor who works in an Army lab and a black photographer.
In YA, I’d suggest “Pulp” by Robin Talley. A contemporary high school student goes hunting for a 50s/60s lesbian pulp writer. She also has one called “Music From Another World” that’s set during the late 1970s and has a girl who writes letters to Harvey Milk in her diary.
I wish there were more recs for this one!
I can’t think of any from the 50s-80s, and hardly any twentieth century even. KJ Charles has a f/f novella set in 1902, Proper English. I would also maybe recommend her 20s era Will Darling Adventures. I mean, I definitely recommend the trilogy as books. They’re m/m, but there’s a secondary f/f couple that practically steal the show. They don’t have any on page sex scenes which always surprises me when I reread because they sure do in my head.
I’m afraid I don’t have anything exactly right for this – I was sure Alyssa Cole had a great f/f novella set in the 20s but I must have been conflating her m/f 20s novella with her f/f novellas.
And I can’t help mentioning even though it’s 19th century, Courtney Milan’s f/f novella is superb, it’s something like Mrs Martin’s Incomparable Adventure.
Also a mystery crossover series, but J.M. Redmann’s books about a lesbian PI in New Orleans have a good amount of sexy times and romance/romantic misery, are set in the 20th century, and are damn hard to put down.
https://www.missdemeanors.com/j-m-redmanns-transitory-a-micky-knight-mystery/
Colette Moody’s book The Seduction of Moxie should fit this description. I haven’t read it yet, but I have loved the other books I’ve read by her.
When Hollywood-bound actress Violet London meets speakeasy singer Moxie Valette, her trip takes an unexpected turn toward love. New York City, 1931: When wry Broadway actress Violet London and her hard-drinking cohorts venture into a speakeasy the night before she is to board a train for Hollywood, she is floored by sassy blond singer Moxie Valette. As Violet introduces Moxie to an assortment of bootleg liquor, cross-dressers, and sex shows, she vows to find a way to see her again. Moxie is fascinated by Violet in a thrilling and unfamiliar way, and the ensuing evening of bon mots, shameless flirtation, and illicit revelry is unlike anything she has ever experienced. From Manhattan to Los Angeles, both women’s lives are turned upside-down by separation, unscrupulous motion picture studio executives, self-serving agents, eccentric celebrities, and the collection of hedonistic reprobates that are their closest friends.
Also, it’s nonfiction, but Edie Windsor’s memoir A Wild and Precious Life is partly the story of her life with her wife, Thea Spyer. They met in the 1960s, and after some romantic drama, stayed together until Thea’s death. Edie Windsor sued the government for not recognizing her marriage to Thea, and her victory set the stage for marriage equality. The descriptions of mid-century gay life in New York are amazing, and Edie and Thea’s relationship is vivid, sexy, and loving. A real life romance!
The Liberators of Willow Run by Marianne K. Martin has a couple working in a bomber factory during WWII. The writing style wasn’t the smoothest, but the history was great, and there’s a sequence where they break someone out of conversion therapy which was really suspenseful.
I have three suggestions, none of which I have read in quite a while so I don’t remember much beyond that I enjoyed them.
Tell it to the Bees by Fiona Shaw – I remember enjoying this and that it has an HEA, and I don’t remember the exact time period but I’m pretty sure it is 20th century (40s or 50s, I think). (There is a movie that I have not seen but I have heard the movie is different from the book).
Beautiful Journey by Kenna White – WWII, American/British romance set in Britain, at least one of them is a pilot, both of them might be.
In the Company of Women by Kate Christie – also set in WWII but in the States. I remember that I liked Beautiful Journey rather better but I don’t remember why.
Can’t believe I missed this earlier. I have a few recommendations but mostly set in the 1940s rather than 1950s – 80s.
Even Though I Knew the End by C L Polk – novella set in 1940s Chicago with magic and lesbians. This is bit noir-ish but the central relationship does end with a solid hfn.
The Companion by E. E. Ottoman – m/f/f. Lovely, low conflict queer and trans poly romance set in 1940s America.
Great or Nothing by Joy McCullough. Delightful reimagining of the 2nd half of Little Women, set in WWII. Jo gets a sapphic romance, with hfn.
The Belle vs. the BDOC by Amy Jo Cousins – college f/f romance set in 1993. I read it several years ago and remember thinking it was cute. Read the blurb and sample though.
And you might look at lesbian pulp fiction, written during the 1950s. I attempted The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith (book the movie Carol is based on) but couldn’t get past the first couple chapters because it was so slow and the main character was so passive. But it has a happy ending and many other readers love it.