This request is from HeatherS:
It’s been a while since I’ve seen this topic covered and a lot of books have been published in the meanwhile, so:
I’d like a rec league post for romances with at least one bisexual MC, preferably not in a college/university setting (because I’m over 40 and college students are mostly babies at this point).
Required: if a bi awakening romance, the MC’s bi awakening does NOT involve cheating (especially on the partner they start the book with, if they start with one).
Some bi romances from my Keeper Shelf include Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels, and Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid.
My TBR currently has Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa.And remember, folks, Heated Rivalry is not a “gay hockey book/show”, it is a queer hockey book/show”, because we do not erase bi consent king Ilya Rozanov in this house.
Amanda: I’d recommend You, Again by Kate Goldbeck. ( A | BN | K ) The hero and heroine meet because they’re dating the same woman. The characters are either in their 20s or 30s, but are out of college.
Elyse: If you’re into fantasy, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi qualifies.
The heroine is 40ish and bi, although romance is not the main focus of the story.
Tara: I recently read a beautiful one called The Second Draft by Carrie Byrd. ( A | BN | K | AB ) Two best friends, one of them is 56, the other is turning 60. One of them is bi, the other goes through a late-in-life realization that she’s a lesbian.
Shana: The Stand-up Groomsman by Jackie Lau. It’s a m/f romance that I described on Goodreads as “extremely bisexual.” It’s one of my favorites.
Sarah: I’m going to guess that HeatherS (hi!) knows about The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian. I think they’re both bisexual, though that’s historical. With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson ( A | BN | K ) would work!
Oh – Hold Me by Courtney Milan!
In Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur I think one FMC is pan, and the other FMC is bi.
What romances would you suggest? Let us know in the comments!
I can recommend Lane Hayes
Additionally, “The Tapestry of Fate” the second part of the adventures of Amina al-Sharafi is out (have not read it yet, but I will!)
I remember really enjoying Eden Finley’s Fake Out back in the day, before her books became pretty formulaic and much less believable. And before every second romance had to be about fake dating. This one has a slow burn bi-awakening and a lot of humour.
[spoilers] Role Playing by Cathy Yardley. The MMC is biromantic and demisexual. He’s fifty and the FMC is 48. [/spoilers]
I second With love from cold world by Alicia Thompson also has a bi MMC.
Both these examples do include biphobia as a plot point, but not from the FMC.
Make me a Mixtape by Jennifer Whitehead has a bi FMC.
If you loved Red, White and Royal Blue, you’ve probably checked out Casey McQuiston’s other works to see if they’re for you, but in The Pairing both leads are bi or pan.
In Cat Sebastian’s regency imposters series at least one of the leads is bi in every book (mmc in book one, FMC in book two and MMC in book three). Also in her first contemporary star shipped one of the mmcs is bi
The titular FMC in Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert, is bi. If you like AU historical, Damiskos in AJ Demas’s Sword Dance trilogy is bi, and the other MC is non-bianary.
Both MCs in my novella NO MORE WORDS are bi and both are 40 in the story. When the MCs meet, MMC first perceives FMC as male because she’s cross-dressed and in the company of a gay man, which doesn’t put MMC off at all. Also he recognizes her voice as his favorite ebook narrator. FMC’s nonconforming gender presentation causes no conflict. Ebook everywhere, author Alexandra Caluen / A.Y. Caluen. 🙂
Boyfriend Material – Alexis Hall The new Camelot Series and Lyonesse Series by Sierra Simone. Both do involve poly relationships as well. MMF
Him-Sarina Bowen & US- Sarina Bowen(A little like heated rivalry does start with younger characters) Friends to lovers plus hockey. MM
Delilha Green Doesn’t Care Ashley Blake Single Mom, Small town FF
If the Shoe Fits-EJ Noyes awakening. Lawyer living her best straight life meets the one. Lovely FF
Highly recommend Fire Season by KD Casey for this. I also second the recs for Cat Sebastian (almost all of her books have a bi MC), Cathy Yardley (love her older protags), and Jackie Lau’s Standup Groomsman.
I’m currently reading the Second Sons series by Emily Rath (“Beautiful Things” and “His Grace, The Duke”). It’s a why-choose, MMMF, spicy recency romance.
For the curious, a couple of previous related rec leagues included
– Bi and Pan Couples
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/06/the-rec-league-bi-and-pan-couples/
– Bi/Pan Heroines
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2022/04/the-rec-league-bi-pan-heroines/
From my own pen I’d rec The Lady and The List, as well as The Gossip and The Guest, and The Rapscallion and The Reliable by Elizabeth Briars. All are standalone regency Historicals with shared characters. The first one is a genderfluid X bi man romance, the second has a bi fmc, and the third is a demi-sexual, bi mmc.
As for others, I will never stop trying to foist The Gardener’s hand trilogy by Felicia Davin on people. Fantasy with the most compelling trio of reluctant heroes in a lush world where the sun is a fixed point, leaving sections bathed in constant light or plunged in neverending night. All three main characters are either pan or bi.
Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings
Also rec Alexis Hall’s Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake! The FMC is very assertive about expressing her bi identity, although the two relationships in the book are with men. I really loved this book set among baking show contestants, although it’s on the long (too long?) side.
Joyfully Jay reviewed a book today that appears to meet the request ~ Welcoming the Recluse by Nora Phoenix.
It has been a while! Thanks, HeatherS.
I’ve heard these have a bi MC but haven’t read them all myself. Common Goal has a 40+ main character. They make a fuss about it. Lavash At First Sight and Wild Things really flew under the radar. They’re both great. I’ve heard a lot of buzz around Star Shipped.
Common Goal (Reid)
The Keeper of Magical Things (Leong)
Lavash at First Sight (Voskuni)
Wild Things (Kay)
Sadie on a Plate (Elliot)
Unromance (Connor)
Thank You for Sharing (Katz)
Looking for a Sign (Dumond)
The Isle in the Silver Sea (Suri)
Playing for Keeps (Bellefleur)
Yours for the Season (Cochrane)
Star Shipped (Sebastian)
A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love (Rose)
Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot (book three in the Rosaline Palmer series) has a graphic scene of animal death/cruelty. Heads up for the animal lovers.
Worth a Try by Jemma Croft – the third book in her “Try For Love” rugby series which I adore. This one has girlfriend cheating, which I’m generally not a fan of, but the author is clear throughout that the girlfriends aren’t to blame (she doesn’t vilify them at all) and I like flawed characters that can grow.
Caught Off Guard by Catherine Cloud – Probably my favourite author for hockey romance in terms of consistency.
Brushed With Love by Fearne Hill
Stephanie Burgis’ Wooing the Witch Queen has a bi heroine who has dated women in the past.
Speakeasy by Sarina Bowen: bi FMC whose ex-girlfriend was pretty toxic, ends up in a relationship with a man (much to her surprise).
KJ Charles books: (1) the FMC/MMC in Gilded Cage have a history (from their teenage years), the FMC has mostly been with women since and lost the woman she loved about a year (?) before the events of the book. (2) Harry from A Fashionable Indulgence is bi and has been with both men and women before meeting Julius (who I think is demisexual). (3) Rupert in The Henchmen of Zenda is bi and the HEA is with a man but more open then you’d usually find in romance.
Two Tribes by Fearne Hill: One MC is gay and the other is bi. Part 1 happens when the MCs are in high school in the mid-1990s, there’s a brief section when they’re in their twenties but not together (and don’t interact), then they meet again in their 40s.
I’m pretty sure Aiden from Saint by Sierra Simone is bi, though his primary relationships in the book are with a man and with god (not always in that order).