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Give Christopher Rice a shot. My favorite is his second book, The Snow Garden. I loved how the story took turns you didn’t expect. His first book, A Density of Souls, is a great one as well. Like his mother, Anne Rice, Christopher has a way with words, but unlike her, he gets his point across within less than ten pages. She could be a tad long winded.
I just finished Miguel Betancourt's Hello, Stranger. It's a review of a lot of books on the way gay men live that he's read. I found it informative and I agreed with his takes on the books I had read.
I'm in a book club and we recently read Under the Whispering Door by TJ Mclune, and it was quite enjoyable and easy to read. I would call it fantasy, about a man who dies and is escorted to a teahouse which acts as the border between death and life. He learns much from the residents, and there are some good dark and light elements. The author is gay, and it's definitely not sad or dreary, despite the subject matter. I would def recommend.
I agree with Michael - the author TJ Klune will tick these boxes for many of his books (and he has SO MANY books). I’d tecommend the Green Creek series, which begins with the books Wolf Song. It’s about a boy being raised by his mother after his father leaves them, and when a mysteriously intriguing family moves to town, he’s immediately drawn to them. The book involves elements of fantasy and romance, and the author writes in such a way that you want to cancel your plans in order to keep reading.
TJ Klune will def fill all those requirements. I really love KJ Charles, Charm of Magpie series. She’s a really great writer. Also check out The Darkness Outside Us, E. Schrefer (if you haven’t already). It’s a little more on the emotional side, but does have a HFN ending.
Happy Reading.
- Rob Byrnes's comedy series Grant & Chase- Basically anything by Marshall Thornton
- This Is Why They Hate Us
- The Fell of Dark
- anything by Matt Cain especially The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
- Rob Osler's Hayden & Friends series
Some recent fave novels by gay men with gay characters. Each are great:I Make Envy on Your Disco
In Tongues
Evenings and Weekends
Curious about everyone else's picks !
Forrest Reid might be disqualified on account of his novels tending to have a slightly sad/dreary tone, and being a gay man writing in the first half of the twentieth century his novels/characters aren't always explicitly gay, though they are there. He's a terrific writer though he's always been rather overlooked. Particular titles to look out for are the Tom Barber trilogy (Young Tom/The Retreat/Uncle Stephen), Peter Waring, Denis Bracknel, Brian Westby, The Spring Song, Demophon, and The Garden Gods, titles which span his 40+ year career. He's always been championed by a minority but just never achieved widespread popularity for some reason. He's really good at creating very life-like and relatable characters and definitely worth trying if you can get hold of any of his books.
I can say I have enjoyed TJ Klune books. I am currently reading Somewhere beyond the sea. But Under the whispering door was a really good one.
I found this group through Under the Whispering Door. It was beautiful honestly and I’m glad it’s getting a lot of love.
Another book I’d recommend is The Binding by Bridgette Collins. It is essentially about an apprentice “binder” - somebody who captures all the things people want to forget and binds them within the pages of a book. It has a sleepy gothic atmosphere. The audiobook was beautifully narrated.
I was hooked on Kashel Char, New Beginnings Trilogy. I don't read much because I work in construction, so I listen to audiobooks. This is a must if you like mind-bending sci-fi fantasy with extra hotness. It's action-adventure all the way, very funny, and kind of weirdly twisted. There was so much that I liked, but then I loved the narration most. It's truly mindblowing. It kept me thinking for days.
Anything by Tobias madden. All of his books are 5 stars
Can anyone recommend some good romance books that have NOTHING to do with hockey? 😅
Harrison wrote: "Can anyone recommend some good romance books that have NOTHING to do with hockey? 😅" Pretty much any gay romance book not written by a heterosexual.
Pretty much any gay romance book not written by a heterosexual."Haha, duly noted 😂
Harrison wrote: "Pretty much any gay romance book not written by a heterosexual."Haha, duly noted 😂"
The erotic obsession with hockey players seems to be an MM thing. As a gay man, I really don’t get it. I live in a hockey town. I see them on tv. By and large they look unhealthy and when they speak they can’t string three words together. Now European soccer players is a whole other world. They’re f*cking gorgeous and when they speak they come off as quite smart. Maybe one day we’ll have a romance about them.
Patrick wrote: The erotic obsession with hockey players seems to be an MM thing. As a gay man, I really don’..."
Haha!! that's hilarious!
maybe one day... seems like we're starting to migrate from hockey to American football, so we'll eventually make it down the list lol...
Harrison wrote: "Patrick wrote: The erotic obsession with hockey players seems to be an MM thing. As a gay man, I really don’..."
Haha!! that's hilarious!
maybe one day... seems like we're starting to migrate fr..."
I'm still gonna hold out for soccer.
https://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/ph...
Separate Rooms by Pier Vittorio Tondelli has a new translation in time for US #PrideMonth, by Simon Pleasance, and published by exciting new publisher Zando. I gave it all 5 stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A book I couldn't wait until #PrideMonth to talk about: The Fantasies of Future Things
by debut novelist Doug Jones:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I dont know if anyone has mentioned it but anything but The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst.
Baby's first merman romance! When the Tides Held the Moon
by Venessa Vida Kelley got 4.5* here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I’ve written What Was Left of Us, a psychological queer dark romance that pushes its characters to the edge of their own humanity. It’s not a simple love story — it’s a psychological thriller about memory, guilt, and how far we’ll go for the people we can’t let go of.It’s the first book in a trilogy that blends emotional intimacy with tension and mystery, for readers who like stories that haunt more than they comfort.
What Was Left of Us
I read a gay-sleuth small-town procedural series while battling pneumonia. I'm happy to say I liked the reads, and was happily distracted by them:And There He Kept Her
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
–and–
Where the Dead Sleephttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
...both by Joshua Moehling in his ongoing Ben Packard series via Poisoned Pen Press. #Deathtober has more personal meaning when you're sick while celebrating it. At least I was in good company.
Richard wrote: "I read a gay-sleuth small-town procedural series "@Richard, thank you for the recommendations. A gay adult character, not a teenager, is what I seek.
" Pretty much any gay romance book not written by a heterosexual."I, for one, try to steer clear of women writers when perusing cisgender gay fictional literature, but what irritates me is that many female writers mask themselves with nicknames and acronyms that make it harder to distinguish their gender. Some heterosexual female anthropologists write great impartial monographs on gay men, I must admit, after reading them.
Hoong wrote: "" Pretty much any gay romance book not written by a heterosexual."I, for one, try to steer clear of women writers when perusing cisgender gay fictional literature, but what irritates me is that ma..."
Hi Hoong. I feel for you. Looking for an actual queer author can be really daunting with all the initials and gender-neutral author names that come up with a search. For me, the bottom line is that anyone can write about anything and pen names are as old as writing itself. But deliberately concealing your identity in order to increase your readership is questionable. I know that Georges Sand wasn't her real name, but at that time, women writers were't published. Not the case now.
Patrick wrote: "Hoong wrote: "" Pretty much any gay romance book not written by a heterosexual." ...deliberately concealing your identity in order to increase your readership is questionable."
The publishing industry ought to institutionalize clear labeling so readers can distinguish between M-Slash and gay fiction on the book.
My latest NetGalley review is for the Black, queer version of My Dinner with Andre: Minor Black Figures: A Novel
by Booker-nominated Brandon Taylor:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2024's Polari Prize-winning novel, The Gallopers
by Jon Ransom, was an excellent way to experience gay life of 1953 against a powerful, vindictive winter storm:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
-not too sad or dreary
-do not have a coming out narrative
-prefer if it’s written by a gay man (but not totally strict on this)
-would particularly love for some genre recommendations of thrillers, mysteries, fantasy, sci fi. Less interested in romance but open to it as well.
Please don’t just list the title of the book, say a few sentences telling us about it and what you liked about it :) Thanks so much in advance gents!