June is PRIDE month, and I have a tradition of reviewing books by LGBTQ authors or with LGBTQ themes. Enjoy the celebration!
"Traveller" by Caitriona Page is lesfic at its best.
Riona is an Irish immigrant who is graduating from college. She decides to purchase a Volkswagen Bus and fix it up so she can travel the country wit it and her trusty fiddle. A sudden tragedy and an unplanned romance urge her to give up on her dream.
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Riona must rise up against an evil mystery and embolden herself to come out of the closet as a gay woman. If she doesn't, she may not just lose her future hopes, but also her present loves.
Riona is bright and talented, playing her father's old fiddle in a traditional Irish band while she finishes her exams in her music school. Parentless, she has found family through her best friend, Jordan.
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Then one horrific car accident changes her life forever. Riona is forced to live a lie. Just as she was about to come out of the closet, her devotion to he adopted family shuffles her back in.
When her heart is broken and the truth comes out, who does she have to turn to?
The characters in this book are vivid and realistic. Even the minor characters shine through. Tomi, the former airfare pilot who Riona falls for, is a sexy and intriguing woman.
The way the minor and major plot lines intertwine is both natural and surprising.
The response to coming out as a gay person, addressing drug abuse, and showing overt prejudice against LGBTQ individuals in society was handled delicately at first, then head-on.
The love scenes are described with passion without being overtly graphic.
There were some grammatical errors, but not bad enough to take away from the richness of this book.
"Traveller" is a great romantic novel perfect for teen and adult readers.
NOTE: "Traveller" just won the Lesfic Bard Finalist Award for 2020!
"Double Six" by Brenda Murphy is a hot lesbian love triangle. There is a sex scene practically every chapter! I don't know how these ladies keep it going! It is definitely hot, with BDSM, threesome, and love scenes.
I have not read the other books in this series, which may be why I got confused keeping track of the side characters.
If you want a good hardcore dirty book with an interesting story line and luscious backdrop, this is your book.
"Standby Counsel: A Monica Spade Novel" by Alexi Venice is a crime thriller with lesbian romance.
Monica is a lawyer pulled into defending an accused murderer who may also be dealing nuclear arms. This is way out of Monica's usual scope, and she finds herself escaping danger with her girlfriend Shelby.
Monica and Shelby have only been together for three months, but things are very serious between them. They have a LOT of sex. Jealousy intrudes on their closeness, creating an obstacle for the lovers to get through.
"The Christmas Ball" by Lily Seabrooke is a festive, fast-paced, holiday romance. It was enchanting in its storyline, characters, and setting.
Alice is an undergrad loving life but loathing the holidays. This year brings the extravagant ball which her family insists she attends, even though it seems old fashioned. In their overly religious viewpoint, this ball is the perfect opportunity for young men and women to pair up for marriage. Besides the fact that Alice finds that to be archaic, it is definitely not for her. She is a lesbian, out to everyone except for her family.
Lisette was her roommate at the prior ball, and was the first girl Alice ever felt real attraction to. Now they are reunited, and Alice's feelings for the bright and beautiful woman have not changed. She can't bear to share a bed with her, so they take turns sleeping on the floor.
The days to the ball lead up to a climax of outrage. Romance flourishes despite prejudice.
This was a fun and fast paced lesbian romance. Being set in the modern times with an old fashioned ball was a fantastical twist of settings. Fans of Netflix's "Bridgerton" will be enthralled with the drama and delight in the fashion. I was cheering by the end!
Sloane and Dean have been together as a couple for six months, but have been best friends for years. Both in the military, they manage to take leave at the same time in order to visit Sloane's loving family for an old fashioned Christmas. As the couple makes their way through airport terminals and the drudgery of travel, they keep each other's spirits up with light romance. But Dean is growing suspicious. Sloane has been taking more and more mysterious phone calls, and made obvious attempts to keep him out of earshot. Has he decided to go back to women? Is he tired of their relatively fledgling romantic partnership? These questions worry Dean even after he is accepted to Sloane's family with open arms.
At times redundant, and the main characters not extremely likable, this story nonetheless shines in Christmas cheer. There is an explicit sex scene amidst the holiday romance, which many readers might appreciate.
"The Christmas Curse" is a romantic and intriguing holiday tale set in the early 1800s, England. It is Christmas time, and government spy Jared finds himself alone, after a recent heartbreak in which his lover left him for a woman. Refusing to be a side guy, Jared fills his days with work. Then he comes across a beautiful stray dog who quickly befriends him. In a twist of a "Beauty and the Beast" storytelling, Jared finds true love in beast, and man.
This book was wonderfully written with inviting scenes and a nostalgic feel that lovers of the holiday season will find cozy and delicious. Not explicit, which makes it a lovely romantic experience for younger readers.
"The Christmas Curse" is a romantic and intriguing holiday tale set in the early 1800s, England. It is Christmas time, and government spy Jared finds himself alone, after a recent heartbreak in which his lover left him for a woman. Refusing to be a side guy, Jared fills his days with work. Then he comes across a beautiful stray dog who quickly befriends him. In a twist of a "Beauty and the Beast" storytelling, Jared finds true love in beast, and man.
This book was wonderfully written with inviting scenes and a nostalgic feel that lovers of the holiday season will find cozy and delicious. Not explicit, which makes it a lovely romantic experience for younger readers.