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My Pride TBR – gay romance, activism and more!

  • evemrileyauthor
  • 4 days ago
  • 3 min read

From steamy NYC hookups to sapphic sea monsters, These Pride finds chart love in all its richness. Enjoy!


Deep House The Gayest Love Story Ever Told by Jeremy Atherton Lin 


Front Cover of Deep House by Geremy Atherton Lin. Two men in a bathtub with their backs to the viewer. Amazon Kindle mm romance

The summer of ‘96, London, A Gay Bar. Jeremy meets a gorgeous British boy, and the pair fall hard and fast. Their relationship blossoms across the pond in stolen moments at fashion shows and in the woods. Meanwhile, the thunderous cloud of The Defence of Marriage Act is looming large – and with it the threat of deportation. In order to stay together, the couple hunker down with unlikely bedfellows in San Francisco. A love letter to the author's husband but also a meticulous social history of the sexy bartenders, pirates, and misfits who made San Francisco's underbelly their home – and the activism forged in their shared marginalisation. 


'Stylish, sexy, and deeply moving, this blends beautiful prose and incisive social history to stunning effect' ― Publishers Weekly. 



Andromeda by E.S. McLeod


Front cover of Abdromeda by E. S. Mcleod. cover shows a woman with silver jewellery and headpiece and a flowing orange gown against a greek motif circular background. Amazon Kindle sapphic romance

A sapphic retelling of the classic princess-tied-to-rock-becomes-seamonster-lunch myth. Princess Andromeda lives a life of luxury within the Aethiopian palace. Her otherworldly beauty brings privilege and suffocating pressure. When the mother claims she is fairer than the neides, Poseidon is outraged. Andromeda must choose between her own life and her mother's, and Cetus the seamonster must seal her fate. Cetus is jaded to Andromeda’s beauty and tired of literally shapeshifting into whatever Poseidon wants her to be. But when the pair meet, their common rebelliousness draws them together. Pawns no more, they set out to reclaim Andromeda’s beauty and power.


'This is a hymn to women.' ― Samantha Shannon, author of The Bone Season series


Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters


Front cover of Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters. Shows two women peaking out from behind a blue-green cloth.

This sexy historical romance and coming of age novel is even raunchier than the 2002 screen adaptation! Nan King is a small-town girl who gathers oysters on the Whitstable coast. Her life is changed forever when Miss Kitty Butler, a ‘masher’ (Victorian-era drag king), rolls into town. Smitten, Nan follows Kitty to The Big Smoke as her dresser, fellow drag performer, and secret lover. Kitty’s betrayal sets in motion a second metamorphosis into a butch casanova blazing her own trail through the queer scene. 


'Wonderful...a sensual experience that leaves the reader marveling at the author’s craftsmanship, idiosyncrasy, and sheer effort.' ―  San Francisco Chronicle



How Queer Bookshops Changed the World by A.J. West

 

Front cover of How Queer Bookshops Changed the World by A.J. West. Image shows the front of a bookshop with brick facing and a string of rainbow bunting across the awning. There is a bicycle and a cat and some grafitti outside.

 OK, you’ve got me; this is not a romance. However, it is a love letter to books and the connections they foster. A.J. West has travelled from London to Paris to New York and back again to collect the stories behind beloved queer bookshops. What are commercially successful Out-And-Proud establishments often began with the illicit secrecy of bootleg purveyors. They offered practical support networks and information hubs during the AIDS crisis and vital preservation of banned books (as well as classic meet-cutes and crazy cats!). Be prepared for tales of exceptional bravery and savvy activism.  


'A glorious celebration of queer bookshops and their place in our community. Delightful.' — Jim McSweeney, bookseller at Gay's the Word since 1984


The Photograph by Eve M riley



Front cover of The Hero by Eve M Riley. Image shows a young man with dark hair and eyes against a black background. He is looking sadly off into the top corner of the page.

One wants to forget the past. The other wants to capture every moment. Des is a conscientious NYC professional with a strict "no pictures" rule haunted by a past privacy violation. Alex is a photographer intent on documenting every detail of his life. A tantalising exchange of pictures leads to an incredible first date – but there's no way it would work out long term, right? So begins a passionate push-and-pull relationship that demands both Des and Alex confront the parts of themselves that they hide from view. Can a single photograph speak the words they can't seem to find?


'I was completely hooked—it’s officially one of my favorite books this summer!' Amanda Darcy, Romance Author



Drop your pride TBR recommendations in the comments!


Love, Eve x


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