Queer Romance Recs

A blog for reader-submitted recommendations of published queer romance and romantic works of fiction. Pleased read the pinned post for rules and guidelines. This blog will have mature content. (It's also new. Please bear with me while I work out the kinks.)

[queerromancerecs]

Hello hello and welcome!

Queer Romance Recs, is, as the name suggests, a place for queer romance recommendations. Why? Because queer writers and romance writes tend to be indie, and they could use some love and support, and we could all use more things to read.

This blog was created in an effort to build more of a queer romance community, but tbh, since none of the promotion has encouraged much widespread sharing, I'm going to keep it going, but I suspect most of the recs going forward will be by me, the mod.

This is not a problem; I like to rec whatever tickles my fancy. However, while I do read f/f, I do not read much published, contemporary f/f. (Original Fic, historical, fantasy, yes but the majority of published romance is still contemporary and I just don't read that much.)

I mention this because recs from you all are still very much welcome. The guidelines are below. If you want to contribute, feel free. Also remember that contributing can even just mean reblogging posts that interest you. We are here to support each other and authors!! Share the love!!

This is for recs of published queer romance and romantic fiction. What does that mean? Romance must central to or a significant part of the story, and at least one of the main characters must be lgbtqa+.

Published works means traditionally published, indie-published, or self-published. This includes free works and works published by authors available through their blogs or websites. It does not mean fanfiction. Fanfiction rec blogs exist already, please use them.

Fiction includes purely prose work as well as webcomics and graphic novels.

Romance means genre romance and also fictional works with a strong romantic element. The difference between the two is that genre romance requires a happy ending or a happy-for-now ending, and romantic fiction does not. This should be made clear in the rec itself under Genre. If the story is part of an ongoing series and the ending is not yet clear, please say so in your recommendation. Erotic romance is also allowed but again, indicate that under Genre.

(e.g. for a genre romance book that is also fantasy, label it Genre: Romance and then add a sub category if you like. If it's a fantasy novel primarily, then label is just Fantasy.)

Lgbtqa+ means queer. It can mean m/m. It can mean f/f. It can mean nb/nb. It can mean an m/f romance with a bi heroine, a trans f/m love story, an aro character finding a life partner and feeling weird internal feelings about it, three ace people falling in love and never having sex, and so on and so forth.

Content tags: You don’t need to list all triggers, as that is impossible. But please at least list any of the obvious ones under "content tags" Suggested content tags would be like: SA, attempted SA, CA, CSA, graphic torture, etc.

Recs can be only a few sentences or a full essay. Just say what you like about it and why you feel others should read it.

Recs must also include a link to the work: the author’s website, Smashwords, Amazon, wherever, but at least one, as well as a picture of the cover. (In the case of art-heavy work, more pics can be used.) Please use alt text for any images.

No self-promotion from authors. No non-romantic genre fiction.

And please, if you want your name in the rec, please add it to the bottom or top. I thought Tumblr kept the names attached with submissions but it doesn't. Whoops.

Required format:

Cover Image (if it has one)

Title (including series name if applicable)

Author

Summary: (c & p the professional one or write your own)

Genre:

Ship type: (m/m/m, f/f, nb/trans m, etc)

Why you like it:      

Content tags if applicable                                                                          

Link

If you have questions about a rec, you can ask about it.

Entries with incorrect format will not approved but you will be contacted for any necessary corrections/additions.

Hate speech and harassment are not allowed. I will happily block you.

In the interests of disclosure, this blog is run by R. Cooper, a queer romance author. Obviously, I will smile and be very happy if my work gets recommended here, but I am not going specially tag it or comment because it feels a little sus for me to do that. If the format is correct, I will just approve any such posts like the others.

[queerromancerecs]

Where to Get Books (that isn't Amazon) Take Two

Last year (it's been a fucking AGE), I did a links posts for alternates to Amazon. Then shit happened (more shit happened) and also now Amazon is allegedly removing affiliate links to erotica (mostly queer erotica, although it's been done to straight books as well). So here we go again.

Amazon supports MAGA, ICE, Trump, and the entire Christofascist agenda. Also they are attempting to dominate the market, and I take that personally. However, I understand why authors (me included) still use it: because readers won't leave it and authors have bills too. But I am going to continue encouraging people to leave it, or at least to use it less.

SO WHERE TO GET BOOKS:

Kobo (with Kobo plus, which is sort of like Kindle Unlimited) --wide ebook distribution! (I have an old Kobo and it's so much lighter and easier on my hands than a Kindle, so I love Kobo books.) This link is for Kobo US, but there are international Kobo stores.

Smashwords - indie books galore, including some erotica, and has big sitewide sales several times a year.

Bookshop.org --Bookshop.org does paperbacks (and once or twice a year will do Free Shipping sales! woo!) They have expanded into ebooks AND are actively working on selling erotica too--they expect that to be done by the end of the second quarter 2026, according to Draft2Digital. Erotica just requires more guardrails, I assume because America is run by fascist puritans. Bookshop is also going to eventually get to distributing "free" ebooks but for right now, anything "free" on Smashwords etc that you distribute to Bookshop is listed at 99 cents.

Bookshop also has affiliates! So if you are losing Amazon affiliates $, maybe look into using Bookshop.

Libraries (if you live in America and Canada, idk about other countries. Although I think some major libraries like the Brooklyn Public Library will offer e-library cards no questions asked.... ???) You can access library books through various apps, like Hoopla, Libby, Biblio, Gardners, Vivlio, Tolino, Overdrive, Cloud Library, BorrowBox, etc.

--authors, if you distribute through Draft2Digital, you can have D2D distribute to all of these library services for you. HOWEVER, Hoopla and Gardners and one or two others will probably flag anything too spicy. So for those, maybe select your less spicy books.

Everand-- a book subscription service

Apple Books

Fable (has a bookstore and also is a book reviewing/discussion app)

Barnes & Noble--- still a big corporation, but not Amazon

Itch.io ---itch was one of the early victims of America's (and Visa and Mastercard's) puritanical bullshit last year, and the owners didn't handle it well. Nonetheless, you can get ebooks there (as well as comics and video games, all indie, and many, many of them by queer artists.)

Author websites--yes, some authors have sales set up directly through their own websites! They make waaay more profit that way. Some will even sign paperbacks and send them to you! (Also be sure to check out author mailing lists. As governments try to crack down, supporting indie and queer artists is so vital.)

Draft2Digital itself! It is set up so that people (bookstores) can order paperback books? But I have not personally tested that one (yet). You can get ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks through D2D and authors, you can produce them there as well.

Independent bookstores!!! Yes this includes large famous bookstores. If they are not amazon, if they support your local economy, then yay! This everything from Waterstones, to Powell's, to the tiny little indie (often gay) bookstore in your neighborhood. If they don't have a book you want, ask them to order it for you. (AND, I forgot to mention, Bookshop lets you name a local bookstore so that a portion of your proceeds go to that bookstore. We like baddies supporting baddies. Kobo used to do this as well and might still do it, I just haven't checked recently.)

AUDIOBOOKS

Libro.fm

You can also use Libby from your local library system for audiobooks) (Ooh, forgot to mention that you can get magazines from your local library through Libby. Support your local libraries!)

Hoopla also carries them, along with many of the other library app services.

Chirp

Kobo audiobooks

Apple Books

For authors:

Author's Republic is an audiobook production and distribution service, though I haven't tried yet)

Findaway Voices is now InAudio, and they will distribute your audiobooks for you to several places. They also have Spotify as an option.... You might get exposure there but Spotify pays crap and also is pretty openly evil (imo) so I opt out of sales there. Which is fine, since, again, they pay crap.

BOOK REVIEWING/READING TRACKING

Goodreads is owned by the Zon. So some alternatives are:

Fable

Storygraph

Librarything

Bookshelf

Okay I know there are more booksellers out there, but that is a decent starting point and I have a book to finish so. Go forth! Buy indie! Spend in ways that align with your values! Give billionaires the finger! (and so on and so forth)

Also, as a reminder, this blog accepts book recommendations. The format is in the pinned post. Reviewing spaces for books, especially queer ones, are vanishing before our eyes. If you don't care to contribute here or you don't read romance, that's cool, but please keep talking about the books you love online and with friends in person. The authors thank you. Fight for your community.

[queerromancerecs]

Hey, everyone. Amazon is apparently removing tech support from its older Kindles (in order to force you to buy a new one when your Kindle inevitably breaks or glitches).

So here is this list again, with a new note that Bookshop.org also has an app you can use to read books you buy from them on your phone. No new device required!

App available though Google and Apple App stores.

(And also, as I continue to say, I love my old, used Kobo and continue to use it for purchased books and fanfiction.)

[queerromancerecs]

Where to Get Books (that isn't Amazon) Take Two

Last year (it's been a fucking AGE), I did a links posts for alternates to Amazon. Then shit happened (more shit happened) and also now Amazon is allegedly removing affiliate links to erotica (mostly queer erotica, although it's been done to straight books as well). So here we go again.

Amazon supports MAGA, ICE, Trump, and the entire Christofascist agenda. Also they are attempting to dominate the market, and I take that personally. However, I understand why authors (me included) still use it: because readers won't leave it and authors have bills too. But I am going to continue encouraging people to leave it, or at least to use it less.

SO WHERE TO GET BOOKS:

Kobo (with Kobo plus, which is sort of like Kindle Unlimited) --wide ebook distribution! (I have an old Kobo and it's so much lighter and easier on my hands than a Kindle, so I love Kobo books.) This link is for Kobo US, but there are international Kobo stores.

Smashwords - indie books galore, including some erotica, and has big sitewide sales several times a year.

Bookshop.org --Bookshop.org does paperbacks (and once or twice a year will do Free Shipping sales! woo!) They have expanded into ebooks AND are actively working on selling erotica too--they expect that to be done by the end of the second quarter 2026, according to Draft2Digital. Erotica just requires more guardrails, I assume because America is run by fascist puritans. Bookshop is also going to eventually get to distributing "free" ebooks but for right now, anything "free" on Smashwords etc that you distribute to Bookshop is listed at 99 cents.

Bookshop also has affiliates! So if you are losing Amazon affiliates $, maybe look into using Bookshop.

Libraries (if you live in America and Canada, idk about other countries. Although I think some major libraries like the Brooklyn Public Library will offer e-library cards no questions asked.... ???) You can access library books through various apps, like Hoopla, Libby, Biblio, Gardners, Vivlio, Tolino, Overdrive, Cloud Library, BorrowBox, etc.

--authors, if you distribute through Draft2Digital, you can have D2D distribute to all of these library services for you. HOWEVER, Hoopla and Gardners and one or two others will probably flag anything too spicy. So for those, maybe select your less spicy books.

Everand-- a book subscription service

Apple Books

Fable (has a bookstore and also is a book reviewing/discussion app)

Barnes & Noble--- still a big corporation, but not Amazon

Itch.io ---itch was one of the early victims of America's (and Visa and Mastercard's) puritanical bullshit last year, and the owners didn't handle it well. Nonetheless, you can get ebooks there (as well as comics and video games, all indie, and many, many of them by queer artists.)

Author websites--yes, some authors have sales set up directly through their own websites! They make waaay more profit that way. Some will even sign paperbacks and send them to you! (Also be sure to check out author mailing lists. As governments try to crack down, supporting indie and queer artists is so vital.)

Draft2Digital itself! It is set up so that people (bookstores) can order paperback books? But I have not personally tested that one (yet). You can get ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks through D2D and authors, you can produce them there as well.

Independent bookstores!!! Yes this includes large famous bookstores. If they are not amazon, if they support your local economy, then yay! This everything from Waterstones, to Powell's, to the tiny little indie (often gay) bookstore in your neighborhood. If they don't have a book you want, ask them to order it for you. (AND, I forgot to mention, Bookshop lets you name a local bookstore so that a portion of your proceeds go to that bookstore. We like baddies supporting baddies. Kobo used to do this as well and might still do it, I just haven't checked recently.)

AUDIOBOOKS

Libro.fm

You can also use Libby from your local library system for audiobooks) (Ooh, forgot to mention that you can get magazines from your local library through Libby. Support your local libraries!)

Hoopla also carries them, along with many of the other library app services.

Chirp

Kobo audiobooks

Apple Books

For authors:

Author's Republic is an audiobook production and distribution service, though I haven't tried yet)

Findaway Voices is now InAudio, and they will distribute your audiobooks for you to several places. They also have Spotify as an option.... You might get exposure there but Spotify pays crap and also is pretty openly evil (imo) so I opt out of sales there. Which is fine, since, again, they pay crap.

BOOK REVIEWING/READING TRACKING

Goodreads is owned by the Zon. So some alternatives are:

Fable

Storygraph

Librarything

Bookshelf

Okay I know there are more booksellers out there, but that is a decent starting point and I have a book to finish so. Go forth! Buy indie! Spend in ways that align with your values! Give billionaires the finger! (and so on and so forth)

Also, as a reminder, this blog accepts book recommendations. The format is in the pinned post. Reviewing spaces for books, especially queer ones, are vanishing before our eyes. If you don't care to contribute here or you don't read romance, that's cool, but please keep talking about the books you love online and with friends in person. The authors thank you. Fight for your community.

[thebibliosphere]

Some good news for the indie authors (and all authors, really) today: Draft2Digital is now enabling ebook distribution to bookshop.org, which means you can now support more authors and local indie bookstores with your ebook purchases.

It'll likely take a while for distribution to roll out, but this is a huge part of bookshop.org continuing to challenge Amazon/Kindle, and partnering with Draft2Digital just made that a lot easier on the author side.

[zackprincebooks]

Quick note that this does not seem to apply to erotica books, and it's unknown if this will change in the future.

[queerromancerecs]

Hello hello and welcome!

Queer Romance Recs, is, as the name suggests, a place for queer romance recommendations. Why? Because queer writers and romance writes tend to be indie, and they could use some love and support, and we could all use more things to read.

This blog was created in an effort to build more of a queer romance community, but tbh, since none of the promotion has encouraged much widespread sharing, I'm going to keep it going, but I suspect most of the recs going forward will be by me, the mod.

This is not a problem; I like to rec whatever tickles my fancy. However, while I do read f/f, I do not read much published, contemporary f/f. (Original Fic, historical, fantasy, yes but the majority of published romance is still contemporary and I just don't read that much.)

I mention this because recs from you all are still very much welcome. The guidelines are below. If you want to contribute, feel free. Also remember that contributing can even just mean reblogging posts that interest you. We are here to support each other and authors!! Share the love!!

This is for recs of published queer romance and romantic fiction. What does that mean? Romance must central to or a significant part of the story, and at least one of the main characters must be lgbtqa+.

Published works means traditionally published, indie-published, or self-published. This includes free works and works published by authors available through their blogs or websites. It does not mean fanfiction. Fanfiction rec blogs exist already, please use them.

Fiction includes purely prose work as well as webcomics and graphic novels.

Romance means genre romance and also fictional works with a strong romantic element. The difference between the two is that genre romance requires a happy ending or a happy-for-now ending, and romantic fiction does not. This should be made clear in the rec itself under Genre. If the story is part of an ongoing series and the ending is not yet clear, please say so in your recommendation. Erotic romance is also allowed but again, indicate that under Genre.

(e.g. for a genre romance book that is also fantasy, label it Genre: Romance and then add a sub category if you like. If it's a fantasy novel primarily, then label is just Fantasy.)

Lgbtqa+ means queer. It can mean m/m. It can mean f/f. It can mean nb/nb. It can mean an m/f romance with a bi heroine, a trans f/m love story, an aro character finding a life partner and feeling weird internal feelings about it, three ace people falling in love and never having sex, and so on and so forth.

Content tags: You don’t need to list all triggers, as that is impossible. But please at least list any of the obvious ones under "content tags" Suggested content tags would be like: SA, attempted SA, CA, CSA, graphic torture, etc.

Recs can be only a few sentences or a full essay. Just say what you like about it and why you feel others should read it.

Recs must also include a link to the work: the author’s website, Smashwords, Amazon, wherever, but at least one, as well as a picture of the cover. (In the case of art-heavy work, more pics can be used.) Please use alt text for any images.

No self-promotion from authors. No non-romantic genre fiction.

And please, if you want your name in the rec, please add it to the bottom or top. I thought Tumblr kept the names attached with submissions but it doesn't. Whoops.

Required format:

Cover Image (if it has one)

Title (including series name if applicable)

Author

Summary: (c & p the professional one or write your own)

Genre:

Ship type: (m/m/m, f/f, nb/trans m, etc)

Why you like it:      

Content tags if applicable                                                                          

Link

If you have questions about a rec, you can ask about it.

Entries with incorrect format will not approved but you will be contacted for any necessary corrections/additions.

Hate speech and harassment are not allowed. I will happily block you.

In the interests of disclosure, this blog is run by R. Cooper, a queer romance author. Obviously, I will smile and be very happy if my work gets recommended here, but I am not going specially tag it or comment because it feels a little sus for me to do that. If the format is correct, I will just approve any such posts like the others.

[sweetfirebird]

image from bannedbooksweek.org

READOUT is an event series organized by Defense of Democracy, an organization that educates the public on the importance of the public school and library systems and advocates for their role in communities across the country. It happens during Banned Books Week (October 5-11), where volunteer Hosts choose a book to highlight, pick a date and location to discuss the book, and invite their friends to participate, with the goal of raising funds to support Defense of Democracy. 

Interested in taking part? Start here: the READOUT Kickoff Event & Book Resume Workshop, a free virtual event happening Tuesday, September 2nd, at 5 PM PDT/8 PM EDT. 

Facilitated by the Unite to Read Project, this workshop will focus on Unite Against Book Bans’ book résumé initiative and how community members can help create materials to defend banned books. Workshop attendees will: 

Learn what book résumés are and how they help defend frequently banned books 

Discover how to find the information needed for a high-quality book résumé

Practice completing a book résumé for a targeted book

Explore ways to use book résumé writing to engage others in defending banned books, readers’ rights, and other Defense of Democracy efforts

You can register HERE

[sweetfirebird]

The weirdness going on with Audible rn

(It is complicated, but Audible has a new listening scheme where people can listen to some audiobooks but not own them--like streaming, or buy them using Audible credits. Except that if you spend your credit on an audiobook, the royalties might be split between that book's author and the authors with books in the streaming "Plus" pool. So that they get extra royalties, taken from the authors not in the Plus pool.

I believe Audible is telling authors that they are raising royalty rates but not mentioning that part of those royalties will get siphoned off to help pay the Plus authors.

And uh some of the books in the Plus program are public domain (hmmm) or are huge sellers anyway. Like Tolkien. Meaning that Amazon is keeping the money for the public domain stuff (despite taking some of the royalties from smaller authors) and that a lot of the big name authors in the Plus pool do not need the stolen royalties.

Also this contributes to the "own nothing" problem.

In the comments on the video is a link to a petition you can sign or just talk about it with people.

Also, heeey, Libro.fm

[queerromancerecs]

Non Amazon book resources

Look, I know Amazon is a sensitive topic. It has been allowed to dominate the market, and for indie writers, it is a huge (if not their main) source of income. Personally, as an indie writer, I have tried to always keep my work available elsewhere (because you can't trust Amazon not to screw you over, I mean just look at Audible. For those who don't know, Audible royally fucks over authors, and the narrators don't do that great either). But even for me, the loss of Amazon sales would highly affect my ability to keep going without getting another job or three. So I get it. Nonetheless, they cannot be trusted not to drop queer writers and readers, so it's best to have alternatives now.

If you are a reader or an indie author looking for different platforms to buy and/or sell books, even if only to start branching out a little, here is a list.

I doubt it's comprehensive. Feel free to reblog with more.

Kobo and Kobo Plus -Kobo is the biggest online 'Zon alternative. Kobo Plus is sort of like KU. On either one, you get points for buying books and can use the points to get more books. Works for ebook and audiobooks. (And, if you have a non-Kindle ereader, it works for Kobo but it also works for like, fanfiction. I'm just saying. I got a refurbished Kobo a while ago and it's lovely.)

Bookshop.org -print as well as ebooks (authors, make sure you click "expanded distribution" on your bookselling platform of choice if you want your stuff for sale with Bookshop--which also benefits local bookstores!)

Smashwords/Draft2Digital - mostly ebooks but D2D does have a print option

Itch.io - ebook only (but gives a larger chunk of profits to authors than 'Zon does. Authors take note.)

Gumroad

Rainbow Crate -special edition print queer books. (I know there was some controversy with them but I am out of touch and don't know what it was, and most people who use them seem happy with them??? but if you know other queer/romance book crate services, lemme know)

The Ripped Bodice -brick and mortar stores but you can also shop online

Check out your local bookstores---many will order print copies for you if you request them

The authors' websites if they do direct sales

Barnes & Noble- yeah, it's a corporation and they are not great either, but it's not Amazon and sometimes a well-meaning relative gets you a gift card. And, for the moment, they do in fact sell queer romance and queer fiction. I know because I just used a gift card to get a paperback of The Prince and the Assassin. lol

Powell's Books- Portland's famous book store sells new and used books (and you can browse the stock online) --print only. They sell queer romance as well. I got a copy of Drag Me Up by RM Virtues there. That's not super relevant, but I was pleased :)

New link: Queer Books Weekly-- free and affordable books with queer protagonists

Tubby & Coos Bookshop: curates pocket bookstores featuring underrepresented voices

And from user @bobthebenevolentpirate (thank you!)

Giovanni's Room in Philadelphia was founded in 1973 and is “The Oldest & Very Best LGBTQ & Feminist Bookstore in the Country.” They ship to US addresses, but you can also email them about international shipping. The people who run it are lovely humans and have started providing harm reduction supplies/info to people to respond to the needs of the community! They deserve all the support

Also consider library books!

And for those in America--you can use library apps to read books. Yes, the authors still get paid! Libby is a big one. You can get audiobooks too, AND it can connect you with the Queer Liberation Library.

Also there is Hoopla - digital content

In Europe, I know there is Vivlio, which is French and I believe sells ereaders and also ebooks.

[katya-goncharov]

Some other great online book resources specifically for British people:

If you want to buy books for amazon level prices and support your local bookshop too, Hive Books is a very affordable online bookshop that donates money to an indie bookshop of your choice every time you order a book from them

And if you're looking for particularly niche books, Bill & Ben Books is great. They basically operate as an outlet bookshop, and sell books that would have otherwise been pulped for cheap. Great for finding brand new books at really cheap prices, or tracking down remaining copies of books that have just gone out of print (they also have in-person bookshops in Oxford and Bristol you can visit!)

If you want American books that haven't been printed in the UK yet, you can usually order them from Blackwells - delivery is usually free, too! (though bear in mind Blackwells is owned by Waterstones now so it's technically not an indie bookshop - still a lesser evil than Amazon, though)

And don't forget that in the UK, libraries pay authors every time someone borrows one of their books too! And if your local library doesn't have a book you want, you can usually reserve one online and wait to get an exciting email to tell you it's arrived and then go and collect it and it gives you exactly the same high that going and shopping for books does, only for FREE!!

[queerromancerecs]

Hey everyone, please mark Gumroad off this list. They replaced staff with AI, they have user complaints, and the CEO of Gumroad might be working with DOGE. Yay. Hellscape.

Anyway, Gumroad is off the list.

[sweetfirebird]

A good quick breakdown of some options for anyone looking for some

[sweetfirebird]

Crime Writers for Trans Rights 2025

Silent auction 'Crime Writers for Trans Rights 2025' hosted online at 32auctions.

[queerromancerecs]

Hey this says crime fiction, but there is stuff here from Olivia Dade and TJ Klune, as well as some stuff any aspiring writers out there might be interested in (like Query help or manuscript reviews from professionals in the field).

[sweetfirebird]

Authors Against Book Bans

Our Mission Statement We are Authors Against Book Bans. We, a coalition of writers, illustrators, anthology editors and contributors, and ot

Authors, editors, publishers, illustrators etc all welcome to join.

[ben-learns-smth]

link to the carrd with more info and a sign up link (graphics are by @transrightsreadathon on instagram)

Trans Rights Readathon 2025 - March 21st-31st

I learned about this last year and I'm happy it's happening again this year! let's read some books by trans & genderqueer authors together!

apart from reading you can participate by

donating to an organisation who push fot trans rights (especially small local groups!) or individual fundraisers to support a local trans/genderqueer person

amplifying trans & genderqueer voices by posting about which books by trans & genderqueer authors you read and leaving reviews (and positive comments on publisher's posts about releases)

buying your books by trans & genderqueer authors from queer indie bookshops or directly from the authors

[queerliblib]

are y’all getting ready for the trans rights readathon 2025?!?!?! as it gets closer we’ll be posting some of the trans books we have in our collection that unlimited! simultaneous! library users can check out from QLL <3 🏳️‍⚧️

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Adult M/F Romance Starring Trans Men

For Adult M/F Romance Starring Trans Women, click here. A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee Roux for Two by Aurora Rey A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell (Historical) Reverb by Anna Zabo The Queer and the Restless by Kris Ripper Bonus: Chef’s Choice by T.J. Alexander is a t4t m/f Romance but only the FMC has a POV

View On WordPress

[makingqueerhistory]

Historical Romance by Era

American Colonial (1607-1765) F/F The Sublime and Spirited Voyage of Original Sin by Colette Moody (1702, Caribbean) Escape to Pirate Island

A great thorough list!

[queerromancerecs]

Non Amazon book resources

Look, I know Amazon is a sensitive topic. It has been allowed to dominate the market, and for indie writers, it is a huge (if not their main) source of income. Personally, as an indie writer, I have tried to always keep my work available elsewhere (because you can't trust Amazon not to screw you over, I mean just look at Audible. For those who don't know, Audible royally fucks over authors, and the narrators don't do that great either). But even for me, the loss of Amazon sales would highly affect my ability to keep going without getting another job or three. So I get it. Nonetheless, they cannot be trusted not to drop queer writers and readers, so it's best to have alternatives now.

If you are a reader or an indie author looking for different platforms to buy and/or sell books, even if only to start branching out a little, here is a list.

I doubt it's comprehensive. Feel free to reblog with more.

Kobo and Kobo Plus -Kobo is the biggest online 'Zon alternative. Kobo Plus is sort of like KU. On either one, you get points for buying books and can use the points to get more books. Works for ebook and audiobooks. (And, if you have a non-Kindle ereader, it works for Kobo but it also works for like, fanfiction. I'm just saying. I got a refurbished Kobo a while ago and it's lovely.)

Bookshop.org -print as well as ebooks (authors, make sure you click "expanded distribution" on your bookselling platform of choice if you want your stuff for sale with Bookshop--which also benefits local bookstores!)

Smashwords/Draft2Digital - mostly ebooks but D2D does have a print option

Itch.io - ebook only (but gives a larger chunk of profits to authors than 'Zon does. Authors take note.)

Gumroad

Rainbow Crate -special edition print queer books. (I know there was some controversy with them but I am out of touch and don't know what it was, and most people who use them seem happy with them??? but if you know other queer/romance book crate services, lemme know)

The Ripped Bodice -brick and mortar stores but you can also shop online

Check out your local bookstores---many will order print copies for you if you request them

The authors' websites if they do direct sales

Barnes & Noble- yeah, it's a corporation and they are not great either, but it's not Amazon and sometimes a well-meaning relative gets you a gift card. And, for the moment, they do in fact sell queer romance and queer fiction. I know because I just used a gift card to get a paperback of The Prince and the Assassin. lol

Powell's Books- Portland's famous book store sells new and used books (and you can browse the stock online) --print only. They sell queer romance as well. I got a copy of Drag Me Up by RM Virtues there. That's not super relevant, but I was pleased :)

New link: Queer Books Weekly-- free and affordable books with queer protagonists

Tubby & Coos Bookshop: curates pocket bookstores featuring underrepresented voices

And from user @bobthebenevolentpirate (thank you!)

Giovanni's Room in Philadelphia was founded in 1973 and is “The Oldest & Very Best LGBTQ & Feminist Bookstore in the Country.” They ship to US addresses, but you can also email them about international shipping. The people who run it are lovely humans and have started providing harm reduction supplies/info to people to respond to the needs of the community! They deserve all the support

Also consider library books!

And for those in America--you can use library apps to read books. Yes, the authors still get paid! Libby is a big one. You can get audiobooks too, AND it can connect you with the Queer Liberation Library.

Also there is Hoopla - digital content

In Europe, I know there is Vivlio, which is French and I believe sells ereaders and also ebooks.

[katya-goncharov]

Some other great online book resources specifically for British people:

If you want to buy books for amazon level prices and support your local bookshop too, Hive Books is a very affordable online bookshop that donates money to an indie bookshop of your choice every time you order a book from them

And if you're looking for particularly niche books, Bill & Ben Books is great. They basically operate as an outlet bookshop, and sell books that would have otherwise been pulped for cheap. Great for finding brand new books at really cheap prices, or tracking down remaining copies of books that have just gone out of print (they also have in-person bookshops in Oxford and Bristol you can visit!)

If you want American books that haven't been printed in the UK yet, you can usually order them from Blackwells - delivery is usually free, too! (though bear in mind Blackwells is owned by Waterstones now so it's technically not an indie bookshop - still a lesser evil than Amazon, though)

And don't forget that in the UK, libraries pay authors every time someone borrows one of their books too! And if your local library doesn't have a book you want, you can usually reserve one online and wait to get an exciting email to tell you it's arrived and then go and collect it and it gives you exactly the same high that going and shopping for books does, only for FREE!!

[queerromancerecs]

Hey everyone, please mark Gumroad off this list. They replaced staff with AI, they have user complaints, and the CEO of Gumroad might be working with DOGE. Yay. Hellscape.

Anyway, Gumroad is off the list.

[makingqueerhistory]

I talk a lot about using your local library, and as a person with a fantastic local library, I am privileged in that push. Unfortunately, it has become apparent in the new year that the budget for audiobooks has shifted. Whether due to inflation, changes in funding, or something else, my local library has not been buying as many audiobooks, which affects me as an audiobook reader deeply.

The secondary service I rely on after the library is, without a doubt, Libro.fm. So, if you want to help me get access to more books, and also enjoy an audiobook service I genuinely believe in, check out my referral link. If you use it, I get credits, which I use to expand my digital library when the library rejects my suggestions.

Here is my referral link:

Buy audiobooks & support local bookstores

Libro.fm makes it possible for you to buy audiobooks directly through local bookstores.

[elletromil]

So I do a lot of book suggestion with my public libraries because, well, I'm a big reader and I can't buy all of the books, no matter how much i might want to.

Anyway, it always completely baffles me when, with series - especially when its in ebook form where you can see fairly easily on Libby whether or not there is another installment after the one you're currently reading - *I* have to suggest the next book for it to be picked up.

And not in a 'why is the librarian not buying it' way, but rather in a 'why are people not asking for it????'

For exemple, I've been reading a series of like 5-6 books total. I suggested my library get the first ebook, suggestion got accepted, i read the book and liked it well enough. About 10-ish people were in the hold queue. Of course that doesn't mean they actually liked it but whatever.

I suggested the second book, and because of the nature of ebooks reservation, some people got to read it before me. Ok fine. I read it, about 6-7 people are on the hold queue when i finish it.

Guess what? No one asked for the third book.

For EVERY book in the series, i had to ask for the next one and i'm just...

For people to read it before me, they had to have an alert on the book so they would know when it becomes available at once. Cuz obviously I have those alerts, but even just checking 5 minutes after the notification, there would be at least 2-3 people with a hold on the book already.

And its not even a 'oh, the library will get the ebooks at a certain time every months/few months so that's why it wasn't available yet'

I finished the second to last book of the series recently. It had been available since like october-ish. I had actually started back then, but since I'm not a fan of reading ebooks, I couldnt finish the book in time, so into the hold queue I went.

I know that public library. I know how often they get their ebook. If anyone had asked for the last book, it would be available already.

It wasn't.

Do people not know they can suggest books? Is the process too obscure for them?

Anyway, there is no point to this post except to say, my good peeps, you can make books (or dvds or games or whatever kind of item your public library offer) suggestion! You usually can do it online!

If you can't find where exactly, usually just googling 'purchase suggestion' or 'reccomand a title' with the name of your public library will get you to the right page

And if you're still not sure, you should ask your librarian, they'll be happy to tell you how!

[foxofninetales]

As a librarian, not only do we love suggestions in general (guaranteed reader! yay!), if you realize that we are missing the next book in a series, PLEASE mention it*. You are not being a bother; you are saving the tail of some poor overworked collection development librarian who is trying (and failing) to keep two dozen really similar romantasy series straight**.

*recent series. If it's a series from 1975, you're probably gonna have to Interlibrary Loan that one and hope for the best.

**definitely not drawn from personal experience. Nope.

[kittyk4att]

I trained as a librarian here in europe and out of the three libraries i did on-site training at, not a single one even mentioned readers could request books to be purchased. So yeah, i absolutely believe a ton of readers out there don’t know it’s a possibility.

[sarahreesbrennan]

And it’s always appreciated by the writers.