#emma denny

[thebibliosphere]

When Santa (the mail carrier) brings an unexpected gift to your front door on Christmas morning and suddenly you want to do nothing else all day.

Thank you for the ARC, @a-kind-of-merry-war !! I am going to devour this thr second I get a chance.

[notlayingroses]

I need you all to lock the fuck in and read this queer medieval romance series

[nothwell]

I know I'm not the first reader to say "lesbian A Knight's Tale" and I doubt I will be the last.

But I'll be damned if Lesbian A Knight's Tale doesn't hit good.

There's more to it, of course, than the already very strong premise of hidden identity at a tournament. Even more than the even stronger premise of a sapphic cross-dresser fighting for her lady's hand. Every medieval history tidbit gave me a delightful sense of vindication. Every plot twist was both earned and satisfying. To say nothing of the beer brewing, the refreshingly non-villified embroidery, the literal bodice-ripping, and my favorite medieval English nickname. There's a lot here to reward the reader for diving in to this queer adventure.

All the Painted Stars by Emma Denny (@a-kind-of-merry-war ) is already out in the UK (you lucky bastards) but if you're stateside you can preorder it wherever fine books are found!

[veritasrose]

Found @a-kind-of-merry-war in the wild at a friend’s romantasy pop-up!

Seeing lovely folks get their stories out to the world is what I live for!

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

A Vow Made Twice by Emma Denny

goodreads | storygraph

Have you read this trans book?

Yes and I liked it

Yes and I didn't like it

No

No but I'd like to

I've never heard of it

Voting ended onApr 6

Haunted by love. Bound by duty. After inheriting his father’s title, Earl Ash Barden has no choice but to find a wife to ensure the family line. But Ash has pledged himself to another, and making new vows – even with his lover long-since dead – feels like the ultimate betrayal to his memory. Skilled bowman and unconventional widow Agnes Forrett wants two to be true to herself, and to avoid marrying the childhood friend her family is determined will take her hand. When Ash arrives in her keep, she realises he’s the perfect choice to grant her the freedom she needs to be the person she is – be that lady, lord, or something else entirely. Agreeing to enter a marriage of convenience, their plan is set … until a roadside attack thrusts a familiar face back into Ash’s life, and with it a choice about his future. Whilst his feelings for the ghost from his past remain as strong as ever, he can’t deny his growing affection for Agnes too. Now Ash must ask can one heart truly be pledged to two people?

Mod opinion: I haven't heard of this book before and it doesn't sound personally interesting to me, but might be intruiging for a different audience.

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Historical Fiction Book Bracket: Round 2A

Choose a book:

The Sworn Soldier series by T. Kingfisher

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Voting ended onJun 28, 2025

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Sworn Soldier series (What Moves the Dead, What Feasts at Night, What Stalks the Deep) by T. Kingfisher

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruravia.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Setting: Turn-of-the-century

Horror, fantasy, gothic, mystery, historical fiction, turn-of-the-century, retelling, novella, series, adult

One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny (14th Century Oxfordshire #1)

Endorsement from submitter: "One Night in Hartswood takes the premise of "what if we were queer and ran away together" but they actually DO run away together. And it all goes well and no one gets shot with anything. A big gay medieval romantic romp about yearning and being bad at talking about your feelings."

Oxford 1360

When his sister’s betrothed vanishes the night before her politically arranged marriage, Raff Barden must track and return the elusive groom to restore his family’s honour. William de Foucart ― known to his friends as Penn ― had no choice but to abandon his fiancé, and with it his own earldom, when he fled the night before his enforced marriage. But ill-equipped to survive on the run he must trust the kindness of a stranger, Raff, to help him escape. Unaware their fates are already entwined, their unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear. And when secrets are finally revealed, both men must decide what they will risk for the one they love…

Setting: Medieval Oxfordshire, 1360s

Historical fiction, romance, medieval, 1360s, series, adult

[thequeerbouquiniste]

Queer romance recs for the summer pt.2

we're deep into summer now, and living through heat wave after heat wave in a good portion of the world. i personally like to read books with a lighter mood during the summer, and i know others do, so here are a few queer romance recs that i think are perfect to read during the summer

(stay as safe as possible during heat waves, and check on your loved-ones and the people in your community if you can, particularly children, elderly people, pregnant people and people with medical conditions, who are more at risk!)

i did a first part a couple of years ago, which you'll find here

Imogen, Obviously, by Becky Albertalli. This is a super cute YA sapphic romance, that also talks in depth about identity, figuring out that you're queer, and queer people making you feel like you don't belong.

Mischief & Matchmaking series, by Emma R. Alban. A historical romance duology, with a sapphic pairing then an achillean one. I loved both equally, and the chemistry both between the pairing and between all the characters is great! It's very cosy, while still dealing with the usual themes of period-typical sexism and homophobia, and the yearning is on point.

Ten Things That Never Happened, by Alexis Hall. Alexis Hall's novels are always hilarious to me, and this one was no exception. It's cute and funny and relatable all at once, and the narrator in the audiobook version made it all the better.

The Fiancée Farce, by Alexandria Bellefleur. Sapphic fake-dating and saving indie bookstores from capitalists. Can't ask for more. It's lighthearted while dealing with some more serious themes, and a good read all around.

Star Shipped, by Cat Sebastian. Cat Sebastian dips into contemporary romance, and doesn't miss at all (as was to be expected, frankly). I loved this book, related quite a lot to the anxious main character, and found the romance delectable!

The Barden series, by Emma Denny. This is one of my favourite historical romance series, starring an achillean pairing, a sapphic pairing and finally a poly pairing. The cast of characters is incredible, each romance is swoon-worthy, and it's set in the Middle Ages!

[80linesofvirgil]

'One Night In Hartswood' - Joe Eason 2024

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Thank you lovely tumblr friend @a-kind-of-merry-war for the wonderful book you've written and for trusting me with your boys. Go get your hands on 'One Night In Hartswood' by Emma Denny if you haven't read it already. Gay historical romance at it's finest with a generous dash of spice :P