Here it is – our newest update! Thank you for submitting your recommendations for the Readers’ Favourite Gay Books 2012 which are combined with the original 118 books. This time Wren Boudreau was not available to help out and no one volunteered to compile the revised list so I did the initial cut and Lynn worked her technology magic afterwards with Excel. Christian also got into the act by ensuring that I didn’t screw everything up.
I love getting him excited when I mess with stuff.
We grouped series books together wherever possible, so although the list is 550+ books there are probably another 200 or more if you count series books individually.
We have maintained the same categorization system to make it easy to sort the books and I hope that this list will continue to be an excellent reference source for you.
Like last time around, all paranormal and fantasy books have been grouped under Speculative Fiction, which should now be familiar to you. A few books on the list are extremely violent and some have no HEAs so buyer beware and check the reviews! If there are any names misspelled or other errors, please leave a comment on the post. I’m sorry but no additions are permitted at this time.
Many of the books on the list have withstood the test of time and have been around as readers’ favourites for 25 or more years (Angels in America by Tony Kushner, The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt, The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren, Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley are excellent examples). Recent favourites include the PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price, Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger, the Adrien English Mysteries by Josh Lanyon, The Coda series by Marie Sexton, the Cut & Run series by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux, and The Draegan Lords series by M.L. Rhodes, to name just a few. Enjoy and happy shopping.
Interested in getting the entire list in a file?
>> DOWNLOADABLE PDF OF LIST <<
LEGEND
C=Contemporary
H=Historical
M=Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
S=Speculative Fiction/Paranormal/Fantasy
W=Cowboy
MEM=Memoir
P=Play
Social History=SH
Favourite Gay Books
– – The Classics
(for this purpose books released more than 15 years ago i.e. 1996 and earlier)
Angels in America by Tony Kushner (P)
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Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley (H) The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt (C) The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren (C) Gaywyck by Vincent Varga (H) Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (MEM) Kiss Of The Spider Woman by Manuel Puig (SH)
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Social Disease by Paul Rudnick (SH) A Queer Kind Of Death by George Baxt (M)
Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (S) A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood (C) Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin (SH) Teot’s War/Bloodstorm by Heather Gladney (S) While England Sleeps by David Leavitt (H) Vampires Anonymous by Jeffrey N. McMahan (S)
– – Current
(for this purpose books released 15 years ago or less i.e. 1997 or later)
9-1-1 by Chris Owen (C)According to Hoyle by Abigail Roux (H) The Administration (series) titles: Mind Fuck; Quid Pro Quo; Games & Players; Control; Quis Custodiet by Manna Francis (S)
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The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon (S) An Agreement Among Gentlemen by Chris Owen (H) Always by M.L. Rhodes (includes Never Let Go and Hearts & Bones) (C) The Angel of Thirteenth Street by Eden Winters (C) The Archer’s Heart by Astrid Amara (S) The Assignment by Evangeline Anderson (C) Adagio by Chris Owen (C) Adrien English Mysteries (series) Titles: Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of A Pirate King; The Dark Tide by Josh Lanyon (M) Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger (C) Aloes by Chris Quinton (C) Amor En Retrogrado by A.M. Riley (C)
And Call Me In The Morning by Willa Okati (C) And the Two Shall Become One by Mychael Black and Shayne Carmichael (S)
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B. Quick by C. S. Laurel (M) The Back Passage by James Lear (H) Back Where He Started by Jay Quinn (C) Backtrack by Joseph Hansen (M) Bad Boyfriend/Bad Company (series) by K.A. Mitchell (C) Bad Case of Loving You by Lainey Cairo (C)
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Boys of Summer/Taking You Home by Cooper Davis (C) Boystown (series) by Marshall Thornton (M) Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Lynn Lorenz (C) Breakfast With Scot by Michael Downing (C) Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx (W) Broken Boundaries by Evangeline Anderson (S) Broken by Dawn Kimberly Johnson (C) Brook Street (series) titles: Thief, Rogues, Fortune Hunter by Ava March (H)
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Cambridge Fellows Mysteries (series) Titles: Lessons in: Love; Desire; Discovery; Power; Temptation; Seduction; Trust; All Lessons Learned by Charlie Cochrane (H, M)
Captain Harding’s Six Day War by Elliott Mackle (H) Camwolf by JL Merrow (S) Captain’s Surrender by Alex Beecroft (H) Casa Rodrigo by Johnny Miles (H) Catch Me if You Can by L.B. Gregg (M)
Caught by Surprise by L.D. Madison (C) Caught Running by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux (C) Change of Heart (series) by Mary Calmes (C) Channeling Morpheus (series) titles: Payback; Vertigo; Mannikin; Rebirth; Tainted; by Jordan Castillo Price (S) Chase In Shadow by Amy Lane (C) Chip in His Shoulder by L.A. Witt (SF)
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Coda (series) Titles: (Promises; A – Z; Strawberries for Dessert; Paris A – Z; Letter Z; Putting Out Fires) by Marie Sexton (C) Collision Course by K.A. Mitchell (C) Come Onto These Yellow Sands by Josh Lanyon (C) Comfort & Joy by Jim Grimsley (C) The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marriage and My Family by Dan Savage (MEM) Conquest by S.J. Frost (C) Cop Out by K.C. Burn (C) Counterpoint: Dylan’s Story by Ruth Sims (H) Cowboy Blues by Steven Lewis (M) Coyote’s Creed by Vaughn R. Demont (S)
The Cross of Sins/Riddle of the Sands (series) Geoff Knight Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield (C) Cultivating Love by Addison Albright (C) The Curtis Reincarnation by Zathyn Priest (C) Cut & Run (series) titles: Cut & Run, Sticks & Stones, Fish & Chips, Divide & Conquer by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux; Armed & Dangerous
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Dance With Me by Heidi Cullinan (C) Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran (C) Dangerous Ground (series) titles: Dangerous Ground, Old Poison, Blood Heat, Dead Run by Josh Lanyon (M) Dangerous Moonlight by Mel Keegan (H) Dark Horse and Out of the Darkness by Kate Sherwood (C) The Darkling Thrush by Josh Lanyon (S) Dash & Dingo by Sean Kennedy and Catt Ford (H) (M) Dave Brandstetter Mysteries – 12 books (Fadeout; Death Claims; Troublemaker; the Little Dog Laughed; The Man Everybody was Afraid of; The Boy Who was Buried Yesterday; A Country of Old Men; Gravedigger; Skinflick; Nightwork; Early Graves; Obedience by Joseph Hansen (M) Dead Rock Stars by Wes Funk (C)
Dear Mister President by Adam Fitzroy (C)
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Dragon Streets by Jeff Pearce (S)
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Easy by Ally Blue (C) Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz (S) The Elegant Corpse by A.M. Riley (C) End of the Trail by Jane Elliot (H,W)
Enough to Let You Go by Willa Okati (C)
Errors and Omissions by Lee James (C) Escape Velocity by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox (SF) Esprit de Corps anthology (H) Every Good Thing by Jules Aedin (S)
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A Face Without A Heart by Rick R. Reed (S) Fair Game by Josh Lanyon (M) Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels (C) Falling by Cameron Dane (S) Falling by M.L. Rhodes (S) False Colors by Alex Beecroft (H)
False Start by Janey Chapel (C) Faster Than the Speed of Light by Lucius Parhelion (H) Finding Faith by Andrew Barriger (C) Finding Zach by Rowan Speedwell (C) Fingering the Family Jewels by Greg Lilly (M) Fire Season by Lex Valentine (S)
The First Real Thing by Cat Grant (C)
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Foundation of Love by Scotty Cade and Z.B. Marshall Forest of Corpses by P.A. Brown (M) Forever in One Second by Finn Marlowe (S) Found by Sean Michael (C) Foxe Hunt by Haley Walsh (M) Freeman by Clare London (C) Frost Fair by Erastes (H) Fun With Dick and Shane; and More Fun With Dick and Shane by Gillibran Brown (C)
The Gentleman and the Rogue by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon (H)
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Hard Fall by James Buchanan (C) The Heart of Texas by RJ Scott (C) Heat by Tory Temple (C)
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A Hidden Magic by Angela Benedetti (S) High Line by T.A. Chase (C) His Client by Ava March (H) His Convenient Husband by J.L. Langley (W) Holmes & Moriarity (series): titles: Somebody Killed His Editor, All She Wrote by Josh Lanyon (M) Home is the Sailor by Lee Rowan (H) Hot Cargo by Nikki Bennett and Ariel Tachna (S) Hot Head by Damon Suede (C) House of Mirrors by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon (H) How Long has this been Going On? by Ethan Mordden (SH)
I Spy (series) titles: Something Bloody, Something Wicked by Josh Lanyon (M) Ice Cream on the Side by Wren Boudreau (C) If All the Sands Were Pearl by Pepper Espinoza (S) If It Ain’t Love by Tamara Allen (H) I’ll be your Drill, Soldier by Crystal Rose (C)
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It Gets Better by Dan Savage (SH)
Jock Dorm (series) Titles: Dar & Greg; Drew & Vince; David & Connor by Bobby Michaels (C)
Just Desserts/Second Helpings/The Last Supper series by Scarlet Blackwell (C)
Kamikaze Boys by Jay Bell
Keeping Promise Rock by Amy Lane (C)
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L.A. Heat by P.A. Brown (M) L.A. Mischief by P.A. Brown (M) Labryinth (series) Titles: Melusine; The Virtu; The Mirador; Corambis; by Sarah Monette (S) A Land Fit for Heroes (series) by Richard Morgan (S) The Larton Chronicles by James Anson (C) The Last Bite by Evangeline Anderson (S) Last Summer by Michael Thomas Ford (C) Latakia by JF Smith (C) Life After Joe by Harper Fox (C)
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Life Over Easy by K.A. Mitchell (C) A Life Without You by Erica Pike (C) Like Coffee and Donuts by Elle Parker (C) Like Pizza and Beer by Elle Parker (M) The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst (C) The Lion of Kent by Aleksandr Voinov and Kate Cotoner (H) The Locker Room by Amy Lane (C) Lola Dances by Victor J. Banis (H) Lone Star by Josh Lanyon (C) The Lonely War by Alan Chin (H) The Long Way Home by Z.A. Maxfield (S) Long Tall Drink by LC Chase Longhorns by Victor J. Banis (W) Looking for It by Michael Thomas Ford (C)
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Mahu (series) by Neil S. Plakcy (M) The Making of a Man (series) by Diane Adams (C) Making Promises by Amy Lane (C) The Manituw by Lisbeth Jenkins (C) Marathon Cowboys by Sarah Black (C)
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Muscling Through by J.L. Merrow (C)
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Naked by David Sedaris (MEM) Neg UB2 by Rick R. Reed (C) Nick Hoffman Mysteries (series) by Lev Raphael (M) Nicky D’Amico (series) Titles: Habit for Death; Ice in His Veins by Chuck Zito (M) Nightrunner (series) by Lynn Flewelling (S) No Fear in Love by Jamie Craig (C) The Nobleman and the Spy by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon H) Nocturne by Mel Keegan (H) Not Knowing Jack by K.A. Mitchell (C) A Note In The Margin by Isabelle Rowan (C) Nothing Ever Happens by Sue Brown (C) Notturno by Z. A. Maxfield (S) Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan (C)
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Oil And Water by B.A. Tortuga (C) On Fire by Drew Zachary (C) Once Upon a Veterinarian by Drew Zachary (C) One More Soldier by Marie Sexton (H) One Real Thing by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox (C)) The One That Got Away by Madeleine Urban & Rhianne Aile (C) The One That Broke Free by T.C. Blue (C) The One That Stayed by T.C. Blue (C) The Only Gold by Tamara Allen (H) Only Words by Acer Adamson (C) Orientation by Rick R. Reed (S) Out of Focus by L.A. Witt (C) Out of the Blue by Josh Lanyon (H)
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Out on the Net by Rick R. Reed (C) Out There in the Night by Laura Baumbach (S) Outcast Mine by Jamie Craig (S) Overdrive by Ariel Tachna, (C)
Packing Heat by Kele Moon (C)
Pandora Project: Runaway Star by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox (SF)
Paper Planes by M. Jules Aedin (C) Paul’s Dream by Rowan McBride (S) Perfect by Julia Talbot (C) Persistence of Memory by J.M. Snyder (S) Personal Demons by James Buchanan (C)
Petit Morts (series) by Jordan Castillo Price, Josh Lanyon, Clare London, Sean Kennedy The Phoenix by Ruth Sims (H) Phoenix Rising by Kimberly Gardner (C) Phoenix Rising: Strongman by Denise Rossetti (S) Power Play by J.M. Snyder (C) The Price of Temptation by M J Pearson (H)
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Rag and Bone by Michael Nava (M)
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Resistance by L.M. Turner (C) The Rest of Our Lives by Dan Stone (S) The Retrieval by Lucius Parhelion (H)
Rifter (series) by Ginn Hale (S)
The Riddle of the Sands (series) by Geoff Knight (C) Riot Boy by Katey Hawthorne (S) Road Trip (series) Titles: Racing The Moon; Steam And Sunshine; Under Pressure; by B.A. Tortuga (C) Rough Canvas by Joey Hill (C) Rough Draft by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne (C) Rules of Engagement by LA Witt (C) Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs (MEM) Russell Quant mysteries (series) by Anthony Bidulka (M) Rust Belt by Jessica Freely (C)
Scarlet and the White Wolf series by Kirby Crow (S)
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Take My Picture by Giselle Ellis (C) Taking the Odds (series) titles: Cheating Chance; Inland Empire; All or Nothing by James Buchanan (M)
Taking You Home/Boys of Summer by Cooper Davis (C) Talker by Amy Lane (C) Tangle (anthology) by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale etc. (S) Tangled Web by Lee Rowan (H) Thatcher Boys (series) Titles: Jumping Into Things; Adrenaline Junkies; Christmas Fire; Landing With Both Feet; Taking The Leap; by Julia Talbot (C) That’s What Brothers Do by Derekica Snake (C) A Thread of Deepest Black by Finn Marlowe (S) The Tin Star by J.L. Langley (W) Three Fortunes in One Cookie by Cochrane Lambert (C) Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy (C)
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VGL Male Seeks Same by Rick R. Reed (C) The Vintner’s Luck by Elizabeth Knox (H, S) The Violet and the Tom by Eve Octillo (S) The Visionary: Welcome to the Fold by Jaye Valentine and Reno MacLeod (S)
Walk Among Us by Vivien Dean (S) Want Me by Rowan McBride (S) Warriors Cross by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux (M) Well Traveled by Margaret Mills and Tedy Ward (H) What Love Means to You People by Nancy Kay Shapiro (C) A Wealth of Unsaid Words by R. Cooper (C) When Love Is Not Enough by Wade Kelly (C) Where Flows the Water by Sean Michael (S) Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela by Felicia Watson (C) Where the Boys Are by William J. Mann (C) Where There’s Smoke by L.A. Witt (C)
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The Why Not by Victor J. Banis (C) Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale (S) Windbrothers/Guardians of the Wind by Sean Michael (S) Winds of Change by Lee Rowan (H) Windows in Time by M. Jules Aedin (M) The Wine-Dark Sea by A.J. Llewellyn (C) The Winter Courting Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters by Amy Lane (C) Winter Nights by Harper Fox (S) With the Band by L.A. Witt (C) Without and Without (series) With Love/Without Reservations/With Caution/With Abandon by J.L. Langley (S) Witness by Mike Shade (M) Wolf’s Own (series) titles: Ghost, Weregild, Koan by Carole Cummings (S) Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon (MEM)
Yakuza Pride by H.J. Brues (M)
Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville (C) Zero Hour by Jordan Castillo Price (SF) The Zero Knot by KZ Snow (C)
Young Adult
A Better Place by Mark A. Roeder (C) A Boy’s Own Story by Edmund White (C) A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloane (C) A Strong and Sudden Thaw by R.W.Day (S) All Lost Things Josh Aterovis (M)
At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O’Neill (H)
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (C) Bleeding Hearts by Josh Aterovis (M) Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (C) Changing Jamie by Dakota Chase (C) Common Sons by Ronald Donaghe (C) Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley (C) Little Boy Lost (series) titles: Enlightened, Abandoned, Vanished, Discovered, Escaped, Sacrificed by J.P. Barnaby (C) Freshman Pledge: The Magic of Love by Larry Coles (C) Hero by Perry Moore (S) Leave Myself Behind by Bart Yates (C) Masks (series) Titles: Rise of Heroes; Evolution; Ordinary Champions by Hayden Thorne (S) My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (C) Now is the Hour by Tom Spanbauer (H) Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg (C) Reap The Whirlwind by Josh Aterovis (M) Strings Attached by Nick Nolan (M) Thinking Straight by Robin Reardon (C) Two Steps Up by Sean Kennedy (C) Uncle Sean by Ronald Donaghe (C) Vintage – A Ghost Story by Steve Berman (S)
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Recommended YA Authors
Jay Bell
Steve Berman
Peter Cameron
Brent Hartinger
David Levithan
Perry Moore
Alex Sanchez
Hayden Thorne
Martin Wilson
>> DOWNLOADABLE PDF OF LIST <<
Love the list! Some of my faves are there and lots of stuff I need to get now! Hopefully, some day I’ll rate being included here, maybe with the antho I’m in that will be out in October at MLR. Thanks for providing us with such a great resource, Wave!
Lex
Fire Season was on the list but because I was working from 2 different lists it was dropped by error – my fault. I have corrected the error.*g*
I’m honored to see my titles included in this list. The best part about it is that I’m in such good company! Thank you for your hard work in compiling this.
What a great resource! Thanks for all your hard work!
Josh
It was a wonderful project and I hope that the readers fine it a useful resource.
Wow! What a fantastic list, and I can’t say how honoured I am to see my books in there, rubbing shoulders with so many of my favourites!
I think I’ll bookmark this and work my way through it from the top to the bottom
Cool!
Alex
You know I love your books since I first read Captain’s Surrender and it’s one of my favourite romances, not just my favourite historical romance!
Thanks for all the work and time you put in this list. New books to add to the tbr pile.
Oh wow! I wanted to stop by and –first of all– thank you for a great list of books from me, a reader, and then to express my gratitude as an author to everyone, anyone, who considered me worthy to be on that list!
Thanks,
~ZAM~
Hey Zam
Your fans, of which I’m one, really love your books. I remember reading Crossing Borders and thinking WOW!:)
Thanks so much for compiling this list Wave and Wren! I see many of my favorites on there but also lots I haven’t read that I’m looking forward to getting.
Hi Nichem
I’m sorry I couldn’t include all of your recommendations about how to structure the list, but I hope that this compromise works for you.
**
Enjoy spending more money.:)
Hey Wave! Thanks to you and everyone who helped compile the list….it is going to be a wonderful resource for me. I have read many of the titles on the list, but I see there are many more I would like to add to my library. Thanks to all the readers who shared their favorites. I am always looking for new stuff to add to my library, and this list will definately be helpful. Wonderful job!!!
Hi Elaine
You’re very welcome. The work was well worth it and I hope you enjoy spending your money