Jae's Blog, page 17
February 10, 2022
Character is in therapy (Book Unicorn #2)
It’s time for the second Book Unicorn post, and this one features books with a main character who’s in therapy–and when I say “therapy,” I mean psychotherapy.
If you find a book where the therapy sessions feature prominently in the plot, that’s great, especially if therapy is portrayed as something positive that the character is doing to take care of their mental health. But the book counts for this category even if we don’t see the character in a therapy session, as long as it’s stated at least once in the book that the main character is going to therapy.
What is the Book Unicorn?
A quick reminder: The Book Unicorn bingo card is an additional bingo card that you can tackle in addition to the regular bingo card or by itself. The goal is to read one book for each of the 12 squares of the Book Unicorn card. Each square represents a harder-to-find theme.
I’ll post book suggestions for one Book Unicorn category each month.
Download your Book Unicorn bingo card
If you haven’t done so already, download your Book Unicorn bingo card here. The PDF is clickable, so you can fill in the titles of the books you read on your computer, or you can print it out and fill it in by hand.
15 sapphic books about characters who are in therapy
Here are my 15 book recommendations for the “character is in therapy” category:
Broken, Not Shattered by Rita Potter
Even when it seems hopeless, there can always be a better tomorrow.
Jill Bishop has one goal in life – to survive. Jill is trapped in an abusive marriage, while raising two young girls. Her husband has isolated her from the world and filled her days with fear. The last thing on her mind is love, but she sure could use a friend.
Alex McCoy is enjoying a comfortable life, with great friends and a prosperous business. She has given up on love, after picking the wrong woman one too many times. Little does she know, a simple act of kindness might change her life forever.
When Alex lends a helping hand to Jill at the local grocery store, they are surprised by their immediate connection and an unlikely friendship develops. As their friendship deepens, so too do their fears.
In order to protect herself and the girls, Jill can’t let her husband know about her friendship with Alex, and Alex can’t discover what goes on behind closed doors. What would Alex do if she finds out the truth? At the same time, Alex must fight her attraction and be the friend she suspects Jill needs. Besides, Alex knows what every lesbian knows – don’t fall for a straight woman, especially one that’s married…but will her heart listen?
Available at:
Burn It Down by K. Aten
Ash Hayes was failed by the system at the tender age of sixteen and suffered an addiction. As a result she lives her life weighed down by the guilt of her past. To atone for childhood misdeeds, Ash trained as a paramedic after high school and eventually became a firefighter with the Detroit fire department, along with her childhood best friend Derek. Friend, confidant, brother, he has been her light in an otherwise dark life. When tragedy strikes on the job, injury and forced leave from the department are the least of her concerns. Suffering from even more guilt and depression after the loss of her two closest friends Ash is set adrift in a sea of pain.
When Mia Thomas buys the house next door, Ash finds friendship in the most unlikely of places. It’s Mia’s nature to help and to heal. Many would say she has a knack for finding the broken ones and leading them into the light. But Ash’s secret still lives deep inside her. Before the firefighter can even think of a future, she has to amend her past. Like the phoenix of legend, Ash has to burn her fears to the ground before she can be reborn.
Available at:
Change of Plans by KJ
Emily Fitzsimmons, award-winning architect, creates meticulous plans for every aspect of her life, which is understandable considering her difficult childhood. After all, prudence keeps her safe. Lately, though, too many of those comforting plans are disintegrating and Emily is forced to function spontaneously which has spiked her anxiety so much, she’s put her therapist on speed-dial.
Skye Reynolds, bike courier entrepreneur, knows all about exploding plans. That’s literally how she lost her job when her company blew up a 40,000-year-old world heritage site. But Skye is not someone who asks for help to reassemble her life blueprints, which is lucky as she nearly always lands on her feet whenever she happily ignores prudence to embark on any new adventure.
When Skye’s ad hoc dirt track intersects with Emily’s carefully paved freeway, their lives are thrown into disarray, with the added complication of their unexpected attraction. Prudence plays tricks on both of them when they choose to navigate their true paths and explore the direction of their relationship.
Sometimes a change of plans is all you need to see what lies ahead.
Available at:
Face the Music by Aimée
England, 2011. Phyllida Reynart has come back from Afghanistan wounded and bitter, having lost both her army career and the love of her life. Through a friend, she gets an audition for the local orchestra, directed by Trishia Knight, a woman who has fought hard to get where she is. Both women are strong-willed, and serious about their work – both women struggle to keep their lives together and neither of them is looking for love. However, it is usually to be found in the most unexpected places
Available at:
Finding Gracie’s Glory by Patty Schramm
Gracie Kato survived years of abuse at the hands of her wife. While her body has healed, her heart and soul remain damaged. Gracie seeks solace at her grandfather’s home in the Yukon Territory of Canada. There she’ll be able to work at his gold mine, named for her grandmother, Gracie’s Glory. It’s the perfect place for her to start over again. Liv Templeton’s heart was crushed years ago and she doesn’t see any chance of recovery. She’s never alone unless she wants to be, but never seeks any commitments. Instead she puts all her energy and time into running the family mining business. From the moment they meet, Gracie and Liv’s connection, physical and emotional, is obvious to them both. Is Liv ready for a serious relationship? Even if she is, will she be able to convince Gracie to trust again? To let her soul heal? Will Gracie open herself up to Liv? Or will she close her heart forever?
Available at:
Finding Sarah by Aprille Canniff
When Sarah steps off the plane in Provincetown, she has only one goal-to leave the past behind her. As she begins her journey of rediscovering herself, she meets one of the town’s deputy under less-than-ideal circumstances but soon finds herself drawn to her in ways she knows she can’t allow.
Deputy Catrina Diaz loves her job, her family, and her friends, which is why she became a deputy to begin with, to keep her town and those she loves safe. When she crosses paths with Sarah, a newcomer to town, she finds herself wanting more than Sarah is wanting to give.
Sarah fights hard to find herself as the past keeps finding new ways to haunt her. As their relationship grows, will the secrets Sarah is hiding, secrets that Cat realizes everyone knows but her, finally pull them apart? Can Sarah trust Cat enough to overcome her past and the insecurities it has caused and take a chance on the one thing she thought she could never have again-love?
Available at:
Liar: Memoir of a Haunting by E. F. Schraeder
Who doesn’t crave a little escape? Dreaming of small town life and rural charm, Alex and Rainey find a deal on an old rustic home they can’t resist. But soon after Rainey moves, her preoccupation with weird local history and the complications of living alone in the woods take a toll. Alex worries that the long nights and growing isolation are driving her stir crazy. When the Sugar House is damaged and Rainey goes missing, Alex doesn’t know where to turn. Was it a storm, vandals, or something worse? What happened at the Sugar House? The only thing worse than wondering is finding out.
Available at:
Perspective by Monica McCallan
Campbell St. Clair never expected her first novel to catapult her to success. She should be excited that she’ll be consulting on the movie adaptation, but she’s struggling. Her ability to write her newest novel has been practically non-existent, she’s all but given up on having a social life, and with the recent loss of her father, she’s trying to understand what she wants for her future.
Sloane Murphy’s career has been careening forward for the last decade, so it doesn’t matter that she doesn’t like being an actress. The movie is a great opportunity for her, and in spite of her ambivalence, the show must go on. She’s done this enough times that she just needs to follow the script and hit her lines. But she wasn’t expecting to see Campbell St. Clair, at least that’s what she goes by now, on set, and her presence sends Sloane’s already precarious life into a tailspin when their paths collide again.
Neither are the same people they were when they’d met in college, but do either of them know who they are now? In a world of playing pretend, it’s hard to know what’s real, even if it’s right in front of them.
Available at:
The Disappearance of Lindy James by Catherine Maiorisi
Lindy is hearing voices. And her new religious friends claim Quincy, her wife of six years, is Satan in disguise. They also say her marriage is a sin and warn she and their two daughters will burn in hell for eternity if she doesn’t leave Quincy.
Working a second job to earn enough to buy their dream house, Quincy is rarely around to notice Lindy’s behavior. By the time she does notice, Lindy’s new friends spirit her and the girls away to an isolated religious community in Arizona.
While Quincy searches frantically for her family, a female doctor at the community treats Lindy. As she slowly returns to herself Lindy begins to really see the community. She is horrified. Rather than saving herself and her daughters, she’s brought them to a kind of hell.
Then Lindy is given an ultimatum. Stay and marry a man in the community. Or leave. Without her daughters.
She panics. There must be another way.
Available at:
Till Darkness Comes by Sandra de Helen
When Beth Vogelsang’s Uncle Jerry is tortured and murdered Beth’s estranged friend Regan is the first cop on the scene. Regan hopes for reconciliation, but they’ve led different lives. Beth has been abused, beaten, raped, and has experienced a devastating death in the family. She’s also fallen in love with her lesbian therapist. Will she reunite with her genderqueer friend? Or will their individual secrets keep them apart. Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer on the loose, putting both their lives at risk.
Available at:
Worth the Risk by Crystal Chard
When everything’s at stake, how close is too close?
Forensic Psychologist, Grace Weatherford, wants her old job back with the Covert Intelligence Squad, but on her own terms. Yet when CIS offer up a case with a mysterious female perp at the centre, she can’t say no. The catch? Grace’s speciality is undercover guidance – she now has to go all in.
Nadia Florescu is nobody’s fool. She’s survived worse than the grim CIS cells and suffered in ways Grace cannot imagine. So giving up the names that CIS demands is a game she can play and win – no matter the cost.
When their worlds collide, and Nadia’s shocking story begins to unravel, professional lines blur. But is Nadia really who she says she is? And how many boundaries will Grace cross for justice – and an uncompromising and beautiful suspect?
Disclaimer: This book contains scenes and topics that some readers may find upsetting.
Available at:
Make the Yuletide Gay by Ivy L. James
Junior editor Grace Taylor is doubling as the temporary assistant to senior editor Nicola Valentine…and harboring a secret crush on her. Grace is devastated when a work conference forces her to miss her big family Christmas. However, she gets a gift she doesn’t expect when a snowstorm strands her and Nicola at a small B&B.
Nicola has no idea how to handle sharing a room with her gorgeous, vibrant assistant. As she learns to share her heart as well, her fear threatens the blossoming relationship. Can she let Grace in, or will Nicola’s past sabotage her chance at happiness?
Available at:
Bookends by Brenda Murphy
Widowed university librarian, Amari Foster’s life is neatly cataloged. Work, home, and securing a future for her daughter are her focus. Hard-edged and handsome, she manages her private life with ruthless precision, cutting ties, and maintaining distance to protect her battered heart.
After a series of bad relationships, plumber Thalia Makris has given up her dream of long-term love. Desperate to have her own business, Thalia fills her days working overtime in her father’s business and nights with fantasy novels.
After a chance encounter leaves both women wanting more than a one-night stand, they find themselves on the precipice of love. Will they take the plunge?
Available at:
Ask Me Again by EJ Noyes
What do you do when the source of all your problems is the one thing you don’t know how to fix?
With Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell nothing more than an unpleasant memory, US Army surgeon Sabine Fleischer is ready to move on with her life—if she can just figure out how to move past her PTSD. Fresh from her first deployment since surviving a vehicle attack in Afghanistan, Sabine is finding the things she’s tried so hard to push aside aren’t as easy to ignore as she’d hoped.
Sabine’s girlfriend and ex-commanding officer Rebecca Keane is happily settled into her new job running a trauma department in a civilian hospital. Life with Sabine is everything Rebecca ever wanted. But when Sabine’s PTSD reappears worse than before, she’s left struggling with her own guilt.
There’s no doubt that both Sabine and Rebecca want the same thing. But how do you help the most important person in your life when they don’t want to need your help?
Ask Me Again is the must-read sequel to the best-selling Ask, Tell.
Available at:
Bringing Me Dreams by KG MacGregor (pre-order)
Reeling from her brother’s senseless death, Gianna Del Vecchio finds comfort in an online forum from a woman who suffered a similar loss. Theirs is a club no one wants to join—survivors of a loved one’s suicide. Photos posted to the forum of the woman’s cute therapy dog bring cheer when nothing else can, and Gianna is compelled to reach out to say thanks.
After two years, Keenan McEvoy is still fighting her way back from despair after losing her partner, Annabel. She’s surprised when she connects with Gianna, whose kindness and compassion ignite a spark she wasn’t sure she’d feel again.
Their fledgling romance is jeopardized by Jaz, Gianna’s ex-girlfriend and current best friend, who’ll stop at nothing to keep them apart—even threatening to repeat their worst nightmare. How do they conquer their own guilty demons and stop Jaz from laying more blame at their feet?
Available at:
Valentine’s Day Book Giveaway
To show our readers some love in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, I have joined forces with 12 fellow authors of sapphic romance and put together a big book giveaway! There are 31 prizes to be won–ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks. The giveaway will start tomorrow (February 11) and run until February 15. Make sure you follow me on social media or subscribe to my newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it!
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know what book you are reading for the “character is in therapy” category!
Subscribe to this blog to get future Sapphic Book Bingo posts
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Happy reading!
Jae
The post Character is in therapy (Book Unicorn #2) appeared first on Jae.
February 3, 2022
Sapphic disaster books (Sapphic Book Bingo #3)
This week’s category of the Sapphic Book Bingo features sapphic disaster books. Of course, not the books themselves are the disaster; their plots reolve around a disaster.
It can be a natural disaster such as an earthquake, a hurricane, a tornado, a volvanic eruption, a flood, an avalanche, a wildfire, a blizzard, etc., or it could be a man-made disaster that results from technological or human error, e.g., a plane crash, a shipwreck (think Titanic), a train accident, or an explosion, etc.
The disaster could be based on a historical event, or it could be a made-up disaster.
Free sapphic books for Romance Month!
Before you scroll down to check out the book recommendations, how about some free ebooks? February is romance month, so 24 authors of sapphic romances have put together a bundle of free ebooks for you!
One of them is my short story “Seduction for Beginners,” which takes place on Valentine’s Day.
There are also stories by authors such as Chelsea Cameron, KC Luck, Donna Jay, Fiona Zedde, Chris Zett, Skye Kilaen, Scarlett Grace, and more.
Check them out and download the ones that sound interesting here.
How to get started if you are new to Sapphic Book Bingo
If you have only just discovered the Sapphic Book Bingo, read up on the rules, download your book bingo card, and take a look at my suggestions for the “disaster book” square below.
Make the Sapphic Book Bingo more interesting!
If you’d like to get more book suggestions, talk about the books you are reading, and chat with other readers participating in the Sapphic Book Bingo, join either my Facebook group for readers or the Goodreads group for the Sapphic Book Bingo.
15 sapphic disaster books
Here are my recommendations for the “disaster book” category:
Shaken to the Core by Jae (earthquake and fires)
Kate Winthrop, the only child of a wealthy shipping magnate, has the course of her life charted for her by her parents. She’s expected to marry well and produce a successor to the Winthrop empire. But Kate has a very different path in mind. Her true passion lies with photography—and with women.
Alone in the city after losing her brother, Sicilian immigrant Giuliana Russo starts working for the Winthrops as a maid. Despite their different social status, Kate and Giuliana become friends, much to the dismay of Kate’s parents.
As the connection between the two women grows, a devastating earthquake hits San Francisco and ignites fires that sweep through the city for three days and nights.
Will the disaster shatter their tentative feelings for each other, or will they find the courage to save each other’s lives—and their hearts?
Join Kate and Giuliana on a journey of danger and discovery in the action-packed historical romance Shaken to the Core, set against the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Available at:
Without Warning by KG MacGregor (earthquake)
On a day that begins like any other, a violent earthquake strikes Los Angeles, plunging the region into chaos. Two strangers, trapped in a collapsed shopping mall, find each other amid the rubble and join forces to escape. Hampered by injury and darkness, they dig and claw their way through one crumbled store after another, emerging long after most have given up hope for survivors.
The ordeal leaves both women shaken, but their shared triumph sets them on a life-changing course together, igniting a connection like neither has ever known.
Anna Kaklis–whose perfectly planned life never included falling in love with another woman–is thrown for a loop, but she doesn’t doubt her heart.
Lily Stewart–abandoned too many times by people she trusted–won’t let herself believe that Anna’s love will endure.
Without Warning is the story of their courageous journey through adversity, and their promise of steadfast love.
Available at:
You Make Me Tremble by Karis Walsh (earthquake)
Animal rescue worker Iris Mallery thinks she has created a stable and secure home for herself, but when her small town is battered by an earthquake, Iris needs to rebuild not only her own life, but the lives of the displaced dogs and cats now filling her shelter.
The quake’s effects are personal for Iris, but not for seismologist Casey Radnor. Casey is a scientist above all else, logical and disconnected from the natural disasters she studies. When she rescues a stray dog from some rubble, she finds herself caught up in the lives of Iris and the others affected by the quake, despite her best efforts to remain professional.
The beautiful San Juan Islands in Washington State become the epicenter of both the earthquake and the collision of Iris’s and Casey’s hearts. Can love bind the shattered fragments together again?
Available at:
Taken by Storm by Kim Baldwin (avalanche)
Lives depend on two women when a train derails high in the remote Alps, but an unforgiving mountain, avalanches, crevasses, and other perils stand between them and safety.
Associated Press reporter Hudson Mead is an extreme skiing enthusiast who has covered war zones and natural disasters during her long and distinguished career, but nothing could have prepared her for the challenges she’ll face when the snow train she’s riding is decimated by a massive avalanche.
Librarian Steffi Graham, on her first trip abroad, is anxious to hone her rock-climbing skills in a new and unfamiliar terrain of ice and snow. She gets much more than she bargained for when her talents put her on the team that goes for help.
As the two strangers struggle to reach civilization, they must compromise and learn to trust each other, a task that may be nearly as difficult as the journey itself.
Available at:
Diver Blues by Barbara Valletto (hurricane)
After a tragic series of events unfolds, Jaime Forrest (PADI Certified Dive Instructor) decides to sail along the Atlantic coast (from the Florida Keys North) on a soul-searching mission. Jaime’s intent is to distance herself from the past and her profound guilt over a student’s drowning, but she soon learns she can’t escape from nightmares that haunt her sleep.
Midway through her voyage, Jaime finds herself face to face with another crisis. A baby seal, ensnared in fishing net, becomes severely injured when the netting tangles in Jaime’s boat propeller. Help arrives in the form of a young, attractive marine biologist who manages a nearby mammal stranding center in a small beach town. Joining forces, they manage to transport the seal to safety.
A.J. operates on the seal, but its chances for survival are slim. With the seal too weak for transport to a larger rehab facility on the mainland, and with Jaime’s boat now damaged from the incident, A.J. and Jaime agree to work side by side in caring for the seal they’ve fondly named Clementine. From the moment both A.J. and Jaime meet, an immediate attraction flared. As the days pass, their feelings for each other become more pronounced and more difficult to hide. When they can no longer deny their need for each other, they become lovers. But Jaime’s guilt over the recent drowning death prevents her from opening up to A.J. on an emotional level, which leaves A.J. frustrated.
But it seems the worst is yet to come. A hurricane, of intense magnitude, is fast approaching the coastline. The townsfolk are ordered to evacuate before roads are closed. With a stranded boat, and a severely injured seal to care for, Jaime and A.J. realize they can’t leave. Together, they hunker down to weather the storm. Will they survive, or will Jaime’s soul-searching expedition end in yet another senseless tragedy?
Available at:
Galveston 1900: Swept Away by Linda Crist (hurricane)
On September 7-8, 1900, the island of Galveston, Texas, was destroyed by a hurricane, or ‘tropical cyclone’, as it was called in those days. This story is a fictional account of Mattie and Rachel, two women who lived there, and their lives during the time of the ‘great storm’. Forced to flee from her family at a young age, Rachel Travis finds a home and livelihood on the island of Galveston. Independent, friendly, and yet often lonely, only one other person knows the dark secret that haunts her. Madeline “Mattie” Crockett is trapped in a loveless marriage, convinced that her fate is sealed. She never dares to dream of true happiness, until Rachel Travis comes walking into her life. As emotions come to light, the storm of Mattie’s marriage converges with the very real hurricane. Can they survive, and build the life they both dream of? This second edition of one of Linda Crist’s best-loved novels maintains the original story, while incorporating some reader-pleasing passages that were cut from the first edition.
Available at:
Second Season by Ali Vali (hurricane)
As Hurricane Katrina ravages New Orleans, attorney Tully Badeaux’s life follows suit when betrayal leads to heartbreak…
Tully Gaston Badeaux might be successful in the courtroom but at home her relationships with her partner, Dr. Jessica Badeaux, and their children are falling apart.
In one life-changing moment precipitated by a spilled cup of coffee, the world Tully had so carefully constructed comes to an end. As Tully struggles to pick up the pieces, two women add to the complications—Dr. Kara Nicolas, the woman who stole her wife, and Libby Dexter, the young woman who moves in to assist Tully with the kids. Kara becomes her focus in the courtroom, and Libby offers more than a helping hand around the house.
Available at:
Tropical Storm by Melissa Good (tropical storm)
Dar Roberts, corporate raider for a multi-national tech company, is cold, practical, and merciless. She does her job with razor-sharp accuracy. Friends are a luxury she cannot allow herself, and love is something she knows she’ll never attain.
Kerry Stuart left Michigan for Florida in an attempt to get away from her domineering politician father and the constraints of the overly conservative life her family forced upon her. After college she worked her way into supervision at a small tech company, only to have it taken over by Dar Roberts’ organization. Her association with Dar begins in disbelief, hatred, and disappointment, but when Dar unexpectedly hires Kerry as her work assistant, the dynamics of their relationship change. Over time, a bond begins to form. But can Dar overcome years of habit and conditioning to open herself up to the uncertainty of love? And will Kerry escape from the clutches of her powerful father in order to live a better life? The answer to both questions is no – unless these two women can strengthen and cement the tenuous bond that forms between them. First they must face storms that neither expects . . . and live to tell the tale.
Available at:
The Island Between Them by Wendy Hudson (storm)
Lesbian romance and adventure collide in this gripping story of survival and second chances.
Georgia Hamilton is an adventurer. After a life spent exploring the most remote places on earth, she’s found her way back home to Scotland, where she teaches her expert survival skills.
Kelsey Campbell has spent her whole life acting, both personally and professionally, and has had it with the pressure of keeping everyone else happy. Craving somewhere far from the glaring spotlight, she signs up for a two-week team survival course.
It’s not just the remote island location that appeals to Kelsey. There’s the fact she met the course leader years ago and always regretted how they left things.
However, just as Georgia and Kelsey are renewing their long-lost connection over bushcraft, a storm hits, leaving them stranded. With the group’s lives now in Georgia’s hands, the race is on to find a way home.
As the reality of survival kicks in, their battle becomes about more than just facing the elements.
Available at:
Whirlwind Romance by Kris Bryant (storms)
For the past six seasons, Tristan Stark has been chasing storms throughout the Midwest for the University of Oklahoma. Teaching during the winters and hitting the road during the spring, Tristan has little time for herself, let alone time to have a solid relationship. Rival storm chaser Kate Brighten is just starting out and winds up riding along with Tristan for two weeks. It doesn’t take long for the two to begin a tumultuous love affair on the road. But the road can’t last forever and Kate isn’t everything she seems. Once trust is broken, it’s difficult to rebuild. Can Tristan accept Kate’s secrets? Or will their love be washed away in the spring storms?
Available at:
Darkness Falls by KC Luck (solar storm)
If the lights go out forever, can love survive?
When four women from different walks of life are brought together by fate to witness the end of the world as they know it, each must find a way to survive against the odds as well as learn to rely on each other.
Available at:
Free Fall at Angel Creek by Julie Tizard (plane crash)
Hundreds of people on Flight 402 vanish in an instant.
When the airplane carrying her sister is reported missing, then later found a smoking wreck, Detective Dee Rawlings never had the chance to finally reconcile after years of estrangement. She’s desperate to find out why the plane crashed, but Dr. River Dawson, the exacting and relentless aircraft accident investigator, believes Dee’s good intentions are interfering with her case and wants her gone. All that changes when Dee discovers critical evidence that doesn’t add up.
Dee and River must find a way to work together to solve the mystery of what happened to Flight 402, all while keeping their inconvenient and unprofessional attraction in check. Their search for answers at Angel Creek will risk their lives and maybe even their hearts.
Available at:
Moon Shadow by Suzie Clarke (plane crash)
Justice might be satisfying, but revenge is far sweeter.
Computer programmer Rachel Portola has a target on her back. She’s developed a top-secret program and her boss, Justin McKinney, wants it and the millions it will bring on the open market. Even if it means murder.
When Rachel’s plane crashes and she and her friends are forced to hike through the Alaskan wilderness to survive, she thinks the worst is over. Rachel can finally focus on her attraction to her best friend, Claire, and the unexpected love they share.
But Justin’s not giving up. Armed with only her instincts and a sharp knife, Rachel’s in for the fight of her life to protect what’s hers. The odds are impossible, the future looks bleak, and with everything that matters on the line, Rachel’s not letting anything get in her way.
Available at:
Falling by Kris Bryant (plane crash)
Shaylie Beck just wanted to go home.
She managed to snag the last seat on a late flight from New York to Denver. No one thought anything would go wrong. Nobody expected the unimaginable to happen. When the plane crashes, Shaylie fights for her life and is one of only eleven survivors.
Piper Cole wants answers.
Why did her fiancée’s plane crash? She lost everything that night, and the investigation is taking too long. To help cope with losing the woman she loved, Piper attends a support group for survivors.
The friendship Piper and Shaylie develop helps each to heal, but as their feelings turn to love, Shaylie’s torn. She can follow her heart to the woman she loves, or she can come clean about what really happened right before the plane crashed and risk losing Piper forever.
Available at:
1049 Club by Kim Pritekel (plane crash)
Almost two hundred souls, one plane, six survivors, endless heartbreak.
When flight 1049, headed from Buffalo, NY to Italy falls from the sky, a firestorm of drama, pain, angst and sorrow ensues. Can an author, a business owner, a teenager, good ol’ boy, veterinarian and ruthless lawyer survive? Better yet, can those left behind?
1049 Club is a story of survival, love, deep regret and miracles. Can the living make peace with the presumed dead? Can the presumed dead make peace with the lives and loves they thought they had before?
Available at:
Leave a commentLeave a comment and let us know what book you’ll be reading for the “disaster book” category!
Subscribe to this blog to get future Sapphic Book Bingo posts
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The post Sapphic disaster books (Sapphic Book Bingo #3) appeared first on Jae.
January 20, 2022
Award-winning sapphic book (Sapphic Book Bingo #2)
This week’s Sapphic Book Bingo post features the “award-winning sapphic book” category.
Read a sapphic book that won a literary award. It doesn’t matter which award the book won, when, or in which category. It could be an award for LGBT+ literature or a mainstream award; it could be a sapphic romance, a fantasy novel, a mystery, or any other genre.
For awards celebrating LGBTQ books, check out the Golden Crown Literary Society Award (affectionately called “Goldie”), the Lambda Literary Award (“Lammy”), or the Rainbow Awards.
How to get started if you are new to Sapphic Book Bingo
If you have only just discovered the Sapphic Book Bingo, read up on the rules, download your book bingo card, and take a look at my suggestions for the “award-winning sapphic book” square below.
Make the Sapphic Book Bingo more interesting!
If you’d like to get more book suggestions, talk about the books you are reading, and chat with other readers participating in the Sapphic Book Bingo, join either my Facebook group for readers or the Goodreads group for the Sapphic Book Bingo.
15 award-winning sapphic books
Here are my recommendations for the award-winning sapphic books category:
Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae
A single text message can change everything!
Flirting has never been Denny’s strong suit, but so what if she’s too shy to ask women out? She’s content with her simple life, working as a cashier and helping her sister raise her niece.
But then she gets a wrong-number text message from a stranger named Eliza, asking her of all people for dating advice!
Eliza is Denny’s total opposite: witty, outgoing – and straight. Despite their differences, the accidental text sparks an unlikely friendship. Soon, Eliza – self-proclaimed queen of disastrous first dates – would rather banter back and forth with Denny than to keep trying her luck at online dating.
When they meet in person, there’s an instant connection. But what Eliza is feeling can’t be attraction, right? It doesn’t mean a thing that she’s starting to wish the guys she dates would be more like Denny. Or does it?
Can the wrong number lead to the right woman after all?
Available at:
Out of Love by KG MacGregor
Clients and coworkers know Carmen Delallo, owner and CEO of a Chicago consulting firm for the travel industry, as a smart, engaging woman driven to succeed in business by a genuine love of her work.
Judith O’Shea is focused on her work too. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she makes do in a small studio apartment in Chelsea, wondering how she will salvage a livelihood from a shrinking career as a travel agent. But career motives take a back seat when she finds herself falling hard for the enigmatic Carmen.
For Carmen and Judith, falling in love proves to be the easy part. Separated from Carmen by miles, economic class, and a duty to care for her family, Judith won’t allow herself to imagine her life fulfilled.
Carmen’s challenge is no easier. She must learn to break the addiction of her work, and also let go of the secret, unrequited love she’s felt for her married best friend for as long as she can remember.
Available at:
Art of Magic by KJ
A story where a touch of love and a slice of life creates a whole lot of magic.
Cath Monroe loves her teaching job, her friends, her family, and her colleagues. They fill her life and her heart. She knows that it’s important to share love with actions and words, but that last one? About the words? That’s a problem. Because when it comes to saying ‘I love you’ to her forever person, Cath discovers that she doesn’t really know anything about love at all.
Then, Rica Diamandis strolls into her life. Rica is all stardust and sexy, and Cath is intrigued. The sudden availability of a romantic blank canvas takes Cath’s breath away. But when her father is taken to hospital with a life-threatening disease, Cath boxes up the romance with Rica, and packs it into the back of her heart. Fortunately, the Universe has other ideas and Cath begins to realise that embracing emotional chaos is actually the art that creates the magic.
Available at:
Hotel Queens by Lee Winter
Ice meets fire in this opposites-attract lesbian romance, as layered, sassy, and smart as its characters.
Over one long night at a bar in Las Vegas, two powerful hotel executives meet, flirt, and challenge each other—having no clue they’re rivals after the same dream deal.
Brilliant ice queen Amelia Duxton is a hotel vice president who thrives on control, truth, and efficiency. She’s in no mood for love or the mess it brings. All she wants is to buy the coveted Mayfair Palace—a massive deal that could finally help her land the CEO job in her family’s hotel empire.
Fiery Kai Fisher is charming and chaotic and renowned for closing ambitious deals. Her sights are set on snatching the Mayfair Palace out from under the nose of her hated arch rivals, the Duxton family.
But when secrets emerge and everything starts to fall apart, how can either of the warring women win—especially when they’ve just met their match?
Available at:
Lost in Paradise by Rachel Lacey
When a Manhattan businesswoman and a reclusive French artist are stranded together on a deserted island, opposites attract…and sparks fly. But with love on the horizon, will they survive to claim their happy ending?
Nicole Morella boards a private Mediterranean cruise with one goal: to reclaim herself after her divorce. When she sits next to a beautiful blonde in the ship’s lounge, she’s knocked off balance by the immediate attraction between them, and it’s not just because Nicole hasn’t found her sea legs yet. Fiona stirs things in Nicole that haven’t been stirred in a long time, but a fiery kiss turns dangerous when the ship is hijacked. The women launch a daring escape, leaving them adrift in an empty lifeboat.
Fiona Boone has been adrift most of her life, but never in such a literal sense. She’s a survivor, though, so when they land on a deserted island, Fiona’s ready to do whatever it takes to stay alive until they’re rescued. In the meantime, she can’t get enough of the feisty woman she’s stranded with, despite her usual fiercely independent nature. Although they’re lost, Fiona finds something unexpected in the comfort of Nicole’s touch. But when an injury puts her life in jeopardy, they begin to worry help won’t arrive in time. If she survives their ordeal, Fiona might just face her biggest challenge yet: falling in love.
Available at:
The Love Factor by Quinn Ivins
Molly Cook is almost thirty, with dismal career prospects, and has given up on saving the world. It might be the nineties, and everything’s shoulder pads, Doc Martens, and The X-Files, but people won’t budge on gay rights. Molly decides to give a PhD a whirl but finds herself more interested in campus politics…and her strict and sexy statistics professor.
Professor Carmen Vaughn is stuck in small-town Maryland with smarmy blowhards for colleagues and ungrateful students who can’t handle her high standards. She has no intention of coming out, least of all to Molly, a troublemaking grad student who can’t stop picking fights with the conservative faculty.
But when Molly discovers evidence implicating a homophobic colleague in a scandal, Carmen can’t ignore it—even if the subject hits too close to home. As the two women work together to make their case, they grow closer than Carmen ever imagined. But she absolutely refuses to get involved with a student.
The thing is, as the chemistry builds between them, Molly isn’t sure she wants to be a grad student anymore…if she ever did.
Available at:
Miles Apart by A.L. Brooks
Which mistakes can never be fixed? Would you fight for a five-year relationship after your lover’s had a drunken one-night stand? A slow-burn lesbian workplace romance that asks what you’d do when love isn’t always easy, neat, or simple.
The past twelve months have seen Alex and her girlfriend, Terri, slowly drift apart. The awful revelation of Terri’s one drunken night of betrayal shows Alex just how far apart they are. The more they fight, the less Alex even wants to try.
On a business trip to Canada, Alex meets Justine and, over the course of one pivotal evening, a connection is formed that shatters everything Alex thought she knew about herself. Returning to London, she’s faced with choices that will irrevocably change her life.
Now her heart is torn between loyalty to the old and new beginnings in a long-distant relationship.
An uplifting, beautiful novel that has heat, honesty, messy lives, and real-life women.
Available at:
Before You Say I Do by Clare Lydon
What happens when you fall for your bridesmaid?
Abby Porter has a high-flying job and the perfect fiancé in Marcus Montgomery.
But Abby’s world turns on its head when he hires a professional bridesmaid to help her in the run-up to the wedding. When Abby meets Jordan, she can hardly breathe.
Marcus is oblivious.
The wedding is weeks away.
Now, the only question is: will Abby make it to the altar?
Best-selling author Clare Lydon brings you a romance to top them all. Read this story of forbidden love and lose yourself in lesbian romance today!
Available at:
Finding Jessica Lambert by Clare Ashton
Movie star Jessica Lambert is in danger of burning out. Returning to London for the premiere of her latest film, she’s recognised everywhere she goes. When she runs away through the streets of London, she’s taken in by the beautiful and more mature Anna. The two hide in the sanctuary of Anna’s roof-top flat, a haven away from the crowds, but why has Anna removed herself from the world?
As the two women get to know each other, stripping away the layers, both appreciate what each does for the other. This could be the start of something wonderful, more than either of them know.
Available at:
Remember Me, Synthetica by K. Aten
What happens when a woman loses her memory but gains a conscience?
Dr. Alexandra Turing is a roboticist whose intellect is unrivaled in the field of artificial intelligence. While science has always come easy, Alexandra struggles to understand emotional cues and responses. Driven by the legacy of her late great-uncle, she dedicates her life to the Synthetica project at her father’s company, Organic Advancement Solutions (OAS).
Her life is rebooted when she wakes from a coma, six months after being struck by a car. Traumatic brain injury altered Alex’s senses, her memory, and her personality. Despite the changes, she feels reborn as she navigates her way back into her old life. Part of her new journey includes dating the alluring Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Emily St. John.
Emily is enamored with the hyper-intelligent scientist, but there are things about Alex and OAS that don’t add up. With Emily’s prompting, Alex undergoes testing that leaves her with more questions than answers. What she discovers changes more than her life, it will change the world around her.
Available at:
The Fate of Stars by S D Simper
A devout mermaid. A disgraced princess. A feud as ancient as the gods.
Worlds collide when Tallora is kidnapped from her ocean home and forced to be a pet to a tyrannical foreign empire. Her only hope for rescue lies with a sworn enemy—Princess Dauriel, infamous for her stone heart and conflicted past. But when Dauriel’s kingdom comes to the cusp of war, could their uneasy alliance be the key to defeating a common foe? Or will their growing feelings for each other lead them to ruin?
From the world of FALLEN GODS comes a tale of ancient magic and cutthroat politics—and finding redemption through love.
Available at:
Love Bites by Lila Bruce
The last person Ashley Baldwin expected to see when she walked into Ridgeview Animal Clinic was the gorgeous ex-love-of-her-life, Peyton Maxwell. Their break-up in college had been an explosive one, and now, some twelve years later, Ashley was still picking up the pieces of her broken heart.
Peyton Maxwell knew better than anyone that life rarely turned out the way you planned. After spending more than a decade away from her hometown, she’d finally decided to move back in order to raise her young daughter closer to family. She was just beginning to settle into her new job when Ashley walked into an exam room at the vet clinic and back into her life. Peyton thought she’d put that part of her life firmly in the past, but one look at her former lover and it all comes rushing back.
Available at:
Murder And Gold by Ann Aptaker
New York City, 1954.
Two women are found murdered. One is Lorraine Quinn, Cantor Gold’s most recent one-night-stand. The other is political power broker and aspiring New York socialite Eve Garraway, a regular client of Cantor’s stolen art trade.
Police nemesis, Lieutenant Norm Huber, wants to pin the murders on Cantor, send her to prison, and put her in the electric chair. He’ll get evidence on her any way he can. Into this cauldron of danger and death come two other women, each with ties to Cantor’s past. One hates her until passion intervenes; the other harbors darkly hidden feelings.
Set during the earliest stirrings of the Homosexual Rights Movement, Cantor begins to question her own tenuous identity, and the trade-offs she must make to get what she wants.
Cantor Gold, dapper butch art thief and smuggler for whom survival is everything, must now grapple with two fronts: surviving the shifting sands of the criminal underworld, and navigating the changing tides of society.
Available at:
Love Another Day by Regina Hanel
Plagued by nightmares and sleepless nights after a tragic loss, Park Ranger Samantha Takoda Tyler longs for a calm day at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. But when she’s summoned to the chief ranger’s office and introduced to Halie Walker, a photojournalist working for The Wild International, her day is anything but calm. When she’s assigned to look after Halie, their meeting transforms into a quarrelsome exchange. Over time, the initial chill between the women warms. They grow closer as they spend time together and gain appreciation for each other’s work.
But Sam’s fear of loss coupled with rising jealousy over an old lover’s interest in Halie grinds their budding relationship to a halt. Halie finds that anywhere near Sam is too painful a place to be, and Sam is unable to find the key to open the door to a past that she’s purposely kept locked away.
With fires raging out West and in the Targhee National Forest, Sam works overtime, helping fill the staffing shortage. She misses Halie and wants to take a chance with her. Before she gets the opportunity to explain herself, Sam learns the helicopter Halie is on has crashed. Ahead of an oncoming storm, Sam races to the rescue. Can she save the woman she loves? Or will the past replay, closing Sam off from love forever?
Available at:
Passion for Vengeance by Patty G. Henderson
It’s been a long time since Jane Havens, Mistress of Havenswood, felt the joy and promise of by-gone days when her family home, Havenswood, was a thriving and powerful farming estate. Together with her elder brother Cole, who drowns his sorrow in alcohol, Jane does what she can to lead the fading estate through the hard times that fell upon the family after their father, a Union Army Colonel, died shortly after the Civil War.
Jane and Cole try to raise their little brother, Henry, a wild young boy with no direction, no manners and no one to marshal his considerable natural abilities into a productive, young gentleman. But when his new governess, Emma Stiles, arrives, the whole household goes into shock as Henry shapes up, Cole doubles down on the amount of drink he consumes to drown his failures, and Jane Havens falls madly in love with her little brother’s governess. Then the trouble begins.
Accidents begin to happen to the residents of Havenswood—incidents that increase in seriousness and danger. Some within the household point fingers at Emma Stiles. Jane will not believe her new lover has anything to do with the terrifying accidents until a chance visit by a new doctor in town raises the specter that Emma Stiles may not be quite who she seems. As the reality of Emma’s tortured soul descends upon Havenswood and Jane, it is clear that the demons of vengeance can only be saved by love and forgiveness. Or is it too late for forgiveness and too late for love?
Set in the tumultuous decade after the Civil War, PASSION FOR VENGEANCE is a Gothic Romance tale of betrayal, revenge, love and forgiveness.
Available at:
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know what book you’ll be reading for the “award-winning sapphic book” category!
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The post Award-winning sapphic book (Sapphic Book Bingo #2) appeared first on Jae.
January 13, 2022
Second generation LGBTQIA (Book Unicorn #1)
Welcome to the first Book Unicorn post of the Sapphic Book Bingo!
What is the Book Unicorn?
A quick reminder: The Book Unicorn bingo card is an additional bingo card that you can tackle in addition to the regular bingo card or by itself. The goal is to read one book for each of the 12 squares of the Book Unicorn card. Each square represents a harder-to-find theme.
I’ll post book suggestions for one Book Unicorn category each month.
Download your Book Unicorn bingo card
If you haven’t done so already, download your Book Unicorn bingo card here. The PDF is clickable, so you can fill in the titles of the books you read on your computer, or you can print it out and fill it in by hand.
Make the Sapphic Book Bingo more interesting!
If you’d like to get more book suggestions, talk about the books you are reading, and chat with other readers participating in the Sapphic Book Bingo, join either my Facebook group for readers or the Goodreads group for the Sapphic Book Bingo.
The first Book Unicorn category: Second generation LGBTQIA
For the first Book Unicorn category, I’d like you to read a book with two generations of LGBT+ characters. For example, the protagonist could be a women-loving woman who has a gay father, a bisexual mother, a lesbian aunt, or a trans child.
15 books with two generations of LGBT+ characters
Here are my 15 book recommendations for the “second generation LGBTQIA” category:
Hidden Truths by Jae
“Luke” Hamilton has been living as a husband and father for the past seventeen years. No one but her wife, Nora, knows she is not the man she appears to be. They have raised their daughters to become honest and hard-working young women, but even with their loving foundation, Amy and Nattie are hiding their own secrets.
Just as Luke sets out on a dangerous trip to Fort Boise, a newcomer arrives on the ranch—Rika Aaldenberg, who traveled to Oregon as a mail-order bride, hiding that she’s not the woman in the letters. When hidden truths are revealed, will their lives and their family fall apart or will love keep them together?
Available at:
Safe Harbor by Radclyffe
A mysterious newcomer, a reclusive doctor, and a troubled gay teenager learn about love, friendship, and trust during one tumultuous summer in Provincetown. Reese Conlon, LtCol USMCR, is the new sheriff who has heads turning amidst speculation as to who will be the first woman to capture her attentions. Doctor Victoria King has been betrayed by love once and refuses to risk heartbreak again. Brianna Parker, the teenaged daughter of Reese’s chief, fears her father’s wrath when he learns that she loves another girl. As these three women struggle to live and love in freedom, they risk their hearts and souls to give one another a Safe Harbor.
Available at:
On the Square by Brenda Murphy
Dropped from her television show after a very public split with her cheating ex, celebrity chef Mai Li wants nothing more than to reopen her parents’ shuttered restaurant and make a fresh start in her former hometown. So what if twenty years of neglect has left the building in need of a major renovation?
Seduced by Mai’s charm and determination, hard-edged contractor Dale Miller agrees to take on her renovation project.
After a spring storm causes significant damage to the building and renovation costs exceed Mai’s budget, Dale offers her a deal, but is it a price Mai is willing to pay?
Available at:
Confidence (Demands #3) by Emily Alter
For a relationship to work, it is not just love which is demanded. Confidence is, too.
Alexis is starting her first job. As someone who’s always been shielded, and unlucky with partners that considered her too subdued, or even boring (that last comment, especially, would always sting the most), she doesn’t really know what to expect when she first meets a captivating, and seemingly self-assured waitress.
Sierra is a struggling artist who comes from a problematic household. With her father in prison, she is soon forced to gain independence. Working at a bakery with two owners who treat her like they would their own daughter, she can start to regain her sense of security. It’s hard, though, when miscommunication and doubt get in the way.
Available at:
Blitzen’s Second Chance by Delilah Night
Happiness could be nice…unless a naughty villain gets his wish.
Percy (Zen):
I’m supposed to take time off after Christmas to restore my magic. But I’m not moving from my computer until I find the madman who hacked my pride and joy: the Naughty-or-Nice database. A villain who’s still on the loose.
Rudolph puts her hoof down and orders me to take a vacation. Relax? Not a chance. Then I meet a lovely human woman at Boston Comic-Con whose voice wraps around me like warm honey. The Con Gods must be playing a joke on me, though. Scarlett hates Christmas.
Scarlett:
Ah, Comic-Con. Nerdy girls to lust after as far as the eye can see. I never expected to meet a woman like Zen, who fits me like my perfectly designed cosplay…except she still believes in Santa. Crazy, right?
It’s hard to get serious when I’m still stitching together my too-many-times broken heart. But if I walk away from her, I have a feeling I’ll lose the kind of creature you meet only once in a lifetime…
Available at:
Chef’s Kiss by Stephanie Shea
Valentina Rosas has always known what she wants. Mostly. Sort of. At least, she does now. And what she wants is the coveted staging role at Gia, San Francisco. With four years at the top of her class in culinary school and enough tenacity to fuel the entire Mission, no one doubts she is about to land the job of her dreams—including the three-person cheer squad made up of her best friend and adorably overbearing parents.
Renowned chef Jenn Coleman is not a people person. Her rise to the top of the culinary industry stems from a cultivated blend of top-tier schooling—from her nonna—and bouts of carefully managed misanthropy. Owning and operating two Michelin starred restaurants doesn’t leave time for much else anyway. Just ask her ex.
When the new stage at her restaurant trips into her with all the grace of a baby giraffe, it’s a sure recipe for disaster. But for all of Jenn’s reserve, Valentina has twice the allure, and the chemistry between them is just… chef’s kiss.
If only Jenn wasn’t Valentina’s boss with nearly ten years between them.
Available at:
Investigating Helen by Benna Bos
Dr. Helen Nims is hauled into the police station when her new girlfriend is found murdered. Terrified and confused, she finds comfort from a stranger. But when that stranger turns out to be a crime reporter, Helen has to decide if she can be trusted or if confiding in the stunning podcaster will pull Helen deeper into suspicion.
Agnes Coates loves reporting on true crime. But it hits a little close to home when her first crush from high school is found dead in a bathtub. A gorgeous surgeon is tangled up in the police dragnet as they search for the killer, and Agnes must navigate her own feelings as she digs into the mystery and seeks out the truth.
With so much to lose, Agnes and Helen will walk the line between kisses and crime.
Available at:
Her Wolf in the Wild by Rien Gray
Christiana Arjean needs to get out. She tried to fix her relationship, but making a break for it is her only shot. She almost doesn’t make it, until a butch biker with a shock of white hair tosses Christiana on the back of her bike. Micah is as mysterious as she is attractive, and Christiana wants to know what’s under that tough exterior.
Micah Nubilo knows a little bit about keeping secrets. Rescuing Christiana is a bad idea, and letting her hang around is even worse. But there’s something calling to Micah: an impossible bond no werewolf should ever feel for a human, even one as beautiful as Christiana.
Their growing intimacy is threatened when they realize their pasts are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Christiana and Micah must fight against threats both outside the pack and inside themselves for a chance at putting it all behind them and finding a way forward—together.
Available at:
Highland Whirl by Anna Larner
When city girl about town Roxanne Barns reluctantly accepts a holiday invite to her best friend Eve’s birthday party in the Scottish Highlands, the last thing she expects is to fall for the very person she’s been dreading seeing again—the feisty Highlander, Alice Campbell.
The moment Alice learns that Roxanne is visiting her home hamlet of Newland, she couldn’t be more suspicious or defensive. A warm welcome is certainly not the plan, let alone falling in love.
Despite Eve’s warnings that Roxanne is not relationship material, Alice can’t ignore her growing attraction. She absolutely trusts Eve’s judgment, but taking her advice just might break Alice’s heart.
Highland Whirl reunites readers with the characters and landscape of Highland Fling in an emotionally enthralling story of trust, friendship, family, and love.
Available at:
Humbug by Amanda Radley
Ellie Pearce adores Christmas so much she celebrates all year round, earning herself the nickname Christmas Girl. If only she liked her job as much as eggnog lattes and mistletoe. Stuck as a marketing analyst for London-based recruitment company Caldwell & Atkinson, Ellie is desperate for a career change but afraid to take a chance.
CEO Rosalind Caldwell needs a new personal assistant after the last one quit, putting the extremely important corporate Christmas party in jeopardy. Christmas Girl is just the holiday miracle Rosalind needs, and Ellie is quickly promoted to the top floor of the Canary Wharf skyscraper.
Ellie isn’t a PA, has never planned a party in her life, and is terrified of heights. If things weren’t bad enough, she then goes and develops a ridiculous crush on her totally intimidating new boss. With the festive season fast approaching, what could possibly go wrong?
Available at:
An Alaskan Wedding by Nance Sparks
Andrea Daniels’s life is over-flowingly full. She puts every ounce of energy she has into being a mom to her two daughters and her work as a registered nurse. When her best friend, Sara, asks her to be her maid of honor at her wedding in Fairbanks, Alaska, Andrea accepts. A week off from work and an adults-only trip filled with relaxation and scenic tours sounds amazing.
Wedding photographer Riley Canon can pick and choose her clients, so when she’s asked to shoot a wedding in a remote lodge in Alaska, she jumps at the opportunity for a trip of a lifetime. It’s been on her bucket list for years.
The last thing either Andrea or Riley expects is to bump into the one who broke her heart fifteen years ago, but when they meet at the welcome party, their feelings come rushing back. Trusting each other again might be impossible, but if they can overcome the hurt from the past, they just might get a second chance at love.
Available at:
Shadows of Steel by Suzie Clarke
All Rachel and Claire want is a peaceful life together, but danger strikes, threatening to shatter their hopes and dreams, putting their hearts, and their lives in jeopardy. Eshee Yumiko, head of SeaBridge, seeks revenge for the damage Rachel’s computer program trigger has caused, vowing to get even, no matter what it takes. Derrick refuses to accept Claire’s relationship with Rachel and her continued rejection of his advances. His escalating fixation on her slowly turns into a deadly obsession no one sees coming.
Available at:
Guardian by Jen Lawrence
Every Guardian was born a warrior with powerful magic and a soulmate to complete her. All except for Luna, it seemed, who despite having mastered her craft, continued her fight in solitude. She was an enigma in their society—alone for far longer than any Guardian before her. Still, Luna remained hopeful that one day her soulmate would find her, and all the tender yearning would have been worth it.
Then Gia stumbles into her life. Gia—who lives a Human life, in Human glamour, with a Human fiancé.
Now Luna finds herself questioning everything that she—and the Guardians—have believed in for millennia.
“Love isn’t always enough.” Luna had always understood the words, but she had never actually believed them.
Available at:
The Touch of a Woman by KG MacGregor
A workplace rampage leaves Ellis Rowanbury grieving her husband of twenty-six years and feeling more adrift than she ever thought possible. Her finances in shambles, she gratefully accepts a junior-level job at a magazine in Sacramento and wills herself to move on.
Summer Winslow has pieces of her own to pick up, pieces that were scattered when her partner began drinking again. Fighting pressure from all directions to patch things up, she finds a welcome break from the drama in Ellis, her mysterious new neighbor. Happy to have a friend on her side, Summer is caught off-guard when her feelings for Ellis take a romantic turn.
With the tragedy fading behind her, Ellis too entertains the possibility of romance. A handsome coworker is eager to fill the void in her heart, and it’s clear he can give her a life much like the one she lost. Only now she’s paralyzed by a stunning discovery—she’s fallen for a woman.
Available at:
Country Living by Jen Silver
When Peri Sanderson achieves her dream of moving from London to a cottage in the English countryside, she expects her domestic bliss will be complete when her wife, Karla, leaves her London job to join her. Peri sees their future together as growing vegetables, tending some chickens, and chatting with the locals by a roaring log fire in a quaint village pub.
Sexy urbanite, Karla, has other ideas and they don’t include a move to the countryside.
Secrets are everywhere. Peri quickly senses something not quite right among her rural neighbours, and Karla is not quite the worldly wise woman-about-town that she thinks she is.
Temptation, betrayal and intrigue combine to change the lives of both women beyond anything they could have imagined.
Available at:
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know whether you are tackling the Book Unicorn card or not. If you are, which book will you be reading for the “second generation LGBTQIA” category?
Subscribe to this blog to get future Sapphic Book Bingo posts
If you’d like to get all future Sapphic Book Bingo posts sent to your in-box, subscribe to my blog.
Happy reading!
Jae
The post Second generation LGBTQIA (Book Unicorn #1) appeared first on Jae.
January 1, 2022
Sapphic Book Bingo 2022
Happy New Year and welcome to the Sapphic Book Bingo 2022!
Since my previous reading challenges (the Sapphic Reading Challenge in 2021, the F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge in 2020, and the Lesbian Book Bingo in 2018) were so popular with readers, I decided to host a new reading challenge in 2022. I hope it will keep you reading all year and help you find new favorite books and authors!
What is the Sapphic Book Bingo?
The Sapphic Book Bingo is a fun, year-long event for readers of sapphic fiction. It runs from January 1 to December 31, 2022. You can join any time you want.
Why is it called Sapphic Book Bingo?
In case you aren’t familiar with the term sapphic: It comes from the Greek poet Sappho, who wrote about love and passion between women.
During the past few years, I’ve come to use sapphic rather than F/F or lesbian when I’m talking about our genre because it’s more inclusive.
Lesbian is a perfectly fine word, but not every book with a love story between two women is a lesbian romance. Some of the characters in these stories are bisexual, pansexual, or homoromantic asexual women, or they prefer the label queer–or no label at all.
The term sapphic includes any woman who’s attracted to women, but unlike the term WLW (women-loving women), it also includes nonbinary people and intersex people who identify as sapphic (not all nonbinary or intersex people do).
The rules of the Sapphic Book BingoThe reading challenge will run from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. You can join at any time. No registration necessary—just start reading!The goal is to fill out the entire bingo card by reading one book for each square. If reading 25 sapphic books in 2022 sounds too ambitious, you can also aim for completing just one line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) of the bingo card (5 books).Below, you’ll find two bingo cards to choose from: a regular bingo card with 25 squares and a Book Unicorn card with 12 harder-to-find categories. You can pick the regular card or the Book Unicorn card or try to complete both—totally up to you.Each book needs to have at least one sapphic main character (see above for the definition of sapphic).Each book may be used only once per card, even if it fits several different squares.I’ll post book recommendations for a different square on my blog three to four times a month. You can either pick a book from my recommended reading lists or choose any other sapphic book that fits the square.Only books you started and finished in 2022 count.Books can be any format—ebook, paperback, or audiobook.It doesn’t necessarily have to be a novel. Novellas (usually around 17,500-40,000 words) count too, as do anthologies and graphic novels.Not all books you read for the Sapphic Book Bingo need to be new-to-you. Re-reads of books you’ve previously read count too.Email me your filled-out bingo card by December 31, 2022 at 10 am German time, to be entered into the drawing (see below for the prizes you can win).If you are a voracious reader who reads hundreds of books a year, feel free to send in several bingo cards. You’ll get one entry into the giveaway for each card.
The prizes
The real prize, of course, is discovering a lot of awesome books and new favorite authors.
But there’ll also be a big giveaway at the end of the year. Everyone who sends in their bingo card with at least one complete line will be entered into the drawing.
There will be 15 winners:
I’ll draw 5 winners among those readers who send in a bingo card with one complete line. Each of these winners wins 1 ebook.I’ll draw 5 winners among those readers who send in a completed Book Unicorn card. Each of these winners wins 2 ebooks.I’ll draw 5 winners among those readers who send in a complete bingo card, with all 25 squares filled out. Each of these winners wins a bundle of 5 books—a mix of paperbacks and ebooks or all ebooks (winner’s choice).
Email me your filled-in bingo card—either the filled-in PDF you can download below or a screenshot/photo of it—by December 31. I’ll draw the winners on December 31, 2022, at 10 a.m. Central European Time, using a random numbers generator.
The regular Sapphic Book Bingo card
Here are the 25 categories for the main bingo card. I’ll post a new recommended-reading list three times a month on Thursdays. I put together a mix of popular tropes and topics as well as categories that’ll push you to try new books and diversify your reading. I encourage you to read diversely, from a wide spectrum of authors and genres.
You can download a PDF of the regular bingo card here. Fill it in with the titles of the sapphic books you read in 2022. You can either type in the PDF or print it out and fill it in by hand.
The categories for the regular Sapphic Book Bingo card:Favorite trope: Read a sapphic book that contains your favorite romance trope. A trope is a common theme, plot, or character type, e.g., ice queen character, second-chance romance, workplace romance, friends-to-lovers romance, etc.Award-winning book: Read a sapphic book that won a literary award such as a Golden Crown Literary Society Award (Goldie), a Rainbow Award, a Lambda Literary Award, or any other award.Disaster: Read a sapphic book in which a natural or man-made disaster plays an important role, e.g., an earthquake, a hurricane, a plane crash, etc.Sports romance: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who’s an athlete or otherwise involved in a sport, e.g., a coach, physical therapist, etc. The sports setting needs to be essential to the book, not just be mentioned in passing a couple of times.Author’s pick: Choose an author and have them suggest one of their books to you. If you are too shy to email an author and ask, wait until I post my list of 175 authors and the books they want you to read.Full-time writer: Read a sapphic book by an author who writes full-time.Established couple: Read a sapphic book that features an established couple—the characters already need to be together at the beginning of the book.Fake relationship romance: Read a sapphic book in which the two main characters pretend to be in a relationship with each other.Free book: Traditionally, this is the “free choice” square, but I thought I’d spice it up by having you read a book that you got for free. Many authors have a free story for you to download on their website (you’ll find mine here) or send one to readers who sign up to their newsletter. I’ll post a huge list of free books for you to download in April.Out of your comfort zone: Read a sapphic book that is a bit—or a lot—out of your reading comfort zone. It could be a genre or trope you don’t usually read, or you could try a new format, e.g., an audiobook if you don’t usually listen to them.Meet-cute: Read a sapphic book in which the two main characters share a first meeting that is cute, hilarious, or unusual. Often, it’s a misunderstanding or an awkward situation, e.g., one character spills coffee on the other.Newbie author: Read a sapphic book by an author who has published no more than two novel-length books.Unusual job: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character with an unusual job.POC character: Read a sapphic book featuring a protagonist who’s a person of color, written by a POC author.Sapphic classic: Read a sapphic classic—one of the trailblazing books published in the 20th century or before, at a time when most mainstream publishers wouldn’t publish LGBT+ literature and sapphic characters often didn’t get a happy ending. Look for a book first published before 2000.Coming-out story: Read a sapphic book in which the main character comes out as LGBT+ (to themselves and/or to others) during the course of the book.Different sexual orientation or gender identity: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from your own. For example, if you are cis, pick a book about a trans or nonbinary character; if you are a lesbian, pick a book about a bisexual, pansexual, or asexual character, etc.Non-human character: Pick a sapphic book about a main character who is not human, e.g., alien, vampire, werewolf, shape-shifter, etc.Character with a disability: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who has a physical disability, a chronic illness, or a mental disorder.Erotica or erotic romance: Read a steamy sapphic book.Non-US/UK setting: Read a sapphic book that is set in a country other than the US or the UK.Not a romance: Read a sapphic book that is not a romance. It can have a romance subplot, but the romance shouldn’t be the main plot.Butch character: Read a sapphic book featuring a butch main character.Romantic comedy: Read a sapphic romcom—a light-hearted, humorous romance that is guaranteed to make you laugh.Bet or a dare: Read a sapphic book that involves a dare or a bet.
The Book Unicorn bingo card:
As in last year’s Sapphic Reading Challenge, the Book Unicorn represents harder-to-find themes and categories. So if you’d like to challenge yourself, you can try to complete the Book Unicorn bingo card.
I’ll post a recommended-reads list for one category of the Book Unicorn card once a month, starting with “second generation” on January 13.
As you can see, the Book Unicorn card isn’t a 5×5 grid. The squares form a U for Unicorn.
You can download a PDF of the Book Unicorn bingo card here. You can either type in the PDF or print it out and fill it in by hand.
The categories for the Book Unicorn bingo card:Second generation: Read a book with two generations of LGBT+ characters, e.g., the sapphic protagonist has a parent or a child who is LGBT+ too.Therapy: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who is in psychotherapy—as the patient, not the therapist.Faith: Read a sapphic book in which faith or religion plays an important role. It could be any religion, not just Christianity.Historical event: Read a sapphic book that is based on a historical event. It could be a historical novel based on a specific event or a more contemporary book that contains an important event that happened in more recent years.Safer sex: Read a sapphic book in which the characters practice safer sex, e.g., they get tested for STDs before sleeping together, talk about safer sex, use dental dams or condom-covered sex toys, etc.Character over 50: Read a sapphic book with at least one main character who is over 50.400+ pages: Read a sapphic book with more than 400 pages. If you know the word count, which is more accurate than page numbers, pick a book with more than 130,000 words. For audiobooks, pick one that is at least 13 hours long.Book mention: Read a sapphic book that mentions another sapphic book or a sapphic book that is mentioned in another sapphic book. For example, the characters are mentioned to be reading a sapphic book, or they have it on their bookshelf.BDSM elements: Read a sapphic book that contains elements of BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism). BDSM encompasses an entire spectrum of activities, from blindfolds and light restraint to flogging and more restrictive bondage, etc., so pick whatever you prefer.More than two POVs: Read a sapphic book that is told from more than two points of view. Not just the main characters, but also at least one supporting character gets their own POV.Period: Read a sapphic book that mentions the main character having her period.Twins: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who is a twin. They can be maternal or fraternal twins.
Don’t miss the first square of the Sapphic Book Bingo
I’ll post the book recommendations for the first category of the Sapphic Book Bingo on Thursday, January 6. We’ll start with “favorite romance trope” for which I will share recommended reads for popular tropes such as ice queen characters, age-gap romance, fake relationship romance, etc.
To make sure you don’t miss it, subscribe to my blog, and I’ll send the post to your in-box!
Need more book recommendations to fill your bingo card?
If you are on Facebook and want book recommendations from other readers to fill your bingo card—or you just want to chat about the books you love, feel free to join my Facebook group for readers. It’s a private group, so only members can see who’s in it and what we are discussing.
If you prefer Goodreads over Facebook, I also set up a Goodreads group for the Sapphic Book Bingo. I’m still in the process of adding folders and categories, but it should be all set up by tomorrow.
Leave a comment
Please leave a comment below and let us know which bingo card you will pick for this year’s reading challenge. Are you aiming to complete the 25 squares of the regular bingo card? Just one line? Or will you take on the Book Unicorn card?
The post Sapphic Book Bingo 2022 appeared first on Jae.
December 31, 2021
Sapphic Reading Challenge 2021 – Stats, winners & most-read books
I can’t believe the Sapphic Reading Challenge 2021 is already over!
I would say it was a big success. I got so much feedback from readers who said they read more than ever before and found a lot of new favorite books and authors through the reading challenge. Best of all, many tried books they otherwise wouldn’t have picked up and were surprised at how much they enjoyed them.
Running a year-long reading challenge is also a huge endeavor. Putting together 62 book lists, with a total of 982 books, was a lot of work, and I couldn’t have done it alone. A big thank-you to Erin, who helped me look up all the blurbs and links, and to fellow author Donna Jay, who helped me run the Sapphic Reading Challenge Goodreads group.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank all of the readers who participated and enthusiastically talked about the books they found and loved; the authors who donated books for the giveaway, and everyone who helped promote and spread the word about the Sapphic Reading Challenge.
Sapphic Reading Challenge 2021 stats
Since I’m not just a words woman, but also a numbers gal, here are some interesting stats about the Sapphic Reading Challenge 2021:
777 readers participated in the Sapphic Reading Challenge and sent in their book lists. I know there were more readers following each Sapphic Reading Challenge posts and using the suggested reading lists to find books for their to-be-read list, and that’s totally okay too, but I only counted those who officially sent in their reading lists.A total of 64,275 sapphic books were read for the Sapphic Reading Challenge! Most likely, it was more than that, but that’s the official count from the book lists that were sent in.48% of participating readers earned a Book Dragon level 2 (affectionately called the “Double Dragon”), which means they read at least 100 sapphic books in 2021. 31% accomplished a Book Dragon level 1 badge, which represents 50 sapphic books read in 2021. 11% completed the Book Bear badge (30 sapphic books), and 8% achieved a Book Squirrel (20 sapphic books). 3% ended the year with a Book Penguin badge (10 sapphic books read in 2021).
And the winners of the Sapphic Reading Challenge book giveaway are…
Using a random number generator, I drew six winners—one for each level. Each of them wins a book bundle of either 10 signed paperbacks or 10 ebooks or a mix of ebooks & paperbacks (winner’s choice).
The winners are:
Paige R.TannazElizabeth B.MirielenDeclan S.Lyn
Congratulations! If you are one of the winners, keep an eye on your in-box. I’ll email you tomorrow to arrange the delivery of your book prizes.
THE MOST-READ BOOKS FOR THE SAPPHIC READING CHALLENGE
It was very interesting to take a look at the book lists as they came in and see what books readers were reading for each category. I decided to put together a list of “most-read books” for each category and share them with you in case you want to stock up your to-be-read list (as I did). After all, so many avid readers can’t be wrong!
For some categories such as “recommended by a friend” or “re-read a favorite book,” nearly every reader seemed to have read a different book, and it took until the end of the year before I could clearly determine the most-read books for these categories. To me, that proves how vast our genre is by now. There are so many sapphic books available, with more being published each month, that there is one for every taste, and that’s wonderful to see!
In other categories such as “ice queen character,” “age-gap romance,” or “enemies-to-lovers romance,” many readers were drawn to the same books. Some categories had two or three clear winners, while others had about a dozen that were in a tight race for “most-read book.”
Here are the 5 books for each category of the Sapphic Reading Challenge:
Enemies-to-lovers romance: Heart Failure by Chris ZettPaper Love by JaeBet Against Me by Fiona RileyHotel Queens by Lee WinterNight Tide by Anna Burke TIED WITH Falling Slowly by Lila Bruce
Character with an everyday job: Wrong Number, Right Woman by JaeWhen You Least Expect It by Haley CassContract for Love by Alison GreyUp on the Roof by A.L. BrooksHeart Trouble by Jae
Return to hometown: Perfect Rhythm by JaeThe Long Way Home by Rachel SpanglerYou Again by Aurora ReyBehind the Pine Curtain by Gerri HillIn the Black by Luci Dreamer
Character is a journalist or reporter: The Red Files by Lee WinterThe Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKayThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidThe Miracle Girl by T.B. MarkinsonClichéd Love by Lynn Galli TIED WITH Under Your Skin by Lee Winter AND The Brutal Truth by Lee Winter
From The Lesbian Review’s “Best of the Best” list: Wrong Number, Right Woman by JaeFinding Jessica Lambert by Clare AshtonSpindrift by Anna BurkeDare to Love by A.L. BrooksBefore You Say I Do by Clare Lydon TIED WITH The Headmistress by Milena McKay AND Gillette Park by Gerri Hill
Only one bed: Alone by EJ NoyesAnyone But Her by Erica LeeJust for Show by JaeAll the Reasons I Need by Jaime ClevengerMutual Benefits by HP Munro
Character with a disability or mental illness: Just Physical by JaeWounded Souls by RJ NolanAsk Me Again by EJ NoyesThe Roommate Arrangement by JaeMending Defects by Lynn Galli
Character is a book lover: Good Enough to Eat by Jae & Alison GreyMust Love Silence by Lucy BexleySunsets and Shades by Erica LeeGive In to Me by Elle SpencerThe Secret Poet by Georgia Beers
One-night stand to forever: Turbulence by EJ NoyesThursday Afternoons by Tracey RichardsonJust Physical by JaeNo Strings by Gerri HillIn Her Arms by Melissa Tereze
Speculative fiction: Reaping the Benefits by EJ NoyesSecond Nature by JaeGood Enough to Eat by Jae & Alison GreyShattered by Lee WinterWild by Meghan O’Brien
Ice queen character: Hotel Queens by Lee WinterThe Brutal Truth by Lee WinterIce Queen by Gun BrookeHeart of Ice by T.B. MarkinsonThe X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair
Neurodiverse character: Two Hearts Alone by Harper BlissWorthy of Love by Quinn IvinsLeaving’s Not the Only Way to Go by Kay AckerThe Words Shimmer by Jenn MatthewsFitting In by Amanda Radley
Longer book: Those Who Wait by Haley CassDamage Control by JaeAurora’s Angel by Emily NoonJericho by Ann McManAll the Little Moments by G Benson
Character is a medical professional: Who’d Have Thought by G BensonAsk, Tell by EJ NoyesUnrivaled by RadclyffeA. Metro by RJ NolanOne More Chance by Ali Vali TIED WITH Falling Hard by Jae AND Passion’s Bright Fury by Radclyffe
Genre you don’t usually read: Good Enough to Eat by Jae & Alison GreyDead Lez Walking by G BensonTipping the Velvet by Sarah WatersOf Iron and Gold by Lexa LuthorSecond Nature by Jae
Grumpy & sunshine: Written in the Stars by Alexandria BellefleurThe Roommate Arrangement by JaeHunter’s Way by Gerri HillGulf Breeze by Gerri HillUnder a Falling Star by Jae
Character is a teacher or professor: Chemistry Lessons by JaeComing Home by KJThe Love Factor by Quinn IvinsBeowulf for Cretins by Ann McManEverything We Never Wanted by Sienna Waters
Coming out later in life: Wild Things by Karin KallmakerDare to Love by A.L. BrooksBreaking Character by Lee Winter TIED WITH About That Kiss by Harper BlissIf the Shoe Fits by EJ NoyesJust Jorie by Robin Alexander TIED WITH Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae
Historical fiction / historical romance: Backwards to Oregon by JaeHidden Truths by JaeShaken to the Core by JaeThe Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia WaiteKicker’s Journey by Lois Cloarec Hart TIED WITH A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian
Nerdy/geeky character: Paper Love by JaeJust My Type by Lucy Bexley & Bryce OakleyThe Scent of Rome by Lise GoldInfinite Loop by Meghan O’BrienThe Love Factor by Quinn Ivins
Age gap romance: If You Kiss Me Like That by Harper Bliss Middleton by Melissa Tereze TIED WITH The Brutal Truth by Lee WinterNever Say Never by Rachael SommersDetour to Love by Amanda RadleyAt Your Most Beautiful by Harper Bliss TIED WITH Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner AND Coming Home by KJ
Character of a different ethnicity, culture, or race than you: Dear Taylor by Eija JimenezI Can’t Think Straight by Shamim Sarif TIED WITH Femme Like Her by Fiona ZeddeThe Power of Mercy by Fiona ZeddeHoney Girl by Morgan RogersBig Girl Pill by KD Williamson TIED WITH Prize Money by Celeste Castro
Recommended by a friend: The Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKayThrust by Rachel SpanglerAnd Playing the Role of Herself by KE LaneWhen You Least Expect It by Haley CassThe Headmistress by Milena McKay TIED WITH Middleton by Melissa Tereze AND About That Kiss by Harper Bliss
Character is a musician: Perfect Rhythm by JaeRequiem for Immortals by Lee WinterIrregular Heartbeat by Chris ZettLove’s Falling Star by B.D. GraysonForbidden Melody by Maggie Robbins
Your favorite author’s favorite book: And Playing the Role of Herself by KE LaneThe Lily and the Crown by Roslyn SinclairAsk, Tell by EJ NoyesJericho by Ann McManAlone by EJ Noyes TIED WITH Wild by Meghan O’Brien
Character was adopted/in foster care: When Sparks Fly by Kristen ZimmerKiss the Girl by Melissa BraydenHeart Trouble by JaeChanging the Script by Lee WinterPopcorn Love by KL Hughes TIED WITH All That Matters by Susan X Meagher
Shy or socially awkward character: Must Love Silence by Lucy BexleyWrong Number, Right Woman by JaeSomething in the Wine by JaePitifully Ugly by Robin AlexanderThe Lily and the Crown by Roslyn Sinclair TIED WITH The Love Project by T.B. Markinson & Miranda MacLeod
Character rocks a power suit: If the Shoe Fits by EJ NoyesHotel Queens by Lee WinterNext of Kin by JaeThe Brutal Truth by Lee Winter TIED WITH Never Say Never by Rachael SommersHopeless Romantic by Georgia Beers TIED WITH Too Close to Touch by Georgia Beers
Book starts with the first day of a new job: Under a Falling Star by JaeThe Bartender’s Pride by TJ DallasIrregular Heartbeat by Chris Zett46 by Lynn AmesTurbulence by EJ Noyes
Mystery: A Curious Woman by Jess LeaGallows Humour by Carolyn ElizabethRed Tide at Heron Bay by Gerri HillThe Red Files by Lee WinterAmateur City by Katherine V. Forrest TIED WITH Payback by Charlotte Mills AND Gillette Park by Gerri Hill
Friends-to-lovers romance: Chemistry Lessons by JaeJust Three Words by Melissa BraydenAlways Alex by Robin AlexanderThe Thing About Tilly by G BensonThe Goodmans by Clare Ashton TIED WITH Snow Globe by Georgia Beers
Body-positive book: Just for Show by JaeWrong Number, Right Woman by JaeFinding Home by Jamey MoodyMind Games by Cara MaloneA Curious Woman by Jess Lea TIED WITH Body Language by Renee Roman
Disguised or living as a man: Backwards to Oregon by JaeHeart of Gold by L. DreamerHidden Truths by JaeNottingham by Anna BurkeCrossing the Wide Forever by Missouri Vaun TIED WITH The Devil Between Us by S.C. Wilson
Character works in the food industry: Not the Marrying Kind by JaeA Taste of Love by Clare LydonTable for Two by Kate GavinThe Secret Ingredient by KD Fisher TIED WITH Scent by Kris BryantRecipe for Love by Aurora Rey TIED WTH How Sweet It Is by Melissa Brayden
Re-read a favorite: Ask, Tell by EJ NoyesThe Brutal Truth by Lee WinterWho’d Have Thought by G BensonBackwards to Oregon by JaePopcorn Love by KL Hughes TIED WITH When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass
Road trip: The Road Ahead by Amanda RadleyHairpin Curves by Elia Winters44 Hours by Donna JayInfinite Loop by Meghan O’BrienJust Jorie by Robin Alexander
Bisexual or pansexual character: Strawberry Summer by Melissa BraydenThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidNot the Marrying Kind Love by JaeWho’d Have Thought by G Benson TIED WITH 16 Steps to Forever by Georgia BeersGet It Right by Skye Kilaen
Animal on the cover: Pas de Deux by EJ NoyesRun to You by Georgia BeersSecond Nature by JaePuppy Love by Cara MaloneThe Adventurers by Bryce Oakley
Girl-next-door character: Breaking Character by Lee Winter16 Steps to Forever by Georgia BeersNot the Marrying Kind by JaeConflict of Interest by JaeFalling Hard by Jae TIED WITH The Flaw in Our Design by Monica McCallan AND Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton
Adventure in nature: The Stars at Night by Gerri Hill44 Hours by Donna JayRock and a Hard Place by Andrea BramhallDesolation Point by Cari Hunter TIED WITH The Adventurers by Bryce OakleyAll at Sea by Cheyenne Blue TIED WITH The Island Between Us by Wendy Hudson
Mistaken identity: Mistaken Identity by Donna JayScent by Kris BryantWrong Number, Right Woman by JaeDeparture from the Script by JaeTelling Lies Online by Miranda MacLeod TIED WITH Under a Falling Star by Jae
Set in a country you don’t live in: Paper Love by JaeModern English by Rachel SpanglerChanging the Script by Lee WinterNot-So-Straight Sue by Cheyenne BlueComing Home by KJ TIED WITH I Can’t Think Straight by Shamim Sarif
Part of a series: Conflict of Interest by JaeThe Devil Incarnate by Ali ValiDeparture from the Script by JaeFrench Kissing: Season One by Harper BlissNorthern Vows by Lise Gold
Character is a business owner: Hopeless Romantic by Georgia BeersNot the Marrying Kind by Jae TIED WITH Scent by Kris BryantTwice in a Lifetime by Clare LydonBreaking Routine by Melissa TerezeReady or Not by Melissa Brayden
New-to-you author: Sprinkled in the Stars by Violet MorleyThe Delicate Things We Make by Milena McKayComing Home by KJWritten in the Stars by Alexandria BellefleurThe Fifth Surgeon by Faith Prize TIED WITH 44 Hours by Donna Jay AND Never Say Never by Rachael Sommers
Set in the 20th century: The Love Factor by Quinn IvinsShaken to the Core by JaeThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidThe Beginning of Everything by Cara MaloneLast Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Character who isn’t “Hollywood beautiful”: Wrong Number, Right Woman by JaeDamage Control by JaeEverything Between Us by Harper BlissJust for Show by JaeThe Shape of You by Georgia Beers
Character works in STEM: Love by the Numbers by Karin KallmakerChemistry Lessons by JaeUnlikely Match by Fiona RileyThe Love Factor by Quinn Ivins TIED WITH Honey Girl by Morgan RogersBreakthrough by Terri Cutshall TIED WITH Remember Me, Synthetica by K. Aten
Forced proximity: 13 Hours by Meghan O’BrienSnow Falls by Gerri HillAlone by EJ NoyesLost in Paradise by Rachel Lacey TIED WITH Accidental Honeymoon by Miranda MacLeod44 Hours by Donna Jay TIED WITH Protecting the Lady by Amanda Radley
Anthology, short story collection, novella: Sliced Ice by Lee WinterGlimpses by Jae, Lee Winter, Lola Keeley, A.L. Brooks, Cheyenne Blue, Fiona Zedde, Chris Zett & Quinn IvinsBeyond the Trail by JaeHappily Ever After by JaeAfter Happily Ever After by Astrid Ohletz & Alex K. Thorne
The most-read books for the Book Unicorn level:
Butch/butch pairing: Life Rewired by Lynn GalliNight Call by RadclyffeShattered by Lee WinterDesperate Times by Hildred BillingsTake a Chance by D. Jackson Leigh
Time travel: One Last Stop by Casey McQuistonKiss Me Every Day by Dena BlakeThis Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max GladstoneGift of Time by Robin AlexanderThe Sea Within by Missouri Vaun TIED WITH The Time Slip Girl by Elizabeth Andre
Character over 40: One Golden Summer by Clare Lydon & T.B. MarkinsonThis Foreign Affair by Harper BlissWrong Number, Right Woman by Jae Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney MilanAfter Mrs. Hamilton by Clare Ashton
High fantasy: Aurora’s Angel by Emily NoonDaughter of Fire: Conspiracy of the Dark by Karen FrostBroken Wings by L-J BakerOf Fire and Stars by Audrey CoulthurstThe Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Polyamorous relationship: Love Without Limits by Harper BlissForever Theirs by Anna StoneThe Three by Meghan O’BrienNights of Silk and Sapphire by Amber JacobsThree’s a Crowd by Cynthia Dane & Hildred Billings
Thriller: Requiem for Immortals by Lee WinterThe Target by Gerri HillDirt Nap by Carolyn ElizabethIgnis by KJ TIED WITH The Athena Protocol by Shamim SarifKiller Instinct by Barbara Winkes
Sapphic nonbinary character: Christmas Inn Maine by Chelsea M. CameronIgnis by KJSimply Connected by Alex WashoeLove Kills Twice by Rien GrayIn the Silences by Rachel Gold TIED WITH Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller AND A Jade’s Diamond by Char Dafoe
Steampunk or gaslamp fantasy: Romancing the Inventor by Gail CarrigerDemon in the Machine by Lise MacTagueSkin Deep by Violet PenroseA Pinch of Salt by Nita RoundThe Lost Temple of Psiere by K. Aten
Jewish character: Knit One, Girl Two by Shira GlassmanHotel Queens by Lee WinterSomething to Talk About by Meryl WilsnerGreat Bones by Lynn Ames TIED WITH Timing Is Everything by Alison R. SolomonThe Papercutter by Cindy Rizzo
Horror: Dead Lez Walking by G BensonKeeper of the Cave by Gerri HillCastle Wrath by Karin KallmakerDani by Angelique Jordonna TIED WITH Venandi by KC Luck AND Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. DanforthCold as Hell by Neen Cohen
Character is a sapphic trans woman: Fake It by Lily SeabrookeKnowing Her by Raquel De LeonDreadnought by April DanielsBeing Emily by Rachel GoldStaying True by Suzie Carr TIED WITH Tengoku by Rae D. Magdon
Dystopian, apocalyptic, or post-apocalyptic fiction: Darkness Falls by KC LuckSurvival Instincts by May DawneyCompass Rose by Anna BurkeThe Three by Meghan O’BrienIn Dyer Need by Claire Highton-Stevenson
Join the Sapphic Book Bingo 2022!
I’ll be running another year-long reading challenge in 2022. This time, it’s a Sapphic Book Bingo, with two different bingo cards to choose from. I’ll post the rules and categories tomorrow (January 1) and the book recommendations for the first square (“favorite romance trope” with 10 books for each of the top 6 favorite tropes) on January 6.
Make sure you subscribe to my blog so you won’t miss it!
The post Sapphic Reading Challenge 2021 – Stats, winners & most-read books appeared first on Jae.
December 23, 2021
Sapphic anthology, short story collection, or novella (Sapphic Reading Challenge #50)
This is the very last post of the Sapphic Reading Challenge, and it’s another big one, featuring sapphic anthologies, short story collections, and novellas!
I had so much fun this year discovering all these new books and authors, and I hope you did too! If you did, I hope you will join us for next year’s reading challenge, the Sapphic Book Bingo, which will start on January 1. To make sure you don’t miss it, please subscribe to my blog.
For this last category, we are focusing on shorter works:
An anthology is a collection of short stories from different authors, while a short story collection contains several stories from one author. A novella falls somewhere between a short story and a novel in length and usually 17,500-40,000 words.
The big giveaway & wrap-up!
Next week, on December 31, I’ll post the wrap-up for the Sapphic Reading Challenge and announce the winners of the big giveaway! I’ll also share the list of most-read books for the Sapphic Reading Challenge.
That means it’s just one more week until the deadline for the giveaway! I’ll draw the winners on December 31, at 10 am German time, so please send in your list of sapphic books you read in 2021 as soon as possible!
Sapphic anthologies, short story collections, and novellas
I put together three lists: 7 sapphic anthologies, 7 sapphic short story collections, and 7 sapphic novellas. I hope you find a few new favorites!
Novellas:
Manhattan Moon by Jae
Nothing in Shelby Carson’s life is ordinary. Not only is she an attending psychiatrist in a hectic ER, but she’s also a Wrasa, a shape-shifter who leads a secret existence.
To make things even more complicated, she has feelings for Nyla Rozakis, a human nurse.
Even though the Wrasa forbid relationships with humans, Shelby is determined to pursue Nyla. Things seem pretty hopeless for them, but on Halloween, during a full moon, anything can happen…
Available at:
My Dream Woman by C H Clepitt
When your dreams are real there’s no-where to escape!
Andi is just holding it together. Working two jobs means she doesn’t need to rely on anyone, but doesn’t have much of a life. In her dreams, however, she is a hero: battling monsters and saving innocents. When her dream woman turns out to be very real, Andi’s life begins to spiral out of control.
Available at:
Glorious Day by Skye Kilaen
Elsenna Hazen left spaceport security and ended up a royal bodyguard. She should have known better than to fall in love with a princess.
It’s been two years since one ill-advised kiss in the garden pulled them apart. With uprisings in the streets, the nervous princess transfers Elsenna back into her service. Her Highness has no idea Elsenna is leaking data to the revolutionaries bent on overthrowing the princess’s oppressive father.
Now Elsenna wakes up each day wondering what will happen first: her own execution, or that of the woman she could never stop loving. When rebel attacks escalate and the king plans retaliation, Elsenna discovers that the fights for her love and her life are one and the same.
Available at:
Interview with a Lesbian Sasquatch by Ocean
When radio host Serena Bonago received an email from someone claiming to be a lesbian Sasquatch, she brushed it off as a hoax. But when the second email arrived and convinced her that the sender was indeed a lesbian Sasquatch, she arranged for a live, on-air interview.
Six months later, the world eagerly waits for answers to centuries-old questions about their social, spiritual and sexual habits and, most importantly, why, instead of avoiding mankind as has been customary, has a representative of the Sasquatch community come forward now with an urgent message.Stay tuned as radio celebrity Harper Woolf broadcasts live from WEXG Radio, 109.2 FM studios, in the Royal Rhodium Tower Building in Manhattan.
Available at:
Avalanche by Stephanie Shea
On-the-rise fashion photographer Blake Elimar has only ever been in love once—with her then best friend, Drew. It’s taken five years to piece herself together, especially since the last time they’d seen each other was at Drew’s wedding.
Drew Dimitrov has officially been dubbed the model world’s new it-girl. In a career-defining moment, she has been given her first nude photoshoot at Luxe magazine, and Blake just happens to be the photographer.
It’s a reunion neither expects.
But can anyone stop an avalanche once the ice begins to fall?
Available at:
Ice Cream Wars by A.E. Radley & Emma Sterner-Radley
Cherry Hawkins has always loved ice cream. After scraping together enough money, and applying for the correct permit, she has set up her new ice cream trike in the affluent market town of Wilmsford.
Unfortunately, her permit-approved spot puts her right outside the Gelato Parlour. Owned by Juliana Martin-Sinclair, the meticulous woman who puts the ice into ice queen.
What will happen when these two very different ice cream aficionados collide?
Available at:
Still Not Over You (3 Romance Novellas) by Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, & Ali Vali
Old flames die hard in these tales of a second chance at love with the ex you’re still not over. Stories by award winning authors Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali.
In My Forever Girl by Jenny Frame, when tragedy tore their family apart, Brayden and Faith’s marriage ended in divorce. Four years later, they’re thrown together on a cruise by their friends. Can the spark that refused to die reignite the fire of their love?
In Double Jeopardy by Carsen Taite, Katie James didn’t plan on being a runaway bride. Twice. But when the gorgeous, accomplished, former love of her life, Emma Reed, reappears in her life the week of her wedding, will Katie risk everything for another chance with the woman who might be her soul mate?
In On the Rocks by Ali Vali, whiskey distiller Preston Maxwell still has no idea why her college sweetheart, Hayley Wyatt, disappeared from her life right after collecting her diploma. But when Hayley shows up to work on the advertising campaign that will take her business to the next level, Preston isn’t letting her get away a second time.
Available at:
Short story collections:
Happily Ever After by Jae
Award-winning author Jae penned thirteen short stories that range from sweet and romantic to hot and erotic, and from humorous to heartfelt. Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’re sure to find it in this collection of lesbian short stories:
The Romance Bet, Sex Sells, Blind Date at the Booklover’s Lair, Christmas Road Trip, The Christmas Grump, Kissing Ms. Santa Claus, The Christmas Elf, Dress-tease, Seduction for Beginners, Change of Pace, Facing the Music, Whining and Dining, The Midnight Couch
Available at:
Femme Tales by Anne Shade
Beast: Former hip-hop artist Ebony “The Beast” Trent has wrapped her persona around herself like a protective wall of bitterness. Belinda Jansen is confident, intelligent, sexy, and—to Ebony’s fascination—not the least bit intimidated by Ebony’s beastly demeanor. Can Beauty truly tame The Beast?
Awaken: Local celebrity chef Chayse Carmichael has achieved a level of success she’d only imagined while learning to cook. But when free-spirited Georgia peach Serena Frasier walks into her restaurant, Chayse realizes that success doesn’t always bring happiness if you don’t have someone special to share it with. Does love at first sight truly exist?
Stiletto: Music mogul Cass Phillips barely has a moment to sleep, let alone build a relationship. But an unexpected encounter with shoe designer Faith Shaw leads her to believe that maybe fairy tales do come true. Can true love really conquer all?
Six women find themselves in their own real-life fairy tales when true love finds them in the most unexpected ways.
Available at:
Straight Up by Rachel Spangler
Never fall for a straight woman. They’ll break your heart.
Geo has heard all the maxims, but with so much temptation, she wonders…what if she could learn to keep her heart out of the equation? That notion propels Geo toward Regina, a recent divorcee in her yoga class. After charming her into bed, Geo learns that sex with straight women may not yield a happily ever after, but it can lead to one very good night sans the risk of ending up with a commitment she didn’t count on. Sex without strings seems like a win-win and soon becomes Geo’s goal. The challenge sends her on a bed-hopping journey of sexcapades that prove sexuality is fluid and attraction is endless.
As Geo’s newfound perspective and prowess grow, she begins to believe her erotic adventures might continue indefinitely, so long as she can keep herself from wanting exactly what she claims to be avoiding.
This collection of erotic romances follows Geo through five encounters that lead to one unexpected conclusion.
Available at:
About Love by Anondra Williams
From the author of “black girl love” comes “about love,” a collection of short stories on love in the middle. . . of life, sex, relationships, drama, hope, and failure. All from a Black woman perspective.
Two young loves face reality in “Youthful,” life is found again in “Second Coming,” while sex comes to a rolling boil in “After Dinner Mint,” and so much more. If you liked “black girl love,” you will be enamored as the author shows you growth and change from a real-life perspective of women loving women in “about love.”
Available at:
In the Mood for Love by Harper Bliss
Set in locations from the US to Thailand, from Berlin to Tuscany, these seven short stories are packed full of romance and lady love.
Available at:
The Taste of Her by Jess Lea
In the first of this two-part tantalizing collection of erotic lesbian short stories, strong women let their masks slip and explore thoughts they never dared imagine.
Discover the stern lingerie boutique boss’s secret when her ambitious salesgirl takes a peek where she shouldn’t.
Receive a naughty literary festival lesson and enjoy the hottest cold war between rival movie make-up artists.
Slide back to a decadent 1930s cabaret bar, where the jaded star watches her back-up dancer rise to fame at a dangerous time.
Experience the sensual, unexpected spark between two Medieval nuns.
The Taste of Her is for everyone who has ever dreamed of giving orders or disobeying them. And everyone else who loves to watch.
Available at:
Sliced Ice by Lee Winter
Ten short stories based on Lee Winter’s fierce and unforgettable ice queens and villains have been gathered into one anthology containing lesbian love, lust, friendship, and romance.
Find out what happened after Lee’s stories ended, and in one case, before it began. Iconic characters revisited include Elena Bartell (The Brutal Truth), Elizabeth Thornton (Breaking Character), Monique Carson (Hotel Queens), Natalya Tsvetnenko (Requiem for Immortals), Catherine Ayers (The Red Files), and Cynthia Redwell (Under Your Skin).
Available at:
Anthologies:
Glimpses by Jae, Lee Winter, A.L. Brooks, Fiona Zedde, Cheyenne Blue, Chris Zett & Quinn Ivins
Don’t want to say goodbye to your favorite characters? Neither do we! Eight authors of women-loving-women fiction have come together to reveal glimpses into the lives of some of their most popular characters. Each never-before-published short story is a mini sequel or a missing chapter to one of the author’s most beloved novels. Enjoy reconnecting with your favorite characters…or discovering new ones.
Available at:
Our Happy Hours, LGBT Voices from the Gay Bars by S. Renée Bess and Lee Lynch
During the days and nights following the massacre at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the world listened as various spokespersons attempted to explain to the general public exactly what the gay bar/club meant to LGBTQI people. The words “safe place,” “refuge,” “free to be ourselves” flew through the air.
We queer writers grappled with the tragedy alongside our brothers and sisters. How could we express our feelings about the places where we could drop all pretense of conforming to the hetero-normative society’s rules? What words could we gather to let the rest of the world know the pain we felt upon losing so many beautiful strangers on a night in June and in a place that had been one of our havens?
How and why does the gay bar intersect so many of our lives?
The stories and poems living between the covers of this book attempt to answer those questions. Spend a few happy hours with us in our gay bars.
Available at:
After Happily Ever After by Astrid Ohletz & Alex K. Thorne (Editors)
What if the story didn’t have to end? We give you the after happily-ever-after for eleven lesbian romances.
Nine best-selling authors have come together to imagine what happened after the happily-ever-after in some of Ylva’s most popular lesbian books.
Discover the irresistible magic of the morning after, or the month after, or even years later. What happens when it’s not just about discovering new love, but letting love settle a little? What are these passionate lovers, fighters, executives, and explorers up to now?
These charming, funny, and entertaining short stories can each be read as standalone pieces to whisk you into new and different worlds…or immerse you in universes you already know and love, and can’t wait to revisit.
Find out what happens next in this After Happily Ever After anthology, with stories by Jae (Under a Falling Star and Damage Control), Lee Winter (The Brutal Truth and Requiem for Immortals), RJ Nolan (L.A. Metro), Lola Keeley (The Music and the Mirror), Chris Zett (Irregular Heartbeat), Cheyenne Blue (Code of Conduct), Roslyn Sinclair (The Lily and the Crown), Alex K. Thorne (Chasing Stars), and G Benson (All the Little Moments).
Available at:
Women of the Dark Streets: Lesbian Paranormal by Radclyffe & Stacia Seaman (Editors)
Enter a midnight world of the supernatural—a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and demons. A seductive world limited only by your imagination, full of dark fantasies, hidden desires, and sexy women who rule the night. Edited by award-winning editors Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman, Women of the Dark Streets presents all new tales of the paranormal from your favorite Bold Strokes authors.
Available at:
The Milk of Human Kindness: Lesbian Authors Write About Mothers and Daughters by Lori L. Lake (Editor)
This remarkable anthology contains stories, essays, and memoirs by some of the brightest stars in the lesbian writing world: Katherine V. Forrest, Lee Lynch, Radclyffe, Karin Kallmaker, Cameron Abbott, Ellen Hart, Lori L. Lake, Caro Clarke, J.M. Redmann, Jennifer Fulton, Gabrielle Goldsby, Lois Hart, Carrie Carr, SX Meagher, Jean Stewart, Cate Swannell, Therese Szymanski, Kelly Zarembski, Georgia Beers, Talaran, Julia Watts, and Meghan Brunner.
Don’t miss this unforgettable collection!
Available at:
Trans Love: An Anthology of Transgender and Non-Binary Voices by Freiya Benson (Editor)
A ground-breaking anthology of writing on the topic of love, written by trans and non-binary people who share their thoughts, feelings and experiences of love in all its guises. The collection spans familial, romantic, spiritual and self-love as well as friendships and ally love, to provide a broad and honest understanding of how trans people navigate love and relationships, and what love means to them.
Reclaiming what love means to trans people, this book provokes conversations that are not reflected in what is presently written, moving the narrative around trans identities away from sensationalism. At once intimate and radical, and both humorous and poignant, this book is for anyone who has loved, who is in love, and who is looking for love.
Available at:
Distant Gardens: Ten Stories of Exploration, Biodiversity, and Found Family by J.S. Fields & Heather Tracy (Editors)
Rules were made to be broken.
From terraformed outposts to magical realms, journey to worlds where deadly plants, rampant biodiversity, or failed colonies have created irresistible opportunities for those brave enough to seize them.
New worlds, found family, mystical secrets, and deadly science weave together in this lesbian-centric anthology focusing on a very different kind of first time—a first encounter with a world, or being, entirely unlike our own.
If you like diverse stories with lesbian heroines practicing science, magic, and seduction, buy Distant Gardens today!
Available at:
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know which book you’ll be reading or have read for the “sapphic anthologies, short story collections, and novellas” category!
The 2022 Reading Challenge: Sapphic Book Bingo
If you are sad to see the Sapphic Reading Challenge end, don’t despair! There’ll be a reading challenge in 2022 too. The Sapphic Book Bingo will start on January 1 when I’ll reveal the categories and post the rules. Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the Sapphic Book Bingo posts sent to your in-box!
The post Sapphic anthology, short story collection, or novella (Sapphic Reading Challenge #50) appeared first on Jae.
December 17, 2021
Sapphic dystopian or post-apocalyptic book (Book Unicorn #12)
Can you believe it’s already time for the very last Book Unicorn post of the Sapphic Reading Challenge? This year sure flew by!
This last category features sapphic dystopian, post-apocalyptic, or apocalyptic books. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are actually distinct subgenres.
In an apocalyptic book, a devastating disaster or war happens that makes society as we know it collapse.
Post-apocalyptic fiction is set in the aftermath of that disaster and focuses on the individual’s struggle to survive in a devastated world.
Dystopian fiction is set in a future society that is oppressive. It usually has a political element, e.g., the fight against a government that needs to be overthrown.
Free ebook alert!
My publisher and I have given away 12,271 copies of my books (not counting short stories) this year, and we’d love to add a few more to that number by offering my light-hearted paranormal romance Good Enough to Eat, which I co-wrote with Alison Grey, for free on Amazon worldwide for a few days (until 11.59 pm on Sunday, December 19).
If you don’t already have it, get your free copy on Amazon now!
Send in your reading lists to be entered into the giveaway!
Next week, I’ll post the very last Sapphic Reading Challenge post, so the time to send in your reading lists is quickly approaching. The deadline to be entered into the big giveaway is December 31, at 10 am German time, so my advice would be to send in your list of books you read in 2021 on December 30 or sooner!
15 sapphic dystopian or (post-)apocalyptic books
I put together a list of 15 sapphic dystopian or (post-)apocalyptic books. I hope you find a few new favorites!
Darkness Falls by KC Luck
When four women from different walks of life are brought together by fate to witness the end of the world as they know it, each must find a way to survive against the odds as well as learn to rely on each other.
Jackie Scott wields incredible influence as a magazine executive in Seattle. As she plans a smashing party for her fortieth birthday, everything is precisely as she wants it. But when a solar storm lights up the night sky in a dazzling display, it not only ruins the party but destroys power around the planet and Jackie must turn for help from the one woman she has tried so hard not to want … Taylor.
Taylor Barnes is an Army veteran new to Seattle and wants nothing more than to find some peace and quiet working as a rent-a-cop in a corporate high-rise. When she is asked to attend the birthday party of the building’s powerful and sexy CEO, she can hardly say no. Little did she realize every skill she ever learned would be put to the test to save the woman she can’t seem to stop thinking about … Jackie.
Anna Patten is a nurse practitioner who has returned one last time to the town she ran away from to pack up the house where she grew up. Trying to avoid any drama, she cannot get away fast enough, or so she tells herself while her heart wonders about her high school crush. When fate lands them together in Seattle at a birthday party, suddenly Anna must lean on the woman she once left behind … Lexi.
Lexi Scott has built a simple life of writing novels and remodeling her farmhouse, but when she runs into a long-lost friend, her world is turned upside down. It’s not until she attends her sister Jackie’s birthday party that she is forced to not only face the apocalypse but now she must decide if she is willing to risk her heart again to save the only woman she ever loved … Anna.
The end of the world is only the beginning.
Available at:
Survival Instincts by May Dawney
Civilization ended long before Lynn Tanner was born. Wild animals roam the streets, but mankind is still the biggest threat to a woman alone in the ruins of a world reclaimed by nature. Lynn survives by sleeping with one eye open at all times and trusting no one but her dog.
When she is forced to go on a dangerous journey through the concrete jungle of New York City, Lynn does all she can to scheme her way to safety. Her guard, Dani Wilson, won’t be played that easily, however. As their lives become entwined, Lynn finds herself developing feelings for Dani and is forced to find the answer to the question that scares her most: is staying alone really the best way to survive?
Fast-paced and full of adventure, Survival Instincts introduces a post-war dystopian world where the only person you can rely on is yourself…unless you fall in love.
Available at:
Ride for Tomorrow by Linda K. Silva
First there was the outbreak…
As the virus sweeps across the United States claiming more and more victims, butch firefighter Dallas was sure death was coming for her, too. Only it never did. Of course, that doesn’t mean its deranged, bloodthirsty horde won’t…
Dallas and a hodgepodge gang of new friends know that to survive the world, they must shut themselves off from it. But with constant misdirection from the government, a frightening decree of martial law, rogue military leaders, and—oh yeah—a roaming drove of hungry zombies, that task could prove pretty damned difficult.
Will they make it out with their lives and sanity intact? Or will they end up as meals on wheels for a hungry zombie?
Available at:
Love and Chaos by Poppy Woods
The second collapse changed the world forever.
Cris has spent her entire life in her Tribe. Safe from the pollution that still clings to more populated areas, they grow crops to sell in the Cities, they hunt for their meat, and they take care of their own. Their rural way of life ensures the politics of the Cities doesn’t reach them.
Until one day, it does.
Like all orphans, Love Ward was conscripted into the Venus Guard as a child. She has done her best to take the opportunity and make it into a career, something she can be proud of. The Venus Guard is her family.
But the New Republic has secrets, the kind of secrets that can get a low-ranking officer like Love reassigned and even killed if she’s not careful.
When chaos erupts around them, the two women find themselves at odds but with only each other to rely on. Their shared past and the growing attraction between them can only serve as a distraction as they fight for their lives.
Can a guard from the Cities and a girl from the Tribes expose the New Republic’s dirty secrets?
Can they change their world without losing their lives—or their hearts?
Available at:
Smoketown by Tenea D. Johnson
The city of Leiodare is unlike any other in the post-climate change United States. Within its boundaries, birds are outlawed and what was once a crater in Appalachia is now a tropical, glittering metropolis where Anna Armour is waiting. An artist by passion and a factory worker by trade, Anna is a woman of special gifts. She has chosen this beautiful, traumatized city to wait for the woman she’s lost, the one she believes can save her from her troubled past and uncertain future.
When one night Anna creates life out of thin air and desperation, no one is prepared for what comes next – not Lucine, a smooth talking soothsayer with plans for the city; Lucine’s brother Eugenio who has designs of his own; Seife, a star performer in the Leiodaran cosmos; or Rory, a forefather of the city who’s lived through outbreak, heartbreak, and scandal. Told through their interlocking stories, Smoketown delves into the invisible connections that rival magic, and the cost of redemption.
Available at:
Bigger Monsters by Eliza Andrews
Who would you be during the zombie apocalypse — the hunter or the hunted?
Some zombie apocalypse stories are full of fighting and gore and dramatic battles and narrow escapes.
If that’s the kind of zombie tale you’re looking for, look elsewhere, because this is not that story.
This is a zombie apocalypse story about the choices we’re faced with when trying to survive. Specifically, it’s about Willow (just call her Will), her dysfunctional mother, and the fiancé who recently cheated on her. When the three of them stumble across a post-apocalyptic vegan hippie commune in the mountains of North Carolina, they think they’ve found a true utopia. (Well, except for the veganism. And all the hippies.)
The community takes them in without realizing that Will and her companions are harboring a dark secret — a secret Will, her mom, and her fiancé will do almost anything to keep hidden.
But when mother nature transforms their new utopia into a dystopia, Will and the community she’s with face some hard choices. Ultimately, no matter what the survivors each believe about themselves, they are reminded that the only real choice you can make in a zombie apocalypse is the choice between being the hunter or the hunted.
There’s not a lot in between.
Available at:
In the Midst of Tribulation by Mary Griggs
Long suspicious that the world was going to go up in flames, Jay has retreated to remote Northern California and lived off the grid for years. She didn’t want to be right—but she was.
When the war ended, it was clear nobody had won. Susan knows only one place where she and her extended family might be safe: with Jay, her ex. Desperate and frightened, the refugees rely heavily on their friend Piper, who agrees to make the journey with them.
After a ragged reunion, Jay is willing to take in the newcomers, but the only way they will survive on the land is if they all work and sacrifice. It is easier said than done, especially when old feelings—and new ones—break the fragile peace and threaten them all.
Available at:
The Three by Meghan O’Brien
Two lovers, Elin and Kael, struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where disease, lawless marauders, and fanatics threaten their existence. When the two befriend Anna, another survivor, the fabric of their lives and the family they have made shifts in ways that challenge each woman to redefine the boundaries of love and friendship.
For in order to prevail, the two must become…The Three, and ultimately Anna and Kael must find a way to save the woman they both love.
Available at:
The Sisterhood Season One by Tali Inlow
Boarding school girls, now grown and formidable women, navigate a post-apocalyptic landscape and their odds-defying love for one another.
Follow the Sisterhood before and after the end of the world in this split timeline, serialized adventure!
Available at:
Rabbits of the Apocalypse by Benny Lawrence
Rabbits of the Apocalypse is set in a not-too-distant future plagued with drought, human trafficking, rabid religious groups, and people who completely lack a sense of humor. What with all the hunger, chaos, sunstroke, landmines, and radiation it’s hard to get by, and harder still to get laid.
In the remote desert town of Lafontaine, Casey Prentice has been trying to survive the endtimes by keeping her head down and refusing to give a damn about anyone except her younger sister Emily and wingman Malice Hiroyama. But that ceases to be an option when a powerful and mysterious entity known as the Anastasian League descends on the town.
Casey offers shelter to genius Pax, who is trying to escape the League. In doing so, she invites a whole new kind of danger into her life on top of a budding romance. The town of Lafontaine has a secret . . . and if the League discovers it, then the apocalypse will be the least of Casey’s worries.
Available at:
The Rise of the Resistance: Phoenix One by Jackie D
The year is 2088 and the bones of American democracy have been left sweltering in the ashes of a hostile takeover. Sixty-five years before, four carefully chosen individuals in the Phoenix Program were cryogenically frozen until the time was right for them to combine forces and restore the government. That time is now.
Arrow Steele has trained her whole life to bring the Phoenix Program to fruition, but no amount of training could have prepared her for Phoenix One herself, Kaelyn Trapp, or the attraction neither one of them can deny.
Kaelyn’s destiny is to navigate the new world and bring America back to some semblance of a country the Founding Fathers had envisioned. That is, if Arrow can get them to safety. The only thing that stands in their way is thousands of miles and a militarized government.
Arrow and Kaelyn carry the fate of their country on their shoulders. Love couldn’t possibly have come at a more inconvenient time, but with their mission and their lives in jeopardy, love may be what matters most.
Available at:
Vanished by Eden Darry
First came the storm, and then the blinding white light that made everyone in town disappear. Everyone except Ellery, Loveday, Rocky the dog, and Claude, Loveday’s big ginger cat. The light brought something else, too, something that isn’t human. Plagued by prophetic dreams that signal the end of the world, Ellery and Loveday set out across the country to save a girl they’ve never met who just might be humanity’s last hope.
Rosemary Decker, leader of the Children of the Ark, wants the girl too. Except she wants her dead. Rosemary’s seen the end of the world coming and has been preparing for years. She’s going to make a new world in her own image, and nothing’s going to stand in her way.
Another storm is coming and not everyone will survive it.
Available at:
The Renegade by Amy Dunne
In this post-apocalyptic world, you have a choice: survive as a slave or fight for your freedom.
The Red Death pandemic wiped out most of the human population, and the world that remains is dangerous and unforgiving. Survivor Alex Clarke and her companions are rescued after a vicious attack and welcomed into the Rapture’s Haven Camp. Although given medical treatment, food, shelter, and protection, Alex senses something sinister lurking beneath the camp’s friendly exterior.
Camp medic Evelyn Bennett is instinctively drawn to Alex and warns her that the camp is a dangerous cult and the women are slaves. While planning to escape, their secret relationship is discovered. Escape is no longer possible. They must fight for their freedom—or die trying.
Available at:
In Dyer Need by Claire Highton-Stevenson
Ren Dyer is at the pinnacle of her career. Newly appointed as head of the protection team for Home Secretary Andrea Fielding, she is a woman focused only on her job.
Andrea Fielding is a woman who is looking for love and finding it in all the wrong places.
When the worst happens and the world changes dramatically around them, will Andrea finally see what’s been right in front of her all along?
On the road, together with a group of people that includes Andrea’s ex, Dutch Foreign Minister Marja Stegenga, they must try to reach the safety of HQ at the other end of the country.
For Ren Dyer, it is simple: keep her safe.
For Andrea Fielding, it’s anything but…
As protocols shift and rules go out the window, will Ren see there is more to life than work, and will Andrea finally find the love she is searching for?
Available at:
The Others by Annette Mori
As a seer and brilliant scientist, Em convinces her wife, Lise, to prepare for the inevitable conclusion, after the chaos caused by foreign countries attacking the United States. Leaving behind a wake of destruction and a new world order. Forcing them to navigate a frightening reality.
After ten months in their cozy bomb shelter, they emerge to a world where the vegetation is surprisingly unaffected. Should they band together with other survivors or try to make it on their own? There are others in this unknown world. On the first day outside of their shelter, they meet members of an alternate society. Are they friend or foe? Change is inevitable. But will they change in ways Em and Lise can live with, or will this altered world change them into something unrecognizable?
Available at:
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know which book you’ll be reading or have read for the “dystopian or (post-)apocalyptic book” category!
The 2022 Reading Challenge: Sapphic Book Bingo
There will be a year-long reading challenge in 2022 too! I’m running a Sapphic Book Bingo with two bingo cards to choose from. Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the Sapphic Book Bingo posts sent to your in-box starting on January 1!
The post Sapphic dystopian or post-apocalyptic book (Book Unicorn #12) appeared first on Jae.
December 16, 2021
Sapphic books with a forced proximity theme (Sapphic Reading Challenge #49)
This week’s Sapphic Reading Challenge features sapphic books with a “forced proximity” theme.
The two main characters are forced to spend time together. It could be because they are stranded somewhere, snowed in, or stuck together for some other reason that forces them to spend time together, even though they are reluctant to do so.
Free ebook alert!
My publisher and I have given away 12,271 copies of my books (not counting short stories) this year, and we’d love to add a few more to that number by offering my light-hearted paranormal romance Good Enough to Eat, which I co-wrote with Alison Grey, for free on Amazon worldwide for a few days (until 11.59 pm on Sunday, December 19).
If you don’t already have it, get your free copy on Amazon now!
Send in your reading lists to be entered into the giveaway!
Next week, I’ll post the very last Sapphic Reading Challenge post, so the time to send in your reading lists is quickly approaching. The deadline to be entered into the big giveaway is December 31, at 10 am German time, so my advice would be to send in your list of books you read in 2021 on December 30 or sooner!
15 sapphic books with a forced proximity theme
I put together a list of 15 sapphic books with a forced proximity theme. I hope you find a few new favorites!
Lost in Paradise by Rachel Lacey
When a Manhattan businesswoman and a reclusive French artist are stranded together on a deserted island, opposites attract…and sparks fly. But with love on the horizon, will they survive to claim their happy ending?
Nicole Morella boards a private Mediterranean cruise with one goal: to reclaim herself after her divorce. When she sits next to a beautiful blonde in the ship’s lounge, she’s knocked off balance by the immediate attraction between them, and it’s not just because Nicole hasn’t found her sea legs yet. Fiona stirs things in Nicole that haven’t been stirred in a long time, but a fiery kiss turns dangerous when the ship is hijacked. The women launch a daring escape, leaving them adrift in an empty lifeboat.
Fiona Boone has been adrift most of her life, but never in such a literal sense. She’s a survivor, though, so when they land on a deserted island, Fiona’s ready to do whatever it takes to stay alive until they’re rescued. In the meantime, she can’t get enough of the feisty woman she’s stranded with, despite her usual fiercely independent nature. Although they’re lost, Fiona finds something unexpected in the comfort of Nicole’s touch. But when an injury puts her life in jeopardy, they begin to worry help won’t arrive in time. If she survives their ordeal, Fiona might just face her biggest challenge yet: falling in love.
Available at:
Protecting the Lady by Amanda Radley
Former Protection Command Officer Eve Webb quit her job when a terrorist incident revealed that internal communication failures had caused multiple deaths. Now her former commanding officer and mentor has asked for a favor, and Eve can’t say no. It should be an easy job. All she has to do is guard one female civilian.
Lady Katherine Lovegrove is forty-something-ish in line to the throne and has lived a sheltered life until her father—a high profile judge—upsets the wrong people. She’s not exactly thrilled to need a full-time babysitter, uh, bodyguard, and is even less happy that Eve is an anti-monarchist who despises the upper class.
If Eve had known she’d be protecting royalty, she’d never have taken the job, but as the threat to Lady Katherine’s life draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save her and may just lose her heart in the process.
Available at:
Trapped by Sally Bryan
She wanted to hate her…
But fate has different plans.
When Jessica loses her place in the volleyball squad to the beautiful Katelyn, the same girl who recently stole her boyfriend, she withdraws into her shell in an effort to protect her sanity.
Only, destiny insists on bringing the two fierce rivals closer together.
Jessica is mortified when on the team ski trip to Italy, a cruel joke forces them to share a cabin.
The wounds are still raw. Just as tensions are about to overheat, disaster strikes in the form of an avalanche, trapping the girls inside.
Can they work together to overcome the many obstacles nature has thrown at them? Will rescue ever come? Can they survive?
The close confines of their prison fills Jessica with doubt. Could she really be developing strong feelings not only for a woman, but one she hates more than anyone else in the world?
And can they forget their grudges long enough to maybe, just maybe fall in love?
Available at:
Stranded by Blayne Cooper
Rachel Michaels is at the top of her profession, but she’s grown tired of trading barbs with her co-host/ex-husband on their popular morning radio talk show. Eager to stretch her wings, she takes a second job as the color commentator for Denver’s new professional women’s soccer team.
Along with her new job comes an exciting assignment, travel to Venezuela to profile the team’s sizzling star recruit, Miranda Gutierrez. But Rachel begins to long for a little of her old routine when her boss forces her to extend her stay to accompany team big-wig, Nora Butler, and the headstrong player on a “bonding” adventure.
Their journey gets off to a bad start, and things go downhill from there. All three women are tested mentally and physically as they fight for their lives. They must learn to depend on each other, shape their own destinies, and, ultimately, risk everything for what matters most.
What would you do to survive? How much would you risk for love?
Available at:
Mission Compromised by Graysen Morgen
Natalia Moreno is thrilled when she arrives in Fiji for a relaxing vacation. However, she soon discovers the overwater bungalow she’s staying in has been double booked for the entire stay, and the resort is full. Annoyed and frustrated, she has no other choice but to share her hut with a stranger.
Christian Garnier is sent to Fiji for what she refers to as a working vacation, until she finds out she has an ornery roommate for the next two weeks who is dead set on making her job twice as hard.
Soon, all hell breaks loose and the two women are sent around the world on a wild goose chase.
Available at:
Two Pines by Tessa La Vella
Clara shifted her weight from one naked foot to the other.
“I’m cold,” she whispered.
Marie smiled. Of all the attempts to get into her bed – and over the years there had been quite many – this was probably one of the cutest and most charming ones and definitely impossible to resist.
Young photographer Marie Claythorn’s life seems to be changing for the better when a lawyer informs her that she is the sole heir to her grandfather’s house in Chesleyham. Upon arriving at the small village, however, she gets bad news: a distant cousin also poses claim to the house – which is already in a devastating condition. When she meets her cousin for the first time, Marie is immediately irritated. Clara Wright is convinced that she can buy Marie’s share of the house, but the matter is not resolved so easily. While the tension rises between the two women, a snow storm breaks out, blocking all roads and rail tracks. They have no option but to stay in the ruined property – together, despite their obvious dislike.
With electricity gone and the house playing tricks on them, they have to move closer together until eventually, tension turns into passion.
Available at:
Snow Falls by Gerri Hill
Jennifer Kincaid, on her way to a writer’s workshop in the Colorado mountain town of Lake City, gets lost and is stranded by an avalanche.
Catherine Ryan-Barrett, running from the fame and fortune of her family name, wants nothing more to spend the winter alone and sequestered in her high mountain cabin. She is not prepared for a party crasher.
After spending two months together, they form an unlikely friendship that deepens even further. But after the spring thaw, Jen returns to her life in Santa Fe—and to the man who wants to marry her. All she knows of the woman who rescued her is her name… Ryan.
Available at:
One Day Longer Than Forever by AJ Adaire
Dr. Kate Martin needs a vacation after a failed romance with her business partner nearly ruins her. Lee Foster is recovering from her first lesbian relationship that self-destructed when her partner moved several states away, leaving her behind.
Two failed romances, a double booked vacation cabin, and a blizzard—will fate intervene again and turn a passionate affair with a stranger, into something more?
Available at:
Carolyn For Christmas by Lucy Carey
Christmas. It’s supposed to be a time for peace, love, and goodwill to all men. But not for two women when it comes to nabbing the solo spot in the big Christmas concert. To get that spot, they’ll do whatever it takes…
Carolyn Roche and Saoirse Barrett have known—and hated—each other for a long time. Their lives have been dedicated to one-upping each other. Carolyn has worked hard to shake off her poor roots, landing a top job at a major accountancy firm. Saoirse has worked just as hard to set up her own business in the vain hopes of impressing her tough father.
They’re equally matched in life—and in vocal talent. But neither is willing to let the other woman win.
That is, until they find themselves trapped in their old school, with just a bottle of vodka and their memories for company. There, they discover that the hatred they feel for each other might not be hatred after all…
Available at:
The Island Between Us by Wendy Hudson
Georgia Hamilton is an adventurer. After a life spent exploring the most remote places on earth, she’s found her way back home to Scotland, where she teaches her expert survival skills.
Kelsey Campbell has spent her whole life acting, both personally and professionally, and has had it with the pressure of keeping everyone else happy. Craving somewhere far from the glaring spotlight, she signs up for a two-week team survival course.
It’s not just the remote island location that appeals to Kelsey. There’s the fact she met the course leader years ago and always regretted how they left things.
However, just as Georgia and Kelsey are renewing their long-lost connection over bushcraft, a storm hits, leaving them stranded. With the group’s lives now in Georgia’s hands, the race is on to find a way home.
As the reality of survival kicks in, their battle becomes about more than just facing the elements.
Available at:
Thirteen Hours by Meghan O’Brien
Can you fall in love in thirteen hours? It’s her birthday but lonely workaholic Dana Watts is at the office late, drafting a proposal. The very last interruption she expects comes in the form of the most beautiful breasts she has ever seen. These belong to an incredibly hot woman, who is standing in front of her, stripping to music.
Laurel Stanley performs strip-o-grams to pay her way through school. She has never encountered a more ungrateful recipient than Dana. The uptight project manager makes it clear that she is furious to be distracted from her work by the “gift” a colleague sent and equally appalled by Laurel’s occupation. After Dana is rude and insulting, and insists on escorting Laurel from the building, the two women take an elevator ride that changes everything.
Stuck with each other for thirteen long hours after the elevator breaks down, they discover how wrong first impressions can be and how right two strangers can feel together. Can everything change in less than a day? Dana and Laurel set out to discover if their passionate elevator encounter can mean more in this fast-paced, erotic story of lust, loneliness, fantasy, and desire.
Available at:
Truth or Dare by C. Spencer
It’s a long weekend among six friends whose lives have intertwined through years of U-Hauls and regrets, almosts and what-ifs. As that poorly timed snowstorm whirls into town, it threatens to kick pent-up desires and tightly held secrets over the edge—especially for Jessie, who can’t stop thinking about her best friend Hadley.
Meanwhile Brie’s past overshadows her present-day, and the Lasleys just hope to enjoy their much-anticipated wedding anniversary. If everyone would just keep it together for the next few days, and if this snow would taper off, they just might pull off Sunday’s celebration. Drama free.
Available at:
Ice by Lyn Gardner
The last time Maggie Campbell and Alexandra Blake worked together, they both received two-week suspensions. This time…it’s worse.
Ice begins when a boy is kidnapped from a London park and Detective Inspectors Alex Blake and Maggie Campbell are brought together to work on the case. While their goal is the same, their work ethics are not. Intelligent, perceptive and at times disobedient, Alex Blake does what she believes it takes to do her job. Maggie Campbell has a slightly different approach. She believes that rule books were written for a reason.
Unexpectedly, their dynamics mesh, but when her feelings for Alex become stronger than she wants to admit, Maggie provokes the worst in Alex to ensure that they will never be partners again.
Three years later, fate brings them together again. Their assignment is simple, but a plane crash gets in their way. Now, in the middle of a blizzard, they have to try to survive…and fight the feelings that refuse to die.
Available at:
Depths of Blue by Lise MacTague
For Torrin Ivanov, life is a bargaining table. Every planet is a new business opportunity. Legality is optional and supplying one side in a local civil war always adds up to profit.
Jak Stowell is at war within a war. A woman hidden in the heart of a male-only army, her brother’s murder has left her desperate for vengeance. Her skill as a sniper gives her both the disguise she needs and paves the way ever closer to her real goal. She kills efficiently, without remorse. Putting down an off-world smuggler will be no different.
A moment’s hesitation. A flicker of doubt. Two women on a collision course set off a chain reaction of intergalactic intrigue—and awaken a dangerous passion that could cost them their lives.
Available at:
Pedal to the Metal by Jesse J. Thoma
Max Winters is comfortable in her behind-the-scenes wunderkind role on Holt Lasher’s crime fighting team. Eventually, she’d like more responsibility in the field, but that only happens after Holt says you’re ready.
When Holt’s team is asked to help bust an organized car theft ring and Whitney “Dubs” Williams is released from prison with the sole purpose of helping Holt in that pursuit, Holt turns to Max to be Dubs’ minder. As in, handcuffed together, 24/7 minder of an unreformed, young, hot, cocky thief.
The lines blur between legal and illegal, real and façade, the longer the two women spend together. But Max isn’t willing to risk her heart for the entertainment of a criminal. In order to prove herself, Dubs has to make sure her feelings can’t be misinterpreted. But will she survive her grand gesture?
Available at:
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know which book you’ll be reading or have read for the “forced proximity” category!
The 2022 Reading Challenge: Sapphic Book Bingo
There will be a year-long reading challenge in 2022 too! I’m working on putting together a Sapphic Book Bingo. Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the Sapphic Book Bingo posts sent to your in-box starting on January 1!
The post Sapphic books with a forced proximity theme (Sapphic Reading Challenge #49) appeared first on Jae.
December 9, 2021
Character works in STEM (Sapphic Reading Challenge #48)
This week’s Sapphic Reading Challenge features sapphic books with a main character who works in STEM.
STEM is an acronym that stands for any job in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. The character could be a software or web developer, statistician, chemist, physicist, biologist, astronomer, or healthcare professional, etc.
Send in your reading lists!
Just a reminder: Once you wrap up your reading for the year and complete your reading lists for the Sapphic Reading Challenge, please send me your list so I can enter you into the drawing for the giveaway on December 31!
15 sapphic books with a main character who works in STEM
I put together a list of 15 sapphic books featuring main characters who works in STEM. I hope you find a few new favorites!
Chemistry Lessons by Jae (chemistry teacher)
Kylie and Regan have been best friends since kindergarten, supporting each other through thick and thin.
While everyone thinks they would be perfect for each other, they insist there’s no chemistry between them—and Regan should know since she’s a chemistry teacher.
To prove it, they agree to a little chemistry experiment: they’ll go on three dates with each other.
So what if their gazes start to linger and accidental touches no longer feel platonic? They chalk it up to the romantic atmosphere—until a friendly good night kiss turns passionate.
Can their friendship go back to the way it was before? Do they even want it to? Or will they risk losing what they have for a chance at love?
Available at:
Cure for Insomnia by Laina Villeneuve
According to her family, Karla Hernandez spends far too many hours working in the lab. A dedicated research scientist, she has contributed to a drug that could vastly improve the quality of life in diabetic patients. Her quality of life, however, could use some help.
She thought she would sleep better when she finished grad school or her post-doc, but launching a cutting-edge clinical trial isn’t helping. So when her eleven-year-old niece approaches her about participating in a school science project about insomnia, Karla agrees. Finding a girlfriend was not the conclusion she had anticipated, but Karla is not one to deviate from protocol—especially not when the judge at the science fair has some ideas about helping to cure her insomnia.
All research requires troubleshooting, but Karla isn’t prepared for the complications that threaten to shut down more than her love life. Does she need to find a new project or dig in deeper to her professional work? Or will putting faith in her niece’s research project be the key to her ever elusive sleep?
Available at:
The Last Conception by Gabriel Constans
Passionate embryologist, Savarna, is in a complicated relationship, with two different women, when she is told that she MUST have a baby. Her conservative East Indian American parents are desperate for her to conceive, in spite of her “not being married”. They insist that she is the last in line of a great spiritual lineage.
In the process of choosing her lover and having doubts about her ability, or desire to conceive, Savarna begins to question the necessity of biology and lineage within her parents’ beliefs and becomes forever fascinated with the process of conception and the definition of family.
Available at:
Remember me, Synthetica by K Aten
What happens when a woman loses her memory but gains a conscience?
Dr. Alexandra Turing is a roboticist whose intellect is unrivaled in the field of artificial intelligence. While science has always come easy, Alexandra struggles to understand emotional cues and responses. Driven by the legacy of her late great-uncle, she dedicates her life to the Synthetica project at her father’s company, Organic Advancement Solutions (OAS).
Her life is rebooted when she wakes from a coma, six months after being struck by a car. Traumatic brain injury altered Alex’s senses, her memory, and her personality. Despite the changes, she feels reborn as she navigates her way back into her old life. Part of her new journey includes dating the alluring Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Emily St. John.
Emily is enamored with the hyper-intelligent scientist, but there are things about Alex and OAS that don’t add up. With Emily’s prompting, Alex undergoes testing that leaves her with more questions than answers. What she discovers changes more than her life, it will change the world around her.
Available at:
Callisto 2.0 by Susan English
Shambhala Space Station, 2097. Solitary physicist Callisto (physics, after all, is a jealous mistress) never accepted conventional wisdom. So when she’s recruited to work on faster-than-light technology by a beautiful and mysterious older woman, she eagerly accepts the career opportunity at the women-only research station orbiting Earth’s moon. But her enthusiasm suffers when her first discovery is unexpected heartbreak.
Throwing herself into work on a problematic warp drive prototype, Calli blossoms in the utopian female community that shows her love and acceptance for the first time in her life. But when a twisted conspiracy, a disingenuous affair, and a disastrous betrayal test her place in this unique environment, the brilliant scientist must dig deep to find her moment of truth.
Will Calli embrace her destiny in an unexplored cosmos?
Available at:
Trade Secrets by Kathleen Knowles (clinical lab scientist)
Clinical lab scientist Tony Leung lands her dream job working for Global HemoSolutions, a Silicon Valley company headed by Erica Sanders, the most famous female CEO in America. Tony crosses paths with one of the company’s investors, venture capitalist Sheila Graham, and their chance meeting turns into a love affair.
It’s Sheila’s job to help make GHS’s newest invention a reality, but all is not as it seems, and millions of dollars, not to mention countless lives, could be at risk. Tony wants to go public with their discoveries, but Sheila wants proof. When they face the biggest test of their loyalty amid an excruciating moral dilemma, will their love be strong enough to keep them together?
Available at:
Breakthrough by Terri Cutshall
As a genetics researcher, Alexandria Bennett is confident when it comes to decision making at work, searching for a breast cancer cure, but when it comes to decisions of the heart, not so much.
When Alex meets Madison Thornton, a Pharmacist Consultant, looking to settle down and have a family, all the safe and comfortable rules by which her internal compass is governed will be tested. The undeniable attraction between Alex and Madison is immediate and a budding romance is there for the taking, but only if both women are willing to let go of their fears and trust in it.
While Alex navigates her heart and desires, outside forces threaten breakthroughs in her research, creating an entirely different kind of fear in her world. Will Alex be able to protect the women she has dedicated her life to helping and be brave enough to let love in?
Available at:
T-minus Two by KG Macgregor (NASA: engineer/biochemist)
It’s the boldest conquest of our time—the colonization of Mars.
Of the thousands who clamored for a one-way ticket to the Red Planet, only a fraction remain in the running. Now they’re converging on Hawaii’s Big Island for a nail-biting competition to be the first to launch.
Mila Todorov has prepared for this moment throughout her young life. With her revolutionary propulsion design already built into the Mars vessel, she likes her chances—especially if she can team with her all-time idol, Major Jancey Beaumont, a former NASA astronaut whose last space mission made her a worldwide hero.
Jancey is desperate for a return to space, but the margin for error is razor-thin. Can she afford to gamble her destiny on a woman so distracting as Mila?
Available at:
Entanglement by Max Ellendale (physics professor)
Uranium isn’t something that Detective Billie Olsen often finds on bodies of homicide victims. The unusual situation connects her to physicist and college professor, Mira Lewis. Incited by the discovery of the weak radioactive element, the two join forces to unravel a cryptic cipher. It isn’t the investigation, however, that nudges their paths to continuously cross.
Billie finds herself enamored by the bold, crimson-lipped professor, and her desire to learn more about her leads the two of them into an unlikely friendship. With both women burdened by their fears and responsibilities, the evolution of their entanglement rocks their unstable cores. The only question remains is will they be able to embrace their changes or succumb to an untimely meltdown?
Available at:
Rising Above by Genevieve Fortin (climate scientist)
As an engineering geologist, Anais (Ana) Bloom is thrilled when she arrives in Sainte-Luce-Sur-Mer to study the effects of climate changes and rising sea levels on the shoreline of the Saint-Laurent River. Soon after she settles in at the quaint White Sheep Inn, she develops a friendship with the innkeeper and her canine companion. The innkeeper’s granddaughter, however, is a whole other story. Melodie is attractive, perhaps, but she’s also impulsive, has a bad attitude, and doesn’t share an ounce of her grandmother’s hospitality.
Melodie Beaulieu has never planned to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and become an innkeeper. The only thing she’s wanted all her life is to live by the sea, in her hometown. When Ana Bloom comes to the White Sheep Inn and threatens her entire way of living, she simply won’t have it. She despises the scientist and her big theories and chooses to ignore her good looks and that damn red, unruly hair of hers.
Ana and Melodie would gladly keep staying out of each other’s way, but Mother Nature has other plans. Trapped inside the inn when a strong storm surge hits the beach community, they’re forced to come together to face the terrifying event and its aftermath. Can they rise above their conflicting beliefs and let their attraction take the lead?
Available at:
Love by the Numbers by Karin Kallmaker
As a behavioral scientist, Professor Nicole Hathaway’s work strips away the foolish mystique that surrounds the human mating dance. When her academic tome is treated as a viral “love manual” her ecstatic publisher books her to appear all over the U.S. and Europe. Worse yet, her quiet, managed life has been shattered by a series of incompetent assistants. And she’s certain this Lily Smith creature isn’t going to be any less a burden than the last assistant they sent her. Or the one before that. Or before that…
Lillian Linden-Smith needs this job. With a relentless TV lawyer and public mob still out for her blood for crimes committed by her “American royalty” parents, getting out of the country is her only hope for anonymity. If that means cleaning up and presenting an antisocial know-it-all Ph.D. for bookstores, clubs and lectures, fine. Dr. Hathaway may have succeeded in driving away all the others, but not this time.
From their first meeting the sparks fly, and each is thinking: She has no idea who she’s dealing with.
Available at:
Chain Reactions by Lynn Ames
Some of Diana Lindstrom’s fondest memories involve childhood experiments conducted under the watchful supervision of her Great-Aunt Nora, a celebrated physicist long ago shunned by the family for mysterious reasons.
Now in her adult years and a sought-after scientist herself, Diana learns that Nora is dying. She hires private-duty nurse Brooke Sheldon to care for Nora. Over the days and weeks spent in Nora’s company, Diana and Brooke are privy to Nora’s long-held secrets, along with her deep-seated regrets.
Trapped in a failing body, but with a keen mind, Nora Lindstrom watches as the spark of attraction between her great-niece and her caregiver grows into a flame. Determined to help the two younger women find the kind of deep love they so richly deserve, Nora makes a fateful decision that brings the past and the present directly onto a collision course. After all this time, it’s still about chain reactions.
Available at:
Technically Faking by Robin Hale
Iris Spark knows exactly what she wants. It hasn’t made her many friends, but it has made her a fixture on all the best ‘Under 30’ lists in Silicon Valley and the CEO of SparkSignal, a company she built from nothing.
And now it’s about to make her unemployed.
The Board of Directors wants her out. They say she’s difficult. Abrasive. They’ve already set the date to vote in her replacement: someone charming and easily controlled.
Her assistant has a plan. One last-ditch effort to overhaul her image.
Amber Kowalczyk has lived the hustle so long she is the hustle. And she loves it. She loves her little social media empire and everything it takes to keep on top of it. What she doesn’t love is the rising cost of rent that makes staying in her corner of San Francisco look more and more impossible.
But when a cheeky caption on a photo of one of Silicon Valley’s prickliest entrepreneurs results in a clandestine meeting, Amber might have a way out of her mounting debt.
It’s simple: Iris Spark has money, Amber Kowalczyk has public opinion, and SparkSignal’s popularity goes up when people think the two of them are dating.
It’s only a few weeks. It’s only pretend.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Available at:
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers (PhD in astronomy)
With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She’s a straight A, work-through-the-summer certified high achiever. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.
This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her parent’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.
In New York, she’s able to ignore all the constant questions about her future plans and falls hard for her creative and beautiful wife, Yuki Yamamoto. But when reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along—the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood.
Available at:
Unlikely Match by Fiona Riley
Shelly White is a coding genius who has mastered the IT world but hasn’t quite mastered dating. While she searches for Ms. Right with the help of Samantha Monteiro’s matchmaking agency, Shelly embraces her inner nerd, and when one of her newest ideas turns into a creative goldmine, she hires PR exec Claire Moseley to help her professional dreams become reality. But is Claire the girl of her dreams in more ways than one?
Being raised by four brothers has made Claire tenacious. Her assignment to Shelly’s high-profile project focuses her desire to prove her worth, even though she secretly fears she’s out of her depth. And she absolutely, positively isn’t going to let her growing attraction to Shelly White derail her career.
When passions and ambitions overlap, Shelly and Claire must decide whether mixing business and pleasure can result in a perfect match.
Available at:
The Circle Dance by Jen Silver
Jamie Steele has moved to another town trying to forget the heartbreak of losing her lover. She now has a low paying job as an IT technician, lives in a rented room, and is mostly failing at the forgetting part.
Ivana Spencer is introduced to Jamie over dinner at her friends’ house. She can see herself falling for Jamie, but Jamie hasn’t got over her ex, Sasha, and perhaps never will.
Sasha Fairfield, finds her thoughts taken up with her ex-lover of six years and thinks she wants Jamie back. But given the acrimonious nature of their breakup will Jamie want to even talk to her? After all, Jamie lost her home, her job, her car…and most importantly, the cat…all at the same time.
Available at:
Leave a comment
Leave a comment and let us know which book you’ll be reading for the “character works in STEM” category!
The 2022 Reading Challenge: Sapphic Book Bingo
There will be a year-long reading challenge in 2022 too! I’m working on putting together a Sapphic Book Bingo. Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get the Sapphic Book Bingo posts sent to your in-box starting on January 1!
The post Character works in STEM (Sapphic Reading Challenge #48) appeared first on Jae.
