What better time for some lesbian romance than July, month of fireworks, amIright?!
Just kidding, every month is a month for some lesbian romance.
One of you out there requested some more romance novel recommendations recently, and I’m here to answer that call — except I have to warn you that I, sadly, actually know very little about the genre. And there is a LOT out there to choose from. So these are three recommendations I parsed from others’ advice on the Internets. Please let me know your other favorites for when we do this again!
First published in 1983, this has been called the “ultimate lesbian romance novel” from many reviewers, so I figured it had to be included. The only thing is, I can’t find a very detailed description of its plot. This is what I’ve gathered: it’s about two ladies having a lot of sex in a cabin at Lake Tahoe. Let’s be honest, that’s pretty much all I need to know.
Ann McMan was kind enough to send me a book of short stories a while ago, Sidecar (which I keep meaning to review more thoroughly — sorry, Ann!), and from that, I can vouch that her writing is a combination of all the best things: quirkiness and humor, sweetness and sexiness. Jericho is her best known novel, and begins with librarian Syd leaving a failed relationship for a small town in Appalachia, where she soon befriends Maddie, a physician who’s taking over her dad’s practice. And, well, you can imagine what happens from there. A librarian and a doctor in the mountains? OK!
I wanted to choose a Radclyffe novel for the third selection, as she is apparently a lady who has written a crapload of popular lesbian romance novels, but I had no idea which one to choose. (Any suggestions for next time, ladies?) And in my meanderings, I then found this one. And I had to pick it because it’s ladies who fall in love while acting on a TV show, and this is AfterEllen, so, duh. And the (made up) TV show is a “hot new police drama,” so, double score! Plus, there’s naked ladies on the cover, so, score all over the place.
So what variety of sexytimes shall it be, huh? Lake Tahoe? The Appalachian Mountains? Or L.A.?
If you’re a lesbian aficionado who’s read all of these selections already, I’ll also mention that a collection of romance stories edited by one of The Greats, Emma Donoghue (Room, Kissing the Witch, Astray), which was originally published and won a Lammy in 1999, was also just reprinted this month. And oh, how I love that cover.
All choices are available in both Kindle and in hard copy. I apologize for my lateness in getting these choices up this month. Vote in the next few days, and I’ll post the winner on Friday. I’ll also post some thoughts and questions about the poetry we read in June early next week. I have to say, I am ready to be educated in some lesbian romance reading next month. Bring on the love!
