A cool collection of straight and queer books to read? Sign me up! In case you are in mood for some romance and love, I have put together 5 straight and 5 queer romance with a twist books for you to read. Check out these recommendations below
1. The Hunting Wives. May Cobb.
4 stars
Get ready for a scandalous read in this tale of target practice, martinis and bad behavior which leads to obsession and murder. Such a package deal!
Sophie left an inspiring career to settle down with her husband and son in a small Texas town. It seems like a perfect life until she realizes it is not, it feels too quiet and she is feeling bored until she meets Margot an alluring socialite who is part of an elite society secretly known as the Hunting Wives.
She is then drawn into Margot’s mysterious world of late night target practice and partying. As Sophie’s curiosity gives way to an obsession, she slips away from the safety of her family. When the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the woods where the Hunting Wives meet, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation with her life spinning out of control.
2. What If It’s Us. Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera
4.5 stars
In this heartbreaking tale of the right person, wrong time, Albertalli ( Simon Vs the Homo Sapien Agenda) and Silvera (They Both Die at the End) successfully deliver a young adult contemporary read.
Arthur is only in New York for the summer when he meets Ben in a meet cute at the post office. They get separated and then get reunited. But what if Authur tries too hard to make it work and Ben doesn’t try hard enough? What If It’s Us is a short and beautiful romance novel for every lover out there.
It has a sequel: Here’s To Us which is equally good.
3. Love In Colour. Mythical tales from around the world, retold. Bolu Babalola.
5 stars.
Love In Colour is a collection of short stories about mythological tales all around the world. In this novel, Babalola does a really good job in retelling some popular and some not so popular tales from history and mythology.
She tells the story of love that should be experienced by everyone with beautiful stories from ancient legends from the Middle East, Greek myths and long erased places with her own twist. Babalola delivers a solid debut with this one of a kind novel you can’t put down until you are finished with it.
4. If This Gets Out. Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich.
4 stars.
In this music themed romance novel, Ruben and Zach are both 18 year old members of a boy band called Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their band mates, they are best friends on stage and in front of the camera, but they all start feeling the pressure of fame.
On a tour through Europe, Ruben and Zach come to rely on each other more and their friendship blooms into romance. When the time comes to tell their fans and love freely, they realize they will never have the support of their management.
5. The Love Hypothesis. Ali Hazelwood
5 stars.
Apart from the amazing book cover that draws you in immediately, Hazelwood delivers ultimately a solid contemporary love story in The Love Hypothesis.
Olive doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships but her best friend does. So Olive tries convincing her best friend that she is dating and is on her way to a happy ever after. But she needs more than just mind tricks so she panics and kisses the first man she sees.
That man being Adam, a young hotshot professor and a well known ass. Olive is taken by surprise when he decides to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. Suddenly their experiment feels dangerously close to combustion.
This novel deserves all the hype. No jokes.
6. The Ghost We Keep. Mason Deaver.
4.5 stars.
In this second novel by Deaver that tackles the subject of grief and mental health, when Liam’s older brother is killed in an hit and run Liam has to not only learn how to face the world without one of the people they loved but also face the fading relationship with his two best friends.
Feeling alone, they find themselves sharing time with Marcus, his older brother’s best friend. Get ready to go through all kinds of emoptions with this heartfelt book.
7. One True Loves. Elise Bryant.
4 stars
Lenore has always been a star artist and style icon in her high school, but when graduation comes she is less sure. She is put under lots of pressure by her Black parents who want her to have it all figured out, but she doesn’t even know what her dreams her yet. She also doesn’t believe a whirl romance can happen to her.
When her family embarks in a post graduation cruise, she meets Alex, a hopeless romantic golden boy with a ten year plan and he is irritating as well. She ends up stuck with him for the reminder of the cruise.
As they get to know each other, he may help her find something else she has been looking for.
8. Boyfriend Material. Alexis Hall.
4.5 stars.
In this fake dating romantic novel, Luc is famous. His parents split when he was young and the father he’s never met spent 20 years in and out of rehab and he is now making a come back and Luc is back in public eye and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.
To clean up his image, Luc has to find a normal relationship. Oliver is normal as they come, a barrister, a vegetarian and no moment of scandal; a perfect boyfriend. Unfortunately they have nothing in common so they strike a deal to be publicly friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled.
But the thing about fake dating is that it can feel like real dating.
9. The Heart Principle. Helen Hoang.
4.5 stars.
From the author of Kiss Quotient, this is the third book of the series but can be read as a stand alone. The book tackles heavy subjects like mentally health with just a hint of romance.
When Anna accidentally achieves career success with a viral Youtube video she finds her self burnt out from her attempts to replicate that moment. When her long time boyfriend announces that he wants an open relationship, Anna decides to also go on a string of one night stands.
That is where motor riding Quan comes in. When their first attempt fails, so does their second and third because being with a Quan is more than sex- he accepts her on an unconditional in levels she herself just started to understand.
When tragedy strikes for Anna’s family, Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love.
10. The Infinite Noise. Lauren Shippen.
4 stars.
In this young adult romance novel that also tackles the subject of mental health, Caleb is a 16 year old champion running back, when he starts to experience mood swings that are out of the ordinary even for a teenager, his life moves beyond typical.
Caleb is an Atypical- he feels the emotions of everyone around him. Being an empath is hard enough, but it becomes more complicated when he keeps getting pulled into the emotional orbit of one of his classmates, Adam. Adam’s feelings are big but they go together with Caleb’s in a way he can’t understand.
Caleb’s therapist encourages Caleb to explore this connection by befriending Adam. As he and Adam grow closer, Caleb learns more about his ability, himself and just how dangerous being an Atypical can be.
euphoria 
Leave a comment