Queerly Beloved: The Joy Of Sensible Love
A list of happy, healthy, queer romances: the people are generally nice and sensible, the occasional PITA are few, definitely not evil, and put in their place sooner rather than later; problems are solved with a calm and clear head, communication gaps are few and short. If you need a balm for your spirit and experience the joy of love for a bit, here is your list.
🔗Here are my blurbs for the books, and my suggested reading order. Almost all are sapphic.
created by TomeFoolery
last updated October, 2026
Comments
Sprouted from 🔗this comment thread , which I am replicating here.
As I have stated, I only read healthy, happy stuff. My intent is that you read books within each author group in listed order, and the authors in suggested order, but mostly you can do whatever.
Also recommend the audiobooks for them. Almost all are brilliantly narrated.
▪️ The Clinch by Nicole Disney OMFG!!!!
I suggest you prioritize Allison Cochrun, Jae, Clare Ashton, EJ Noyes, Lee Winter, Tess Sharpe Then Haley Cass, then others.
The following are primarily romance, with no parallel plot
Allison Cochrun
Since you liked Kiss Her Once For Me by Allison Cochrun, I expect you will like her other books as well: ▪️The Charm Offensive (think this is her first book, people loved it) ▪️Every Step She Takes (I have read & liked. Read this before the next one.) ▪️Here We Go Again (supposed to be her magnum opus & very touching. SO read it last.)
Jae
Jae's books don't feature the kind of kewl banter between friends the way One Last Stop does, but her stories are simple, touching, happy, and healthy. ▪️Just For Show ▪️The Roommate Arrangement (technically a sequel to Just For Show but can be read first. They are both awesome but since I read this one first and loved I tend to tell others to do the same) ▪️Wrong Number Right Woman ▪️Just A Touch Away ▪️Heart Trouble ▪️Perfect Rhythm ▪️ Second Nature (Non-Magical urban fantasy, I really like it)
Clare Ashton
▪️Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton (you can read my review of the same; the rare second chance romance which does not equate still-has--the-hots-for-you sex with forgiveness, where forgiveness is earned, before a relationship is ever possible.)
Alexis Hall
▪️10 Things That Never Happened (OMG I fell off my chair laughing)
Robin Alexander
Robin Alexander usually writes witty stuff with downright hilarious dialogues. ▪️The Trip ▪️Scaredy Cat ▪️The Lure Of White Oak Lake
Haley Cass
▪️When You Least Expect It + Better Than Expected (simple, standard love story, makes me gooey eyed; the POV MC won me over with her competence & devotion) ▪️The Snowball Effect
RJ Nolan
▪️LA Metro (book 1 - I really really like it, but 3 is my fav) ▪️Wounded Souls (book 3 - my fav among these. You don't have to read LA Metro first if you don't want to but it is a little nicer if you read them all in order. Book 2 is also great but among these it is slightly lower)
Jeanie Leavig
▪️A Wish Upon A Star
Ciara Smyth
▪️Not My Problem (YA, but don't let that deter you. Balances light hearted love, banter, and more touchy stuff. I liked it)
▪️The Falling In Love Montage (YA again, but don't let that deter you. Haven't read it but have heard it has very strong dementia rep, a potent as Here We Go Again was my inference)
JJ Arias
▪️Guava Flavored Lies The MCs & their families constantly squabble like kids, complete with petty retorts. Usually this annoys me to no end, but here, the way it is written and the sheer juvenility of the verbal sparring is humorous ina SMH manner, once you try to look at them as they are - childish)
Rachael Sommers
▪️Love Next Door (one of my all time favs, this book is like a balm. Very sweet)
She writes some sweet stuff, but some of her books have an accountability problem (which enrages me) and some are a little too... ahem... straight-forward (all puns intended). So I didn't recommend more.
G Benson
▪️ Who'd Have Thought (This is extra special because my fastidious partner liked it too, and she doesn't like most of the stuff I do. Very recharging!)
The following are primarily romance, but there's a parallel plot about other stuff
Lee Winter
Lee Winter writes books usually centered around people's professional worlds
▪️The Brutal Truth (I like this a lot; a lot of people do)
▪️The Awkward Truth (I really like this one, but makes more impact if you read The Brutal Truth first.)
▪️Hotel Queens (this is my fav by her but a lot of people like this less than The Brutal Truth🤷🏻)
▪️The Red Files (haven't read it but supposed to be great, 2 rival journos join forces for an investigation)
▪️Vengeance Planning For Amateurs (haven't read it but supposed to be great, 2 amateur revenge-seekers join forces against a common target and promptly double their incompetence, light-hearted)
▪️Changing The Script (I like it, it is lightly humorous and fun)
EJ Noyes
EJ Noyes usually writes good to great stuff ▪️Gold (one of my favs. The audiobook narration is incredible.)
▪️Alone (Haven't read it but people are like OMG & I believe them)
▪️Ask, Tell (Military doctors)
▪️Ask Me Again (immediate sequel of Ask, Tell - so read that first. Deals with PTSD)
Tess Sharpe
(She writes wicked plots - I haven't read any except one but the blurbs are soo intriguing and everyone who has read em loved em) ▪️No Body No Crime (Read the fucking blurb goddamnit) ▪️The Girls I have Been
▪️6 Times We Almost Kissed (And 1 Time We Did) (The only one of hers I have read and this one is a romance without a parallel plot. It is YA, but it is easily one of favs. The flashbacks are a little weak IMO but they are short & the present more than makes up for them.)
Natalie C Parker
▪️The Assassin's Guide To Babysitting (UF, technically YA but not written like YA)
Geri Hill
▪️The Target (thriller) ▪️Chasing A Brighter Blue (straightforward romance)
Sprouted from 🔗this comment thread , which I am replicating here.
As I have stated, I only read healthy, happy stuff. My intent is that you read books within each author group in listed order, and the authors in suggested order, but mostly you can do whatever.
Also recommend the audiobooks for them. Almost all are brilliantly narrated.
▪️ The Clinch by Nicole Disney OMFG!!!!
I suggest you prioritize Allison Cochrun, Jae, Clare Ashton, EJ Noyes, Lee Winter, Tess Sharpe Then Haley Cass, then others.
The following are primarily romance, with no parallel plot
Allison Cochrun
Since you liked Kiss Her Once For Me by Allison Cochrun, I expect you will like her other books as well: ▪️The Charm Offensive (think this is her first book, people loved it) ▪️Every Step She Takes (I have read & liked. Read this before the next one.) ▪️Here We Go Again (supposed to be her magnum opus & very touching. SO read it last.)
Jae
Jae's books don't feature the kind of kewl banter between friends the way One Last Stop does, but her stories are simple, touching, happy, and healthy. ▪️Just For Show ▪️The Roommate Arrangement (technically a sequel to Just For Show but can be read first. They are both awesome but since I read this one first and loved I tend to tell others to do the same) ▪️Wrong Number Right Woman ▪️Just A Touch Away ▪️Heart Trouble ▪️Perfect Rhythm ▪️ Second Nature (Non-Magical urban fantasy, I really like it)
Clare Ashton
▪️Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton (you can read my review of the same; the rare second chance romance which does not equate still-has--the-hots-for-you sex with forgiveness, where forgiveness is earned, before a relationship is ever possible.)
Alexis Hall
▪️10 Things That Never Happened (OMG I fell off my chair laughing)
Robin Alexander
Robin Alexander usually writes witty stuff with downright hilarious dialogues. ▪️The Trip ▪️Scaredy Cat ▪️The Lure Of White Oak Lake
Haley Cass
▪️When You Least Expect It + Better Than Expected (simple, standard love story, makes me gooey eyed; the POV MC won me over with her competence & devotion) ▪️The Snowball Effect
RJ Nolan
▪️LA Metro (book 1 - I really really like it, but 3 is my fav) ▪️Wounded Souls (book 3 - my fav among these. You don't have to read LA Metro first if you don't want to but it is a little nicer if you read them all in order. Book 2 is also great but among these it is slightly lower)
Jeanie Leavig
▪️A Wish Upon A Star
Ciara Smyth
▪️Not My Problem (YA, but don't let that deter you. Balances light hearted love, banter, and more touchy stuff. I liked it)
▪️The Falling In Love Montage (YA again, but don't let that deter you. Haven't read it but have heard it has very strong dementia rep, a potent as Here We Go Again was my inference)
JJ Arias
▪️Guava Flavored Lies The MCs & their families constantly squabble like kids, complete with petty retorts. Usually this annoys me to no end, but here, the way it is written and the sheer juvenility of the verbal sparring is humorous ina SMH manner, once you try to look at them as they are - childish)
Rachael Sommers
▪️Love Next Door (one of my all time favs, this book is like a balm. Very sweet)
She writes some sweet stuff, but some of her books have an accountability problem (which enrages me) and some are a little too... ahem... straight-forward (all puns intended). So I didn't recommend more.
G Benson
▪️ Who'd Have Thought (This is extra special because my fastidious partner liked it too, and she doesn't like most of the stuff I do. Very recharging!)
The following are primarily romance, but there's a parallel plot about other stuff
Lee Winter
Lee Winter writes books usually centered around people's professional worlds
▪️The Brutal Truth (I like this a lot; a lot of people do)
▪️The Awkward Truth (I really like this one, but makes more impact if you read The Brutal Truth first.)
▪️Hotel Queens (this is my fav by her but a lot of people like this less than The Brutal Truth🤷🏻)
▪️The Red Files (haven't read it but supposed to be great, 2 rival journos join forces for an investigation)
▪️Vengeance Planning For Amateurs (haven't read it but supposed to be great, 2 amateur revenge-seekers join forces against a common target and promptly double their incompetence, light-hearted)
▪️Changing The Script (I like it, it is lightly humorous and fun)
EJ Noyes
EJ Noyes usually writes good to great stuff ▪️Gold (one of my favs. The audiobook narration is incredible.)
▪️Alone (Haven't read it but people are like OMG & I believe them)
▪️Ask, Tell (Military doctors)
▪️Ask Me Again (immediate sequel of Ask, Tell - so read that first. Deals with PTSD)
Tess Sharpe
(She writes wicked plots - I haven't read any except one but the blurbs are soo intriguing and everyone who has read em loved em) ▪️No Body No Crime (Read the fucking blurb goddamnit) ▪️The Girls I have Been
▪️6 Times We Almost Kissed (And 1 Time We Did) (The only one of hers I have read and this one is a romance without a parallel plot. It is YA, but it is easily one of favs. The flashbacks are a little weak IMO but they are short & the present more than makes up for them.)
Natalie C Parker
▪️The Assassin's Guide To Babysitting (UF, technically YA but not written like YA)
Geri Hill
▪️The Target (thriller) ▪️Chasing A Brighter Blue (straightforward romance)
You are the BEST for this list!!! 💕🫂
This is so awesome!!
