Discussion for original M/M works, both professionally published and free online.
What's your favorite m/m novel?
What's your favorite m/m novel? What do you like about it?

Discussion for original M/M works, both professionally published and free online.
What's your favorite m/m novel? What do you like about it?
Discussion for original M/M works, both professionally published and free online.
Definitely for me at the moment I am all over the Captive Prince trilogy which I wanted to re-read as soon as I'd finished it
I am really looking forward to re-reading this trilogy and seeing what all I notice the second time around, it's so well plotted and smart. Definitely one of my favorites!
I love all of KJ Charles' Society of Gentlemen series, but I think the last has to be my favourite - A Gentleman's Position. David's such a wonderfully complex character, and the different levels of power and different kinds of power between David and Richard are just absolutely fascinating.
Ooh, I love that series too! The second one is my favorite, but I admit it's because it's very RTMI, haha.
I did love the power differentials in the third book and the loyalty between the two characters, and also that Richard is kind of helpless without David? XD
EVERYONE is helpless without David, even those who aren't aware of that (looking at Francis and Ash here) and it's glorious. I do love the second too, because, oh, Silas. And also Dominic, conflicted complex Dominic. But then there's the first with earnest moral Harry trying so hard and Julius and his waistcoats and his etiquette.
A Gentleman's Position is so great! KJC is the best at using those power differences and tough emotional dynamics is an absolutely compelling way. Also, she's really good at making you change your mind about characters when you see them from a different angle - I really disliked Richard earlier in the series but was massively fond of him by the end of AGP.
If anyone wants to try this series, the first book is currently on sale for 99 cents.
Him and Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. I love everything Bowen has written, not just her m/m.
OMG I didn't realize Us existed! How did I miss that?? I listened to the audiobook of Him and it was amazing, I really hope they're planning to make an audiobook of Us. I'd buy that in a heartbeat. Doesn't look like there's one yet, meaning I'm conflicted about just buying Us so I can read it now, or waiting and hoping they're currently producing an audiobook...
Oh man, you are in for a treat because it is so good.
I've never read M/M fic before (other than fanfiction) and I went and read Him because of this comment. All in one sitting. You have ruined me. Absolutely ruined me. Now I just need to carve out 5 hours to sit and read Us.
If you like het romances, all of Bowen's books are that good (I particularly love The Year We Fell Down).
I wish I had something else similar to rec, sort of an 'if you liked' feature, but Him and Us really are the best of the m/m contemporary hockey romances.
If you're interested in historicals, check out KJ Charles. And if you'd be interested in BDSM, check out Eleanor Kos, Leta Blake, and Straight Shooter by Heidi Belleau.
It's hard to pick, but I freaking loved Think of England by K. J. Charles. Which is weird for me, because I don't tend to like the historical ones as much! (I don't like to read much gay angst, which naturally shows up a lot when your lead characters are living in a time or place when homosexuality is illegal or leads to social ostracization). But the MC gets over his reservations very quickly, and both of them are so charming and badass. I really hope she writes a sequel.
I love that one too! Archie and Daniel are so delightful.
Think of England is so great! I'm normally not a historical fiction person either but this book definitely won me over to the genre.
I'm mostly in YA so anything by David Levithan, but I think Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe is still my favorite there. For adult books, I think At Swim, Two Boys is still the top.
Oh I have been meaning to read At Swim, Two Boys forever. It's actually in my shelf next to As Meat Loves Salt by M. McCann
It takes a little bit to get into, because I was not used to the way the characters thought/spoke. But once you get past that first chapter it doesn't have as much slang becomes much easier.
Cool, thanks for the heads up
I also just added As Meat Love Salt after looking that up! Do you organize your bookshelf by genre?
Haha...maybe? Ok yes. It's on the post-medieval Western European fiction shelf because I have issues
Have you read Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda? It's m/m YA that is suuuuper cute.
I started it, but ended up not getting to finish it. I need to check it out from the library again. (I'm so bad at checking out too many books for me to read them fast enough.) I liked what I'd read of it though.
My choices are probably oddball because they're not romances. But I really love everything by Sarah Monette. Melusine and A Companion to Wolves are the first novels in both her series.
I suppose the things that I like are how complicated they are. Melusine is not for the faint of heart. Felix is a much abused person. The voices throughout the novel are so distinct and so clear it astounds me. It's practically a study in voice. The fantasy world she's created is lush and harrowing, and the magic quite unique.
A Companion to Wolves is about a reluctant hero who finds himself bonded to an alpha female wolf. And because of the bonds of the men with their wolves, the wolves' mating becomes the men's mating. It's not terribly kind to the men involved, and this is a significant factor for everyone. The story itself is set in a frozen wasteland, with the men and their wolves the last defense against encroaching monsters.
I remember enjoying On a Lee Shore by Elin Gregory a lot (pirates!) and Unnatural by Joanna Chambers (regency), but it's been a while. Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat is definitely a favorite; I was reading that when she was originally serializing it on LJ and I can't believe how far it's come (or how long it's been!).
The Charioteer by Mary Renault. Any other Renault fans??
[Fall for You] (https://www.amazon.com/Fall-You-Law-Pack-Book-ebook/dp/B015WJ16CE/ref%3Dsr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1472524933&sr=1-1&keywords=fall%20for%20you%29by Keira Marcos is amazing if you like werewolves. The characters were fun and hilarious. I reread it when I'm feeling down.
Suzanne Brockmann's HOT TARGET, which iirc was the first mainstream romance novel featuring m/m. Jules is an FBI agent who's out and proud. He's working on a case in which the producer of a gay WWII epic is getting death threats, and crashes into the producer's younger brother, Robin, who happens to be starring in said movie. Robin is beautiful and funny and kind, when he's sober, which is rare. He's also in complete denial about his sexuality. Things get even more complicated when Jules's serial cheater ex-boyfriend shows up -- also getting cast in the movie -- and he may or may not want to get back together.
Technically, the Jules/Robin/Adam stuff is a subplot; the main plot is het, in which the producer falls for her Navy SEAL bodyguard. I actually also love them, but they're beside the point here. HOT TARGET is actually just about Jules and Robin's first encounter -- they don't get together until a later book in the series, FORCE OF NATURE, which is incredible.
AND THEN THERE'S A NOVELLA ABOUT THEIR WEDDING. All the profits of which go to Mass Equality, which is lovely. The novella is really just 10000% adorable curtain fic, as they get engaged/buy and renovate their dreamhouse/the awful ex shows up at their wedding/etc. If you are someone who's ever sought out curtainfic or established relationship fic, you should definitely, DEFINITELY pick up the series.
(Um, also technically, those are three books in a much longer series -- HOT TARGET is #8 -- but you really don't need to read any of the others. They're pretty self-contained.)
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller was quite popular a few years ago and I read it completely convinced it was a fix-it. It wasn't. I cried a lot, I was almost more heartbroken than poor Patroclus and I couldn't bring myself to reread it ever again.
A book I've often reread is The Kidnapped King by Isla Sinclair, along with its sequel Plundering The Prince. They're the classic kinky D/s books, except this is D/s IN SPACE. And two of the characters had an incestuous relationship but they weren't the endgame *sadface*
Oooh, tell me more about D/s IN SPAAAACE. Because I thought I'd found all the D/s books already but I've never even heard of this one.
Oh my god, it's so tropey! The protagonist is a subby bisexual king, soon to be married to this really cool queen for political reasons. He's in lust with his counselor but he thinks it's one sided until the day his cousin (and ex lover) kidnaps him and ravishes him a little but not enough. The counselor saves the king and can you guess what happens next? :D :D :D
I really like the setting too, the worldbuilding is quite subtle but it's so fascinating, I want to read all about their world!
This sounds super rtmi and I will definitely be checking it out once I get home. 😘 Thank you!
Yay, I'm glad!
I've been using this post as a place where I can get recs and a few of these books have already ended up on my reading list ;)
Oh my god, that sounds amazing. runs
My job here is done :D
Ooh, I'm adding The Kidnapped King to my tbr pile immediately!
Yesss!
Wolfsong by TJ Klune. TJ really is a master with words. I love his characters and how ridiculous and realistic they all are. His work is amazing and he continues to produce content at least twice/three times a year, if not more? That's what I see anyways. In going through his releases right now.
But Wolfsong really is a good book on its own. It's so dramatic and angsty but is filled with moments that will make you cry laughing. It's one of the only books that I literally laugh out loud while reading.
TJ is also mindful to include strong female characters and other spectrums of the LGBT is his work. One the side characters, whose getting their own book btw, is asexual? How awesome is that!!!
Also the sex is A++ TJ's work is a must read.
Except for Burn. I don't know what went wrong with Burn but I had to put it down for a while because I just couldn't get through it. Perhaps is felt too forced? Too cheesy? Not sure but I'll tell you about it once I'm done.
I think for now my favorite is Heidi Cullinan's Double Blind. It's got some kinky sex, but also is sort of feel good. I love how Ethan kind of flounders around and goes from desperate to super competent, and Randy is just lots of fun.
The story is probably a bit silly and I kind of skim over some of the more melodramatic parts on re-read, but I've probably read this book more than any other in my collection. Sometimes I'll tell myself I'm only going to read a small section, and then I find myself going through the entire book again, heh.
I still wish there was another story (beyond the Christmas short) that focuses on Ethan and Randy.
I adore Heidi Cullinan! I read her Minnesota Christmas trilogy over Christmas and all three books made me cry at least once.
Link markup is easy! Put the words you want linked in square brackets, and the actual link right behind it in round brackets. Much easier than html, once you've got the hang of it. I think /imzy has an faq about markup somewhere...
And yes! I love the second book in the Minnesota Christmas series the most. :D But the first one is great in how it kind of has a fairy tale feel.
OOH! Let's see if I can edit it!
YAY! That worked! And wow that IS easy compared to HTML!