These Vicious Delights

4. ASTER GLENN GRAY

The Larks Still Bravely Singing sets itself apart by featuring two disabled war veteran leads. This short but sweet WWI-era novel features an m/m second chance romance, references more obscure classic literature, and has the most romantic gesture of all time... Gifting your significant other gay fanfiction for Christmas! The subject matter is angsty (I cried near the end), but the disabled characters have so much strength, sympathy, and love for each other... I liked the historical accuracy in regards to the MC's preference for traditional relationship dynamics and the fact that this book states that a queer relationship does NOT have to be "pure" and sexless to be morally correct. Very tender and lovely.

5. ALEXIS HALL

Alexis Hall has two historical romances out right now: Something Fabulous (m/m) and A Lady for a Duke.

A Lady for a Duke features an m/f romance between a trans woman MC and her broody, traumatized childhood friend. While Alexis Hall is most known for his romcoms, this one is a tender love story that explores identity and grief.

Viola can finally live as a free woman after she was presumed dead at the battle of Waterloo. Gracewood, her best friend, is utterly wrecked by her "death" and the war and loses himself in alcohol and drugs... Years later, they meet again, and while their connection is undeniable, Gracewood doesn't recognize her at all. Both protagonists must deal with their traumatic pasts, but luckily they're surrounded by a loving and supportive cast of friends and family.

6. OLIVIA WAITE

7. ASTRID AMARA

This one is a historical fantasy, but in my opinion, the historical aspect is much stronger (and takes up more page-space) than its fantasy, so I'm adding it here.

The Devil Lancer is an m/m romance between an English captain and a half-English, half-Russian soldier during the Crimean War. Given the setting, this one is a lot bleaker than the other titles on this list, though it does have a happily ever after. If you love reading about military warfare, daily life in the trenches, and the harrowing reality of the Crimean War, then you'll enjoy this. I liked how our two MCs, though vastly different, found some love and hope in each other while in the middle of such senseless violence.

8. ARDEN POWELL

The Bachelor's Valet is technically a fantasy but the magic is so negligible that I would still call it a pure historical romance. This m/m romance novella features a loveable rich himbo and his cool-headed valet. It's short, sappy, and laugh-out-loud hilarious... perfect for cheering you up. Dumb characters usually annoy me but the hero was just so endearing that I didn't mind. Plus, it's got a lavender marriage between a gay man and a lesbian, so both parties are free to live their lives happily. My only complaint is that it's too short, but hey, better than nothing. And yes, you'll be fondly reminded of Jeeves and Wooster with these two.

9. LIANYU TAN

First off, this really is a dark romance with toxic relationships, manipulation, blood, and gore so please keep that in mind. This  gorgeously edgy sapphic love story is more of a horror than a  category romance... though it does have all the landmarks of a  romance! What makes this interesting is that technically there's a love triangle between our heroine Gean Choo, her cruel and  possessive mistress Verity, and her gruff but kind-hearted right hand woman butch lesbian Po Lam... But the author wrote three separate endings so you can choose which one you prefer.

10. BONNIE DEE

But Frankie, you cry, I don't actually care about historical accuracy or long series or complicated action plots or violence! I just want to read an author who writes a lot of sappy gay romance so I can binge read their entire backlist!

Okay then. May I offer Bonnie Dee (who sometimes collaborates with fellow author Summer Devon). I like her reliability in terms of: a) short, straight-to-the-point plots; b) no frills, no last-minute break-up or plot twist that extends the book for an unnecessary 100 pages; c) light tone so it's never truly dark or depressing; d) focus on romance and smut.

My favorite of hers is The Tutor. This m/m standalone is a gothic ghost story between a (fake) tutor and his grieving single dad client.

Romance is a genre that's comforting given its predictability. And I like that I can go into a Bonnie Dee book and know what I'll get out of it.

🌙🌙🌙

10. Burning Roses by S.L. Huang [Adult fantasy]

Most fairy tale retellings focus on one myth, but Burning Roses combines them all into one action-packed novella. Rosa and Hou Yi are middle-aged women, new friends and old warriors, who have banded together to stop sunbirds from destroying the country. But along their quest, you learn about their pasts, who and what they're fleeing... and why these sunbirds have been unleashed in the first place. Two sapphic older women leads, one trans woman lead, and a mix of both Western and Eastern mythology, Burning Roses tackles them all.

[Add it on Goodreads]

13. Malice by Heather Walter [Adult fantasy] - To be released 13 April 2021

14. The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo [Adult historical] - To be released 1 June 2021

Now that the copyright for The Great Gatsby has expired, I sense we'll see more retellings. This one re-imagines Jordan Baker as a queer Asian adoptee in Jazz Age America. But she's got money, power, and ambition... and she'll do whatever it takes to succeed despite all odds.

[Add it on Goodreads]

All's faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca.

Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him? 

The faire is Simon's family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn't have time for Emily's lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she's in her revealing wench's costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they're portraying? 

This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can't seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek

• Small town romance
• The Power of Friendship and Family
• Sexy conversations about Shakespeare
• Shut Up and Kiss Me
• Oh No He's (a) Hot (Pirate)!
• This Bodice Is Too Tight; I'm Swooning (Literally)
• Fake Dating (Except It's Real, Duh)

• They get attracted to each other pretty quick but they don't act on it until there's a real connection. Noc is very hot and cold. He won't allow himself to care for Leena because everyone he loves dies. And Leena was betrayed by a lover, so she doesn't believe in love. But her heart is full of it! There's no witty banter here, but they're so obviously drawn to each other, and I wanted them to hurry up and admit their feelings lol. Even if that had deadly consequences.

• When they finally get together, they are so soft! (And hard... ehem). It takes a significant amount of character development for Noc to even let himself love Leena. And Leena is a total sweetheart. But once they finally admit their feelings, they get together for real. No stupid miscommunication tropes here.

• THE SIDE CHARACTERS ARE AMAZING!! Leena has such organic friendships with all of them. Even the beasts have personalities, and they are all adorable. Noc is a true leader who puts the group before himself. There's also a grumpy side character who is my ABSOLUTE FAVE. He's been in love with Noc all this time and my heart breaks for him basically. But he lets Noc go because he knows Leena can make him truly happy... which is just... the purest kind of friendship.

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without. 

• A vampire and a vampire hunter... what could go wrong? Dax hates Cindel from the moment he meets her. He refuses to trust her until she's proven that she's more human than he expected. Cindel only goes with him because she has no other choice. They don't trust each other, but they're attracted to each other, and thus begins our delicious conflict.

• Dax learns that Cindel has fled a horrible life and yet she's got a warm heart. Cindel learns that Dax is secretly a good man deep down inside. They bond over their hidden, shared humanity. And it's beautiful. 

• Extra points for Dax's hilarious friend Kayne. Their filthy, back and forth banter was so fun to read! I actually wish Kayne and Cindel had more scenes together, because he's so witty and likable.

• They do insult each other a lot, but it comes off as more playful flirting/playground banter than anything with real heat. When they actually do say something cruel, it's acknowledged in-universe as taking a step too far. For a lighthearted romance novel, I think it's standard.

• The only thing stopping me from giving this a 3/5 is the sickness subplot. Basically, Andrew catches the flu and Georgie takes care of him. Then Georgie catches it too and he takes care of her. It was so cute, oh my god. Other than that... there isn't a lot of lovey dovey introspective "you're perfect for me" conversations between them. Well, in the end, Andrew sings his Big Confession... so bonus points.

• The audiobook was several hours long but I finished it in two days (albeit at 1.75x the speed). The writing is snappy, funny, and easy to digest. I couldn't get enough of it! My only real issue is that it started dragging by the end (after the smut scene), but at that point Layne was tying up loose ends for Andrew's character growth, so I can forgive it.

On to the actual review...

Pampered heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollow—and a whole lot lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing him is the most fun Georgie’s had in years—and the fuel for all her naughtiest daydreams.

Celebrity divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesn’t have much time for women, especially spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual job. Although Georgie’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also everything Andrew resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it. But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise kiss—a kiss that’s caught on camera—all of Manhattan is gossiping about whether they’re a real couple. And nobody’s more surprised than Andrew to find that the answer just might be yes.

• Jasmine and Ivan cannot stand in the same room without insulting each other. Their dynamic is legendary—one notorious video in-universe features Jasmine telling Ivan to suck her dick at a competition. She calls him Satan. He calls her Meatball. They are absolute children, and if it wasn't for their coach, they'd be at each other's throats 24/7. This. Is. Real. Enemies to lovers in a contemporary setting. And it's so funny! [Bonus: when Jasmine rants to her family about how much she hates Ivan... they're confused because they thought all the fighting was just flirting and they thought she used to have a crush on him. MAMA KNOWS BEST. WE ENEMIES TO LOVERS FANS ARE IN THE KNOW]

• When they actually learn to be friends, these two are so incredibly soft. It's also doubly heartwarming because Jasmine is usually a prickly bitch and Ivan is usually an arrogant asshole. But they become the best of friends and quickly learn to care for each other. Highlight reel: Ivan comforting Jasmine with hugs when she breaks down crying, Ivan kissing her nose on national television, and Jasmine crawling into Ivan's bed while vodka-drunk. Yes, they cuddled all night.

• Listen. I read this book expecting to just squee over the adorable, lighthearted romance. I did not expect the overwhelmingly painful barrage of feelings. Jasmine, the protagonist, had so many struggles that were just so vividly, personally relatable to me that I cried. Twice. And the crying had nothing to do with her romance with Ivan but everything to do with her as a person: about her career, her family relationships, her own struggles with self-worth. This was so much more than just a romance novel. 5/5 stars for how beautifully realized Jasmine's character is.

On to the actual review...

If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.

After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov.