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Chemistry Lessons

Jae

2022 Finalist
222 Pages
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Fiction - LGBTQ

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Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers' Favorite

Chemistry Lessons by Jae is a light lesbian contemporary romance novel about two women who can't decide what they truly are: best friends or lovers. Regan Romano, an amazing chemistry teacher, and Kylie Wells, a great cafeteria worker, have been best friends since kindergarten; therefore, they know everything about each other, except one little thing. Everyone who knows them thinks they're a couple. But Regan and Ky insist they're not. One day, one of their friends gives them the idea to go on a date to see if there's something more between them. Thus, they conduct a little experiment that hopefully will prove that there's no chemistry between them. But, do they agree with this chemistry experiment to prove something to their friends or themselves? What's keeping them from taking their relationship to the next level?

Chemistry Lessons by Jae is a charming and sexy friends-to-lovers lesbian romance. Jae built her characters and the romance between them quite well. You can't help but fall in love with this book and also roll your eyes quite frequently at Regan and Ky's unwillingness to admit what they truly feel for one another. Jae is a skillful writer who crafted an electrifying story with lovable characters, smooth dialog, and a love for good food and t-shirts with clever jokes that capture the beauty of true love. Chemistry Lessons by Jae is a dose of hope for those who are afraid to take risks in their relationship, to express their feelings. This slow-burn romance is quite funny and sexy, and it's a perfect combination of the most-wanted ingredients in a relationship: friendship, romance, love, and sex.

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Flowers by Night

Lucy May Lennox

2021 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - LGBTQ

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Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

Flowers by Night is an LGBTQ romance novel by Lucy May Lennox set in mid-19th century Japan. Uchida Tomonosuke, a Japanese samurai, finds himself deeply enamored with his masseur Ichi, a member of Todoza, the guild of blind men. Much to the dismay of his wife Okyo, Tomonosuke finds women sexually unattractive and is therefore unable to consummate his marriage and produce an heir. Meanwhile, Okyo herself is in a passionate relationship with her maid Rin. To avoid a scandal, she tries to persuade Ichi into providing her with an heir, but her world turns upside down when Tomonosuke gets arrested on false embezzlement charges. However, fate intervenes, and Okyo manages to free Tomonosuke from prison. They must now travel north to try to build a life with their respective lovers.

Author Lucy May Lennox's riveting tale of forbidden love captivates you from start to finish, providing an authentic portrayal of 19th-century Japan. Flowers by Night is an intoxicating love story that keeps your eyes glued to the pages without a single dull moment. The pacing suits the plot, and the narrative sails smoothly. All the characters felt three-dimensional, containing depth and complexity that make them pop out of the page. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between Tomonosuke, Ichi, Okyo, and Rin. Okyo was my favorite character of the bunch, and her scenes with Tomonosuke and Ichi provide plenty of entertaining moments. The lovemaking scenes felt intimate, encapsulating the emotions of the characters seamlessly. I highly recommend Flowers by Night.

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Searching for Sarah

Phillip Vega

2021 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - LGBTQ

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Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Searching for Sarah by Phillip Vega is a novel for readers who enjoy well-crafted and emotionally moving stories with LGBTQ themes. Still grieving over the death of Nina, his sister, Tom Ruiz sets out to fulfill her dying wish; a journey to unravel the mystery of a woman named Sarah. The only thing he has is Nina’s personal journal. As he begins to look for clues through his sister’s diary, he is startled by the fact that he never even knew her at all, because she had a life partner that Tom did not know. Finding Sarah becomes an adventure that reveals a lot about family dynamics, prejudices, and a love so pure it is inspiring. Will he be able to find Sarah and discover who she is?

Phillip Vega is a great storyteller and an author who writes from the heart. This heartwarming tale will bring tears to the eyes of readers, warm their hearts, and have them reflecting on themes of love, family, and commitment. It is a suspenseful story filled with well-drawn and sophisticated characters. The author writes about family dynamics in a powerful way, using emotions and feelings to enrich the characters and creating situations that enable readers to appreciate the humanity of these characters. Searching for Sarah is a profoundly emotional story that will touch readers at deep and personal levels; it is a story of the triumph of love and its beauty, and fans of LGBTQ will find it irresistible. I found myself rooting for the characters, wanting to discover what will happen at the end of the road as I watched the frustrations in Tom. It is both inspiring and entertaining, one of those rare books that capture honest emotions and strong sentiments of love and loyalty.

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Wrong Number, Right Woman

Jae

2021 Honorable Mention
384 Pages
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Fiction - LGBTQ

2021     Honorable Mention
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Reviewed by Soumya Sreehari for Readers' Favorite

Denny is shy and introverted, qualities that do not fare well in the dating scene. She is also hard-working, kind-hearted, and fun to be with. She lives a contented life, with a steady job and a cozy family. Out of the blue, a text message from a wrong number sparks a series of life-changing events for her. Eliza is an extroverted and bubbly woman. She is looking for a deep and fulfilling relationship and struggling to find it through dating. A text message she meant to send her friend asking for outfit advice lands in Denny’s phone and there begins an unusual story. Could she find the deep connection she is looking for with a woman? That is the crux of Jae’s story in Wrong Number, Right Woman.

Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae is a heart-warming love story of two women. Denny and Eliza struggle with dating for different reasons. When fate brings them together, they find that they make a perfect match. What does that mean to each of them? Eliza has never dated women before. How does she reconcile her feelings for Denny? Denny knows what she feels is real but must also empathize with Eliza’s conflicting feelings. Their journey of discovery is a story of warmth and acceptance. I greatly liked the premise, the setting, and the whole cast of characters. In addition to Denny and Eliza, all the other characters are also relatable. The book left me with a warm feeling in the end. Pick it up for a relaxing read over a weekend.

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The Straight Crimes

Matt Juhl

2021 Bronze Medal
301 Pages
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Fiction - LGBTQ

2021     Bronze Medal
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Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

The Straight Crimes by Matt Juhl is a brilliant romantic suspense novel that follows the relationship of teenagers Harper Jones and Nik Roberts. Harper is trying to start over. When she becomes the new kid in town and meets Nik, sparks fly and they fall in love. This sounds like your typical girl meets boy premise, but the thought-provoking twist is its man versus society conflict. Their heterosexual relationship is forbidden to blossom in a society where homosexual relationships have become the norm. This is alternate America where straight relationships are perceived as taboo and have become the new target of prejudice. Throughout her life, Harper had longed for stability, a place to belong, and someone to love her. Despite an uncertain future that their relationship faces, Harper and Nik will fight for each other.

The Straight Crimes not only delivers an entertaining read but also a powerful social message. Matt Juhl boldly writes about a sensitive hypothesis that will challenge your perception of gender bias. It is a heart-piercing tale that invites you to exercise empathy, by placing yourself in someone's shoes and gaining an insight into their experience. The narrative is fast-paced without making you feel rushed as it delicately balances how Harper settles into the rhythms of an alienating place in which she has found herself. In a world where Harper and Nik’s relationship does not fit societal patterns, you cannot help but feel happy and protective over them when you come to grips with the thought that they live in a world that could possibly come true. The Straight Crimes is a highly-recommended read for the challenge that it poses to society to make a stand not only on its position about gender bias, but about drug addiction, bullying, mental abuse, and other contemporary social problems.

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Crystal's House of Queers

Brooke Skipstone

2021 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - LGBTQ

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Reviewed by Jose Cornelio for Readers' Favorite

Crystal’s House of Queers by Brooke Skipstone is a sweeping and passionate romance with strong gay themes, following compelling characters. It is the second time that Crystal Rose wakes up drenched in sweat after dreaming of having sex with Haley Carson, a girl with whom she has previously had a thing. At school, Haley is assaulted by her abusive boyfriend and Crystal comes to her rescue. They renew a love that has been kept hidden in the past, and this time, with the help of Payton Reed, they are ready to face life and anyone who may stand in the way, including Crystal’s addicted parents. Follow these characters on a rollicking ride to transform Crystal’s home into a haven where they can be free to do what they want — free to be themselves and to love.

The setting is well-written in the small town of Clear, Alaska, and the author does a wonderful job of capturing elements of the weather, the locale, and social realities like the strain of the Covid pandemic. It is a small town in which many people think that Covid is a hoax, a reality that still persists in many small towns. The characters are well-written and the author explores their personalities and their qualities in depth. For instance, Crystal has a great gift for drawing and it is intelligently communicated in the novel. The world-building is excellently accomplished. The plot builds up with emotional intensity, and the characters develop throughout the story to a point where they realize it is time to override the prejudices of society, a time to fight: “Because we love.” This is an immersive narrative with a tense plot and characters that swept me away. Brooke Skipstone’s exploration of character and her gift for atmospheric writing are elements that augment the entertainment quality of this emotive and engaging tale.

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Carlos

The Gates Book 6
Michelle Pashko

2021 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - LGBTQ

2021     Silver Medal
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Reviewed by Natalie Soine for Readers' Favorite

Carlos (The Gates Book 6) by Michelle Pashko is an intriguing, suspenseful novel. Renowned artist Carlos Fernandez meets his younger brother Miguel for the first time at their mother’s funeral. The brothers form a close relationship and Carlos moves to LA to pursue his art career and finally rejoin society after being in hiding and allowing his manager Jeremy to administer the sales of his work. Carlos attends Miguel and Finn’s wedding where he meets Clay Everett, an LAPD Central Community Police Officer. Clay and Carlos discover that they have much in common and were both abused as children. When Carlos’s foster father Earl Roy is released from Ironwood State Prison, Carlos fears for his life. Clay and Detective Ross investigate Earl and his new wife Sally, hoping to arrest Earl for stalking. Carlos’s new family will do whatever it takes to protect him from evil.

Michelle Pashko is a fantastic author and does a great job of capturing the essence and personality of each character. The relationships and love scenes are beautifully written and show that we all need family and friends such as Miguel, Clay, and Carlos even if we don’t always agree. The various locations visited by Clay and Carlos are vividly described, especially Little Tokyo and Santa Barbara. This novel will help people to understand that the trauma of childhood abuse remains with people for the rest of their lives and will always have an impact on their own relationships. The story is smooth flowing and comfortable to read – highly recommended to adults only.

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Face the Wind

Little Sister Island #2
Caren J. Werlinger

2021 Gold Medal
368 Pages
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Fiction - LGBTQ

2021     Gold Medal
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Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers' Favorite

The inhabitants of Little Sister Island have grown accustomed to the ancient magic that lingers in the bedrock, entwining the island and the islanders together. When an unexplainable quake hits the island, they believe it foretells some future event, although no one is certain what it might be. Meredith Turner, miles away from the island, once again wakes up from the recurring, haunting nightmare of a shipwreck. After knowing the same dream plagues her mother, Meredith seeks help from a Native American healer. When she spots a photograph of Little Sister Island, all the puzzle pieces fall into place. Why does the island call the Turners? What fate awaits them there? To learn the answers, read Face the Wind by Caren J. Werlinger.

Caren J. Werlinger’s novel is a combination of romance, LGBTQ fiction, and magical realism. Although this is the second book of the Little Sister Island series, not reading the previous one posed no issues. Werlinger sketched each character down to the minutest detail; however, Molly and her partner, Kathleen, stole the show for me. The island community as a single unit helped and looked out for each other. When the arrival of the Turners raised conflicts among the islanders, some bitter memories resurfaced, and I waited impatiently for the issues to resolve. Despite the perils of living at the mercy of the sea, the simple life on the island lured me. I would recommend Face the Wind, a story of love, acceptance, and healing, to anyone looking for a heart-warming read.

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A Prison In The Sun

Canary Islands Mysteries Book 3
Isobel Blackthorn

2020 Finalist
254 Pages
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Fiction - LGBTQ

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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

A Prison In The Sun is a work of mystery fiction with plenty of intrigue and was penned by author Isobel Blackthorn. Forming the third book of the Canary Islands Mysteries series, this installment focuses on the difficulties facing ghostwriter Trevor Moore. Desperate to find his muse, the young writer takes up in a farmhouse in Fuerteventura, but no sooner than he’s landed there, trouble rears its head. After uncovering a huge sack of cash that seems to have no owner, Trevor is sent down the rabbit hole of a story that goes back to the fifties and sixties, where he discovers the ugly truth about the Franco regime, and how the island was used to persecute gay men for nothing other than being themselves.

Author Isobel Blackthorn explores many intelligent themes throughout this fascinating work, which gives a true literary quality to the cozy island mystery genre. As one might expect from a literary title, the story starts slowly and establishes Trevor’s character well, outlining the reasons why he is suddenly on his own and down in the dumps as he seeks solace in a Canary Islands break. Having been to Fuerteventura many times, I loved the description of the island itself and the history surrounding it, and the uncovering of both the prison and mystery elements of the plot was really well constructed and poignant in its presentation. Overall, A Prison In The Sun is an excellent work of mystery fiction for those who want to devour a literary sensation over a longer period.

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Thirst Trap

Zachary Ryan

2020 Honorable Mention
212 Pages
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Fiction - LGBTQ

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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Thirst Trap is a work of romance fiction and interpersonal drama that was penned by author Zachary Ryan. Written from an LGBTQ+ perspective, this highly engaging and eye-opening work is best read by mature teens and adults due to the nature of sexual themes and substance abuse references. A coming of age drama with the emphasis fully on drama, our protagonists are four friends who each have their own deep personal issues to deal with. As Dillon and Jesse both deal with grief and loss, Ivan and Leo try to cover up their individual relationship problems with denial and deflection. So begins an important journey of accepting tragedy and moving forward into a brighter future.

Author Zachary Ryan has crafted a contemporary romantic drama that hits all the right buttons for modern readers. One of the particular strengths of the work is in its characters and the development of their dynamics. The plot is firmly character-led, and Ryan allows us close narrative and strong thought and speech presentation so that we can really get to know the four young leads of the tale. Their issues are represented with emotive scenes that really show their tragedy through thought and deed, rather than just telling us about it. The work is cinematic in its interpersonal scene description, and truly at its best when the characters come together to learn from one another, be that through triumph or tragedy. Overall, I would highly recommend Thirst Trap for romance fans who also want an inspiring dramatic narrative in their reading.
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