(by Ava March, official moocher of Shawn's blog)
Hi all! Shawn gave me the nudge to post my own list of favorite gay romances, so here it is, in random order.
Seeking Redemption: Aiden and Ethan by Cameron Dane – Dane really knows how to write ubber angst, and since I’m an angst junkie, I just lap it up. This book also has the added plus of featuring two best friend heroes who were on the cusp of becoming lovers on the day they graduated from high school, only to be torn apart. The love that Ethan feels for Aiden in the prologue feels so real – that young love, that ‘yes, I will go away with you and only be with you’ love. So wonderfully pure and untainted, and a stark contrast to the man Ethan has become in chapter one.
Diving in Deep by K.A. Mitchell – I’ve read this one countless times. Like Stacey, this is a go-to book for me. The book doesn’t have big external elements – there are no killers and no family drama. It’s Cam and Noah’s story. The sex scenes burn up the page, and Noah’s internal angst really tugs at my heart.
Pyromancer by Amanda Young – The first Amanda Young book that I read, and the one that turned me into a fan girl. There is just something about Christian & Tanner that really appeals to me. Perhaps it’s that Tanner has steel in his spine, despite the fact he’s so young and turning tricks to pay the bills. Or perhaps it’s that Christian is so achingly lonely.
Faith and Fidelity by Tere Michaels – The prologue is heartbreaking and sets the tone for the book. This one is light on the actual sexual elements but high on sexual tension and angst as Evan and Matt, two men who had never thought of themselves as gay, go from friendship to love, leaning on each other and helping each other out through the hard times.
The Squire and At Long Last by Shawn Lane – I had a hard time narrowing this down to two favorite Shawn books. I love her first m/m book – Another Chance – and not just because it’s a Regency. But The Squire and At Long Last have a tiny bit of an edge. Shawn has a knack for crafting characters that just suck me into a book. Duncan is so innocent and curious, and the fact he’s not a very good squire makes him even more lovable. As for At Long Last, Shawn made me totally believe Preston’s struggles with his sexuality – it felt so very real.
My Fair Captain and The Englor Affair – No list of favorites would be complete without at least one J.L.Langley book. I can’t possibly choose between the two, so I included both. Though, like Shawn, MFC probably gets the edge because I absolutely adored Aiden. I also love J.L. Langley’s novella, With Love. Just re-read that one the other day. Lainey….he’s so darn adorable!!
That’s my list, and I just realized that while I myself write only historicals, that there is only one historical on my list of favorite m/m books, and it's not a Regency. Interesting. I do read historicals, and there are a handful that were very close to making the list. But when Shawn asked me about posting my own list of favorites, these were the books that first popped into my head. These are the ones I re-read, the ones that stick with me long after ‘the end’. And the ones that suck me back into the book when I start thinking about them again. …yeah, I was supposed to post earlier today, but I kept opening up books, and re-reading, instead of typing up my post. :D
Feel free to share your own list of favorite gay romances!
Thanks!
Ava
http://www.avamarch.com/
Great list, Ava. I like Diving in Deep a lot too.
ReplyDeleteI will say I am not a big fan of Faith & Fidelity but I know I am in the minority there (what else is new).
I have Aiden and Ethan and just keep putting it off. Will have to get to it after my Josh kick.
And Lainey from With Love is one of my all time favorite characters.
And thanks for the kind words on my books, too (blushing)
Glad you liked the list, Shawn!
ReplyDeleteI'll admit, when I first read Faith & Fidelity, I was a bit disappointed that the heroes didn't 'do the deed' (oh, they mess around, just no actual boinking). I was so waiting for it, but it never happened. But after I put the book aside, I kept thinking about it and realized what I wanted wouldn't have fit the characters, at least where they were as people at the end of the book. It was a great example of staying true to your characters and not pushing them further than they want to go. Anyway, I've re-read that book a few times since, and each re-read strengthens my opinion of the book. I think it's a wonderful love story.
Like I said, I am in the minority on that one.
ReplyDeleteJust like that Sparkling Eyes one. Ah, well.
Great choices just the same