While Pride Month might be over, that is no reason to stop reading all those beautiful rainbow-y reads! And while the state of the world we live in is far from ideal and there is still a lot of hate going around, we have a small escape, a place we can go to unwind and recharge for all the battles that still lay ahead of us – BOOKS!
Sometimes we just need something heartfelt and cute, books without any tears (only happy tears allowed!), books that show us that YES, it is okay to be gay/bi/non-binary/trans/… and YES you can be happy no matter your sexual orientation, identity, and expression. So without further ado, here are five books that will make you cry only happy tears! And maybe swoon with all the cuteness going on in them!
Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye
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When we talk about hopeful and sweet LGBTQ+ books we can’t not mention the gem of 2020, an #ownvoices novel Date Me, Bryson Keller. This fluffy YA contemporary that combines the fake dating trope and hidden romance packs a real punch, but in the sweetest way possible! As Kai and Bryson enter a week-long secret relationship they start learning a lot about themselves and the world they grew up in! Beautiful themes of love, acceptance, and self-discovery mix perfectly with more serious topics such as religion and the pressure of coming out to create a swoon-worthy love story that is a true successor to the likes of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Red, White and Royal Blue!
The Love Hypothesis by Laura Steven
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This fun and sassy YA contemporary with a scientific twist will make you laugh out loud and simultaneously make you question some of the more ridiculous ideas of love and attraction our society pushes on us! As Caro decides to use drastic measures to get the attention of the popular boy she likes, this causes a domino effect that makes her question both the morality of her actions and what it means to love – and who she might actually be in love with! Steven’s snappy and masterful writing style combines witty one-liners with more serious topics, but at the end of the day The Love Hypothesis is a cute F/F love story with many entertaining twists!
Check, Please by Ngozi Ukazu
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If graphic novels are more your drift, then you need to check out this cute graphic novel about hockey, baking, and a beautiful queer love story! Check, Please is filled with funny pop references, relatable characters (yes, even if you are not a sporty person) that will steal your heart, and all the trials of college life. I especially recommend checking this out if you adored Heartstopper and are looking for something that will captivate you as much as Nick and Charlie did!
The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston
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This nerdy book filled with a convention, pop-culture references aplenty, and two adorable love stories will steal you heart in no time! When a case of mistaken identity throws together a star of a famous sci-fi TV show Starfield, Jessica, and a devoted fangirl Imogen things seem far from perfect! But as a curveball that threatens Jessica’s career is thrown their way, the girls are forced to work together and save both Jessica’s career and the whole fandom! The Princess and the Fangirl is a geeky The Prince and the Pauper retelling that is perfect for when your heart desires a fluffy pride read!
Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
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Did someone say a cutesy queer love story with amazing representation? If yes, than this book is perfect for you! In Let’s Talk About Love we follow Alice, a black asexual biromantic girl who is done with love! Until Takumi, a cooking-master-library-colleague-sweetness-incarnate walks into her life and she starts to wonder if maybe she can be in a happy relationship despite not wanting sex in her life. This gorgeous debut will make you question the traditional ideas of love that society pushes on us – and cry happy tears over the sheer cuteness that are Alice and Takumi! Prepare tissues for some happy tears!
And in case you have read all of these happy rainbow-y reads already, you can also check out some other sweet gems such as Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales, Rick by Alex Gino, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, and Camp by L.C. Rosen!
