100 books like Strawberry Summer

Stephanie Shea makes wonderful use of plucking out little bits of history and knowledge the characters have of each other in Take Two.

You get a super sense especially of Andy in this book – her physicality, the kind of human she is, and the enduring strength of Whitney’s attraction to her. This is a couple who are never going to be over each other – this comes across most strongly in this book for me.

I forgot to mention yearning in my intro. I love sapphic yearning, and in second-chance romances, the characters really know what they're missing and what they’re yearning for. And Stephanie has me totally convinced in this one.

I admire this author for word wizardry and flawed characters you can’t help loving. Take Two is book three of the wonderful Gia series but can be read standalone.

I couldn’t write about sapphic second chance romances without including a Monica McCallan and I found it difficult to decide between two favourites, Then and Now and Back in Your Arms. She takes a different approach in each – and that’s something admire in writers too – authors who’ll play around with structure and characters.

Monica is so good at so many aspects – dialogue, characterisation, chemistry, appealing settings. It means she writes the most compulsively readable books. If you ever hear me say, “I’m just going to have a peek at this Monica McCallan book,” the next thing you’ll hear from me is, “I’ve finished it.”

And if you pick up one, many more will follow. Be warned. 

Equally, pick a sapphic romance trope, and Georgia Beers will likely have written one of my favourites.

She has a wonderful balance of cosy with enough tension and angst to keep you flying through the pages. She has written many, and I so admire that she’s still producing her best work. Her recent Camp Lost and Found is one of my favourites yet.

For second chances, I’ve gone with Flavor of the Month. This one has so many wonderful ingredients. Small-town setting, food focus, chemistry, angst. A romance to snuggle up with.

Purposefully Accidental is also by one of my favourite authors.

Sometimes that strand of history between a couple can be a relatively petty grudge, and this is what I love about Purposefully Accidental. G Benson, isn’t afraid to have her characters be very human and flawed and a bit bloody minded at times. You get a lovely sense of these two not being able to leave each other alone, even when they’re annoying. 

This epic romance brilliantly juggles a whole load of tropes – celebrity, doctors, fake romance. I think this one of her strengths – coming out with something unique by considering many aspects in a very convincing way. (Dead Lez Walking is an example – gore, comedy, and romance combined in a way I thought impossible before reading that book).

She mixes giggle-inducing scenes then breaks your heart the next moment in a wonderfully immersive story. Sigh.

A book that really puts the enemies in enemies-to-lovers. The only thing Scarlett and Quin want more than to kill each other is to bed each other, and they’re not sure it actually takes priority.

This results in some of the funniest romance and fight scenes I’ve read and a relationship that’s hard not to root for. My girlfriend recommended this book to me, and we loved sharing its absurd romance.

I am a sucker for any and all sapphic romance but throw in two main characters that are individually powerful before they find love...and I’m done. Stars Collide got to me, folks, and not just for its portrayal of strong female leads.

This book sticks with me because of its thoughtful description of an older woman discovering her sexuality. It challenges the idea that all people are able to define their orientation early in life and allows older people to question their sexuality, despite any past romantic relationships (even, gasp, the infallible institution of marriage!). 

What makes this novel so compelling to me is how it captures the exuberance and intensity of teen friendships. That intensity has really revved for seventeen-year-old Andrea now that she’s realized she’s in love with her best friend Hailee. Unfortunately, she’s certain—partly because of her cerebral palsy—that Hailee couldn’t possibly feel the same.

Despite these doubts, Andrea has confidence and sass, which makes her a great model for readers with disabilities. That, along with her loyal, affectionate friend group, are my favorite aspects of the book. Andrea’s friends adore her, even as she makes a mess of things in an attempt to fall out of love. Also, they treat her disability matter-of-factly, as does the author. Andrea’s C.P. is real and present but never takes over the story.

I love new adult stories and endearing art. This book reminded me of a beautiful and terrifying time in my life when I wasn’t yet a “real” adult, but not a child, either.

The main characters are riddled with anxieties I know all too well. They get in their own way when it comes to finding love. Seeing them stumble, eventually learn from their mistakes, and grow together was cathartic. 

Another Goldie finalist the same year as my book that just so happened to also be a contemporary fantasy story starring a revolver-toting woman in a cowboy hat.

This time-hopping sheriff has a fun zombie-killing adventure and an endearing romance that I hope to see more of. I couldn’t put it down, and read the whole thing while waiting to find out if either of us would win.

I’ve heard people say this book is “magical,” and that description is spot on.

I cannot get over how cute this book was! A sprinkle of magic, found family, finding yourself, and amazing descriptions of the city. This book gave me so many sparkly feels. I begged for the two characters to get together and rooted for the MC from page one. The plot was phenomenally creative, genuinely like nothing I had ever read within contemporary romance.

I finished this book faster than any other book of the year.