Are you looking for the top new releases in lesbian fiction and sapphic romance ? Then you’ve come to the right place. All my love goes out to the amazing authors, who are paving the way when it comes to genre and boundary-pushing, writing dark and toxic love stories, unlikeable women main characters, or writing a cracker of a sapphic novel with the brightest dedication to love and kindness.
I read all my lesbian books on my Kindle Paperwhite, I just love it and take it everywhere with me so I can read all the best sapphic fiction book recommendations. With the Kindle Paperwhite’s built-in front light, I can fall asleep to a good lesbian book without leaving the lamp on and disturbing my wife. It comes with Bluetooth connectivity too, so I simply pair my airpods and doze off to a best-selling lesbian audiobook. The display has increased to 6.8″, so it‘s even easier to read, but it’s still super easy to pop in your bag or jacket pocket. The best bit though is that it is waterproof, so when I was recently on holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia I could lounge by the swimming pool whilst still being immersed in a good sapphic book. With 8 GB of storage and up to 10 weeks of battery life will see any bookworm like me through a holiday.
Don’t have time to read them all? Why not try listening to these great lesbian romance books? Audible is a great platform for listening to audiobooks because it offers a wide selection of lesbian books, including bestsellers and exclusive content. With Audible, you can listen to your favorite Sapphic books on the go, whether you’re commuting, working out, doing household chores, or simply relaxing in bed. Simply connect your headphones or airpods to your favourite device and you are good to go.
The Audible app also has features like adjustable narration speed, a sleep timer, and the ability to create bookmarks, making it easy to customize your listening experience. Audible offers a membership program that gives members access to a certain number of audiobooks per month, making it a cost-effective option for avid listeners.
Audible is great for people who want to maximize their time and make the most out of their daily activities. Try Audible plus and get up to 2 free audiobooks, and get instant access to a great choice of lesbian & sapphic audiobooks, along with a credit to purchase any title in their premium selection, regardless of price (including many of the books on this list!)
So without further ado, I give you my top 10 lesbian & sapphic book new release recommendations for April 2023.
1. Hotshot by Clare Lydon
Are you ready for fiery passion, on and off the pitch?
Sloane Patterson is the ultimate hotshot: a US soccer sensation whose arrival in the UK causes quite the stir. She’s got the game, the fame, the looks, the fiancée. But looks can be deceiving.
When Sloane’s life starts to unravel, Salchester Rovers’ new hire, Ella Carmichael, helps her pick up the pieces. But as the lines between their professional and personal lives blur, tensions surface. Now, Sloane’s goal of helping the team win the league and FA Cup has a significant addition: win Ella’s heart.
If you love women’s football, you’ll adore this blistering summer blockbuster oozing with goals, desire, and scorching first kisses. An irresistible romance about the beautiful game!
2. Allured By Her by Chelsea M. Cameron
I never looked forward to coming into work at the Common Grounds coffee shop and seeing Tenley Hill sitting at her usual table with her laptop. The most popular girl from high school always seemed to harass me and try to get a free latte and was more infuriatingly pretty than ever.
Then one day she comes in and she’s a total wreck. I make the massive mistake of asking her what’s wrong. Turns out her boyfriend dumped her and all wants to do is try and get him back. Tenley pours her heart out to me and, for the first time, I see her as a person and not just the woman who annoys me every day. That moment of weakness causes me to agree to do something I never would have done under normal circumstances: date her. Well, pretend to date her. In public, wherever her ex will see us. She tells me it’s fine, because she doesn’t even like women so there will be no messy complications. I panic and tell her I’m straight too.
At first I hate the role of being a fake girlfriend, but soon I find myself flirting with Tenley and dreaming of her kisses. She’s nothing like how I expected and before I know it, I’m falling for my heterosexual fake girlfriend and I have absolutely no idea what the hell I’m going to do about it.
3. The Fire In Her Heart by Emily Hayes
Falling in love with a patient is forbidden… so what do you do when feelings start building?
This is an Age Gap, Straight-to-Gay, Medical Romance between a Firefighter and a Doctor. It is Hot and Steamy, Sweet and Loving and as always, a Happy Ever After.
Ariana Costa is a fearless firefighter who gets severely injured saving her neighbours children from a house fire while she is off duty. She is lucky to be alive and knows she will have a long stay in hospital.
Dr. Kristi Lowen is the Burns Specialist assigned to Ariana. Dr. Lowen is straight and has never felt attraction to another woman before. But as Ariana starts to feel better and more like herself, she starts openly flirting with Kristi. Kristi finds herself enjoying it and enjoying spending time with Ariana more and more.
But, Ariana is her patient, and most of all, Kristi is straight, isn’t she?
4. Where The Heart Leads by Ally McGuire
A stunt car driver, an MI5 agent, a gigolo… Finn Montoya tells everyone she meets she has a different profession. It’s all part of keeping people at a distance while still being a part of the world around her. Really, she’s an accomplished writer who has taken being a mystery to heart. At least that way, she can stay safe. Under no circumstances can her past catch up with her.
Angie Davis just wanted some simple time with her daughter. But when the paparazzi swarm the café she and Luna are at, she has no choice but to accept the help of a handsome stranger who is watching the chaos play out. When Luna develops a friendship with that stranger, Angie’s unsure how to handle it. But the more time Angie spends with her, the more she wants to be in Finn’s arms.
Against her better judgement, Finn allows herself to be drawn to the promise of something real with Angie, but when the celebrity spotlight threatens to derail her safe existence and expose her secrets, it isn’t only their hearts in danger. Is love worth the risk?
5. Rosewater by Liv Little
Elsie is a sexy, funny, and fiercely independent woman living in South London. But, at just 28, she is also tired. Though she spends her days writing tender poetry in her journal, her nights are spent working long hours for minimum wage at a neighbourhood gay bar.
The difficulty of being estranged from her family, struggle of being continually rejected from jobs, and fear of never making money doing what she loves, is too great. But Elsie is determined to keep the faith, for a little longer at least. Things will surely turn around. They have to.
As she tries to breathe through the panic attacks, sleeping with her hot and spirited co-worker Bea isn’t exactly straightforward and offers Elsie just another place to hide.
As Elsie tries to reconnect with her best friend Juliet, her fragile world spirals out of control. Can Elsie steady herself and not fall through the cracks?
“Full of energy, wit and excitement, this is a book to watch” Stylist
“Bold debut novel . . . free-spirited . . . amazing” Cosmopolitan
“A paeon to a queer love affair that’s sexy, complex and romantic. Effortlessly capturing our uncertain zeitgeist” Evening Standard
6. The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
A steamy Sapphic rom-com about a modern-day marriage-of-convenience. Perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake, Casey McQuiston and Talia Hibbert.
‘Marry me and no one has to know none of this was real’
Tansy‘s greatest love is her family’s bookstore. But when it comes to actual romance, she can’t get past the first chapter. Tired of questions about her love life, she invents a fake girlfriend, inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. But when the real-life Gemma crosses Tansy’s path, her white lie nearly implodes.
Gemma is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further – and announces their engagement.
But as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, unexpected sparks start to fly and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur . . . But the scheming Van Dalen family won’t give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy’s newfound happiness might just get caught in the fallout.
‘Everything I want from a rom-com: fun, whimsical, sexy‘ Talia Hibbert
‘I was hooked from the very first page!‘ Christina Lauren
‘This book is a delight‘ New York Times Book Review
‘You can never go wrong with an Alexandria Bellefleur novel‘ Buzzfeed
7. Dance With Me by Georgia Beers
Is there anything worse than your I-don’t-do-commitment ex finally getting married? Not according to Scottie Templeton. Factor in living with her grandma, her rattletrap car, and never-ending job struggles, and Scottie’s stressed. When a friend suggests they take dance lessons to blow off steam, she figures why not? How was she supposed to know that the super talented, ridiculously hot dance instructor is Marisa Reyes, the woman her ex dumped for her? Or that her friend would break his foot, leaving her without a dance partner? Or that dancers without a partner get paired with the instructor?
Scottie’s ready to quit, but her grandma won’t let her. She has nothing to be ashamed of and the playing field is level now. So, Scottie vows to finish the lessons, even if it kills her. And if the sizzling chemistry she has with Marisa, to say nothing of the closeness of their dancing, is any indication, it just might.
8. Dreaming Of Home by Carol Wyatt
As one of the best agents in Hollywood, Kerri Talbert had seen success. In the last five years, she’d had even more of it, seeing her screenplay come to life on the big screen. But what was success without anyone to share it with?
And after turning 50, Kerri began to question the direction her life was going in. She bought a cabin in rural Colorado, a vacation home to escape the craziness of Los Angeles. One month relaxing and unwinding should allow her to return to L.A. refreshed and ready to help her famous clients. The very last thing she expected was to meet someone. Because her life was in California.
And could she really leave her business and friends behind to start over with someone so much younger?
9. The Hideout by Melissa Tereze
A dangerous past doesn’t need a membership card to get a foot in the door.
Juliet Saunders quit her soul-killing law career while she still had her sanity, but she’s not sure yet if buying a private bar qualifies as sane. Determined to make it work, she decides to shake things up with a new menu of signature cocktails.
Juliet never mixes emotions with business or pleasure, but there’s an irresistible spark with her new mixologist, a stunning, flirty blonde who ignites Juliet’s body in a way she hasn’t felt in years.
Paige Harrison Googled her new boss pre-interview, but nothing prepared her for Juliet’s sultry looks and slow, sensual smile. Maybe, after hopscotching through a succession of short-term bar jobs, she’s found a safe place—because in a members-only bar like The Hideout, her past isn’t likely to follow her through the door.
But in the glow of a surprising new relationship, it’s too easy to forget that safety can be an illusion…and the past is never more than a step or two behind.
10. Midlife Is The Cat’s Meow by Miranda Macleod & T.B. Markinson
A witch without powers. A secret to die for. A midlife sapphic awakening.
A few months ago, I thought I had it all. My life as a forty-something suburban mom in Cleveland might not have been stimulating, but sometimes excitement is overrated. Like when FBI agents knock down your door on the hunt for your crook of a husband. Thrilling? Maybe. But I wouldn’t recommend it.
After twenty-five years, I’m returning home without a penny to my name. But there are far worse things than living in your family’s bed-and-breakfast on a remote island in Maine. Being a witch who’s lost her powers, for example. Or having two daughters on the brink of getting their magic and having no idea they’re witches.
To complicate matters, a mysterious group of magical enforcers called the Shadow Council blamed me for my twin sister’s death years ago and banned me from ever returning home. But I have nowhere else to go.
My plan is to keep a low profile, land a job, and get back on my feet. My plan does not include finding a mysterious old trunk in the attic, having a famous author drop dead while staying at our inn, being haunted by his ghost, or having my powers return in scary and unexpected ways.
I can also assure you I have no intention of developing a crush on someone who will have me questioning everything I ever thought I knew about who I am.
Then again, you know what they say about the best laid plans…
If you’re hungry for a paranormal story that celebrates women over 40 and strong female friendships, with snarky humor, quirky family members, a mischievous cat, a murder mystery, time travel, ghosts, and a leather wearing, motorcycle-riding physician who sparks an unexpected midlife sapphic awakening, look no further than Midlife is the Cat’s Meow!
My So-Called Hexed Midlife is a fresh new series of paranormal women’s midlife fiction from the Goldie award-winning writing duo T.B. Markinson and Miranda MacLeod.
11. Commitment To Desire by Ruby Scott
Aren’t weddings wonderful?
As Victoria Fraser and Abby Mason’s big day draws closer, Bo Mckinnon, Victoria’s best woman, asks just that. How can anyone be so certain of another’s love? Most would consider her to be wild and free, some would say untamable, but not Destinee Sonas.
Having joined Victoria and Abby’s household as a cook, the ex-offender is nobody’s fool, or plaything… Not even when they own a castle. If only the same could be said for Freya, Abby’s sister, who has more underwear and secrets than Victoria… (Not Fraser, the other one).
As Bo finds herself being pulled towards an uninterested Destinee, Freya is clearly marking her territory, but as battle commences, not everything is as it seems. Which woman will end up on top?
Commitment To Desire is the eagerly anticipated fourth book in the Awakening of Desire series from the best-selling sapphic author Ruby Scott.
A Lesbian romance novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between – Perfect for fans of Anna Stone, Brenda Murphy, and Donna Jay.
12. Not On The Agenda by Chloe Peterson
Breaking down the walls around a broken heart is no simple task in this steamy age-gap, office romance.
After the takeover of her family business, 30-year-old Frankie vows to keep her parents’ shop unchanged. Her plan breaks down when the mystery woman who saved her from a horrible first date walks in and announces she’s the new owner. While the woman is as beautiful as Frankie remembers, her charm is long gone.
Hayden, 47, has always put her expanding empire first. When she visits her newest acquisition, she is shocked to see the face that has plagued her thoughts for weeks. Hayden never mixes business with pleasure and is determined to suppress her overwhelming attraction to Frankie. An attraction that makes it hard for Hayden to maintain her ruthless corporate persona.
With different approaches to business, the two women bump heads at every turn. Soon, things heat up in and out of the boardroom…
13. The Queens of Crime by Sienna Waters
Best-selling American crime novelist Adelaide Park is running away. Until an altercation with a tractor leaves her stuck in the little English town of Whitebridge with no driver’s license and nowhere left to run to.
Whitebridge bookstore owner Anthea Monroe has been dumped for the umpteenth time and has now officially sworn off women for good. She’s firmly focused on building up her failing business, thank you very much.
From day one, Ant and Adelaide clash. But when an interfering agent pairs them together in a last, desperate attempt to save Adelaide’s career, they suddenly can’t escape each other.
Sometimes running away is the answer. A creepy big house, a disappearing woman, a writing retreat that looks a lot like house arrest, a trip to Vegas, an old people’s home that’s better than Club Med, a life-saving cat and a very, very odd best friend all come together to make sure that opposites really do attract. But in the end, Ant and Adelaide might not be so different after all…
I hope you enjoy my Lesbian & Sapphic book recommendations, let me know what your favourite sapphic books are in the comments below.
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