2020 was a rough year and reading was a struggle for me at times. I barely read 45 books this past year, the lowest number for me for the past couple of years. Despite the small number, there were some real gems among them and I have compiled them in a list with 10 favourite books of 2020. 

1. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. Simply the best queer romcom I have read. Funny and sweet and touching, both very real and very over the top. You can read my full review here.

2. Network Effect by Martha Wells. I binged read the Murderbot series and they basically saved may sanity during the lockdown. Never in a million years I thought I would come to care so much about a sentient murder bot and their friends. 

3. Whiteout by Adriana Anders. I really this early in 2020 and it was such a great start to what turned to be a really difficult year. The story was pure adrenaline rush with a dose of romance and I am super excited for the next book coming out in August 2021. You can read my full review here.

4. Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, mostly after reading the previous two book in the series, I approach this one as SFF with romantic elements, rather than as a proper romance. Two people falling in love amidst trying to save their world in some space adventures. You can read my full review here.

5. One Night with the Sexiest Man Alive by Ainslie Paton. This book is all the titles as - one sexy, tropey romance that pushed all my buttons. Strong Pretty Woman vibes (minus the sex work), movie worthy grovel scene in the end. You can read my full review here.

6. Headlines by Lucy Parker. I have loved all of Lucy's books and this one is no exception. Such great enemies to lovers romance. You can read my full review here.

7. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing by Charlie Adhara. This is book 4 in an ongoing series following the same couple (human and werewolf) investigating crimes together. It's high heat, intense suspense and an ever growing romantic relationship. You can read my full review here.

8. Alpha Night by Nalini Singh. Another winner in the Psy-Changeling series. These books were my introduction to paranormal romance and continue to be my favourtie till this day. What I love the most about this story how unique it is in the Psy-changeling world yet it fits perfectly in it.

9. Sweet On You by Carla de Guzman. It's a Christmas romance set in the Philippines and I loved it. steeped in local traditions and delicious food it was a balm to the soul to read. You can read my full review here.

10. To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters. It's a delightful regency romcom that made me laugh and swoon. You can read my full review here.

11. Division Bells by Iona Datt Sharma. I picked this on a twitter rec and was taken by surprise how gorgeous it is. It's a bit melancholy, a bit sad, a lot political and ultimately charming and hopeful and i loved it. You can read my full review here.

Here is a list of ten books (including full series I read in 2019), romance and fantasy which I read and loved in the past year. I tweeted out those in December under the hashtag #myfavebooks2019.

1/ To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo, YA fantasy retelling of the Little Mermaid. I was gifted this book for the holidays by a dear friend and I absolutely loved it. A beautifully written powerful story about good and evil. Buy on Amazon

2/ Kiss and Cry by Mina V. Esguerra, contemporary sports romance, heroine is an former figure skater, hero is a retiring hockey player, both living in the Philippines where winter sports are very popular. I loved the different aspect of sports we see in this story and the second-chance, low-angst romance. Read my review / Buy on Amazon

3/ Teach Me by Olivia Dade is a warm hug of a book. Contemporary romance with two high school teacher MCs, a fat Ice Queen heroine and a shy divorced dad hero. So much care and support and appreciation this book! Read my review / Buy on Amazon

4/ The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker. Her books consistently work great for me but this one is really outstanding - the grumpiest but most caring hero, the moist sunshine heroine to ever sunshine, a bit of historical subplot, some cozy mystery elements.Read my review / Buy on Amazon

5/ Gilded Cage by KJ Charles is an exquisite historical m/f second chance romance with a bi heroine. I loved everything about it - the romance, the MCs, the crime plot, the HEA. Read my review / Buy on Amazon

6/ The Mysterious Stranger by Ainslie Paton - an intense romantic suspense, childhood friends to lovers. Great rep on gaslighting and emotional manipulation. Modern Robin Hood kind of families. Works as standalone. Read my review / Buy on Amazon

7/ Arden St. Ives series by Alexis Hall this year after the release of the final book and it's definitely one of #myfavbooks2019. High heat, high emotion, coming of age, overcoming trauma, finding oneself, effortlessly and quintessentially queer! Read my review / Buy on Amazon

8/ The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix. E. Harrow is a portal fantasy with an awesome female protagonist, a debut book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I read more SFF in 2019 I have ever done before and this is one of the best I read. Read my review/ Buy on Amazon

9/ The Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh. A breath-stopping first thriller by this author, very atmospheric, great heroine. I had some issues with the final resolution but very much liked the rest of the book. Buy on Amazon

10/ Folk of Air series by Holly Black. It's a YA fantasy series which I picked on a friends' recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved book 2 the best and found book 3 the weakest of all but overall the whole trilogy is outstanding, captivating tale of magic and love and power and finding oneself. Highly recommend it. Buy on Amazon 

Honourable mentions: Thrown to the Wolves, m/m shifter murder mystery romance by Charlie Adhara; The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, queer fantasy riff of Sherlock Holmes by Alexis Hall; Thirsty, m/f (ex) gangster romance by Mia Hopkins.

2018 was a rough year in many ways but I had romance books to save me in the darkest times. Here is the list of the books that I enjoyed the most in 2018 - some backlist titles, some latest releases, some queer, some not, all around all of them affected me deeply.

Hurts to Love You by Alisha Rai is the final book in the Forbidden Hearts series and it completes this family saga kind of romance in a most moving and beautiful way. It's closely knit series working best if read in order - lots of drama and secrets, forbidden love and ultimately, carving one's own happiness despite the circumstances in a complex mix of family and friendship dynamics.. I loved the MCs and the side characters and appreciate the incidental queer rep. Goodreads / Amazon

Band Sinister by KJ Charles - historical m/m romance done in the style of Georgette Heyer's romances but queer. Light-hearted, fun, pure joy to read. Great side characters, an awesome female character in m/m novel which is still rare and I loved it. Review / Amazon

Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder - a biker novella of sorts. Desi heroine. Cinnamon roll hero in disguise. High heat level with so much heart. It packs a punch in just a few pages. Review / Amazon

Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein - backlist title, former bully hero, the girl he bullied is the heroine. Not an easy read but it worked for me. He does so much emotional labour and I bought his redemption. There was softness and unexpected vulnerability to this big man. it was the heroine who set the tone, who made teh decisions about them. Review / Amazon

Best of Luck and Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn, I just can't pick a favourite book in this series, they are all amazing, wonderful contemporary romance that deal with variety of issues - difficult family dynamics, close-knit female friendship, mental health and chronic illness, professional success and failure, grief, addiction, forgiveness. Review / Amazon

The Wolf at Bay by Charlie Adhara - debut murder mystery shifter m/m romance. This is not my typical subgenre but I found it very well written and engaging. Human MC with anxiety, his werewolf partner and lover. A gripping suspense/mystery plot, tender and heart-felt romance and interesting family dynamics. Review / Amazon

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole. Portia and Tavish are everything in this contemporary royal romance. Heroine with ADHD, older divorced hero (maintaining a friendly relationship with his ex!) who turns out to be the heir of a duke. Brilliant, fun with a serious edge. Wonderful heroine who is allowed to make mistakes, to act out, to be imperfect. Review / Amazon

A Conspiracy of Whispers by Ada Harper - dystopian sci-fi m/f romance. The prickliest assassin heroine, most caring aristocratic warrior, great incidental queer rep. Interesting world-building, some issues re fertility/reproduction came as a surprise for me but in the end, I'd say they were handled well. Review / Amazon

Thirsty by Mia Hopkins - first person present tense POV story of a ex-gang member is the romance I didn't know I needed in my life. Hero with anxiety, trying to get his life back on track. Single mother heroine working to get back to her dreams that somehow got derailed. Review / Amazon

Make Me Fall by Sara Rider - m/f contemporary with cinnamon roll hero and a heroine recovering from a break up upending her life. I felt so deeply her struggles to make new friends, to start anew both personally and professionally. Review / Amazon

Object of Desire by Dal Maclean - murder mystery m/m where romance is not front and central but the story ends with a strong HEA, so I'm definitely counting it as romance. Review / Amazon

Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh - m/f romance set in the Indian community in Australia, a sort of modern arranged marriage, only with real feelings. Review / Amazon

Saving Hearts by Rebecca Crowley - m/f football romance. hero is a goal keeper at the end of his career, using gambling to deal with anxiety and mental health issues. Heroine is former football player herself, now working the professional football association, also battling gambling addiction. They are as mismatched as they can be. Review / Amazon (on sale for $2.99 at the time of posting)

A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe - gilded age historical set in New York. I love this time period with its inventions and changing moral code and ridiculous, over-the-top spending. Review / Amazon

The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles - This is a wonderful adventure romance in the vein of Dumas's The Three Musketeers but queer. It's based on the Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope (1894). It's fun and full of court intrigue and treason and sword fighting and an engaging romance between an older experienced gay man and a charming younger bi man. Review / Amazon

Best 17 romances I read in 2017

1/ The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles. I don't know why I waited so long to read this. It's a mix of historical romance and some horror tales. It's my favourtie of KJ Charles' books that I have read. So beautifully written, so heart-wrenching. In my mind it has a most deserved HEA though the underlining sadness and hurt is almost too much to bear. Amazon

2/ A Crown of Bitter Orange by Laura Florand. Another favourite book by Laura Florand. I really enjoy this series and this time we see a hero with ADHD and a heroine struggling with commitment. Both have a lot of baggage but also have loved each other since they were kids and are only now learning/trying to share their feelings with each other. Review / Amazon

3/ Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders. A fantastic debut m/f romance about a woman overcoming horrific abuse and the giant with the gentlest heart who helps her do it. Review / Amazon

4/ Pretty Face by Lucy Parker. A m/f contemporary romance set in the London theatre/TV world, age gap, opposites attract kind of romance. Review / Amazon

5/ Madly by Ruthie Knox, a m/f romance, part of a series but works as a standalone. It's an age gap story with young, artistic but also successful business woman and an older divorced man who has lost his direction in life. There is a sex list involved and some suspense plot leading to deep intimacy and true connection between two people. Review / Amazon

6/ An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole. This was my first by this author and it's an outstanding m/f romance set in the Civil War in the US. Amazing, super smart Black spy heroine and a charming white guy who is also a spy. So many feels and intense suspense. Review / Amazon

7/ Silver Silence by Nalini Signh, spin off the Psy-changling series, can be read as standalone. It's about the extraordinary psy Silver Merchant and Valentin, the alpha of a bear shifter clan. There is a secondary m/m plotline (first in ta series of over 15 books so far) and an interesting twist of the amnesia trope. Review / Amazon

8/ Abroad by Liz Jacobs is stunning debut, queer NA romance about finding oneself and one’s place in the world. Review / Amazon

9/ The Layover by Roe Horvat, debut mm romance, some angst in a forced proximity situation. I loved the powerfully presented European setting. Review / Amazon

10/ Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai. It's my first book by this author and my mind was blown. This is a m/f romance with a heroine with depression, complicated family dynamics. Review / Amazon

11/ Beard in Mind by Penny Reid. It's a romcom with some serious edge. It's part of the Winston Brothers series but works well as standalone. The author gave us a heroine with OCD, that broke my heart and a hero ready to stand by/with her. Review / Amazon

12/ Dear Mona Lisa by Claire Davis and Al Steward. I read this following the estatic praise by my most of my reader friends. It's unlike anything I;ve read before, two older MCs, one with synethesia The writing is truly mesemrising. It's a powerful story of love, despite strong homophobia. CW for death of an infant. Amazon

13/ Beginner’s Luck by Kate Clayborn. Another great debut on my best books list. This a m/f contemporary romance with a scientist heroine trying to set roots and a hero with ADHD trying to recruit her for a big corporation. This is a story about family and friends and people we love and care about. Review / Amazon

14/ Caroline’s Heart by Austin Chant. I have all the love this historical trans PNR with cowboys and witches and spells and the most gorgeous writing. Review / Amazon

15/ The Love Experiment by Ainslie Paton. This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it a lot. It's a m/f office romance with two journalists forced to work together who go from enemies to lovers. It's about who we are, how we adapt our dreams to the changing world around us. Review / Amazon

16/ Handmade Holidays by 'Nathan Burgoine. This is a Christmas novella, following a group of queer friends as they make it through the holidays over 15 Christmases. It's very sweet, nostalgic, hopeful and poignant. Review / Amazon

17/ The Doctor’s Discretion by EE Ottoman is a trans historical romance set in 1830s New York. One of the MCs is POC, the other is trans and disabled. Theirs is a story about kindness and empathy and being human and most importantly love. Review / Amazon

A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles - Technically I read it n the end of last year but I posted my review on the blog in January and thus it didn't make it on my best books of 2015 list. And this book is so special, my most favourite historical of all times

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry - an engaging YA/NA romance with realistic and relatable characters put in rather extreme situations by a favourite author.
Review/buy on Amazon

Recommendation removed
First and First by Santino Hassell - I really love the whole Five Boroughs series but this story stands out the most for me. Because the author managed to redeem a character I thought was nonredeemable. Furthermore, he made me fall in love with Caleb! And Ollie, well Ollie is like a dream come through,just the perfect partner anyone could ask for. 

Ellie has kindly asked me to write about my favourite books this year, so I had a think and this is what I came up with: a top 10, and some honourable mentions in no particular order. Obviously this is only what I read: there's some well-reviewed stuff I didn't get around to reading this year. I've also limited myself to one entry per author. Finally, it is a list of books I *read* this year. Some of these (notably my favourite book of the year!) came out earlier but I did not read them until now.

With that said, here are my favourite novels of 2016!

Top 10:

1) Ariah - B R Sanders

One of the first books I read this year and, at the end of it, still the best thing I've read. At one level, this is a bildungsroman set in a fantasy world - watching a talented young man - Ariah - grow into his magical powers. So far, so standard fantasy. But that's not really what's special about this book. At heart, the novel invites us to empathise with people who are different from us, think differently from us, and love differently from us. Nearly a year later, this book still affects me.

Goodreads / Amazon 

2) Where We Left Off - Roan Parrish

A perfectly written book that made me buy something I never buy: a one-sided crush turning into a relationship. The book gets me to accept than a wide-eyed romantic and a cynical hedonist can be each other's soul mates. It never insists on a traditional romantic arc and tries something very brave: a legit Happy For Now. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the main characters broke up 6 months after the end of the book, and I still think it's romantic as hell.

Goodreads / Amazon 

3) Seven Summer Nights - Harper Fox

This is Fox's (excellent) Tyack & Frayne series on steroids. A big, twisty book that takes on big, twisty ideas, braiding together seemingly disparate strands of pagan anti-authoritarianism, a historical mystery, dreamlike magic realism, post-war PTSD and a reciprocal hurt/comfort romance into a single narrative that, miraculously, entirely holds together. It's as if Pat Barker and Angela Carter wrote a queer romance together (which, if you had any doubts, is a glorious thing).

Goodreads / Amazon 

4) A Gentleman's Position - KJ Charles

This is not, I think, the best book in Charles' Society of Gentlemen series (that would be the second book, A Seditious Affair), but it is still one of the best books to come out this year. Making a stuck up prig like Richard Vane an (eventually) appealing romantic hero is some achievement. A reflection on class, love, wealth, and responsibility, with the fantastic David Cyprian as the other romantic lead, it's a book (along with the rest of the series) I'll happily re-read for years to come.

Goodreads / Amazon 

5) Fast Connection - Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell

This is basically a cheat. I'd limited myself to one book per author, and this allows me to fit two writers who both deserve individual entries (for Out of Frame and Interborough) in one spot! Simultaneously light and fun and a realistic portrayal of two bisexual men who are unsure about the whole relationship thing, it's one of the most effortless-seeming books I've read this year which, I'm sure, means that it was anything but to write.

Goodreads / Amazon 

6) Triad Blood - 'Nathan Burgoine

Excellent queer urban fantasy with a unique setup. In this world, magic works in threes, and magical beings need to be in groups of 3 to have power. It's always 3 demons, 3 wizards, or 3 vampires, but here we see a vampire, a demon, and a wizard form a triad with each other. The story is essentially about them trying to keep themselves safe from the rest of Ottawa's (!?) paranormal crowd. Bonus for the understated, and interestingly asymetric, not-quite-romance we get between the members of the Triad.

Goodreads / Amazon 

7) Gays of Our Lives - Kris Ripper

The whole series is excellent but this is my favourite. Grumpy ass grump falls in love with ridiculous hipster mostly against his will. Obie is just such an appealing love interest, and the risk Ripper takes at having a main character as misanthropic as Emerson really pays off. Well observed and takes seriously the idea that romance is for everybody (something that much LGBT romance only pays lip service to).

Goodreads / Amazon 

8) Jamie Brodie Mysteries - Meg Perry

My love for this series is a little odd. It's competently written but no better than that, and the mysteries that provide the plot drive for each book are workmanlike but not amazing, once you get past the cute premise of an academic librarian as a detective. But what makes this almost unique in the m/m world is we see a couple go from first hookup then follow them through 13 books (and counting!) of negotiating a relationship and a life together. And it's hard. Jamie and Pete deal with sexual incompatiblity, secret keeping, financial insecurity, jealousy, health scares, family trouble, work stress, frequent silly bickering and overcome it all. Some might not be interested in seeing a relationship with so many negatives depicted, but to me seeing them go through all that and choose to stay together makes this the most satisfying relationship I've read this year.

Goodreads / Amazon

9) Looking for Group - Alexis Hall

As niche a book as you're likely to find - a contemporary new adult romance set at least half the time in an MMO, and told to a significant extent through chat logs. It can be (and by all account was) offputting to a lot of people, but as a queer MMO nerd I really appreciated it for what it was: a sweet, low-key romance about the value and validity of online relationships. Really well written, too.

Goodreads / Amazon 

10) Shadow Valley series - Devin Harnois

Paranormal YA done right. Teenage boy finds out he's a fae changeling, moves to magic town to be instructed in how to hide his powers from the outside world. He quickly makes friends with a half-dragon bad boy, and their bi guy/straight guy friendship is the core of the series. They both date other people, but this deep connection between Aiden and Dylan is really the most important relationship, and that's great to see. Cool world, well drawn characters, and teenages who act like teenagers. A five book series and the final book just came out. What's not to like? 

Goodreads / Amazon 

Honourable mentions:

Here's to You, Zeb Pike / Thanks a Lot, John LeClair - Johanna Parkhurst

A well-written YA m/m romance duology that does a really good job of showing the real difficulties of being a queer teenage boy but also puts it in perspective - these boys have a heap of other problems, and being gay is only one of them.

Goodreads and Goodreads / Amazon and Amazon 

Unravelling Josh - Edie Danford

College romance (loosely linked to Danford's other Ellery College books) that's smoking hot but also deeply reflective, warm hearted, and non-judgmental. I enjoyed this a lot.

Goodreads / Amazon 

Must Like Spinach - Con Riley

Just such a nice, warm book to read. Very slow burn romance between two leads you grow to love by the end of the book, with a great supporting cast.

Goodreads / Amazon 

Save of the Game - Avon Gale

I like all of Gale's hockey books; this is my favourite. Two men figuring out they're bi, figuring out they like each other, pretty much zero freaking out ensues. Great stuff, enormous fun, and grew on me upon rereading: I like it more now than I did when I first read it.

Goodreads / Amazon 

Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Amy Jo Cousins

A two novella collection in Cousins' Bend or Break series. Both continue the trend of enormously likeable leads and believable, respectful young queer men. Cousins remains the best writer of college m/m going.

Goodreads / Amazon 

Hold Me - Courtney Milan

Outrageously enjoyable enemies to lovers/friends to lovers double bill, with both descriptions applying to the same couple. Not a lot of books I had more fun with this year.

Goodreads / Amazon  

As a bonus, how about some genuinely excellent free stuff?!

Here are some pieces of fiction I enjoyed a lot this year that you can find for free online.

A SF short story, and word for word the most emotionally affecting thing I read this year.

Hotblood! - Toril Orlesky http://hotbloodcomic.com/page/276

A webcomic about gay centaurs in the old west. Enough said.

Here is the second part of the my list of Best Books of 2015 - some queer romance, a non-romance neo-noir love story, some erotic stories, some diverse one - all books that spoke to me and made me feel involved in the characters' lives.

1. Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy - a hockey NA romance where two best friends discover their feelings for one another run deeper than friendship. I loved how this story explored bisexually, being gay (out) in professional sports and all the intensity and confusion of first (big) love. 

Review / Buy on AMZ 

2. Level Hands by Amy Jo Cousins - Off Campus series is my favoruite queer NA series and this installment spoke to me on personal level. I LOVED everything about it and wrote my most personal review of the yesr

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

3. Everything I left Unsaid by M. O'Keefe - It's a duology of contemporary erotic romance which I absolutely loved. Ms O'Keefe made my Best Books list last year too and this is even edgier, darker than the previous books of hers I have read. It's superbly written, emotional and engaging.

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

4. Badger by C. M. McKenna - This is a story unlike anything else I've read recently. A non-romance, a neo-noir story about love/lack of love and loss and pain, oh so much pain but ultimately a somewhat hopeful ending. 

Review / Buy on AMZ

5. The Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev is another diverse Indian-American romance, darker and more intense than he debut novel, A Bollywood Affair which I really, really loved.

Review / Buy on AMZ

6. Enlightenment series by Joanna Chambers. This is a new-to-me author and she quickly became a favourite of mine. I'm late reading this series but they are absolutely amazing, I loved everything about them - the characters (#TeamDavid), the romance, the struggles, the social/political subplot. 

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

7. Give It All by Cara McKenna. I really enjoy Ms McKenna writing and this romantic suspense series work very well for me. Duncan is such an unlikely character for me to fall for and after meeting him in the first book I couldn't image how the romance with Raina will work out. But it was soooo good, an unforgettable couple.

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

8. The Muse by Anne Calhoune. An erotic romance, intense and powerful, playing with the stereotypes of art, inspiration, being a soldier and a rich heiress. 

Review / Buy on AMZ

9. A Fashionable Indulgence - hsitorical romance series by KJ Charles which stole my heart. Very well-searched, well-written mm historical romance that explore the possibilites for personal relationships for gay men in Regency Engladn. There is a strong emphasis on politics and social issues and Ms Charles explores in an exciting, tantalazing way the intersection between personal and political in times of change and unrest. Weirdly topical for the present, I'd say.

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

10. For Real by Alexis Hall. BDSM romance is not my thingb but I love Mr. Hall's writing and was curious what he would do with this sub-genre. Well, what he did was write a powerful, emotional story focused on the character's feelings and process of them building a relationship. It's all about the characters as two human being coping with life, finding their place in it and someone who completes them and makes them happy. Isn't this what everyone is looking for?

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
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It's this time of the year again and I'm happy to share with you my top reads of 2015. I read over 100 books and so many of them were amazing that it was not easy for me to pick the best of the best. Here is the first part of my My Top Books of 2015. You can find the second part of the list next Friday on the blog.

1. Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand - this is the start of a new series by a favourite author and this time Ms Florand takes us on a sensual journey in the perfume industry and the rose-oil production in France. Review / Buy on AMZ

2. Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall - Alexis Hall has been my favourite author for the past two years and I love basically everything he writes. This is a quiet understate romance, rather the start of a love affair than a full-blown one but it's oh so tender, and gentle and full of hope and promise for the future. And writing is as beautiful as ever.

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe

3. Trade Me by Courtney Milan - This is the first book in contemporary romance series by Courtney Milan. It's a NA college story and I love it's diversity in terms of characters (the heroine is Chinese) and in terms of topics it explores (mental and physical illness, social differences, family relations). Book 2 is expected to come out early in 2016 and it will feature a transgender character.

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

4. Mnevermind series by Jordan Castillo Price - This is a closely connected series of speculative romantic fiction. Ms Price builds a rich, somewhat dystopian future world which feels scarily really , especially with regard to the human relations. The second book, Forget Me Not, is told entire from the POV of a hero on the autistic spectrum and it;s the most profound and powerful story and presentation I've ever read. 

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

5. Focus on Me is the second book in Megan Erickson's NA mm series, In Focus. It's an emotional, very engaging road trip story of falling in love, fighting one's demons and learning to trust others. 

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

6. Recommendation removed Sutphin Boulevard by Santino Hassell - a gritty, raw friends-to-lovers mm story which takes right in the heart of New York. I loved the realistic feel, the complex characters involved in complicated relationships (romantic, professional, family). 

Review / Buy on AMZ / ARe 

8. Truth or Beard - another laugh out comedy by my favourite Penny Reid. It's the start of the her spinoff series, Winston Brothers, and it's full of awkward and crazy and tender and fairytale romance. I'm excited to meet more of the bothers in 2016.

Review / Buy on AMZ 

9. Softer Than Steel - it's the second book in rockstar romance series with a twist by Jessica Topper. It's multilayer, multidimesional story of love and loss and moving one, it;s a soulful, romantic story which mixes music, philosophy, yoga, religion and how their intertwine with our daily lives. 

Review / Buy on AMZ 

10. Rock Hard is the second full-length novel in Nalini Singh's contemporary series, Rock Kiss. I have to admit this series is a hit or miss for me but this book is definitely one of the best of Ms Singh's I've read. It's CEO-assistant romance (ones I usually avoid) but it's really well done focusing in two people building a romantic relationship. 

Review / Buy on AMZ 

Second part of my My Best Books of 2015 comes next Friday, so stay tuned :)