#fiona x clare

[hydesjackiespuddinpop]

I feel like the only one who hates the Clare/Katie friendship and I think there was more potential for a Clare/Imogen or Clare/Fiona friendship

You’re definitely not the only one. As a kid, I used to like their alliance, but now that I know for sure that Katie r*ped Drew, no. Like imagine being a writer and having a canon abuse survivor and canon abuser team up 😂

I used to LOVE Climogen’s dynamic from the little shown. They could’ve been such good friends in the beginning if 11A Imogen hadn’t existed and she was her sweet self from 11B-14B.

Clare and Fiona also would’ve been gr8. For starters, they already have close ties (Clare dating Eli, who’s Fiona’s best friend). And Fiona planning a party for Clare! It actually makes me a little sad when Fiona was like “i hardly know Clare and dc about her bday”. Which isn’t me being upset at Fiona, but moreso the fact they never had a proper friendship.

[thottopicter]

My Top Five Degrassi Ships

Zig and Maya 

Jay and Manny

Imogen and Fiona

Eli and Clare

Sean and Emma 

[tigersullivan01]

Mother figure Alma Peregrine x Teen Reader - little trouble pt1

Having the capability to transform into a Fox as a peculiarly isn’t ideal, people don’t take the time before judging you. Being labeled a thief the moment they know is quite harsh to go through every time you enter a new loop with a new ymbryne, it makes you throw hope out the window and become what they label you as. 

So being sent off to another loop isn’t surprising, although having Miss Avocet transport you is. I never liked the old woman, she is full of herself. Everything she says has to be right because she said so. 

Sitting on the train in complete boredom with my small torn up bag with an extra shirt and my green frog stuffy, maybe i could nick some wallets? 

“I’m going to the loo” I mutter before standing up and weaving through the crowd of passengers, slipping my hands into pockets and slipping out wallets, watches, jewelry and notebooks. 

What? Notebooks contain interesting stuff, like gossip or interesting facts, or a look into the life of person I stole from. Setting back down in my seat beside Miss Avocet, sliding my goods into my torn bag. The old hag grabs my wrist and pulls me out of the train towards the docks, the sky’s sending down drizzling rain making the streets muddy and filled with water. Looking at the people we pass and snagging a few more valuables before we get to the ticket booth. 

“Two tickets please…….there you go……thank you”

 Grabbing my wrist again after buying the tickets and pulling me on the ferry. 

“OKAY! No need to drag me around like a stray dog!” I say irritated and getting slapped across the face from Miss Avocet as a response. 

“Do not speak like that young child! Show respect for your elders and you may have a home one day, ungrateful child. I’m sending you to Miss Peregrine, she’ll put you straight. She’s my best student and a strong woman, she’ll crack you in a few days. If not then you’ll be on your own”

Good can a woman spit less when talking through her anger? I’m practically soaked in her saliva! Grumbling as I sit down on the wet beach as un-proper as possible, spreading my legs widely and sitting on the edge, leaning back with my arms crossed over my chest. 

“Sit properly child! Straighten that back and knees together!” 

As the ferry docks the dock on the small island Miss Avocet grabs my wrist AGAIN and dragging me through the small town and muddy streets, through the brush and towards the loop entrance, out of the cave on the other side and up the front steps of the gigantic brick house. Almost slamming my head against the door from the abrupt stop, the doors open sharply. Revealing a tall raven/ blue haired woman in her mid twenties? A feminine suit and a pipe, sharp eyes and a commanding look. 

“Esmeralda! Glad to see that you’ve made it safely. Is this my new ward?”

“Alma dearest! It’s a pleasure to se you again, although I wish it was under better circumstances, yes this rascal is your new ward. I warn you they live up to their namesake, they have light fingers. Now I must be of, goodbye dear and you child” she puts a finger against my chest. 

“I suggest you behave, or you’ll become an orphan without an orphanage to take you in” with that she leaves. 

“Please come in dear, I’m Miss Peregrine delighted to meet you” she introduced herself and walks inside, I follow after her fast pace. 

“Y/n…..Y/n Fox” she smiles and puts a cup of tea in my hands and pulls me to the back garden. 

“The twins and Clare, Hugh with the bees and Millard the invisible one, the girl with big shoes is Emma and the redhead is Olive. Enoch is in the window on the second floor to the right, Fiona is the girl in the garden and Bronwyn is the girl that’s helping her, the boy reading in the grass is Horace” she points everyone out and turning to me. 

“I understand that you’re not the easy child to look after. Your previous ymbryne sent me a long letter about your….capabilities. I’d like to make my own observations before I jump to conclusions, how about take you to your room?” 

“Yea”  She walks inside putting the cups on the kitchen counter before walking upstairs and opens the door furthest down the corridor to the left. The room is small, a bed in the corner, dresser against the wall and a window beside it and a small rug on the floor. 

“Make yourself comfortable, supper is at five” she smiles before leaving, I push the door shut and pull out the notebooks, wallets and my frog stuffy and sit down on the bed, making myself comfortable and starts going through the wallets, counting the money and looking at the different bruises cards and notes, throwing the wallets in a pile in the corner of the room for later and moving onto the notebooks. Reading through them, and severely judging people on a few points in their notes, I hear a clock wringing. I guess it’s already super then. Walking downstairs and towards the chatter from other children I find the dining room and an empty seat beside Emma? I think that was the blonde’s name and Miss Peregrine. Sitting down and looking over my pre filled plate in front of me. 

“Go ahead and eat before it gets cold” 

Miss Peregrine announces and the children starts eating, I only push the food around and nibble on some meat. 

“What’s your peculiarity?” The boy with bees asks. 

“I can transform into a fox” I mumble uninterested. 

“So you’re a thief?” The boy that smells like death asks. A hole minute and around forty seconds before I’m one’s again labeled a thief because of my peculiarity. Called it!  

“Enoch! We do not greet our guests like that, apologize!” Miss Peregrines practically growled at the death boy. Receiving a glare from the boy as the dinner continued uneventful. 

“Go and get ready for bed so we can watch the movie” the children goes upstairs quickly but i don’t bother, i don’t even own pjs. I simply walk away and transforms into a Fox and follow the first child to the movie room when they come downstairs. I lay down underneath one of the sofa’s as the rest of the children filter into the room, Miss Peregrine standing in the doorway. 

“Where is our newcomer?” She asks confused and i wag my tail from side to side so she’ll se me. 

“Oh there you are, come here” To my surprise she pulls me out from underneath the sofa and picks me up in her arms before returning to her spot in the doorway and turning the lights off. Staying in stunned silence in the woman’s arms, this has definitely never happened, not even my own mother touched me, specially not in this form.

Horace’s dream is about clothes, suits and ties and that fancy stuff I’ll never afford. After that I’m carried outside and put down in the slightly damp grass as the others prepare for reset. A few smaller fighter planes flights over us followed by a larger aircraft that drops the bomb, after the day is rewinded again we all head inside. I quickly run upstairs to my room and curl up in a ball wrapped inside my frog stuffy and the covers, I hear the clicking of heals and feel the smell of Miss Peregrine as she enters the room. 

“Good night Y/n” she says before leaving again. I lay there for a few minutes, another first, my first time someone wished me a good night. Odd 

Hello I give you this as an apology for the latest one i posted, it wasn’t good. I’ll do the second part as soon as possible, I’m myself not patient when it comes to waiting for upcoming parts. - Tiger

[best-character-named-x-poll]

Past Polls

Round 1: Peter : WINNER: Peter Parker (Spider-Man)

Round 2: Elizabeth : WINNER: Elizabeth Swann (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Round 3: Jason : WINNER: Jason Mendoza (The Good Place)

Round 4: Eve : WINNER: EVE (WALL-E)

Round 5: Fred : WINNER: Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo)

Round 6: Rachel : WINNER: Rachel (Animorphs)

Round 7: Arthur : WINNER: Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Round 8: Amy : WINNER: Amy Pond (Doctor Who)

Round 9: Tom : WINNER: Tom (Tom and Jerry)

Round 10: Claire : WINNER: Clare Devlin (Derry Girls)

Round 11: James : WINNER: James (Pokemon)

Round 12: Max : WINNER: Max (Black Sails)

Round 13: Simon : WINNER: Simon Belmont (Castlevania)

Round 14: Jane : WINNER: Jane Crocker (Homestuck)

Round 15: Victor : WINNER: Victor Nikiforov (Yuri On Ice)

Round 16: Mary : WINNER: Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins)

Round 17: Will : WINNER: Will Graham (Hannibal)

Round 18: Laura : WINNER: Laura Palmer (Twin Peaks)

Round 19: Ben : WINNER: Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi (Star Wars)

Round 20: Chloe : WINNER: Chloe Price (Life Is Strange)

Round 21: John : WINNER: Jonathan Sims (The Magnus Archives)

Round 22: Lydia : WINNER: Lydia Deetz (Beetlejuice)

Round 23: Mark : WINNER: Marc Spector (Moon Knight)

Round 24: Jess : WINNER: Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)

Round 25: Theo : WINNER: Theobald Gumbar (Dimension 20: A Crown Of Candy)

Round 26: Sarah: WINNER: Sarah Jane Smith (Doctor Who)

Round 27: Richard : WINNER: Richard Gansey III (The Raven Cycle)

Round 28: Cass : WINNER: Cassandra Cain (Batman)

Round 29: Edward : WINNER: Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Round 30: Carm : WINNER: Carmen Sandiego (Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?)

Round 31: Hal : WINNER: HAL9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Round 32: Sid : WINNER: Sydney Adamu (The Bear)

Round 33: Jack : WINNER: Captain Jack Harkness (Doctor Who)

Round 34: Stephanie : WINNER: Stephanie Brown (Batman)

Round 35: Ash : WINNER: Ash Ketchum (Pokemon)

Round 36: Veronica : WINNER: Veronica Sawyer (Heathers)

Round 37: Kurt : WINNER: Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler (X-Men)

Round 38: Eleanor : WINNER: Eleanor Shellstrop (The Good Place)

Round 39: Nathan : WINNER: Nathan Young (Misfits)

Round 40: Fiona : WINNER: Princess Fiona (Shrek)

Round 41: Gale : WINNER: Gayle Waters-Waters (Chris Fleming)

Round 42: Barbara : WINNER: Barbara Millicent Roberts aka Barbie (Barbie)

Round 43: Sam : WINNER: Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings)

Round 44: Grace : WINNER: Grace Chastity (Nerdy Prudes Must Die)

Round 45: Barry : WINNER: Barry Bluejeans (The Adventure Zone)

Round 46: Raven : WINNER: Raven (Teen Titans)

Round 47: Dan : WINNER: Danny Fenton (Danny Phantom)

Round 48: Mia : WINNER: Mia Fey (Ace Attorney)

Round 49: Matt : WINNER: Matt Murdock (Daredevil)

Round 50: Rose : WINNER: Rose Tyler (Doctor Who)

Round 51: Robert : WINNER: Robbie Rotten (LazyTown)

Round 52: Lola : WINNER: Lola Bunny (Space Jam)

Round 53: Scott : WINNER: Scott Summers aka Cyclops (X-Men)

Round 54: Olivia : WINNER: Olivia Octavious (Spiderverse)

Round 55: Finn : WINNER: Finn the Human (Adventure Time)

Round 56: Emily : WINNER: Emily Charlton (The Devil Wears Prada)

Round 57: Elliot : WINNER: Eliot Spencer (Leverage)

Round 58: Sonia : WINNER: Sonia (Pokemon)

Round 59: Gideon : WINNER: Gideon Nav (The Locked Tomb)

Round 60: Jen : WINNER: Jennifer Check (Jennifer's Body)

Round 61: Miles : WINNER: Miles Morales (Spider-Man)

Round 62: Lana : WINNER: Lana Skye (Ace Attorney)

Round 63: Spencer : WINNER: Spencer Shay (iCarly)

Round 64: Tracy : WINNER: Tracy Turnbald (Hairspray!)

Round 65: Luke : WINNER: Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)

Round 66: Natalie : WINNER: Natalie Scatorccio (Yellowjackets)

Round 67: Harry : WINNER: Harry Du Bois (Disco Elysium)

Round 68: Lucy : WINNER: Lucy van Pelt (Peanuts)

Round 69: Damian : WINNER: Damian Wayne (Batman)

Round 70: Tabitha : WINNER: Tabitha Casper (Dan and Phil Games: Sims 4)

Round 71: Nick : WINNER: Nicholas D. Wolfwood (Trigun)

Round 72: Gwen : WINNER: Guinevere (Merlin)

Round 73: Paul : WINNER: Paulette Bonafonte (Legally Blonde)

Round 74: Abigail : WINNER: Abigail Hobbs (Hannibal)

Round 75: Jordan : WINNER: Jordan Baker (The Great Gatsby)

Round 76: Donna : WINNER: Donna Noble (Doctor Who)

Round 77: Morgan : WINNER: Morgana (Merlin)

Round 78: Allison : WINNER: Alison Cooper (BBC Ghosts)

Round 79: Patrick : WINNER: Patrick Star (Spongebob Squarepants)

Round 80: Linda : WINNER: Linda Belcher (Bob's Burgers)

Round 81: Philip : WINNER: Philip J. Fry (Futurama)

Round 82: Clarisse : WINNER: Clarisse La Rue (Percy Jackson)

Round 83: Jeff : WINNER: Jeff The Killer (Creepypasta)

Round 84: Maria : WINNER: Maria (The Sound Of Music)

Round 85: David : WINNER: David aka Solid Snake (Metal Gear)

Round 86: Tiffany : WINNER: Tiffany Aching (Discworld)

Round 87: Charlie : WINNER: Charlie Kelly (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

Round 88: Sandy : WINNER: Sandy Cheeks (Spongebob Squarepants)

Round 89: Cody : WINNER: Commander Cody (Star Wars: Clone Wars)

Round 90: Amanda : WINNER: Amanda Young (Saw)

Round 91: Jeremy : WINNER: Jeremy aka Scout (Team Fortress 2)

Round 92: Velma : WINNER: Velma Dinkley (Scooby-Doo)

Round 93: Adam : WINNER: Adam Parrish (The Raven Cycle)

Round 94: Sue : WINNER: Susan Pevensie (Narnia)

Round 95: Derek : WINNER: Derek Hale (Teen Wolf)

Round 96: Michelle : WINNER: Michelle Mallon (Derry Girls)

Round 97: Neil : WINNER: Neil Perry (Dead Poets Society)

Round 98: Lisa : WINNER: Lisa Cuddy (House MD)

Round 99: Tony : WINNER: Tony Soprano (The Soprano's)

Round 100: Karen : WINNER: Karen Smith (Mean Girls)

[zayadriancas]

I'm going to give you crackships, too

Zig x Miles

Alex x Ellie

Drew x Jake

Maya x Tori

Bianca x Katie

Anya x Fiona

Manny x Ellie

Miles x Grace

Hunter x Esme

Jay x Darcy

Manny x Jimmy

Craig x Marco

Holly J x Spinner

Tiny x Frankie

Eli x Katie

Sav x Bianca

KC x Alli

Clare x Jenna

Dallas x Imogen

Yael x Baaz

Liberty x Kelly

JT x Hazel

Marisol x Dave

Esme x Shay

Peter x Owen

Lol thank you! I hadn’t ever thought about some of these so this was challenging and fun 😂

Zig/Miles:

They had a fun dynamic and I wouldn’t have been opposed to it but on Zig’s end I couldn’t realistically see it happening

Alex/Ellie:

I also found their dynamic compelling and could have seen it happening.

Drew/Jake:

Maya/Tori:

As much as I liked their friendship I have a hard time imagining it romantically especially from Maya’s end

Bianca/Katie:

It would have made sense as a enemies to lovers type thing and they had the chemistry to pull it off but Bianca deserves 1000 times better so no.

Anya/Fiona:

I definitely could have seen it and definitely think I would have enjoyed them had it happened.

Manny/Ellie:

I just can’t picture it and Manny deserves better then how Ellie treated her

Miles/Grace:

I surprisingly feel like this would have made some sense. I mean if she had liked Miles instead of Zig, it actually would have fit because she showed the jealousy with him and Zoe during DLB. It still would have been stupid because they clearly were setting up Gracevas but it still would have caused the precious drama they love so much just not in a way that tainted Zaya or the Zig/Grace friendship. But even aside from that I feel like they had some chemistry and could have been interesting.

Hunter/Esme:

It would have made sense cuz she clearly has a thing for the Hollingsworth’s LOL but Hunter with anyone is just a big no.

Jay/Darcy:

They were fun in the scenes they shared and Darcy had a pattern of falling for the troubled guys so I could see it happening as another enemies to lovers type thing. I do think she could do a lot better as much as I loved Jay (unless he evolved into a better guy the way he did with Manny) but I wouldn’t have hated it

Manny/Jimmy:

Doesn’t compel me/doesn’t make sense

Oops I reached the photo limit lol. I can’t really imagine them together and am not sure how compelling it would be since I don’t think they even shared one scene together. He probably would have treated her better than most of the guys she was with though.

Craig/Marco:

Compels me/makes sense

It was basically confirmed they were supposed to have been a thing and it makes me sad that was dropped. They definitely made a lot of sense and I definitely found them compelling.

Holly J/Spinner:

Compels me/makes sense

Made sense/compels me though I also understand why it didn’t happen even aside from Spinner already being in a relationship. There actually was a significant age difference so it’s probably for the best it didn’t happen but I still loved their friendship.

Tiny/Frankie:

Doesn’t compel me/doesn’t make sense

Makes no sense/doesn’t compel me. Maybe if he hadn’t already dated her two best friends but even then I can’t really see them being involved and honestly after Frankie’s behavior in season 2 I feel like it would be awkward. Like I don’t think Tiny held it against Frankie or anything but I can’t imagine him wanting to date her after all of that either

Eli/Katie:

Compels me/makes sense

As much as I really don’t care for either character I feel like they were actually similar (not in a good way though) and would have made sense and I feel like it actually would have been interesting to see.

Sav/Bianca:

Compels me/makes sense

I think it would have made sense and they would have been fun together, it’s a shame they didn’t interact after the concert episode. Actually they did for like 2 seconds when Drew and Sav were doing the music thing behind Alli’s back or whatever but after that nothing. I love Drianca but still I could have gotten into them.

KC/Alli:

Compels me/makes sense

I actually low key shipped them in season 8 and it would have been way better and made more sense than Kenna, and they still could have had their precious love triangle with Clare. I probably still would have preferred Klare but I don’t think KC’s character would have been dragged down so much if he’d dated Alli instead of Jenna.

Clare/Jenna:

Makes sense/compels me

They made sense at least in season 9 based on some of their interactions and it would have been 1000 times better than Kenna and Eclare

Dallas/Imogen:

Compels me/doesn’t make sense

I think they had a lot of chemistry and I think it would have been interesting to explore their dynamic more, I wish they could have had a short thing at least but realistically I don’t think they’d make much sense especially not long term.

Yael/Baaz:

Makes sense/doesn’t compel me

They would make sense but honestly I’m not super invested in either character so I don’t think I would find them that compelling or interesting. Like I only find Yael’s dynamic with Lola interesting lol but Yaaz definitely would have been better than Yunter

Liberty/Kelly:

Doesnt make sense/doesn’t compel me.

Maybe it’s just cuz I didn’t find the college years that interesting or memorable but I really can’t imagine them together and am not sure if I would find them compelling but I wouldn’t have been opposed to it

JT/Hazel:

Doesn’t make sense/doesn’t compel me.

I may have felt differently if they had ever interacted but I can’t imagine them together.

Marisol/Dave:

Makes sense/compels me.

They would have been cute together.

Esme/Shay:

Compels me/doesn’t make sense:

Their dynamic was compelling even though I really didn’t like Esme picking on Shay for no real reason. Obviously how Shay responded to it was wrong (both the paint and the slut shaming) but Esme started it and it’s like Esme wondered why people didn’t like or accept her maybe that behavior is why? But anyway as compelling as the dynamic was (albeit frustrating) I could never see it happening from either side. I could see Esme with girls for sure though, I just couldn’t picture her having feelings for Shay and definitely couldn’t see Shay having feelings for her

Peter/Owen:

Compels me/doesn’t make sense:

This would have been an entertaining dynamic solely for the fact that both guys are awful the majority of the time, and in similar ways too but with Owen being so blatantly homophobic I could never see it happening unless they decided to write it that he had just had internalized homophobia the whole time. I personally don’t really like it when they try to write that in to stories because it’s like they’re trying to justify all the horrible shit a character did (like think Monty in 13RW) but it would have at least been more interesting than what they did with Owen instead which was pretty much nothing. And it could have made Peter more interesting. Like he was way more interesting and likable with Riley tor example (another ship that was supposed to happen allegedly) and I say it as someone who did like Parcy (not as much as I used to though) but at least he never screwed Riley over or did anything awful to him like he did to others. I’m rambling now sorry lol

[bellamuertes]

CYANIDE’S CREATOR SHOUTOUTS (AUGUST 2022)

hey y’all! i see so many beautiful creations on this site, so i wanted to start a monthly shoutout series and give a little extra love to some truly exceptional art. previous shoutouts can be found here!

CELEBS

Favorite Famous Leo Men | @jakeyp

Oscar Issac’s Filmography | @oscarskirt

MOVIES

The Batman: Oswald Cobblepot | @alpacinosgf

Escape Room: Characters | @felixcarlucci

Evil Dead 2: Ash Williams | @thewintersoldier

Final Girls | @sidsprescotts

The Gray Man: Lloyd Hansen | @justconfettiandsomeddew

MCU: Steve Rogers | @hoe-biwan

The Old Guard: Nile Freeman | @strangehighs

Nope: In the Woods Somewhere | @kehlanies

Scream: Favorite Quotes | @samuelwinchesters 

Shazam!: Billy Batson | @dawnsedits

Star Wars: HanLeia + Tropes | @nataliaaromanovas

Star Wars: Luke & Leia | @a-hologramgalaxy 

Star Wars: Luke & Anakin | @djarin

MUSIC

The Backstreet Boys: Hits of the ‘90s | @shutterbug-12

MCR: Gerard Way | @meliorn

TELEVISION

Better Call Saul: McWexler x Always Hurt the One You Love |  @jimmymcgill

Better Call Saul: McWexler x Two Slow Dancers | @lousolversons

Bones: The Jeffersonian Forensics Division | @fionagallaqher

Daredevil: Benjamin Poindexter | @spiderdevils

Daredevil: Matt Murdock | @daredevills 

The Haunting of Bly Manor: Dani x Jamie | @firstkill

Only Murders in the Building: Mabel Mora | @usersmidnights

Only Murders in the Building: Son of Sam Cards | @whatsasophie

Outlander: Jamie x Clare + Tropes | @swanthief

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Telephones | @bekindreblog

The Sandman: Death and Dream | @seance

Shameless: Fiona Gallagher | @fionagallaqher

Supernatural: Azazel’s Special Children | @seasononesam

[thequibblah]

3, 13, and 21 for the end of year ask meme!

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

sometimes u write ur best fic of the year in january and then coast for 11 months x

She thinks of Potter’s arm across her shoulders; for someone made of sunlight, flimsy and golden and always out of reach, he is surprisingly solid. Surprisingly comforting. The sweep of his thumb over her cheekbone. The way he said it’s okay, and also I’m here, and also shh, like she’s not an uncontrollable spill but something that can be soothed. Like he can hold her like a handful of water, and she won’t slip through his fingers. Lily cries thinking of his cupped palm. The pearl in her mouth hardens. She will need to cough it out soon, or choke.

13. favorite writing song/artist/album of this year

now i've never been known to pick one music related thing... here are a couple that made an #impact:

tidal by fiona apple (particularly "sullen girl," "shadowboxer," "never is a promise," and "criminal")

pride & prejudice by dario marianelli & jean-yves thibaudet

wasteland, baby! by hozier

"everywhere" and "save me a place" by fleetwood mac

and to look ahead a little in my come together planning...

"no more mr. nice guy" by alice cooper

florence + the machine's cover of "search and destroy"

"mrs. robinson" by simon & garfunkel

"jumpin' jack flash" by the stones

"teenage kicks" by the undertones

"don't let a good girl down" by thelma plum

21. most memorable comment/review

ack i feel like so many that i'm going to forget about because it's been a LONG year, but, in no particular order—

it was fucked up of @clare-with-no-i to say "amongst all of the shit and the nonsense and the evil in the world, it is such a comfort to me that some cosmic alignment brought you to writing, you to this fandom, and me to you" i think about this all of the time you demon

this back to back stunner from @sunshine-lover:

whoever this guest was, you made me cackle

my favourite saga: the roommates reading CT (they know who they are) (they're not my roommates just each others')

ao3 user callmeprincess's thoughts on ct!sirius — i won't screenshot because spoilers but they were so lovely <3

now i've gotten as far back as march in my inbox lol and it's making me emotional, everyone has been a STAR this year!

end of year asks

[angelhummel]

your glee/degrassi posts made me curious: which degrassi characters do you think are similar to the glee characters? i'd compare spinner and puck for example.

Oof not sure now I feel about that lmao. I have sooo many wildly fluctuating thoughts on Spinner that they all kind of average out into "he was ok" lmao. God honestly Spinner vibes for Finn more than Puck like aww I was a big dumb loser with no direction in high school, guess I'll become a cop/join the army (: I mean Puck too lowkey but that was just doubly dumb bc he was basically doing it for Finn like ?? calm down alksjfsdklgs

Plus there's so many more Degrassi characters than Glee characters so I feel like one Gleek is worth six Degrassians lmao

First of all Finn and Rachel want what Jay and Manny have, let's just say that. Super talented destined for stardom singer actor girl and her bf who works on cars and plays drums?? Janny outsold

Also with Jay and Alex I get Pucktana vibes. The ultimate lesbro lmao

Also Brittana are Palex and i dont ship either of them like the seemingly dark and brooding Latina lesbian with the soft spot for the preppy blonde bi cheerleader... Those dynamics look familiar

Quinn, I hate to do it to her, but a little Becky a little Darcy... Churchy good girl with the shitty parents who are oblivious to her struggles. Maybe also a little Jenna just for the teen mom thing but Puck could never and would never stoop so low to be a KC. Maybe also a little Fiona for Quinn??

Umm Karofsky and Riley are the same character. I think the only reason I like one and hate the other is bc Max could act :| Sorry bout it

I already went on record saying that Miles Hollingsworth is just fanon Sebastian Smythe alksjfslkfjs

Mercedes and Liberty a very little bit?? Mainly when it comes to Rachel/Emma & Manny acting like they were always such close besties when it's like ?? 75% of the time yall were hating on her!! Umm Terry for superficial body image issues lol. And ugh I don't know how I feel about this but maybe a little Clare?? Like in regards to keeping her faith and her relationship to sex etc etc

Actually I can very clearly see Kurt and Finn as Marco and Spinner bc I imagine s1 Finn would rather choke to death on a piece of food than let a gay guy give him the heimlich <3

Oh duh Kurt and Tristan. bc Finn and Owen (: But also bc they both have very theatrical personalities and similar arcs with body image issues and also they're both iconic

Artie is like JT and Toby's son idk

Kitty gives me early Holly J mixed with early Becky vibes

Tina maybe. Ellie and Ashley vibes :x I'm sorry alskfjslkfhs. And also superficially Leia in that they are both Asian and the show didn't care about them (:

Brittany is Lola (derogatory)

Whew that feels like a lot lmao but that's all the ones I can think of right now!! Lmk what you think!

[degrassi-fandom-confessions]

i did like alli x clare x jenna friendship & all but i would’ve love to see alli branch out being friends with people like: fiona, marisol, bianca & etc

[deliciouspirateangel]

degrassi for the tv show ask 🥰 and if you want since it's not on the list - game of thrones? (although sansa is ofc the only character that counts 😇)

Yay thank you! I'll do both but it's gonna be so uneven lol. Like there's a million Degrassi things worth mentioning and also my GOT knowledge is so fuzzy so... not gonna be much there lmao. But whatever Degrassi is the superior show anyway, duh

Degrassi -

favorite male character: Jay, Tristan, Eli, Miles, Marco, Zig, Jimmy, Drew, Tiny, Connor, Dallas... So many (mostly) good boys

favorite female character: Manny, Alli, Alex, Bianca, Clare for the drama lol, Maya, Fiona, Imogen, Zoe, Jenna, Holly J, Jane, Liberty... That's enough lol

least favorite character: So so so many. Dave, KC, Esme, Frankie, Lola, Ellie, KATIE, Dylan. Then like anyone who should be in jail like Peter, Derek, Hunter, Luke (who was in jail yay) and any adult that had a relationship with one of the students

prettiest character: Manny! Alli also. And Alex until she got that nose job lol

funniest character: So hard to focus on comedy when so much of this show makes me miserable alskfjslks. JT is an obvious one. Moe. Also Jake when he started smoking pot asjsalkfs. A lot of them make me laugh but not for reasons I should be laughing lmao

favorite season: Hmm that's a hard one. Probably like 9-13?? The Clare era. But there's honestly something happening all the time like there's hardly a dull moment. Except all of Next Class, no one needs to see that

favorite episode: Again I just binge this show so much that it all runs together and I don't really remember episode titles lol. For some serious episodes, Rick shooting up the school, and then the one dealing with the aftermath of Cam's suicide. For some fun ones, Degrassi Goes Hollywood (mainly the Manny plot) (even tho that also makes me cry), the bottle ep that's an homage to the Breakfast Club, and the Vegas Night ep is ridiculously iconic

favorite romantic ship: JANNY. I knew they got together before they did and I was literally like "nope sorry im never gonna ship this" well. Here we are. Also love Fiona/Imogen, Alli/Dallas, Connor/Jenna, Tristan/Miles, Drew/Bianca, and Eli/Clare, bc they were so dramatic you have to love them

favorite family ship: Again I hate all these awful awful parents so no one there. Maybeee Adam and Drew? Aww and Dallas and Rocky, and Mia and Isabella <3

favorite friend ship: Fiona and Eli, JT and Toby, Alex and Jay, Adam with Eli and Clare, Tristan with Maya and Zoe

worst ship: Any adult dating a teenager, obviously. All the actual abusive ones (which includes Zig and Esme [put him in the hospital], Jenna and KC [criminal negligence], and Drew and Katie [rapist]). Frankie and anyone, Peter and anyone, Ellie and anyone alskjfslkfs. Miles and Lola, Alli and Dave, I could be here forever talking about this so I'll stop <3

GOT -

favorite male character: Hodor. And Sam, Sam was nice. Aaand Grey Worm ig

favorite female character: SANSA STARK QUEEN OF THE NORTH BABYYY. I also like Margaery, Brienne, Olenna, Catelyn, Shae, and Missandei

least favorite character: Daenerys Flopgaryen. And like all the obvious ones - Joffrey, Ramsay, Petey, whoever. At least they were good villains lol

prettiest character: All the ladies I listed above <3

funniest character: Umm Olenna?? She had all those sick burns lol

favorite season: literally couldnt even tell you

favorite episode: the one where joffrey dies is pretty fun. and the red wedding. uhh the battle of the bastards? that was a good battle i think

favorite romantic ship: Sansa and me <3 i really couldnt tell you this either lmao idk

favorite family ship: the tyrell family? rip

favorite friend ship: sansa and margaery

worst ship: all of them tbh. special shout out to dany x khal and dany x jon bc people actually like those lol

send me a show!

[tessagray]

😘❤️ share your top 10 favorite ships and top 5 least favorite ships from any fandoms 🛑💔 then send this to 10 people (anon or not, your choice)

fav ships (i'm including non canons just because <3)

anne x gilbert (anne with an e)

fiona x holly j (degrassi)

brooklyn 2 x sage 5 (utopia falls)

maxine x sophie (ginny & georgia)

rory x paris (gilmore girls)

percy x annabeth (percy jackson)

joey x pacey (dawson's creek)

seth x summer (the oc)

rory x jess (gilmore girls)

tink x terrence (disney fairies)

least favs

rory x dean (gilmore girls)

miles x tristan (degrassi)

buffy x spike (btvs)

eli x clare (degrassi)

dawson x anyone (dawson's creek)

[claresedwards]

Oh just another crackship of mine aka Ciona

I wish Clare and Fiona dated at one point or even a crush on one another

[minamotoz]

your favourite degrassi character

thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about eli goldsworthy

favorite thing about them: HIS LINE DELIVERY oh my god. literally the reason i got into the show in the first place is because i found his line delivery so amusing. especially in season 10. big respect to munro chambers for making me laugh everytime eli opened his mouth. also the fact that eli invented gay rights.

least favorite thing about them: i would say s13-14!eli but i dont consider anything past season 12 canon so in my mind s13-14!eli isnt real.

favorite line: "tears, clare? didnt expect to see those from such a whore" i know i just said i hate season 14 eli and i dont consider the season canon, but god i will never stop thinking about this line. its so horrendous and out of character that it becomes amazing. whoever wrote that line should simultaneously get fired and be given a raise.

brotp: THE MISFITS TRIO they own my heart and im so sad we barely got to see them post-season 10. fiona and eli are so fun too, mo jake and eli, pretty much any trio involving eli makes me go <3

otp: i love jake and eli, we deserved more scenes of them. i only ship this bc i like shipping opposing ends of a love triangle its funny to me. also no one come for me but imogeli is a guilty please ship of mine. i know theyre horribly toxic but i cant help it. imogen has two hands she can date fiona and eli at the same time!!!!!!

notp: i wanna say eclare bc im petty, but i dont hate them, i just get very very sick of them. its not like they gave him many love interests outside of clare anyways. probably eli x that girl from s12 who gave him hallucinogenic drugs.

random headcanon: i like to think eli would make up stories and post them on r/AITA on burner accounts. or write r/thathappened worthy tumblr posts. he just reads to me as the kind of guy who would write fake stories online lmfao

unpopular opinion: eli was written as a comedic relief character IDC!!!!!!!! hes too funny for me to take seriously i think the only time i ever did take him seriously was when he was dealing w the trauma of finding cams body in s12 and even then he fucking streaked around the school on drugs. he was played as such an over the top character, even when he was getting a bipolar diagnosis and having intense manic episodes munro played him like he was the joker. this isnt /neg i adore this about him but its so funny to me seeing people take him so seriously when hes the funniest character the shows ever had (next to riley stavros of course)

song i associate with them: paisley jacket by dead hand! i cherish the under-utilized sav/bianca/eli/adam friendship so much.

favorite picture of them: the screencap of him before he calls clare a whore i dont have it on me lol

[gossipgirliess]

Started With Jealousy

Pairing: Eli Goldsworthy x Fem!Reader

Characters: Eli Goldsworthy, Y/N L/N, Clare Edwards, Jake Martin, Fiona Coyne, Holly J Sinclair, Imogen Moreno, other students

Requested? Yes! This is my first request! Thank you for the idea, I haven’t been having any luck with coming up with ideas for imagines. This was requested by @fairyth0rns​ Thank you again for requesting this! I love writing for Degrassi so please request more stuff!

Summary: Clare is still hung up on Eli, even though she’s dating Jake. Y/N, Eli’s best friend, is jealous of the Edwards girl. While Eli is in the middle of a manic episode, he insults Y/N, leaving her hurt. Will Eli be able to get her to forgive him? Will he still have a chance with her? Read to find out!

Word Count: ? Sorry that it’s a little long, also sorry if there are any typos.

Warnings:  A couple curse words? Angst

Every night she found herself thinking “Why aren’t I good enough for him?”

You see, Y/N had feelings for someone. Someone who was her best friend. Someone who didn’t see her like that. That someone was Eli Goldsworthy.

“So anyway, she was totally being-Y/N? Hello? Y/N? Y/N/N?!”

“What, what?! Oh, my God, what?!”

“Did you hear a single word I said?” Fiona asked before Y/N sighed.

“No, sorry.” 

The two were at Y/N’s house, in her kitchen studying, while also eating take out. Holly J was supposed to be there as well, but she had a lot of homework to do.

“What’s wrong?” Fiona asked as she closed her text book.

“Nothing. It’s just-I just have a lot on my mind right now.” Y/N said as she closed her text book, as well.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“I’m just so confused.”

Fiona’s eyebrows furrowed.

“About what?”

“Lots of things. School, feelings, life. Also-”

“Wait, wait, wait. Go back to feelings. Are you confused with your feelings for someone?” Fiona asked as she sat up.

“Yes, maybe, I don’t know. I think I like Eli.” Y/N said before Fiona’s eyes widended.

“You do?!”

“Yeah, I really do.”

The girls both squealed.

“Oh, my gosh! I knew it! Well, what’s stopping you?” Fiona asked before Y/N sighed.

“Clare.”

Eli and Clare dated, but Clare broke up with him. She soon began to date Jake, even though she wasn’t fully over Eli. Y/N was pretty positive that Eli wanted Clare back. But what she didn’t know was that Eli was trying to hide his feelings for her by thinking of ways to win Clare back.

“What’s Clare gonna do? She’s with Jake, remember?” Fiona said before Y/N nodded.

“I know. I’m just scared. If I tell him that I like him and he dosen’t like me back, that could ruin our friendship. It could make things awkward between us for the rest of our lives! And on top of that, I probably don’t stand a chance and he’s going to go back to Clare. And every time I look at Clare I think, ‘Why am I not good enough, but she is?’ ‘Why doesn’t he look at me the way he looks at her?’” Y/N said as she looked at Fiona.

“Oh, I see, you’re jealous.” Fiona said before Y/N rolled her eyes.

“Jealous? Y-yeah, okay, Fiona.”

“I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your tone! You’re jealous of Clare, Y/N!’ Fiona said before Y/N sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

“Okay, fine, yes! I’m jealous. But, it dosen’t matter. I’ll never be her.” Y/N said before Fiona sighed and hugged her.

***

The next day Y/N was at her locker.

“Y/N!”

She turned around and saw Eli walking towards her.

“Oh, hey, Eli.”

“Hey. So, you’re still coming to my play, right?” Eli asked before Y/N nodded.

“Yep, I wouldn’t miss it.” Y/N said before Eli smiled.

“Cool. Great I-I just wanted to make sure you were still coming.” Eli said before Y/N smiled.

“Well, I am.”

“Hey, guys.” Fiona said as she walked over.

“Hi.”

“See you guys around. Bye, Y/N/N.” Eli said before he walked away.

“Bye.”

“Did you see that?!” Fiona asked before Y/N closed her locker.

“See what?” Y/N asked as the two started to walk down the hallway.

“He said bye to you directly.” Fiona said as she linked her arm with Y/N‘s

“That dosen’t mean anything.” Y/N said as she rolled her eyes.

“Whatever you say.” Fiona said as Y/N shook her head and smiled.

***

The play was starting in less than ten minutes and Imogen was no where to be found.

Eli was sitting at a vanity backstage.

“Did you find her?” Eli asked as Y/N walked over to him.

“Nope. No one’s seen her. We’ve looked everywhere. She’s not even answering her phone. How are you doing?” Y/N asked as she stood behind him.

“Not that great, considering I don’t have a leading lady.” Eli said before Y/N lightly chuckled.

“It’ll be okay.”

“You don’t know that.”

“True. But, I believe you’ll be able to pull it off.” Y/N said before Eli sighed and stood up.

“How can you be so sure?! I don’t have a leading lady! This play is turing into a disaster!” Eli exclaimed as Y/N slightly flinched.

“It’s okay. Eli, just calm down-“

“It’s not that easy, okay?! God, Y/N, you just don’t get it! You’re so annoying! I sometimes can’t believe I’m even friends with you! You’re an awful friend!” Eli yelled before Y/N’s face fell.

“Oh. Well, if that’s how you feel.” Y/N said before she started to walk away.

“Y/N-wait! Y/N! Damn it!” Eli said before he kicked a chair.

“Care to explain why we just saw Y/N run out crying?” Fiona asked after she and Holly J walked over.

“She was crying?” Eli asked as he turned around.

“Yeah. She looked really hurt. What happened?” Holly J asked.

“I-I think I was having another episode and I went off on her.” Eli sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Why don’t you go try to find her and calm her down?” Fiona suggested before Holly J nodded and left.

“Sure.”

“Okay, it’s just you and me here. Wanna tell me what happened?” Fiona asked as she leaned against the vanity.

“She came back here to tell me nobody’s seen Imogen and was trying to tell me thay everything would be okay and that everything would work out. I guess I didn’t wanna hear it and I lashed out on her.” Eli said before Fiona sighed.

“Oh, no. What did you say?” Fiona asked.

“I-I told her she was annoying and a bad friend and-”

“And?”

“And that sometimes I can’t believe I’m even friends with her.” Eli said before Fiona gasped.

“Oh, my God! Eli, that’s terrible!” Fiona said as Eli sighed.

“I know, I know. I just-I think I messed up the best friendship I’ve ever had.”

“Y/N! Y/N! Wait!” Holly J said as she followed Y/N down the hall.

“What, Holly J?” Y/N asked as she turned around.

“Come here.” Holly J said as she opened her arms.

Y/N ran into her arms and cried into her shoulder.

Holly J whispered soft sayings into her ear and ran her hand through her hair.

She then lead her to a bench.

“Now, what exactly happend?” Holly J asked after the two sat down.

“Eli happened. He told me that he dosen’t even know why he’s friends with me.” Y/N said as she wiped her tears.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it.” Holly J said as she held her hand.

“You didn’t see his face, Holly J. He looked pretty serious.” Y/N said as she laid her head on Holly J’s shoulder.

“Well, the play’s about to start, so what are you gonna do? The audience is packed.” Fiona said.

“I don’t have a leading lady.” Eli said before Fiona sighed.

“I’ll do it. I’ll play Clara. I know the lines.” Fiona said.

“You don’t know the new ending.” Eli said.

“If I have to read my script on stage, then so be it. Bottom line it says directed by Fiona Coyne in the program. And like I said before I will not be responsible for a bomb. So, are you with me or what?” Fiona asked.

“I’m with you.” Eli said before they heard the music.

“That’s the cue. Better get stage left for my big entrance. See you in the spotlight.” Fiona said before she walked away.

“Show time.”

***

Holly J managed to convince Y/N to watch the play and the two were sitting in the audience.

“Thanks for coming, I just-I hate the way we left things. The truth is, you should be with me, not uh-him. Um-I’m sorry. Uh, what?” Eli asked after he looked at Y/N.

“Um-Maybe we should go away from here.” Fiona said before Eli looked at her.

“No, th-that’s not how it goes. That’s my line, not your’s. You’re not following the script!” Eli said.

“You’re not exactly following the script either, Ari!” Fiona said before the audience laughed.

“It dosen’t matter, you’re not her.” Eli said before Fiona looked at him.

“Eli, come on, we’re almost done. Just stick to the script!” Fiona said softly.

“What script? There’s not script! You can’t write your life! No matter how much all of you want a happy ending, you can’t have it! I tried to write one, but it’s impossible. I rewrote and rewrote but things kept changing, and I hurt people, and I-I knew they were hurting, but I didn’t stop. Because your mind tricks you. It tricks you into thinking that things are fine. They’re not fine, nothing is fine! It’s all wrong!” Eli exclaimed after stood up and took the script from Fiona.

He looked at Y/N, who had tears in her eyes.

“I’m all wrong. That’s it. There’s no happy ending.” Eli said before he lit the script on fire and fell to the ground.

“Um.. Lights!” Fiona said before the lights turned off and being everyone started clapping.

The audience stood up and applauded before the cast bowed.

Eli had tears in his eyes and looked at Y/N, who had tears in her eyes, as well.

As soon as everyone started going backstage, Y/N ran out in tears, with Fiona and Holly J following.

“I got it.” Fiona said as Holly J nodded.

“Okay.”

“Y/N! Y/N/N! Y/N! Wait!” Fiona said as she ran after her best friend.

“Leave me alone, Fiona.”

“No, stop, wait! Y/N?” Fiona said soflty after she turned Y/N around.

“What?”

“Look, he didn’t mean-”

“You weren’t there, Fiona. You didn’t hear him, you didn’t see his face.” Y/N said as she wiped her tears.

“How about we just crash at my place and forget about this whole nightmare?” Fiona asked before Y/N nodded.

“I guess that would be okay.” Y/N said before Fiona smiled and put her arm around her.

“Good.”

***

For the past few days, Eli had been doing everything he could to get Y/N to forgive him.

He tried calling her, texting, he even went to her house.

But, she contiuned to ignore him. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever talk to him again.

“Fiona, hey!” Eli said as he followed Fiona down the hallway.

“Oh, uh, hi, Eli.” Fiona said after she turned around.

“Do you know when Y/N’s gonna forgive me.” Eli asked before Fiona shrugged.

“To be honest, I’m not sure if she will. What you said really hurt her, Eli. Even if you didn’t mean it.” Fiona said before Eli sighed.

“Well, can you at least tell her that I’m really sorry.” Eli said before Fiona nodded.

“Sure. See ya.” Fiona said after she saw Y/N and before she walked away.

“Bye.”

“What did he say?” Y/N asked as Fiona came up to her.

“He just said to tell you that he’s really sorry. And he looked pretty bad. I’ve never seen him that upset.” Fiona said before Y/N sighed.

“What do you think I should do?” Y/N asked.

“Maybe hear him out.” Fiona said with a small shrug before the bell rang.

“I guess.” Y/N said before the two walked to class.

***

After school, Y/N decided to text Eli and tell him to come over.

Eli raced over there as soon as he saw the text.

“Hey.” Eli said after Y/N answered the door.

“Hi. Come in.”

The two went up the her room.

“Look, I’m really, really sorry. I honestly don’t know why I said those things. You’re not annoying, you’re actually really fun to be around. You’re also a great friend and I know why I’m friends with you, and it’s because you’re an amazing person.” Eli said before Y/N slightly blushed and smiled.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I guess there’s something I have to get off of my chest.” Y/N said before Eli’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Okay, what is it?”

“I-I’ve been jealous of Clare.” Y/N sighed.

“Of Clare? Why?” Eli asked.

“Because of your history, because of the way you look at her, because she’s not me.” Y/N said as tears started to form in her eyes.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong? What do you mean, ‘she’s not you?’ So what? Who cares if she’s not you. You’re awesome.” Eli said as he wiped her tears.

“T-thanks.”

“Also..”

“What? What?” Y/N asked with a slight chuckle.

Eli placed his hands on her cheeks and crashed his lips against hers.

The two slowly pulled away and their eyes fluttered open.

“I really like you, Y/N L/N.” Eli said with a small chuckle.

“I really like you, too, Eli Goldsworthy.” Y/N said with a small smile.

“So, do you forgive me?” Eli asked before Y/N lightly smirked.

“Maybe.” Y/N said before Eli chuckled and connected their lips again.

[doubleattitude]

Radix Dance Convention, Las Vegas, NV: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

Rookie Solo

1st: Mila Renae-’Soldier’

1st: Melina Blitz-’The Poet Creature’

2nd: Aliya Yen-’Loyal, Brave & True’

3rd: Sebastian Mancini-’Guerrerio’

4th: Dylan Reuss-’Lost Boy’

5th: Bella Mendez-’Pump’

6th: Emma Acosta-’Lip Gloss’

7th: Lexi Yeackle-’I Will Wait’

8th: Kaiya Carrillo-’Love Shack’

8th: Rylan Farrales-’Stand In The Light’

9th: Enslee Moore-’Ooh Child’

10th: Olivia Caylor-’Queen Bee’

Mini Solo

1st: Kinley Cunningham-’Glam’

2nd: Fiona Wu-’Red Dust’

3rd: Joy Line-’Broken Dreams’

3rd: Carrigan Paylor-’Orange Colored Sky’

3rd: Karyna Majeroni-’Pistolet’

3rd: Keelyn Jones-’Slowly Fading’

3rd: Fiona Sartain-’The Way You Move’

4th: Starr Castro-’Bang Bang’

4th: Peyton Szuberla-’Glacier’

4th: Addison Price-’We Will Not Give In’

5th: Madelyn Murphy-’Desierto’

5th: Roxie Onellion-’Drifting Down’

6th: Esprit Frank-’Grains’

6th: Claire Gestring-’On The Mast of Faith’

7th: Tiara Sherman-’Cielo’

7th: Jenna Le-’Matters to Me’

7th: Cerys Cogswell-’Pure Imagination’

8th: Jacob Barrow-’Shifting’

8th: Aurora Brady-’Hit The Road Jack’

8th: Cha Cha Shen-’Here I Come’

8th: Alyssa Mastroianni-’Crippled Bird’

8th: Leah Munson-’Copy Cat’

8th: Claire Hansen-’By The Roses’

8th: Peyton Nowacki-’Angels to Fly’

9th: Annabella Atkinson-’The Dutch Girl’

9th: Eden Hawkins-’Shadow’

9th: Olive O’Connell-’Live Like Legends’

9th: Ella King-’Like A River’

9th: Tatum Brady-’Fall Creek’

9th: Oliviana Mancini-’At Peace’

10th: Leighton Brandt-’Legs’

10th: Annie Carlson-’Young’

Junior Solo

1st: Kylie Kaminsky-’The Offering’

2nd: Brooke Toro-’As The Dust Settles’

2nd: Coltrane Vodicka-’Moon River’

2nd: Alita Kneeland-’Spine

2nd: Makaia Roux-’Unbound’

3rd: Alexis Mayer-’Vivid

4th: Emmy Claire Kaiden-’Eyesore’

4th: Naia Parker-’Lit’

5th: Bella Kidder-’Feeling Good’

5th: Hope Edwards-’Gravity’

5th: Lucy Cavender-’Material Girl’

5th: Isabelle Zorrilla-’Orion’

5th: Kira Chan-’Pump’

5th: Kendyl Fay-’To Build A Home’

5th: Aaliyah Dixon-’Toxic’

6th: Mackenzie Kleveno-’Lost It To Trying’

6th: Taytum Ruckle-’Perfect Lie’

6th: Anabel Alexander-’Plans We Made’

7th: Victoria Johnson-’Genius’

7th: Aedyn Bekker-’New York State of Mind’

7th: Brianna Gorksi-’Night Sky’

8th: Kendall Jundt-’Awakening’

8th:Lexi Godwin-’Debut’

8th: Casey Cheung-’I Remember’

8th: Ava Hill-’Shallow’

9th: Izzy Wadington-’Final Solution’

9th: Jovie Leigh Ugerio-’Ring Them Bells’

10th: Madison De Dios-’On My Mind’

10th: Clare Loftus-’Restless Night’

10th: Delaney Bojorquez-’Tessellate’

Teen Solo

1st: Ashur Taylor-’Relax’

2nd: Cydney Heard-’Black Mourning’

2nd: Gianna Mojonnier-’Inside Outside’

2nd: Olivia Magni-’Moonlight Sonata’

2nd: Coco Saul-’Transportin’

3rd: Jadyn Saigusa-’Wonderlust’

3rd: Emily Madden-’Vibeology’

3rd: Calli Perryman-’Still Running’

3rd: Michelle Cheng-’Sinking’

3rd: Georgia Ehrlich-’On My Mind’

3rd: Tyler Chiyuto-’Llarona’

3rd: Blanche Arnold-’How To Be Your Own Person’

3rd: Ava Lynn-’Everything’s Alright’

3rd: Addison Middleton-’Dark Dissonance’

4th: Charlotte Cogan-’You’

4th: Hailey Meyers-’Standing Still’

4th: Isiah Bowens-’Miss You’

4th: Avery Hall-’If I Think’

4th: Luke Barrett-’Eden’

4th: Emma Donnelly-’Departure’

4th: Ava Kendall-’Always On My Mind’

5th: Zuzu Duchon-’Twelfth of Never’

5th: Angelika Edejer-’Toxic Thoughts’

5th: Riley Platenberg-’Talking Points’

5th: Annabelle Mang-’One Small Step’

5th: Sabine Nehls-’No Regrets’

5th: Ella Montano-’Lonely’

5th: Natalie Bowen-’I Think I’m Alone Now’

5th: Cade Clark-’I Can’t Move’

5th: Berlynn Gonzalez-’Hero’

5th: Courtney Chiu-’Fever’

5th: Drew Rosen-’Exhalation’

5th: Rachel Polizzotto-’Entrapment’

5th: Raven Alanes-’Confusion’

5th: Mikaella Lopez-’Blues-y’

5th: Izzy Howard-’Amen’

6th: Sophia Oppegard-’You Can’t Leave’

6th: Elle O’Donnell-’Slowly’

6th: Lily Godwin-’Ode to Divorce’

6th: Aubrie Stoehr-’Now I Cry’

6th: Sofia Mah-’Life’

6th: Mia Ibach-’Koladi Ola’

6th: Piper Rovsek-’Innate Abstraction’

6th: Sakura Amano-’I Love You’

6th: Sophia Albornoz-’Even When It Hurts’

6th: Sammi Chung-’eight’

6th: Ella Sheppard-’Do You’

6th: Ally Cheung-’Cut The World’

6th: Kate Seleno-’Curtain Call’

6th: Kayla Harrison-’Crumbling’

7th: Kennedy Blazek-’Zilla’

7th: Libby Haye-’Work Song’

7th: Katelyn Neasham-’Touch’

7th: Sebastian Hsu-Kwan-’Scat’

7th: Lauren Pond-’Satellite Heart’

7th: Aleyna Laba-’Playdoh’

7th: Linda Diaz-’Paper Moon’

7th: Maya Krajicek-’Idea for Strings’

7th: Kennie Shen-’Feeling Good’

7th: Jenna Tarry-’Down The Line’

7th: Ava Thorp-’Blue Notebook’

7th: Emma Hellenkamp-’Blackbird’

7th: Felix Fulton-’A Dream I Can’t Forget’

8th: Dempsey Foxson-’Vain’

8th: Carys Ashby-’The Empress’

8th: Angelica Keamy-’Research’

8th: Melina Gurich-’Net Works’

8th: Raina Wu-’Looking In’

8th: Alexis Olson-’Just Say That’

8th: Gabi D’Ambra-’In For the Kill’

8th: Piper Camm-’Drones’

8th: Scotlynn Potter-’Cinematic Plea for an End’

8th: Ava Saremaslani-’Canvas’

9th: Maile Cochran-’Tesselate’

9th: Jera Linkins-’Put Your Records On’

9th: Kayla Seitel-’Monster’

9th: Alexis Ahn-’Brighter Days’

9th: Brayden Owens-’Tux’

10th: Addyson Smith-’Ecdysis’

10th: Presslie Novits-’Let Me Entertain You’

10th: Siena Riga-’Naked’

10th: Mandy Boaz-’Pink’

10th: Brooklyn Piano-’Solitary’

10th: Destiny Harris-’Up’

Senior Solo

1st: Alex Shulman-’In System’

1st: Ella Horan-’Silk’

2nd: Jade Bucci-’Sacrifice’

3rd: Alexis Weldner-’Release’

3rd: Jemoni Powe-’Second Thought’

4th: Brianna Sanchez-’Stolen’

4th: Charlotte Foldes-’You Forget Everything’

5th: Izzy Burton-’Gimme’

6th: Mallory McKenna-’I’m Lonely’

6th: Julian Menendez-’Note to Self’

6th: Kennedy Barry-’The Distance Between’

7th: Makaila Teagle-’Breathe Into Me’

7th: Vanessa Valenzuela-’Poem About Death’

7th: Bailey Holt-’Rose Water’

8th: Emmy Cheung-’Nostos’

8th: Alex Andrada-’Still In Love’

9th: Nina Sawaya-’All I Wanted’

9th: Lauren Polizzotto-’Distant Echos’

9th: Reese Willis-’Godspeed’

9th: Hannah Averbuck-’Got2BReal’

9th: Savannah Laughton-’Nostalgia’

10th: Izabel Hurtado-’Film Credits’

10th: Aleialanee Ponce De Leon-’Mirrored Heart’

10th: Megan Chie-’You’

Rookie Duo/Trio

1st: Studio Fusion-’Kansas City’

1st: Danceology-’Time of My Life’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Tomorrow’

3rd: Notion Dance Concepts-’MILK $’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Respect’

2nd: Murrieta Dance Project-’Midnight Train’

3rd: Studio X-’Vogue’

3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’We Are’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’And So It Is’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Inception’

3rd: Danceology-’Celloopa’

3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Everything Is In Line’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Make Me High’

2nd: Danceology-’Busy Signal’

3rd: Danceology-’Smile In The Rain’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Refuse’

2nd: Studio Kin-’The Night We Met’

3rd: Studio Kin-’Never Love Again’

Rookie Group

1st: Danceology-’Ladies Room’

2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Fabulous’

3rd: Danceology-’Kingdom’

Mini Group

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Hot Stuff’

2nd: Danceology-’Happy’

3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Searching For...’

Junior Group

1st: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Wind It Up’

2nd: Danceology-’Give Yourself In’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Over The Edge’

3rd: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Sing Sing Sing’

Teen Group

1st: Danceology-’Dream of Dreaming’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Heavenly Bodies’

3rd: West Coast School of the Arts-’All Coming Back’

Senior Group

1st: Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’

2nd: Mather Dance Company-’For All We Know’

3rd: Studio Fusion-’Coconut’

3rd: Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre-’Those That Follow’

Open Group

1st: Community Dance Training-’The Place You Left’

Rookie Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Suite Tea’

3rd: Studio Kin-’SK Crew’

Mini Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’

2nd: Motion State Studios-’Sisters’

3rd: Danceology-’Time Passing’

Junior Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’

2nd: Danceology-’Just Got Paid’

3rd: Danceology-’Backbone’

Teen Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Cadance’

1st: Danceology-’My Hands Are Always Cold’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Dark Winter’

3rd: Studio Kin-’Hustle’

Senior Line

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Prisoner’

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Voice of God’

2nd: Danceology-’It’s Weezy’

3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’I’m The Hero’

Mini Extended Line

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Settle Down’

2nd: Danceology-’Ballroom Blitz’

3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Jump Jump!’

3rd: Danceology-’Mary Poppins’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Evoke Dance Movement-’Hold Your Own’

2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Better Than Ever’

3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Purse First’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Danceology-’Not Today Satan’

2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Adios’

3rd: Danceology-’Cha Cha Heels’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Danceology-’Above Below’

2nd: Danceology-’Burn Up The Dance’

3rd: Danceology-’Night Thirst’

Mini Production

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Mambo Baby’

Junior Production

1st: Danceology-’Rich Girl’

2nd: Danceology-’Blind Faith’

3rd: Danceology-’Level Up’

High Scores by Performance Division:

Rookie Jazz

1st: Danceology-’Ladies Room’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Fabulous’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’Look Out Weekend’

Rookie Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Suite Tea’

Rookie Hip-Hop

1st: Studio Kin-’SK Crew’

Rookie Contemporary

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’ 2nd: Danceology-’Kingdom’

Rookie Lyrical

1st: Notion Dance Concepts-’Firework’

Mini Jazz

1st: Motion State Studios-’Sisters’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Hot Stuff’ 3rd: Danceology-’Ballroom Blitz’

Mini Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’The Invitation’ 2nd: Danceology-’Scarf Dance’ 3rd: Danceology-’Polinaise’

Mini Hip-Hop

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Jump Jump!’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Get Up’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’Pure Water’

Mini Tap

1st: Danceology-’Happy’ 2nd: Danceology-’Luck be A Lady’ 3rd: Danceology-’Word Up’

Mini Contemporary

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Searching For...’ 3rd: Danceology-’Time Passing’ 3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Fading Images’

Mini Lyrical

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Roar’ 2nd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Beautiful Thing’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’Lighthouse’

Mini Musical Theatre

1st: Danceology-’Mary Poppins’ 2nd: Studio Kin-’Mean & Green’

Mini Ballroom

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Mambo Baby’ 2nd: Danceology-’Favorite Things’

Mini Specialty

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Settle Down’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Salient’ 3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’I Think I Love You’

Junior Jazz

1st: Danceology-’Rich Girl’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Purse First’ 3rd: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Wind It Up’

Junior Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Over The Edge’ 2nd: Danceology-’Paquita’ 3rd: Danceology-’Passarinjo’

Junior Hip-Hop

1st: Danceology-’Level Up’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Lose Control’

Junior Tap

1st: Danceology-’Just Got Paid’

Junior Contemporary

1st: Danceology-’Blind Faith’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’ 3rd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Hold Your Own’

Junior Lyrical

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Anything Worth Holding’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Salvation’ 3rd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’You Will Be Found’

Junior Musical Theatre

1st: Danceology-’Black Friday Fiasco’ 2nd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Nicest Kids In Town’

Junior Specialty

1st: Evoke Dance Movement-’Better Than Ever’ 2nd: Danceology-’Backbone’ 2nd: Danceology-’Give Yourself In’ 3rd: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Sing Sing Sing’

Teen Jazz

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Shadow Work’ 1st: Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Boom Pow’ 2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Feeling Super Down’ 3rd: Murrieta Dance Project-’Sweet Melody’

Teen Ballet

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Dark Winter’

Teen Hip-Hop

1st: Studio Kin-’Hustle’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Diva’ 3rd: Studio Kin-’All That Matters’

Teen Tap

1st: Danceology-’Mr. Blue Sky’

Teen Contemporary

1st: Danceology-’My Hands Are Always Cold’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’ 3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Heavenly Bodies’

Teen Lyrical

1st: West Coast School of the Arts-’All Coming Back’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’Overdose’ 3rd: Mather Dance Company-’Out of Hiding’

Teen Musical Theatre

1st: Danceology-’Not Today Satan’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Singular Sensation’ 3rd: Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Footloose’

Teen Ballroom

1st: Danceology-’Cha Cha Heels’ 2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Movimento’

Teen Specialty

1st: The Rock Center for Dance-’Cadance’ 2nd: Danceology-’Dream of Dreaming’ 3rd: Danceology-’Passage’

Senior Jazz

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Prisoner’ 2nd: Danceology-’Night Thirst’ 3rd: West Coast School of the Arts-’How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?’

Senior Hip-Hop

1st: Danceology-’It’s Weezy’

Senior Contemporary

1st: Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’ 2nd: Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre-’Those That Follow’ 3rd: Danceology-’Above Below’ 3rd: Studio Fusion-’Weight of Silence’

Senior Lyrical

1st: Mather Dance Company-’Voice of God’ 2nd: Mather Dance Company-’For All We Know’

Senior Specialty

1st: Studio Fusion-’Coconut’ 2nd: Evoke Dance Movement-’Terrified’

Senior Ballroom

1st: Danceology-’Burn Up The Dance’

Best of Radix:

Rookie

The Rock Center for Dance-’Inanna’

Danceology-’Ladies Room’

Mather Dance Company-’Fabulous’

Studio Kin-’SK Crew’

Notion Dance Concepts-’Firework’

Mini

The Rock Center for Dance-’6 Out of Six’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Fading Images’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Searching For...’

Danceology-’Happy’

Mather Dance Company-’Hot Stuff’

Motion State Studios-’Sisters’

Junior

Evoke Dance Movement-’Hold Your Own’

The Rock Center for Dance-’All Good People’

Danceology-’Rich Girl’

Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’Wind It Up’

Mather Dance Company-’Anything Worth Holding’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Hey Hi Hello’

Motion State Studios-’Always, Forever’

 Murrieta Dance Project-’Luminous’

Teen

Academy of Nevada Ballet Theater-’The Great Realization’

Danceology-’Not Today Satan’

The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

West Coast School of the Arts-’All Coming Back’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’The Need for One Another’

Studio Kin-’Hustle’

Murrieta Dance Project-’Memories’

Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Change’

Mather Dance Company-’Overdose’

Orange County Performing Arts Academy-’No Ordinary Love’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Adios’

Senior

Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Terrified’

Murrieta Dance Project-’Echos’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’I’m The Hero’

Danceology-’Above Below’

Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre-’Those That Follow’

Studio Fusion-’Coconut’

West Coast School of the Arts-’How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?’

Studio Standout:

Studio Kin-’Hustle’

Mather Dance Company-’We The Soldiers’

Evoke Dance Movement-’Adios’

Elite Dance and Performing Arts Center-’Change’

Danceology-’Not Today Satan’

Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’I’m The Hero’

The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

[nerdishpursuits]

Sapphic Romance Books - a short list

as requested by @chuckzacharylevi

I’ve been powering through roughly 350 + wlw books over the last couple of years. So I made a quick list of what have become absolute favorites of mine - and the list is only growing: Ann MacMan, Gill McKnight , Anna Burke, Radclyffe, E.J.Noyes, Lee Winter, Jess Lea, Karin Kallmaker, Roslyn Sinclair, Clare Ashton, Caren J. Werlinger, Virginia Hale, Geri Hill, Georgia Beers, Jae, A.L. Brooks, Rae D. Magdon, Andi Marquette, Emma Nichols, Magnolia Robbins, Lily Hammond, Lola Keeley, Fiona Zedde, Harper Bliss etc. are household names in lesbian romance. And damn if I’m not addicted ...

I recommend going through their list of novels (either on their respective publishing houses or Amazon) and see what catches your eye. There’s much to explore and a lot of talent out there. This ain’t even the tip of the iceberg.

That being said, in no particular order, a quick list of some of my favorite wlw books:

1. Goldenseal (Garoul Series Book 1)

by Gill McKnight  (Gill McKnight has quickly become one of my go-to wlw writers. And her Garoul series an all-time favorite. The Garouls are a warewolf clan and the series has each book focusing on one of its members. - I have a really hard time picking a favorite. I really can’t decide between Leone, Ren, Marie Luc or Jolie. I’ll just have to love them all equally. The descriptions are lavish, the story so well woven it inescapably pulls you under its spell) When Amy Fortune returns to her childhood home, she discovers something sinister in the air—but is former lover Leone Garoul stalking her or protecting her? Amy Fortune and Leone Garoul were teenage lovers. Now, years later, Amy returns to Little Dip, the Garoul home valley to help her aunt finish a botanical project. Except Little Dip is no longer the happy place of Amy’s childhood memories. There’s something sinister in the woods. And why hasn’t Leone moved on? Why does she still dog Amy’s every move? As more and more of the Garoul family arrive for a special hunting weekend, parts of the puzzle come together and Amy’s fears escalate as she moves closer to the truth—and the secret that has eluded her since childhood.

  2. The Lily and the Crown

by Roslyn Sinclair  (one easily discovers the plot but the novel is so well written and the characters so engaging it’s impossible not to love Ari and her mysterious companion. You know it’s gonna happen, and when it does it doesn’t lose its spark but just keeps on building and expanding)

Ariana “Ari” Geiker lives an isolated life on an imperial space station commanded by her father. The skilled, young botanist rarely leaves her living quarters, where she maintains an elaborate garden. When an imperious older woman is captured from a pirate ship and given to her as a slave, Ariana’s perfectly ordered life is thrown into chaos. Her nameless slave is watchful, intelligent, dangerous, and sexy, and seems to know an awful lot about tactics, star charts, and the dread, marauding pirate queen, Mir. What happens when the slave also reveals an expertise in seduction to her innocent mistress? The Lily and the Crown is a lesbian romance about daring to risk your heart with someone you shouldn’t.

3. The X Ingredient

by Roslyn Sinclair (this books is sizzling and the chemistry between Laurie & Diana is off the charts. It was only a matter of time until the pin was pulled out of the grenade; and DAMN did it go off, when it finally did. All of this paired up with incredibly good writing and you’ve got yourself that highly sought-after X Ingredient)

A smart, sexy lesbian romance about facing the truth about your desires…and risking everything. Laurie Holcombe is out of a job, out of luck, and out of time. When a prestigious law firm hires her as an assistant to one of its senior partners, it feels like she might finally get back on her feet. All she has to do is put up with the whims of her infuriatingly icy boss, Diana. How hard could that be? Diana Parker is Atlanta’s top lawyer and isn’t afraid to let everyone know it. She’s driven, ruthless, demanding, and stuck in a failing marriage. Too bad she can’t run her personal life as well as she runs her ordered office. When a young assistant shows up with bright blue eyes, a cute Southern accent, and a streak of pink hair, Diana’s sure she’s all wrong for the job. And yet something seems to be pulling her and Laurie Holcombe together, drawing them into a secret, thrilling dance that’s far too dangerous for a boss and employee. Can they make rules for this powerful attraction, a way to keep each other at arm’s length? But how do you resist the irresistible?

4. The Dark Wife

by S.E. Diemer, Sarah Diemer (the retelling of the myth of Hades & Persepohone I never new I needed. Just one thing. Hades? LET ME LOVE YOU. She’s so utterly enchanting in her soft melancholy and she’s SO DAMN SOFT AND KIND & UTTERLY BEWITCHING *sighs in gay*)

Three thousand years ago, a god told a lie. Now, only a goddess can tell the truth. Persephone has everything a daughter of Zeus could want--except for freedom. She lives on the green earth with her mother, Demeter, growing up beneath the ever-watchful eyes of the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. But when Persephone meets the enigmatic Hades, she experiences something new: choice. Zeus calls Hades "lord" of the dead as a joke. In truth, Hades is the goddess of the underworld, and no friend of Zeus. She offers Persephone sanctuary in her land of the dead, so the young goddess may escape her Olympian destiny. But Persephone finds more than freedom in the underworld. She finds love, and herself. The Dark Wife is a YA novel, a lesbian revisionist retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth.  It won the 2012 Golden Crown Literary Award for Speculative Fiction.

5. The Goodmans

by Clare Ashton (just a taste of Clare Ashton. I’ve read various books of hers and I’ve yet to be disappointed.  They’re all worth checking out. This bffs to lovers is heaps of fun with some good family drama and good ol’ British humor thrown into the mix. Abby and Jude are made for each other and I never expected to LOVE Maggie and Juliette SO DAMN MUCH)

 The lovely doctor Abby Hart lives in her dream cottage in the quintessential English border town of Ludbury, home to the Goodmans. Maggie Goodman, all fire and passion, is like another mother to her, amiable Richard a rock and 60s-child Celia is the grandmother she never had. But Abby has a secret. Best friend Jude Goodman is the love of her life, and very, very straight. Even if Jude had ever given a woman a second glance, there’d also be the small problem of Maggie – she would definitely not approve. But secrets have a habit of sneaking out, and Abby’s not the only one with something to hide. Life is just about to get very interesting for the Goodmans. Things are not what they used to be, but could they be even better? “If you ever wanted to know how straight women become lesbians, how lesbians fall in love, make love and almost ruin love, The Goodmans is the book for you!” – TT Thomas

6. Sword of the Guardian

by Merry Shannon (a woman disguised as the princess’ bodyguard. Hello chemistry. Hello Sapphic drama. Absolutely LOVED)

A shocking assassination creates an unconventional bond between a princess and her guardian in a kingdom filled with political intrigue, danger and unexpected romance. Princess Shasta Soltranis enjoys a pampered life of court dances, elaborate finery, and the occasional secret fencing match with her twin brother, Daric. But in the midst of a birthday celebration, her world shatters when a mysterious assassin takes her brother's life. Shasta, the only remaining heir to the throne, narrowly escapes the assassin's blade thanks to the intervention of a traveling acrobat named Talon. With the threat of another attempt on Shasta's life imminent, her father declares that the young hero will be come the Princess's bodyguard. But what Shasta doesn't know is that her new guardian has a very well-kept secret: he is actually a she. Talon and Shasta soon grow closer than anyone, especially her father, could have predicted. Will the truth of her guardian's secret change their relationship forever?

  7 Proxima Five

by Missouri Vaun (lesbian Fantasy with distant planets, reluctant lead and brooding hero ... melt, my heart, melt. Missouri Vaun is another author with whom one cannot go wrong)

  Geologist Dr. Leah Warren wakes after extended cryogenic hibernation to discover she’s crash-landed on a foreign planet. The sole survivor of her crew, she struggles to piece together what went wrong. Leah ventures from the ship in search of signs of life only to be captured by desert raiders. Keegan, a clan warrior, discovers Leah, weak and barely alive. Her kindness and affection for Leah seem in direct conflict with her tough and emotionally remote façade, and Leah’s attraction for the reserved warrior grows. Unfortunately, Tiago, the clan’s volatile chieftain, is a tyrant who wants Leah for himself. Keegan will have to relinquish Leah or challenge Tiago. Will love give Keegan the strength to defeat him?

8. Darkness Falls (The Darkness Trilogy Book 1)

by KC Luck (the intriguing and passionate stories of 4 women during apocalyptic times. Will pull you in and won’t let go)

  If the lights go out forever, can love survive? When four women from different walks of life are brought together by fate to witness the end of the world as they know it, each must find a way to survive against the odds as well as learn to rely on each other.   Jackie Scott wields incredible influence as a magazine executive in Seattle. As she plans a smashing party for her fortieth birthday, everything is precisely as she wants it. But when a solar storm lights up the night sky in a dazzling display, it not only ruins the party but destroys power around the planet and Jackie must turn for help from the one woman she has tried so hard not to want … Taylor.   Taylor Barnes is an Army veteran new to Seattle and wants nothing more than to find some peace and quiet working as a rent-a-cop in a corporate high-rise. When she is asked to attend the birthday party of the building's powerful and sexy CEO, she can hardly say no. Little did she realize every skill she ever learned would be put to the test to save the woman she can't seem to stop thinking about … Jackie.   Anna Patten is a nurse practitioner who has returned one last time to the town she ran away from to pack up the house where she grew up. Trying to avoid any drama, she cannot get away fast enough, or so she tells herself while her heart wonders about her high school crush. When fate lands them together in Seattle at a birthday party, suddenly Anna must lean on the woman she once left behind … Lexi.   Lexi Scott has built a simple life of writing novels and remodeling her farmhouse, but when she runs into a long-lost friend, her world is turned upside down. It's not until she attends her sister Jackie's birthday party that she is forced to not only face the apocalypse but now she must decide if she is willing to risk her heart again to save the only woman she ever loved ... Anna.   The end of the world is only the beginning.

   9. The Beast That Never Was

by Caren J. Werlinger (this author has some of the best prose I’ve come across in wlw writing. And this is a wonderful retelling of Beauty & the Beast with that Sapphic twist)

  What if Beauty was the Beast? Lise’s father is dead, and the life of plenty and freedom that she has known as the daughter of the King’s Huntsman is gone. She must now live a life of duty to her mother and sisters, helping them to cope in their altered circumstances. But where her mother would have her wed a childhood friend to secure their future, Lise knows that is not what she longs for. When she meets a mysterious woman in the forest, Lise feels the stirrings of emotions she cannot give voice to, but with this woman, she doesn’t have to say anything—Senna knows. Cursed, hunted, and feared, Senna has been forced to wander from place to place for more years than she cares to remember. She gave up hope long ago that there could ever be an end to her isolation. Odd sightings in the forest—monsters of legend come to life, old enemies back from the past, fearsome beasts on the prowl—begin to frighten the people of Lise’s village. Somehow, all of these things are connected to Senna. As the villagers’ fear grows, so does their hatred. Senna prepares to flee, accepting what has become her fate, but Lise isn’t ready to give up her one chance for happiness. Soon, only Lise stands between the villagers and the woman she has grown to love.

Werlinger has a beautiful, flowing prose. I also really loved Neither Present Time (hands down, one of my favorite Werlinger books), In This Small Spot (thought provoking and equally beautiful and painful - the ending gutted me but I still find this book a wonderful read), Invisible, as Music (this novel has no smut or anything but it’s so beautifully written and heartwarming), When the Stars Sang (would be the kind of community I’d love to live in tbh), She Sings of Old, Unhappy, Far-off Things (yet another example of how well-crafted prose just flows)

10. The Secret Chord

by Virginia Hale (another prose that wouldn’t let me go until I finished the damn book in one sitting. Such good writing. Such a good story. Chemistry abounds. Conflict of mind and heart and a damn good resolution)

  When Kate York accepted a temporary position as the music teacher at her former Catholic boarding school, St. Joan of Arc, she expected to deal with rowdy adolescents, strict nuns, and memories of her intense friendship with her old roommate, Tilly Wattle. The last thing Kate expected, however, was for Tilly to show up as the substitute teacher. The last time the two had seen each other, Tilly had her heart set on joining the sisterhood of nuns that had raised her as an orphan. Tilly longed for a simple life devoting herself to God while Kate longed for a simple life devoting herself to Tilly. Now, twelve years since she forced herself to say goodbye, Kate realizes that she never really got over her sweet, beautiful friend—or the secret kisses they shared as girls. In her heart of hearts Kate believes that Tilly can match her passion with equal intensity. When Tilly steadfastly refuses to talk about their past, what choice does Kate have but to try to control her own longings and concentrate on renewing their friendship? But what if Kate isn’t the only one desperate to hide her true feelings…

11. Hart & Stocker

by Max Ellendale, Victoria Miller, Deadra Krieger (I’ve a thing for hot, broody lesbian farmers and their vet partners that won’t take no for an answer. Damn, do I love this book to pieces)

  It's not every day that Willa receives distress calls for sick horses owned by dead people. As one of two veterinarians in the rural area of Washington State, she responds to the summons for two reasons; she's worried for the unknown animal, and sheer curiosity over the alleged revenant. While on this mission, Willa crosses paths with Dax, a rough around the edges U.S. Marshal tasked with caring for her fallen father's farm. Dax is a woman of few words, but Willa can see beyond the silence into the rich soul that she aches to learn more about. Tangled with uncertainty, Willa's desires urge her into Dax's personal space, and what unfolds between the lavender fields brings both women something unexpected.

12. The Wolf's Consort

by Max Ellendale, Victoria Miller, Deadra Krieger (Currently reading. Current obsession. Zara Weston is such a mysterious, reluctant softy. Just. UGH. Useless lesbian. And Kay is SO perfect for her. Soulmates indeed. Also, a new take on shape-shifters that I very much enjoyed)

When reporter Mack Parker accepted the task of an exclusive article about suspicious activity at a local hospital, she never expected to stumble into a preternatural world hidden in plain sight. A near-death rescue launches Mack into the arms of Zara Weston; a grumpy, reclusive police officer who impedes Mack's investigation at the brink of every discovery. Her officious, vigilant demeanor forces Mack to take matters into her own hands. Can the reporter slip under the radar of the meddlesome cop to uncover the truth? Or will their crossed paths bring them closer to each other and to the dangerous world of werecreatures and vampires that haunts the fringes of society? **The Wolf's Consort is a Legacy Series tie-in novel that can be read as a stand-alone.**

 13. Breaking Down Her Walls

by Erin Zak ( where do I sign up to work as a ranch hand for a brooding, but SO SO SOFT AND BEAUTIFUL, lesbian farmer? Do I have a type? I have a type. GIMME)

  Leaving is what Julia Finch does best. When a meeting with her birth parents goes horribly wrong, Julia escapes on a hastily planned road trip and winds up breaking down in a Colorado town so small the cows outnumber the people. Completely out of her element, she takes a temporary job as a ranch hand at Bennett Ranch. She only has to survive long enough to get her car fixed, and then she’s out of there for good. Her bad luck continues when she meets the ranch owner, Elena Bennett. Elena is unhappy, abrasive, and annoyingly breathtaking. But the longer Julia stays, the more the ranch starts to feel like home, and her feelings for Elena become impossible to ignore. She’s spent years building her defenses high and running from her past. Could a love worth staying for be the key to breaking down her walls?

14. Blurred Lines (Cops and Docs Book 1)

by KD Williamson (this series has utterly captivated me. Getting to slowly discover Nora through Kelli’s eyes has been an immensely satisfying journey. Not to mention Nora’s own character development. Such a treat)

  Kelli MacCabe is a no nonsense detective with a tough exterior. Only a select few know her as a loyal, loving friend. Committed to her family, her friends, and her job, Kelli puts her needs behind everyone else’s. As a surgeon, Nora Whitmore is used to being in control. The hospital is her life and leaves room for little else. Respected by her colleagues, but misunderstood by the residents, Nora takes what she needs and keeps everyone at arm’s length. In the process, she creates unexpected enemies. Tragedy brings them together. As chaos grows around them, the lines between them begin to blur. Despite being from different worlds, friendship grows between them, turning quickly to attraction. Will these two strong, independent women find a way to deal with their individual baggage? Or will they be overcome by it?

15. The Red Files (On The Record Book 1)

by Lee Winter (One of my absolute favorite series. One cannot go wrong with Lee Winter. It would be impossible. She’s a master at her craft and we her humble, and delighted, readers)

  Ambitious Daily Sentinel journalist Lauren King is chafing on LA’s vapid social circuit, reporting on glam, A-list parties while sparring with her rival—the formidable, icy Catherine Ayers. Ayers is an ex-Washington DC political correspondent who suffered a humiliating fall from grace, and her acerbic tongue keeps everyone at bay. Everyone, that is, except knockabout Iowa girl King, who is undaunted, unimpressed and gives as good as she gets. One night a curious story unfolds before their eyes: One business launch, 34 prostitutes and a pallet of missing pink champagne. What on earth does it mean? King and Ayers join forces but they might find a lot more than just a passion for news on the dusty road to Nevada.

16. Requiem for Immortals (The Law Game Book 1) 

by Lee Winter (AASDFGHJKL ... oh, and ... ASDFGHJKLL ... SCREAMS IN GAY)

  What would make the most dangerous ice queen of them all, ruthless underworld assassin Requiem, hesitate? Professional cellist Natalya Tsvetnenko moves seamlessly among the elite where she fills the souls of symphony patrons with beauty even as she takes the lives of the corrupt of Australia’s ruthless underworld. The cold, exacting assassin is hired to kill a woman who seems so innocent that Natalya can’t understand why anyone would want her dead. As she gets to know her target, she can’t work out why she even cares. This powerful, enemies-to-lovers lesbian thriller has compelling characters and twists galore.

17. Breaking Character

by Lee Winter (a celeb romance, in style. The way one has come to expect from Lee Winter. SO SO GOOD)

  Life has become a farcical mess for icy British A-lister Elizabeth Thornton. America’s most-hated villain stars in a top-rated TV medical drama that she hates. Now, she’s been romantically linked to her perky, new co-star, Summer, due to the young woman’s clumsiness. As a closeted actress, that’s the last thing Elizabeth needs. If she could just get her dream movie role, life would be so much better. The only problem is that the eccentric French film-maker offering it insists on meeting her “girlfriend”, Summer, first.Summer Hayes is devastated when her co-star shuns her for accidentally sparking rumors they’re lovers. Now the so-called British Bitch has the audacity to ask Summer to pretend to be her girlfriend to get her a role? Elizabeth doesn’t even like Summer! Oh, how she’d love to tell her no. And Summer definitely would if it wasn’t for the fact she’s maybe a tiny bit in love with the impossible woman.A lesbian celebrity romance about gaining love, losing masks, and trying to stick to the script.

18. Alone

by E. J. Noyes (E.J. Noyes is hands-down one of favorites of favorites. I figured the plot pretty early on but the book is SO DAMN ENGROSSING you cannot put it down and just plow on relentlessly)

  Half a million dollars will be Celeste Thorne’s reward for spending four years of her life in total isolation. No faces. No voices. No way to leave. Since Celeste has never really worried about being alone, the generous paycheck she’ll receive for her participation in the solitary psychological experiment seems like easy money. When she finds an injured hiker in the woods bordering her living compound, her strictly governed world is thrown into disarray. But even as she struggles with the morality of breaking the rules of the experiment, Celeste can’t deny her growing attraction to the kind and enigmatic Olivia Soldano. Still, how much can you really trust a stranger? And how much can you trust yourself when you know all the faces you’ve seen and voices you’ve heard for the past three years have only been your imagination? But what’s real? Celeste’s reality may lie somewhere between the absolute truth and a carefully constructed deception.

19. A Curious Woman: Murder Under the Gum Trees

by Jess Lea (one of the most charming mysteries I’ve ever read. Bess is an utter delight and Margaret is a stormy, wonderful enigma one cannot help being charmed by - a thawing ice queen that will utterly melt you)

  A funny, fabulous, cozy mystery filled with quirkiness and a sweet serve of lesbian romance. Bess Campbell has escaped to the windswept Australian coastal town of Port Bannir, determined to begin her life again. She is loving her fresh start, thanks to her fun job running a hip gallery, her territorial chickens, and a lot of self-help books to find her new, better self. Port Bannir local Margaret Gale runs an austere maritime museum, and rules her staff with an iron fist. She has no time for that crazy modern gallery or upbeat, earnest Bess sweeping around town on her hipster bicycle. After a heated dispute over an antique collectible dildo, there’s little hope Margaret and Bess will ever see eye to eye.

But when Port Bannir is rocked by a senseless murder, both women find themselves implicated. Can they work together to expose the truth––or will the truth prove far too dangerous?

  20. Fated Love 

by Radclyffe (probably Radclyffe’s most celebrated romance. One thing’s for certain. One cannot go wrong with a Radclyffe novel. It’s good writing, good editing, good everything. She is one of the most prolific wlw writers out there - sure, after a while it might seem a tad formulaic but it’s one recipe that’s tested and proven. It’s always good writing and there’s this tug & pull between her characters that’s totally swoon worthy)

  What do you do when your carefully planned life takes a wrong turn into hell? When Quinn Maguire, a dashing young trauma surgeon, unaccountably accepts a position as an ER physician, her new boss, Honor Blake, suspects that Quinn is hiding a dark secret. While the two declare an uneasy truce in an effort to work together, both struggle with mutual, and unexpected, attraction. Honor, however, has more than one reason to resist her growing feelings for the attractive newcomer—not the least of which is that her heart belongs to the woman whose wedding ring she wears. Amidst the chaos and drama of a busy emergency room, Quinn and Honor must contend not only with the fragile nature of life, but also with the mysteries of the heart and the irresistible forces of fate.

21. Innocent Hearts

by Radclyffe (might just be my favorite from this author. I’ve a soft spot for this book and series - maybe because it was the first book I ever read by Radclyffe. I mean ... Jessie Forbes is ... so.effin.extra and such a useless lesbian ... I can’t. And when you read a Radclyffe book? It’s all about dem GAY FEELS)

In 1860's Montana Territory, Kate Beecher, a young woman from Boston, faces the hardships and hard choices of life on the frontier. Just eighteen and quietly struggling against the social constraints of the era, Kate meets a woman who fires first her imagination, and then her dreams. Jessie Forbes, a fiercely independent rancher, finds in Kate the passion she never knew she had been missing. This is the story of their struggle to love in a land, and time, as cruel as it was beautiful.

22. Wild

Meghan O'Brien (not one book by this author doesn’t sizzle. And this one’s no exception. All of her books are HOT AS HELL but this one’s my favorite. And Selene is just .... *swoons and sighs*)

  The only thing that frightens shapeshifter Selene Rhodes more than the full moon is the idea of falling in love. Selene Rhodes has lived her whole life with a terrible secret: not only can she take the form of any animal at will, but once a month the full moon transforms her into a fierce wolf-creature without a human conscience. Managing her condition means living by a strict routine, and more importantly, abstaining from intimate relationships with human beings. Selene is convinced that love and friendship can only bring her pain. Forensic pathologist Eve Thomas is well-acquainted with the pain of romantic love. Swearing off relationships after having her heart broken by a cheating ex, Eve throws herself into her work: catching murderers. When Selene comes to her aid after an attack by a masked man in Golden Gate Park, Eve is shocked by how powerfully she is drawn to her mysterious savior. Shaken by her own feelings for Eve, Selene is even more terrified to realize she isn’t even close to being the scariest monster stalking San Francisco. There is someone out in the city who is killing for pleasure, and his next target is the one woman he thinks might be able to stop him: Eve.

  23. Beowulf for Cretins: A Love Story

by Ann McMan (when it comes to masterful storytelling McMan is a goddess. Probably my absolute favorite. She sets the bar so high it’s hard to settle for anything less. She’s that damn good. And this book? I could feel my IQ increasing. You. Never. Go. Wrong with Ann McMan books)

English professor and aspiring novelist, Grace Warner spends her days teaching four sections of "Beowulf for Cretins" to bored and disinterested students at one of New England's “hidden ivy” colleges. Not long after she is dumped by her longtime girlfriend, Grace meets the engaging and mysterious Abbie on a cross-country flight. Sparks fly on and off the plane as the two strangers give in to one night of reckless passion with no strings attached, and no contact information exchanged.

Back home at St. Albans, the college rocks Grace's world when it announces the appointment of a new president, the first woman in its 165-year history. Cue Abbie—and cue Grace's collision course with a neurotic dog named Grendel, a fractious rival for tenure, and a woman called Ochre, in what very well might be Grace's last real shot at happiness.

This full-length novel reimagines and expands on the short story, “Falling From Grace,” which was originally published in the award-winning story collection, Sidecar by Ann McMan.

24. Jericho (A Jericho Novel)

Ann McMan (it’s simple. One does not read wlw novels and misses out on the Jericho series. It would be a sacrilege. It would be unspeakable. THIS. IS. AN. ABSOLUTE. MUST - as is every Ann McMan book out there)

  Librarian Syd Murphy flees the carnage of a failed marriage by accepting an eighteen-month position in Jericho, a small town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Her plans to hide out and heal her wounds fall by the wayside as she gets drawn into the daily lives of the quirky locals. When Syd gets a flat tire and is rescued by the town physician, Maddie Stevenson, the two women form a fast friendship—but almost immediately begin struggling with a mutual attraction. And, if that’s not enough, Syd is straight and going through a divorce—and Maddie somehow forgets to mention her sexual orientation to her new best friend. Almost everyone who crosses their paths believes it’s only a matter of time until they figure it out, but sometimes, it takes a while to see the obvious. Together, Syd and Maddie learn that life and love can have as many twists and turns as a winding mountain road.

Also not to miss out on: Dust, Galileo, Hoosier Daddy, Backcast

25. A Royal Romance

by Jenny Frame (something about this novel. who doesn’t love a good royal family novel - especially when the heir is a swoon worthy, soft, lesbian and voila;  you end up with this delightful, charming story)

  Georgina, Princess of Wales, has always known her destiny, but she never expected duty to call so soon. When her father dies suddenly, she is called back from her Royal Navy post to assume the crown. While the people acclaim their new Queen, Great Britain’s first openly gay monarch, all George feels is the isolation of her station. Beatrice Elliot’s staunch anti-monarchist views have always been a point of gentle contention with her working class, royalty-loving parents. When Bea—director of a hospice charity—must spend six months working with Queen Georgina, her charity’s new patron, sparks fly and passion blooms. But is love enough to bridge the gap between Bethnal Green and Buckingham Palace?

26. Just My Luck

by Andrea Bramhall (It’s impossible not to love Genna. Like. Utterly impossible. You’ll root for her from start to finish. You’ll laugh and cry and be angry on her behalf and with her. Just. *HUGS GENNA*)

  Genna Collins works a dead end job, loves her family, her girlfriend, and her friends. When she wins the biggest Euromillions jackpot on record everything changes…and not always for the best.

When Abi Kitson fell in love she always knew it would go unrequited. The woman of her dreams was so close yet seemingly untouchable for so many reasons. Reasons like – they are best friends, or the big age gap, or the ‘other’ woman, nevermind Abi’s own baggage.   And even when those reasons crumble it seems luck just isn’t on her side. It’s a learning curve for both of them. But what if money really can’t buy you everything you want? What if the answers aren’t hidden in a big, fat bank balance? What if happiness is right in front of them? They just have to reach out…

27. Popcorn Love

bu KL Hughes (we all know chrmdpoet, in the Clexa fandom, don’t we. this is one of her published novels. not. to. be. missed. It delivers, and then some)

  A prominent figure amongst New York City’s fashion elite, Elena Vega is a successful businesswoman and single mother to an adorable three-year-old son, Lucas. Her love life, however, is lacking, as those closest to her keep pointing out. At the persistent urging of her closest friend, Elena reluctantly agrees to a string of blind dates if she can find a suitable babysitter for Lucas. Enter Allison Sawyer, a free-spirited senior at New York University. Elena is intrigued by Allison’s ability to push her out of her element, and the young woman’s instant and easy connection with a normally shy Lucas quickly earns Allison the job. After each blind date, Elena returns home to complain to Allison about her lacking suitors. As they bond, Elena begins to realize that the person possessing all the qualities she most desires might just be the woman who has been in front of her the entire time. The vast difference between the two women’s social statuses, however, may be an obstacle not easily overcome.

28. Forbidden: Love Knows No Boundaries

by Emma Nichols (hello heartstrings, you’ve been tugged. Listen. I love Iman to pieces alright?)

  What is there to celebrate when you turn 32, you’re still desperately single and thousands of miles away from home? As Ashley contemplates her life, a lesbian stuck in the middle of the Syrian oil fields surrounded by more men than there is sand, a blast from the past brings with it the opportunity to rekindle old flames. But what of the local chef, Iman? As she awakens to her sexuality, in a country where such love is forbidden, will her heart’s yearning be satisfied or forever denied? Dive into 'Forbidden', a lesbian romance, set in exotic pre-war Syria, from Emma Nichols, author of the bestselling The Vincenti Series: Finding You, Remember Us and The Hangover.

29. The Way Home

by Lily Hammond (SO SO CHARMING. Set in New Zealand. Another author who constantly delivers. Such good prose!!! I’ve read her every book and find the writing almost lyrical in its beauty. One of my favorite historical romances)

  In 1941 May Lewis is looking for a fresh start. Leaving the city and an old love affair behind, she buys a medical practice in a small country town. Here she hopes to find peace, friendships, and the sort of medical practice she’s always dreamed of, where she knows all her patients by name.

What she discovers is the possibility of a new, deep love with Eadie McClintock, a young woman struggling to raise her baby nephew while hiding her brother from the men determined to send him off to the war. Shunned by the town, however, Eadie refuses to have anything to do with May – for the new doctor’s own good.

Which leaves May with an impossible task. How can she win the trust of the town when they are so set against the one person May wants to be closest to?

 30. Madeleine: A lesbian historical romance

by Emma Nichols (more heartstrings being tugged. plus. vintagey lesbians. love)

  Madeleine isn’t like other grieving war widows. Claudette isn’t like other young French women. As their lives collide, Madeleine and Claude will discover a depth of connection and desire they never knew could exist. Can their love flourish in post-WW2 France or will their past derail their future?

31. Ask, Tell 

by E. J. Noyes (the Ask, Tell series is one I’d recommend time and again. It’s forever one of my all-time favorites and I look forward to rereading it time and again. It’s THAT GOOD. Sabine and Rebecca are forever ingrained in my mind and heart and this 3 book series is a roller coaster ride to remember. Cannot recommend it enough. Also. Rebecca Keane might just be one of the most swoon-worthiest characters ever. I’d wife her if I could. I so would *cries in gay*)

  Where can you turn when you’re caught in a crossfire of war and passion? Captain Sabine Fleischer is a skilled and dedicated U.S. Army surgeon deployed to a combat hospital in Afghanistan. She is also one of the thousands of troops who are forced to serve in silence because of the military’s anti-gay policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).” Usually driven and focused, Sabine finds that battles raging both inside and outside the perimeter walls are making it more and more difficult for her to deal with her emotions. Dealing with loss and mortality, lack of privacy, sleep deprivation, loneliness and the isolation forced on her by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” are all taking their toll. Plus, her long-term relationship with a civilian back home is quickly becoming another casualty of war. Colonel Rebecca Keane is an enigmatic career officer who runs the surgical unit like clockwork. Well liked and respected by those who work with and under her, she walks a fine line to preserve the military’s chain of command while connecting with those under her care and supervision. Sabine knows the Colonel is way off-limits, but can’t help fantasizing about her. Especially when she starts picking up unspoken cues—a stolen glance, a secret smile, an “accidental” brush of hands. Or is it just wishful thinking? After all, Rebecca’s wedding ring shines almost as brightly as her deep blue eyes…

32. Ask Me Again 

by E.J. Noyes (the first book the series set such high standards I was afraid the sequel would disappoint; surprise instead: the second installment is even better and I really LOVED delving into Rebecca’s pov as well - I loved her before but grew to absolutely adore her in this book; I cannot sing enough praises for these books, I really can’t)

What do you do when the source of all your problems is the one thing you don’t know how to fix? With Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell nothing more than an unpleasant memory, US Army surgeon Sabine Fleischer is ready to move on with her life—if she can just figure out how to move past her PTSD. Fresh from her first deployment since surviving a vehicle attack in Afghanistan, Sabine is finding the things she’s tried so hard to push aside aren’t as easy to ignore as she’d hoped. Sabine’s girlfriend and ex-commanding officer Rebecca Keane is happily settled into her new job running a trauma department in a civilian hospital. Life with Sabine is everything Rebecca ever wanted. But when Sabine’s PTSD reappears worse than before, she’s left struggling with her own guilt. There’s no doubt that both Sabine and Rebecca want the same thing. But how do you help the most important person in your life when they don’t want to need your help? Ask Me Again is the must-read sequel to the best-selling Ask, Tell.

33. If the Shoe Fits

by E.J Noyes (3rd installment in the Ask, Tell series and another stellar addition. while it doesn’t focus on Sabine and Rebecca, but Sabine’s sister Jana, it’s just as gripping as the first two books; one of the best trilogies I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading)

Jana Fleischer loves her life—wonderful family, best sister in the world, awesome soon to be sister-in-law, fabulous job, and a never-ending stream of men to chew through and spit out. So what if everyone says she’s too picky and she’s never had a real relationship? When a chance meeting with Brooke Donnelly leaves Jana literally and figuratively off-balance, it doesn’t take long for her initial annoyance to turn into the first sparks of friendship. Jana always thought she was happy with her life, but the more time she spends with Brooke, the more she realizes something is missing. And maybe not just in the friendship department. But how do you make that leap when you’ve never even considered kissing a woman, and have spent your whole life avoiding romantic commitments? Being brave, taking the first step, and admitting she wants to try to make things work with Brooke is only the beginning. Whether it’s the beginning of a disaster—or everything Jana hadn’t realized she wanted—depends on if Brooke can also be brave enough…

 34. Backwards to Oregon

by Jae (another prolific author in the wlw romance genre; this novel is her flag- bearer and an utter fan favorite. There’s no way you won’t succumb to its charm ... it’s timeless)

  A single mother and a woman living as a man find love on the Oregon Trail in this best-selling lesbian historical romance.

“Luke” Hamilton has always been sure that she’d never marry. She accepted that she would spend her life alone when she chose to live her life disguised as a man. After working in a brothel for three years, Nora Macauley has lost all illusions about love. She no longer hopes for a man who will sweep her off her feet and take her away to begin a new, respectable life. But now they find themselves married and on the way to Oregon in a covered wagon, with two thousand miles ahead of them.

35. Too Close To Touch

by Georgia Beers (my very first Georgia Beers novel, it holds a very dear spot in my heart; this author’s work is amazing and she has titles to boost under her belt; just ... enjoy a good Georgia Beers ‘n cheers)

  Life gets complicated when love turns out to be nothing like you expected - and the woman you want is too close to touch. Gretchen Kaiser is a workaholic corporate honcho with issues – she’s got daddy issues, she’s got female-executive-in-a-man’s-world issues, and she’s got one night stand issues. What she doesn’t have are love issues. She isn’t looking for it, she doesn’t feel she needs it, and she doesn’t expect to find it…certainly not right under her nose. Kylie O’Brien is the kind of girl who believes in true love and is willing to wait until it shows up at her door. Her best friend Mick would sweep her off her feet given the chance, but Mick doesn’t make Kylie feel the way true love should. And now Kylie has to worry about her new boss – Gretchen Kaiser’s icy reserve makes life as her administrative assistant a challenge. It doesn’t matter one damn bit that Gretchen is extremely attractive with a voice as rich and smooth as melted chocolate. It absolutely doesn’t…

36. Timeless

by Rachel Spangler (spangler is another highly respected and well-beloved wlw author; good editing, good prose and stories that quickly become favorites)

  What would you change about your past if you had the chance? What if you didn't have a choice? Stevie Geller doesn't do conflict. She likes her job as a successful novelist and playwright because it allows her to peacefully ensconce herself in her New York City loft, avoid human interactions, and leave personal drama for the page and stage. When her agent asks her to return to her hometown of Darlington, Illinois, to accept an award, she agrees only because he promises the process will be quick and easy. One panic attack and concussion later, Stevie is forced to confront her past in ways that seem to defy reality. As if befriending a social outcast and confronting high school bullies weren't enough, she also finds herself falling for a closeted teacher. Along the way, Stevie must decide if some things are worth fighting for. In her rush to escape the past, will she leave behind a better future, or are some conflicts really timeless?

37. Love's Abiding Spirit

by Syd Parker, Syd Parker (what really stayed with me after having read this book was the chemistry between the characters; it just reeled me in and I had a hard time taking a break from reading)

  If there is one thing songwriter Soren Lockhart has learned in her thirty—six years, it’s that life is full of ups and downs. When her wife and the mother of their daughter Olivia, decides she no longer wants to live together as a lesbian couple, Soren’s world comes crashing down. In the two years since her divorce, Soren hasn’t even touched her guitar, much to her agent’s dismay. In a last ditch effort to snap Soren back to reality, her agent invites her to her vacation home in Savannah, Georgia for some rest and relaxation and hopefully to kick her back into gear. In a totally rash and unexpected move, Soren purchases a fixer—upper and decides to move to Savannah in an attempt to get a fresh start away from a past that still hurts. Merritt Tanner is struggling with her own unsettling life. She’s in a relationship that is plagued by a past she rather forget. Her partner’s infidelity has taken its toll on her and rather than move on, she continues to blame herself and fools herself into believing if she just stays, she will be able to fix things between her and her girlfriend Kate. When the two women meet, Merritt quickly learns that a power beyond her control is silently pushing them together. She tries to fight it, but realizes Soren won’t accept no for an answer. Set against the backdrop of one of America’s most popular ghost cities, this is a story of love that spreads across two generations.

 38. Forbidden Melody

by Magnolia Robbins (this is among my first forays into wlw novels and I love it now just as much I did the first time I read it; I still remember scenes with vivid clarity, the chemistry between Emma and Juia so all-consuming and overpowering, the music coming alive from the pages in a lavish symphony of the heart)

  Emma Harvey is a brilliant and gifted young pianist, accepted into one of the most prestigious music conservatories in the country and prepared to do whatever it takes to accomplish her dreams of playing professionally. With a renowned jazz musician for a father and a world-famous mentor growing up, she is convinced her path is easy. Until her world is suddenly silenced when she loses her hearing. Juliet Hamilton is a prodigy violinist. First chair for nearly fifteen years in the New York Philharmonic and a professor at the conservatory, she is engulfed in her career with no time for distractions. Especially not a beautiful young graduate student with a spirited personality that challenges her every step. When Emma and Juliet’s paths cross in the classroom, their connection is undeniable. When their music comes together, it is unstoppable. The bond they begin to form threatens to challenge more than just their opinions of music. Friendships, ethics, and careers are tested as Emma and Juliet find themselves lost in a concerto of fiery passion and heartbreak.

  40. At Seventeen

by Gerri Hill (my very first Gerri Hill novel; another wlw household name, this author has books aplenty and they’re so.damn.good. this novel is no exception and I loved ever single moment I spent with Madison and Shannon; their trials and tribulations, their heartache and triumphs and always, always their one constant: their timeless love for one another)

  Madison Lansford and Shannon Fletcher met when they were ten years old. Madison—daughter of wealthy parents and Shannon, daughter of their live-in maid and cook—became fast friends, yet both knew their place in life. There was never a doubt that they would become lovers . . . there was also never a doubt that Madison would marry and maintain her social standing in the community.  Little by little, they grew apart, their love affair ending with Madison’s marriage and pregnancy. Now, years later, Shannon returns to her old hometown to care for her ailing mother. Can they rebuild their friendship? Or will their new-found closeness bring back memories of their long-lost love? Travel through the years with Shannon and Madison and watch their love unfold as they move from teens to young women and into adulthood.

41. The Club

by A.L. Brooks (by now I’ve pretty much read every A.L Brooks novel, except her latest release - which is on my list. This book is hot, it’s raw, it’s painful and uplifting as the author waves her way through the lives of various women who visit The Club; it’s fine erotica but also delivers an emotional punch to remember)

  Welcome to The Club—leave your inhibitions at the door and indulge in an evening of anonymous, woman-on-woman action in a sizzling, award-winning lesbian erotica that includes characters over fifty, plus-sized women, coming-out stories, and toe-curling fun. For many of the women who visit The Club, no-strings excitement is exactly what they are looking for and what they get. For others, however, with emotions running high, one night of sex changes their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined.  For Lou, her weekly visits enable her to set aside her shyness and loneliness and feel intimacy, however briefly. Kath, who cares for her mother at home, finds The Club a welcome escape from her everyday toil; while Max needs distraction from her troubled relationship, even as she tries to tell herself she isn’t really cheating. Tania and Jacky find an outlet for a tricky block in their sex life. Cassie and Nina, two bar staff at The Club, find themselves staying on after hours. And, Stephanie, struggling with her sexuality, finds her life changing in so many ways once she plucks up courage to enter. The lives of these women intersect, merge, and mingle, and watching over them all is Mandy—the owner, whose own ghosts play a pivotal role in the existence of The Club.

42. Miles Apart

by A.L. Brooks (the first A.L. Brooks book I read - it turned me into a devoted reader; I absolutely adore this novel and it’s one I delight in reading time and again - Alex and Justine are one of my favorite couples)

  Which mistakes can never be fixed? Would you fight for a five-year relationship after your lover’s had a drunken one-night stand? A slow-burn lesbian workplace romance that asks what you’d do when love isn’t always easy, neat, or simple. The past twelve months have seen Alex and her girlfriend, Terri, slowly drift apart. The awful revelation of Terri’s one drunken night of betrayal shows Alex just how far apart they are. The more they fight, the less Alex even wants to try. On a business trip to Canada, Alex meets Justine and, over the course of one pivotal evening, a connection is formed that shatters everything Alex thought she knew about herself. Returning to London, she’s faced with choices that will irrevocably change her life. Now her heart is torn between loyalty to the old and new beginnings in a long-distant relationship. An uplifting, beautiful novel that has heat, honesty, messy lives, and real-life women.

44. Spirit of the Dance

by Mardi Alexander (australian author with a knack for wildlife and animals - her books are set in either the untamed outback or the hustle and bustle of aussie city life - and always, her love for animals is upfront and center; it’s aussie slang, lesbian romance and the uplifting presence of animals - a perfect recipe)

  Major Sorla Reardon, wounded in Iraq, returns home to the family farm in Australia to heal both her body and her soul. She pushes herself to rebuild her family’s legacy while battling the PTSD that threatens to overwhelm her. Local saddler and horse trainer Riley Johnson knows that to get along in a small town, one simply has to make the best of what life hands out. Riley’s philosophy is to keep life as uncomplicated as possible. And falling in love with Sorla is as complicated as it gets. As Sorla’s dream is realized, Riley’s predictable, safe world begins to unravel. Secrets are revealed as prejudice and ignorance run wild. Having only ever walked through life alone, Riley must now learn to trust another, as danger dances ever closer.

45. The Music and the Mirror

by Lola Keeley  (keeley’s first published novel and she has only upped her ante ever since; however, this novel is memorable in so many ways and the chemistry between the leads simply leaps off the page)

  When new dancer Anna isn’t nervous as hell around her ice queen ballet mentor Victoria, she’s falling in love with the beautiful and powerful woman. This age-gap, workplace lesbian romance is a sizzling, award-winning page-turner, whether you’re into ballet or not. Anna is the newest member of an elite ballet company. Her first class with her mysterious idol, Victoria, almost ruins her career before it starts. When she shows she might be a potential star, Victoria chooses Anna to launch a new season around. Now Anna must face down jealousy, sabotage, and injury, not to mention navigate the circus of friends and lovers within the company. The pressure builds as she knows she must pour everything she has into opening night and prove to her rivals and herself that Victoria’s faith in her is not misplaced. In the process, Anna discovers that she and the daring, beautiful Victoria have a lot more than a talent for ballet in common, and that not every thrilling dance can be found on stage.

I’m also really looking forward to her newest book, A Roll in the Hay

46. Summer Winds

by Andrews, Austin  (recently read this book and since I confessed to my weakness when it comes to farms and lesbians? I was hook, line and sinker; I never expected to love it so much but the very moment Cash stepped out of her Jeep and into Maggie’s life I was a goner, like the useless lesbian that I am; not that Maggie can claim any different)

  Widow Maggie Tanner needs a ranch hand to work her thousand acres of Kansas hayfields. Young Cash Tate takes the job—a summer break from the city and her girlfriend troubles. Cash is irritated by and enamored of this self-sufficient rancher woman who refuses to treat her as an equal, and she vows to earn her respect. While Cash struggles to win a place in Maggie’s heart, Maggie fights her unwelcome desire to take Cash into her arms. Not one to give in to forces of nature, particularly when they’re female and fifteen years her junior, Maggie is determined to suppress her feelings. But one soft summer night, with the prairie breezes swirling over her skin like the breath of an impatient lover, Maggie Tanner has to decide whether to deny her yearnings or ride the wind.

47 Times Like These

by Ana McKenzie  (I’ve been a fan of Lily Hammond for a while now and have read every one of her books; this one she wrote under a pen name and since I’m absolutely charmed by her prose I just had to read this novel ... devoured it in one sitting; who needs sleep when there are books this good)

  Best-selling author Lily Hammond writing contemporary romance as Ana McKenzie! Merren Hardy is delighted when her thirst for new experiences turns into a holiday job for an attractive older woman. She's more than happy to be muse, model, assistant, and lover - especially lover - for brilliant and successful Bianca Graves. After all, Merren's smart with a big-picture view of the world and a practical streak wide enough to deal with Bianca's difficulties. She's a problem-solver. Except there's one problem Merren's never had to solve before - what happens when you fall in love with a woman who can't see you properly? Bianca's an artist losing her sight, desperate to find a way to continue painting and keep her career and sense of identity. She needs more than a muse, more than a young woman to model for her. She needs someone to reach out and touch her when everything's going dark - and help her find the way back to her life. Which surely means Merren's too young, too different, worlds apart in experience. Bianca knows a summer fling at such a difficult time is one thing - but it can't go any further. As it turns out, however - there's more than one way to be blind.

48 Then & Now

by Monica McCallan  (angst in spades but it hurts SO GOOD. the tag o’ war between estranged Lilly and Bennett is utterly bittersweet and as the books smoothly transitions between timelines the pain is worth every single word; the ending more than makes up for it and character growth is supremely satisfying)

  Lily Connor has focused all her energy into becoming a successful wedding planner, and after five years, she’s on the precipice of taking on more responsibility at Southerland Wedding Company. When the chance finally presents itself, it comes with a complication she couldn’t have dreamt up in her worst nightmares. With the bride and groom away for a month, Lily needs to work with the bride’s best friend, Bennett Burke, a woman she never thought she’d see again. It was only for a few months, a study abroad experience that felt plucked from those same dreams turned nightmares, but Bennett is back, and Lily wants nothing to do with her. Bennett broke her heart the first time, and Lily swore she’d never let something like that happen again. Working together can’t be avoided, but falling in love? Lily needs to stop that at all costs, even if it comes at the sake of her own happiness.

49. The Candidate

by Tracey Richardson  (I’m gonna blame my newly-awakened interest in wlw & politics on centuriesofexistence’s In love and war and politics. This series is a good, solid read and this first installment of the 3-novels-series remains my favorite - the second one focuses too much on Jane’s sister imho; and the third one is but a taste of things I hope to come)

  Presidential candidate Jane Kincaid--gorgeous, dynamic and extremely driven--is taking the country by storm, passionately outlining her blueprint for America. Voters quickly fall in love with her... and so, unwittingly, does Secret Service Agent Alexandria Warner. Their mutual attraction begins to take on a fiery life of its own, and soon Jane fears that their intense feelings for each other are a tinder box that could destroy the landscape of her career... and alter the history of the country. Jane had always expected the road to the White House would exact a high personal toll. She just never knew how high... until she's forced to choose between her heart and her political destiny.

50. A Taste of Sin (How Sweet It Is Book 1)

by Fiona Zedde (the how sweet it is book series is comprised of 4 novels so far - and it features some of the best smut I’ve read tbh; it’s really heavy on the erotica but really well balanced out by the plot and character development; Fiona Zedde certainly has a style of her own and never shies away from telling a story the way she wants to)

  Desiree Nichols has never been afraid of doing things the hard way. In high school, she was an out lesbian who faced down any bullies who dared challenge her. She jumped in with both feet when she unexpectedly fell for a boy in college. And years later, she didn’t hesitate to race back home to Miami, freshly dumped, to help her family in the wake of her mother’s cancer diagnosis. While supporting her mother through the cancer crisis, Dez gets a little help of her own from the girls she grew up with—a group of hedonistic honeys whose love for pleasure runs as deeply as hers. With them by her side, she buries her pain in wild Miami parties and even wilder women. The last thing she expects is to fall for her twin brother’s best friend, a woman her brother is already head over heels in love with. Who says going back home has to be boring? Number 1 in the How Sweet It Is series by the Lambda Literary Award finalist author of Bliss and Every Dark Desire. Start from the beginning with A Taste of Sin, Hungry for It, Return to Me (a short sequel to Hungry for It), then Insatiable Appetites. All (except for Return to Me) are standalone, full-length novels featuring different couples in the group of Miami-based friends.

52. Hungry for It (How Sweet It Is Book 2)    

by Fiona Zedde    (hands-down my favorite in this series; the first book didn’t really flesh out Remi but damn if it doesn’t make up for it with this 2nd, and then 3rd, installment; Remi and Claudia have become my favorite couple in the series; again, this is heavy on the graphic erotica but it never feels gratuitous; the author walks that fine line with absolute grace and creates something equally steamy and compelling) Rémi’s had a crush on her best friend's mother since she knew what lust was. Claudia is everything she wants in a lover but doesn't think she deserves - sophisticated, brilliant, and a woman of substance. But Rémi has resigned herself to only lusting from afar. Instead of reaching out for what she really wants, Rémi takes the easy pleasure offered by the many women she meets around Miami and at her exclusive jazz club, burying her desire for Claudia in their willing bodies and shutting down the part of herself that craves more. It works for a while. But when a dangerous business rival starts making trouble for Rémi, she finds herself unexpectedly turning to Claudia for comfort. The heat that flares between the two women quickly becomes too explosive for either of them to ignore. Soon, their nights are devoted to pleasure - sex, food, and the sweetness of discovering each other in new ways. But Rémi knows very well they are loving on borrowed time. Because once her best friend finds out what she's been doing, and who, it will put more than just their friendship at stake.                                        

53. everafter (Everafter Series Book 1)

by Nell Stark, Trinity Tam  (lesbian vampires and warewolves si another genre I really love and this series has lured me in and pulled me under; really love the prose)

  How far would you go to save your lover’s soul? When medical student Valentine Darrow is bitten by a Vampire on her way home to propose to her lover, Alexa Newland, her life becomes a nightmare. She is consumed—both by a craving for human blood, and by an obsession to find her attacker and bring him to justice. Alexa is determined to be everything that Valentine needs, but when Val's appetite outstrips Alexa's ability to nourish her, Alexa risks her life to save her lover. Will Valentine be able to control her thirst—for blood and for vengeance? And can Valentine and Alexa's relationship endure against seemingly impossible odds?

54. When Dreams Tremble

by Radclyffe (not a formulaic Radclyffe novel; I absolutely loved getting to know the characters history together and how they eventually healed and learned to grow together; it’s a second chance novel with all its ups and downs and everything in between)

  Leslie Harris's visit to her upstate New York lakeside family home after a decade of triumphs and disappointment resembles a nightmare more than the quiet vacation she'd herod for. The unexpected appearance of much-changed town ero girl Devon Weber, with whom Leslie shares a secret that haunts them both, rekindles an old heart ache—and reminds Leslie of just why she left. Even though her attraction to Dev comes roaring back, the one thing Leslie doesn't want is to pick up where they left off, especially not when she already has just the life she wants—a rewarding high-power law practice, a condo in Manhattan, and a lover who satisfies her without demanding the intimacy Leslie avoids. Unfortunately, environmental biologist Devon Weber doesn't play by Leslie's rules. Two women whose lives turned out far differently than they'd once imagined discover that sometimes the shape of the future can only be found in the past-and love is strongest When Dreams Tremble.

54. The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics

by Olivia Waite (period drama lesbians and a prose so beautiful and immersive it’s quite impossible not to fall under its thrall; I was bewitched and then some)

As Lucy Muchelney watches her ex-lover’s sham of a wedding, she wishes herself anywhere else. It isn’t until she finds a letter from the Countess of Moth, looking for someone to translate a groundbreaking French astronomy text, that she knows where to go. Showing up at the Countess’ London home, she hoped to find a challenge, not a woman who takes her breath away.

Catherine St Day looks forward to a quiet widowhood once her late husband’s scientific legacy is fulfilled. She expected to hand off the translation and wash her hands of the project—instead, she is intrigued by the young woman who turns up at her door, begging to be allowed to do the work, and she agrees to let Lucy stay. But as Catherine finds herself longing for Lucy, everything she believes about herself and her life is tested.

While Lucy spends her days interpreting the complicated French text, she spends her nights falling in love with the alluring Catherine. But sabotage and old wounds threaten to sever the threads that bind them. Can Lucy and Catherine find the strength to stay together or are they doomed to be star-crossed lovers?

 55. Aurora's Angel: A dark fantasy romance

by Emily Noon  (definitely something different than the usual shape-shifter stories and a fantasy world that left me craving to know more about its lore; feels like it could have been a tad shorter in places but at the end of it all, it does feel like one has taken every step of the journey with Aurora and Evie. And speaking of Aurora: let.me.love.you. I’d happily read more and more of her. She’s such a fascinating character. This has definitely been an interesting concept the author come up with)

  Lambda Literary Awards 2020 Finalist - Aurora's Angel is a blend of action, adventure and slow-burn romance centered around shapeshifters, set in a vivid fantasy world. A broken-winged angel trying to get home. Her escort a nocturnal huntress with a bloody past. It will be a dangerous journey – monsters are everywhere and the truly dangerous ones hide in plain sight. Alone since her father’s brutal murder, Aurora has spent years hunting his killers. Battle-weary she’s ready to start over where no one knows who or what she is – she just has one last mission. Everything is going to plan until she discovers the beautiful winged girl caged underground. Her decision to rescue Evie and to help her get home safely, despite avians being infamous for selling out shifters like Aurora to cutters and black-market flesh dealers, will put her on a perilous path. As the women travel together their attraction grows but Aurora is guarding her lonely heart almost as much as her dangerous secrets and Evie is struggling to accept how important Aurora has become to her. When their enemies conspire to kill them, they may be each other’s only hope. Aurora is powerful but she’s also emotionally scarred and it will be up to Evie to save her from herself and to fight for them or innocent people will die along with the guilty ones and Aurora will disappear from Evie’s life forever.

  56. Love's Masquerade

by Radclyffe  (as I mentioned before, Radclyffe has published a lot of novels; I’m recommending some of my faves - but I’ve yet to go through her entire list of books; goals, right there; p.s. I was utterly charmed by Haydon in this book)

  Plunged into the often indistinguishable realms of fiction, fantasy, and hidden desires, Auden Frost discovers a shifting landscape that will force her to question everything she has believed to be true about herself and the nature of love. It began one winter morning when Auden set out to interview for a much-needed position as an editor in the nonfiction division of Palmer Publishing.

Haydon Palmer, however, the powerful young head of the company, offers Auden something far different—something that ultimately forces them both to confront their deepest fears and utmost desires. Unable to resist Hays's challenge and unaware of the charismatic woman's closely-guarded secrets, Auden soon finds herself on a journey that will transform both their lives.

57. Love's Melody Lost

by Radclyffe  (another all-time fave; Graham Yardley is extra af. and also withdrawn, brooding and a useless lesbian; this novel has a Gothic romance feel to it and it’s one of Radclyffe’s most read novels. The melodrama is full on, there’s angst and two souls who become so intertwined they cannot live without one each other. The build-up is relentless, the longing visceral.There’s this haunted atmosphere that waves its web and Graham is as reclusive and arrogant as the monster in Beauty and the Beast while dealing with the oppressive trauma of a genius who is lost without the magic of her creative spirit. I really couldn’t put it down; might not be everyone cup of tea but I got lost in it)

  A secretive artist with a haunted past and a young woman escaping a life that proved to be a lie find their destinies entwined. Victim of a terrible accident, famed composer and pianist Graham Yardley loses her sight, her heart and her soul. Wealth and fame mean nothing after the devastating loss of her beloved music; her life is reduced to silence, darkness and bitter regret. In a bleak mansion atop windswept cliffs, the blind woman withdraws from the world, her once consuming passions now a source of anguish and fear. Then Anna, a lost woman seeking a place in the world, comes into her life and awakens feelings she thought were dead forever. A fragile melody of love is played between these damaged souls, a song made sweeter and stronger by the day... but will their blossoming romance be destroyed by an outsider's greed or will it succumb to the discord of Graham's tormented heart? Can she find happiness with Anna, caught up in the fiery overtures and darkly gothic strains of... Love's Melody Lost.

58. Living

by Lise Gold  (really well-written celeb wlw romance; deals with depression and healing and learning to live again, learning to love; low on the angst and a very satisfying read)

  During her morning exercise, yoga instructor Cam Saunders finds herself rescuing a young woman who has walked into the sea, seemingly intent on taking her own life. When the woman in question turns out to be a famous actress, Cam promises to keep her secret safe. Six months later, America’s sweetheart Ella Temperley is working hard to get her life back on track, grieving the loss of her twin sister and fighting a deep depression. Despite her fame, she feels alone in the world and keeps thinking of the woman she owes her life to. After Ella shows up in Cam’s life again, the two become closer than they ever imagined possible. But what happens when friendship turns into attraction? Living is a slow-burn coming-out romance about loss, love and life.

59. Who'd Have Thought

by G Benson (Kindle Edition)  (takes the fake-relationship trope and turns it into one hell of a story; really great slow-burn romance, immensely satisfying and well-rounded characters one loves rooting for)

  Top neurosurgeon Samantha Thomson needs to get married fast and is tightlipped as to why. And with over $200,000 on offer to tie the knot, no questions asked, cash-strapped ER nurse Hayden Pérez isn’t about to demand answers.

The deal is only for a year of marriage, but Hayden’s going into it knowing it will be a nightmare. Sam is complicated, rude, kind of cold, and someone Hayden barely tolerates at work, let alone wants to marry. The hardest part is that Hayden has to convince everyone around them that they’re madly in love and that racing down the aisle together is all they’ve ever wanted. What could possibly go wrong?

60. Madam President

by Blayne Cooper, T Novan   (this is a classic by now; it has heart, it has humor, it has sizzling chemistry between the leads; an immensely satisfying read)

  Devlyn Marlowe, the first woman President of the United States, has just been elected. Breaking with the tradition of hiring a political writer to chronicle her administration, President Marlowe selects one Lauren Strayer, a professional biographer with a reputation for absolute honesty. There's a slight problem with Devlyn's plan, though. Lauren wants nothing to do with what she sees as a political hack job. It takes some serious persuading, but the Commander-in-chief is an eloquent negotiator, and Lauren reluctantly agrees to take the job, provided she truly has editorial freedom. So, armed with her computer, her incredibly ugly Pug and fair bit of trepidation, Lauren finds herself in residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There, amidst the harrowing and demanding life of the First Family, Lauren begins to understand and eventually love the complex woman who is both leader of a great nation and loving single parent to three rambunctious children.

61. Christabel

by Karin Kallmaker (Kindle Edition)  (Kallmaker is a wlw veteran for a reason; her list of novels is impressive and she delivers and delivers. This story of soulmates destined to find each other time and again and the obstacles they must overcome to be together)

  Deeper than the city streets, the subways, even the dry riverbeds that no longer flow, are the roots of a tree that remembers love and tragedy... Financier Dina Rowland's assignment is to make fashion designer Leo Goranson a lot of money. But the more she knows of him, the more repugnant his personal life is to her. Not the least inconsequential is his unbreakable hold on his greatest asset: supermodel Christabel. One touch and the power--and responsibility--of Dina's long-hidden heritage threatens to crumble the careful plans she has made for her life. Christa knows there is no escaping her tormentor, but she has a plan to deny him what he ultimately wants from her. The past can't be changed. Having long accepted her fate she is unprepared for the wild feelings that Dina's eyes arouse in her. There is passion, certainly, but also the rarest feeling of all to her: hope.

I also really loved Wild Things by Kallmaker

Scholar and award-winning author Faith Fitzgerald has every reason to be happy: a wealthy, charming man who adores her and a family cheering her marriage prospects. But from the moment she meets Eric's sister, Sydney Van Allen, she knows her safe, predictable feelings for him are a shadow of what could be. Openly lesbian and running for Senator, Sydney can only succeed if she can live down her wild past. That means no liaisons, especially with the achingly alluring woman on her brother's arm who looks at her with confusion--and desire.

62. Chasing Stars (The Superheroine Collection Book 3)

by Alex K. Thorne  (nerdy and sexy and perfect. there’s something about a thawing ice-queen that’s just irresistible)

For superhero Swiftwing, crime fighting isn’t her biggest battle. Nor is it having to meet the demanding whims of Hollywood screen goddess Gwen Knight as her mild-mannered assistant, Ava.

It’s doing all that, while tracking a giant alien bug, being asked to fake date her world-famous boss, and realizing that she might be coming down with a pesky case of feelings.

A fun, sweet, and sexy lesbian romance about the masks we all wear.

63. Breaking Legacies     

by Zoe Reed   (lesbian fantasy novel, on my ever growing to-read list; it has really great reviews and I’m looking forward to reading it)

In a land impoverished by a war that started before she was born, Kiena has provided for her mother and brother by becoming one of the best hunters in the kingdom. But when a lifelong friend with connections recommends her to the king to track down a runaway princess, her life gets turned upside down. Finding the princess is easy. Deciding what to do in a conflicting mess of politics and emotions… not so much. 

64. Nottingham

by Anna Burke  (the only legend of Robin Robyn Hood I’ll ever accept from now on; any other version has become obsolete; I can’t express how much I LOVE this book and how I didn’t want it to end)

After a fateful hunting accident sends her on the run from the law, Robyn finds herself deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest. All she really wants to do is provide for her family and stay out of trouble, but when the damnable Sheriff of Nottingham levies the largest tax in the history of England, she's forced to take matters into her own hands. Relying on the help of her merry band of misfits and the Sheriff’s intriguing—and off-limits—daughter, Marian, Robyn must find a way to pull off the biggest heist Sherwood has ever seen.

With both heart and freedom at stake, just how much is she willing to risk to ensure the safety of the ones she loves?

Nottingham is a delightful romp rife with bois bearing bows, transmen wielding quarterstaffs, noble ladies loving ladies bawdy bisexual musicians, naughty nonbinary outlaws, and saucy sapphic nuns—in other words, Robyn Hood like you've never seen her before.

65. Thorn

by Anna Burke  (masterful retelling of Beauty & the Beast; once your start, you won’t be able to put it down) On a cold day deep in the heart of winter, Rowan’s father returns from an ill-fated hunting trip bearing a single, white rose. The rose is followed by the Huntress, a figure out of legend. Tall, cruel, and achingly beautiful, she brings Rowan back with her to a mountain fastness populated solely by the creatures of the hunt. Rowan, who once scorned the villagers for their superstitions, now finds herself at the heart of a curse with roots as deep as the mountains, ruled by an old magic that is as insidious as the touch of the winter rose. Torn between her family loyalties, her guilty relief at escaping her betrothal to the charming but arrogant Avery Lockland, and her complicated feelings for the Huntress, Rowan must find a way to break the curse before it destroys everything she loves. There is only one problem—if she can find a way to lift the curse, she will have to return to the life she left behind. And the only thing more unbearable than endless winter is facing a lifetime of springs without the Huntress.Thorn was named to the American Library Association's 2020 Over the Rainbow Fiction Longlist.

66. Compass Rose by Anna Burke   (recommended to me by @anonbemetoo ; haven’t read it yet but it’s Anna Burke - and my fellow reader loved it; so I’ve no doubt I’ll love it too) In the year 2513, the only thing higher than the seas is what’s at stake for those who sail them. Rose was born facing due north, with an inherent perception of cardinal points flowing through her veins. Her uncanny sense of direction earns her a coveted place among the Archipelago Fleet elite, but it also attracts the attention of Admiral Comita, who sends her on a secret mission deep into pirate territory. Accompanied by a ragtag crew of mercenaries and under the command of Miranda, a captain as bloodthirsty as she is alluring, Rose discovers the hard way that even the best sense of direction won’t be enough to keep her alive if she can’t learn to navigate something far more dangerous than the turbulent seas. Aboard the mercenary ship, Man o’ War, Rose learns quickly that trusting the wrong person can get you killed—and Miranda’s crew have no intention of making things easy for her—especially Miranda’s trusted first mate, Orca, who is as stubborn as she is brutal.

67. A Lesson in Love (The Village Romance Series Book 3)

by Harper Bliss  (there’s just something about a wlw romance set in the charming Cotswolds; and Harper Bliss is yet another writer whose writing is gripping and immersive and she writes some of the best age-gap romances)

Helen Swift is almost fifty and tired of her day job as a professor at Oxford University. She prefers to write cozy mysteries under a well-hidden pen name in her Cotswolds cottage. She’s also far too busy to even consider romance. Posh girl, Victoria ‘Rory’ Carlisle, is over the moon when she snags Helen as her DPhil supervisor, and not only because of Professor Swift’s academic prowess. Rory takes an instant shine to Helen, who is far from charmed by her advances. Can Rory make a dent in the wall that Helen has built around herself? And does Helen even have the time for such an inappropriate dalliance? Best-selling lesbian fiction author Harper Bliss is back with one of her trademark age-gap romances! It’s part of The Village Romance series which features books by lesfic favourites T.B. Markinson (A Shot at Love), and Clare Lydon (A Taste of Love).

68. Don't Call Me Hero 

by Eliza Lentzki  (Cassidy Miller and Julia Desjardin both have issues, their connection is intense but complicated, their struggles real and painful; Cassidy  is a bit too trusting, Julia barricades herself in her ivory tower and is used to calling the shots ... it’s messy and turbulent and told from Cassidy’s pov but damn if Julia Desjardin doesn’t steal the show; really loved how along the way,  they slowly tear down each others walls to tap into that sought-after tenderness, understanding and safety)

It’s been over a year since Cassidy Miller retired from the United States Marine Corps, but try telling that to her nightmares. She knew that coming back after eight years in a war zone wouldn’t be easy, but she’d underestimated the real difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life. War is hell, but the aftermath is endless. Looking for a fresh start, she’s left her friends and career in Minneapolis to be a police officer in northern Minnesota. It’s in the tiny town of Embarrass where she learns more about Julia Desjardin. The city prosecutor is cool, professional, and untouchable. But she and Cassidy have history, and Cassidy isn’t going to let her easily forget that. For all their surface differences, Cassidy and Julia have more in common than they first realized—both are reluctant to hand over their pasts to be judged and studied. But it might take someone just as damaged as the other to help each cope with the skeletons in their respective closets.

The next 4 novels are all my to-read list but I haven’t delved into them yet - you mentioned you loved dystopian, apocalyptic novels so I added them to this list as well

69. This is How You Lose the Time War: an epic time-travelling love story                                                                                                                                      by  Amal El-Mohtar

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading.

Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. That's how war works. Right?

70. Apophis: A Love Story for the End of the World 

by Eliza Lentzki

  From a very young age, Samantha Poulsen knew she was different from other girls - the unrequited crush on her best friend, Andrea, was just the tip of the iceberg.  But when the earth's temperature plummets and you and your family are just looking to survive, things like finding a girlfriend and being in love become trivial fantasies. Scientists first spotted the asteroid in the year 2004.  They named it 99942 Apophis after the deification of darkness.  When the asteroid struck the planet, it set off a chain of events that few expected – the first Ice Age in nearly 12,500 years.   The flowers were the first things to die.  Beautiful things of little practical value had no place in the new world that emerged because of the Frost.  Now, two years after Apophis’s impact, survival is all that matters.  But when Sam's family rescues a man and his daughter - a beautiful woman named Nora who reignites all those previously banished, trivial emotions - Sam might be convinced that there’s still a place for beauty in this new world.

71. 2 Degrees 

by Bev Prescott

In the year 2092, climate change has transformed the face of Earth. Storms, disease, famine, thirst and war show no mercy on the living. Sharon Clausen, a self-reliant farmer, has a secret apple tree—a tree that keeps Sharon and her wife, Eve, fed. The only other people who know of her secret, or so she thinks, is Dr. Ryan, a long-time confidant, and his wife, Areva. Once a month, Sharon and Eve travel from Maine to Boston to trade apples with Dr. Ryan for Eve’s leukemia treatment. Everything suddenly changes when Eve is kidnapped and the Ryan’s are murdered. Sharon learns that her best kept secrets are known and coveted by a man known as the Strelitzia—a coldly practical villain. Sharon sets out on a harrowing journey across North America to rescue Eve. Along the way, she teams up with an Inuit refugee boy, a stray dog named Erik the Red, an eccentric former school teacher, a jujitsu master, an Argentinian opera star, and a brilliant scientist who leads an alliance of eclectic people known as the Qaunik. Together, this ragtag group battle horrific storms, an unrelenting desert, terrifying criminal gangs, feral humans, and the Strelitzia. In the end, Sharon must face her greatest challenge—risk all that she loves for something much greater than herself.

73. Survival Instincts: A Dystopian Novel 

by May Dawney

Civilization ended long before Lynn Tanner was born. Wild animals roam the streets, but mankind is still the biggest threat to a woman alone in the ruins of a world reclaimed by nature. Lynn survives by sleeping with one eye open at all times and trusting no one but her dog.

When she is forced to go on a dangerous journey through the concrete jungle of New York City, Lynn does all she can to scheme her way to safety. Her guard, Dani Wilson, won’t be played that easily, however. As their lives become entwined, Lynn finds herself developing feelings for Dani and is forced to find the answer to the question that scares her most: is staying alone really the best way to survive?

Fast-paced and full of adventure, Survival Instincts introduces a post-war dystopian world where the only person you can rely on is yourself…unless you fall in love.

74. All That Matters by Susan X.  Meagher  (first thing about Susan X. Meagher novels is that they’re not ... meager ... they’re roughly around 500 pages and you really get your money’s worth; Blair I grew to love as the story progressed - initially I didn’t care for her all that much but Kylie? Kylie Mackenzie is just irresistible and I wanted to build that woman a statue; I really appreciated the fact that these characters actually communicate like full-grown adults and there is no angst for the sake of angst; the first 30% of the book or so deals with Blair’s marriage falling apart and I could have done without some aspects of that, but Blair and Kylie settling into their ‘’partnership’‘ more than made up for it. By the end of it all I was happily engrossed and there were some plot twists I didn’t see coming - a most satisfying read and a book I’d happily recommend)

Life is going damned well for Blair Spencer. She’s a very successful real estate agent, happily married to a man who encourages her to live the independent life she loves—and they’re actively working to have a baby. The wrench in the works is that Blair favors adoption, while her husband David desperately wants to have a biological child. The fates are against them, and they finally seek the help of a group of reproductive specialists. One of the doctors, a surgeon named Kylie Mackenzie, eventually becomes a good friend to Blair. And she needs all of the friends she can get when things start to go horribly wrong at home. As her marriage teeters on the brink of collapse, she relies more and more on Kylie’s friendship. Kylie’s happily gay; Blair’s happily straight. But the way they structure their relationship leads friends and family to privately question whether the pair is setting themselves up for heartache. They eventually come to a crossroads, which could either destroy their friendship or turn it into what each of them has been seeking. The question is whether each woman can change her view of herself and her needs. The answer is all that matters.

75. Switching Gears

by Rhavensfyre  (well-written, well-paced, both steamy and introspective; the first novel I read by this author and it won’t be the last) A year after Micah Connolly walked out of Olivia Holden's life, Olivia see's her on the streets of New York, giving her a much needed second chance. The problem? Micah's not the same person she was a year ago.

A lot has happened to Micah since then, she's no longer the quiet intern Olivia remembers. She's now darker, edgier, and carrying around a secret blacker than the leathers she prefers to wear. Olivia thought she preferred being the one in charge, until this new Micah shows her another path.

Micah feels broken, dealing with her life the only way she knows how, she's begged off romance for more physical outlets...until Olivia finds her again and they start a passionate and challenging relationship that will only work if both of them are willing to redefine their lives. Passionate, sensual and transformative, this novel isn't your standard romance. Micah is tormented, dealing with her past has made her put up some serious barriers that have served her well, but now prevent her from completely giving in to the one woman she can't stay away from.  

Secrets have to be told, and the risk is great...but if Olivia and Micah can find their way, the rewards will be well worth it.

76. The Second Sister 

by Rae D. Magdon  (if you’ve read any of Rae’s Clexa fanfic you know her writing is superb and there’s no way you won’t be completely immersed in her writing)

ELEANOR OF SANDLEFORD'S entire world is shaken when her father marries the mysterious, reclusive Lady Kingsclere to gain her noble title. Ripped away from the only home she has ever known, Ellie is forced to live at Baxstresse Manor with her two new stepsisters, Luciana and Belladonna. Luciana is sadistic, but Belladonna is the woman who truly haunts her. When her father dies and her new stepmother goes suddenly mad, Ellie is cheated out of her inheritance and forced to become a servant. With the help of a shy maid, a friendly cook, a talking cat, and her mysterious second stepsister, Ellie must stop Luciana from using an ancient sorcerer’s chain to bewitch the handsome Prince Brendan and take over the entire kingdom of Seria.

77. The Bureau of Holiday Affairs 

by Andi Marquette  (to my delight I realized this author is the author of one of my favorite Clexa fanfics - Bang Shui - so I knew right from the start I was going to love love l o v e this book; just perfect) Executive Robin Preston has dedicated her life to climbing the corporate ladder, using whatever means necessary. In the shark-infested culture at Frost Enterprises, anything goes, and Robin is a master at the game. On the verge of a major promotion, Robin receives a strange visit from Agent Elizabeth Tolson of the Bureau of Holiday Affairs, who informs Robin that, though Robin may be a lost cause, the Bureau has scheduled her for intervention. Robin will receive three visitors in the two weeks before Christmas, who will escort her on visits to her past, present, and future. Robin will be forced to face not only who she’s become, but the parts of herself she left behind, when she was an art major in college and in love with fellow art student Jill Chen, in whom Robin found a kindred spirit—until Jill broke if off with her. In order for Robin to change her ways, she’ll need to reclaim who she was and open her heart again, to a past she thought she left behind. The Bureau clearly has its work cut out for it, but Agent Tolson relishes a challenge, and she’s put together just the team for Robin’s case. They may have to cut a few corners and go outside a few lines, but Agent Tolson has a perfect salvage record and she’s not about to let that change. The question is, will Robin?

78. Off Screen 

by J.A. Armstrong (this is a 9 book series - that may sound daunting but neither book is very long and time flies while reading; this author has a style that has simply captured me and I Iove returning to her work time and again; she’s published quite a few short novels and longer series and they’re all a satisfying read; I also recommend her Journey of Exploration series - which is a series of stand-alone short stories focusing on different couples coming into their own. One of my favorites is Discovering Morgan) To the world looking in, actress Emma Bronson has it all; fame, talent, wealth, and beauty. But, Emma spends most of her nights alone wondering how her life became so secluded. Surrounded by people constantly, she remains lonely.

Skeptical of people’s true motives, and guarded in her personal attachments; it seems the one thing Emma craves most in life is destined to allude her; love.

Addison Blake is a charming and witty aspiring writer. She sees life as an endless adventure full of possibility and prides herself on taking chances. When Addison accidentally collides with Emma; sparks immediately ignite.

Friendship and companionship are rivaled by an attraction that neither woman has ever experienced. But, Addison seems reluctant to pursue a romantic relationship with the popular television star, challenging Emma to finally demolish all of her self-imposed walls.

Off Screen is the story of two women’s discovery of love and passion and the courage to embrace both.

79. The Library by the River 

by Debra Flores  (this is very first wlw novel I read; might as well warn you from the start it doesn’t have a happy ever after; but I still remember it as an impactful read, the writing just pulling me in and staying with me long after I finished reading, much like the story itself. The ending was terribly bittersweet and oh ... my heart)

It was an ordinary rainy day in March of 1985, the day Beth walked in to an ordinary library and met Sarah, the woman that would change her life forever. At a time when the AIDS epidemic was well underway, when society still labeled homosexuality as an illness, something to be hidden away, whispered about, but not talked about aloud, there were certainly obstacles in their way. Even so, obstacles or not, Beth is twenty and Sarah is twenty-eight, they're young, and in love, they can handle whatever comes their way. Or so they think. The one thing they may not be able to overcome is Kim. Beth's jealous best friend. She doesn't see Sarah the way Beth does, far from it, she sees her as nothing more than a problem that needs to be taken care of. An impediment to the relationship she knows she and Beth are meant to have. Volatile and hot-headed, yes, but is Kim actually capable of tearing them apart? And at what cost? In the end it'll be more than Beth could ever have imagined.   A story of love, and of terrible loss. And a story of hope. Another book of hers that I LOVED is One Day You'll Leave Me (this one has a hea and the entire plot was something unexpected and one that I enjoyed immensely)

Karen Stephens is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life in the year 2010. Until the day she hears an unfamiliar song that moves her in a way she cannot understand or explain. Judy Paige was also an ordinary young woman, who lived an ordinary life, up until the day she sang her song One Day You'll Leave Me at a show in the year 1964. When Karen's curiosity about the song turns into an obsession about the woman who sang it, she's drawn to the town of Leyfant, Texas. The town in which Judy Paige was born and raised. It's there that Karen is approached by a man who calls himself Mr. Smith. A man who asks Karen a simple question. "Would you like to meet her?" The question is simple, but the answer is not. Because Judy Paige has been dead for almost twenty years. What would you be willing to give up for the person you love? Your life? Your memories? Everybody and everything you've ever known?

80. Nights of Silk and Sapphire 

by Amber Jabobs (the entire concept of this book drew me in from the very start and with its lavish depictions of the Jaharri desert and the culture of its people - it’s well written and feels like a Sapphic Arabian Nights, although none of the characters there could really hold a candle to Zafirah and how mesmerizing she is) Abducted from a land of wealth and privilege, Dae is chained to a slaver’s caravan crossing the vast Jaharri desert. It is a strange world of blistering sun, rolling dunes, and wind-carved plains, ruled by the Scion Zafirah Al’Intisar, a powerful and mysterious woman with seductive eyes of sapphire blue. When Zafirah liberates the caravan the rescue Dae prayed for is not as it seems; Zafirah’s carnal appetite is legendary. Dae is taken into Zafirah’s harem, a decadent world of excess and sexual freedom. At first, Dae struggles with desires she has never before experienced, but as love and lust collide these two women slowly forge a bond as one learns to listen to her heart, and the other to the call of her awakening body.

81. And Playing the Role of Herself

by K.E. Lane  (this book really hooked me from the very start - the chemistry between the leads is overpowering and downright addictive; would make for one good movie / show ... just can’t get enough of Caid and Robyn)

Actress Caidence Harris is living her dreams after landing a leading role among the star-studded, veteran cast of 9th Precinct, a hot new police drama shot on location in glitzy LA. Her sometimes-costar Robyn Ward is magnetic, glamorous, and devastatingly beautiful, the quintessential A-List celebrity on the fast-track to super-stardom. When the two meet on the set of 9th Precinct, Caid is instantly infatuated but settles for friendship, positive that Robyn is both unavailable and uninterested. Soon Caid sees that all is not as it appears, but can she take a chance and risk her heart when the outcome is so uncertain? The leading ladies and the supporting cast of this debut novel by newcomer K.E Lane will charm you, entertain you, and leave you with a smile on your face, eager for Ms. Lane's next offering. 82. From the Boots Up + From the Hat Down by Andi Marquette  (I LOVE this series SO MUCH I’m getting these in paperback. It’s one of my go-to comfort reads and Meg and Gina wave their spell time and again. I could not get enough of them and while the first book is more of a novella, setting the pieces on the board, getting the game started and having you totally invested in the MCs, the second book takes it to another level. It’s a toaster-over slow-burn at its finest and one of the best second-chance romances I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading ... spoiler alert, the scene at Gina’s family reunion? I get all emotional just thinking about it. I JUST LOVE THESE BOOKS SO MUCH, DAMMIT) Meg Tallmadge has more than enough on her plate. She’s finishing up a college degree, getting ready to apply to vet school, and working another summer with her dad, Stan, on the family ranch in southern Wyoming. He’s managed to get the Los Angeles Times to send a reporter out to do a story on the Diamond Rock, which doubles as a dude ranch. Meg knows the ranch needs all the publicity it can get to bring in more customers, but she’s not looking forward to babysitting a reporter for a week. When the originally scheduled reporter can’t make it, Meg worries that they won’t get a story at all, which is worse than dealing with a city slicker for a few days. Fortunately for Stan and the ranch, the Times finds a replacement, and Meg prepares to be under scrutiny, under the gun, and the perfect hostess. She knows what this opportunity means to her father, and she’s hoping that if it goes well, it’ll ease some of the distance between them that resulted when she came out a few months earlier. What Meg’s not prepared for — and never expected — is the reporter herself and the effect she has on her. In spite of what she feels, Meg can’t risk the fallout that could result from overstepping a professional boundary. But as the week draws to a close, it becomes clear that not taking a chance could be the biggest risk of all. ______________

Meg Tallmadge is a veterinarian at a clinic in Laramie, Wyoming. She’s got a great job, great friends, deep ties to the family ranch, and big plans for her vet future. Sure, there are bumps in the road, like her mom’s continued denial about who Meg is and her painful and infuriating attempts to make Meg a “proper” woman. Then there’s Meg’s recent breakup with a girlfriend, which has her wondering why she can’t seem to open up to relationships. But Meg knows that life is messy, and sometimes all you can do is get through and shake it off. What she can’t seem to shake off, however, is her past. It’s been almost ten years to the day since she met the love of her life, and about eight since she let her go. Meg has a hard time admitting that maybe she didn’t really let go, and that maybe some things you never really get over, no matter how hard you try. But her past is half a world away, caught up in her own life, relationship, and journalism career, and Meg isn’t one to chase the ghosts of past relationships. Even if they send you a birthday card and nudge what you thought were the closed-off parts of your heart. After all, second chances are the stuff of fantasies and movies where the good guy always gets a happy ending. You can’t count on something like that. Or can you?

83. Fruit of the Golden Vine + The Diplomat by Sophia French  (LISTEN. THESE BOOKS ARE PURE POETRY. The writing is spellbinding and utterly enchanting and it will whisk you away to faraway realms to dream with eyes wide-open. I cannot recommend this author enough. Her books are such an immersive experience, I cannot wait for her come forth with a new title) Middle sister Adelina has remained aloof and amused by the string of suitors for her elder sister’s hand—and dowry. But when the swaggering Rafael arrives with an equally eye-catching, bold sister of his own, Adelina’s pulse stirs at last. Aware from the first that she has caught the lovely Adelina’s interest, Silvana yearns to court her openly, but she and her brother are not what they seem. Moonlit nights in the summer gardens may lead to kisses and whispers of love, but she knows that the lady’s heart will be lost forever if the truth is discovered.

________ Royal Envoy Rema is determined to broker a successful marriage between her master, Emperor Ormun, and a young princess of neighboring Danosha. The Danoshans need protection and Ormun wants their unwavering loyalty. The sanctity of a royal wedding would resolve many diplomatic issues. Upon arriving in the Danoshan court, Rema does not discover a biddable young princess in awe of the high honor being accorded to her and her family. Princess Elise instead proves a woman of many surprises. As her acquaintance with Elise grows, Rema’s arguments for the common sense of the marriage sound weak even to her own ears. Her duty is clear, and what belongs to her master cannot ever be hers… 84. Starting from Scratch  by Georgia Beers (has just catapulted to the head of my favorite Georgia Beers titles. This one has grabbed me from the get-go, relentlessly so and simply swept me way, inescapably. The chemistry between the MCs is off the charts, the dialogue is superb and witty to boot, the supporting character a delight and it will be hard to put it down once you’ve started) 85. The Thing About Tilly

by G. Benson (this one has buried itself deep; I ran the gamut of emotions: I laughed, I cried, I wanted to scream and then I MELTED. It’s an exquisite  read with raw, vivid sentences that sweep and loop and ruin you, only to then softly cradle your heart all the way to a gentle rocking. It grabs and takes hold and clutches. This is one of those books one simply needs to talk about, like it’s imperative to do so)

Two best friends. Buried feelings. A secret holding them apart.Two friends since university, each holding something back. Tilly’s been running from her secrets for far too long. Evie, carrying a buried flame for Tilly since they met, has always been there to welcome Tilly back with open arms. That is, after all, what one does for a friend. When Evie unexpectedly falls pregnant, she’s left with a lot of hard decisions to make. That includes choices about Tilly and the way she's been disappearing on her randomly for over a decade. Tilly wants nothing more than to be there for Evie, who's been her anchor to return to time and time again. But what does supporting her look like when sticking around becomes an important part of that? A romance about growing up—whatever that means—and realising that even if it hurts, sometimes change is for the best. 86. Crossing Into Brooklyn by JA Armstrong (I’ve been a fan of this author’s writing since finding her ‘‘Off Screen’‘ series. She writes some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read and it’s what always drives the story forward. You feel as if you’re in the character’s heads, everything is so vivid and raw and engrossing. This is her latest offering and DAMN, I LOVE IT TO PIECES. Alongside Discovering Morgan and Off Screen, one of my faves of hers) Carter Riordan believes in Once Upon a Time. She spends her days creating fantastical realms full of magic, elves, and other mythical creatures. It’s not unusual for her characters to find true love. But Carter has lost faith in finding her Happily Ever After. Aside from her doubts about finding real-life love, Carter’s greatest nemesis is the chaos on her desk and in her computer files. Her best friend, Ali, thinks she has the solution: hire Brooklyn Brady to “organize” Carter’s life. Carter is skeptical. Brooklyn’s picture and her online profile pique Carter’s curiosity, and she agrees to meet Brooklyn in New York. A coffee meeting followed by a marathon dinner pave the way for a working relationship between Carter and Brooklyn. Brooklyn Brady quickly captures more than Carter’s interest. Leaving old wounds in the past and taking a chance with someone new isn’t in Carter’s plans. Brooklyn’s unassuming nature, her intelligence, humility, and her honesty test the limits of Carter’s resolve. The question for Carter is whether she can allow Brooklyn to clear more than the chaos from her desk. Can Brooklyn resolve the turmoil in Carter’s heart? Will Crossing Into Brooklyn finally help Carter find her Happily Ever After? 87. When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass (currently one of the most celebrated wlw writers and with good damn reason. Reading a Haley Cass book is a MUST. And holy gay gods, does she deliver. I know when I pick up one of her novels, sleep is forfeit. And so be it, for I dare not part with it until I’ve read the very last word. Who needs sleep when there’s Haley Cass books to read. I mean ... I should be grateful there’s only 3 so far, lest I’d be looking as if I’d only slept 1 hour, instead of my regular, healthy, 4. And this book right here has been a white-night to remember. Henceforth, I’ll never hear the word ‘‘baby” and not think of this novel. The mere thought of that scene has me SWOONING) Caroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's most sought after divorce attorney by thirty-five. Second, given how terrible her romantic track record is, falling in love isn't in the cards for her. And third, Christmas only brings her bad luck - being broken up with not once, not twice, but three times during the holidays is proof enough of that. When she runs into Hannah Dalton on Christmas Eve, she has no reason to believe her luck will change. After all, though Hannah is probably the most gorgeous woman she’s ever seen, she’s also straight. And married to Caroline’s work rival. While being hired by Hannah throws her for a loop, winning a divorce case and sticking it to her ex-colleague should be enough of a thrill. But as the months slip by, bringing her closer to both Hannah and her adorable daughter Abbie, the lines between attorney and client begin to blur. And she could have never predicted just how much she wants them to.

88. Those Who Wait  + Forever and A Day: a Those Who Wait story by Haley Cass (Goodbye sleep. I’ll miss you. Ain’t enough words to scream in gay about this series. But I’m sure I’ll come back later and fangirl all over my keyboard, flailing and singing its praises. Also, Charlotte Thompson? Please and thank you)