It is that time of the month when readers start crafting their to-be-read lists for the month. If you are looking to add more queer authors and characters to your list, we have the perfect suggestions for you.
If you have read the books in our LGBTQIA picks for April, we have 7 new titles to add to your TBR list. Michelle Gagnon, Ashley Herring Blake, and Kit Rosewater are among the authors we highlight this month.
In order of release date, here are 7 LGBTQIA books we are looking forward to reading this May:
1. All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey by Kit Rosewater – May 6
Evelyn has been prepared to be the best of the best in her field hockey team, following in her mother’s footsteps. As the leader of the varsity team, she must take her teammates to glory, win the National title, and receive a scholarship to her mother’s alma mater. She thinks she is ready and no one can get in her way.
However, things change when Rosa joins her rival team, proving to be a highly talented rival. But when things go south for Evelyn and Rosa, they decide to work together to strengthen their weaknesses. This changes everything for Evelyn, who begins to wonder if being the best at field hockey is everything there is to life.
Book Description: A high school field hockey star must choose between her love of the game and her new, distractingly beautiful rival in this queer YA romance perfect for fans of She Drives Me Crazy and Cleat Cute!
Evelyn was raised to see field hockey as war.
Before she could write her own name, her family’s legacy on the field was already spelled out. Every step Evelyn takes toward glory is within a footprint her mother left behind. And no step matters more than this next one, with Evelyn about to lead her varsity team into their final battle season. Evelyn is beyond ready to score the Nationals title and win the critical scholarship to her mom’s alma mater that comes with it.
This year, she’s out for blood, and nothing can stand in her way…
…except for Rosa Alvarez, the highly talented new recruit on her biggest rival’s team.
After a humiliating homecoming game and follow-up prank leave the two enemies in a stalemate, they grudgingly strike a deal to help each other overcome their weaknesses on the field. But the more time Evelyn spends with Rosa, the more she finds herself casting her hardened armor aside, until she begins to wonder what life might be like if she left the battlefield behind and fought for love instead.
2. Slaying You by Michelle Gagnon – May 13
Following Killing Me, finds Grace and Amber in different paths of life. Even though they have tried to lead normal lives since their encounter with a serial killer, the dark side keeps calling their name. Therefore, it’s no surprise they are reunited in Vegas and in danger.
The two meet up in Vegas for a wedding, and soon discover that their friends are being targetted by a very dangerous killer. Now, it’s time to work together again and find the killer before they find them. Can they do it again?
Book Description: A wildly funny thriller about reluctant partners who hit the danger jackpot when they discover that a serial killer is on their heels . . . again.
Grace and Amber’s first encounter was anything but ordinary—they bonded over being stalked by the same psychopath. After narrowly escaping that ordeal they went their separate ways, determined to get back to their lives.
Neither of them is very good at being “normal.” Despite their best efforts, they both feel an irresistible pull toward the dark side.
So when they reunite for a Vegas wedding and discover that an even more dangerous killer is targeting their friends, it’s time to get the gang back together.
Grace and Amber have outrun a murderer before . . . but can they do it again?
3. Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake – May 13
Ramona Riley had big dreams of graduating from art school and moving to Hollywood to work as a costume designer. However, everything changed when her dad was in a car accident and she had to return to Clover Lake to take care of her sister. After over a decade, her dreams seem to be dead, but her life takes a turn when a big-budget movie comes to film in their town.
The only problem is that the star of the film is her first kiss, Dylan Monroe. Dylan is the wild child of rock icon parents who is fighting hard to prove she isn’t just another “nepo baby.” To prove she is cut out for the job, she begins shadowing Ramona at the town’s café. To their surprise, as they work together, sparks start to fly, but can something happen between them?
Book Description: A small-town waitress and a Hollywood star’s worlds collide in this new romance by Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date.
Once upon a time, Ramona Riley was a student at a prestigious art school, with dreams of landing in Hollywood as a costume designer to the stars. But after her father’s car accident, she had to quit and return to her small New Hampshire town, Clover Lake, to help take care of her younger sister. Twelve years later, Ramona is still working at the town’s café, all but given up on her dream. But when a big-budget romantic comedy comes to Clover Lake to film, she wonders if this could be her chance. There’s only one problem—Dylan Monroe, her first kiss and Hollywood’s favorite wild child—is the star.
Dylan Monroe has always lived an unconventional life, having famous rock icons for parents. But she wants to prove that she’s not some chaotic, talentless nepo baby, that she has actual skills, that she’s just a normal person. To do that, Dylan takes on a project at a charming lake town—she even works at the town’s café (very quaint), shadowing a local waitress there (very cute), and asks her to take Dylan around to do Normal People Things.
But Dylan soon realizes it’s not just some small-town waitress she’s getting to know—Ramona Riley is someone she’s met before, someone who remembers her even more vividly. Before long, however, reality hits them, and both women must decide if the spark between them can fan the flames of their individual dreams, or if it will extinguish their light.
4. When Love Gives You Lemons by Steven Salvatore – May 13
Fielder and Ricky grew up as neighbors, both in big, opinionated Italian-American families. Growing up, their bond was strong, eventually leading to them dating. While Fielder thought they would grow old together, Ricky broke up with him after their high school graduation. For an entire year, he didn’t hear from Ricky.
Things changed when Fielder was asked to be one of his cousin’s groomsmen in his wedding to Ricky’s sister. As they travel to the Amalfi Coast for the wedding, Fielder comes up with a plan to win back Ricky without ruining his cousin’s wedding.
Book Description: In this exuberant and gorgeous YA romance from the critically acclaimed author of And They Lived…, a budding social media influencer sets out to win back his first love at a family wedding in an Italian lemon grove.
Ever since he was a kid, Fielder Lemon’s large, opinionated Italian-American family has lived next to Ricky DeLuca and his large, opinionated Italian-American family. For almost as long, Fielder has known that he wants to marry Ricky one day. And he thought Ricky felt the same way—until Ricky breaks up with Fielder the day after his high school graduation, saying he needs to figure out who he is on his own.
One year later, Fielder is asked to be one of the best men in his cousin’s destination wedding on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, but there’s a twist: his cousin is marrying Ricky’s sister. Fielder hasn’t talked to or seen Ricky once during the last entire, terrible year, but he hasn’t given up on his first love quite yet—and isn’t a wedding in an Italian lemon grove the perfect setting to rekindle their relationship? Except Ricky might have already moved on.
Now, Fielder has less than a week to do the impossible and win back Ricky’s heart while also trying not to ruin his cousin’s wedding. But if there’s one thing Fielder knows, it’s that when life gives you lemons, take a bite!
5. Shampoo Unicorn by Sawyer Lovett – May 13
For queer teenagers, life in Canon, West Virginia, isn’t easy. They are surrounded by folks who only care about god, country, and football. That is why Brian found a way to escape and create a safe space for others like him by creating the Shampoo Unicorn podcast. Greg presents himself as a very masculine football star, but in reality is gay like Brian. And Leslie is a transgender girl living in Pennsylvania and escaping her daily life by listening to the podcast.
After a horrific accident, the three teenagers are brought together to find answers to what happened. The podcast and the search for answers bring them together, giving them a bond they won’t ever forget.
Book Description: Shampoo Unicorn: (noun)
1. A shower hairstyle in which one styles their lathered hair into the fluffiest soapy unicorn horn possible.
2. A podcast by two mysterious hosts exploring rural queer life–the isolation, the microaggressions, the boredom, and occasionally, the sky-shattering joy.
In the small town of Canon, West Virginia, most people care about three things: God, country, and football.
Brian is more into Drag Race, Dolly Parton, and his gig as one of the mystery hosts of his podcast, Shampoo Unicorn.
Greg’s life should be perfect as the town’s super-masc football star, but his secret is he’s just as gay as Brian.
Leslie is a trans girl living in nearby Pennsylvania, searching for reasons to get out of bed every day. Her solace is listening to her favorite podcast. . . .
When a terrible accident occurs, it’s Shampoo Unicorn that brings the three teens’ lives together. And what begins as a search for answers becomes a story of finding connection.
Sawyer Lovett’s powerful and ultimately joyful debut novel is about three teens, one podcast, and carving out a rainbow pocket in an otherwise red state.
6. Out of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch – May 20
Taylor and Marianna grew up together. They were best friends and running partners until Marianna moved towns and Taylor stopped talking to her. Years later, they find themselves on the same cross-country team. Even though they are rivals, life has a funny way of showing them they are better together.
Marianna runs to let her anger out. As the oldest child of a single mother, she has too many responsibilities and is looking to stay focused on her plan toward a brighter future. Taylor runs to follow in her almost-Olympian parent’s steps, trying to break the state record and make them proud. After that, she wants to figure out her own passion.
Book Description: Out of Step, Into You is a sapphic contemporary romance following childhood friends turned cross-country team rivals who are forced to work together to win the state championship – for fans of She Gets the Girl.
You can’t outrun love.
Taylor and Marianna were each other’s whole world – best friends, running partners, practically sisters – until Marianna moved away and Taylor promptly ghosted her. When the former best friends turned rivals end up on the same cross-country team three years later, everything is a competition… and a reminder of past feelings, as well as blossoming new ones.
Marianna runs because she’s angry. The oldest child of a single mother, she knows all about responsibility – for her siblings, at her part-time job. She just has to stay focused and be faster than the past nipping at her heels if she wants to secure a new, brighter future. With or without Taylor.
Taylor runs to prove herself. The only child of an almost-Olympian, she’s no stranger to high expectations. With enough effort, she knows she can immortalize herself with a state record and make her parents proud. Then, she can figure out her own passion. She definitely doesn’t have time to untangle her feelings towards Mari.
Can this pair figure out a way to work together before their past catches up with them?
7. Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffatt – May 27
Archer left his accounting job in Ohio to become a Broadway star. However, after months of auditioning, he only has a long list of rejections under his belt. To avoid moving back to Ohio, he takes a spot in Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills. When he joins the ensemble, he discovers they are being led by his teenage celebrity crush, Mateo Dixon.
As a Broadway star, Mateo thinks he is better than everyone and is running the cast like crazy. While he tries to get over his teenage crush and work with Mateo, Archer finds himself involved in a romance with his bunkmate, Caleb.
Book Description: Sparks fly in this summer romp for fans of Casey McQuiston when dancers at a Catskills resort try to pull off the perfect show, and find happiness and a place where they belong on the way.
Archer Read is 27 and desperate to find his place in life. Five months ago, he quit his soul-destroying accounting job in Ohio and moved to Manhattan with dreams of making it on Broadway. And now he has nothing to show for it but a string of rejections. Even for a ray-of-sunshine like Archer, hope can only go so far. A musical revue at Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills, is his last chance to break into show biz—otherwise, it’s back to Ohio, broke and hopeless. He arrives ready to dance his heart out, only to find he’ll be working with his teenage celebrity crush, the Broadway star Mateo Dixon.
What is Mateo doing working at Shady Queens? Besides barking orders and glaring at everyone…when he’s not absolutely smoldering at Archer on the dancefloor. As Archer tries to forget his teen crush and get to know the real Mateo, he’s caught up in a romance with his hot, temperamental bunkmate, Caleb. Between Mateo’s baggage and the dance crew’s drama—partying, flirting, breaking up, getting back together, then breaking up again—it’s no surprise when the show starts to fall apart. Archer quickly discovers that when it comes to dance, sometimes you can’t leave all your problems backstage.
Filled with colorful side characters, about a million Broadway references, and enough drama for a high school summer camp, Flirty Dancing is a delightful romantic comedy that shows love, like art, is worth a little sacrifice.
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What will you be reading in May? Share your picks in the comments below!
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature who works in PR. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Tell-Tale TV, Geek Girl Authority, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.
