For Pride Month, we’re celebrating stories that highlight the many forms of connection that shape our lives. These novels showcase LGBTQ+ authors and characters navigating relationships that are complex and heartfelt. Whether through romance, loyalty, shared history or unwavering support in times of crisis, each book reminds us that the relationships we build can define who we are and help us find our way home. Here are a few standout reads that honor the power of friendship and love in all its forms.
Return to Morro Harbor by Alicia Gael
Bella Books, Nov. 2025
Devin Davis swore she’d never set foot in Morro Harbor again. After losing her mother, seeing her best friend die in a surfing accident, and being cast out by her father when he caught her kissing Keri Stone, she packed her car and disappeared into the night.
Ten years later, her father’s sudden death forces her back to the hometown she vowed to forget. Devin plans to settle her affairs quickly and leave — before the past can catch up to her.
But Keri Stone is still there. Still steady. Still the only person Devin ever really loved. And one look is enough to remind them both that time hasn’t erased what they once shared. As the waves crash against Morro Harbor’s familiar shores, Devin and Keri must decide if they’ll let old wounds keep them apart — or if forgiveness might finally open the door to a future neither of them ever stopped wanting.
The Traveling Archivist: Eastern Oregon by Mary B. Hansen
Luminare Press, Feb. 2025
Running from the aftermath of a local murder and attempting to escape the pain of betrayal and loss, professional archivist Della Waters takes a temporary job as a traveling archivist in a small town in Eastern Oregon.
Della immerses herself in the archives where she discovers misfiled trial documents detailing a racist massacre of thirty-four Chinese gold miners more than one hundred years ago. Her research uncovers uncomfortable truths for the local pioneer families.
Will the pillars of the community embrace their hidden past or try to destroy it and her?
Grab the Groom by Rachel Callaghan
KDP, July 2024
Mabel DeVine, siren of the silver screen, is having a great time. The reality dating show that invaded her French chateau is imploding, the beautiful contestants dropping faster than influencers at a party with no wifi.
But Mabel is nearly 100 years dead, so there’s no one to share her delight… until she meets the ungainly, unloved child Hortensia.
Meanwhile, little Hortensia’s neglectful father is in a quandary. The weather’s horrendous, the investors are restless, an erotic dancer’s snake is on the loose and his daughter is always in the way.
But all Brad Hudson — producer and womanizer — knows is: the show must go on!
Grab the Groom is more than a satire of reality TV and the lookism and fat phobia that goes along with it. It’s an art deco ghost story, a dark romance and a send up of 1920s Hollywood, all rolled into one.
Altarcation by Hal Katkob
Indie published Dec 2025
Two New York City sisters compete to see who can get married and pregnant first. Sponsored by their ailing grandmama, the odd contest features an enormous prize: Nana’s $300 million fortune.
Evil Madison wants the cash to accelerate an already uber-upscale lifestyle. Sweet Rayne would use it to save the financially strapped youth center she directs. The race is on, but the deck’s stacked. Madison’s decades of flawless grooming and successful husband-hunting stand in stark contrast to her sibling’s utter lack of interest in both.
Enter gay BFF Lars, NYC’s hairstylist to the stars. Together, they transform Rayne into a gorgeous contender who’s ready to take on the dating world — and her greedy sister. As the contest ramps up, so do the questions. Will the stunning new Rayne reign supreme, beating Madison at her own game? Will the newly challenged Madison concoct a murderous end-run around the contest to clinch a win? And, more broadly, will good triumph over evil?
Cynthia Peabody's Big Fat Fake Funeral by Lynne Marshell
Indie published, June 2026
Everything is tickety-boo at The Green Meadows retirement village until Cynthia’s neighbor and dear friend accidentally witnesses a murder. In shock, he can’t remember anything.
With the help of the hunky security guard and a sharp young detective, Cynthia works to piece together the details behind the nefarious plot before the cold-blooded assassin hits his next mark. She’ll do whatever it takes to protect her best friend and find out who and what is behind the murder.
Callahan's Cottage by Judy Lannon
Outer Beach Press, 5/2025
Esme Prince, known for her successful bakery and catering business, has built a life that appears perfect, yet she knows she wants something more. Emma Callahan, a renowned wedding photographer, is reeling from her husband’s betrayal and struggling to rebuild her confidence. Ellenor Snow, a bestselling author, hides her growing burnout behind late-night parties and heavy drinking.
After five years apart, the three lifelong friends reunite at Callahan’s Cottage, where they once spent carefree days living by the sea. Before the trip, it hadn’t occurred to them, as tight as they all are, that they’d keep secrets from each other.
As memories resurface and secrets emerge, each woman must confront long-buried truths. Will these revelations deepen their bond or expose fractures even a lifetime of friendship cannot mend?
