Tag Archives: Ashley Herring Blake

New Releases: September 2026

This post is sponsored by R.R. Ferretti-Hoyle in honor of the release of Willfully, Dorothy (yes, THAT Dorothy), available now!

Buy it: Amazon

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Family Found: A Queer Friendsgiving Celebration by Joanna McClintick and Keisha Morris (1st)

When celebrants gather for their annual Friendsgiving—Thanksgiving with their chosen family—each has a unique story to tell as a child tries to piece together how it all began.

No one remembers how it started.

The Friendsgiving gathering is moving into high gear, and for one child in the group, it’s a good time to ask some questions about the event’s history. Great-Uncle Billy, while snapping some green beans for the meal, says he was the one who started the tradition, back when people had to speak in code to keep being gay a secret. Miss Mona thinks that she was the originator, after her car broke down one year and she had to make a change of plans. Grandma Jane and Nana Rose tell their version of the tale while the smell of cinnamon and apples fills the air. As more people (and dogs) arrive and the music is turned on, it grows clearer that the details may not matter; what counts is the love they all share. With warm, jubilant artwork and a welcoming text that introduces moments from LGBTQIA+ history, Family Found celebrates one family as they come together on a day of gratitude.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Continue reading New Releases: September 2026 →

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances: July-December 2026

This post is sponsored by Dana Hawkins in honor of the August release of Forced Proximity, a bi M/F Romance coming August 27th!

She’s hired to protect. Not to fall in love.

Buy it: Amazon

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Grind by K.M. Neuhold (July 3rd)

This is the third book in the Gymbos series

Hockey star Diego Ferguson says he knows about the grind, but he’s about to learn that his new personal trainer, Callan, gives the word a whole new meaning.

Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego’s injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days.

The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he’s looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I’m just the guy for the job.

It figures that he’s straight, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice.

He’s definitely as surly as his pictures, and twice as arrogant. Turns out he’s also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I’m more than qualified to be the guy for that job too.

Maybe he’s not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I’ll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too.

We both know it can’t last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.

Buy it: Amazon

Continue reading Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances: July-December 2026 →

New Releases: February 2026

This post is sponsored by Dana Hawkins for the release of I Will Always Love You (Maybe), out February 10th!

What’s worse than regretting a one-night stand? Being snowed in with her.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

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Continue reading New Releases: February 2026 →

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances: January-June 2026

Pumped by K.M. Neuhold (January 2nd)

I’m just a nerd, standing in front of a bench press, asking it not to humiliate me in front of my gym crush

I’ve never walked into a gym on purpose in my life, and I’m not sure which part is more shocking, the massive beefcake who immediately challenges me to arm wrestle or the fact that I kind of want to come back.

I spent years of my life refusing to lift anything heavier than a textbook, and it shows. I never expected that coming to the gym and bulking up would give me more gender euphoria than all the T shots in the world.

The crush I’m developing on my Golden Retriever of a personal trainer, Butch, though? Yeah, I should have seen that one coming.

Butch is a guy’s guy. Jockstraps, armpit licking, Sweat enthusiast… what could he possibly find exciting about a scrawny, book-ish nerd like me?

I’m just going to try not to drool on him too hard while he helps me get pumped. And I’m for sure not going to do anything stupid like falling in love with him…

Buy it: Amazon

Continue reading Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances: January-June 2026 →

October 2025 Deal Announcements

Adult Fiction

Lin Darrow‘s Flicker City Phantoms series, pitched as a queer and cozy combination of the plucky mystery-solving of Pushing Daisies, the death-defying romance of Hadestown, and the technological world-building of THE MINISTRY OF TIME, in which an underemployed ghost at a boarding house for the holographically resurrected dead must team up with her eccentric spectral housemates to stop a mysterious headless kidnapper, to Chelsea Villareal at Podium Publishing, in a two-book deal, by Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency (world English).

Continue reading October 2025 Deal Announcements →

Happy Bi Visibility Day 2025!

It’s Bi Visibility Day, and we’re celebrating as we do with books starring bi main characters! For even more recs, check out past years’ posts!

Young Adult

Wish You Weren’t Here by Erin Baldwin

All’s fair in love and Color War.

Juliette doesn’t hate Priya Pendley.

At least, not in the way teen movies say she should hate the hot popular girl. They don’t do cat fights, love triangles, or betrayal. To survive their intertwined small town lives, they’ve agreed to a truce. They complete group projects without fighting, never gossip to mutual friends, and stand on opposite sides of photos so it’s easy to crop each other out.

Priya seems to have everything during the school year—social media stardom, the handsome track captain boyfriend, and millions of adoring fans—and Juliette is at peace with that. Because Juliette has the summer, and the one place she never feels like “too much”: Fogridge Sleepaway Camp.

But her hopes for a few Priya-free weeks are shattered when her rival shows up at Fogridge on move-in day… as her cabinmate, no less. Juliette is determined to enjoy her final summer, even if it means (gag) tolerating her childhood rival, but everything that can go wrong, does.

If Juliette can’t find something to like about her situation—and about Priya—she risks hating the only home she’s ever had, right before she says goodbye to it forever.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Continue reading Happy Bi Visibility Day 2025! →

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances: January-June 2025

So Not My Type by Dana Hawkins (January 5th)

Sophie Black has clawed her way up from coffee runs to project manager at a top Seattle ad agency. She’s laser-focused on her career—until the CEO’s daughter, Ella Northwood, joins the team. Forced to work together on a high-stakes campaign, sparks fly as Sophie’s scrappy determination clashes with Ella’s polished privilege. But there’s more to both women than meets the eye, and, over late nights in the office, their assumptions about each other start to crumble.

When an impromptu hot tub session leads to a steamy night neither can forget, everything changes. The ice-cold chip on Sophie’s shoulder finally starts to melt, while Ella hopes that for the first time, someone might see beneath her trust-fund facade. But as the temperature in the office soars, a shocking revelation threatens to derail everything. Now Sophie and Ella must decide if their feelings are worth fighting for…

Buy it: Amazon

Continue reading Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances: January-June 2025 →

Fave Five: New Queer Christmas Romances (2024 Edition)

I’ll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone (f/f)

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (m/m)

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake (f/f)

The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky (m/m)

This Christmas by Georgia Beers (f/f)

Bonus: These are all Adult Romances, but for YA, check out Make My Wish Come True by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott (f/f)  and Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June (m/m)

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Adult Fiction: July-December 2024

Peregrine Seas by R.C. Ballad (July 1st)

Prince Peregrine couldn’t be happier to be kidnapped by pirates.

Peregrine wasn’t cut out for the restrictive life of a nobleman – he’s hungry for adventure, prone to duelling, and his family refuse to believe he’s any kind of man at all. Despite his royal origins, he has more in common with the outcasts and rebels aboard the Cygnus that anyone onshore.

He just needs to convince the captain of that before his ransom’s paid.

Captain Alastar Macdara knows better than to trust an English prince. He has his hands full keeping his ragged crew together, and the last thing he needs is to be burdened with some foppish dandy—however charming. This particular hostage is more trouble than Alastar planned for: used to getting his own way, as stubborn as Alastar and not afraid to tell him when he’s wrong. But Alastar knows a thing or two about being an outcast, and his honourable streak refuses to let him send Peregrine back to a life of misery.

The ransom might be off, but that doesn’t mean Peregrine is part of the crew. Now he must prove he’s courageous and quick-witted enough to earn his place on the Cygnus before Alastar dumps him at the next safe harbour.

It won’t be easy for Peregrine to prove himself amidst the many dangers of life at sea: navy patrols, sea serpents—and the grim, handsome Alastar. The more time they spend together the more he fears he’s falling for his captain, and honourable or not … a pirate is a pirate.

Can they chart a course to being together, or will Alastar’s secrets and Peregrine’s reckless drive to prove himself steer the Cygnus into perilous waters?

Buy it: Amazon

Continue reading Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Adult Fiction: July-December 2024 →

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romances of 2024

Young Adult

Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver (January 2nd)

Okay, Cupid by [Mason Deaver]As a cupid, Jude thinks they understand love a little bit more than the average human. It makes sense — Jude’s been studying love their whole teen life. And, yes, there have been some bumps in the road, and they’re currently on probation for doing something that they absolutely, definitely shouldn’t have done… but they’re ready to prove they can make matches without ever getting involved.

Only… Jude’s next assignment isn’t about setting up two adults. No, this time Jude has to go to high school, with kids their own age. And the assignment is a tough one: two best friends who are meant to be more than just best friends… but who aren’t currently speaking to each other after a huge falling out.

Jude thinks they’ve got this one all under control, and that they won’t get involved whatsoever.

Which proves that maybe Jude hasn’t learned the first lesson of humans and love … It’s complicated.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

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