A Bánh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen (f/f YA, Sài Gòn)
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (Historical m/m YA, all across Europe)
Abroad by Liz Jacobs (m/m NA duology, London)
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (m/x, France, Italy, and Spain)
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal (Historical f/f, Paris) and Finding Joy (m/m, Addis Ababa) by Adriana Herrera
Bonus: Coming in 2026, Like We Were in Paris by Stephan Lee (m/m YA, Paris)
Note: These are books that all contain strong Southeast Asian elements, which in some cases combine with elements from East Asia as well.
In the Vanishers’ Palace by Aliette de Bodard
Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger
Wicked as You Wish by Rin Chupeco
The True Queen by Zen Cho
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
A Place Called No Homeland by Kai Cheng Thom
Night Sky with Exit Wounds and Burning by Ocean Vuong
Crevasse by Nicholas Wong
Love Cake by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Why Dust Shall Never Settle Upon This Soul and Seasonal Velocities by Ryka Aoki