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It’s been a crazy year but we still had great novels all around. Here is Gaby’s List of Best Lesfic Books of 2020. Order in author’s alphabetical order:

‘Finding Jessica Lambert’ by Clare Ashton

Clare Ashton is one of the best lesfic writers out there. I admire not only her writing talent but also the variety of her work. She can produce dark novels such as ‘Pennance’, angsty books like ‘After Mrs. Hamilton’ and feel-good romances as ‘Poppy Jenkins’. While ‘Finding Jessica Lambert’ is a romance, it delves into the depth of the human psyche, the despair of people suffering from anxiety and somehow, it comes out with a message of love and hope. See full review here.

‘Written in the Stars’ by Alexandria Bellefleur

‘Written in the Stars’ combine the fake romance and opposites-attract tropes with a bit of influence of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen, as the leads are called Elizabeth (Elle) and Darcy, though the plot is different. This is the epitome of a rom-com including a disastrous meet cute, opposite main characters, funny moments, and a great secondary cast. See full review here.

‘The Thing about Tilly’ by G Benson

It’s been a while since this author has published a new book but she’s back with a vengeance, or more appropriately, with a great story. This novel dares to depart from the ubiquitous lesbian romance exploring human behaviour, gender and sexual conventions, and the meaning of love and friendship.

‘To the Moon and Back’ by Melissa Brayden

Melissa Brayden is one of the A-listers of the lesfic genre and every single time she consistently delivers great lesbian books. If you like feel-good, happily-ever-after romances, she won’t disappoint you. Her career as a writer is well known but her theatre vocation is usually overlooked. In ‘To the Moon and back’ Ms. Brayden gets to mix both worlds as she did in ‘Waiting in the Wings’. The result is a heartfelt depiction of the theatre world, a fascinating comparison to the film industry and, on top of that, a feel-good, chemistry-ridden romance. What’s not to love? See full review here.

‘Nottingham’ by Anna Burke

‘Nottingham: The True Story of Robyn Hood’ is a lesbian retelling book of English folklore legendary character Robin Hood, one of the most well-known stories of the Middle Ages. This is the third published book by Ms. Burke though the author says that this is the first novel she ever wrote. For some reason, she waited some time to publish it but I’m glad that she finally did. Ms. Burke is part of a new generation of young lesfic talented authors which gives me hope for the future of the genre. See full review here.

‘Spindrift’ by Anna Burke

I have followed this author since her debut novel ‘Compass Rose’ took the lesfic world by storm with its impressive quality. Since then, I’ve read all her books despite they weren’t my favourite genres. Because lesbian contemporary romances are so different from what Ms. Burke normally writes, I wasn’t sure if she’d pull it off… I should have known better.
See full review here.

‘Those who wait’ by Haley Cass

Wow, I’m seriously impressed by this book, more so considering it’s a debut. Politics and lesbian romance are my cup of tea so I’ve been kicking myself for not having read it before. Even though it’s a lengthy book, it doesn’t feel like it as it keeps the same pace and the reader’s interest all along. See full review here.

‘Bulletproof’ by Maggie Cummings

Some authors write plot-driven tales, some others character-driven ones, but Ms. Cummings creates relationship-driven stories. In that department, she’s in a league of her own. She weaves the net of relationships skillfully through natural-sounding dialogues, everyday situations, and a good dose of reality. She creates intimate, authentic spaces and invites the reader to a fly on the wall voyeuristic experience into the lives of the main characters. I love when authors can create something meaningful out of ordinary life situations. See full review here.

‘The Other Side of Forestlands Lake’ by Carolyn Elizabeth

I was fearing that this book would creep me out with the story about ghosts but, luckily for me, this is not a horror book. As a matter of fact, it’s quite light on the paranormal side and as it favours more suspense/intrigue/mystery which will keep you turning pages and trying to guess the direction it’s going. See full review here.

‘The Stars at Night’ by Gerri Hill

This is a low angst, drama free, sweet romance, just what I needed especially at the end of this crazy 2020. Both characters are lovable, mature and they communicate properly with each other. Kudos to the author for not creating a contrived conflict but just showing a natural evolution of a relationship from casual to serious with the long-distance obstacle. See full review here.