This month, the Golden Crown Literary Society, dedicated to promote lesbian literature, has announced its 2018 Goldie Awards. So here are my recommendations among those winners:
Categories
Ann Bannon Popular Choice
‘An outsider inside‘ by RJ Samuel
In the run-up to Ireland’s referendum on same-sex marriage, Irish-Indian lesbian activist Jaya Dillon has to confront her unresolved issues on bisexualty and her mixed race origin. This is not an easy read as it touches difficult identity issues such as race, gender and sexuality. It’s a book inside a book with intriguing characters and a rollercoaster of emotions. 4.5 stars.
Contemporary Romance: short
‘Bait and switch’ by Blythe H. Warren
This is an enjoyable lesbian rom-com with emphasis in the comedy part. Written in first person from the point of view of marine biologist Liv Cucinelli, the story starts when she meets her former college nemesis Mira. To say that Liv holds a grudge against Mira for ruining her college career is an understatement, but somehow they manage to go past their previous differences to start an unlikely friendship. Will it develop into something more?
Overall, a very enjoyable and entertaining read. 4 stars
‘Echo Point’ by Virginia Hale
Beautiful love story set in the Blue mountains near Sidney in Australia. This is not just a romance: it’s a story of loss, family ties and redemption. The author’s description of the landscape is vivid and picturesque. The bushfires and intense heat are a metaphor of the passions at stake. Ms. Hale knows how to build up the tension and the chemistry between the main characters rages like a bushfire: uncontrollable, hot and consuming. A very solid debut novel and a highly recommended romance.
5 stars
Contemporary Romance: Mid-length
‘Sidebar’ by Carsen Taite
This author writes legal thrillers like nobody else. This book combines a realistic description of the intricacies of the legal system with a deep immersion in the main characters’ world.
4 stars
Contemporary Romance: Long
‘Perfect rhythm’ by Jae
This is a slow-burn romance between Leontyne, a famous lesbian pop singer, and Holly, an asexual nurse who cares after Leo’s father. When her father had a severe stroke, Leo is forced to go back to her small hometown entering a rollercoaster of emotions in the process. The book goes beyond the romance and also touches issues such as parents’ expectations, friendship and self-realisation. 4 stars
‘Who’d have thought’ by G Benson
The theme of sham marriage is not new in lesfic but Benson presents it here so skillfully that makes up for the lack of originality. Both main characters are crafted with special detail in their personalities and little quirks. Ms. Benson’s descriptions are quite cinematographic, the reader can actually feel their chemistry growing slowly until it sizzles out of the pages. 5+ stars
Debut Novel
‘The road to wings’ by Julie Tizard
An informative and sometimes entertaining read on Air Force pilots’ training and the situation of women (and lesbians) within the force in the 1990s with a slow-burn romance at the side. 4 stars.
Erotica
‘Her best friend’s sister’ by Meghan O’Brien
An entertaining erotica read by Meghan O’Brien. This book won’t disappoint her fans as more than half of the book describe sex scenes: they are varied, explicit and, of course, hot. 4 stars
Romantic Suspense/Intrigue/Adventure
‘A more perfect union’ by Carsen Taite
‘A more perfect union’ can be considered a mystery mixed with military and political intrigue and a bit of romance on the side. The story focuses on Zoey Granger, an army Major with impeccable credentials who is called by the Pentagon to investigate a scandal involving army officials and escorts, and Rook Daniels, a spin doctor contracted by the White House to monitor the enquiry. As the investigation progresses, so does their relationship and involvement. Will they discover the underlying complot and the culprits before their lives are at risk? 3.5 stars
Science Fiction/Fantasy
‘Shattered’ by Lee Winter
Ms. Winter is an author who departs from the conventional lesfic stories. She did it in her second book, ‘Requiem for immortals’, and she does it in ‘Shattered’ again. Without providing many details, what really surprised me about this book is the intensity of the dialogues between Shattergirl and Lena, the build up of their relationship, the depth of their emotions. 5 stars
See all the winners here:
https://www.goldencrown.org/page/2018Winners
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