Happy Pride Month, party people! You know the best way to celebrate (outside of fighting for basic civil rights)? You guessed it — buying and reading queer books! Here are some great places to start with new June reads!

• Ready to Score

  

  Cleat Cute meets Friday Night Lights in this funny, spicy, emotional new sapphic romance from Jodie Slaughter.
  
  Jade Dunn has spent years trying to climb her way to the top of the southern high school football food chain. Now, the only thing standing between her and that future head coach spot is years of small-town good ‘ol boy politics. When she scores an invite to a highly coveted monthly poker game perfect for networking, she jumps at the chance for a seat at the table. Only to find the one person with the ability to shake her there. An infuriatingly sexy art teacher who plays her cards like she’s gunning for Jade’s deserved spot.

  Francesca Lim never thought she’d be happy in a small town, not after living and breathing hardcore Texas football her whole life. But two years ago, the promise of forever love had her leaving behind a burgeoning coaching career for a new life – only for it to burst into flames. Now, she has a chance to gain back a piece of her life she thought she’d left in Houston. The only one standing in the way? The prickly assistant coach that Francesca can’t keep her mind or hands off of.

  Not wanting to risk losing out on a dream job, Jade and Francesca can’t afford to give in to the iron hot attraction that simmers beneath their biting interactions, so they try desperately to ignore it. Too bad their hearts don’t seem to be as on board with the game plan.

  Jodie Slaughter’s Ready to Score shows how sometimes you have to go big or go home to get the life – and love – you deserve.

  The “rivals to lovers” element of Slaughter’s newest hits hard right off the bat, and damn if I didn’t love that the central conflict was between two (smokin’ hot, extremely mutually attracted) women who are both passionate about coaching football. Grab this one immediately if you love sparks flying in all directions, sports romance, and some serious steam.

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• Winging It With You

  

  Popular bookstagrammer Chip Pons’s gay rom-com about two men who impulsively pose as a couple to compete in a reality show contest just minutes after meeting at an airport, and their run-in with the very real feelings that start to simmer between them.

  Catching flights…& feelings…has never been more complicated.

  Asher Bennet thought his relationship was just fine. Until he’s unceremoniously dumped at the Boston airport ahead of the world-wide travel competition reality show, The Epic Trek. Armed with only a ticket and righteous indignation, Asher finds the closest solace he can: a mimosa and mozzarella sticks combo at an airport TGI Fridays. Still, Asher is determined to find a new partner and luckily, right in front of him is a smooth-talking airline pilot ready for takeoff.

  Theo Fernandez has been grounded. He’s the only pilot that has never taken a vacation and the edict has been passed prove you’re prioritizing a work-life balance or say goodbye to your wings. As he struggles to bask in his new downtime, without reconnecting with his family, he stumbles upon the perfect opportunity. The handsome guy who “stole” his mozzarella sticks at his favorite terminal eatery has a sudden opening for a partner . . . on a nationally televised reality show.

  Theo and Asher buckle up to fake date for the cameras, but as they do the undercurrents of attraction make them wonder if their on-screen chemistry hints at something bigger. Do they have the courage to leave behind their baggage, and wing it together for another chance at love?

  As a big fan of both travel and competitive reality TV, this fun and sexy read gets major extra points for taking fake dating around the world. The chemistry is legit, and I absolutely would’ve shipped #Thasher as a viewer.

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• Backhanded Compliments

  

  A steamy sapphic romance with a fantastical twist about two bitter tennis rivals who realize they are reluctant soulmates—perfect for fans of Expiration Dates and Here We Go Again.

  Juliette Ricci dreams of only one being the best women’s tennis player in the world. She’s worked nonstop with her strict father/coach to prepare for her big chance in the Australian Open. Unfortunately, she’ll be playing Lucky Luca Kacic, an aloof player whose unorthodox style and reigning popularity deeply irritate Juliette.

  For months they’ve traded sly insults in their press conferences leading up to their showdown on the court, and their first ever match is the most anticipated of the season. But Juliette refuses to let her nerves—or Luca’s annoyingly perfect abs—get the best of her.

  Meanwhile, Luca seemingly has everything Juliette desires but there’s one thing missing from her love. When she shakes hands with Juliette after an agonizing match and sees her rival’s name appear on her wrist, it feels like a cruel joke. Juliette is a spoiled, arrogant brat who wants absolutely nothing to do with Luca or a soulmate.

  But despite their personal and professional clashes, the two grow closer after late-night massages and one too many shots of limoncello. Their chemistry is tangible, but Luca’s anxiety tells her that Juliette is just messing with her head to throw her off her game, and Juliette can’t understand why Luca is so hot and cold. With the pressure of the world scrutinizing their every move, they will have to decide what’s more important—being together or being number one.

  A speculative sports romance usually brings to mind a fantastical feat of athleticism, but in this case, it marries the soulmate trope with very real professional tennis for something I haven’t seen before. I loved that there was approximately one American in this entire book (our heroines are Croatian and Italian), and I wanted spinoffs for every single secondary character, so I will definitely be keeping an eye on this debut author!

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• A Rare Find

  

  When an aspiring archaeologist teams up with her childhood enemy for a treasure hunt, they find it impossible to bury their growing feelings, in a charming queer historical romance from the author of A Shore Thing.

  Elfreda Marsden has finally made a major discovery—an ancient amulet proving the Viking army camped on her family’s estate. Too bad her nemesis is back from London, freshly exiled after a scandal and ready to wreak havoc on her life. Georgie Redmayne is everything Elfreda isn’t–charming, popular, carefree, distractingly attractive, and bored to death by the countryside. When the two collide (literally), the amulet is lost, and with it, Elfreda’s big chance to lead a proper excavation. Now Elfreda needs new evidence of medieval activity, and Georgie needs money to escape the doldrums of Derbyshire. Joining forces to locate a hidden hoard of Viking gold is the best chance for them both.

  Marsdens and Redmaynes don’t get along, and that’s the least of the reasons these enemies can’t dream of something more. But as the quest takes them on unexpected adventures, sparks of attraction ignite a feeling increasingly difficult to identify as hatred. It’s far too risky to explore. And far too tempting to resist. Elfreda and Georgie soon find that the real treasure comes with a steep price… and the promise of a happiness beyond all measure.

  After my deep love for A Shore Thing, I’ll read any queer historical romance Lowell wants to throw my way. But add in a treasure hunt?? I am the most sold I have ever been sold.

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• Holly Jolly July

  

  “We want to wrap this book up with a bow and leave it under everyone’s tree this year. Lindsay Maple delivers a confection of holiday charm, small town quirk, tenderly sketched characters, and scorching heat.” —Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, USA TODAY bestselling authors of A Merry Little Meet Cute

  It’s the hottest Christmas on record…

  Like naughty and nice, Mariah and Ellie are complete opposites. Small-time actress Ellie is thrilled to be back on set of a cozy holiday film, while makeup artist Mariah only views the low-budget project as a stepping stone on her way to more serious movies. The pair definitely don’t hit it off when they’re introduced, but if they want to survive the summer heat—and Mariah’s stifling Canadian hometown—they’ve got to keep it professional. Luckily, holiday cheer is Ellie’s specialty, and she’s determined to win stubborn Mariah over.

  Mariah finds one bright spot in her forced second Christmas: hot hookups with an edgy local bartender. The romance even has her opening up to Ellie—who admits to crushing on her wholesome cottage-rental host. But when Ellie and Mariah realize the guys are cheating on them, they band together to get revenge. It’s fun planning their own Home Alone–inspired pranks…until Ellie and Mariah realize they’re actually falling for each other.

  But the film shoot is too short to get serious, so they’ll have to decide: Was their romance simply a holiday fling or a real Christmas-in-July miracle?

  “Full of hilarious hijinks and tenderness in equal measure, this holiday romance had me flipping the pages late into the cozy night. Come for the revenge, stay for the true love.” —Ashley Herring Blake, USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care

  Hands-down one of the things I’m most frequently asked to recommend are books where women band together to get revenge on a guy but fall for each other instead, so my eyes already lit up as soon as I saw that trope. Add in a fun “Christmas in July” element and this looks like the perfect beach read!

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