Welcome to the Love Bytes Reviewers’ Best of 2022
Another year has passed in which books have brought all of us a much needed escape and sense of comfort. Our Love Bytes team reviewed approximately 1,300 LGBTQ+ books in 2022, from contemporary romance to fantasy, paranormal, historical, adventure, mystery, comedy and everything in between. Each day for the next few weeks, we will feature one of our reviewers’ top picks from books and audiobooks published in 2022. These lists highlight how diverse our tastes in reading are, and offer something for everyone. With thousands of fantastic new books each year, written by hundreds of creative and talented authors, it’s so difficult to narrow our lists down. We all have many favorite authors not featured here and wish we could acknowledge them all.
True’s 2022 Favorites
Luke (Learning to Love Series #3) by Con Riley
How? How is it possible to put so many layers, impressions, emotions in characters, in a story, and make every person special, I love this about the author’s work. Never superficial, never! People pictured, people who got seen in all their flawed beauty! My eyes blurred, my heart raced. Some rise above others, like Luke’s foster parents, because… wow. Maybe that’s why Luke is one of my favorites!! Yes, I still love all the others 🙂 Thousands of little gestures of care and love go on between these men. Thank you Con Riley for making me love people more, for showing such beautiful souls, you’ve outdone yourself again! Second chances, everyone deserves them! The end… gosh the end, my eyes blurred endlessly. A masterly written story, utterly emotional. A must-read like the whole series!!
Rayne (True Lover’s Stories Trilogy #3) by A.E. Via
The End. Noooooo I don’t want it to end, I can’t get enough of them, this trilogy was everything I could ask for, it was everything I love deeply while reading. Being absorbed by it, so many overwhelming feelings. It was so incredibly awesome. I have no words…. Well, maybe a few lol.
Yes, the intensity is sky high, it’s reaching even higher than the sky, there are no words to cover the heat. Such an emotional and beautifully written story, I was so in love with them. It’s all clearly structured, the author did such an amazing job, creating engaging and delectable characters, I wanted to live with them! A winner that’s for sure!! ALL the stars
The Shepherd (The Games Series #6) by Cara Dee
What a wonderful strong story. Full of life matters and it felt so real, honest, with ernst and humor. There are so many feelings, be still my heart! The deep-rooted love, trust, and friendship were heartwarming. The domestic servitude and TPE dynamic were stunning! What are a human’s chances to find the one who wants the same and has the same dreams about life as you! Treasure it, it’s so precious, even more, when there are three!
Brushed With Love (Surfing the Waves Series #1) by Fearne Hill
What a wonderful warm read, so much fun! The author has a way of writing, impressively strong, layered, emotional, the most beautiful and endearing characters are created. Gosh, I loved them hard.
So here we have dear dear passionate Clem, and there is Ragnar Aleksander Sigurdson Eggebraaten of the Vestvågøy Eggebraatens, proud Viking. What a story! The end? Made me cry happy happy tears.
What a tremendously written, beautifully developed winner we have here! ALL the stars.
Two Tribes by Fearne Hill
Wow, wow, and wow. The word ‘impressive’ doesn’t even cover the beauty of this story.
Even written with a light touch, this isn’t a light-hearted story, it’s harsh, awfully realistic, and at times right down painful, but there’s also an unquenchable light flickering, unconditional love and support.
I’m not sure how to review this, it’s an amazingly impressive story. My heart almost didn’t survive.
Sass (Style Series #3) by Jay Hogan
Both men have baggage and it’s painful, but my goodness it’s oh so well entwined with the whole picture. Leave it to this author to make this such a beautiful heartfelt story with the most precious characters!
What a story! I loved them so deeply.
Bully for Sale (Heat for Sale Series #2) by Leta Blake
That was one hell of an impressive story, the way it’s built, the way all the feelings are palpable, every page was impressive and palpable, it wasn’t an easy read, but the way it’s written got me so mesmerized I couldn’t put it down. There’s a lot of manipulation, cruelty, and ugliness, content warning is necessary. On the other side of this all, there’s devotion, love, redemption, faithfulness, and growth. The end made me cry ugly tears.
Giovanni Series – Virtuous #3 by Laura Lascarso
What a journey! The story was close to my heart, it was precious, the whole series was. Silvio and Giovanni took my breath away, the dedication was out of this world, so much unconditional love. Valentin deserved to be present, it was everything! The writing was melodic music to my ears, sometimes it felt even sacred, so intimate, I have no words to describe it, please understand it is special, bittersweet but so special.
Tell No One by Barbara Elsborg
A masterly written, brilliant story, the course of this story took my breath away. I’m in awe of what this author managed to write, I mean how?! It’s all super entertaining and thrilling, there is angst, but also the best humor, there is some sexy time, hurt comfort, there’s a complicated plot, amazingly clear and comprehensible written. ALL the stars for this winner, a must read! Period!
His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley
Guy stole my heart, if anyone hurt that man I will personally remove them from the earth. Ian is much younger, broke and is everything Guy needs. Together they are *hearts in eyes* Breathtakingly written, super romantic story, so beautifully portrayed I got deeply emotional. The two men and their food and photography are the best combination. Some precious friends support these lovely guys. Beautiful story, absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
Be still my heart!!
There are more books I want to put on my list but I already reached 10 ☹