Welcome to the Love Bytes Reviewers’ Best of 2023
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 2023, 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 2023. 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.
Taylin’s 2023 Favorites
Begin Again (Saint Lakes #5) by April Kelly
Begin Again is the fifth book in the Saint Lakes series. It was written in 2017 and re-released this year. And oh my, wow – my heart went on a rollercoaster, and I loved it. Ramsay is the Alpha of a clan of shifters, and war is on the way. Then along comes Fane in all his innocently glory – a man who was experimented on, then held captive by other vampires, and whose brain is somewhat scrambled. He is also Ramsay’s fated mate. Being Alpha means putting the clan first, but having a mate means putting him first, too. To bond or not to bond, or when, is the predicament? Then again, Fane is like no other mate Saint Lakes has seen. Fane is an entirely unique character who I have not read anything like before. He is an endearing loveable pocket-sized nerd wrapped up in blunt badass focus that any martial artist would be proud of. Fane brings a reality check and alternate perspective to the mix. He has a chaotic sanity that made a lot of sense. E.g. Fight or die – that is your choice – what are you going to do? All this within a gut-wrenchingly amazing plot.
Demon Inside by H.L. Day
Psychiatric institutions and medication did not stop Jude seeing Demons – so he learned to say the right thing. Then one day, he met Dante. The story is built on a London based world of two halves – those that know about demons and those who don’t. Jude’s past of people treating him like a toddler, with incarceration, and a family unable/unwilling to understand, doing what they believed was support pulled at my heartstrings. Then to join his journey to becoming the man he was meant to be was a privilege to read. Dante, oh my – he’s a man with darkness in his soul and a thirst to do good, supported by the awesome Rory – the straight-talking, upstanding, yet bordering on sarcastic priest. Demon Inside is a long novel, of good vs evil amid the wantonly oblivious. The author gave me everything I like in a story – an emotional ride, action, angst, a super journey, retribution, and breathing space between the action. Bravo to a small yet immaculately written cast, all of whom had standout performances in various roles. It’s a book that I was emotionally invested in once I read the first few pages, and I couldn’t put it down.
Duron (Assassins to Order #3) by J.P. Sayle and Lisa Oliver
Duron is book three in the Assassins for Hire series. Beaumont is a gator shifter and head of the shifter council. For years he’s been balancing his head over his heart. What he faces in this story tests that resolve and whether he will let the past affect his future. Fate has sent him the perfect partner. Duron is primarily a bear shifter, but courtesy of the evil scientists’ experiments, he has many other animal spirits inside him that occasionally war with each other. Yet, the Thalassa children gravitate towards him. This story differs from the others in that it is Duron who provides physical and mental support to a worldly man who is struggling. His training has made him a man of facts, allowing him to see certain situations more clearly. Beaumont shows him the care and love that his life is missing. Regarding the plot – there is family heartache, murder, a bombing, an investigation, magical wards, the reappearance of an old foe, plenty of heat!!!, and some gory battles. Also, it was lovely to see the Thalassa in the background alongside their children.
Hiding Place by Jackie Keswick
Following a tragedy, and trying to survive without the guidance of his band members, pop star Zach moves away from public life to Northumberland. The ancient castle-esque features of his new property reflected Zach’s loneliness. It’s as if one had something the other needed – repair and distraction. Robert, the Mr. Darcy-style neighbor helped in that area, too. However, Robert’s upbringing isn’t as fortunate as his heritage suggests – there are scars. There is also a murder in the estate’s past that remains unsolved. Grief has many stages, and this story delicately takes Zach and Robert on their journey in a thoroughly mesmerizing way using the beautiful Northumberland countryside in physical and atmospheric ways. However, this is more of an emotional journey to healing amid renovating an unusual house and a neighbor who is also grieving. The story is so exquisitely put together that I will freely admit that I shed a tear. It was akin to reading a sadly beautiful story on a sunny Sunday afternoon in spring – i.e., hope for new beginnings in the air.
Light From the Grave by Sara Dobie Bauer
The Zayne Clan needs Dylan alive. Keller is tasked to retrieve him, but his usual methods do not work. Dylan knows there’s something bad about Keller, but bad boys are his kryptonite. Adopted Dylan, though, has no idea of his true heritage, which throws a whole load of confusion and weirdness into the mix. Light from The Grave is everything weird, beautiful, ugly, and wonderful about the world of witchcraft, and I loved it. I found it enchantingly wicked, turned intriguing, absolutely fascinating, and then damn, there’s the big finish too. Oh, and let’s not forget the slow-burn romance between Dylan and Keller that navigates tragedy and well-constructed barriers. While the story surrounds a spell-tomb called the Book of Shadows, which everyone wants, there is plenty of action involving cat familiars, plants, voodoo, magic, and Dylan is as capable of raising the dead as he is of killing the living. His biggest problems are that time is short, and he has a lot of power to control. My emotions went on a journey as eclectic as the cast – I couldn’t put it down.
Monsters Within Men by TJ Rose
Thirty years in the future, a worldwide mutating disease is turning humans into monsters. There is little hope for a tomorrow, and even less for a future. Amid escalations, food is running short, the law is losing control, and the powers that be are keeping secrets while running out of options. When his boss is arrested, academic, fox-loving Zeke is conscripted into E-Squad where he must adapt or die. The unit is led by a young, handsome, caring brute with powerful connections. Like many, Nolan has lost loved ones, but something about Zeke draws him in. Monsters Within Men sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It depicts the brutality of a war zone, the bonds between brothers in arms, and the cruelty of army restrictions forbidding relations within units. Kudos to the author for not holding back. It was a fascinatingly brutal, sometimes slightly gory, heartbreaking story to read with a soft center that I couldn’t put down. This story was different, vivid, and emotional – a true page-turner with some good people doing one hell of a job. Bravo.
Stone Skin (The Gargoyles of Arrington #2) by Jenn Burke
Taking longer and longer naps, Rian knew time was running out for him. Soon, he’ll turn to stone again. He’d tried magically infused tattoos, but he’d not found a cure. There must be another way to combat the curse other than true love. He seeks the help of legend expert Logan, but the man is on the verge of a breakdown. Rian had never experienced love, and wasn’t sure he’d recognize it over the need to help Logan. With tragedy in his past, Logan had shut his emotions off, and when they surfaced, he didn’t trust them. Love couldn’t be rushed, yet time was a precarious thing. Especially since a witch and a mountain lion pride were out to kill Rian and his brothers. Stone Skin is the second of The Gargoyles of Arrington trilogy. Each book can be read independently, but reading the series gives a more in-depth experience. I loved the book because it was thought-provoking, mushy in places, sexy as hell, full of testosterone and brotherly love. There are allies, betrayal and help where least expected. By the end, I was a blubbering mess for all the right reasons.
Stone Heart (The Gargoyles of Arrington #3) by Jenn Burke
After five-hundred years of searching, Law Enforcement Officer Teague is the only brother who hasn’t found love and broken the witch’s curse. Regardless of his honor, integrity and special powers, Teague believes he will sleep in his gargoyle state for another hundred years before waking alone. However, Chris and Frankie have different ideas. To convince an asexual Teague that love comes in many forms, is a simple idea, where the execution is nigh impossible – especially when what Teague holds dear is targeted. Teagues journey to the realization that he has people he can lean on is beautiful. Also, there’s an element of human behavior and a wicked witch intent on snatching away the happiness that has been five hundred years in the making. How do you finish a fantastic series? In two words – Like this. Stone Heart was a story where I wanted to take in every word, yet rush to the end to see what happened. The arcs of characters come together in this wonderful story, which I will have to read again and again because I’ll need to fill the gargoyle-sized hole that these characters will leave.
Teach Me to Sin (Water, Air, Earth, Fire #4) by Riley Nash
Introverted Alek is scared to live to the point where he no longer touched the water he once loved. At thirty, he has led an exemplary life, but shadows left by this swimming coach of a father remain, and the non-profit swimming center Alek has built strives to atone for the legacy. Touch and love starved Benji inspires Alek to dream again and reach for life. Self-centered, dog loving, divorced, lawyer – Colson warns of the pitfalls, but he too is falling into something where the pull is strong. Each man brings something different to the mix. Amid scathing media, derogatory graffiti, arson, nightmares, PTSD and more – Coulson is the experienced steadfast rock that Alek and Benji need to feel safe. Benji is the imp that makes Coulson and Alek smile. Alek is the facilitator of dreams. Each man needs something from the other two that makes him whole. This was an unexpected delight of a story where I was tempted to peek at the last chapter so that I could read the rest without my heart in my mouth. The fact that the tale involves an age-difference, triad relationship may put some off, but oh damn, it soooo works.
The Wandering Prince (13 Kingdoms #3) by H.L. Day
Revealing the last of his secrets creates strain within Sebastian and Jack’s relationship. However, events are afoot that force some re-evaluation. A dying king is among them. Upon returning to Padora, Bass and Jack are subjected to palace life, and a couple of other surprises, until a decision is made that the two should embark on a mission to find a specific healer who could cure the king. The Wandering Prince is the last in the 13 Kingdom series – and my favorite. All the books in the series were entertaining. Book one, set the tone. Book two solidified the relationship. Book three was the piece-de-resistance that tied up all the loose ends, with a cherry on top that include local shenanigans, a shapeshifter, pig catching, kidnapping, and a life at sea. Jack, and Sebastian continue with all the snarky banter considered foreplay, but with extra emotional charge and edgy danger. The Wandering Prince was a story I couldn’t wait to return from work and read more of.