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.
Anna Lynn’s 2023 Favorites
Chaos (Tattoos and Ties #3) by Kindle Alexander
This duet is about Dev and Cash. If we can remember Dev in Havoc and Order, the first duet in this series, Tattoos and Ties, he is the best friend of Keyes and they are both members of the Disciples of Havoc Motorcycle Club. When Agent Cash James approached Dev Devilman Fox regarding a proposition that could save him, his children, his mother and sister, Dev was forced to look into the club business, something that he only had a passing interest in, he was more focused on his art and his children. The first book in this duet, Chaos, focuses on this proposition and how it would work out. But as soon as Dev realized, with the help of his sister, who Cash is, he began to see things differently.
This book broke me! I cried while reading many parts of the books especially on flashbacks on the life of Locke. I love him so much! Nash and Orla loving Locke is the best thing that has ever happened in this world of the Rebel Kings, next to Saint, Alexei and Cam!
A relationship between two people can be daunting and takes a lot of hard work for it to flourish and become so much more, but with three different personalities meshing and making a harmonious relationship out of it is out-of-this-world kind of luck that one should never take for granted. Nash and Orla realize all these when they both fell in love with Locke. I love them!
Two Thousand Dreams (Kings of Chaos #1) by Jocelynn Drake
A new series of Vampires which is a spinoff from the Lords of Discord series. I love Vampires, have repeated that over and over and I couldn’t wait to read this one. I love everything about it, from the appearance of our beloved Varik Clan, to witches, wolves, everyone you love in the Lords of Discord series, I guarantee you will love this series as well. Chen and Moon just click somehow no matter how opposite they are in personality.
Boraleashe is as grumpy as they come, but with his time coming up to make a decision whether to give his heart to someone he loves or not, he has no choice but to come to Theodor one more time and hopes that the young King will accept and forgive him for what happened in the past. Boraleashe’s character is so human (and a Titan of course for the sacrifice that he has made), afraid of giving his heart to another for it might get broken and he might die from it. We all know that feeling. The fact that he is way older than the one he loves, that too is a very human feeling. Although these men are Titans, commanding elements and harbingers of justice, they can be fragile when it comes to giving their hearts, just like you and me. They get hurt, they suffer, they prioritize others more than themselves.
I am so lucky to have found Ms. Jay Hogan and her books, they are just amazing! When I read Crossing the Touchline for the first time, I fell in love with her. She writes amazing stories and her characters are some of the most imperfect personalities ever, but I guess that’s what makes them perfect for me, they can be you and me in their imperfections and they go through each of their lives just like you and me. These two books (so far I hope) have brought us to
Mackenzie Country in the spectacular Southern Alps, where there are sheep stations and men who give their all for their land and their beloved animals. Men who have so much love to give. You will meet Holden and Gil, Zach and Luke. These two pairs of lovebirds went through pains that can break a man apart but they persevered and put one foot in front of the other, just like you and me, and continued through life.
Creed (Operation Justice Force #7) by Reese Knightley
I love action books and Ms. Reese Knightley writes some of the best action-romance books in this genre. Her various series have made me one of her biggest fans. Creed is about this big, lovable guy and Kellum, the young man who has caught his attention from the moment they met. When Kellum took a leave of absence to take care of some personal business, Creed couldn’t help but worry about him, and rightly so because when he found Kellum, Kellum’s situation was way above what he could handle. Creed just came in time to save the day, with Kellum’s help of course and the whole team.
Rise (Wings ‘N’ Wands #2) by Jocelynn Drake and AJ Sherwood
This is book two of the new series Wings ‘N’ Wands from Ms. Jocelynn Drake and AJ Sherwood and it is a spinoff from Scales ‘N’ Spells which brought us the different Dragons clans like our beloved Fire Dragon clan led by King Alric and his consort Cameron. Now we are in Brazil where the Valerii clan resides. The Ice Dragon clan left Russia for the warmth and beaches of Brazil where they are now holding court. In this instalment we have our beloved Luka and Vasily who have been in love with each other for so long, but they know that one day they will have to part because maybe then they will find their fated Mage for each of them. They never thought that they would fall in love with Amaru who came into both their dreams. A beautiful love story that you cannot miss.
