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.
Sadonna’s 2023 Favorites
This is one of my favorite books/collections this year! I absolutely consumed this lovely trio of mysteries like I hadn’t eaten in a week. These mysteries follow each other in order covering a good bit of time in the evolving relationship between Sherriff’s Deputy Cormac ‘Mac’ Mackenzie and Chef Drew Allison who is an “outsider” in Orca’s Slough, a small town on an island near Seattle. They are brought together by murder, but they stay together because, well, they just work in some weirdly unconventional way. Each story itself is a self-contained mystery and each story advances the romance between Mac and Drew.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, opposites attract romances of prickly shy men, found family and very fun and humorous writing featuring a very entertaining narrator, I highly recommend this collection. I felt certain it was going to be on my best of the year list – and here it is! One of the best cozy mystery series I’ve read and I loved it.
Broadway Butchery (Memento Mori #3) by C.S. Poe
Once again, “The Sender” is playing with Larkin and Doyle who are in a race against time to find the killer(s) and also to unmask whoever this mystery person is who keeps reaching out. It’s another rollercoaster ride for our two heroes? Anti-heroes?
This series is truly one of the best mystery series out there. Poe has created such a unique character in Larkin and how he has to deal with his HSAM – literally remembering every single detail and feeling of his life since his TBI. The way that these cases since book one tie together relies on Larkin’s ability to never forget and piece things together. I always know a book in this series will end up on my best of the year once again – as it has the past two years. Outstanding and a real gem.
All Hail the Underdogs (Breakaway #3) by E.L. Massey
Generally I’m not a big fan of high school romances so this one really took me by surprise. Truly a beautifully written story that I can’t imagine how it could have been better. Writing teenage characters is such a delicate balance and I am not sure I’ve read many books that have done a better job conveying that difficult transition between childhood/adulthood than this. Absolutely brilliant. There are so many issues that are covered in this book – race, privilege, economic inequality, class, sexuality – I really admire how deftly they were handled. Everything about this story felt authentic. The voices of all the characters were so perfectly rendered – the dialog, the big feelings, the chest crushing inability to voice those feelings, the uncertainty. My first book from this author and I was really impressed.
Baxter’s Right Hand Man (The Baxter Chronicles #2) by Lane Hayes (Author) & Nick J. Russo (Narrator)
Second in a series let down? Nope. I really enjoyed the first book and this one not only lived up to it but perhaps even surpassed it. I could not have loved Pierce and Lorenzo more. Then there was Mr. Jasper Gowan. This is a character driven story that I just lapped up. So much more than meets the eye with this pair 😉 Nick J. Russo does an absolutely spectacular job with his voice performance here. His Lorenzo is so believably unsure. Pierce can be arrogant, although he’s hiding hurt and some insecurity behind the movie-star mask he wears. His vulnerability was perfectly voiced here. Mr. Gowan was a lovely elderly gentleman whose reminiscence and story brought a beautiful historical reality of same-sex couples through many decades. Everything about these characters was just spot on. A beautiful marriage of words and performance and absolutely one of the best audios of the year.
Regifted by Kim Fielding
Oh Kim Fielding! You have done it again. This story of grief, loss and opening up to something new is simply gorgeous. I loved every single word. Ms. Fielding can write in any genre and make me fall in love with the characters and setting. This was no exception. Really really a lovely example of a perfect story of new love for some men who have been through some stuff. This story is just so beautiful and was so complete in 46 pages! It literally brought a tear to my eye – the best kind of tear.
The Long Game by Samantha Wayland (Author) & Michael Ferraiuolo (Narrator)
I really really loved this story. From the first scene in the bar where Grady spots Jack, I was totally invested. There are some heavy topics here including abandonment of LGBTQ+ kids. Grady and Jack are hilariously clueless and this is the slowest burn with the most UST – I mean four years of pining?? The audio for this book just made me love it even more. Michael Ferraiuolo is the perfect narrator. There are lots of voices and accents and a variety of tender and tense moments for him to sink his metaphorical teeth into. Grady and Jack are wonderfully performed as two men who care deeply for one another and don’t want to risk their friendship for the promise of something more. This author and narrator are in perfect synch and this audio is a real gem!
Malibu (Elite 8 Studios #2) by Emmy Sanders
This book! So many feels. This is a rip your heart out and then put it back together type of book. Mal has demons not of his own making. The stress he has been under to try to survive has resulted in his not being able to take care of his needs regarding his own mental health while he takes on the care of another. Henrik is a blind man who sees Malibu more clearly than anyone ever has. This book made me sad and happy both for the what has been/what is and what can be. Once again, I’m a huge fan of underdogs and I so wanted Malibu to find a safe and soft place to land. Henrik has built walls and it was beautiful to watch how without really trying Malibu tears them down and Henrik lets him in. It’s a really gorgeous story and I can’t recommend it more. I absolutely loved this story.
Total Creative Control (Creative Types #1) by Joanna Chambers and Sally Malcolm (Authors) & Simon Goldhill (Narrator)
This is a really hilarious boss/employee rom-com that provide a lot of humor 🙂 Aaron Page shows up at a TV production company for a week long temp assignment. That lasts 3 years. Lewis, the creator the hit vampire show Leeches manages to run off every assistant assigned to him. For you old folks, think Murphy Brown’s secretaries 😉 But Aaron and Lewis really are something else. It’s clear that everyone has a better understanding of their relationship than they do. Lewis is convinced that all he has to offer is his hit show. He’s able to find men, but he’s not able to sustain a relationship. Aaron has fooled himself into believing that this job is enough for him. They are both wrong of course.
Simon Goldhill is a new narrator to me and seems new to book narration. I thoroughly enjoyed his performance of this story. He was able to adroitly convey the passion of both Aaron and Lewis – for the show, for the characters, for fan fiction/fandom, and finally for each other. This performance kept me engaged and interested in every new twist. I really hope book 2 is coming soon – maybe it’ll be on my best for 2024!
The Distant Hills and Other Stories by Kaje Harper
For anyone who has read any of Kaje Harper’s wonderful books, you already know that she is an amazing story teller. I’ve read nearly everything that she has published – whether historical, contemporary, out-for-you, second chances, mystery, paranormal, sci-fi, whatever the genre will be. What they all have in common is quality. She can write a short story that will leave you in tears. She can write a novella that will leave you smiling. She can write long long novels that will leave you reeling. The compendium of stories range in word count, subject matter and genre in this collection.
My personal favorites include the Holiday story of fan favorites Mac and Tony ten year into their marriage showing a Christmas slice of life with their now teenage children. Anniversary is another favorite. Jack and David’s WWII story is another lovely homage to those who had to hide their love historically. Fetching him Home is a sweet story told from an unusual POV. I swear you will not be disappointed if you grab this book full of stories that all contain love in the best possible way.
Love, Isidor by Nell Iris
Nell Iris is the master of the short story and this year writes a touching story of love lost and love found again 🙂 This one is a story of second chances in a completely unusual and unexpected way. I absolutely loved this! The letters. The characters. The way they decided they needed to move forward potentially together. So beautifully written – heartbreaking, hopeful, beautiful.
Wrapped in Wishes by J.H. Knight
This author writes characters who are down on their luck so beautifully. (I have been a rabid fan of J.H. Knight since The Last Thing He Needs and this is another story that just grabbed me and held me tight.)
Sean and Bruce meet at a party and have a good night 😉 that turns into more. Neither have it easy, but it’s the holidays, so who knows what could happen? There are Christmas miracles and found family, bio family and friends galore that make it a great holiday for Sean and Bruce after a bumpy start.
This book has all the holiday feels, a little bit of angst and a lot of love – of all kinds! Such great positive vibes without being saccharine at all. This was my favorite Christmas story this year.
In the Gray by Christina Lee
For me, this is one of Christina Lee’s best books and tackles some really tough subjects without trying to make them “romantic” or melodramatic. Lachlan and Foster were written with such care and understanding. They each had their own not insignificant issues. The relationship is tentative at first as both men have trust issues. Together they provide support for one another in ways they hadn’t found in the past. This is really just a beautiful story that despite tackling very difficult issues is ultimately uplifting and heartwarming.
Eight Dates by E.M. Lindsey
This was one of the most surprising books I read this year – totally NOT what I expected.
Ben’s hilarious series of blind dates that is his Chanukah gift from his brother Aaron had me rolling on the floor laughing. These dates had me in absolute STITCHES! I have been out at business dinners with many of these types – the narcissist, the frat boy, the blowhard sales guy, you name it. If anyone really believes that there aren’t people out there who act this way, then I want to congratulate you on your lucky life if you haven’t encountered them. Luckily there is Nova to rescue Ben from these awful guys.
This is one of my favorite Chanukah stories – although without a lot of religious celebration – more of a feeling. Just delightful.