Welcome to the Love Bytes Reviewers’ Best of 2025
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 800 LGBTQ+ books in 2025, from contemporary romance to fantasy, paranormal, historical, adventure, mystery, comedy, and everything in between. Each day for the next weeks, we will feature one of our reviewers’ top picks from books and audiobooks published in 2025. 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.
“Lesley’s” favorites
This year it has been tough to choose my top 10 books and interestingly my top 3 are all first time full length novels for the authors!!
The Only Farang In Town – Greg Lindeblom Buy Link
I really, really loved this debut novel by Greg Lindeblom. It was a sweet gentle romance, exploring the Boy Love culture in Thailand through the eyes of a burnt out, American software engineer. This is my number one book because I struggled with finishing other books after reading this one because none of them were as well written as this The Only Farang In Town.
Leather Forever – Pete Fitz Buy Link
Pete Fitz has drawn on his experience of the leather community and participating in the Mr Leather competition to write this really enjoyable book. It’ not a traditional romance, but it is a love story. My first forays into reading MM books were reading BDSM books and this reminded me why I enjoyed them so much.
Pearly Gates by Bonnie Solomon Buy Link
This isn’t my normal read as it’s about a spirit – a dead drag queen, but I loved it. It had humour, it had sorrow and was really well written.
Tameron- Honorably Discharged #3 – Nora Phoenix & E.M. Lindsey Buy Link
I love this whole series by Nora Phoenix & E.M. Lindsey. The first 2 made my best of list last year. Unfortunately, the next one , which I am desperate for, doesn’t come out for another few days so it won’t make this year’s or next year’s lists, but I am sure it will be equally amazing.
A Furry Thing Called Love – Abrianna Denae Buy Link
This is the 8th book in the Friends of Gaynor Beach Animal rescue multi-author series, and at least one appeared on my Best of List last year. What made this stand out for me is that Abrianna Denae has written a book about an ace main character and whilst the characters are very loving the moments of intimacy amongst the characters is not sexual.
Hats to Boots – BA Tortuga Buy Link
This book is everything you would expect from a BA Tortuga Cozy Cowboy story, with a single parent, adorable children, a ranch needing a foreman, great side characters and found family. This is one of her best in my opinion.
Calvin- (Almstead Island- Newcomer’s Club #2) – Kerry Kilpatrick Buy Link
I read the authors note at the start of the book and knew it was going to be an emotionally hard read for me, but oh so worth it. Definitely read the authors note as it will add a lot of weight to the book.
Pride by the Book- Love in Maplewood by Jeff Adams Buy Link
This is another book where to get the most from it read the authors note. This time the note is at the end book, and explains about which elements have been drawn from the real world .
Something Cryptid This Way Comes- Love in Maplewood – Susan Scott Shelley Buy Link
This book has Mable, Maplewood’s very own cryptid in it !!! It is one of the last books in this multi author series and featured many characters from the previous books,but definitely could be read as a standalone story.
Reading Between the Lines Shadowy Solutions #3 – Nicky James Buy Link
This is book 3 in this series by Nicky James. The series is a spin-off from her Valor & Doyle series and features a grumpy PI and a sunshiny records clerk. It’s what I expect & enjoy from Nicky James’ books. A bit of angst, lots of drama and great characters.
