This Rec League is from Alex. Thanks, Alex!
I’ve been on the hunt for sapphic historical romances that take place between the 1950s-80s. Outside of those date parameters is fine, but 20th century preferred. I just want historical happy queers that don’t die tragically. If it helps, I loved Lev AC Rosen’s Evander Mills series, and Cat Sebastian’s We Could Be So Good, I just need more lesbians (who doesn’t?)
Amanda: Last Night at the Telegraph Club immediately comes to mind, but that’s YA.
Sarah: Bingo Love, a graphic novel
Tara: Lee Lynch’s books aren’t typical romances, but she’s a foundational author and her impact can’t be overstated. I would highly recommend starting with The Swashbuckler.
Sarah: Tara: “Did someone say ‘MORE LESBIAN ROMANCE??!’”
Tara: Hahahah! I did! BUT! It’s also a tricky time period, because a lot of the 20th century sapphic historical romances are romantic blends at best.
Sarah: “Get me the Book Review Subaru! It’s an emergency!”
Tara: Reverence by Milena McKay is a recent release that’s set in the 1980’s with a ballerina who defects from the USSR.
Okay, I’ve gone through all the sapphic books I’ve read from that period. I’ve only read one from Jaycie Morrison, which was Basic Training of the Heart ( A | BN ), but she’s written more. There are a handful of others, but I haven’t read them, so I can’t vouch that they’re all happy.
Susan: In that I have the same problem as Tara; a lot of the stuff I’ve read set in the 1900s is cross-genre rather than specifically romance.
The Elusive Mr. Vanderbridge is a short story/comic about rival reporters trying to find out why a famously tee-total architect disappears every Friday night, only to turn up smelling of cigarettes and whiskey. It’s short and thus light on the plot, but it’s charming and full of queer community.
Passing Strange by Ellen Klages is a fabulist historical novella set during the 1939-1940 World’s Fair in San Francisco, and it’s all about queer relationships and magic; the main couple are part of a wider friend group of queer women, and those relationships are important to them. The ending is bittersweet, but I think it works.
(All of these have a webzine version and an AO3 version.)
Most of these are INCREDIBLY not safe for work, I am not joking, the least safe for work.
Reverse Cowgirl (Not Gay as in Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, Queer as in Dude Ranch) by Shukyou — City girl goes to a dude ranch as part of a work outing, and learns that she doesn’t have to follow the boring life plan laid out for her. (The lesson comes via attractive butch ranch hands.) Webzine or AO3
The Jazzman’s Last Jive by Shukyou — A gangster’s moll during prohibition takes a sweet young thing under her wing. The sweet young thing has bigger plans for the gangsters they’re hanging around. Webzine or AO3
War Bonds by Shukyou — Bisexual polyamorous romance about two women working in a factory in WWII america who move in together and fall in love. (One of them is married to a navy sailor; the focus is very much on the f/f relationship.) Very sweet and funny, but some weird time skips! Webzine or AO3
What books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!