Get Lost in These M/M Historical Fantasies

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Laura Sackton is a queer e-book nerd and freelance author, identified on the web for loving winter, despising summer season, and going overboard with extravagant baking initiatives. In addition to her work at Book Riot, she opinions for BookWeb page and AudioFile, and writes a weekly publication, Books & Bakes, celebrating queer lit and engaging treats. You can catch her on Instagram shouting concerning the queer books she loves and sharing pictures of the walks she takes in the hills of Western Mass (whereas listening to audiobooks, in fact).

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Back after I was a child romance reader, one of many very first books I learn was The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles. I don’t bear in mind the place I heard about it. I didn’t know who KJ Charles was again then! (I’ve now learn all of her books, a few of them many occasions.) I do keep in mind that I checked it out of my library. I learn it, after which I learn the subsequent one in the sequence, after which I used to be hooked.

So, whereas I now love every kind of romance, from modern to historic, I nonetheless have a gentle spot in my coronary heart for queer historic romantasy. I learn romance for the enjoyment of it, and it doesn’t get rather more joyful than queer individuals all through historical past getting Happily Ever Afters + magic. Can you consider a greater escape? I can’t.

Here are eight glorious M/M historic fantasies that can transport you thru time (and typically into alternate universes). You’ll discover cursed rings, magical households with harmful secrets and techniques, speaking clocks, a retelling of Peter Pan, and extra. The worlds these authors construct are all distinctive, as are the sorts of magic the characters encounter. And although not each e-book here’s a basic romance — some are extra adventure-heavy, and others are extra mystery-heavy — all of them have HEAs (or, a minimum of, they’ll — a few of these books are the primary in their sequence).

Spellbound by Allie Therin

This is the primary e-book in a fully beautiful trilogy set in Nineteen Twenties New York. It options an enchanting magic system, a crew of supernatural characters with varied magical talents, and two males with very completely different personalities and life experiences who can’t appear to cease working into one another — till they begin doing it on function. If you want magical mysteries with a aspect of romance, a number of character development, discovered household, and speakeasies, that is your e-book.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

A couple of months in the past, in the temper for some enjoyable fantasy, I requested on Instagram for suggestions for books that had “sexy vibes + magic.” Someone steered this, and it’s excellent. Set in a magical model of Edwardian England, it follows Robin Blyth, whose new authorities job is rather more than he bargained for. His predecessor, he quickly learns, is useless, and he’s now chargeable for liaising with the key magical neighborhood of England. Also, he’s cursed. Also, he’s form of perhaps hopefully not falling in love with the infuriating magician Edwin Courcey. The complete factor is a delight from begin to end.

The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles

I couldn’t make this checklist with out together with the e-book that received me hooked on historic fantasy romances in the primary place. This is the primary e-book in a sequence that follows the identical couple by varied adventures, though there are a number of glorious standalone novels set in the identical world as properly. Set in an alt-Victorian London, it’s about Lucien Crane, an aristocrat who returns dwelling from 20 years away after his father dies and leaves him with a complete lot of inherited magical bother. Crane calls on magical investigator Stephen Day for assist, and, properly, you may guess what occurs. Between them, a minimum of. You in all probability can’t guess what occurs with the magpies.

A Matter of Disagreement by EE Ottoman

If you’re on the lookout for unbelievable, light, and superbly nuanced historic romances starring trans and queer characters, EE Ottoman is your writer! This novella is a part of his Mechanical Universe sequence, set in a steampunk-ish model of nineteenth century America. Andrea, a magician and scholar, is extraordinarily doubtful of a brand new animation science taking the world by storm — and he’s not afraid to talk out about it. But then he meets the founding father of the science, Marquis de la Marche, and he isn’t in any respect what Andrea imagined. Ottoman has a expertise for constructing wealthy and vivid worlds in only a few pages — this can be a fast however impactful learn.

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

This novel takes place in a unique world to ours, although it’s impressed by Edwardian England. It’s in the beginning a fantasy journey/homicide thriller, however the romantic aspect is robust (and satisfying)! Miles Singer is a physician who hides his magical talents to keep away from being discovered by his highly effective household. When a person dies mysteriously on the hospital the place he works, it threatens Miles’s secret — and places him in the trail of Tristan, who has secrets and techniques of his personal. The complete novel is as atmospheric as the quilt; the world-building is top-notch.

Peter Darling by S. A. Chant

This is presumably my favourite historic fantasy romance ever, and it’s undoubtedly my favourite Peter Pan retelling. In Chant’s sensible reimagining, Peter Pan is a trans man who discovered his approach to Neverland as a child to flee his transphobic household, the Darlings. Now a younger grownup, after a disastrous few years making an attempt to dwell as Wendy Darling once more, he returns to Neverland, the place he encounters his previous nemesis, Hook. Sparks fly. Adventures are had. There’s a lot good banter and high-stakes motion. But beneath all that, there’s a really tender and transferring romance about letting your self be seen and be seen by the particular person you like.

Timekeeper by Tara Sim

This is a really enjoyable and inventive YA novel set in an alt-Victorian universe the place clocks instantly management how time really works. If a clock tower breaks or stops working, so does time. Danny is a clock mechanic who will get combined up in some varied harmful enterprise when one thing goes flawed with the clock tower he maintains. He finally ends up falling in love with a mysterious boy who haunts the tower — however that’s solely the start. Their adventures proceed by two extra books, however don’t fear: there’s a HEA on the finish!

A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson (Bonus!)

This is just not a standard romance, however it’s a historic fantasy set in an enchanting and detailed world, and a ravishing love story. Aqib bgm Sadiq, a younger man who runs the Royal Menariage, finds his life is perpetually modified when he falls in love with Lucrio, a soldier stationed for a time in his metropolis. Defying his household and all the pieces he was taught as a toddler, Aqib decides to threat his present place and future security for an opportunity at love. Don’t count on this to hit all of the beats of a romance novel, however do count on to be swept up in its magic and journey.

If you’re hungry for extra queer fantasy, historic fantasy, and fantasy romance, we’ve received you lined! Check out these queer historic romances, these swoony romantasy books, and these queer SFF romance books.

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