Get ready to curl up and snuggle with one of the best gay romance novels from our list, and discover the best male/male (MM) love stories with exciting plots.

On our list, you will find some classic gay romance books from Forster, Baldwin, and Miller mixed with some recently-published new books that are sizzling-hot page-turners by Frank, Bowen and Blakely, and others.

Table of Contents

Here Are The 18 Best MM Romance Novels

1. Maurice by E.M. Forster

Madeline Miller wrote [The Song of Achilles](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062060627? tag=work089-20). In 2012, this book won the Orange Women’s Prize for Fiction (now renamed the Women’s Prize for Fiction), which is the UK’s most prestigious award for a female author. The story is a retelling of the classic tale of Homer’s Iliad. Prince Achilles is a fierce Greek warrior, almost invincible. He has two soft spots, his Achilles’ heel, the only place he could get an injury in battle, and his love for the youth Patroclus.

This novel is the tale of glory in war, friendship, sacrifice, redemption, and the love between Achilles and Patroclus. It is a love story that follows the Greek tradition and ends in tragedy.

“My eye catches on a light head among dozens of dark, tousled crowns. I lean forward to see. Hair lit like honey in the sun, and within it, glints of gold – the circlet of a prince.”

Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

3. Trailer Trash by Marie Sexton

Trailer Trash is the newest novel, published in 2022, by author Marie Sexton. This book is about life in the small town of Warren, Wyoming, during the 1980s. There is nothing for a young high school boy, Nate, to do except get into trouble. Trouble comes in the form of outcast Cody, who befriends him. This coming-of-age, self-discovery story has hope mixed with sorrow and love tainted with loneliness in a heartbreaking romance.

“There must be somewhere else? Cody studies him, weighing his odds. Maybe… I’ll take you somewhere.”

Marie Sexton, Trailer Trash

4. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Alexis Hall wrote Boyfriend Material, published in 2020, and Oprah Magazine named it the Best Book of the Year. It is a hilarious, must-read British romantic comedy about the tribulations of Luc O’Donnell. Luc is the son of 1980s rock stars). At age 28, he constantly gets into trouble and finds his scandalous photos in the tabloids. 

Luc decides the way to fix his life’s mess is to find a clean-cut boyfriend to help. He chooses to hook up with Oliver Blackwood, a handsome young man who is a lawyer and a vegetarian with a perfect reputation. Just the kind of guy one wants to bring home to their mother.

“He gave me the type of look you give someone when you’re mentally shifting them from the box that says ‘attractive” to the box that says ‘weird’.”

Alexis Hall, Boyfriend Material

5. Follow the River by CE Ricci

CE Ricci wrote Follow the River as the first part of theRiver of Rainduet. It is a sports romance story about River Lennox, a college quarterback who dares to be himself. Upon realizing he is bisexual, he is proud of it for real and makes sure no one dares to use this fact against him. He faces down the team captain, Ciaráin Grady, who is cruel and hostile, a natural enemy. 

If you are triggered easily, this book is not for you. However, if you can stand the graphic rawness, sexual violence, and intense emotions and get through to the other side, the result is rewarding to see the change from enemies to lovers.

“I don’t need the news to tell me the world we live in has gone to shit.”

CE Ricci, Follow the River

6. Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

André Aciman wrote [Call Me By Your Name](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LD2H2VT? tag=work089-20), aNew York Timesbestselling novel published in 2017. It became a film starring Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet. The story is set in Italy in 1987. It is a memory told of the summer when an Italian young man named Elio had a romance with Oliver, a graduate student who came to Italy to work with Elio’s father. 

Oliver is carefree. Elio is a moody introvert, but the mismatch does not prevent an attraction from blooming. It is a tender, passionate affair that lasts only as long as the summer yet is unforgettable.

“It may have started during those endless hours after lunch when everybody lounged about in bathing suits inside and outside the house, bodies sprawled everywhere.”

André Aciman, Call Me By Your Name

7. An Unseen Attraction by K.J. Charles

K.J. Charles wrote An Unseen Attraction, published in 2017 as the first must-read book in the Victorian series. Everything is tight and proper in the lodging house run by Clem Talleyfer. Nothing is out of sorts. Clem likes life to be that way, with a home as a quiet abode. Clem takes in lodgers to help with expenses, and Rowley Green is one of them.

Rowley is a loner type, but he cannot resist the beautiful looks, delightful conversation, and charming eyes of Clem, and romance starts to bloom. The idyllic time is suddenly interrupted when another lodger is found dead on the doorstep, turning this gay romance novel into a murder mystery.

“They said the eyes were the windows to the soul, and Clem didn’t feel comfortable peering into people’s windows.”

K.J. Charles, An Unseen Attraction

8. Faking It by Riley Hart

Riley Hart teamed up with author Devon McCormack to write [Faking It](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZB14TU? tag=work089-20). Dev is a good ole country boy with a big city imagination. The story is about the men who live in an upscale condominium building called Metropolis, known for having the hottest men in town who are always on the prowl for new sexual encounters.

A mix-up causes the main characters, Gary and Travis, to be mistaken for lovers. It works to their advantage to play the roles of dedicated boyfriends in public. After trying on the role-play of faking it as a monogamous couple, the men end up falling for each other.

“There was sooo much hot man-beef out tonight.”

Riley Hart and Devon McCormack, Faking It

9. Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

C.S. Pacat published Captive Prince in 2015. The main character is Damen. He is a prince and a warrior hero who loses his rightful throne through the betrayal of his half-brother. He is captured and sent to serve as a pleasure enslaved person for his people’s enemy, Price Laurent. Damen hides his true identity to survive. He needs Laurent to help restore him to the throne with a second chance to find his fortune. The one man Damen needs to help him regain his legacy has more reason to hate him than to help him.

“Laurent was a nest of scorpions in the body of one person.”

C.S. Pacat, Captive Prince

10. A Boy’s Own Story by Edmund White

James Baldwin’s standalone book Giovanni’s Room was banned many times after publication for its unabashed approach to homosexuality and bisexuality. Baldwin writes about his experiences as an American man living in Paris. He meets an Italian bartender at a gay bar in Paris and becomes infatuated with him. Throughout the novel, he explores his relationships with other men and his feelings about Giovanni, including his frustrations and the desire to be taken to the bartender’s room.

“I had decided to allow no room in the universe for something which shamed and frightened me.”

James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a great romance book?

Great romance books feature well-developed characters, emotional depth, and believable relationships. They should create genuine emotional connection between characters and readers, with satisfying character growth and relationship development.

Are romance books only for women?

No, romance books are for anyone who enjoys stories about relationships and emotional connections. While the genre has traditionally been marketed to women, many men enjoy romance books, and the genre is becoming more diverse in its readership and representation.

What are the different types of romance books?

Romance books include contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and many subgenres. Each type offers different settings, themes, and levels of heat, allowing readers to find stories that match their preferences.

Why do people love romance books?

People love romance books for the emotional satisfaction, hope, and escape they provide. They offer stories of love, connection, and happy endings that can be comforting and uplifting in a complex world.

13. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston