Top Ten Tuesday | Recommendations for M/M!

By Birdie

10 Books for People Who Want to Try M/M Romance

I’m not sure how obvious it is, but I try to read a wide variety of genres.  It’s always been something I’ve done for my own comfort.  I love many different types of fiction, but I find that when I read too much of one back to back I get burnt out.  It’s like a palate cleanser, I guess.  Starting fresh.  A reset.

Still, I find myself frequently coming back to M/M romance and I’ve had a couple people ask me for recs, wanting to dive in but not knowing where to start.  I feel like there maybe be other people who are also interested, but maybe intimidated.  (I know I was when I read my first M/M book, Among the Living.)  I thought maybe this would be a good nudge, full of books that I would swear by all in one place.  Full of all my favorites.

I’m sure you’ve already seem me rave about some of these a million times, so be prepared because I’m doing it again.

Among1. Among the Living by Jordan Castillo Price

If you’re looking for an M/M, Among the Living is a good choice.  It’s got a strong world and plot, and the first few books are considered novella’s, with this first book at only 89 pages.  It was my first M/M read ever, and to this day it’s one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series.  Victor Bayne is one of the most honest characters written.

How to Be a Normal Person2. How to be a Normal Person by TJ Klune

How to be a Normal Person is another great starting point for anyone wanting to read M/M.  First, it’s one of the funniest books ever.  TJ Klune is the king of writing comedic dialogue.  It just comes naturally to him.  On top of being hilarious, it also has a main character that’s asexual, and so there’s no sex scenes at all.  Just incredibly romantic epic hugs.

Carry the Ocean3. Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan

Carry the Ocean is another of my favorites, because of Emmett and Jeremey, but also because it’s so much more than their love.  It’s also about disabilities.  It’s about Emmett’s fight to be seen as a capable man, and Jeremey’s fight to control his anxiety and depression.  It’s a good first read because you can’t help but root for them.  You have to love them.

Bear4. Bear, Otter, and the Kid by TJ Klune

Bear, Otter and The Kid is probably the best place to start.  It’s heartwarming, funny, honest.  It is intimate, but tender.  It’s a coming of age story about a boy taking care of his baby brother and falling in love.  It’s TJ Klune… I mean, if I want to be honest, you could just start with anything by TJ.  This isn’t the last time you’ll see him on this list.

him5. HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

This one doesn’t hold back.  It’s not going to go easy on you.  Him is a love story that just hits you over the head.  Wes and Jamie’s connection was so powerful that you find yourself turning the pages, for hours, until the book is finished.  You’ll be out of breath, and your heart will be beating.  You’ll be in love.  That’s why you should read this one.

Wolfsong6. Wolfsong by TJ Klune

Another TJ Klune!  All of the TJ reasons still stand.  Wolfsong is an Urban Fantasy story, and it is a love story.  However, it’s a love of family, and a love between a mother and her son.  It’s a love story about childhood friends, and yes, those friends grow up and fall in love.  Basically, everything TJ writes is about more than sex, it’s about connections.

Somebody Killed Editor7. Somebody Killed His Editor by Josh Lanyon

Somebody Killed his Editor was another M/M book that I read early on.  I think it’s a great pick for anyone interested simply because it is a romance, but it’s more of a cozy mystery.  The mystery portion is done very well, with twists and turns and a Murder She Wrote type ending.  Even better, it’s funny.  I love both Kit Holmes and J.X. Moriarity.

hell-high-water8. Hell & High Water by Charlie Cochet

You know how those big, sweeping, romance novels are so popular?  The ones with multiple characters, with each character getting a focused story?  Like Black Dagger Brotherhood?  That’s what THIRDS is.  It’s got a wonderful, slow burning, romance but it also has a cast of characters that you can’t help but adore.  You can’t go wrong with THIRDS.

captive-prince9. Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

These last two picks aren’t for the fainthearted.  Captive Prince is one of the best romance novels I’ve ever read.  I’m not just talking M/M, I’m talking ever.  It’s an enemy to lovers story that you aren’t sure you’ll like in book one, but by the end of book two you’ll realize that you’re addicted.  It’s not an easy story, but it’s one that’s definitely worth it.

Special Forces10. Special Forces – Soldiers by Aleksandr Voinov and Marquesate

IF you make it through the Captive Prince trilogy, and you’re ready for something even harsher and more volatile… and by volatile I mean seriously violent, then maybe think about reading Special Forces.  The followup installments weren’t nearly as good, but this first book incinerated me.  This was enemies turned lovers to the extreme.  These men brutalized each other in the beginning, and the road to love was rough, but also kind of beautiful.  It’s FULL of trigger warnings, so please check that out before you read it.  People either love it, or they hate everything about it.  I fall in the first group, but I won’t be surprised if you fall in the second.  If you want to start easy, don’t look here.  Scroll back up to the top of this list.

Top Ten Tuesday
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About Birdie

Don’t look for her in any bar, club, crazy raging party, or anywhere there may be a large gathering of strangers. She’s more likely to be found tucked into the corner of the couch watching one of her favorite shows, or preferably under a comforter with her current novel.

42 Responses

  3. Anastasia

    I love your list!
    Special Forces is so brutally brilliant! One of my favorites.
    My favorite M/M books are hmm No Iron Bars for Cage by Kaje Harper. And Prisoner 374215 by Angel Martinez, Rough Boys by J. Vaughn. Have you read these?

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    1. Birdie

      I haven’t read any of those! I’m totally going to have to go check them out now!

      I think you’re the first person in the blogging world I’ve met who loved Special Forces! It was soooo brutally brilliant. I never did finish the series. I wasn’t too happy with Mercenaries 2 and especially 3. I never read Veterans.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Anastasia

        Definitely! Based on Special Forces, I think you’d like them! All of them are obviously tamer but still really good.

        Hahaha I know right, I’ve actually never even seen anyone mention the Special Forces. Yeah I mean there’s a lot of violence but at the same time it’s all pretty epic.

        And thank you for this list. I want to read more MM but I never have the time to figure out what books I might like.

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      2. Birdie

        You definitely like things more intense, based on your choices. I like an occasionally intense book, but I tend to like those that are a bit lighter, or emotional rather than gritty. I’ll definitely be checking those out though. For sure.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. alexreadsboooks

    I keep thinking about reading more M/M romances, but I never get around to it, maybe this will finally convince me xD
    Have you read Peter Darling by Austin Chant? It has a great M/M romance! And it’s so well written *_*
    And A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson is a really great M/M fantasy! Though it does take a few pages to get used to the style I think.

    My TTT: https://alexreadsboooks.wordpress.com/2017/08/15/top-ten-tuesday-ten-book-recommendations-for-people-looking-to-read-more-books-with-lgbtaiq-protagonists/

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  8. owlsreads

    Carry the Ocean is SOOOO GOOD!!! I still have to read the second installment, though 😛

    I never could get into PsyCop :/

    HIM was super cute and Somebody Killed… was such a great mystery!

    CAPTIVE PRINCE IS EVERYTHING!!!!! Favorite series ever with the best character development ❤

    And Hell and High Water was so good! Although I think the series is getting a bit drawn out?

    FINALLY… I've been meaning to read Special Forces for foreeeeeever but the trigger warnings scare me so much D:

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    1. Birdie

      Wow! You’ve read so many of these! I love that! It makes me feel so excited.

      Carry the Ocean was spectacular. Heidi Cullinan is such a good writer, but that one is probably my most favorite.

      Somebody Killed was a fun mystery, but I also thought it was funny too. I think she’s the only cozy mystery writer I read.

      Captive Prince, YES! Nail on the head! Lauren’ts character development was indescribable.

      THIRDS may be drawn out, but I still find myself excited for the installments. I can’t help it. It’s just so much fun.

      Special Forces is no joke. It’s the most violent love story I’ve ever read. You definitely have to be able to stomach some pretty major triggers. It pushes all the buttons.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Kourtni @ Kourtni Reads

    I’ll have to look into some of these. I love a good m/m romance, but it’s been way too long since I’ve actually read one!

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  11. alibooknerd

    M/M Romance is my guilty pleasure, I read them every chance I get. The TJ Klume books sound interesting I’ll have a go at them once I can get through my pile of books I have. I have been really wanting to read the Captive Prince Trilogy ever since I first heard about them a few months back. I rarely heard bad things about it and this makes me want to go buy them immediately.

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    1. Birdie

      LOL! Mine too! My sister made a comment that it looks like I read mostly M/M romance. I try to keep it evenly spread, but they are my current favorites.

      Captive Prince is spectacular. If you did buy and read them immediately, you wouldn’t be sorry. (The same for TJ Klune. I’d start with Bear, Otter and the Kid. That series is now complete.)

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  12. Jackie B @ Death by Tsundoku

    This makes me so happy! I’m so excited to see a list of all your favorite M/M romance books listed in one place! I’ve been trying to piece together where to start (and now I know: Bear, Otter, and the Kid) and FINALLY I have some real solid direction. I feel like each time we talk you give me another book to pick up. Whew! Now I’ll just try to make it through the list— well, with the potential exception of Special Forces – Soldiers. I really struggle with violence.

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    1. Birdie

      Yeah, don’t read Special Forces. I’ve never read a more violent book that was classified as romance. It’s extremely brutal.

      Bear Otter and the Kid is the perfect place to start. Any TJ Klune book, really. But that one wasn’t too overwhelmingly sexual, but it also isn’t completely without sex either. Plus, it’s just a great story about family.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight

    I’m going to check out Among the Living and probably add it to my TBR if it’s not already there 🙂 I’m still considering reading Wolfsong at some point. I’m not generally a fan of shifters, but I realized lately that it might be just depending on the way they’re written, and I do like Klune’s books. And of course I agree with Captive Prince!

    My first M/M was Incubus by Amanda Meuwissen. I think that was a good intro since it had a good story and lovable characters to go with the romance.

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    1. Birdie

      Wolfsong is a shifter book, but it’s done in a way that’s so different from others I’ve read. There was something kind of spiritual about the pack. I really loved it so much.

      I’ll have to check out Incubus! I’ve never even heard of that.

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  15. Beware Of The Reader

    I love your post Wendy! I haven’t read many M/M but I began with Wolfsong and it’s been insta love for me. Now I see Captive Prince coming again and again… I’ll really have to read this one sometime!

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