We have an update! Thanks again to everyone who submitted additional recommendations for the Readers’ Favourite Gay Books. Wren did a superb job incorporating your new recommendations with the previous list and I would like to thank her on behalf of all the M/M readers.  The list is now 300 books, at least two thirds of which you selected and I know that readers of M/M romances and other gay books will appreciate your contributions. As I said in the earlier post, this is not a Top Anything list, it’s a list of favourite M/M books from you, supplemented by many of mine.

You will be pleased to know that all of your new suggestions have been added. We have maintained the same categorization system to make it easy for you to find the books and I hope that this list will continue to be an excellent reference source for you, the readers. All of the different gay sub genres are here including memoirs and other books of social significance such as Armistead Maupin’s wonderful commentary about life in San Francisco in the 1970s – Tales of the City -  a memorable period of gay and also US history. 

As mentioned previously, all paranormal and fantasy books have been grouped under Speculative Fiction, but the other categories are very familiar to you.  A few books on the list are extremely violent and some have no HEA so buyer beware and check the reviews on sites such as amazon or Barnes & Noble!

So here’s your updated list of Readers’ Favourite Gay Books which combines your recommendations and the original 118 books.

Many of the books on the list have withstood the test of time and have been around as readers’ favourites for 25 or more years (The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren, The Charioteer by Mary Renault are excellent examples) and more recent favourites such as the PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price, the Adrien English Mysteries by Josh Lanyon, The Tin Star by J.L. Langley, The Draegan Lords by M.L. Rhodes, to name a few.

 LEGEND

C=Contemporary
H=Historical
M=Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
S=Speculative Fiction/Paranormal/Fantasy
W=Cowboy
MEM=Memoir
P=Play
Social History=SH

Favourite Gay Books
 
-The Classics

(for this purpose books released more than 15 years ago i.e. 1994 and earlier)

 A Different Sin by Rochelle Hollander Schwab (H)
A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham (H)
A Queer Kind Of Death by George Baxt (M)
A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood (C)
Angels in America by Tony Kushner (P)
And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts (SH)
Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story by Paul Monette (SH)
City of Night by John Rechy (C)
Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran (SH) (C)
Dancers of Arun by Elizabeth A. Lynn (S)
David Blaize by E.F. Benson (H)
Gaywyck by Vincent Varga (H)
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (MEM)
Kiss Of The Spider Woman by Manuel Puig
Maurice by E.M. Forster (H)
My Dearest Holmes by Rohase Piercy (H)
Social Disease by Paul Rudnick (SH)
Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (S)
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin (SH)
Teot’s War/Bloodstorm by Heather Gladney (S)
The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal (C)
The Best Little Boy in the World by Andrew Tobias (M)
The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley (C)
The Charioteer by Mary Renault (H)
The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt (C)
The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren (C)
The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy (series) Titles – Magic’s Pawn; Magic’s Promise; Magic’s Price; by Mercedes Lackey (S)
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst (C)
The Night G.A.A. Died by Jack Ricardo (M) (SH)
The Object Of My Affection by Stephen McCauley (C)
The Persian Boy (series) other books – Fire from Heaven; Funeral Games – by Mary Renault (H)
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (S)
While England Sleeps by David Leavitt (H)
Vampires Anonymous by Jeffrey N. McMahan (S)
 

- - Current 
 

(for this purpose books released 15 years ago or less i.e. 1995 or later)

A Bit of Rough by Laura Baumbach (C)
A Face Without A Heart by Rick R. Reed (S)
A Land Fit for Heroes (series) by Richard Morgan (S)
A Note In The Margin by Isabelle Rowan (C)
Adagio by Chris Owen (C)
Adrien English Mysteries (series) Titles – Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of A Pirate King;  The Dark Tide; by Josh Lanyon (M)
Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger (C)
Always by M.L. Rhodes (includes Hearts and Bones & Never Let Go) (C)
An Agreement Among Gentlemen by Chris Owen (H)
An Improper Holiday by K.A. Mitchell (H)
And the Two Shall Become One by Mychael Black and Shayne Carmichael (S)
Angel Land by Victor J. Banis (S)
Angel’s Evolution by T.A. Chase (H)
Angels of the Deep by Kirby Crow (S)
Any Kind of Luck by William Jack Sibley (C)
As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann (H)
As You Are by Ethan Day (C)
At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O’Neill (H)

B. Quick by C. S. Laurel (M)
Backtrack by Joseph Hansen (M)
Back Where He Started by Jay Quinn (C)
Bad Case of Loving You by Lainey Cairo (C)
Bareback by Chris Owen (W)
Bay City Paranormal Investigations (series) Titles – Oleander House; What Hides Inside; Twilight; Closer; An Inner Darkness; by Ally Blue
Blessed Isle (included in the Hidden Conflict anthology) by Alex Beecroft (H)
Blind Desire by I.D. Locke (S)
Blood Claim (anthology) Laura Baumbach, Angela Fiddler, Jet Mykles (S)
Blue Ruin (series) Titles – Some Kind of Stranger; Close to Me; Chains of Love; Need You Tonight; by Katrina Strauss (C)
Border Roads by Sarah Black (C)
Bound and Determined by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow (C)
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (C)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Lynn Lorenz (C)
Breakfast With Scot by Michael Downing (C)
Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx (W)
Broken Boundaries by Evangeline Anderson (S)

Cambridge Fellows Mysteries (series) Titles -  Lessons in:  Love; Desire; Discovery; Power; Temptation; Seduction; - by Charlie Cochrane (H) (M)
Captain’s Surrender by Alex Beecroft (H)
Caught Running by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux (C)
Channeling Morpheus (series) – Titles  – Payback; Vertigo; Mannikin; Rebirth; Tainted;  by Jordan Castillo Price (S)
Chrome by George Nadar (S)
Collision Course by K.A. Mitchell (C)
Comfort & Joy by Jim Grimsley (C)
Cowboy Blues by Steven Lewis (M)
Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield (C)
Cultivating Love by Addison Albright  (C)
Cut and Run; Sticks and Stones: (series) by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux (M)

Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran (C)
Dangerous Moonlight by Mel Keegan (H)
Dash & Dingo by Sean Kennedy and Catt Ford (H) (M)
Dave Brandstetter Mysteries (series) by Joseph Hansen (M)
Deadly series  Titles – Deadly Dreams; Deadly Slumber; Deadly Wrong; Deadly Nightshade; by Victor J. Banis (M)
Death’s Head (series) Titles – Death’s Head; Equinox; Scorpio ; by Mel Keegan (S)
Details of the Hunt by Laura Baumbach (S)
Detective Lane Mysteries (series) by Garry Ryan (M)
Deviations (series) Titles –  Submission; Domination; Discipline; Bondage;  by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne (C)
Discreet Young Gentleman by M J Pearson (H)
Donald Strachey Mysteries (series) by Richard Stevenson (M)
Drawn Together by ZA Maxfield (C)
Dreaming of Dragons/Here be Dragons by T.A. Chase (S)
Duval’s Gold by Chris Hunt (H)

Easy by Ally Blue (C)
Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz (S)
Esprit de Corps anthology (H)
Eye of the Storm by Lee Rowan (H)

Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels (C)
Falling by Cameron Dane (S)
Falling by M.L. Rhodes (S)
False Colors by Alex Beecroft (H)
Fingering the Family Jewels by Greg Lilly (M)
Fire Season by Lex Valentine (S)
First You Fall by Scott Sherman (M)
Found by Sean Michael (C)
Freeman by Clare London (C)
Frost Fair by Erastes (H)

Glad Hands by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks (S) 
Golden Boy by Michael Nava (M)
Golden Boy/Golden Man by Claire Thompson (C)
Gym Dandy by Storm Grant (C)

Hard Fall by James Buchanan (C)
Heat by Tory Temple (C)
Heaven Sent (series) Titles – Heaven; Purgatory; Hell; Faith; Genesis; by Jet Mykles (C)
Hell Cop (series) by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, Nicole Kimberling (S)
Henry and Jim by J. M. Snyder (C)
Henry Rios Mysteries (series) by Michael Nava (M)
Her Majesty’s Men by Marquesate (C)
Heroes & Ghosts by S.A. Payne (S)
Hidden Force by Shayla Kersten (C)
High Line by T.A. Chase (C)
His Convenient Husband by J.L. Langley (W)
Hot Cargo by Nikki Bennet and Ariel Tachna (S)
How Long has this been Going On? by Ethan Mordden (SH)

Ice Cream on the Side by Wren Boudreau (C)
If All the Sand Were Pearl by Pepper Espinoza (S)
I’ll be your Drill, Soldier by Crystal Rose (C)

In The Company of Men series – Baymore’s Heir; Jackson’s Pride; The Mercenary’s Tale;  by Lynn Lorenz (H) (S)
In The Strangest Places by Willa Okati (C)

Jack Dorm (series) Titles – Dar & Greg; Drew & Vince; David & Connor; by Bobby Michaels
Keeping Promise Rock by Amy Lane (C)
Kind Hearts by Evelyn Martin (C)
Kirith Kirin, by Jim Grimsley (S)

L.A. Heat by P.A. Brown (M)
L.A. Mischief by P.A. Brown (M)
Labryinth (series) Titles – Melusine; The Virtu; The Mirador; Corambis; by Sarah Monette (S)
Last Summer by Michael Thomas Ford  (C)
Like Coffee and Donuts by Elle Parker (C)
Lola Dances by Victor J. Banis (H)
Longhorns by Victor J. Banis (W)
Looking for It by Michael Thomas Ford (C)
Lord and Master by Jules Jones (C)
Lord John Grey Novels by Diana Gabaldon (H)
Love & Loyalty by Tere Michaels (C)
Love in an Elevator by Sean Michael (C)
Lover’s Knot by Donald Hardy (H)
Lover’s Knots by Katherine Cross (H)

Mahu series by Neil S. Plakcy (M)
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (MEM)
Men of Smithfield (series) Titles – Happy Ending; Gobsmacked;  Cover Me; by L.B. Gregg (C)
Mexican Heat by Josh Lanyon and Laura Baumbach (C)
Mr. Clive and Mr. Page by Neil Bartlett (H)
My Fair Captain/The Englor Affair (series) by J.L. Langley (S)

Naked by David Sedaris (MEM)
Neg UB2 by Rick R. Reed (C)
Nick Hoffman Mysteries (series) by Lev Raphael (M)
Nicky D’Amico (series)  Titles – Habit for Death; Ice in His Veins by Chuck Zito (M)
Nightrunner (series) by Lynn Flewelling (S)
No Fear in Love by Jamie Craig (C)
9-1-1 by Chris Owen (C)
Nocturne by Mel Keegan (H)
Notturno by Z. A. Maxfield (S)

Oil And Water by B.A. Tortuga (C)
On Fire by Drew Zachary (C)
Orientation by Rick R. Reed (S)
Out of the Blue by Josh Lanyon (H)
Out There in the Night by Laura Baumbach (S)

Pandora Project: Runaway Star by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox (S)
Paul’s Dream by Rowan McBride (S)
Perfect by Julia Talbot (C)
Personal Demons by James Buchanan
Phoenix Rising: Strongman by Denise Rossetti (S)
Practical Purposes by Yeva Wiest (C)
Private Dicks by Katie Allen (M)
Promises by Marie Sexton (C)
PsyCop (series) Titles – Among the Living; Criss Cross; Body & Soul; Secrets; Camp Hell;  by Jordan Castillo Price (S)

Raised by Wolves (series) by W. A. Hoffman (H)
Ransom by Lee Rowan (H)
Regularly Scheduled LIfe by K. A. Mitchell (C)
Road Trip (series) Titles– Racing The Moon;  Steam And Sunshine; Under Pressure; by B.A. Tortuga (C)
Rough Canvas by Joey Hill (C) 
Rough Draft  by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne (C)
Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs (MEM)
Russell Quant mysteries (series) by Anthony Bidulka (M)

Scarlet and the White Wolf series by Kirby Crow (S)
Seeing You by Dakota Flint (W)
Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley (M)
Shadow Hunt by LM Prieto and Jayson Taylor (S)
Shadow of a Wolf by Jez Morrow (S)
Slave Boy by Evangeline Anderson (S)
Sleight of Hand by Katrina Strauss (S)
Snowball in Hell by Josh Lanyon (H)
Somebody Killed His Editor by Josh Lanyon (M)
Soothe the Burn by T.A. Chase
Soul Mates (series)  Titles – Bound by Blood; Deceptiions; Sacrifice; Secrets; by Jourdan Lane (S)
Speak Its Name (anthology) – Charlie Cochrane; Erastes; Lee Rowan – (H)
St. Nacho’s by Z. A. Maxfield (C)
Standish by Erastes (H)
Stealing Life by T A Chase (C)
Sticks and Stones by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux (M)
Stormy Weather (series) Titles– Rain and Whiskey; Tropical Depression; Hurricane; by B.A. Tortuga (C)
Strange Fortune by Josh Lanyon (S)
Strange Place In Time (series) Titles – The Recalling of John Arrowsmith; The White Palace Awakens; The Merry Executioner Returns; by Alyx J. Shaw  (S)
Strongest Shape by Tessa Cardenas (C)
Sutcliffe Cove by Madeleine Urban and Ariel Tachna (C)
Sweet Oblivion (series) Titles – Brazen; Snare; Fluid; Swarm; Elixer – Jordan Castillo Price (S)
Sweet Topping by Carol Lynne (C)

Tangle (anthology) by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale etc. (S)
Tangled Web by Lee Rowan (H)
Thatcher Boys (series) Titles – Jumping Into Things; Adrenaline Junkies; Christmas Fire; Landing With Both Feet; Taking The Leap; by Julia Talbot (C)
The Administration series (Mind Fuck; Quid Pro Quo; Games & Players; Control) by Manna Francis (S)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon (S)
The Archer’s Heart by Astrid Amara (S)
The Assignment by Evangeline Anderson (C)
The Back Passage by James Lear (H)
The Bonds of Love by J. M. Snyder (S)
The Bones of Summer by Anne Brooke (C)
The Boy I Love by Marion Husband (H)
The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marriage and My Family by Dan Savage (MEM)
The Curtis Reincarnation by Zathyn Priest (C)
The Draegan Lords (series) Titles – True of Heart; Lords of Kellesborne; Fires of Ballian;  by M.L.Rhodes (S)
The Elegant Corpse by A.M. Riley (C)
The Golden Age of Gay Fiction (H)
The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek (S)
The God in Flight by Laura Argiri (H)
The Hell You Ride by Julia Talbot (H)
The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant by Dan Savage (MEM)
The Larton Chronicles – James Anson (C)
The Lonely War by Alan Chin (H)
The Long Way Home by Z.A. Maxfield (S)
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst (C)
The Lost Language of Cranes by David Leavitt (C)
The Married Man by Edmund White (C) (SH)
The One That Got Away by Madeleine Urban & Rhianne Aile (C)
The One That Stayed by T.C. Blue (C)
The Phoenix by Ruth Sims (H) 
The Price of Temptation by M J Pearson (H)
The Protector by N.L. Gassert (C)
The Rest of Our Lives by Dan Stone (S)
The Shadow of the Templar series by M Chandler (C)
The Tin Star by J.L. Langley (W)
The Vintner’s Luck by Elizabeth Knox (H,S)

The Why Not by Victor J. Banis
Three Fortunes in One Cookie by Cochrane Lambert (C)
Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy (C)
Timeless by Patric Michael (C)
Touching Evil by Rob Knight (M)
Transgressions by Erastes (H)  
Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling (S)
Two Gentlemen Sharing by William Corlett  (C)

The Mercenary’s Tale by Lynn Lorenz (H) (S)
The One That Got Away by Madeleine Urban & Rhianne Aile (C)
The Phoenix by Ruth Sims (H) 
The Price of Temptation by M J Pearson (H)
The Protector by N.L. Gassert (C)
The Rest of Our Lives by Dan Stone (S)
The Shadow of the Templar (series) by M Chandler (C)
The Tin Star by J.L. Langley (W)
The Vintner’s Luck by Elizabeth Knox (H,S)
Three Fortunes in One Cookie by Cochrane Lambert (C)
Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy (C)
Timeless by Patric Michael (C)
Transgressions by Erastes (H)  
Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling (S)
Two Gentlemen Sharing by William Corlett  (C)

Uncommon Whore by Belinda McBride (S)
Uneven by Anah Crow (C)
Untamed Heart by Ally Blue (C)
Utopia X (series) Titles – Looking For Some touch; Seeking Something Wicked; Exploring Savage Places by K.Z. Snow (S)

VGL Male Seeks Same by Rick R. Reed (C)

Walk Among Us by VIvien Dean (S)
Want Me by Rowan McBride (S)
Warriors Cross by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux (M)
What Love Means to You People by NancyKay Shapiro (C)
Where Flows the Water bySean Michael (S)
Where The Boys Are by William J. Mann (C)
Whistling in the Dark by Tamara Allen (H)  
Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale (S)
Windbrothers/Guardians of the Wind by Sean Michael (S)
Winds of Change by Lee Rowan (H)
Windows in Time by M. Jules Aedin (M)
Without Reservations/With Caution J.L. Langley (S)
Witness by Mike Shade (M)
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon (MEM)

Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville (C) 

Young Adult

A Better Place by Mark A. Roeder (C)
A Boy’s Own Story by Edmund White (C)
A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloane (C)
A Strong and Sudden Thaw by R.W.Day (S)
All Lost Things Josh Aterovis (M)
Bleeding Hearts by Josh Aterovis (M)
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (C)
Changing Jamie by Dakota Chase (C)
Common Sons by Ronald Donaghe (C)
Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley (C)
Freshman Pledge: The Magic of Love by Larry Coles (C)
Hero by Perry Moore (S)
Leave Myself Behind by Bart Yates (C) 
Masks (series) Titles – Rise of Heroes; Evolution; Ordinary Champions – by Hayden Thorne (S)
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (C)
Now is the Hour by Tom Spanbauer (H)
Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg (C)
Reap The Whirlwind by Josh Aterovis (M)
Strings Attached by Nick Nolan (M)
Thinking Straight by Robin Reardon  (C)
Two Steps Up by Sean Kennedy (C)
Uncle Sean by Ronald Donaghe  (C)
Vintage – A Ghost Story by Steve Berman (S)
Without Sin by J. Tomas (C)
 
Recommended YA Authors

Steve Berman
Brent Hartinger
Alex Sanchez
Hayden Thorne
David Levithan
Josh Aterovis
Peter Cameron
Martin Wilson
Perry Moore