14 Insanely heartwarming lgbt books not about coming out

Recently updated on May 12th, 2024 at 09:59 am

Searching for lgbt books not about coming out? Here are 14 insanely heartwarming and joyful lgbt books where coming out isn’t the focus.

This post contains affiliate links. That said, I won’t ever recommend a book I haven’t read and loved myself.

I am a HUGE fan of LGBTQ+ books!  I’m constantly browsing the bookstore looking for new LGBTQ+  books. As a lesbian,  I think its refreshing to see yourself reflected in a book.

 And while books about coming out and LGBTQ+ struggles are important. Sometimes you just want to a light-hearted, low stakes book where the character doesn’t struggle due to their sexuality. So, I’ve compiled a list of incredible lgbt books not about coming out.

Let’s see the best lgbt books not about coming out

Top lgbt books not about coming out

Here are some incredible lgbt books not about coming out. These are all books I have personally read and loved 🙂

1. The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

The Falling in Love Montage is an adorable summer romance. While it tackles issues such as early-onset dementia, coming out is not an issue in the novel.

The title plays on tropes found in 90s and 00s rom coms. The title is a play on ‘the falling in love montage’ where you watch a selection of clips showing the main characters fall in love.

The Falling In Love Montage follows Saoirse . She is struggling to cope because her mother is in a home with dementia. Also, it’s a hereditary condition. One day she might inherit it. So she doesn’t  see the point in a relationship. Until she meets Ruby at a party.  And they decide to have a relaxed summer fling.

While this does tackle complex themes such as mental health issues, this is offset with adorable summer romance. The result is a light-hearted summer romance.

Ciara Smyth wrote The Falling in Love Montage. And she previously worked as a mental health trainer. This definitely comes across in the book. And it deals with many mental health issues. It also deals with the consequences of early-onset dementia.

The character is already out with a supportive family. And the witty lines regarding sexuality made me laugh out loud. A great pick if you’re looking for lgbt books not about coming out.

 2. She drives me crazy by Kelly Quindlen

She Drives me Crazy is another light-hearted romance with a character already out. Coming out does not feature as a main storyline in the book. And no character struggles to come to terms with their sexuality.

She drives me crazy is a queer enemies to lovers sports romance with the fake dating trope. We follow Scottie Zajac. She loses spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up. So she gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person. Her nemesis Irene Abraham.

Irene Abraham is incredibly beautiful but also incredible mean. And things only get worse when their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved. And the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop.

And it only gets worse the more time they spend together. But then an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her ex. And she bribes Irene into playing along.

The light-hearted romance is perfect if you’re looking for lgbt books not about coming out. It tackles complex issues but overall this is a cute, light-hearted read. If you’re looking for feel-good  lgbt books not about coming out then this is a great choice

I’m obsessed with the enemies to lovers trope. If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers books then you’re in luck. I have a whole blog post dedicated to wlw enemies to lovers books you can check out here.

3. Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Written in the Stars is an incredible, feel-good wlw romance with both characters already confident in their sexuality.

We follow Elle and Darcy. Elle is  a free-spirited social media astrologer. She agrees to a disastrous first date with uptight actuary Darcy. 

After the terrible blind date, Darcy is determined to stop her brother from setting her up again. So she lies and starts a fake relationship with Elle.

Written in the stars is incredible. It’s a queer and contemporary version of Pride and Prejudice. The characters were so well-developed and well written. The fake-dating trope always allows for lots of character development.  But you could feel the chemistry through the pages  – it was written so well!

If you’re looking for lgbt books not about coming out this would be a great pick. This is a feel-good Wintery romance with a happy ending. While characters struggle in the book, it is not predominantly due to their sexuality.

4. Honey girl by Morgan Rogers

Honey Girl is a contemporary novel. While it tackles many difficult themes such as racism, mental heath issues and burnout, the characters are already out. This is often called a romance, but it’s so much more than that.

Honey Girl follows Grace. She’s just completed her PhD in astronomy. She goes on a girls trip to Las Vegas and accidentally marries another woman. But she doesn’t even know her name. And this is very uncharacteristic of Grace.

Meanwhile Grace is struggling under the weight of her ex-military father’s expectations. And she starts to wonder why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. So she leaves home and decides to spend the summer with the wife she barely knows.

This book has many relatable tropes and elements. The main character suffers mental health issues and burnout after tirelessly working on her degree. This is something many can probably identify with. It also features an adorable friends and the found family trope.

This book features several adorable, supportive friendship groups with multiple openly queer characters. The diverse characters in a bustling city centre sell this contemporary novel.

While it does discuss mental health struggles and burnout – the focus isn’t on coming out. So it’s a great choice if you’re looking for adult lgbt books not about coming out.

5. Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

If you’re looking for LGBT fantasy books not about coming out then you should check out the Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom Duology. It features a couple of queer characters. And they don’t need to come out, they simply exist.

Six of Crows is like a fantasy version of Oceans Eleven. From magic and found family to super sassy banter, Six of Crows is a compelling read.

It six teenagers living in Ketterdam. Kaz Brekker, a criminal prodigy, is one of the teens. He is offered a deadly heist for a huge payout.

But it’s an impossible heist. And Kaz will need all the help he can get to pull it off. So he assembles five other teens to help him.

People rave about this fantasy duology online for a good reason. It features a fast-paced plot, a diverse cast and hilarious banter.

This features an adorable mlm romance in Crooked Kingdom, the second book in the duology. While the romance appears in the second book, Jesper’s sexuality is made explicitly clear from the onset. Leigh Bardugo has stated her aim was to present queer relationships as totally normal in the Grishaverse. While prejudice exists, it is not due to their sexuality. You can read this interview with Leigh Bardugo on YA Pride to learn more.

No book genre offers escapism more than fantasy. If you’re specifically looking for fantasy books with LGBTQ+ representation then you’re in luck. I have a whole blog post dedicated to LGBTQ+ YA Fantasy books .

6. Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Not Your Sidekick is a queer superhero novel. While the book tackles biphobia, it doesn’t feature a prominent coming out storyline.

Not Your Sidekick features a bisexual Chinese-Vietnamese protagonist, a trans character and a wlw enemies to lovers romance.

We follow Jessica Tran, a bisexual high school student resigned to a life without superpowers and decides to start an internship to improve her college applications. However, she quickly discovers it’s for a supervillain with her crush Abby.

Not Your Sidekick is a light, fluffy and fun read. It takes superhero tropes and gives a refreshing take on a superhero story. If you enjoy urban fantasy books or ya contemporary then you should definitely read this one. The superhero storyline is woven seamlessly into modern everyday life.

It also manages to tackle a lot of issues while still staying fun. There is a whole series of these and I’ve already added Not Your Villain to my TBR list as I loved Bells in Not Your Sidekick. (For more incredible queer books about superheroes and supervillains try Nimona by Noelle Stevenson or  Dreadnought by April Daniels)

7. The LumberJanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn A. Allen and Noelle Stevenson

The Lumberjanes series is an adorable lgbtq middle-grade graphic novel. It features a diverse lgbtq cast of characters. And it’s set at a summer camp and is filled with beautiful forest imagery. The characters are open with each other about sexuality. Coming out is not a main focus.

The graphic comic book series follows five pals at a summer camp. They are determined to have an incredible summer and not let supernatural critters or quests get in their way.

The incredible drawings instantly gave me an emotional connection to the characters in the books. The story is well paced and I love the adventure story.

The first novel opens with a bang and the plot engaged me. The graphic novel format and short length make them easy to read. If you’re looking for light-hearted lgbtq books for tweens  then you should pick this up. (For more incredible lgbtq middle grade graphic novels try The Backstagers or Mooncakes.)

You can read this on Scribd.  If you haven’t used it before, Scribd is a digital library with  podcasts, books, audiobooks and even sheet music. They offer a free trial for 30 days. And you can read an unlimited amount of books with their subscription – check it out here

You can’t beat a good graphic novel. Especially when you’re in a reading slump. If you’re looking for LGBTQ+ graphic novels then  you can check out my article full of recommendations. 

8. Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales

Perfect on Paper is a cute high school ya romance with a bisexual main character. The bisexual representation is excellent. And while it does feature a lot of discussions about bisexuality – the plot does not focus on coming out.

Perfect on paper follows Darcy Phillips. She runs an anonymous service giving love advice to her classmates via a locker. They slip in their worries and she responds with a carefully worded response. But Alexander Brougham catches her in the act. And in exchange for keeping her secret, he asks her to be his dating coach.

If you like the fake dating trope, you’ll love this book. The ‘dating coach’ concept worked well. And it allowed for character growth and development. I also enjoyed the romance between Alexander and Darcy.

The discussions around bisexuality and biphobia in this book are excellent. You can clearly tell this is an own voices story. And the discussions around bisexual girls in relationships with guys is absolutely spot on.

Gonzales’ Writing style is easy to read with no unnecessary descriptions. The teenagers were also written well. And they were very believable. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between all the characters.

9. Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker

This is such a cosy read! If you’re looking for cozy fantasy books then this is a great choice. Coming out is not a main focus of the book. Nova does learn Tam is non-binary. But this is dealt with quickly and casually. It is not a main storyline.

It’s a LGBTQ+ YA graphic novel with a lighthearted romance between a witch and a non-binary werewolf.

It follows teen witch Nova. She works at her Nana’s magical bookshop. And she helps them loan out spell books. But she also investigates supernatural occurrences in her local town.

One day, she is tasked to investigate reports of a white wolf in a nearby forest. She then discovers her childhood best friend,  Tam, fighting a demon werewolf.  Together they investigate the demon and rekindle their feelings towards each other.

This is such a comfort read. The artwork is insanely beautiful. I loved the illustrations of the magic and magical creatures living in the forest. The romance is also adorable.

The story isn’t fast-paced and action packed. We also don’t find out much about the characters background. But it’s such a quick, cute and light-hearted read that I don’t think it matters. The graphic novel format is perfect for anyone trying to get back into reading. Or if you’re recovering from a reading slump.

10. Laura Dean Keeps breaking up with me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero O’Connell

Laura Dean keeps breaking up with me is a graphic novel about a toxic relationship. It follows Freddy Riley. And all Freddy wants is for Laura Dean to stop breaking up with her. This tackles a toxic sapphic relationship, both characters are already open about their sexuality.

Laura Dean is popular, funny and charming. But she can also be thoughtless. Their on-again off-again relationship has all Freddy’s friends frustrated.

I have mixed feeling about this graphic novel. Many people I know love this book. The illustrations are beautiful and the diversity is excellent.

And I also love the exploration of toxic relationships. It was well done and it showed the impact a toxic relationship can have on your mental health.

But I found the characters to lack emotional depth  and I found it hard to emotionally connect with them. The storyline was also a bit all over the place.

Overall however, I think this is worth reading. It’s a quick, easy read. While it deals with a toxic relationship – it’s not about coming out. It also has lovely illustrations and a diverse cast.  A perfect choice if you’re looking for lgbt books not about coming out.

11. One last stop by Casey Mcquiston

Casey Mcquiston writes incredible queer novels. While Red, White and Royal Blue features a prominent coming-out storyline, One Last Stop doesn’t. The book features a diverse cast of openly queer characters.

This new adult book features bisexual main character and the found family trope. It also has a cast full of amazing queer characters.

It follows August. She’s a cynical 23 year old who is trying to survive in New York. But then she meets this gorgeous girl on the train.

Jane.

Jane is dazzling, mysterious and insanely charismatic. The problem is she’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s.

From the chaotic roommates and friendships to the engaging mystery, this is a feel-good read. And it compels you to keep reading. For many adults, reading about openly queer characters in a metropolitan city is fun and relatable.

 The writing is also hilarious with great banter. Plus the food imagery is droolworthy. ( If you enjoyed One Last Stop then read my article  full of recommendations for books like One Last Stop)

12. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Cycle is a YA Paranormal Fantasy series featuring a cursed romance. And the series has an adorable slow burn mlm romance later on in the series. 

Each year in the churchyard, Blue watches her psychic mother see those who are going to die that year. Blue never actually sees them herself. Until this year. When she speaks directly to a boy.

He is called Gansey and is a student at Aglionby school. The students are known locally as Raven Boys.

I had many recommendations to read this for a good reason. The characters and the relationships are what make this one of the best fantasy book.

If you love a friendship group and witty banter  in books like A Court of Mist and Fury and Heartstopper – then I highly recommend this series. It has a great friendship group!

13. Running with Lions by Julian Winters

Running with Lions is underrated! It features a diverse sports team, and characters are open about their sexuality. It also has an adorable enemies-to-lovers romance. 

This book follows Sebastian Hughes who is going to a summer training camp. And he is a member of an incredible team where he can be open about his sexuality. But Emir, an old best friend who hates his guts, is also at the camp.

I love how this book deals with sexuality in sports! Not enough books deal explicitly with sexuality and diversity within sports. It was refreshing to read about an accepting football team.

The author is Julian Winters. He started writing because he couldn’t find any books with people like him. Running with Lions won accolades for its positive depictions of diverse, relatable characters. The relationships between the football team are insanely heartwarming. Sebastian’s team is a multi-ethnic group with many different sexual orientations and they almost become a family.

14. Ash by Malinda Lo

Ash was ahead of it’s time. It was first published in 2009 and contains a wlw romance. While the main character struggled with mental health issues- the focus isn’t coming out.  Perfect if you’re searching for lgbt books not about coming out.

Ash is a book I’m always torn about. But I had to include it because I love the cottagey world-building in this Sapphic retelling.

Ash is a lesbian Cinderella retelling. It follows Ash who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents. She falls in love with the king’s huntress.

I loved the descriptions of the world such as the woods and the fae. And I loved the King’s Huntress. But, I wish the romance had been a little better developed.

However, I love that it focuses on Ash recovering from grief. Mental health is a strong theme throughout and the romance feels secondary. This is a cosy read and offers great escapism. It’s pretty short and you could easily read this in one sitting.

This post was all about lgbt books not about coming out

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