17 Insanely heartwarming lgbtq books with happy endings

Recently updated on July 14th, 2024 at 11:27 am

Looking for lgbtq books with happy endings? These 21 LGBTQ+ books will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

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

Sometimes you need an angsty book and a good cry. Some of my all time favourite LGBTQ+ books absolutely ripped my heart out. But sometimes you want lgbtq books with happy endings.

If all you want a  a book that’ll give you butterflies and leave you feeling all warm + fuzzy inside – I got you.  I’ve compiled the absolute best lgbtq books with happy endings. I’ve read and loved every book recommended on this list!

For each book I’ve included the representation, content warnings, Good Reads rating, positives & negatives and my thoughts.

This post is all about the best lgbtq books with happy endings

Best lgbtq books with happy endings

Here are my top lgbtq+ books with happy endings 🙂

1. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey Mcquiston

Searching for a feel-good romance? Then you’ll love Red, White and Royal Blue. This is such a comfort read. A cute hate-to-love romance, spice and a happy ending.

We follow Prince Henry and Alex Claremont Diaz. They cause a scandal in the press and have to pretend to be friends.

It made the New York Times Bestseller list and won a Good Reads Choice award. Also over 30,000 people have reviewed it on Good Reads.

 This is such a comforting book to read. It’s an empowering queer romance story that takes place in a parallel universe where a woman with mixed-race children is president. And it has such feel good vibes. 

The banter and relationships are what make this book such a happy, comforting read. The chemistry sizzles and the banter is hilarious. While it tackles complex issues, the light-hearted humour offsets this perfectly.

Red, White and Royal Blue fan? Hold up just a minute – I have a whole blog post dedicated to books like Red, White and Royal Blue. 

2. Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Her Royal Highness is a cute, lighthearted romance. The plot might be simple, but the adorable romance makes this worth reading. Ideal if you’re after a low stakes, cozy read.

We follow Millie who is heartbroken when she discovers that her kinda girlfriend has been kissing someone else. After getting into a super elusive boarding school, she moves to Scotland. And this is where she meets Princess Flora.

Not only does this book include the enemies-to-lovers trope. But it also features the room-mates trope, royalty, an ex-girlfriend and a posh boarding school. Oh, and did I mention it’s all set in stunning Scottish highlands.

It did feel a bit rushed towards the end. But I appreciate that this is a short book you can binge in one sitting. This is combined with an easy to read writing style that make this a sweet, charming and lighthearted romance.

It did feel a little rushed towards the end of the book. But it’s still a sweet and  irresistibly charming book. You could easily binge-read this in one sitting. It would be a great book to read on holiday or if you’re struggling to get out of a reading slump.

3. Under the whispering door by T.J. Klune

TJ Klune writes excellent cozy fantasy books. This lighthearted romantasy is perfect if you’re after lgbtq books with happy endings.

We follow Wallace Price. A reaper comes to collect him from his own funeral. But instead of taking him directly to the afterlife, leads him to a tea shop in a small village.

Hugo runs the teashop but is also the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived.

This book deals with so many heavy topics such as death, grief and loss. But despite such heavy topics this is such a light-hearted, comforting read.

This is the perfect book if you’re new to fantasy. While it includes fantasy elements, this book reads as more of a YA Contemporary. This is combined with an easy-to-read writing style that make this a cute, lighthearted read

If you’re looking for lighthearted queer fantasy books you should definitely pick up some of T.J Klune’s work. His writing is fantastic – easy to follow and simplistic with no purple prose.

T.J Klune writes the best mlm fantasy books. If you’re looking for mlm fantasy books, you’re in luck! I have a whole blog post full of recommendations – you can check out my post on mlm fantasy books here.

4. Perfect on paper by Sophie Gonzales

A cute high school ya romance with a happy ending and excellent bisexual representation.

We follow 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 really well. And it allowed for so much character growth and development. I also really enjoyed the romance between Alexander and Darcy.

I am a huge fan of Sophie Gonzeles. Her writing style is excellent – easy to read with no unnecessary descriptions. The teenagers were well-written and believable.

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

But despite the discussions around bisexuality, this is still a lighthearted, easy-to-read romance. If you’re searching for lgbtq books with happy endings I recommend picking this up.

5. She drives me crazy by Kelly Quindlen

You can’t go wrong with the enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes. This lighthearted high school sports romance is perfect if you’re after an easy, comfort read.

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 beautiful but 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.

This light-hearted romance is the perfect feel-good comfort read. The cute romance and easy-to-read writing style make this easy to breeze through. The ending is happy and satisfying. A great choice for fans of Imogen Obviously or One Last Stop.

6. Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Searching for a feel-good spicy sapphic romance? Then you need to read Written in The Stars. This light-hearted rom-com features a happy ending, a feel-good plot and smut.

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 queer, contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The characters were 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!

This is the perfect, feel-good winter/holiday romance. The winter imagery around Seattle makes you want to visit the city. The romance is well-developed and the friendship group is excellent.

Fan of the Bright Falls trilogy? Written in the stars is a great choice for you. The spice, enemies-to-lovers romance and new adult writing style make this ideal for Delilah Green Doesn’t Care fans.

 7. Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker

Mooncakes is an adorable cozy fantasy. This graphic novel features a cute, light-hearted romance between a witch and a werewolf. This low-stakes queer romantasy also has a happy ending.

We follow Nova, a teen witch working 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.

In a reading slump? This graphic novel is perfect to get you out of the slump. The magical illustrations of mythical forest creatures, adorable romance and happy ending make this the perfect comfort read. The story isn’t fast-paced or action-packed. You don’t have tons of world-building. But it’s such a quick, cute and light-hearted read that I don’t think it matters.

If you’re looking for LGBTQ graphic novels then I have a whole post full of recommendations. You can check out my article on LGBTQ+ Graphic Novels here. 

 7. One last stop by Casey Mcquiston

Casey Mcquiston writes incredible feel-good romances. This new adult romance features complex issues, grief and a mystery. But Mcquiston ties it up with a super satisfying happy ending, making this the perfect Sapphic comfort read.

We follow cynical 23 year old August, she’s trying to survive in New York. But then she meets this gorgeous girl on the train.

Jane.

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

One Last Stop is a new adult romance. New Adult is an emerging genre with a ya writing style but more adult themes such as spice, going to college or surviving as a 20-something in the city. Ideal if you enjoy the easy-to-read ya writing style but want more grown up subject matter.

Plus, the food imagery in this book is incredible. Full of images of tasty sandwiches and drool-worthy pancakes. ( If you enjoyed One Last Stop then read this post for more books like One Last Stop)

8. Running with Lions by Julian Winters

Running with Lions is an underrated sports romance set at a summer camp. It has a bisexual character, a diverse sports team and an adorable happily-ever-after queer romance.

We follow Sebastian Hughes as he goes to summer training camp. His incredible team allows him to 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 explicity with sexuality and diversity within sports. It was so refreshing to read about an accepting football team.

Despite discussions of sexuality and diversity in sports, alongside disordered eating, this is still a light-hearted romance with a happy ending. The banter between the sports team sold this book o me.

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.

9. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Looking for books with summer vibes? Then you need to read Felix Ever After. This own voices romance features an adorable summery romance. It tackles difficult issues but the happy ending makes it a satisfying read.

We follow Felix Love, he’s never been in love.  And he is desperate to experience it.

An anonymous student starts sending him transphobic messages. And the student publicly posts Felix’s deadname.  Along with photos of him before his transition.

Felix decides to plot revenge. But his catfishing lands him in a love triangle.

 Kacen Callender wrote Felix Ever After. Callender also won the Stonewall Book Award and Lambda literary award for Hurricane Child. They do a particularly good job at discussing difficult topics such as class disadvantage, transphobia and body dysmorphia. Oh and it features an adorable friends to lovers m/m romance.

10. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

The ultimate happy, light-hearted queer comfort read. This bestselling graphic novel was even adapted into a popular Netflix series. If you’re looking for graphic novels, then you need to read this one.

We follow Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson. Charlie Spring is an openly gay student in year 10.  And he meets Nick Nelson a soft-hearted rugby player in year 11.  They quickly become friends. But could there be something more?

Alice Oseman wrote and illustrated the graphic novel series. She is insanely talented. And she secured her first publishing deal at just 17 years old!

The graphics are stunning!  Seeing the characters faces means you can really feel their emotions while reading it. And it’s also an excellent choice if you’re in a reading slump or just getting back into reading. Graphic novels are really easy to read. And this is a light-hearted read.

11. Honey girl by Morgan Rogers

Honey Girl is a moving contemporary novel with a happy ending. I’ve seen this referred to as a romance. But this is so much more than that. It’s a depiction of burnout, academia and mental health issues.

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 so many relatable 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 adorable friends and the found family trope.

The writing style is more adult and so this won’t suit everyone. But many will really enjoy this Sapphic romance. It’s another great book like One Last Stop as it’s set in a city centre with a cute friendship group.  And it has a cute wlw romance with grumpy/sunshine vibes.

12. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldtree

Legends & Lattes is the most perfect cosy fantasy book. And it also features an adorable wlw romance. If you’re looking for a low stakes, slice of life books or lgbtq books with happy endings then this is the perfect choice.

Legends & Lattes follows Viv – an orc barbarian.  She decides to leave her life as a warrior and open the first coffee shop in Thune.

This book has absolutely everything I love in a book – the found family trope, cosy imagery and a  mystery to solve. Plus it has a cute wlw romance.

There has been so much hype for this book recently. And for good reason. It’s the bookish equivalent of nice warm drink. The perfect book for reading curled up on the sofa in Autumn or Winter.

13. Cinderella is dead by Kalynn Bayron

A Cinderella retelling with a sapphic romance.  This is another twist on the classic story that features BIPOC characters and a wlw romance. Cinderella is Dead features higher stakes, but the incredible ending makes the payoff worthwhile.

The premise is that teen girls are now required to appear at an annual ball where men select wives. But Sophia wants to marry her childhood best friend Erin. And isn’t a fan of the whole parade in front of suitors thing.

She decides to flee and decided to take down the king once and for all.

The dystopian twist on the classic Cinderella story makes this book so unique. The romance is a bit insta-lovey but it’s so well developed that it’s still engaging. 

The plot will keep you hooked throughout.  Women overthrowing a dystopian patriarchy. There is also a lot of cottagecore and woodland imagery. Kalynn Bayron writes cottagecore imagery so well. This book will 100% make you want to live in the forest. 

I also LOVE that it’s a standalone. Standalone ya fantasy books are hard to find. Let alone with lesbian representation. If you’re looking for a lgbtq books with happy endings then I highly recommend Cinderella is Dead.

14. Ash by Malinda Lo

Ash is a cute, low stakes fairytale retelling. This short and easy read has a classic ‘happily ever after’ ending, akin to a fairytale.

Ash is a Sapphic Cinderella retelling. We follow 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 instantly adored the King’s Huntress.

Ash was so 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.  And while the character struggles in the book, it’s never due to her sexuality. Plus it has a happy ending.

I love that the book 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.

15. Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

A cute romance with a happy ending. This romance features complex themes, such as bullying, biphobia and parental expectations. But the cute ending and romance offset this perfectly.

Hani is bisexual but she is having trouble getting her friends to believe her. Ishu wants to be Head Girl.  

They decide to fake date so that Hani’s friends believe she is bisexual. And to help Ishu in her Head girl campaign.

The bisexual representation is executed so well in this book. There aren’t enough books that deal with biphobia. And this explicitly deals with biphobic bullying. 

If you like the Fake Dating Trope then you absolutely have to read Hani and Ishu’s guide to fake dating. The fake dating trope is executed perfectly – it leads to so many funny moments. And both characters learn from each other.

 It’s an absolutely adorable book and the romance is perfect. The combination of tropes is executed really well. And this book will never fail to cheer you up.

16. Imogen Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Imogen Obviously is an incredible Sapphic rom com with a bisexual main character. It addresses important themes such as compulsory heterosexuality, coming out and biphobia. But it wraps this up with a satisfying, happy ending.

We follow Imogen Scott. She may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she’s got the World’s Greatest Ally title locked down.

Imogen has never missed a Pride Alliance meeting. And she knows more about queer media discourse than her very queer little sister. She even has two queer best friends.  Gretchen, a fellow high school senior, helps keep Imogen’s biases in check. And Lili—newly out and thriving with a cool new squad of queer college friends.

Imogen is thrilled for Lilli and excited to visit Lilli on campus. And she’s bringing her ally A game. Any support Lili needs, Imogen’s all in.Like when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she’s told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero—not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa.Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. 

Imogen Obviously is a deeply personal story for Becky Albertalli. After writing ‘Simon vs the HomoSapiens agenda’, critics accused Albertalli of profiting from the LGBTQ+ community. Consequently, she was forced to come out.

Albertalli poors her heart out in this book. She discusses biphobia, denial and compulsory heterosexuality. However, the romance is still adorable, light-hearted and well developed. If you’re looking for lgbtq books with happy endings then I highly recommend this book.

17. Not my Problem by Ciara Smyth

Ciara Smyth writes hilarious wlw romance books. Not My problem is a funny coming of age novel full of heart and emotion. And I knew I’d love it from the first page.

Not My Problem follows Aideen.  Aideen has plenty of problems she can’t fix…

 Her best (and only) friend is pulling away.

Her mother’s drinking problem is a constant concern.

She’s even running out of outlandish diseases to fake so she can skip PE.

But then Aideen stumbles on her nemesis, overachiever Meabh Kowalski, in a full-blown meltdown. She sees a problem that seems easy to solve.Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help. By pushing Meabh down the stairs.Problem? Solved. Meabh’s sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule.

But then another student learns about their little scheme. And they bring Aideen another “client” in need of her “help”. It kicks of a term of traded favours,  ill-advised hijinks, and an unexpected chance at love.

The concept behind this book worked perfectly. It allowed for hilarious antics and plenty of character development. The main character and side characters are all instantly likeable. Likewise, the writing style is easy to read.

If you’re after light-hearted wlw books, you need to read this adorable romance.

This post was all about lgbtq books with happy endings

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