Fed up of being recommended wlw ya books? Here are the 17 best wlw books for adults.
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Picture this. You’re searching for wlw book recommendations. But most of the recommendations are young adult. An all too familiar situation for many of us.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge ya fan.
But sometimes I struggle to relate to high school students. That’s why I’ve compiled the best wlw books for adults.
Whether you’re looking for wlw romance books for adults or wlw books with spice, I’ve got you covered.
Read on for the best wlw books for adults.
For even more recommendations, I have a whole blog post dedicated to wlw books. I surveyed about 500 book lovers and compiled a list of the most recommended wlw books. You can check it out here:
54 Insanely Heartwarming wlw books you should definitely read
The Best wlw books for adults
1. Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Delilah Green was recommended so much. I had such high expectations before reading it. And it 100% lived up to the hype.
Delilah Green Doesn't Care is an adorable romantic comedy featuring a bisexual main character and a lesbian.
It's a dual POV following Delilah Green and Claire Sutherland.
Delilah Green swore she would never return to Bright Falls. Only memories of a lonely childhood with a distant stepfamily remain in Bright Falls. Her life is in New York with her photography career.
But then Delilah's estranged stepsister pressures her into photographing her wedding. And Delilah finds herself back in the town. She plans to breeze in and out.
Claire Sutherland has raised her eleven year old daughter mostly on her own while also running a bookstore. With an unreliable ex, Claire Sutherland depends on a life without surprises.
And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise...at first.
This is such a quick read. I binge read this in one sitting!
The writing is funny and easy to read. With a fast-paced plot. It's funny, steamy and heartfelt at the same time. Everything you want in an LGBTQ+ Romance. If you're looking for wlw books for adults you'll love this.
Good reads Rating:
3.67
Representation:
bisexual protagonist, lesbian protagonist, wlw relationship
Content warnings:
POSITIVES
- Funny writing
- Excellent main character
- Great depiction of family issues
NEGATIVES
- Some reviewers found the characters immature
2. One last stop by Casey Mcquiston
If you’ve read Red, White and Royal Blue and you haven’t read One Last stop – I highly recommend you pick this one up.
It's a new adult book featuring a 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. But problem is, she’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s.
So many good things about this book - the chaotic roommates and the friendships are incredible.
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)
Good reads Rating:
3.97
Representation:
Content warnings:
Drinking, light drug use (weed), semi-public sex, exploration of depression and anxiety, memory loss and cognitive issues, familial estrangement, familial death, grief, missing persons, implied PTSD
POSITIVES
- Funny writing
- Excellent main character
- Diverse characters in the book
NEGATIVES
- Pacing
3. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Are you a fan of high fantasy? But are also looking for Sapphic characters? Then Priory of the Orange Tree is the book for you. This high fantasy book features wlw characters and dragons.
Queen Sabran the Ninth is still unwed but must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction. But assassins are closing in on her.
Ead is an outsider who has risen to the position of lady in waiting. Ead is loyal to a hidden society of mages and keeps a close eye on Sabran. She protects her using forbidden magic.
Across the sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider. She is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.
Fantasy readers will love the epic battles, incredible world-building and amazing love story.
And on top of that - dragons!
If you're after wlw books for adults, then you 100% need to read this book.
POSITIVES
- Immersive fantasy world
- Dragons
NEGATIVES
- It's big and the size might be intimidating to some readers
- High fantasy - not a genre for everyone
4. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This is how you lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This Is How You Lose the Time War is an insanely popular fantasy novella. But, it won't be suitable for everyone. And it's definitely not a light read.
I personally wasn't a fan. Problem is, not much happens in the first 30 pages.
Consequently, it's difficult to get into. Likewise, the writers delight in confusing and maddening the reader.
This is How You Lose the Time War is set in the midst of a war. An agent of the Commandant finds a letter that reads burn before reading.
This letter sparks an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents. But what first begins as a taunt, grows into something more. Something romantic.
However, the discover of their bond would mean death for each of them. After all, there's still a war going on. A war that someone has to win.
While this book wasn't personally for me, I can understand why it's so popular. It's cleverly written and full of beautiful prose. However, you need to really pay attention when you read this.
POSITIVES
- Beautiful writing
- Lots of yearning for each other
NEGATIVES
- Unstructured writing
- Nothing happens in first half of the book
5. Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Searching for wlw books for adults? Written in the Stars is a great pick.
Why? Because Written in the Stars is an incredible, feel good wlw romance. A New Adult WLW book with the fake dating, enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine tropes.
It follows 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 a queer of Pride and Prejudice set in urban Seattle. A compelling and heartwarming read.
You feel the chemistry though the pages.
The characters were well developed and well written. The fake-dating trope also allows for lots of character development.
The imagery of the city is incorporated throughout. And it makes you want to visit the city.
I'm OBSESSED with enemies to lovers book. I have tons of recommendations for fans of enemies to lovers books. Likewise, many enemies to lovers books feature LGBTQ+ characters. Check out my article on LGBTQ+ Enemies to Lovers Books here.
POSITIVES
- Easy to read
- Excellent example of the enemies to lovers trope
- Makes you want to visit Seattle
NEGATIVES
6. Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Long Way to a Small Angry Planet is a feel-good wlw sci-fi book.
It features incredible world-building, amazing characters and excellent writing. Plus it has diverse characters and it's set in a world where non-straight relationships aren't a big deal.
It follows Rosemary Harper. She joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer.
The ship has seen better days.
But it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past.
She's never met anyone remotely like the ship's diverse crew. And life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy.
But it's about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime.
POSITIVES
- Fast paced
- Easy to read
- Great worldbuilding
NEGATIVES
7. Honey girl by Morgan Rogers
If you're after wlw books for adults you need to read Honey Girl.
Honey Girl follows Grace. She’s just completed her PhD in astronomy. She goes on a girls trip to Las Vegas.
And she 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 is so relatable for burnt out millennials.
Why? Because the main character suffers mental health issues and burnout after tirelessly working on her degree. Something many people can identify with.
It also features an adorable friends and the found family trope.
The writing style is more adult and won’t suit everyone. But many will adore this Sapphic romance.
Fans of wlw books for adults need to check this out. You'll love the cute wlw romance and discussion of mental health.
Good reads Rating:
3.71
Representation:
Black lesbian protagonist, Japanese-American lesbian love interest, Black side characters, Afro-Dominican-American side character, Wlw side character, Indian-American side characters, Trans side character
Content warnings:
Anxiety, Depression, Borderline personality disorder (BPD), Self-harm, Alcohol consumption, Physical injury, Loss of memory, Military themes
POSITIVES
- Excellent discussion of mental health issues
- Relatable main character
- Great friendship group
NEGATIVES
- Pacing issues
8. Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
Why? Because it's a wildly erotic book about food, sex, and god. And Entertainment Weekly called it 'one of the strangest and sexiest novels of the new year'
It follows Twenty-four year old Rachel. A lapsed Jew who has made calorie restriction her religion By day, she maintains an illusion of existential control by way of obsessive food rituals. At night, she pedals nowhere on the elliptical machine.
Rachel is content to carry on subsisting. But then her therapist encourages her to take a ninety-day communication detox from her mother. A mother who raised her in the tradition of calorie counting.
Early in the detox, Rachel meets Miriam. A zaftig young Orthodox Jewish woman working at her favorite frozen yogurt shop.
Rachel is suddenly entranced by Miriam. And as the two grow closer, Rachel embarks on a journey marked by mirrors, mysticism, mothers, milk, and honey.
POSITIVES
- Excellent discussion of eating disorders
- Very realistically written main characters
NEGATIVES
- This isn't a book for everyone. It's graphic and deals with some very heavy topics.
9. Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner
If you're looking for a wlw romance with spice and MILFS then this is the book for you. This is a sharp and sexy rom-com about a college senior who who accidentally hooks up with her best friend’s mom.
It follows Cassie Klein. She goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school's Family Weekend. She isn't looking for a hookup. But it happens.
Buying a drink for a stranger turns into a one-night-stand. But the next morning rolls around. And her friend drags her along to meet her mum.
The hot, older woman Cassie slept with.
What should have been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about the love between them worth the cost?
Good reads Rating:
4.03
Representation:
- wlw relationship
Content warnings:
POSITIVES
- Well developed main characters
- great, easy to read writing
- Engaging storyline
NEGATIVES
- This book has a lot of spice, which isn't for everyone.
10. Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
If you're a fan of wlw books for adults, historical fiction or classics then you need to read Tipping the Velvet. It also has an incredible BBC adaptation.
It follows Nan King, an oyster girl. She is captivating by the music hall phenomenon Kitty Butler - a male impersonator.
Nan manages to visit all her shows and finally meet her heroine. Soon after she becomes Kitty's dresser. The pair begin a glittering career as a double act.
At the same time, behind closed doors, they admit their attraction to each other and their affair begins
POSITIVES
- Interesting discussion of gender themes
- Great premise and well researched discussion of history
- Authentic relationships
NEGATIVES
- Not everyone liked the first person narrative
11. The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
The Price of Salt is another wlw classic. If you're a fan of historical fiction or books with adaptations you need to read The Price of Salt.
It follows Therese Belivet, a stage designer trapped in a department-store day job. One day her salvationa rrives in the form of Carol Aird.
Carol is an alluring suburban housewife in the throes of a divorce. They fall in love and set out across the United States.
But a private investigator pursues them. He eventually blackmails Carol into a choice between her daughter and her lover.
Good reads Rating:
4.01
Representation:
Content warnings:
POSITIVES
- Excellent discussions around sexuality
- Interesting portrayal of a relationship
- Atmospheric worldbuilding
NEGATIVES
- She has a unique writing style that won't appeal to everyone
12. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Color Purple is a modern classic about love and redemption. The book won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.
The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American Women in Georgia between the wars. Celie is a young Black girl born into poverty and segregation.
Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie keep in touch through a series of letters. But then she meets the glamour Shug Avery - a women who has taken charge of her own destiny.
Gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.
POSITIVES
- Cast of incredible strong, female characters
- Incredible discussion of difficult topics
NEGATIVES
- Some reviewers felt the second half of the book lacked the same power as the first
13. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evelyn Hugo is one of the best bisexual characters. This book has so much hype but it 100% lives up to it.
It follows an ageing movie icon, Evelyn Hugo. She is ready to tell the truth on her scandalous life. But she chooses an unknown reporter to tell the story. Why her?
No combination of words I can type will accurately describe how brilliant this book is. I’m just going to leave you with a quote:
” I’m bisexual. Don’t ignore the half of me so you can fit me into a box Monique. Don’t do that.”
Good reads Rating:
4.45
Representation:
Main F/F relationship, Bisexual* main character with anxiety, Chinese-American love interest, Black sapphic side character, Puerto Rican, American trans side character, Gay Jewish side character, Gay black side character, Pansexual black side character, Czech side character
Content warnings:
POSITIVES
- Well written
- Engaging main character
NEGATIVES
This post was all about wlw books for adults
Other posts you might like:
15 Enthralling ya wlw books that'll make you swoon
The absolute best wlw enemies to lovers books you need to read
11 Must Read Sapphic Contemporary Books to Lose Yourself In
