10 Must-Read WLW Books for 2025
Books with representation are important, and WLW stories are finally getting noticed. In recent years, more queer books have been published. For example, in 2021, there were many more queer books, especially about women loving women, than in 2020. This change shows people want different voices and stories they can relate to.
WLW books are not just about romance—they talk about identity, relationships, and love in many forms. Whether you like stories of secret love, exciting adventures, or emotional journeys, these books make everyone feel included. Check out the best WLW books of 2025 and enjoy the magic of queer stories.
1. Dream On, Ramona Riley
Author: Ashley Herring Blake
Genre: Sapphic Romance
Why You Should Read It:
A Hollywood star returning to a small town and meeting the waitress who was her first kiss. "Dream On, Ramona Riley" blends small-town charm with Hollywood glamour in this captivating sapphic romance.
The story explores dreams versus reality. Ramona once studied at art school with hopes of becoming a costume designer until family tragedy brought her back home. Dylan is a Hollywood actress trying to prove she's more than just a "nepo baby" with famous rock star parents. When they reconnect, sparks from their past ignite in unexpected ways.
Set in the charming Clover Lake, this book features complex characters navigating personal growth and unexpected love. If you enjoy sweet yet steamy sapphic romances with the clash of small-town life and Hollywood drama, this novel delivers both heart and heat.
More than just a love story, it explores finding yourself while finding someone else. Perfect for readers who appreciate emotional depth and genuine connection in their romance novels.
“Love isn’t always about someone new. Sometimes, it’s about finding the person you’ve always cared for.”
2. Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line
Author: Elizabeth Lovatt
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Why You Should Read It:
Ever wonder what happened when queer women called helplines in the 1990s seeking connection? "Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line" explores this fascinating slice of LGBTQ+ history based on actual logbook entries from a London lesbian helpline that operated from 1993-1998.
This isn't just historical documentation—it's a vibrant reimagining of the women who called seeking advice about first crushes, breakups, questions about identity, or simply directions to the nearest gay bar. Elizabeth Lovatt weaves these stories alongside her own journey of coming out and finding community, creating a book that's both deeply personal and historically significant.
The book celebrates ordinary queer lives while examining how lesbian identity has evolved over decades. Described by critics as "compelling, funny, and intelligent," this warm and insightful exploration resonates with both longtime members of the LGBTQ+ community and those just discovering their place within it.
“Sometimes, all it takes is one call to change everything.”
3. The Lamb
Author: Lucy Rose
Genre: Gothic Horror
Why You Should Read It:
Step into the shadows of a remote forest with "The Lamb," a haunting gothic tale being celebrated as 2025's most anticipated literary debut. This isn't your grandmother's historical fiction—it's a dark, bewitching story set in contemporary Cumbria that will crawl under your skin and stay there.
The story follows young Margot and her mother living in isolation by the woods, where they welcome lost travelers into their cottage with seeming kindness. But their hospitality hides sinister intentions. When a mysterious woman named Eden arrives during a snowstorm, she disrupts their macabre routine and awakens unfamiliar feelings in Margot, introducing a sapphic element that adds another layer to this already complex tale.
Lucy Rose's mesmerizing prose creates an atmosphere thick with both beauty and dread—like wandering through a stunning forest knowing something watches from the shadows. This novel masterfully explores themes of hunger (both literal and metaphorical), desire, freedom, and the often-bloody bonds between mothers and daughters.
Perfect for readers who love their historical fiction with sharp teeth, "The Lamb" offers an unforgettable journey into darkness that somehow still manages to find moments of tender humanity amidst the horror.
“The bravest thing is loving someone the world says you can’t.”
4. Fable for the End of the World
Author: Ava Reid
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Why You Should Read It:
What if debt could get you killed? "Fable for the End of the World" shows us this scary future. In this world, Inesa and her brother run a small taxidermy shop in a flooded town. But her mother's secret debt puts Inesa in danger. She becomes a target in the Lamb's Gauntlet - a deadly game streamed live for entertainment.
Melinoë is the assassin sent to hunt her down. She's been altered to be the perfect killer. But as she tracks Inesa through the wasteland, something unexpected happens. Their connection grows into something more.
Ava Reid gives us a fresh take on dystopian stories. She blends the excitement of "The Hunger Games" with the emotion of "The Last of Us." The sapphic romance adds heart to this harsh world.
This book makes you think about real issues - climate change, debt, and corporate control. It asks whether love can survive when everything else is falling apart. The ending will stay with you long after you finish reading. If you enjoy stories about finding connection in broken worlds, this book is for you.
“Even in the darkest times, love can light the way.”
5. It's a Love/Skate Relationship
Author: Carli J. Corson
Genre: Sports Romance
Why You Should Read It:
Looking for a fresh take on sports romance? "It's a Love/Skate Relationship" brings the perfect blend of ice and fire.
Charlie Porter is a tough hockey player with big dreams. After starting a fight, she loses her scholarship and team spot. To save her future, she makes a deal with figure skater Alexa Goldstein. Charlie will become Alexa's new skating partner, even though they can't stand each other.
What makes this book special is how it captures the thrill of competitive sports. The tension on the ice mirrors the characters' growing feelings. Charlie's quick humor and Alexa's determination create sparks that are fun to watch.
This isn't just about romance. The story tackles real issues like anxiety and family problems. Charlie's journey to control her emotions feels authentic and relatable.
The supporting characters add warmth and humor. Charlie's friends and the skating community create a world you'll want to visit again.
Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers stories and sports dramas, this sapphic YA romance delivers both heart and excitement. The witty dialogue and competition scenes will keep you turning pages until the final score.
“Love can be the best game, and the heart wins.”
6. Stop Me If You've Heard This One
Author: Kristen Arnett
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Why You Should Read It:
Ever feel like life is a joke with no punchline? Meet Cherry Hendricks, a struggling professional clown trying to make ends meet in Orlando. Between her shifts at an aquarium store and birthday party gigs, Cherry's life isn't exactly going according to plan.
This book stands out because it's so refreshingly unique. How many queer romantic comedies center around a lesbian clown? Cherry's world is filled with colorful characters — magicians, mimes, and fellow performers who make up her messy but lovable community.
When Cherry meets Margot the Magnificent, an older lesbian magician with a successful career, things get interesting. Their connection is instant and electric. But as their relationship develops, Cherry must figure out what she truly wants from her art and her life.
What makes this story special is how it balances humor with heart. Behind the makeup and silly costumes are real questions about artistic integrity, family relationships, and finding your voice. The book doesn't shy away from exploring the darker side of comedy or the challenges of queer relationships.
If you enjoy stories that make you laugh while also making you think, this book delivers both.
“Sometimes, the best way to deal with life’s messiness is to laugh your way through it.”
7. The Starving Saints
Author: Caitlin Starling
Genre: Literary Fiction
Why You Should Read It:
Hungry for something different? "The Starving Saints" serves up a medieval horror feast you won't forget.
Inside the walls of Aymar Castle, desperation grows after six months under siege. Food supplies are dwindling, and hope is fading fast. Just when the inhabitants consider the unthinkable to survive, mysterious visitors appear - the Constant Lady and her Saints - who bring food and healing. But their help comes with a terrible price.
The story unfolds through three distinct women's perspectives: a loyal knight who pledges herself to these divine visitors, a chaotic nun-turned-sorceress trying to uncover the truth, and a servant girl with secrets of her own. Their complicated relationships form the heart of this dark tale.
What makes this book special is how it combines beautiful writing with disturbing horror. It's not just gory for shock value - it explores deeper themes of faith, devotion, and survival. The sapphic relationships add emotional depth to a story already rich with tension.
If you enjoy Gothic horror with a medieval setting, complex female characters, and don't mind some truly unsettling scenes involving cannibalism and body horror, this book will satisfy your.
8. Our Infinite Fates
Author: Laura Steven
Genre
Romantasy (Romance + Fantasy)
Why You Should Read It
Based on my search, here's an engaging and easy-to-read "Why You Should Read It" section for "Our Infinite Fates":
Why You Should Read It:
What if you've loved the same person across a thousand lifetimes? And what if they've killed you in every single one?
"Our Infinite Fates" follows Evelyn, who remembers all her past lives and the fact that she always dies before turning eighteen at the hands of Arden, a soul mysteriously connected to hers. But this time, things are different. Evelyn's little sister needs her bone marrow to survive, which means she can't afford to die on schedule.
This book blends fantasy with deep emotion. The story jumps between present-day Wales and flashbacks to their past lives across different time periods and genders. Their souls have taken many forms – sometimes they're both women, sometimes men, sometimes one of each – making this a truly fluid queer love story.
What makes this book special is how it explores big questions through an intimate lens. Is true love worth dying for? Can we break free from fate? The writing strikes a perfect balance between poetic and accessible, with twists you won't see coming.
“Love isn’t just for now—it’s for every life you’ve lived.”
9. We Are the Match
Author: Mary E. Roach
Genre: Young Adult
Why You Should Read It:
Ever wondered what would happen if the legendary Helen of Troy story took place in today's world? "We Are the Match" gives you the answer with a thrilling sapphic twist.
Set in modern-day Greece, this novel reimagines Helen as the daughter of a powerful crime lord. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Paris—not a prince, but a determined woman who initially wants to destroy Helen and her family. As they spend time together in a world of luxury and danger, unexpected feelings develop.
What makes this book special is how it balances romance with high stakes. Helen faces an impossible choice: follow her heart and risk triggering a mob war, or abandon her connection with Paris to marry into the alliance her father arranged. The glamorous criminal underworld setting adds excitement to every scene.
The author breathes new life into this classic tale by transforming it into a contemporary LGBTQ+ story about forbidden love and loyalty. The chemistry between Helen and Paris crackles with tension—enemies to lovers at its finest.
“Sometimes, the hardest person to love is yourself—but it’s always worth it.”
10. A Ballad for Slayers Monsters
Author: Rita A. Rubin
Genre: Fantasy
Why You Should Read It:
Love stories between those sworn to destroy each other have a special kind of magic. "A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters" delivers this thrill with a fresh sapphic twist.
Meet Kas of Veldenier, a professional monster hunter who travels from town to town eliminating threats. Then there's Claudia of Trulio, who's caught between two worlds as a half-human, half-vampire. By all the rules of their world, they should be mortal enemies—hunter and hunted. But fate has other plans.
When a dangerous dragon remnant resurfaces with the potential to unleash chaos across the realm, these unlikely allies join forces on a quest to destroy it. Their journey is filled with terrifying monsters, breathtaking adventures, and an unexpected attraction that grows with each challenge they face.
What makes this book special is how it questions what truly makes someone a monster. Is it their blood? Their actions? Their choices? The enemies-to-lovers romance develops naturally against a backdrop of danger and difficult moral questions.
If you're a fan of "The Witcher" but wished for more sapphic representation, or if you love fantasy adventures with strong female characters, dangerous creatures, and forbidden romance, this book will captivate you from the first page to the last.
“Sometimes, the monsters we fear the most are the ones we carry inside.”
Conclusion
Here are some exciting WLW books coming in 2025. Each book highlights the beauty and variety of WLW stories. They explore themes like love, self-discovery, and thrilling adventures. Whether you like young adult books or magical fantasy, there’s a story for you.
Try these highly awaited sapphic books. They could show you fresh ideas and memorable characters. Do you have a favorite WLW book? Tell us your suggestions!
FAQ
What does WLW mean?
WLW means "Women Loving Women." It’s about stories of women in romantic or emotional relationships. These include both lesbian and bisexual representation.
Are these books only for LGBTQ+ readers?
No, anyone can enjoy them! These books talk about love, identity, and bravery. They share ideas that everyone can understand and relate to.
Where can I find these books?
You can get them at big bookstores, online shops like Amazon, or libraries. Many are also offered as eBooks or audiobooks.