Alison Cochrun is a high school English teacher living outside Portland, Oregon. When she's not reading and writing queer love stories, you can find her torturing teenagers with Shakespeare, crafting perfect travel itineraries, hate-watching reality dating shows, and searching for the best happy hour nachos.
Christmas is All Around (2024) Martha Waters "Simultaneously a hilarious send-up and a delightful homage to Christmas romances, Christmas Is All Around had me laughing, swooning, and rooting for Charlotte the whole book. Waters is the queen of historical romcoms, and here she proves she's just as adept at crafting contemporary stories. An all-time favorite Christmas romance that shouldn't be missed!"
The Prospects (2024) KT Hoffman "The queer romcom I've been waiting for . . . The Prospects is a love letter to baseball, the Pacific Northwest, and trans joy. I adored every second of it!"
Fake Dates and Mooncakes (2023) Sher Lee "An adorable tribute to young love, family, and food. Word to the wise: don't read this lovely treat of a novel while hungry."
Just as You Are (2023) Camille Kellogg "Just as You Are is the queer Pride and Prejudice retelling I've been waiting for! A butch Mr. Darcy and a Lizzy Bennet with millennial angst; a beautifully done found family trope, complex queer characters, and so many meddling friends--it's glorious! Beyond capturing Austen's flawed characters and sparking wit, Kellogg manages to harness the themes. This is a story about assumptions, forgiveness, and finding your own path, and a rom-com that blends my needs for sexual tension and sentimentality. Pick this book up--you will be happy you did!"
Season of Love (2022) (Carrigan's Christmasland, book 1) Helena Greer "Stepping into this book is like stepping into an eccentric winter wonderland - exactly the kind of holiday escapism I crave. Come to Carrigan's for the loveable cast of kooky characters, but stay for the meaningful reflections on grief, family relationships, and identity. At turns a holiday confection and a deep character study, SEASON OF LOVE filled my heart. I can't wait to visit Carrigan's again and again!"
The Decoy Girlfriend (2022) Lillie Vale "I loved getting lost in the bubbly escapism of The Decoy Girlfriend. The Princess Switch meets The Lizzie McGuire Movie (with some very grown-up lust and longing) in this celebrity romance, but beneath the zaniness of the fake dating to hide a fake dating scheme is a book about grief and about the challenges of being a creative and sharing your art with the world. A glittery delight of a rom-com with a genuine emotional center."
Queerly Beloved (2022) Susie Dumond "A love letter to Tulsa and the beauty and resilience of queer communities everywhere."
Never Been Kissed (2022) (Boy Meets Boy, book 1) Timothy Janovsky "Janovsky's voice and Wren's character leap off every hilarious page in this fresh, sweet, and swoony love story that blends coming-of-age comedy with the nuances of exploring sexual identity. You will root for Wren and Derick to find each other as much as you root for Wren to find himself in this tender treasure of a book. Never Been Kissed has my whole heart!"
Weather Girl (2022) Rachel Lynn Solomon "Weather Girl is everything you could want in a romantic comedy. With nods to The Parent Trap and Set it Up, Rachel Lynn Solomon delivers a story that's funny, sweet, and oh-so-steamy. Alongside the swoon-worthy romance is an authentic, moving story about what it means to live with depression and how we learn to accept love even during our darkest days. Romance readers deserve honest, poignant depictions of mental health like this one."
Love & Other Disasters (2022) (Nashville Love, book 1) Anita Kelly "This book is sweet, steamy, and absolutely delectable! With relatable main characters, vivid (and delicious) descriptions, and beautiful queer representation, this is a book you both want to savor and consume in a single bite."
