I believe in happy endings, even though they are often hard won. When times get hard I go back to the stories that lift me up, the ones that show me an LGBT+ character can struggle but ultimately triumph. I’m especially partial to a happy ever after in the romance department. Here are some fantasy and science fiction books where the boy usually gets the boy, the girl usually gets the girl, but most importantly, the ending proves that while it isn’t all rainbows along the way, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and hope wins the day. Seregil knows who he is. There’s no coming out, there’s no AIDS analogy, and because of that it will always have a special place on my shelf. It starts with a rescue as Seregil, spy and thief, saves a hunter, Alec, from a brutal death and brings him back to the worldly city of Rhiminee. Alec learns Seregil’s trade and is quickly drawn into his life of magical intrigue and espionage. Against that backdrop the book plays a long game of will they or won’t they, building a complex relationship that unspools across the lengthy series. Wright weaves comedy, romance, and plot for a satisfying romp. Wright’s characters are what set her books apart. Rowena, a grumpy witch who’s spent too much time alone for good manners and Camille, a knight on a mission, are no exception. If you want less comedy and more epic, try The Pyramid Waltz, Wright’s book about a princess who pretends to be a rake by day while she protects the crown from threats at night. It kicks off a four-book series with a prequel coming soon. Lately she’s branched out as G.L. Carriger, writing more adult-themed male/male fiction including the The 5th Gender, a cozy murder mystery set on a space station with a heavy helping of sweet romance. Tristol, the purple alien with prehensile hair, leaps off the page as cute and relatable as he navigates life among humans. Drey, the cop assigned to solve the murder, has to learn Tris’s culture in order to solve a mystery that requires him to get well beyond the gender binary. I came for the mystery and stayed for a love story that still makes me smile. The plot is a McGuffin hunt in a world richly flavored by medieval Europe. I love this book for the characters. Chandra only wants to master sorcery and doesn’t want to marry Darvish, the royal screwup who really needs to get it together and cut back on his drinking. Aaron wants to burgle the palace. Brought together to retrieve the eponymous stone, each of them has to grow and mend their flaws to save the kingdom from destruction. Ireland’s heroine, Jane, shines as she struggles to survive and reach her goal of a better lot in life. Like all good zombie stories, the shambling dead aren’t the ultimate threat, but Jane proves up to the task and brings the perfect mix of deadly combat skills and wit as she navigates a historical world with societal problems that continue to plague our time. Magicians in Polk’s world often enslave each other, creating a caste system that’s hard to escape and subverting a bond that should be given not taken. The romance between Miles and Tristan crosses worlds and sweetens a book with some heavy themes. Sam the apprentice is on a quest to become the youngest wizard to ever pass the trials. He’s definitely not going to let himself get distracted by Ryan Foxheart, the dashing knight commander who’s engaged to the prince Sam is sworn to serve. Sam is of course, utterly distracted. With chapter titles like “I’d swallow anything for you,” this book is a life raft on a dark day. It’s crass, silly, and overflowing with heart. It’s my number one reread when I need a pick me up.
