Every Pride month, I try to pack my reading list with as many LGBTQ+ books as possible. Not that I don’t read a lot of weird books the rest of the year, but I always love an excuse to read some themed books. There are countless LGBTQ+ historical fiction books I could recommend — and have done in the past — from trans and Sapphic historical fiction to queer historical romance, but there are so many great new books coming out this year alone that right now, I want to focus on new releases to add to your Pride reading list.
These 10 2026 LGBTQ+ historical fiction books feature both real and fictional characters, imagined and reimagined stories. the great Gatsby To small villageAnd budding writers as well as award winners and bestsellers. They’ll irritate you, delight you, and leave you wanting more.
out now
There’s only one sin in Hollywood By Rashid Newson
From the author of my government means to kill me An exciting new historical mystery has emerged about Hollywood’s dark history. A backlot fixer was once tasked with keeping the studio’s biggest star in the closet and he’s finally ready to uncover the truth. It’s been years since Aaron made sure no one would ever know about Xavier C. Barlow’s romantic inclinations, it’s been years since Xavier became a star, but now this promising actor has died at the height of his career – and the circumstances are very suspicious. Aaron is convinced he knows the powerful players behind Javier’s death, but exposing the darkness of the film industry could also prove to be his undoing.
cages By Chantel Acevedo
A zookeeper in 1960s Cuba risks everything for a love affair in a country where homosexual relations are denounced as “counter-revolutionary”. As the puzzle pieces of his life begin to fit together through the eyes of those around him, the complex life of Felix and his family begins to come together, from Cuba to exile in London and Miami. How do we hurt those we love? And how do we make sense of the people who shaped us, long after they’re gone?
past tense
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fire sword and sea by vanessa riley
Vanessa Riley’s latest novel is perfect for fans Pirates of the Caribbean And our flag means deathAnd it’s based on the real life of seventeenth-century pirate Jaccott Delehaye, the mixed-race daughter of a wealthy Tortuga innkeeper who dreams of a life at sea. In Haiti, she disguises herself as a man and goes to Jacques. He soon discovers that he is not alone in living under a different identity at sea, as he grows friends with other women in disguise and falls in love with a beautiful prostitute. But as more and more pirates turn to the slave trade to gather wealth, Jacot is torn away from his former life and begins to fight for everyone to find the same freedom he has.
Nick and Jay’s great disillusionment by Ryan Douglas
In this reimagining of the great GatsbyA teen trying to get a fresh start at a prestigious boys’ school in Harlem discovers that the supposedly integrated school has all the same problems he was hoping to leave behind in Oklahoma. Nick’s writing begins to uncover dangerous secrets behind the school, and her growing feelings for the founder’s charismatic son, Jai, further complicate matters. Together, they must decide whether to continue in this fight, even if it means running away from the consequences forever.
Pretend you’re dead and I’ll take you By Julian Delgado Lopera
In the wake of his wife’s death, Ignacio becomes nostalgic, leaving his daughter to fend for herself. He spends his days watching telenovelas, smoking cigarettes, wearing a blonde wig, and remembering the man he once loved. But drawn from Ignacio’s tortured past, Mamadora Electric takes on the role of a motherly figure to Valentina, even worrying that Ignacio’s dark thoughts have unleashed a curse on them all. It’s a coming of age story and the author’s undoing fiber tropical.
bookmark for later
little wild by laura evans
Release date: 23 June 2026
In 1937 Suffolk, a young woman returns home for one last visit before leaving for Oxford for university. Only her closest friend, Joanie, knows that this isn’t actually the plan. Instead, the two intend to run away to London and live as lovers, escaping the claustrophobic society they know. But when their plans are discovered, Margaret’s estranged father takes her into the woods. There a strange power begins to awaken inside Margaret. She wakes up covered in dirt and scratches. Is this the same curse that took her mother from her, or is it possible that this could be the thing that finally allows Margaret to find some semblance of the love she always wanted?
In these golden, haunted hearts By Gwendolyn Kiste
Release date: 15 September 2026
What is this? one more great Gatsby Say it again? Honestly, they could be a whole post in themselves – and maybe they will be… but for now, enjoy Stoker’s dark take on award-winning Gwendoline Christe’s classic, where Daisy Buchanan’s daughter Mel encounters the ghost of her mother in the 1950s and must dig into the family’s past to find out if her mother’s death was just a terrible tragedy or actual murder.
tricycle driver By June Oluchi Lee
Release date: 29 September 2026
In early 2000s San Francisco (yes, the 2000s were over 25 years ago so we’re counting it as historical fiction now), a professional ballerina stumbles in both her professional and personal life as her boyfriend struggles and abandons her as a permanent third wheel. But maybe that’s the way she likes it, or at least she’s beginning to suspect it is, with the help of two lovers and a cadre of supportive lesbians around her. Described as equal parts poetic and vulgar, this book is about life and art in its wonderful, imperfect quirks.
weight of angels by john boyne
Release date: 29 September 2026
A calling card with just five words – “For Oscar Wilde, Posing Sodomite.” – led to the downfall for Wilde in 1895 when he sued for libel, was criminally prosecuted and ultimately faced imprisonment. But what if he ignored the callout? Boyne imagines another part of the life that Oscar Wilde might have lived if things had happened slightly differently. What if Wilde had been able to live the dignified existence that was expected of him?
rottenheart by Kat Dunn
Release date: 13 October 2026
After the success of HungerstoneKat Dunn is back with a dusky, sapphic small village-Inspired story. Left to wander among their estates in Hampstead, Odette and Cecilia are allowed to grow, learn, and love together. But when Odette’s mother Lydia dies and her aunt comes to stay, soon taking over her late mother’s place, Odette begins to sense a dark presence surrounding her once happy home. His mother may be gone, but her spirit still remains – and she’s hell-bent on revenge.
Find more great recommendations for filling your shelves with LGBTQ reads this month (and all year):
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