One of the things I love most about historical fiction is how it can bring little-known aspects of history to life. It’s no secret that our understanding of history is written by those in power and shaped into the image that they want. That often means whitewashing history, omitting the parts—and people—that don’t fit into the accepted mainstream narrative of any given time. It’s something we see happening today, with some people refusing to acknowledge the parts of history that make them look bad or don’t fit into the narrative they’re trying to maintain.
I think of Connecticut Senator Rob Sampson, who, during a 2023 vote to exonerate 12 people accused of witchcraft in colonial America, said, “I don’t want to see bills that rightfully or wrongfully attempt to paint America as a bad place with a bad history.” I think of state legislatures trying to force textbooks to downplay the history of slavery, racism, and discrimination in this country.
History is just the stories we tell ourselves at any given time, not a complete picture of what really happened. Those stories are influenced by where and when they’re written and who they’re written by. Only by reading widely and diversely can we even begin to get a more authentic look at the past. That’s so important, because, make no mistake, how we understand history directly influences the present.
Fortunately, there are a lot of people out there trying to bring diminished and erased aspects of history to light. People like the authors behind these eight new LGBTQ historical fiction novels coming out this year. These novels include stories about devastation, joy, and queer perseverance. They’re beautiful and enlightening and an ever-important reminder that queer people are not a modern phenomenon.
The Lilac People by Milo ToddWhen Hitler rises to power in 1930s Germany, the Institute of Sexual Science is raided, queer clubs are closed, and LGBTQ people begin disappearing. Bertie, a young trans man, barely manages to escape Berlin with his girlfriend, Sofie. In the countryside, they take on the identities of an elderly couple and manage to live under the radar for over a decade. But just when the end of the war is in sight, a young trans man wearing the distinctive clothes of a prison camp collapses on their farm. Despite the danger, Bertie and Sofie vow to protect him—not from the Nazis who imprisoned him, but from the Allied Forces who are now arresting queer prisoners even as they liberate the rest of the concentration camps. |
Loca by Alejandro HerediaFrom the Lambda Award-winning author of You’re the Only Friend I Need comes a turn-of-the-millennium novel about two best friends trying to find a better life for themselves in New York. Sal and Charo are both running from the past and future laid out for them in Santo Domingo when they come to New York. But Charo soon finds herself married to a controlling husband, and it isn’t until Sal meets Vance, a handsome African American man, at a gay bar that their lives begin to change. Vance helps Sal confront the trauma in his past, and Vance’s friend Ella, a Black trans woman, shows Charo what it looks like to be true to yourself. Soon, they’re all queer intersectional community members disrupting the status quo of 1999 gender norms. |
Mutual Interest by Olivia Wolfgang-SmithVivian and Oscar’s marriage is mostly for show, but it offers Vivian exactly what she’s always wanted: an exciting life and a husband she can guide to greatness while she pursues her own romances with women. Since Oscar is more interested in men, he’s perfectly happy with that arrangement. When Vivian’s ambitions drive them toward Squire Clancey, the scion of an American fortune, they found a new company: Clancey & Schmidt. Soon, Oscar and Squire’s romance has the three of them forming a new kind of relationship, one with Oscar and Squire in the front and Vivian operating things behind the scenes. But when exposure threatens the life and empire they’ve built together, they realize exactly how much they have to lose. Author and Rioter Susie Dumond gives deeper insight into what makes this novel great in: “A Sparkling Historical Fiction Novel About Queer Life in Gilded Age New York.” |
These Heathens by Mia McKenzieOne weekend in 1960s Atlanta is enough to open the eyes and change the life of one small town girl. When pious, 17-year-old Doris finds herself pregnant, she knows there’s only one person she can turn to: her beloved teacher, Mrs. Lucas. Mrs. Lucas calls on her childhood friend to help find a doctor who can take care of Doris’s problem, but while they’re waiting for a call back, they fill their time rubbing shoulders with celebrities and with activities that Doris finds as intriguing as she does shocking. Doris knows she doesn’t want to have a baby, but will one weekend be enough time to figure out what she does want? |
The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf by Isa ArsénShakespearean actors Margaret and Wesley play their roles on stage and at home, and they play them well. But when Margaret experiences a breakdown after her role as Lady MacBeth, she decides to accompany her husband to New Mexico for director Vaughn Kline’s new Shakespeare production. There, the two of them become entangled with a man who may not be exactly what he seems. Something is going to give, and if Margaret and Wesley don’t figure out how to move forward, it may be their own lives that become the tragedy. |
Exquisite Things by Abdi NazemianRelease date: September 23, 2025 Living under the shadow of Oscar Wilde’s trial for gross indecency, Shahriar has to believe he was born in the wrong time. But when he’s granted the opportunity to live in a different time, will it offer him the happiness and love he’s always hoped he could find? In 1920s Boston, Oliver knows he’s lucky to have the acceptance of the secret queer community at Harvard. But still, he’s not exactly free to live fully as himself. Finding out he loves boys would break his mother’s heart. Will there ever be a time when he can be true to himself, too? |
I Am You by Victoria RedelRelease date: September 30, 2025 As a child in 1600s Netherlands, Gerta’s hair is chopped off and she’s sent to work for the Oosterwijck family under the name Pieter. Only Maria, the family’s teenage daughter, notices who Gerta truly is. When Maria leaves to apprentice in the workshop of a famous painter in Utrecht, it’s Gerta she asks to accompany her. As Maria’s skills as a painter grow, the relationship between employer and maid shifts, and Gerta’s own unique skills begin to come to light. Victoria Redel draws on what little is known of Maria van Oosterwijck’s life to craft a beautiful tale of extraordinary women making their own way in ordinary times. |
Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Q. SutantoRelease date: November 11, 2025 Izzy Chen has always felt like the black sheep of her family. But when her grandmother brings a stunning woman as her date to their Chinese New Year celebration, Izzy realizes she and her Nainai may have more in common than she ever realized. When Magnolia Chen sees her teenage self in her granddaughter’s struggles, she tells the story of how she was sent from Jakarta to Los Angeles for school—only to fall in love. |
Looking for more queer historical fiction? Here are some of our favorites:
- New Trans Historical Fiction
- 25 of the Best Queer Historical Fiction Books
- Must-Read Sapphic Historical Fiction
- 10 Immersive Queer Historical Romances
- Trans Historical Fiction Books
The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
This week, we’re highlighting a post discussing why it’s worth pursuing “underconsumption” in your reading life. In this era of amassing special and deluxe editions and crowding your shelves for the Tok, challenge yourself to consider a scaled-back approach to the bookish life. Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
One of the things that has provided some comfort for me during the recent horrors is underconsumption content on TikTok. Whether it’s Project Pan or the fact that, according to the Fashion Transparency Index, there is currently enough clothing on earth to clothe the next six generations, it’s a welcome break from being told what I should be buying. As a child, I used to adore watching TLC’s Clean Sweep. As an adult, I think I could probably stand to put all of my possessions out on a tarp on the lawn every so often. TikTok is an engine for consumerism, but somehow, it’s managed to plant a seed in my brain that goes against its own interests.
The why of underconsumption is a belief that we simply do not need all of the things that we have. It’s also a good way to build a practice of taking a breath before we chase that dopamine high of buying a new thing, of finding joy in the things that we create for ourselves. It’s made me look at how many of my hobbies don’t lead to the creation of anything new, not even ideas.
Of course, for some of us, underconsumption is an economic necessity. Most of us don’t live the lives we see reflected on our various feeds. With the will-they-or-won’t they of massive tariffs on many products coming in from other countries, the reality is that things are likely to get more expensive. This “trend” is really just showing how to make the most of what you have. Many books on shelves in the United States are printed in China, but are currently exempt from tariffs.
Why am I ruining a pure, good thing for you in these times, you ask? I’m going to try not to. I am simply here to offer suggestions that I myself will have trouble following. We strive for progress and not perfection. I am pretty sure that if I deleted the Libby app right now, heaven forbid, I would have enough unread books in my home to get me through an entire calendar year.
Sign up to become an All Access member for only $6/month and then click here to read the full, unlocked article. Level up your reading life with All Access membership and explore a full library of exclusive bonus content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations.
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