Best books to spark queer joy in 2024

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so thoughts of love may well be top of mind. Be it the love we feel for our partners, or friends, or the love we hold in place for ourselves – there’s a whole lot of love to explore. 

Yet, for the queer community, it isn’t always as simple as picking up the latest Kinsella instalment to find depictions of love that we see ourselves reflected in. So, whilst Eros fires out his arrows of affection, we are aiming for the books that speak to queer joy, be it the romantic or the platonic kind. From stories summoned from the ancient world like 300,000 Kisses, or contemporary debuts set for the best-seller lists, enter This Love by Lotte Jeffs, there’s something for everyone. 

For centuries queer authors have depicted queer joy through the lens of love, and whilst some stories are only receiving their flowers now, for the LGBTQI+ community to see themselves stitched into the tapestry of literary love is vital. Of course, you could get your fill by heading straight to your streaming service du jour, but why