Here are 100 books that Blindsided fans have personally recommended if you like
Blindsided.
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I've been a fan of gay romance for a long time, but started writing because of my own experiences growing up. I was a closeted kid that played three sports throughout middle and high school, and I deeply relate to the struggles of balancing personal identity with the pressures of the sports world. Now, as an adult, I want to write that happy ending for me and everyone else that likes jocks (and jockstraps).
I picked up The Endgame because I was drawn to the unique pairing of a jock with a politician, and let me tell you, I was immediately invested in the characters.
Anson's struggle with being a closeted NFL player and Weston's steadfast support were right at my angst limit, but ultimately, what made the story. Like most of Riley Hart’s work, this book blended sweet, emotional moments with intense, high-stakes (sports) drama. The way the characters navigate their secret relationship and the public scrutiny they face felt incredibly real and heart-wrenching (at times).
I didn't want it to end, and it's a story that has stuck with me.
WestonWhen I left home, I swore I’d never hide anything about myself again. From college, to law school, to the United States Senate representing California, I’ve done it all as an out gay man. So, when I’m in DC and see a beautiful guy at the hotel bar, I don’t hesitate to proposition him…right before he runs out on me, leaving his sunglasses behind like my very own Cinderfella.AnsonI’ve always known I’m gay, but never acted on it. Pretending isn’t easy, but it means I can keep playing football. No one has ever guessed my secret until the gorgeous man…
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
I've been a fan of gay romance for a long time, but started writing because of my own experiences growing up. I was a closeted kid that played three sports throughout middle and high school, and I deeply relate to the struggles of balancing personal identity with the pressures of the sports world. Now, as an adult, I want to write that happy ending for me and everyone else that likes jocks (and jockstraps).
This book is a perfect example of a nerd/jock romance done right.
The entire series is great, and all of them are comfort reads for me at this point. This one stands out, though, due to the classic "opposites attract" dynamic between nerdy Zach and uber-jock Foster. Their push-and-pull chemistry was just *chef’s kiss*. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire book.
It's a great start to the series and a fantastic read for anyone who loves a fun, low-angst sports romance.
FOSTER: “Look out for Zach and don’t hit on him.”My brother’s request sounds easy enough. Keep an eye out for his best friend on campus and keep my hands to myself.Easy.Even if Zach is a quintessential nerd, who I’ve always thought was cute, I don’t have the time to think with my … stick.There’s only one stick I should be focused on this year, and that’s my hockey stick. My goal once I graduate is to get an NHL contract.The last thing I need is a distraction. On or off the ice.Only, keeping to the rules is harder than I…
I've been a fan of gay romance for a long time, but started writing because of my own experiences growing up. I was a closeted kid that played three sports throughout middle and high school, and I deeply relate to the struggles of balancing personal identity with the pressures of the sports world. Now, as an adult, I want to write that happy ending for me and everyone else that likes jocks (and jockstraps).
This book is a masterclass in building intense chemistry simultaneously with forbidden desire.
The kinky premise drew me immediately, and Kora delivered in all the spicy scenes. The journey of the main character as his reluctant desires are ignited is one of the best “awakenings” I’ve read. And did I mention that it’s ridiculously hot?
This story is addictive, and it only gets better because there are five more books in the series.
Tad’s weekend started out like any other; hitting a college frat party with a handful of buddies. But just as the evening hits its peak, things get up-ended fast. Ditched by his drunken, trolling friends, Tad winds up getting hustled by three jocks playing poker. Now he’s forced to pay his dues in the most outlandish of ways; accepting a couple broken bones or spending an hour with his victors’ favorite flogger, Scott. But the guy’s tantalizing torture quickly proves to be the least of Tad’s worries… and the kickoff to a night of raw, shocking lust. Experience the graphic,…
A poisonous maiden, a Daoist sex cult, and a violent insurgency.
The polyandrous Yan family in China's rural Shaanxi Province takes in two carpenter brothers. When one brother is convicted of murder after killing their neighbor in a dispute, a constable threatens to expose the family's rumored polyandry and extorts…
I've been a fan of gay romance for a long time, but started writing because of my own experiences growing up. I was a closeted kid that played three sports throughout middle and high school, and I deeply relate to the struggles of balancing personal identity with the pressures of the sports world. Now, as an adult, I want to write that happy ending for me and everyone else that likes jocks (and jockstraps).
I was completely captivated by the relationship in this book and how their romance unfolded.
I loved that the author wasn't afraid to dive deep into both characters' vulnerabilities, which made their connection feel incredibly real—and well-earned.
It's an emotionally rich story that left me with a smile on my face.
Recovering from a knee injury he hopes won't keep him off the ice. His team, the Portland University Evergreens, have a brand new coach, and he's hoping to impress the legendary leader. Plus, he's got to make a decision once and for all about playing professional hockey or using his love of science to go a totally different direction.
The last thing he needs is a sexual awakening at the large, calloused hands of his football player roommate.
Dean is big and brawny and taciturn, but he doesn't need words to woo Brody. He…
For some reason, many gay men like to talk to me about what they find important. For my part, I love to listen. The subject often turns to couples they know and how they got together. The most interesting conversations center around how two unlikely men meet, fall in love, and marry. Because my first husband was a closeted gay man, I am interested in how gay men view love and how they decide whether to get married. I myself am neither gay nor male. I pass along what I’ve heard and learned in order to open readers’ hearts and minds. Peace.
When my husband and I got together, everyone said it wouldn’t work.
He graduated from the University of Texas while I was from University of Nebraska. At the time the schools were rabid football rivals. Both of us were avid fans. And the year we got married, the two schools played each other for the championship.
Is it any wonder I wrote about a metro-male and a good-old-boy? Not only do I write about mismatched couples, I read about them too.
In Tigers and Devils, a top Australian football player and the head of an independent film festival are attracted to each other. You don’t have to know anything about Australian football to enjoy this book.
Kennedy’s sense of humor and the main character’s married couple friends will make you believe even if you don’t have my background and haven’t had decades with your spouse.
The most important things in Simon Murray's life are football, friends, and film-in that order. His friends despair of him ever meeting someone, but despite his loneliness, Simon is cautious about looking for more. Then his best friends drag him to a party, where he barges into a football conversation and ends up defending the honour of star forward Declan Tyler-unaware that the athlete is present. In that first awkward meeting, neither man has any idea they will change each other's lives forever.Like his entire family, Simon revels in living in Melbourne, the home of Australian Rules football and mecca…
For some reason, many gay men like to talk to me about what they find important. For my part, I love to listen. The subject often turns to couples they know and how they got together. The most interesting conversations center around how two unlikely men meet, fall in love, and marry. Because my first husband was a closeted gay man, I am interested in how gay men view love and how they decide whether to get married. I myself am neither gay nor male. I pass along what I’ve heard and learned in order to open readers’ hearts and minds. Peace.
Okay, okay, shoot me. I’m kind of breaking the rules here. Other than the fact that this is one of my go-to books when I’m overwhelmed or too tired to sleep or, you know, needing relaxation and a laugh, this has nothing to do with my life with Jake.
In fact, the story is about two absolutely opposite men getting together, which at least meets the qualifications of this list. And it is, like the books above, one I’ve read over and over again. It also resonates through my life as a college-level English composition instructor.
Cambridge academic Larry Morton would be the last person you’d think would fall in love with big, burly former boxer Al Fletcher. Although Al has a flair for art, he’s uneducated as opposed to Larry’s degree.
The story, told from Al’s point of view, makes a case that education levels aren’t an unsurmountable barrier…
The bigger they come, the harder they fall ... in love.
Cambridge academic Larry Morton takes one, alcohol-glazed look at the huge, tattooed man looming in a dark alley, and assumes he’s done for. Moments later he finds himself disarmed -- literally and figuratively. Next morning, he can’t rest until he’s apologised to the man who turned out to be more gentle than giant.
Larry’s intrigued to find there’s more to Al Fletcher than meets the eye; he possesses a natural artistic talent that shines through untutored technique. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see the sensitive soul beneath Al’s…
Big Ideas... For Small Businesses
by
John Lamerton,
Big Ideas… for Small Businesses is a straight-talking, no-nonsense guide to growing a small business without sacrificing your lifestyle. Written by a former civil servant turned entrepreneur, the book challenges hustle culture and instead champions the idea of an "ambitious lifestyle business" - one that provides freedom and financial stability,…
As a gay writer who has navigated some difficult life changes of my own, including cancer, a gay bashing, and the death of an early love, I always enjoy finding writers whose gay characters must deal with their own challenging life issues. Whether it's a coming-of-age tale, a puzzling mystery, or a suspenseful fantasy, each character comes to terms with accepting who he is in an often hostile world.
All the Croy books are so descriptive and imaginative, well-plotted, and with great characters the reader cares about. It's been fun seeing them grow, change and develop through the series, set in the small, fictional town of Croy. Rumor has it this is the last in the series, but I'm hoping for more.
Set in the same Oklahoma town as the rest of the cycle, this fourth and final book in the series starts on the same afternoon that ends Book 3, but on the other side of town. Characters that appeared only in the wings before-gender-fluid Beau and robust farm boy Frank-suddenly take center stage. Beau follows his dream of starting a rock band, and Frank faces the devastating end of his only real connection in life and the disintegration of his family. Their lives intersect with the three young adults readers have come to know: Joanie, with her insatiable curiosity and…
On paper, it would be easy to think I’m the wrong person to recommend these books and write my own, which would fit easily onto this list. But as a lover of love and someone who has always enjoyed the company of men, particularly gay men, this is an area I have passion for - seeing hopeful and authentic love stories written for the masses.
As an ex-competitive athlete, I’m a sucker for sports romances, and this one was an absolute winner for me.
The characters are all enjoyable, not just the two main characters but the entire supporting cast. I wanted to be a part of the team Tommaso played for and I wanted to join Carter in decorating homes.
For me, this was such a comfort read, and one I’ll go back to when I need something familiar that I can just melt into and enjoy the world these two lovebirds live in.
TOMMASO The furniture district is my personal hell. I don’t know my ass from an ottoman. But when a hot designer comes to my rescue, I realize my problems are bigger than the house I’m trying to furnish. A scorching kiss over fabric samples makes me question all my choices. But is it too late to change my entire life to get more of them?
CARTER I need this gig, but my cocky new client leaves out a couple crucial details: He doesn’t mention that he's a famous hockey player. And he doesn’t own up to the way he’s always…
I’m an autistic writer with a passion for neurodiversity representation in fiction. As a child, I struggled to get into reading because I couldn’t see myself in any of the characters. That changed when I discovered Calvin and Hobbes, a comic strip about a precocious boy with a big imagination who struggles with making friends and is always getting in trouble for his poor self-control. Finally, I thought—a character just like me! For people who are neurodivergent, discovering fictional characters who resemble themselves can be a powerful experience. That’s why I think neurodiversity representation in fiction is incredibly important.
Maya MacGregor, like Corinne Duyvis, is autistic, and like Corinne, Maya nails this aspect of their protagonist, Sam Sylvester. Sam is also non-binary, so there are multiple forms of minority representation in this book, which I love to see.
Unlike On the Edge of Gone, which features an end-of-the-world scenario, this book is more grounded, focusing largely on Sam’s struggles to find their place at a new school in a new town while confronting demons from their past. That’s not all the book has going on—there are also paranormal elements and a thirty-year-old mystery waiting to be solved. I found these aspects of the book to be intriguing as well.
An Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction Nominee
"Look no further for your next favorite read, because The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester has it all: a gripping murder mystery that will keep you turning pages, ghosts, romance, and a treasure trove of queer characters with depth and heart. Here's something rare-a suspenseful story that also feels like a hug." -Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series
In this queer contemporary YA mystery, a nonbinary autistic teen realizes they must not only solve a 30-year-old mystery but also face the…
The problem is not with the actions young women take but with the toxic, sexist conditions they are responding to.
Tanenbaum found, based on six years of interviews with young people ages 14-30, that young women are navigating a culture littered with gendered dress codes, revenge porn, and sexually explicit…
I usually write queer fiction with an urban fantasy or magic realism bent, although I’ve dabbled in dystopian novels and a couple of romance novellas. I have an interest in bringing to light modern queer works that aren’t rooted in erotica or romance because I know firsthand the misconceptions that are placed on writers of gay fiction. And too often I’ve had to find tactful ways to explain what I write when people assume I’m limited by genre.
This is the first of a trilogy of which any book in the series is worth reading. In this farce written long before marriage equality, a gay man hatches an outlandish scheme to throw a wedding, just for the expensive gifts. What follows is a comedy that incorporates blackmail and the mafia. You read this novel for pure pleasure, enjoying the clever one-liners while the plot spirals out of control. Flamboyant, camp, and ridiculously funny.
Set in contemporary New York, this book revolves around four characters, all either unemployed or barely employed. The calamities begin when Gilbert, who is gay, and Moira, an arch bitch, devise a seemingly brilliant plan to swindle their respective monied families - by getting married.
