Soak Up The Sun With These 5 Sapphic Must-Reads

Sun’s out, queers out! Whether you’re lounging poolside, chilling in a park with your friends, or hiding in air-conditioned rooms, there’s no better time than to dive into a sapphic read this summer. From slow-burn romances to sweaty flings, and everything in between, here are some reads that bring the heat, the heart, and a whole lot of yearning. 

The Color of Honey: Tales of Black Lesbian Love in New York City 

Ty Robbins delivers a sizzling collection of short stories spotlighting Black lesbian love in New York City. The Color of Honey brings together a variety of authentic love stories that are passionate and poignant. From playful, spicy stories that depict the thrill of new beginnings to bittersweet farewells that encapsulate the raw emotions of heartbreak, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re lounging poolside or looking to explore the city this summer, these tales of Black lesbian love offer the kind of vibrant, heartfelt escape summer encapsulates.

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Paradise Rot

If you’re looking for a strange and hallucinatory read that could be finished in one tanning session, Jenny Hval’s Paradise Rot is for you. When Jo, a Norwegian student studying biology abroad in a fictional city called Aybourne, moves into a former brewery converted into an apartment, she becomes roommates with Carral, an English literature graduate who enjoys reading trashy romance literature. The roommates embark on a journey of sexual discovery and exploration, where Jo begins to develop an obsessive interest in Carral. As they continue to explore their relationship, there is a changing nature in the brewery-turned-apartment consisting of fungi, and in both characters’ identities. Things get awkward and unsettling, where queer desire is blurred with the self and the environment.   

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Yerba Buena

 Just like the herb, Nina LaCour writes a richly layered, but calming and healing story in Yerba Buena. If you’re in your 20s this summer, this is a must-read. When Sara runs away from home at 16, she later reinvents herself as a bartender at an upscale restaurant named ‘Yerba Buena.’ There, her path crosses with Emilie, a woman in her late 20s. Both are traumatized, struggling with their grief, and haunted by unresolved pasts in this beautifully written coming-of-age novel.

Headshot

Looking for a knockout summer read? Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel delivers a literary punch as fierce as its all-girl boxing lineup in this sapphic coming-of-age themed story. Set in the sweat-soaked heat of a Nevada boxing tournament, the reader follows the Women’s 18 & Under Daughter of America Cup that takes place in a rundown gym called Bob’s Boxing Place in Reno. Eight teenage girls, all well-defined with unique personalities, compete for a prize of $100, a trophy, and mainly, the glory of winning. While the story is set during this match when they’re teenagers, the reader learns about each boxer’s past and future through inner monologues from their older selves. Flashbacks slowly reveal why each girl turned to boxing, and their future selves hint at where they go from here.

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Sunburn

If the summer is reminiscent of heartbreak for you, Sunburn is a read that will burn your soul. Chloe Michelle Howarth depicts a tender, aching story set one year before Ireland decriminalized homosexuality, in the sweltering summer of Ireland in the 1990s. The main protagonist, Lucy, begins to learn more about herself this summer, experiencing a longing and desperate love for her school friend Susannah. This emotionally charged coming-of-age story about love, identity, and the courage to break free makes it a must-read to add to your shelf this summer.