We talk a lot about queer romance, about romantic manga and graphic novels, and about queer comics here at Book Riot. You can’t go far into the archives without seeing a thrilled mention of Heartstopperor Check, Please! or Bingo Love. (And there’s a reason for that: they’re all absolute bangers.)
So why not aggregate all of those into something a little tighter: graphic novels that fall specifically under the romance umbrella (AKA, a central love story and a happily ever after) that also explore queer identities? These queer romance graphic novels deserve a place on your TBR.
Get 15% off annual All Access memberships for a limited time in celebration of Book Riot’s 15th anniversary! Savings amount to more than 3 months of free unlimited access to our entire content archive, plus features like Collections and the New Release Index. Claim your savings and start leveling up your reading life.
The Stack
Sign up to The Stack to receive Book Riot Comic’s best posts, picked for you.
These are primarily single-volume stories, where the full story arc takes place in one book, but there are also some that are told in multiple volumes, but—unlike a lot of manga and webtoons—have a finite ending, instead of continuous volumes.
There’s fun to be had with slice-of-life romantic stories like Boyfriends, or an epic melodrama like Letters for Lucardo, or ongoing ridiculousness like He Craves To Be Teased by His Favorite ASMR Streamer. But that single enclosed story just hits different. Here are a few of my favorites.
Grand Slam Romance by Ollie Hicks and Emma Osterhoos
This magical girl (gender neutral) softball romance in three volumes also acts as a coming-of-age story of Mickey Monsoon, the best pitcher this side of the Atlantic. When their oldest friend comes back on the scene, there is much drama. And when her ex appears with a new team on the block designed specifically to send everyone home crying, things just continue to escalate. This is a delightful, funny, messy story of three people figuring themselves out and helping each other to become their best person, both on and off the field.
Patience & Esther by SW Searle
We don’t get a whole lot of Edwardian romance in any format, and this delightful story is a quiet, lovely look at two women working in service. Patience, a new parlormaid, doesn’t make the best first impression on lady’s maid Esther. But they’re roommates, and they have to work together and live together. As they get to know each other and experience the changes that the world is introducing in both their small environment and across the world, they can grow together. Please note: this book contains graphic depictions of sex.
Hungry Heart by Jem Milton
If you love a foodie romance, this one should definitely be on your radar. Laurie is a food blogger who has been trying to get a story on handsome and talented chef Oryan Adjei for years. When he finally gets a sit-down with the celebrity cook, things don’t work out as expected. But they keep finding their way back to each other, and eventually begin a friendship through conversations about food, dreams, and life. They’re sweet bbs who deserve the world, even as they keep making silly mistakes.
I Shall Never Fall In Love by Hari Conner
What if Emma, but queer(er)? (That girl is definitely on the aroace spectrum.) This is the question Hari Conner asks in this story of dear friends who don’t want to leave their quiet corner of the world, and certainly don’t want to go on the marriage market. George likes nothing better than spending time with their best friend Eleanor, particularly when they don’t have to think about the estate they have to run and the dresses they would love never to wear. When Eleanor’s cousin Charlotte comes to stay, the three of them become inseparable, but know that the tides will soon have to change.
Plus, a Bonus Recommendation…
When The Tides Held The Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
This is NOT a graphic novel. It is a novel novel. But it is an illustrated novel novel, and it is a gorgeous piece of art, created by a writer who also creates in the graphic novel realm. Benny is an ironworker in 1910s New York who gets commissioned to build a strange glass box. When he discovers what—or more, who—the glass box has been created to contain, he is torn between helping the captive creature he’s drawn to and staying loyal to the found family of his Coney Island sideshow cast.
If you’re looking for more queer romance comics to sink into, check out this list.
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
