Books like 'The Great Believers'
Readers who enjoyed The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary queer 20th century
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Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore
As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter... -
![Therapy Game, Vol. 2 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡]()
Therapy Game, Vol. 2 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡
Shizuma finds out about Minato’s plan—and subsequent wager—to seduce and then dump him. But when he rushes to Minato's apartment, an unknown man opens the door! Meanwhile, Minato is stuck wavering between his ever-deepening feelings for Shizuma and his deep-seated fear of falling in love... -
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![The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, Ann Goldstein]()
The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, Ann Goldstein
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIn one volume, the New York Times–bestselling epic about hardship and female friendship in postwar Naples that has sold over five million copies. Beginning with My Brilliant Friend, the four Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante follow Elena and Lila, from their rough-edged upbringing in Naples, Italy, not long after WWII, through the many stages of their lives—and along paths that diverge wildly... -
![Marcus & Reagan: Rojo, TX by Cee Bowerman]()
Marcus & Reagan: Rojo, TX by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.78 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMarcus and Reagan have been part of the Texas Knights, Texas Kings, and Tempest family for more than thirty years. They’ve weathered ups and downs and raised their children surrounded by family that may not share their blood but share their hearts. Come to Rojo with Cee Bowerman and attend the wedding we’ve all been waiting for... -
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![The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley]()
The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsSpanning four generations, The Midnight Rose sweeps from the glittering palaces of the great maharajas of India to the majestic stately homes of England, following the extraordinary life of a remarkable girl, Anahita Chaval, from 1911 to the present day . . -
![Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman, Robert Chandler]()
Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman, Robert Chandler
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsBased around the pivotal WWII battle of Stalingrad (1942-3), where the German advance into Russia was eventually halted by the Red Army, and around an extended family, the Shaposhnikovs, and their many friends and acquaintances, Life and Fate recounts the experience of characters caught up in an immense struggle between opposing armies and ideologies... -
![The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy]()
The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAn inspiring, uplifting story of love and loss, courage and adventure, from the bestselling author of The Skylark’s Secret.1927. Violet Mackenzie-Grant is embarking on her dream of studying at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women... -
![Therapy Game, Vol. 1 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡]()
Therapy Game, Vol. 1 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsSparks fly in this spinoff of Secret XXX featuring Shouhei’s older brother Shizuma and Mito’s younger brother Minato after a drunken fling!Shizuma only drank that night to forget his heartbreak. He didn’t intend to also forget Minato, the one-night stand who soothed his broken heart... -
![The Girl with the Diary by Shari J. Ryan]()
The Girl with the Diary by Shari J. Ryan
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 24 ratings“What if you never come back?” I asked.“I will find you, Amelia. I promise I will find you.”“What if you die trying?”Nazi-occupied Prague, 1942: Amelia is hiding in her closet when flashlights blind her and she’s captured by the SS. Out on the cobblestone street, she is shoved onto a freight train with hundreds of others. Hours pass as they travel in darkness... -
![Junjo Romantica, Volume 07 by Shungiku Nakamura]()
Junjo Romantica, Volume 07 by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsMiyagi finally gets over his obsession with his late high school teacher by confessing his love for Shinobu in front of her grave. When it comes time for Shinobu to choose which college to go to, his feelings seem to be swaying his decisions too strongly - even for Miyagi's liking... -
![Snow Fairy by Tomo Serizawa, 芹澤知]()
Snow Fairy by Tomo Serizawa, 芹澤知
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsWhen Hokkaido-born Haruki meets animal photographer Akihito and finds out his accommodations have fallen through, he offers his home as a shelter for the winter. A city slicker, Akihito is smart, charming, and a smooth conversationalist; the polar opposite of country boy Haruki. Despite their differences, Akihito wants to close the gap between the two of them, before the snow thaws in the spring... -
![Every Breath After by Jessie Walker]()
Every Breath After by Jessie Walker
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHe would never be mine. Official Cover + Blurb coming soon. *Every Breath After will be a full-length, emotional, MM rockstar romance novel. While this book will focus on a new couple, it is not considered a stand-alone. This series is meant to be read in order, beginning with the Duet: Where There's A Will (#1) and If There's A Way (#2)... -
![The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey]()
The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsA female American spy in Nazi-occupied France finds purpose behind enemy lines in a novel of unparalleled danger, love, and daring by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Beantown Girls.Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at a private school in Washington, DC... -
![The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy]()
The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn this evocative tale from the bestselling author of The Dressmaker’s Gift, a strange new city offers a young girl hope. Can it also offer a lost soul a second chance?Morocco, 1941. With France having fallen to Nazi occupation, twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca, where they await safe passage to America... -
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![The Words We Whisper by Mary Ellen Taylor]()
The Words We Whisper by Mary Ellen Taylor
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAs a hospice nurse, Zara Mitchell has already seen more death than most people will experience in a lifetime. So when her older sister asks her to help care for their ailing grandmother, Zara agrees—despite strained family relationships.Though pale and tired, Nonna has lost none of her sharp mind... -
![All In With Him by Lauren Blakely]()
All In With Him by Lauren Blakely
Once upon a time all I needed was baseball, friends and extracurricular activities. Then everything changed when Declan Steele stormed into my life and upended all my priorities with his heart, his love, his passion.So my next five-year plan will include this new ground rule—Love big... -
![Junjo Romantica, Volume 06 by Shungiku Nakamura]()
Junjo Romantica, Volume 06 by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIt's the day of the award ceremony for Usami, but Usami's older brother, Haruhiko, can't keep his hands off Misaki. First an endless shipment of strawberries, then a "kidnapping" as Haruhiko drags Misaki off to his rich estate and locks him up! Meanwhile, a dramatic misunderstanding spooks Shinobu into leaving for Australia... -
![Dirty Laundry by Rhys Ford]()
Dirty Laundry by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFor ex-cop turned private investigator Cole McGinnis, each day brings a new challenge. Too bad most of them involve pain and death. Claudia, his office manager and surrogate mother, is still recovering from a gunshot, and Cole’s closeted boyfriend, Kim Jae-Min, suddenly finds his teenaged sister dumped in his lap... -
![Therapy Game Restart, Vol. 1 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡]()
Therapy Game Restart, Vol. 1 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSparks continue to fly in this Therapy Game sequel where Shizuma and Minato learn to navigate commitment—in both work and love!From a forgotten one-night stand to a plan for revenge, Shizuma and Minato have been through it all. But now that they’re officially a couple, new challenges await, and their fledgling relationship must learn to soar!Shizuma and Minato are officially a couple... -
![She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 4 by Sakaomi Yuzaki]()
She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat, Vol. 4 by Sakaomi Yuzaki
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKasuga has realized she’s in love with Nomoto―and after the blast they had at their curry party, the two grow closer than ever! With Valentine’s Day approaching, Nomoto bakes up a storm and Kasuga hits the shops as they prepare the perfect treats to give each other, and they both turn to a friend for advice on expressing their feelings... -
![Until I Meet My Husband by Yoshi Tsukizuki, Ryousuke Nanasaki]()
Until I Meet My Husband by Yoshi Tsukizuki, Ryousuke Nanasaki
The memoir of gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki and the first religiously recognized same-sex marriage in Japan.From school crushes to awkward dating sites to finding a community, this collection of stories recounts the author’s “firsts” as a young gay man searching for love... -
![Someone Like You by Monica Walters, Latisha Burns]()
Someone Like You by Monica Walters, Latisha Burns
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsYou’re strong… You’re resilient… You’re an overcomer.Nesha Henderson knows what it means to fight through adversity and the horrible effects of abuse. She chooses to be an overcomer and not let her past define her. After years of struggling with her sexuality, she’s in a place of contentment with herself. However, love has seemed to escape her grasp every chance it gets... -
![Junjo Romantica, Volume 11 by Shungiku Nakamura]()
Junjo Romantica, Volume 11 by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsMisaki just can't catch a break when it comes to the Usami family. Just when he thinks he escaped one mess, he falls right into another one... -
![The Orphans of Berlin: The BRAND NEW heartbreaking World War 2 historical novel by Jina Bacarr for 2022 by Jina Bacarr]()
The Orphans of Berlin: The BRAND NEW heartbreaking World War 2 historical novel by Jina Bacarr for 2022 by Jina Bacarr
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 24 ratings'A moving novel of strength and resistance in the face of evil but also an inspiring journey of resilience after loss.' Erin Litteken, bestselling author of The Memory Keeper of KyivA heartbreaking World War 2 novel that tells the story of two women’s fight for love, family and hope, as the world crumbles around them... -
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![Junjo Romantica 03 by Shungiku Nakamura]()
Junjo Romantica 03 by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsMisaki wohnt beim Bestsellerautor Usami und kann seine Gefühle für ihn nicht länger leugnen. Eines Nachts rutscht ihm sogar der Satz "Ich glaube, ich liebe dich!" heraus... -
![Ribbonwood by Ruby Landers]()
Ribbonwood by Ruby Landers
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLara Bennett is world-famous in Ribbonwood, population 907. She’s the woman you don't trust your husband with: a real-life femme fatale. If there’s a scandal in town, she’s at the center of it, ruining businesses, marriages, and egos everywhere she goes, with her sharp tongue and that body that makes you look twice... -
![Call Me By Your Name - Screenplay by James Ivory, André Aciman]()
Call Me By Your Name - Screenplay by James Ivory, André Aciman
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIn Northern Italy in 1983, seventeen-year-old Elio begins a relationship with visiting Oliver, his father's research assistant, with whom he bonds over his emerging sexuality, their Jewish heritage, and the beguiling Italian landscape... -
![Censored Soul by Anne Malcom]()
Censored Soul by Anne Malcom
I give myself to strangers. When I'm on stage, and when I'm off it. Whether it's throngs of screaming fans or just one man, it's always outsiders. People who don't know me. Not the real me. It's easier, because then it's not so obvious that there is no real me. Just layers of lies. Then I'm peeled back to the nerve. Showing the world my ugly. Everyone sees me for what I am... -
![Virgins of Paradise by Barbara Wood]()
Virgins of Paradise by Barbara Wood
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Barbara Wood: A magnificent coming-of-age saga about two sisters from an aristocratic Egyptian family who rebel against tradition.Inside a beautiful mansion on Virgins of Paradise Street in post-World War II Cairo, Jasmine and Camelia Rasheed grow to womanhood under the watchful eyes of their grandmother and the other women of the prominent Rasheed family... -
![Take What You Can Carry by Gian Sardar]()
Take What You Can Carry by Gian Sardar
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsAn aspiring photographer follows her dreams and faces her fears in a poignant novel about finding beauty, promise, and love amid the chaos of war-torn Kurdistan.It’s 1979. Olivia Murray, a secretary at a Los Angeles newspaper, is determined to become a photojournalist and make a difference with her work... -
![Crossed Over by Santana Knox]()
Crossed Over by Santana Knox
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom international best-selling author Santana Knox, comes an LGBTQ, women’s fiction, coming out story like nothing you’ve ever read before. A tale that grips the hearts of those who failed to see eye-to-eye with a parent, and anyone who’s ever denied the truth about themselves... -
![On or Off, Volume 4 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #4) by A1]()
On or Off, Volume 4 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #4) by A1
Winner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards. Published in English for the first time in full color and fully uncensored! Yiyoung and his college friends have formed a startup company together, and even managed to score a proposal meeting with the illustrious SJ corporation... -
![Sense of Place by N.R. Walker]()
Sense of Place by N.R. Walker
Designing homes is easy. Finding home is something else entirely. Thomas Elkin and Cooper Jones finally have the support of their families, and their love grows stronger every day. Now living together, they think nothing can stand in their way. But there are outside influences trying to pull them apart... -
![On or Off, Volume 3 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #3) by A1]()
On or Off, Volume 3 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #3) by A1
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsWinner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards Ahn Yiyoung is hard at work building a startup with his college friends, knowing that a successful product could change all of their lives... -
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![Then & Now by Monica McCallan]()
Then & Now by Monica McCallan
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsLily Connor has focused all her energy into becoming a successful wedding planner, and after five years, she’s on the precipice of taking on more responsibility at Southerland Wedding Company. When the chance finally presents itself, it comes with a complication she couldn’t have dreamt up in her worst nightmares... -
![Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer]()
Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsOnce An Eagle is the story of one special man, a soldier named Sam Damon, and his adversary over a lifetime, fellow officer Courtney Massengale. Damon is a professional who puts duty, honor, and the men he commands above self interest. Massengale, however, brilliantly advances by making the right connections behind the lines and in Washington's corridors of power... -
![Therapy Game Restart, Vol. 2 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡]()
Therapy Game Restart, Vol. 2 by Meguru Hinohara, 日ノ原 巡
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSparks continue to fly in this Therapy Game sequel where Shizuma and Minato learn to navigate commitment—in both work and love!From a forgotten one-night stand to a plan for revenge, Shizuma and Minato have been through it all... -
![Under a Greek Moon by Carol Kirkwood]()
Under a Greek Moon by Carol Kirkwood
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe escapist Sunday Times bestselling debut from the nation’s best loved TV presenter, Carol Kirkwood.‘Loved it! It sizzles with secrets and passion... -
![Made Marian Mixtape by Lucy Lennox]()
Made Marian Mixtape by Lucy Lennox
The best mixtape always has a mix of favorites on it— songs playing in the background at Jude and Derek’s wedding or when Simone finally falls in love. Loud beats pounding the dance floor when Blue tries to seduce Tristan in public, or sleepy notes written late at night while Jude is on tour... -
![The Oceans Between Us by Gill Thompson]()
The Oceans Between Us by Gill Thompson
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsInspired by heartrending real events, a mother fights to find her son and a child battles for survival in this riveting debut novel.For readers of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, The Letter by Kathryn Hughes, and Remember Me by Lesley Pearse.A woman is found wandering injured in London after an air raid.She remembers nothing of who she is... -
![Red Dirt Heart Imago by N.R. Walker]()
Red Dirt Heart Imago by N.R. Walker
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen Charlie Sutton’s neighbour Greg is notified by the Queensland government that they intend to run a pipeline through his property, Charlie vows to help him fight it. Then Travis remembers seeing butterflies at the creek near their joining fence line - the same butterflies they couldn’t find in any Australian butterfly book... -
![Salad Days (Manhua) by Jing ShuiBian, Tang LiuZang]()
Salad Days (Manhua) by Jing ShuiBian, Tang LiuZang
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis is the story between a young innocent ballet boy and a passionate, determined boxing boy. The two met at the children's palace, and since then, they have grown up together supporting each other. May there be hardships, may there be obstacles, yet they never stopped pursuing their dreams. The beauty of the salad days is the sweat from the hard work and the bonding of friendship... -
![These High, Green Hills by Jan Karon]()
These High, Green Hills by Jan Karon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsFor years, Mitford's sixtysomething rector has been happily married to his parish. Now he's also married to Cynthia, his vivacious next-door neighbor. For Father Tim, life in Mitford has never been so full of surprises. His wife is "aging" his already ancient kitchen walls, not to mention burning his draperies. The mountain boy he's learned to love as his own makes a heartrending decision... -
![Deal with the Devil by Ali Vali]()
Deal with the Devil by Ali Vali
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s business as usual for crime boss Cain Casey as she maneuvers to form an alliance with the Jatibon organization and secure peace among the ruling families in New Orleans. Cain’s new associate Remington Jatibon is a lot like Cain used to be—a playgirl with a passion for bedding beautiful women and an even greater passion for expanding her father’s empire, on both sides of the law... -
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![Headstrong Like Us by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie]()
Headstrong Like Us by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie
You’re cordially invited to the wedding of Maximoff Hale & Farrow Keene, and according to Celebrity Crush—the ceremony for this American prince and his tattooed bodyguard is going to be the event of the century. There will be no wedding crashers. Including but not limited to: hateful people, rabid fans, nosy paparazzi, and other so-called media. There will be no drama... -
![The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy]()
The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 53 ratingsA Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Charts bestseller.From the bestselling author of The Beekeeper’s Promise comes a gripping story of three young women faced with impossible choices. How will history – and their families – judge them?Paris, 1940. With the city occupied by the Nazis, three young seamstresses go about their normal lives as best they can... -
![Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain]()
Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsBestselling author Diane Chamberlain delivers a breakout book about a small southern town fifty years ago, and the darkest—and most hopeful—places in the human heart After losing her parents, fifteen-year-old Ivy Hart is left to care for her grandmother, older sister and nephew as tenants on a small tobacco farm... -
![The Devil Be Damned by Ali Vali]()
The Devil Be Damned by Ali Vali
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsCain Casey is close to getting everything she wants. Her partner Emma is pregnant with their third child, her children are safe and happy, and her business is still thriving despite the FBI’s vendetta. Life is perfect on the surface, but it’s the underbelly that worries her... -
![Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher]()
Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAgainst the backdrop of an elegant Cornwall mansion before World War II and a vast continent-spanning canvas during the turbulent war years, this involving story tells of an extraordinary young woman's coming of age, coming to grips with love and sadness, and in every sense of the term, coming home.. -
![Fix It Up by Mary Calmes]()
Fix It Up by Mary Calmes
How will a man who doesn’t believe in fairy tales ever hope to recognize when he’s found the love of a lifetime? Locryn Barnes knows what it means to be a fixer for Torus Intercession...
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