Welcome to week 24 of the 2022 IHS Sapphic Reading Challenge.

Before we get to the books, we want to remind you of two ways you can interact with other readers to enhance your experience during the challenge this year.

First, you can join the I Heart SapphFic Facebook reader group. Every Monday we will announce the category for the week, and every Wednesday you will have the opportunity to post what book you are reading and be entered into the monthly drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. (For those who are not on Facebook and still want to enter, remember you can email your reading selection to tbm@iheartlesfic.com).

Second, we have created a Goodreads group where readers can discuss books, swap recommendations, and generally have a good time.

Now, to get to the task at hand. We paired Sweet Romance week with National Vanilla Milkshake Day, which is June 20th.

Below you’ll find reading suggestions. Better yet, 16 of them are on sale, so scoop up some fantastic reads at bargain prices. Before you click any buy buttons, please ensure the sale price matches. (Some international prices may vary.)

The following books are on sale for Sweet Romance week: June 20 through June 24

Milestones

by Serena J. Bishop

FREE $0.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

This romantic short story bundle contains three humorous and heart-felt relationship tales that occur after the events of the novel Dreams, and before the events of the novel Miracles.

Rocky Start: Aurora and Leela go through a series of awkward, inconvenient, and sometimes painful incidents during their first date.

Fancy Pasta: Leela wants Aurora. Aurora wants Leela. An intimate dinner at Leela’s home leads both to get what they want…even if they never get to eat the pasta.

Meet the Makers: After almost a year together, Leela and Aurora have an argument because Leela seemingly does not want to meet Aurora’s parents. After their friends intervene, the couple shares their fears, expectations, and thoughts about what kind of future they might have together.

Maverick

by Max Ellendale

$0.99 $4.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Renowned doctor, Lauren Lewis, purchases an old Victorian home after the loss of her former residence and channels her energy into restoring the new property. When a wandering antique restorer shows up to take on the job, together, they uncover the secrets the house harbored for a century. With the turn of the seasons, their souls awaken like blooming lilacs in the spring, guiding them toward an adventure of their own.

The Proposal

by TB Markinson

$0.99 $3.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Is a single day worth changing the course of your entire life?

Marley Royce has just two goals for her seventy-two-hour stay in London: land a career-making business deal and finally meet the woman of her dreams face to face.

Fate has something else in mind.

The mega conglomerate Marley works for wants to acquire the venerable but struggling Braithwaite Books. The centuries-old shop is owned by Cleo Braithwaite, a woman with a fierce and frightening reputation. Cleo turns out to be nothing like the rumors but refuses to sit still long enough to be dazzled by the meticulous spreadsheets and slides Marley has prepared to seal the deal. Instead of making her proposal, Marley soon finds herself on an impromptu walking tour of London with the charming Cleo.

Even though Marley has a dinner date that night with the woman she’s been chatting with online and was convinced was her soulmate, she can’t ignore the feelings her bewitching guide stirs up inside as they explore the historic city on foot. What’s more, the longer she’s with Cleo, the more Marley begins to question the business deal she’s been sent to make.

Should Marley stick with the plan, or is a single life-changing day with Cleo worth blowing up the future Marley was so certain she wanted?

Learning to Trust

by Kallie Mont

$0.99 $3.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

In the sleepy coastal town of Doveport, the pot isn’t just stirred—that bitch is boiling over.

Maggie and Parker are new… like, brand-spanking-new. But for all of their flirting and butterflies and romantic intention, the universe has devised one giant beaver-dam.

Maggie is already falling for the woman of her dreams, but that same woman might very well be leaving by the year’s end. With a mourning best friend, a transitioning career, and parents who are squarely on the wrong continent, Maggie can barely catch her breath, let alone figure out how to convince Parker to stay.

Add in a pickle-thieving cat and a first date consisting mostly of fish bones, and you’ll start to get the picture.

Parker’s found the kind of excitement and acceptance she never knew was possible, but it’s with a woman thirteen years her junior. Plus, she came to Doveport to start over, not to stay. Working on a short-term contract meant that she would have the freedom to go anywhere after this stopover.

She’d never expected to be in another relationship, especially this soon, but when you find someone that feels like home, how can you leave?

Secrets of Milan

by Edale Lane

$0.99 $4.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Some secrets were meant to stay hidden.

While Florentina as the Night Flyer searches for a mysterious underworld organization that has attempted to murder the woman she loves, Maddie struggles to deal with the danger Florentina is courting. Her brother, Alessandro, has become the most prominent merchant of Milan, but the Night Flyer uncovers a secret so shocking it could destroy them all.

Charleston

by B.K. Wiggins

$0.99 $2.99 

Natalie Pope had just inherited her grandmother’s historical home in Charleston. She had spent her childhood summers there and always enjoyed going back to visit. But, after Mimi’s funeral, Natalie and her family found that someone else had claimed the property and was willing to put up a fight.

Mimi’s estate attorney, Haley was going to help them fight. She had a friend on the Charleston Police Department and together with Chip, they were going to get to the bottom of this.

Who was Grant Rogers? How did Mimi know him? Why would he be given her home? How would they stop him?

Filled with twists, turns, and two women falling in love; Charleston is a sweet lesbian romance story with low angst and a happily ever after.

A Bit of a Pickle

by Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue

$0.99 $2.99 

When Edna Simmons takes a DNA test and finds out that she has a brother, her wife and her decide to go on a trip to find him, but after meeting Fredrick Tillison, Edna finds that her whole world has changed. Will this man become the missing piece to her puzzle, or is there a skeleton in his closet that he isn’t telling her about?

False Starts & Artichoke Hearts

by Sofi Keren

$0.99 $2.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Daniela Restrepo was used to being half of a culinary power couple. Now single, she’s determined to open the city’s first fine dining vegan restaurant – all on her own.Jules Cahill spent decades on tour with no real roots, until a broken heart sent her searching for home, stability, and a whole new path. When Daniela offers Jules a job, they connect immediately over their shared love of food – and so much more. But as they each find their own way to start over, will their pasts stop them from finding the way together?

Venus & Aphrodite

by Barbara Winkes

$0.99 $2.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

When Zoe inherits money from her grandmother, along with the instruction to do “something wild” with it, she takes a three-week vacation to Italy and Greece. But is that wild enough? Back home, she decides to open a restaurant to share with her community the food and wine she fell in love with.

The major wrinkle in her plan? She needs the perfect person to cook the delicious dishes she has in mind.

Chef Arianna O’Dell was a rising star in the culinary world before a public scandal put an abrupt halt to her dreams. Arianna is reluctant to resume a career in a field that has cast her out, but it’s hard to resist Zoe’s passion.

Can Zoe and Arianna overcome everything that’s holding them back, and make their shared dream a reality?

Caring for Amelia

by Eva Reddy

$0.99 $3.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Coral is a middle-aged woman caring for her mother, Amelia, in the home they share with Coral’s long-term partner, Nick. Coral’s life is turned upside down when her mother is admitted to hospital with pneumonia and is not expected to survive. Adding to Coral’s woes – after thirteen years together – Nick chooses this tumultuous time to leave Coral for another woman.

Both Coral and Amelia show true grit and personal fortitude in facing their battles and demons. Together, they begin rebuilding their lives with the help of Dr. Olivia Thomas – Amelia’s lung specialist – and Clancy – the nurse assigned to help Amelia with in-home medical treatment and personal care.

Coral accepts that she is unlikely to find another lover while she is providing her mother with such high level care in her home. Especially since she is ‘over the hill’ and unable to get out and about to meet new people anyway. Then Nick breaks-up with her girlfriend and wants to try to rekindle their relationship. At the same time, Coral begins to sense that some other women in her life might be sending her signals of their interest as well. However, Amelia’s fragile state of health makes it difficult for Coral to even consider moving on with her love-life.

Fortunately, Coral has a supportive network of family and friends to help her feel comfortable about her future with her mother. But will that support be enough for her to find the confidence to think about loving another?

Seventy

by Lynn Lauria

$0.99 $3.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

So, what do you do after turning seventy years of age and your life has been unremarkable in so many ways? You do what any red-blooded American Lesbian does… you lust after the most beautiful woman in the world.

Morgan had settled into a quiet, happy (albeit lonely) life on California’s central coast. Away from the hustle and bustle of southern California, she allowed the calming effects of the Pacific Ocean to lull her into a sense of security; or at least complacency.

Until… Sloane. Until, this gorgeous woman popped unexpectedly, wonderfully into Morgan’s life. Sloane with her bobbed blonde tresses, winning smile and the lightest, brightest ice-blue eyes. And, oh yes, a PhD! Yep, a Doctor of Philosophy, the interim Dean of the nearby community college; as opposed to Morgan’s just barely achieved Bachelor of Arts and accidental careers in everything from office receptionist to retail lackey.

Morgan couldn’t fathom what possessed her to think that this accomplished, stunning woman would want to have anything to do with her. And yet…

Long-Distance Loving

by Dorothy Rice Bennett

$0.99 $7.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Brittany and Ginger have moved into an old farmhouse with acreage on Washington’s Sequim Prairie after spending nearly a year in a shared residence owned by a Sequim widow, Aggie Hollister. That experience in the big house overlooking Sequim Bay led to a friendship between Brit and Ginger—then a steamy romance and a fledgling relationship.

Now Ginger is camping in the outdated Olympic Peninsula farmhouse with her Schnauzer Spice and Brit’s rescue dog Chica, while Brit has gone off to graduate school in veterinary science in Corvallis, Oregon. Having only lived together for a few weeks, both Brit and Ginger are lonely and fear for their relationship when they are so far apart and will seldom see each other during the next four years.

Brit and Ginger struggle in their own ways to remain connected, hold onto their loving feelings, and protect their dream for the future. Can they pull it off, or will time and distance tear them apart?

Worth the Risk

by Callie Hall 

$0.99 $2.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Carmen took on a new promotion at work to get away from love, not so she could find it again.

Thousands of miles away from home and the only woman she’s ever loved, Carmen isn’t interested in starting a new relationship, especially considering how terrible the last one turned out to be. A new promotion and a change of scenery are exactly what she needs to get her life back on track. Of course, she didn’t plan on the overwhelming homesickness her move might bring, not to mention the kind woman who happens to live across the hall.

Shay’s funny, smart, and nothing like Carmen’s friends back home. According to Shay, she came to Carverdale to find her brother, then stayed because of the community. Carmen, however, is only supposed to be in town for a year.

Starting a new relationship now would only cause them more pain in the future. That’s what Carmen keeps telling herself, anyway. But could Shay be right?

Is it better to have love and lost than to never risk love at all?

Into the Emerald

by Rae McDaniel

$1.49 $5.99 

Meet Jo, a 26 yr old marketing professional that has never been in love. She’s looking for desire with sparks and tingles. After years of only dating men, she meets someone unexpected. Sarah with emerald green eyes. Sarah is 28 yrs old and runs a successful catering business. Follow them through the excitement, confusion, and humor that comes with a new love. An overwhelming physical attraction and the possibilities of something long-lasting.

Unexpected Departure

by Shannon O’Connor

$1.99 $3.99 

Riley is stuck —in a job she hates, a toxic relationship, and in life. She knows the relationship is bad for her, but she also can’t seem to let her go. After catching her girlfriend cheating, again, she finds comfort at her favorite bar, with her best friend by her side.

After punching someone in the face and meeting a mysteriously gorgeous bartender, Riley thinks things may be changing. Sawyer is adventurous, sexy, and confident— all the things Riley yearns to be. And a sunrise motorcycle ride starts to give her hope that things can change.

When she suddenly gets a phone call from her brother, she discovers her estranged mother is dying. After almost a decade of silence, she’s forced to return to her small homophobic hometown, say goodbye, and confront her demons.

Will she be able to confront her past, learn to move on, and learn to love herself?

No After You

by Nicole Pyland

$3.99 $7.99 (Also in Kindle Unlimited)

Dani Wilder only intended to go to a fundraiser and donate money to a worthy cause. She had no idea that she’d meet the love of her life that night. There were only a couple of problems with that chance meeting. Dani had a boyfriend. That chance meeting – it was with Peyton Gloss, the world’s most famous music star, who also happened to be a woman.

Peyton had only planned on performing that night. When she’d seen the most beautiful woman in the world in the crowd, she had to talk to her. Dani Wilder was a beautiful, kind, smart supermodel, who also happened to have a boyfriend. When the two women spend time together, though, it’s clear to both of them that this is more than merely a close friendship.

Keep scrolling for more suggestions!

Catch to Release

by Lacey Schmidt 

On the verge of finally releasing her own record label, lesbian folk-rock star, Shay Greenaura, finds herself caught up in more than just her music. When the threats she receives turn deadly, her manager contracts a security firm for protection.

Addison Weller, a former Diplomatic Security Services agent is called in to assess the threats against Shay. Can Addison overcome the setback of her previous security detail and save Shay? Or will their undeniable attraction, brewing silently between them, prove a distraction and be the fatal catch?

Vagabond

by Natalie Debrabandere

Available in Kindle Unlimited

During an evening bike ride in her hometown of Glastonbury, England, lawyer JoAnn Daniels is assaulted by a group of men. Out of nowhere, a stranger steps in and risks her own life to save hers. If this was not enough to catch JoAnn’s attention, limpid blue eyes, unruly black hair, and a big dose of heroic stoicism certainly do.

Morgan Lee has kind of lost her way. On the road for a long time, she seeks solace in solitude. Now injured following the rescue, and with her emotional defences down, JoAnn’s offer of a roof over her head to recover is hard to resist.

So is their growing attraction for each other…

Will trust, healing, and love blossom between the two women?

Or will Morgan’s dark past catch up with her, and destroy them both?

Learning to Love Again

by M. E. Tudor

Available in Kindle Unlimited

Houstonian Ava White finds herself alone after her wife, Sheila, leaves her for a younger woman. Sheila verbally, emotionally, and physically abused Ava for more than thirty years. Drinking lots of alcohol became Ava’s way of coping with the pain and loneliness, but she is ready for change.

Ava’s friend, Emily Rios, convinces her to spend two weeks at Emily’s vacation home in Ouray, Colorado. Ava is excited about being away from Houston and Sheila. She wants to clear her head and reimagine her life.

Ava meets Emily’s friend and neighbor Melody Graves in Colorado. Emily asked Mel to encourage Ava to visit some interesting sites in and around Ouray. Mel is happy to help, but she didn’t expect to fall for Ava.

Ava discovers a new love for the outdoors and finds confidence in herself as she and Mel become close.

Ava returns to Houston feeling good about her life and ready to move forward, but Sheila is not giving up control. Ava must make some tough decisions to build a new life with the possibility of a relationship with Mel.

Happy reading!

Faith, Em, Miranda, & TB

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