Top 5 MM Fantasy Reads

Don’t judge a book by its cover….at least this once….

I’ll admit, I avoided this book for a long time because for me, the cover didn’t, shall we say, spark any joy. And even the title had me like ‘Hmm, maybe not.’ BUT I should have ignored my first impressions on this one.

After seeing it lauded so many times online I finally caved, and it was freaking fantastic. This was my first read of Keira Andrews, and she is brilliant.

Wed to the Barbarian is fantasy romance and a definite page-turner. It’s part of a duology, with the second book already released so you can read both in one long binge session. Because believe me, you will want to.

When a gentle, peace-loving prince, Jem, is forced into a political marriage to the brutish barbarian, Cador, he is certain that he’s bound for a hellish life in a far-off and icy land. But he finds unexpected tenderness (and desire) with the barbarian, and their distrust and dislike of one another evaporates. They are hot for one another, in kinky and fantastic ways, and damn, Keira Andrews can write a sex scene. Plenty of them.

But more than that, she can write a story. The world-building is superb, the tension and angst make every page fly by. Book one ends on a cliff-hanger, which I loved, but was bloody glad that book two was already released. The wait would have killed me.

⚔️Kinky couple, forced marriage, age-gap.

What a pretty cover! As you know from my previous entry, I judge books by their covers, and this one had me at first glance.

A Marvellous Light is set in an alternative Edwardian England, so it has all the wonderfully uptight societal nuances of the era. Think Downton Abbey with magic.

Young baronet, Robin Blyth takes up what he believes is a minor governmental post, but actually finds himself the parliamentary liason to a secret magical society. Delicious!

He soon finds himself relying heavily on his surly magical-society counterpart – Edwin Courcey – as they are embroiled in a murder mystery that just might endanger every magician in the British Isles. But that’s not to say there isn’t time to fall in love, whilst one is running from mortal danger.

This is a rich, magical adventure story that completely draws you into the world that Freya Markse has written so sublimely. It is very sexy when it should be, and fantastically adventurous at all other times, clipping along at a wonderful pace. The book is one of a trilogy, but book two is a sapphic tale involving Robin’s sister, so I’ll admit I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted more of the boys – but Marke’s writing is still superb regardless!

🔮Secret magic, Edwardian fantasy, murder mystery.

Can I say first up that I would read K J Charle’s description of a paper bag…and love it. Their writing style just ticks all my boxes, and I spend half the read marvelling at how beautiful their writing is.

The Magpie Lord is my reading crack. Gothic, MM, supernatural, and sexy.

I was all in from page one, and adore the stilted, proper etitquette of Victorian England that hides some very spicy past-times. K J Charles is a master at what they do. Many of their books are historical fiction rather than historical fantasy, and all of them are bloody marvellous, but I admit, I wish they would do more series like A Charm of Magpies.

An exiled nobleman, Lucien Vaudrey, returns from many years in Shanghai to take his position as Lord Crane; after the death of his father. Magician Stephen Day arrives on the scene when Vaudrey’s concerned valet contacts him with tales of his master having strange suicidal thoughts…many of which he tries to act out. Realising the dark moods are unnatural in the most supernatural of ways, the valet convinces are very unwilling Day to protect Lord Crane, and hunt down the evil force that seeks to destroy him.

And there begins a relationship of opposites, which will eventually turn into a steamy love story of the most delightful degree. There is lashings of plot, this is not just a bang-fest, but goodness gracious me, when it is….

If you think “I don’t like historical fantasy’ I implore you to give this one a go, and see if you still feel the same afterwards.

🕯️Historical fantasy, opposites attract, magical.

My gateway drug into the MM genre. Written by a fellow Aussie, the Captive Prince trilogy is one you will not soon forget.

The sex scenes (some of which are non-con, so be warned, those needing such warnings) are hardcore. When I found this series,I’d never read gay romance before, but I sure as hell was going to do so again after reading it. And it IS a romance, tender and sexy despite the terrible things the MCs must endure before they truly find each other. I’m not a fan of laid-on-thick romance, MM or MF. I don’t like super sweet, so this dark and painful, angst-ridden relationship was exactly my cup of tea.

I prefer romance storylines to be woven into another larger story, and Captive Prince hit the ball out of the park in that regard. The viscious political infighting in the royal courts, the violent conflicts and backstabbing surrounding Damon and Laurent make for a deeply satisfying read.

If you enjoy dark fantasy (and it gets dark, folks) and rich and vivid world building with brutal political intrigue, impossible love, graphic sex scenes and touches of epic fantasy level battle scenes, then look no further.

🔥Dark, brooding, hot-as-hell

King of the Dark was the book that firmly cemented my love of the MM fantasy genre. I couldn’t put it down, and recall sitting in a dumpling restaurant for lunch, with my vege dumplings going very cold because I was too fixated on reading the book.

It’s dark, which I’m definitely a fan of, and very spicy, which I am also very partial too. Nash has a page-turner style of writing, and though the plot may not be as intricate and complex as that of The Captive Prince trilogy, it made it no less fantastic to read.

The MCs are deliciously hot and viscious, and their relationship is as traumatic and dramatic as every enemies-to-lovers story should be. Vasili and Nikolas are the sort of characters that stay with you long after the trilogy is done….though Nash does relieve the tension with a follow-up novella, The Cottage, which is a fantastic spice-fest.

Keep in mind there are quite a few triggers in this one, so be sure to check out the author notes if you need advance warning.

🐍Spicy, dark, high fantasy

The Diabolus Chronicles is historical fantasy set in 19th century England, against the backdrop of the Victorian era where seances, spiritualism and superstitiion were all the rage. The eight book series follows the dark and dangerous adventures of Pitch & Sickle – a gentleman and a libertine – who each have more than a few skeletons in their closets.

Neither of these men are who they seem. And every single one of the secrets surrounding them…could kill them.

This is opposites attract at its best, along with a healthy does of sunshine/grumpy, hurt/comfort and found family.

Each book in the series draws inspiration from well-known myths and mythological creatures, with fantastic twists on each and every one.

This is not a series for the faint of heart. There is angst, there is blood, there is always the chance this pair will not live long enough to learn whether or not they have saved the world from an ancient and deadly curse.

But…perhaps…the deep and unexpected love between them is enough to change fate itself.

The series is slow-burn with a capital SLOW, but when the boys finally get their act together….spicy is the word.

Oh, and one last thing….this series is written by none other than Yours Truly. 😉 The Diabolus Chronicles is complete and ready for your next historical fantasy binge-fest.

🕯️Dark fantasy, high adventure, queer love.