Love Stories Know No Gender

Romance Reads Worth the Hype

Romance novels are often thought of as a women’s game, but let’s not overlook the men who’ve written some truly unforgettable love stories. From Nicholas Sparks making us cry into our ice cream to John Green giving us heart-wrenching young love, male authors have been writing romance that sticks with us for years. At Little Infinite, we believe a great love story is a great love story—no matter who writes it.

If you’ve ever skipped over a book just because it was written by a man, you might be missing out! Whether it’s contemporary love stories, heartfelt dramas, or charming rom-coms, these authors prove that romance isn’t about the writer’s gender—it’s about the emotions that leap off the page. Let’s dive into some standout romance novels by men that deserve a spot in your tailored book recommendations pile

Counting Miracles

by Nicholas Sparks

In search of the father he never knew, Tanner Hughes heads to Asheboro, North Carolina, and immediately meets single mom Dr. Kaitlyn Cooper. Meanwhile, 83-year-old recluse Jasper vows to protect a white deer that’s been spotted in the woods near his cabin. A miracle may alter their futures forever.

My Review: Acclaimed #1 New York Times bestseller Sparks is a master writer of stories about forgiveness and redemption, and Chasing Miracles checks those boxes with a plot involving family secrets, an unexpected romance, and a startling revelation that results in the main characters experiencing the miracles they never expected.

What Others Are Saying: “The romance between Tanner and the doctor sizzles, and Sparks is a master at creating fully developed, sympathetic characters with complete and compelling backstories. Readers will be drawn into this touching story of hope, faith, and love, and Spark’s many fans will find just what they’re looking for.”—Booklist, starred review

More on the Author: Nicolas Sparks has authored 23 New York Times bestselling novels (11 of which have been adapted into films where he served as screenwriter and producer) and two works of nonfiction. His books have been published across more than 50 languages with over 150 million copies sold worldwide. He is also the founder of the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a nonprofit committed to improving cultural and international understanding through global education experiences. He lives in North Carolina

Playworld

by Adam Ross

The critically acclaimed author of Mr. Peanut returns with a big and big-hearted novel chronicling one enthralling, transformative year in the life of a child actor coming of age in a bygone Manhattan.

My Review: Beginning in 1980, Ross’s novel follows 14-year-old actor Griffin Hurt, who’s in over his head due to demands placed on him. He turns to Naomi Shah, a friend of his parents who’s 22 years his senior, confessing all to the one person who could do the most harm to him. It’s a bit unsettling that an affair occurs between these two, but the story propels Griffin through teenage uncertainty as he’s surrounded by the excesses of early 1980s New York. Playworld is a heart-rending portrayal of a boy coming into his own as he seeks the line between youth and maturity.

What Others Are Saying: “Best book I’ve read in the past year and maybe the past decade. It’s Salinger-meets-Donna-Tartt-meets-your-long-ago-crush-on-Shaun-Cassidy… Eleven out of ten recommend.”—Elin Hilderbrand, bestselling author of Swan Song, on Instagram

More on the Author: Adam Ross’s Mr. Peanut was selected as one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Economist. He has been a fellow in fiction at the American Academy in Berlin and a Hodder Fellow for Fiction at Princeton University. He is editor of The Sewanee Review. Born and raised in New York City, he now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his two daughters.

Room on the Sea: Three Novellas

by André Aciman

The bestselling author of Call Me by Your Name pens three hypnotic novellas about obsessional love, missed connections, and enduring regret.

My Review: From a modern retelling of a famous 17th-century novel about a love affair between a nun and an unreliable aristocrat to the story of a group of friends who have a life-changing encounter with an enigmatic man, Aciman’s beguiling collection is an eloquent exploration of the life-changing power of love.

What Others Are Saying: “This exquisite triptych from Aciman explores desire and fate among old friends, new acquaintances, and heartbroken lovers… A triumph.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

More on the Author: André Aciman is the New York Times bestselling author of Call Me by Your Name, Out of Egypt, Eight White Nights, False Papers, Alibis, Harvard Square, Enigma Variations, and Find Me. He’s the editor of The Proust Project and teaches comparative literature at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He lives with his wife in Manhattan.

A Happy Beginning

by B a Richards

Step into the heart of New Orleans, where legends of vampires, witches, spells, and curses are as alive as the city itself. But what if there’s a nugget of truth to the stories?

My Review: Alard, a fae prince hiding in New Orleans’ French Quarter, and adventurous (and hot!) tourist Razi spend an unforgettable night together. The next morning, the two men discover they are magically bonded in an accidental marriage that could spell trouble for Alard’s fae kingdom… and make Raz a political pawn. However, the more time they spend together in the chaos, the more they fall in love. Richards’ debut is a fun, M/M urban romantasy tinged with sweetness and lots of spice.

What Others Are Saying: “If you love steam-filled, LGBTQIA love stories, this is a great pick for you. It features a lot of great tropes from one-night stands and accidental marriages to fabulous best friends and fear of true love. It has a great blend of urban and high fantasy for lovers of both! (Five stars)”—Amorina Carlton, Goodreads

More on the Author: B.A. Richards is a transmasculine author who spends their time writing fictional romances that allude them in real life. Living in Tennessee with their partner and a small pride of cats, their aim is to introduce readers to interesting characters and fantastical worlds they can get lost in when the real world sucks. When not writing, they can be found teaching others to write, reading the newest romantasy, or practicing their sword fighting in the backyard.

Colton Gentry’s Third ACT

by Jeff Zentner

This TODAY Show Pick from an award-winning author follows a down-on-his-luck country musician who, in the throes of grief after a shocking loss, moves back home and rekindles a relationship with his high-school sweetheart.

My Review: During a concert, country music artist Colton Gentry has a gut-wrenching reaction to the murder of his best friend Duane that dooms his career and his marriage. He seeks solace in his small Kentucky hometown and reconnects with his first love, Luanne. Recalling their senior year of high school, and his friendship with Duane as up-and-coming musicians in Nashville, Colton is determined not to miss out on a second chance in life.

What Others Are Saying: “Like the best country love songs, Colton Gentry’s Third Act breaks your heart, stitches it back together, and makes you want to hear the story over and over just to feel something. This is the book Jeff Zentner was born to write.”—Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of Cutting Teeth

More on the Author: Jeff Zentner is the author of New York Times Notable Books The Serpent King and In the Wild Light, as well as Goodbye Days and Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee. Among other honors, he has won the ALA’s William C. Morris Award, the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award twice, the Muriel Becker Award, and the International Literacy Association Award, been long listed twice for the Carnegie Medal, and been a two-time Southern Book Prize finalist. Before becoming a writer, he was a musician who recorded with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, and Debbie Harry. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

True North

by Andrew J Graff

From the author of Raft of Stars comes a heartfelt novel of marriage and whitewater rafting, following one couple as they navigate the changing currents of family, community, and the river itself.

My Review: If you’ve ever been whitewater rafting, you know how exhilarating riding the rapids can be. Whitewater rafting is a good metaphor for marriage: there are constant highs and lows, ups and downs, and cold splashes of reality hitting you in the face. Graff simulates these sensations in the marriage of Sam and Swami Brecht. Young and adventurous when they first met as river guides a decade ago, they now find themselves weighed down by money worries and the demands of adulthood. Looking for a fresh start, Sam, Swami and their kids move to Wisconsin’s Northwoods to take over operations of Sam’s uncle’s rafting company. However, a competing rafting outfit, clashing raft guides, stubborn townsfolk, an exploratory mining company, and historic flooding threateningly loom over them. Can San and Swami’s marriage survive? You’ll root for this couple in Graff’s tender story of family and community.

What Others Are Saying: “An engaging, character-driven portrait of a marriage under pressure from financial deception and conflicting desires. Graff writes about the outdoors, particularly rivers and river rafting, with an immersive blend of knowledge and passion.”—Charles Frazier, National Book Award-winning author of Cold Mountain and New York Times bestselling author of The Trackers

More on the Author: Andrew J. Graff is the author of novel Raft of Stars. His fiction and essays have appeared in Image and Dappled Things. Andrew grew up fishing, hiking, and hunting in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He lives in Ohio and teaches at Wittenberg University.