Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Twenty-One Arrow Salute by Kasia Bacon

Twenty-One Arrow Salute: An Order Series Novella Book 2.5 (The Order)

"This adorable story with its gruff soldier protagonist who develops a massive crush on a nobleman’s son delivers all the awwwws that we expect as gay romance readers. Very nicely done."

Verhan Tŭrryés of Black Mountain is a handful.

Freshly enlisted in the Highland Regiment, he does all he can to steer clear of responsibility and commitment. Just not his cup of mead, that. Loose of tongue and even looser of morals, he rarely misses an opportunity to get into trouble—and into the other archers’ knickers, too.

In a unit composed almost entirely of Dark Elves, Hernan Seinnés, with his green eyes and auburn hair, is an outsider. When Verhan, up the creek again, is blackmailed into helping Hernan, he never expects to fall for him. But during the long hours spent training Hernan for the Honour Guard, feelings strike the Highlander right in the heart—and with the force of an arrow.

Unversed in relationships, Verhan finally plucks up enough courage to tell Hernan how he feels, only to drive the Asirhwӱnian away instead. If Verhan can swallow his pride, he might get one last chance to show Hernan what he means to him—and maybe this time he can hit the mark.

Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Across A Crowded Room by Jane Alden

Across A Crowded Room

"This story was engaging from the get-go with the vivid imagery of the opening sequence of events."

It's Christmastime, 1950, in the affluent Manhattan suburb of New Canaan, Connecticut. Bennie Grant leaves her life as a trophy wife of a successful man to follow her dream of being a director on Broadway. The rub is a custody battle over her young daughter. There are hurdles: Will's meddling mother, Bennie's confessed affair with her best friend, Alice, and Will's fight to keep Bennie at any cost.

What could make things more complicated? Bennie meets a charismatic woman, Laura, to whom she is irresistibly attracted.