Heat Level: Sweet
Love Interest: Faerie/Witch
Now, this book is technically not a romance novel—it usually gets shelved as fantasy. However, I still think it should be included, as it has a strong romantic subplot and it ends in a HEA. It’s also LGBTQIA+ friendly, which won over my whole heart.
Witchmark follows Miles, a mage in hiding. As the runaway son of a noble, Miles lives in a steampunk-Edwardian society where magic is commonplace. Unfortunately, you are punished for using magic depending on your class.
Poor magic-users are institutionalized in asylums. Rich magic-users have created a caste system where they extort other rich mages. Miles is in the lower caste, and as such, he’ll be chained to his sister—if he gets caught.
When Miles witnesses a murder, however, and he’s approached by a beautiful, mysterious stranger, he’s left with a choice. Either Miles can solve the murder mystery, which will put himself in danger, or he can stay quiet and allow other innocents to be killed.