Despite the best efforts of people in power trying to erase LGBTQIA+ voices (see the drastic increase in book bans, which disproportionately target queer authors) there’s no suppressing the popularity of their stories. While fiction sales as a whole have decreased in recent years, LGBTQIA+ fiction sales keep growing. Readers know what they want, and they’re committed to getting it.
But LGBTQIA+ stories—just like LGBTQIA+ people—aren’t a monolith. Below, we’ve gathered some of our favorite LGBTQIA+ audiobooks by and about queer people, across the wide spectrum of the human experience. From modern classics to lesser known gems, meet-cutes to dystopian landscapes, these are just a handful of the best.
Highly anticipated LGBTQIA+ audiobooks of 2026
The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay
“A queer YA reimagining of The Great Gatsby set in Greenwood and Harlem. It is fire and fear and hope. It’s vivid and heart-wrenching. Definitely add this one to your TBR.”
— Anna • Katy Budget Books
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We Burned So Bright
TJ Klune is a frequent presence in best book roundups, especially when recommending queer books. His forthcoming release, the standalone We Burn So Bright, branches into dystopian fantasy. In the face of a black hole due to swallow up Earth in a month—and after 40 years together—husbands Don and Rodney set off on a road trip to tie up some loose ends, look back on their lives, and embark on the adventure of a lifetime right at that lifetime’s end.
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Hell’s Heart
“Make no mistake. This is a book filled to the brim with Treasure Planet-style whimsy, giant telekinetic space whales, glowing lesbians, and detailed SciFi gibberish (I mean that as a compliment). But the bravest thing our protagonist does is not flying whimsical boats, or fighting space whales, or hooking up with badass lesbians—it’s dreaming. Hall has depicted a true queer dreamer. The kind that doesn’t know what they want and dreams anyway. I don’t know about you, but as a trans woman, I needed to be reminded that through all the bullshit we can still dream.”
— Arwyn • Booked
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Star Shipped
“If you’ve ever fantasized about two actors from your favorite TV series falling in love IRL, then this romance centered around two incredibly hot co-stars of a cult-favorite sci-fi show is definitely for you. The author is very adept at writing chronically online queer people.”
— Josh L. • The Underground Bookshop
View the audiobookModern classics and bookseller favorites
The Emperor of Gladness
“My heart breaks open with each work by Ocean Vuong, but this time as I stitch it back up, my heart will be twice as big, even more whole. Because of his gorgeous new novel about small tender lives and the big messy love of found families, my heart now has space for so many more people. Giving us Hai, and Grazina who he cares for, and the ragtag crew at HomeMarket where he works, Vuong grapples with big themes while offering grace, visibility, and humanity. All his works are gifts, and this is his greatest yet.”
— Melinda • Bookshop Santa Cruz
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Detransition, Baby
“Detransition, Baby grabbed me from the start until the very end. Torrey Peters’ voice is sharp, honest, and often funny in the most unexpected ways as she explores the complications of identity and relationships with a ton of honesty and heart.”
— Michelle • Up Up Books
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The Sweetness of Water
During the final days of the Civil War, the inhabitants of a Georgia town called Old Ox are working through the devastating effects of the war. George and Isabelle Walker are grieving the son they lost; brothers Prentiss and Landry—now free—find jobs on the Walkers’ farm, earning money to get to their mother up north; and two young Confederate soldiers are safe from battle but now, hiding their forbidden romance, find themselves in new danger. Bookseller Ellie at Page 1 Books praises the depth of Harris’s characters, saying they “feel painfully and impossibly real, and will bemuse, inspire, and challenge you.”
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Martyr!
“This novel is so thoroughly modern, and Cyrus is such an American character—a millennial midwesterner with roots in Iran, a man trying to coalesce late-night 7-11 runs, ancient Farsi poetry, ideas of martyrdom, and Craigslist gigs. It’s funny, smart, poetic, sad, and slightly weird. And the narration by actor Arian Moayed (from Succession) is top-notch.”
— Samantha S. • Green Apple Books
View the audiobookPopular themes in LGBTQIA+ audiobooks
Historical Reimagining: Lady Like
“A Bridgerton-esque regency sapphic romance brimming with humor, danger, and feminism. Featuring a handsomely suave Shakespearean actress, a firecracker of a young woman hell bent on saving herself, and a slobbering mastiff named Havoc, this steamy and unlikely love story will leave you swooning.”
— Josh L. • The Underground Bookshop
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Found Family: When the Tides Held the Moon
“An absolutely beautiful love story that takes place in the early 1900s in New York City. This gave me Song of Achilles vibes but with a merman and a whole cast of found family. The narrators are fantastic and I will definitely seek out books that they narrate going forward. This is also a great summer read with the oceans and sweltering heat and carnival rides.”
— Krystal • The Bookies Bookstore
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Queer Joy: Cemetery Boys
“Yadriel, a Latinx teen boy, lives in a family of brujos and brujas. After coming out as trans his family does not know where he fits within their traditions. With the help of his cousin Maritza, Yadriel completes the ceremony to become a brujo and accidentally summons the ghost of Julian, who was a student at Yadriel’s school before he died. Of course, to make things more awkward, Yadriel develops a crush on the spirit boy. Thomas creates a magical but real world highlighting relationship dynamics surrounding trans identity and gender, the need to prove oneself, and the importance of connecting to family. This book might sound spooky, but it’s feel-good, heartwarming, and silly at times. Listening to it made me smile. A lot.”
— Emma • Content
View the audiobook Check out forthcoming sequel, EspiritúVoices of authenticity: standout LGBTQIA+ narrators
Avi Roque: a powerhouse for trans and nonbinary stories
Avi Roque is both a critically acclaimed stage actor and a multiple award-winning narrator, and the breadth of their experience is a testament to their skills. These skills elevate every story they read. Recommending Jonny Garza Villa’s YA Romance Ander & Santi Were Here, Phoenix Books bookseller Miriasha praises Roque’s performance: “As always, Avi Roque’s narration enhances the reading, truly bringing the story to life.”
Natalie Naudus: the queen of sapphic romance and fantasy
Natalie Naudus is a multiple Audie and Earphones award-winning narrator with over 400 titles under her belt. She gravitates to queer fiction and books by Asian American authors—and she shines when the book falls into both categories. In 2021, Naudus won AudioFile’s Earphone Award for her narration of Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful. More recently, AudioFile raved about her performance of Julie Leong’s lesbian romantasy The Keeper of Magical Things. The characters are the only ones with magical powers—AudioFile insists Naudus “puts listeners under her spell,” too.
Joel Leslie: a master of balancing sweetness and spice
When Joel Leslie links up with an author, he’s in for the long haul. Fans of authors like Cat Sebastian, Alexis Hall, and N.R. Walker know his voice well. In their rave review of Sebastian’s hit baseball romance You Should Be So Lucky, AudioFile praises his ability to capture nuance: “wry during [main characters] Eddie and Mark’s long-distance phone calls and incredibly gentle when Mark allows himself to grieve.”
Why your listen matters: supporting LGBTQIA+ literature via Libro.fm
While algorithm-based social media and sales departments are looking at data to determine which writers and books will be most profitable, independent bookshops highlight books for no reason other than: they love them. Since local bookshops and booksellers are invested in their community, they’re also invested in reading perspectives from across the human spectrum—and when you buy an audiobook (or anything!) from Libro.fm, you get to choose one of those bookshops to share in the profit.