Genre

Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction Books

Sapphic fiction tells stories about women who love women — romance, literary fiction, historical drama, fantasy and gothic. The tradition runs from 19th-century classics like Carmilla through mid-century pulp to today's thriving romance and romantasy scene.

Browse the most-shelved titles below, or combine with a mood: gothic, historical, fantasy or romance.

This list collects 2,199 books tagged Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction by 1,081 authors, published between 1505 and 2026. 19 are free to read and 4 have a free audiobook. Books are ranked by how many readers have shelved, rated or downloaded them.

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2020s 2772010s 8192000s 5381990s 3301980s 931970s 251960s 421950s 241940s 81930s 101920s 9

Common tropes in Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction

From Wikipedia

Lesbian literature is a subgenre of literature addressing lesbian themes. It includes poetry, plays, and fiction addressing lesbian characters; non-fiction about lesbian-interest topics; and works by lesbian writers. A similar term is sapphic literature, encompassing works that feature love between women that are not necessarily lesbian. Lesbian and sapphic literature are types of LGBTQ literature.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

2,199 Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction books · page 1 of 46

Top Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction authors

Related genres

Frequently asked questions

What does 'sapphic' mean in books?

Sapphic is an umbrella term for stories about women attracted to women, including lesbian, bisexual and pansexual characters. It takes its name from the Greek poet Sappho of Lesbos.

Is Carmilla a lesbian novel?

Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla (1872) is widely read as an early sapphic vampire story; it predates Dracula by 25 years and is free to read in the public domain.

What are the most popular Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction books?

By reader shelving on Open Library and downloads, the most popular include Ἰλιάς (1505), Carmilla (1871), The Color Purple (1976), Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and The Price of Salt (1952).

Are there free Lesbian & Sapphic Fiction books?

Yes — 19 lesbian & sapphic fiction titles are in the public domain and free to read, including Carmilla (1871), I Am a Woman (1959) and The Well of Loneliness (1928).