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In early 2024, I got back into reading Johnlock fanfiction for the first time in several years. I soon came across this list of “Fifty Favorite Johnlock Fics,” and it turned out to be a really fun starting point for me. So I wanted to make a list of my own!
Below the cut, you’ll find fifty recommended fics and series, with notes about what I appreciated about each. There are fics on here from 2010 to 2025! I hope new Johnlock readers might find this a fun place to start their explorations, and that seasoned readers might find something new. The fics in bold are my personal favorites. <3
I’m so grateful to all the writers who have dedicated their time and creativity to Sherlock and John, and who have shared their wonderful writing with the rest of us. Thank you. I've tagged the authors whose tumblrs I could find—any corrections or additions, just let me know.
Note that you’ll need to be logged in on AO3 to see some of these.
Organized by when they start, with fics that span series and AUs at the end.
Series 1 and Series 2
Left, by lifeonmars (@marsdaydream). M, 45,153 words. An alternate telling of S1. John’s perspective. / This fic uses clever world-building to situate Sherlock and John in an alternate universe with magical realism. The magical elements served to emphasize both that Sherlock and John will always see what’s special about each other, and that the things that make them each unique are also the things that make them fit together perfectly.
Seventeen Letters, by out_there (@out-there-tmblr). G, 2,357 words. Set in the world of S1. John’s perspective. / I really like the dynamic between Sherlock and John in this author’s S1-era fics. out_there’s version of John is patient and calm and loves Sherlock in a very sure, steady kind of way. Meanwhile, their Sherlock is tentative towards John and often misunderstands things, but he’s also completely devoted to John and has a heart of gold. I think there’s something wonderful about the way this author writes Sherlock and John’s early friendship and the two of them sliding into a romantic relationship as if it’s simply inevitable. There’s a blurriness between friendship and love in these stories that’s very satisfying to sit with.
Alone On the Water, by Mad_Lori (@madlori). G, 7,725 words. Set in the world of S1. John’s perspective, first person. / A fic of legendary status within the fandom. My best friend and I first read this around the same time, now more than ten years ago, and I remember talking with her about how heartbreaking it is. She’s not really in the fandom now, but I referenced it to her recently and she instantly knew what I was talking about. A story that will stay with you.
A Waste of Breath, by Chryse. E, 95,452 words. Starts with the pool scene and diverges from canon from there. Alternates between Sherlock’s and John’s perspectives, with more of John’s. / This is a very compelling, very dark case fic. Chryse captures the S1/S2 dynamic between Sherlock and John really well and gives us a very caring version of John.
Vessel, by Rhuia. E, 15,695 words. Set a few months after the pool scene. Alternates between John’s and Sherlock’s perspectives. / An excellent story that shows Sherlock’s complete commitment to John after John receives a cancer diagnosis. This fic explores the many ways that John and Sherlock rely on each other and their unique way of loving each other. I really enjoyed the resolution, too.
The Vapor Variant, by 88thParallel (CanadaHolm) (@88thparallel). M, 72,684 words. Starts right at the end of THOB. Alternates between Sherlock’s and John’s perspectives. / A story focused on plot and emotions in ways that kept me on the edge of my seat. One of the best things about this was getting to see how much Sherlock and John cared about each other and how desperate they were to keep each other safe.
Bent, by lifeonmars (@marsdaydream). M, 12,101 words. Set in the world of S2. John’s perspective. / A clever and fun modern update of “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” that’s laugh-out-loud hilarious. I love what the author did with both the case and the dynamic between Sherlock and John.
The Last Drop, by Phyona (@phyona). M, 20,185 words. Set in the world of S2. John’s perspective. / This fic has a sort of heady intensity to it that is just delightful. Pre-Johnlock, with lots of witty banter and unresolved tension.
London Orbital, by merripestin (@merripestin). G, 13,642 words. Set in the world of S2. Lestrade’s perspective. / A canon-compliant case fic based on “The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist.” Funny and with snappy dialogue and descriptions that capture some of that S1/S2 feel.
walk through ghosts, by augustbird (@augustbird). M, 6,125 words. Set in the world of S2. Sherlock’s perspective. / Few things have ever destroyed me as thoroughly as this fic did. It’s so beautifully written, and the author captures S2 Sherlock’s character so very well. The fact that this story feels so real is what makes it so devastating. The day after I first read this, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and walked around with my heart physically aching in my chest.
An Empty Station, by ivywatcher. T, 17,151 words. Set after Sherlock’s fall. Lestrade’s perspective. / A beautifully written exploration of what might have happened after Sherlock’s fake suicide. This fic is filled with thoughtful insights into the characters and their relationships with one another, all illustrated through scenes that work wonderfully.
Nature and Nurture, by earlgreytea68 (@earlgreytea68). M, 203,273 words. Set after S2 and after Sherlock returns. Alternates between John’s and Sherlock’s perspectives, with more of John’s. / A true fandom classic—the one where Sherlock and John raise a baby clone of Sherlock. The premise sounds super cracky, but somehow it actually works. Although it’s surprisingly serious at times, overall this is probably one of the cutest and funniest things I’ve ever read, basically 200,000+ words of Sherlock and John being adorable gay fathers together. If you like this, then the five accompanying ficlets that the author wrote as short follow-ups are also worth checking out.
You Might Just as Well Be Blind, by ArwaMachine (@arwamachine). E, 56,625 words. Set a few years after S2, but in an alternate timeline where Sherlock never fell. John’s perspective. / This is a super funny, in some ways kind of silly but in other ways quite touching fake-it-for-a-case fic. I really liked how the author handled Sherlock’s side of things through the pieces of his past and his feelings that he revealed to John bit by bit as the case went on. And the resolution of the central mystery was just…great.
Series 3
Inscrutable to the Last, by DiscordantWords (@discordantwords). M, 48,842 words. An alternate telling of S3. John’s perspective. / This is a post-Reichenbach fic that cleverly works in plot points and details from S3. It features a pining John who slowly comes to realize exactly what he lost when Sherlock died and a Sherlock who is so in love and so desperate to keep John safe. They’re awful at communicating with each other, but they get there in the end. Especially in the first half or so, there were a few lines about what it was like for John to dream of a different life from the one he found himself living after Sherlock that I found really moving. Also, this fic references “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” by James Thurber, which you can read here if you’re interested.
The Burning Heart, by May_Shepard (@may-shepard). M, 119,150 words. An alternate telling of S3. John’s perspective. / This fic starts from a fascinating premise—what if when Sherlock returned, John was seeing a man instead of a woman?—and then absolutely does it justice. I loved what the author did with John’s perspective (he’s such a romantic on the inside in this fic, even if he sometimes has trouble expressing it out loud), how they showed John coming to terms with his sexuality and his love for Sherlock, and the way that John being with a man immediately shifted things between Sherlock and John. The author’s use of the secret assassin plotline was also fantastic; coupled with the tension between Sherlock and John, it made this fic a real page-turner. To top it all off, this fic even has an awesome version of Harry Watson.
A Glimpse, by amaruuk (@naefelldaurk). T, 13,992 words. Starts with the Landmark and diverges from canon from there. John’s perspective. / A thoughtful and reflective post-Reichenbach reunion story that features a John who’s more self-aware than the John of S3 canon and matches him with a Sherlock who’s not as overconfident as the Sherlock of TEH canon. This fic has some truly wonderful touches.
The Nothing Gold Series, by Raina_at (@raina-at). E, 100,015 words across seven works, so far. Set after TEH. Each fic told from either John’s perspective or Sherlock’s. / This series tracks a developing relationship between Sherlock and John and explores what it would take for them to achieve complete trust and honesty with each other. I really like how these fics show Sherlock and John working through it all. They’re not perfect, and it’s difficult, and they make mistakes, but they’re also motivated by a sincere commitment to embracing their love for each other and they’ve finally realized that their love makes them stronger together.
Speak Now, by Raina_at (@raina-at). T, 2,854 words. Set during TSOT. Sherlock’s perspective. / What would happen if Sherlock realized that he needed to say something before John got married? This fic is so smart and funny, and so very in-character for both Sherlock and John.
Points, by lifeonmars (@marsdaydream). E, 53,791 words. Set after TSOT. Alternates between Sherlock’s and John’s perspectives, with perhaps slightly more of John’s. / This breathtaking fic weaves together two stories: a poignant, fully convincing portrait of two people falling out of love, and the slow, careful story of two people realizing that they were meant for each other all along. The prose was often understated and beautiful, with several passages and metaphors that I want to hold on to. What happened to the characters in this fic felt so much more realistic and so much more like how people would act in real life than what happened on the show. This is wonderful, wonderful writing about love and family.
Waiting for Godot, by Raina_at (@raina-at). E, 26,173 words. Starts with Magnussen’s office and diverges from canon from there. Sherlock’s perspective. / John comes home. I really appreciated that in this story, Sherlock and John don’t just get together immediately after Mary is gone. Instead, this fic shows us a Sherlock who is patient and who struggles through his commitment to learning from his mistakes and being better for John. Sherlock and John slowly rebuild their friendship and move closer and closer to something more. And Molly has a great moment in this fic, too.
The Ground Beneath Your Feet, by Chryse. E, 68,803 words. Set after S3, but as if the last two minutes of HLV never happened. “The plane went on to Eastern Europe, and this is what came after.” John’s perspective. / The author describes this as “a PTSD story in which John was wholly devoted to Sherlock.” Brilliantly written and conceived, with several memorable moments between Sherlock and John and one particularly nail-biting scene. It was wonderful to see such a kind and caring version of John emerge out of S3. I also really liked seeing John and Mycroft become friends as they bonded over their shared concern for Sherlock.
The Adventures of a Single Girl in London (Plus a Consulting Detective), by earlgreytea68 (@earlgreytea68). M, 32,913 words. Set soon after S3. Switches between the perspectives of multiple characters. / This is a S3 fix-it fic that features an absolutely lovely friendship between Sherlock and Janine, with the best version of Janine that I’ve come across in a fic. Sherlock is vulnerable and sweet, John is an absolute idiot, Janine is perfect, and the last two chapters just make me scream.
A River Without Banks, by Chryse. E, 203,286 words. Starts right after S3. Switches between the perspectives of multiple characters, but definitely Sherlock-focused for the first half. / This is my absolute favorite fic ever. The author’s characterization of Sherlock is amazingly accurate, and Sherlock’s character development over the course of the story is breathtakingly executed and incredibly moving. The plot is fantastic and takes you on a page-turning emotional roller coaster, especially for about the first half of the story. I was also continually impressed by how many details from the show, adaptations of ACD canon stories, and references to earlier parts of the fic the author was able to weave in throughout while still keeping the story creative and original. Most importantly, though, I love this fic for the message that it sends about Sherlock and John’s love for each other, and I think it beautifully fulfills the original themes and intended message of the show. I’m so grateful that we have this version of Sherlock and John’s love story.
Another Country, by Chryse. E, 67,414 words. Starts right after the end of TAB. Sherlock’s perspective. / Sherlock spends one month and three days under house arrest in 221B, trying to get clean from the drugs, track down the new Moriarty, and figure out what the hell is going on between him and John. Another absolutely fantastic work by Chryse. This author really gets Sherlock’s character, and once again the characterization of Sherlock is spot-on and completely convincing. I can perfectly picture him acting exactly as he does in every scene. There are a few other elements that also make this a really compelling story, including smart uses of minor characters, a solid central mystery, and a complicated relationship between Sherlock and John that includes a very convincing post-S3 version of John.
for all that bitter delights will sour, by darcylindbergh (@darcylindbergh). E, 9,585 words. Set after S3. Sherlock’s perspective. / John initiates a sexually and emotionally abusive relationship with Sherlock. I honestly think this is one of the best pieces of fiction that I’ve ever read. As a piece of writing, it’s a gem, perfectly paced and structured and full of absolutely gorgeous and deeply moving passages. It depicts difficult themes very deftly, in lines and paragraphs that I sometimes stopped to read over and over. The first time I read this, my heart absolutely broke for Sherlock. But on a later reread, I realized that it’s written in such a way that I could actually understand John’s perspective, and my heart broke a little for him, too. I think it’s incredibly impressive that the author managed to pull that off. Overall, this is an emotionally powerful and very thought-provoking work.
Your Perfect Offering, by CaitlinFairchild. E, 44,609 words. Set after S3. John’s perspective. / A rape recovery story. Sherlock and John get together fairly early on in this fic, and together they must navigate the trauma that Sherlock carries with him from having been raped in Serbia. I really appreciated the slow pacing of this story and the immense gentleness and trust between Sherlock and John.
and your very flesh shall be a great poem, by CaitlinFairchild. E, 151,894 words. Set after S3. John’s perspective. / This is a novel-length, case/action/adventure fic where Sherlock and John follow Mary (who is definitely a villain here) to New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania to determine what has become of John’s daughter. Under stressful and dangerous circumstances, Sherlock and John find their way to each other and begin to open up about the things that matter. This was a really exciting read, and it was fascinating to see Sherlock and John working together in such a different setting. I also really loved some of their discussions about forgiveness and about how they could be better for each other.
Whatever Remains, However Improbable, by ivyblossom (@ivyblossom) and Loudest_Subtext_in_Television (@loudest-subtext-in-tv). T, 12,838 words. Set after S3. Told from the perspectives of two unnamed narrators. / A fascinating concept for a fic. Two unnamed characters sit down with John and Sherlock each in turn and spin out for them just a few of the possibilities for what’s inevitable: that Sherlock and John will finally figure things out together and will truly become a couple. The heart of this story is an intense, thoughtfully conceived, and well-written conversation between Sherlock and John.
Engaged, by lifeonmars (@marsdaydream). Not rated (I’d rate it T), 3,146 words. Set a few years after S3, but could be set at any time with an established relationship. Sherlock’s perspective. / A short and sweet piece of romance that shows Sherlock puzzling through the fact that he doesn’t believe in marriage as an institution but wants to be married to John. Sherlock and John felt very in-character to me.
Coming of Age and Public, Private, Secret, by 221b_careful_what_you_wish_for (@221b-carefulwhatyouwishfor). E, 27,605 words across two works. Set a few years after S3. One fic from the perspective of John’s daughter and one that alternates between Sherlock’s and John’s perspectives. / Sherlock and John get together, but they decide to keep their relationship secret. I think it’s really interesting to think about this as one version of a modern retelling of the Holmes/Watson relationship. Sherlock and John love each other and they are together, but they hide it from the world even as John writes about their adventures—and this time for reasons that differ from those of Holmes and Watson in ACD canon.
Series 4
The Hour Goes By, by philalethia. T, 5,943 words. Set after TST. Sherlock’s perspective. / A short, in-character and well-written piece that probes what might have happened after TST if John had accepted Sherlock’s help. Sherlock is pining and convincingly gentle, and John is exhausted and struggling. Pre-Johnlock, so it feels like it could be a snippet of the show that still leaves us hanging.
Borrowed Ghosts, by DiscordantWords (@discordantwords). M, 57,216 words. Picks up right before the hug scene in TLD and diverges from canon from there. Alternates between John’s and Sherlock’s perspectives, with more of John’s. / This fic focuses on John after he reaches a very dark place and finds it nearly impossible to continue his friendship with Sherlock. Incredibly slow burn with some very tense moments. The last two chapters really got me.
What It Can Be, by amaruuk (@naefelldaurk). T, 18,310 words. Set after TLD. Sherlock’s perspective. / This is a well-written and thoughtful TLD fix-it fic that addresses John’s abuse of Sherlock while still giving Sherlock and John a path forward. It has great characterization and does a very nice job of portraying Sherlock’s friendships with several of the show’s other characters.
To a Friend Who Sent Me Roses, by AlgySwinburne (@algyswinburne). E, 16,147 words. Set after S4, but ignores TFP and pretty much ignores TLD, too. Sherlock’s perspective. / “Five times Sherlock is mistaken for John’s partner and Rosie’s father, and one time it isn’t a mistake.” Is this the perfect fic? This might be the perfect fic. It’s sad, sweet, and hot by turns, absolutely lovely to read, and full of so many great details and lines. I love how the author wrote Sherlock’s perspective in this fic, and their characterization of John is just so spot-on. This and A River Without Banks are my favorite alternate endings to the show.
(Never) Turn Your Back to the Sea, by DiscordantWords (@discordantwords). M, 39,968 words. Set after S4. Sherlock’s perspective. / This is a very sad and slow, but ultimately very gentle fic, sort of in the same mood as Points. Sherlock’s and John’s characters are drawn in ways that really fit for a post-S4 setting, and the writing from Sherlock’s perspective is very beautiful. I love the way John gradually comes back to Sherlock in this story.
The Paternity Series, by amaruuk (@naefelldaurk). M, 20,365 words across two works. Set after S4. Sherlock’s perspective. / John learns that he is not Rosie’s biological father, but he and Sherlock commit to raising Rosie together anyway. I really liked the way the author wrote John in this series, as well as Sherlock and John’s repaired dynamic. John’s complicated feelings about fatherhood, longstanding love for Sherlock, and efforts to control his anger after S4 were all very nicely handled.
Swift, Fierce & Obscene, by J_Baillier (@jbaillier). M, 7,182 words. Set after S4. Sherlock’s perspective, first person. / Sherlock tests positive for HIV, and this fic is about him finding out and what comes after. This was such an empathetic story. It offers a thoughtful treatment of this topic, a pining Sherlock whose sadness is so very palpable, a wonderfully caring John, and a beautiful ending.
There’s Always Three of Us, by Itsallfine (@librarylock). T, 1,765 words. Set after S4. Sherlock’s perspective. / A sweet one-shot in honor of January 29/30.
A Second to Midnight, by AlgySwinburne (@algyswinburne). T, 4,636 words. Set after S4. Sherlock’s perspective. / A lovely story of misunderstandings and romance on the anniversary of that fateful January day.
Indefinite Lines, by ArwaMachine (@arwamachine). E, 298,346 words in the main story and 32,836 more words of bonus material, which you should also definitely read. Set seven years after the events of S4 (but there’s more to it than that). Switches between the perspectives of multiple characters. / This fic drew me in within the first chapter and had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. It offers a fantastic combination of great writing, a compelling plot, original case fic, clever adaptations of ACD stories, funny and beautiful family dynamics between Sherlock, John, and Rosie, and a lot of emotional tension (the author was not kidding when they put angst in the tags). All in all, this fic succeeded in creating its own world for the characters in a way that I really enjoyed.
Across Series
The Emergency Contact Series, by blueink3 (@blueink3). M, 11,763 words across two works. Set across S1-S3 and after. One fic from John’s perspective and one from Sherlock’s. / A series of vignettes that illustrate just how important Sherlock and John are to each other while tracking the tumultuous evolution of their relationship over the course of several years. Canon-compliant until the parts after S3.
Damn, I’m Good, by atthebarricade. T, 8,219 words. Set across S1-S3 and after. Mike Stamford’s perspective. / After trying to set Sherlock and John up as boyfriends in ASIP, Mike suffers through several years of crying from frustration as he watches the two of them fail to work it out—until they finally do. I love Mike. Canon-compliant until the parts after S3.
Conversations after Midnight, by Raina_at (@raina-at). T, 26,023 words. Set across S1-TST and after. Alternates between Sherlock’s and John’s perspectives, with slightly more of Sherlock’s. / This is a lovely read with wonderful characterization. Through various late-night and early-morning conversations, the chapters track the development of Sherlock’s and John’s feelings for each other and their deep longing to be together over the course of nine years. It’s a story about love, but the author is often able to show that without quite putting the word on it, which makes you feel it more keenly and brilliantly illustrates what Sherlock and John’s love for each other is really about. I’m very impressed by how well-drawn these scenes are, and also by how well the author captures the dynamic between John and Mary after S3. Canon-compliant until the parts after TST.
AUs
The Detective I Can’t Forget, by amalnahurriyeh. M, 8,761 words. John’s perspective. / A fun alternate-first-meeting fic where Sherlock and John meet on Grindr—for a case. Actually! I felt like this story nailed several of the reasons why John and Sherlock are initially so drawn to each other.
Performance In a Leading Role, by Mad_Lori (@madlori). E, 156,714 words. Switches between the perspectives of multiple characters, with the most of John’s. / You know this one: the fic where Sherlock and John are Hollywood actors. In April 2025 I reread it for the first time in eleven years (!) and I was honestly shocked by how many details I remembered. I suppose this fic made an even more significant impression on me than I’d realized! I think what I like about it most, though, is how good Sherlock is to John. The author handled Sherlock’s character in a way that’s very impressive, especially given that this was written back when only S1 had aired. I also really like this fic’s version of Irene Adler.
The Grating Roar, by Engazed (@engazed). M, 261,313 words. Switches between the perspectives of multiple characters. / Holy shit. If you think you can handle the tags, then you have to read this fic. This is a dystopian AU set in a version of modern London where the state of New Britain practices a new form of human bondage. This story offers fantastic plotting and pacing—it was absolutely riveting and I never wanted to put it down—and very nuanced explorations of what it means to live and form relationships with other people in an unfree society. I especially appreciated the way that the author deftly made use of so many characters from the show to interrogate how various people might behave in this dystopian world (there’s an absolutely stellar version of Sally Donovan in here). I also really, really loved Sherlock in this fic, and John’s character was fascinating. This is incredible writing and it gave me so much to think about.
The Ancillus’s Tale, by Chryse. E, 128,341 words. Switches between Sherlock’s and John’s perspectives, but mostly told from Sherlock’s. / A dystopian AU that meshes omegaverse with The Handmaid’s Tale. Look. I never thought I would ever read an omegaverse fic, but this was written by Chryse so eventually I gave it a shot, and I am so incredibly grateful that I did because I was absolutely gripped by this. I don’t know how Chryse does it—manages to craft such intricate narratives, capture emotional complexity so well, and write sentences that just punch the air out of me. This story has incredible plotting and writing, and it’s definitely one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever read. Sherlock’s tremendous bravery and the force of his will to survive were deeply moving and are going to be unforgettable for me. Meanwhile, John was so wonderful in this fic, and so much of the romance between John and Sherlock was incredibly gentle and sweet. In the end, I think the major themes of this story are very hopeful. It’s another very intense read that’s given me a lot to think about.
Spare Parts, by Raina_at (@raina-at). E, 63,497 words. John’s perspective. / A post-Reichenbach fic, but one where Sherlock and John were together before Sherlock’s fall—and also, they live on 24th-century Titan. This is a beautifully written exploration of grief, love, forgiveness, and trust, told from John’s perspective as he struggles to determine whether he can, or even should, repair his relationship with Sherlock. Case fic, intense conversations, and an incredibly clever and captivating setting. Once you’ve read this, finish Realigning Gravity by reading the short sequel: The Stars Walk Backward, E, 5,662 words, Sherlock’s perspective.
Stars May Collide, by Raina_at (@raina-at). E, 13,640 words. Sherlock’s perspective, first person. / “We meet in every lifetime. I never recognise you, but I always know.” A series of short historical AUs where Sherlock and John always meet and always fall in love. These were brilliant, gorgeously written, and did an amazing job of showing the great variety of experiences that Sherlock and John may have had together throughout history. I was crying desperately by the last chapter, as I fully expected to be. Really beautiful work.
Guess Who’s Coming for Christmas Dinner, by Raina_at (@raina-at). E, 35,040 words. Sherlock’s perspective. / A delightful fake-relationship fic where Sherlock and John met at uni and Sherlock brings John to his parents’ house for Christmas just to drive them crazy. I laughed so many times while reading this; it’s full of humor and excellent banter between Sherlock and John. This fic puts a somewhat different spin on their dynamic from what we see in canon, and I think it offers a believable portrayal of what they might have been like together if they’d met when they were younger. This fic captures so much of why they’re perfect for each other and why they fit together so well.
That’s it! If you’re looking for even more, I will humbly note that I have three fics of my own up on AO3, which you can find here (must be logged in).
Got a favorite fic that isn’t on here, or a favorite author? Leave a reply or reblog with your recs! Self-recs are very welcome!!
wondering about whether you could rec some "romance is a social construct" texts? ofc it is, but i like having books and articles to reference/learn specifics from/see how these ideas have developed.
Sure! Here's a quick reading list. Bear in mind that I am not a professional historian and my reading on this subject is a little diffuse. I'm not tackling the behavioral ecology stuff right now because a) I don't have a more direct book rec off the top of my head than Evolution's Rainbow, which is not technically focused on social monogamy, and also b) I approach that whole field with my eyes wide open for people letting their own perspectives and cultural views get in the way of their observations of animals, and I do not have the energy to go deal with it right now.
If you're going to read two books, read these two:
Stephanie Coontz, Marriage, A History: how love conquered marriage. 2006. All of Coontz' work, having to do with the social construction of the family, is relevant reading to this question (and I'd also recommend The Nostalgia Trap, because the historical context of how we conceptualize families is a major part of the construction of romantic love), but this one is most focused on the social construction of romantic love specifically and what it has replaced. Coontz is, I will disclose cheerfully, a major formative influence on my thinking.
Moira Wegel, Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating. 2016. Exactly what it says on the tin; focuses more closely on the modern invention of dating and romance.
Other useful readings to help inform your understanding of different ways that various people have conceptualized sex, sexuality, society and long-term connection include:
George Chauncey, Why Marriage? 2015. Chauncey is best known for Gay New York, which also offers a useful history of the way that relationship models and social constructs for understanding homosexuality changed among men having sex with men c. 1900 to 1950. This book, published just before Obergefell v. Hodges, is a discussion of why contemporary queer rights organizations focused on same-sex marriage as an activism plank in the wake of AIDS organizing. I find it really useful to read queer history when I'm thinking about how we understand and construct the concept of romantic relationships, because queers complicate the mainstream, heteronormative concepts of what marriage and romantic relationships actually are. More importantly, queer activist organizing around marriage has played a major role in shaping our collective understanding of romance and marriage in the past twenty years.
Elizabeth Abbott, A History of Celibacy, 2000. In order to understand how various cultures construct understandings of marriage and spousal relationships, it can be illustrative to consider what the people who are explicitly not participating in the institution are doing and why not. I found this an interesting pass over historical and social institutions that forbid (or forbade) marriage with a discussion about general trends driving these institutions, individuals, and movements towards celibacy.
Eleanor Janega, The Once and Future Sex, 2023. This is a very pointed historical look at gender roles, concepts of beauty, and concepts of sex, attraction, and marriage among medieval Europeans with an extended meditation on what ideas have and have not changed between that time and today. I include this work because I think a deep dive into medieval notions of courtly romance is useful, partly because it is an important origin of our modern notion of romantic love and partly because it is so usefully and starkly different from that modern notion! Sometimes the best way to understand the cultural construction of ideas in your own society is to go look at someone else's and see where things are the same versus different.
It's a mish-mash of recommendations, and I'm reaching more for books that have stuck with me over the years than a clean scholarly approach to the subject. I hope other folks will chime in for you with their own recommendations!
I survived the library overwhelm! Which was utterly ridiculous. All but one book this month was a library book, when usually I have space for some ARCs or something, but as of two days ago, I have read and returned them all! Which is a relief because I also brought home ARCs that I really wanted to get to but rules are rules: library books come first.
My library reads were a pretty mixed bag, too. One of my highest ratings of the year so far, and I think my very lowest, and then all sorts of stuff in between. If you're interested in SFF and literary criticism, I absolutely recommend Trace Elements for being smart and fascinating and eclectic and thought-provoking. And no matter who you are, you can safely skip Bramah and the Beggar Boy, which was trying to do many, many, many things and never hit the mark for any of them. I applaud the author's ambition and vision.
In between, there were some really fun sci-fi reads (Radiant Sky, The Language of Liars), a slightly less fun but still good sci-fi (Of Monsters and Mainframes), some nicely solid fantasies (The Tapestry of Fate, The Hanging Bones*), a weird western that felt strangely slow (The Great Work), and a handful of titles that deserve more than a shout-out.
First up, to get it out of the way, I read Yesteryear. I don't know how much Tumblr's been going on about it, but it's flying off the shelves and work and definitely buzzy. It's worth it! A fun thriller with some smart things to say about women and gender roles and America and our cultural moment. Natalie is both sympathetic and unlikeable, which is impressive.
Next, we have Nine-Tenths, an indie queer fantasy romance that handled the romance with more depth and nuance than a lot of the trad pub romance I've read, that actually put in the work to build out the world and have genuine fantasy stakes, and that had themes of autonomy and class-based power dynamics and the fallout from colonialism.
And lastly, my travel memoir of the month which I got in just under the wire. I picked up Travels in West Africa at a used bookstore on a whim because hey, single Victorian woman who goes on adventures in Africa? Sign me up! It delivers this in spades, with self-deprecating humour and pluck. There are lovely depictions of scenery, astute observations of people, advice for travellers, and a lot of descriptions of African cultures because ethnography was one of the reasons she was travelling. I enjoyed the snapshot of the time and place and can't imagine there are many other sympathetic depictions of Africans from this era to stand alongside this. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean Kingsley wasn't racist. She makes upsetting assumptions and statements throughout the book, mostly about appearances, intelligence, and motivations, and I hated being slapped upside the head every time she dropped one. Whatever book I pick up for this challenge in June is going to be more modern, that's for sure.
And yes, another book haul. Saga because I didn't have it; Fauna because it was 25¢ and promised me climate apocalypse body horror; and The Blue Castle because it was free and Jo Walton in Trace Elements recommended reading contemporary romances from historical eras to get a sense of how people actually lived and thought. (We're not going to talk about the ebook haul that suggestion caused. I don't expect to read everything I downloaded, but at least I don't have to dig them back up if I change my mind.)
June is going to see me reading cozier fare, starting with my current read, The Geomagician. I have a couple other cozy ARCs on my "read it soon" stack, and I know there's going to be the new KJ Charles romance coming in for me fairly soon. Beyond that, I don't know exactly where my reading will take me, but I do know I plan to start in on the edits for my WIP in earnest.
*two solid books from Tesch means I should keep following her, I think
And now, as usual, without further ado, what I read this month in order of how glad I was to read them…
Trace Elements - Jo Walton and Ada Palmer
Essays about speculative fiction and the nature of reading and stories.
9/10
🇨🇦
library book
Radiant Sky - Alan Smale
Vivian Carter’s Lunar Geographic Survey team is circumnavigating the Moon when they’re attacked by … possibly the Soviets? Again?
8/10
Black and Latino secondary characters
warning: gun and battle violence
library book
The Language of Liars - S.L. Huang
Ro has trained for years to be able to Jump into the mind of a Star Eater, but what if he can’t? What if he shouldn’t?
8/10
🏳️🌈 author
warning: genocide, slavery
library ebook
The Tapestry of Fate - Shannon Chakraborty
Amina Al-Sirafi has been tasked with finding another Transgression: a spindle in the possession of a sorceress on an enchanted island.
7.5/10
largely Middle Eastern cast, Muslim protagonist, major Muslim characters, 🏳️🌈 secondary characters (sapphic), Muslim author
warning: slavery
library ebook
The Hanging Bones - Elle Tesch
When the mystical Breimar Stag appears in the forest, gamekeeper Katrin enters the hunt in the hopes of winning the death of her overlord—but the stag isn’t the only creature that crossed the veil.
7.5/10
🏳️🌈 protagonist (aroace), Black secondary characters, 🇨🇦
warning: sexual assault and harassment, gore and body horror
library ebook
Travels in West Africa - Mary Kingsley
A British spinster travels solo to West Africa in the 1890s, to study the cultures and collect specimens.
A barista in a holding pattern, a mysterious draconic customer, and a kitchen fire that sparks a romance and some rather uncomfortable questions about how the world is run.
7.5/10
🏳️🌈 protagonist (bi man), 🏳️🌈 secondary characters (bi man, nonbinary), Indigenous, Black, Muslim, and East Asian secondary characters, 🇨🇦, 🏳️🌈 author
warning: classist and colonial thinking, violence, blood, emotional abuse
library book
Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke
Natalie has the husband, kids, farm, staff, merch line, and followers of the perfect tradwife influencer, until one day she wakes up in the 1800s and wonders how she got there.
7.5/10
warning: child abuse, domestic abuse, sexual assault, mental illness, drug abuse, alcoholism
library ebook
The Great Work - Sheldon Costa
Gentle and his nephew set out across frontier Washington to kill a giant salamander that could hold the key to the philosopher’s stone, but of course the path to the stone could never be easy.
7/10
🏳️🌈 secondary characters (sapphic, gay), Indigenous secondary character
warning: mentions of domestic and child abuse, misogyny, homophobia, and toxic masculinity; death and grief; gun violence
library book
Of Monsters and Mainframes - Barbara Truelove
Ship’s AI Demeter wakes up to discover all the humans onboard are dead and Dracula might be responsible—and that’s just the beginning.
6.5/10
major 🏳️🌈 character (sapphic), 🏳️🌈 secondary characters (nonbinary, sapphic)
warning: violence, murder, death of grandparent, blood, injury
library ebook
Bramah and the Beggar Boy - Renée Sarojini Saklikar
A novel in verse about survival and hope in a corporate climate dystopia.
What would you do if you were a bear? Ride a motorbike? Visit friends?
DNF
The Subtle Art of Folding Space - John Chu
After Ellie finds a device designed to keep her mom alive, in the skunkworks that run the universe, she must reckon with family legacy while tracking down the culprit.
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I just have to say I read your fanfics a year ago and stopped because I deleted this app and came back…because I can’t find writing anywhere as good as your fics
Aw thank you! If you want to check out some amazing writers, highly recommend looking through my rec lists:
Supernatural Fic Rec List
Dean x reader, Dean x oc, Sam Winchester x reader, Sam Winchester x oc
As proposed by @fluffbruary, I have made a Valentine's rec list. Now that I've read through it, It seems to have become more of a love letter...
First of all, I want to thank someone special in the Sherlock fandom - the remarkably talented podficcer extraordinaire @podfixx There isn't a day that goes by without that comforting voice weaving its way to my heart and core. Picking a favourite is almost impossible, because every single one is a gem. But, there is one I will promote a little extra on this romantic day.
The Wedding Garments by cwb
Summary: This is the story of a young consulting detective who wants nothing to do with marriage and an army doctor who wants to find true love. It's 2020 post-Brexit England and the British government is encouraging arranged marriages. Candidates meet through state-run agencies and date in hopes of finding love (and tax benefits). Sherlock doesn't need or want a spouse, at least not until John Watson shows up. Hesitant to give in to his more carnal urges because of the way they derail his mind, how will Sherlock progress toward the more intimate aspects of a relationship? The answer lies in a very special wedding gift.
There are authors and fics out there that get less attention than they deserve. This story is just one example of that. It's utterly sweet and there's a dog! Sherlock's dog. Please, give it some love!
Late Nigh Emergency by consult_this_prick
Summary: Sherlock shows up late one night with his sick dog at the doors of John's veterinarian clinic.
There is a collection on AO3 I want to direct your attention to. It's called Johnlock on Holiday in FTH 2024 The title says it all, really. Perhaps you'll find some holiday tips.
And last, but certainly not least, the fandom's librarian, the keeper of lists for every possible and impossible prompt, AU, trope, etc - Steph @inevitably-johnlocked
We have a saying where I live: no one mentioned, no one forgotten, and I am certain that I have forgotten many amazing people, but not mentioning anyone would undermine the task completely, so there's that. It is what it is...
