A Solihull-born novelist who grew up searching bookshelves for stories she recognised has become part of a growing wave of writers expanding LGBTQ+ representation in contemporary fiction.
From feeling unseen to publishing on speed
Rebecca Caffery, 29, says that as a teenager who realised she was bisexual she found few characters in mainstream fiction who reflected her experience. Now an author with two novels from HarperCollins to her name, she aims to put diverse relationships into the hands of readers who previously may have felt overlooked.
Caffery has written two queer Formula One romance novels: Pole Position, a story of a romance between two drivers on the same team, and First to Finish, which follows a relationship between a driver and a race engineer. Both titles were published by HarperCollins.
"To go into a book store and to see a relationship that looks like yours, or to see something that is diverse, I think that's so important,"
She told reporters that contributing to a fast-expanding genre and increasing visibility for relationships beyond heteronormative norms is a driving motivation for her work.
Local author, national trend
The rise in LGBTQ+ publishing has been notable in recent years and is reflected in sales and attention given to queer stories. Some high-profile adaptations of queer books to television have helped boost interest in the genre, publishers and bookshops say. Rebecca Caffery places some of the genre's growth at the feet of successful screen adaptations, which she believes bring readers to the original books.
- Two Formula One romance novels authored by a Solihull writer are published by HarperCollins.
- The expansion of queer fiction is reflected in rising sales and new publishing initiatives.
- Adaptations of queer novels for television have driven renewed consumer interest in print editions.
The example of recent adaptations is often cited by publishers as a catalyst for increased attention and sales of queer titles. One such adaptation, Heated Rivalry — based on Rachel Reid's novel about two rival ice-hockey players — has been credited with drawing millions of viewers and raising the profile of queer fiction in mainstream culture.
Statistics from the wider market underscore the momentum. A bestselling queer young-adult graphic novel, Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman, achieved remarkable early sales on its release. Industry figures also show that the top 50 queer books in a recent period generated significant revenue.
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Copies of Heartstopper Volume 5 sold in first three days | 60,000 |
| Revenue from top 50 queer books (2024–25) | £20.6m |
| Units sold across those top 50 titles | 2.2 million |
Retailers have also reported surges in demand. One national bookseller told industry press that daily print pre-orders for certain titles rose markedly — reporting an increase of around 700% week on week for a book that had been adapted for television earlier in 2026.
What this means for Solihull readers
For readers in Solihull, the presence of a local author writing queer romance means a tangible link between national publishing trends and stories rooted in communities like theirs. Caffery’s trajectory — from looking for herself on shelves to seeing her own books stocked by a major publisher — is evidence of the shifting offer on high-street and online bookshop shelves.
She said the opportunity to add more queer love stories to libraries and shops is not only about market success but about social recognition: seeing relationships on the page can matter to those who have struggled to find themselves reflected in fiction.
As demand for diverse narratives continues, local audiences are likely to see more titles by authors who, like Caffery, write to broaden representation. In the meantime her two Formula One romances stand as examples of how genre fiction is being used to explore and normalise LGBTQ+ relationships in popular storytelling.
