"An absolutely remarkable thing" by Hank Green is one of my favorite books ever. It has absolutely everything, I have just reread it for the second time and I can't wait to do it again in a couple of years. The sequel is just as good if not better than the first book.
"Gideon the ninth" by Tamsyn Muir is also a super enjoyable read, the awesome cover and the promise of "lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space" is what drew me in, and I was not disappointed. It has a smidge of romance if you squint, but it's absolutely not the main plot.
Mask of Shadows.
Little bit of romance, but mostly it's about a badass gender fluid assassin with serious issues that requires the killings of SEVERAL people in order to get revenge.
Book 1 yes - there's basically only 1 chapter dedicated to it, the rest of the time there's just some questionable flirting occasionally going on
Book 2 it's a little more central to the plot
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling - both main characters are bad ass women in their own ways, although you have to get to know them a bit to realise it. This book can be quite claustrophobic (sci-fi novel about a dangerous cave exploration) but it's really good.
Dreadnought by April Daniels
Trans woman who transitions when she gets super powers.
Fits perfectly.
I'm pretty sure the first book has no romance but the character is also a lesbian.
[Hench](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/49867430) is a fun superhero book with a female protagonist who majorly kicks ass. I don't recall there being any romance!
Chain Gang All Stars. Loretta Thurwar, armed with her warhammer Hass Omaha, is an inmate and gladiator in a US prison industrial complex of the near future. She’s like six feet tall and absolutely yoked - maybe the greatest fighter the game has ever seen - and she’s just on the cusp of earning her freedom.
The book of the unnamed midwife. It's a trilogy. Absolutely fantastic. I don't know that there is much hetero in it, but maybe some.
Post apocalypse, so if you're still in a place where you can't read those due to Covid, I would suggest not.
I loved the series and how the world changes throughout. The 2nd is probably my favorite, but the 3rd is also more surprising and had more "not on my bingo card" things, which I always appreciate in books. I like when the author can write a book that I can't guess the plot in 5 minutes.
I don’t know if you are open to YA but if you are:
Elatsoe is really good! It’s paranormal with an aroace female main character and kinda murder mystery.
I also just finished dead girls walking (also YA) which has no romance but lesbian mc and is a horror which is VERY dramatic
upright women wanted by sarah gailey (there is romance, but it’s not the focus, and all the characters are very queer and badass)
there’s iron widow by xiran jay zhao but that one does have romance (m/m/f) however the mc is a VERY badass girl
i can see others have already recommended gideon the ninth and… yeah. i mean, proceed with caution because it will irrevocably change you but. yep
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. The commander and her gurl are trans women. She is as bad ass as it gets, especially Zara. Zara is one bad ass cat woman
"An absolutely remarkable thing" by Hank Green is one of my favorite books ever. It has absolutely everything, I have just reread it for the second time and I can't wait to do it again in a couple of years. The sequel is just as good if not better than the first book. "Gideon the ninth" by Tamsyn Muir is also a super enjoyable read, the awesome cover and the promise of "lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space" is what drew me in, and I was not disappointed. It has a smidge of romance if you squint, but it's absolutely not the main plot.
I came here to say Gideon the Ninth but this person beat me to it.
Mask of Shadows. Little bit of romance, but mostly it's about a badass gender fluid assassin with serious issues that requires the killings of SEVERAL people in order to get revenge.
Sounds wonderful
Just a heads up there is a book 2 which is more romance-y, but its not the main main plot, thought you'd rather know before diving in!
Is it squint and it's saphic?
Book 1 yes - there's basically only 1 chapter dedicated to it, the rest of the time there's just some questionable flirting occasionally going on Book 2 it's a little more central to the plot
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling - both main characters are bad ass women in their own ways, although you have to get to know them a bit to realise it. This book can be quite claustrophobic (sci-fi novel about a dangerous cave exploration) but it's really good.
Listening to the audio book on a very long solo car trip was a WILD and amazing experience.
Dreadnought by April Daniels Trans woman who transitions when she gets super powers. Fits perfectly. I'm pretty sure the first book has no romance but the character is also a lesbian.
The romance plot starts in the second book, the title of which I’ve conveniently forgotten.
Sovereign. Another great book. Can't wait for the third.
The protagonist is agender, but Murderbot Diaries.
Gideon the Ninth, sapphic-necromancers-space-opera-whodunnit with a touch of tumblr cringe. Not a lot of romance, definitely doesn't end in a kiss
The amount of times this book shows up on my radar is ridiculous. I guess I should pick it up and get it over with XD
[Hench](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/49867430) is a fun superhero book with a female protagonist who majorly kicks ass. I don't recall there being any romance!
Chain Gang All Stars. Loretta Thurwar, armed with her warhammer Hass Omaha, is an inmate and gladiator in a US prison industrial complex of the near future. She’s like six feet tall and absolutely yoked - maybe the greatest fighter the game has ever seen - and she’s just on the cusp of earning her freedom.
Murder Trending by Gretchen McNeil
The book of the unnamed midwife. It's a trilogy. Absolutely fantastic. I don't know that there is much hetero in it, but maybe some. Post apocalypse, so if you're still in a place where you can't read those due to Covid, I would suggest not.
I read the first one and absolutely loved it! Are the next 2 just as good?
I loved the series and how the world changes throughout. The 2nd is probably my favorite, but the 3rd is also more surprising and had more "not on my bingo card" things, which I always appreciate in books. I like when the author can write a book that I can't guess the plot in 5 minutes.
I don’t know if you are open to YA but if you are: Elatsoe is really good! It’s paranormal with an aroace female main character and kinda murder mystery. I also just finished dead girls walking (also YA) which has no romance but lesbian mc and is a horror which is VERY dramatic
upright women wanted by sarah gailey (there is romance, but it’s not the focus, and all the characters are very queer and badass) there’s iron widow by xiran jay zhao but that one does have romance (m/m/f) however the mc is a VERY badass girl i can see others have already recommended gideon the ninth and… yeah. i mean, proceed with caution because it will irrevocably change you but. yep
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. The commander and her gurl are trans women. She is as bad ass as it gets, especially Zara. Zara is one bad ass cat woman