I am looking for a gay novel that emphasizes on romance and emotions and the real essence of love rather than the available hot and steamy ones. It's hard to find those if we are talking about same-sex genres. Anything in mind?

I'd recommend, if you haven't read it yet, the young adult contemporary novel called 'Two Boys Kissing' by David Levithan. His characters are raw, emotional and real, the story's deeply moving and powerful, and it's actually based on true events. I don't usually read this genre, but this book is profound.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17237214-two-boys-kissing?from_search=true

thank you!! I will definitely try this one

I second Two Boys Kissing!

As well as,

Willy Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6567017-will-grayson-will-grayson
Sprout by Dale Peck https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6217775-sprout

Another good one (with girl/girl protagonists): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/595375.Annie_on_My_Mind?ac=1

[floricidal]

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

This is a novel where you'll fall in love with the characters, the prose, everything. It's going to make you scream silently and yet on the next page tear up with joy. It's going to make your heart ache.
I promise you that it'll be one of the best YA novels that you will ever have the chance of reading.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12000020-aristotle-and-dante-discover-the-secrets-of-the-universe

^oh yes, Aristotle And Dante is definitely one of the best out there - a YA gay novel minus the explicit stuff

Thank you so much for all these suggestions! Will definitely try them out

hey, you can also try David Levithan's book
or Hannah Johnson's Know Not Why - this one's a good one as well

[auswombat]

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

is a wonderful book.

These are my favorites!

- Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
- The Five Stages of David Brawley by Shaund David Hutchinson
- Something Like series by Jay Bell
- Fan Art by Sarah Tregay
- One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
- Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Hope you find something you like!

Try The Montague Siblings series by Mackenzi Lee.

Recently read Only Most Devastated by Sophie Gonzales - I highly recommend it!

[auswombat]

In Tall Cotton by Charles G. Hulse (1987)

The Center of the World by Andreas Steinhofel (1998)

The Blue Star by Robert Ferro (1986)

The Map of the Harbor Islands by J. G. Hayes (2006)

Pryor Rendering by Gary Reed (1996)

Better Angel by Forman Brown (aka Richard Meeker) (1933)

Reasons Of The Heart by Bron Nicholls

Salvation Army by Abdellah Taia (2009)

At Swim, Two Boys - Jamie O'Neill

The Pale Moon of Morning by Liam Lynch (1996)

Execution, Texas: 1987 by D. Travers Scott (1997)

Some of these might need new download links. PM me.

I personally like Adam Silvera books because it's not just about the m/m relationships. He gives them back stories etc. They Both Die at The End is so heartbreaking.