OK, it has been far too long since we did a post on romance round ups (aka books guaranteed to cheer you up) so here goes. Mum – stop reading now. Everyone else – this is aimed at straight women (sorry) because that’s the audience I’m in, but there’s an increasing amount of publication for queer romance so tune into Fated Mates, Heaving Bosoms or one of the other podcasts out there to get some recommendations if you’re looking for more.
Romance is one of the most trope-heavy publishing genres, so once you know what flavour you like you can keep going to the ice-cream store. I’ve gone here with three/four key ones but in case you’re already a romance fan too I prefer enemies to lovers over friends to lovers.
It’s also probably the most successful genre and what “keeps the lights on” for a lot of publishing houses. Did you know that 90% of books sell less than 2,000 copies?! Not so for romance. I digress.
HISTORICAL
If you like some regency fun times (oh the ruination), then you will love:
Sarah McLean – 9 rules to break when romancing a rake is a classic regency with a delightful lead pair in Callie and Ralston. Even better are Sarah’s recent Hell’s Belles series of which Heartbreaker and Bombshell are now out. Sarah has recently started moving into the 1830s for her books, which gives an interesting twist. Think tightly ruched satin dresses and lipstick more than virginal white muslin.
Anne Gracie – the autumn, winter, spring and summer brides series. Cheesy title, excellent series of found family with a leading role for Lady Beatrice who “restores” her natural colour with henna and bosses her many nephews around. For Georgette Heyer fans, the first two books (autumn and winter brides) are riffs on Faro’s Daughter and Cotillion but stand in their own right – and Anne Gracie’s Freddy is as delightful as Heyer’s.
Amanda Quick – Ravished. Sorry, but this one’s only in paperback so you’re going to have to read it at home. It’s worth it because the heroine loves fossils (this is 1820s Dorset) and the hero loves her. I’d say that Harriet is a redemption story for all nerdy girls growing up, and this is one feisty woman who won’t stop for anything. I guarantee you’ll care as much about her fossils at the end as Gideon does. No, fossils is not a euphemism. Yes, this is still a smouldering romance as the title says.
Lisa Kleypas – try the Wallflowers quartet for 1840s funs (all of them are excellent), or work your way through the Ravenels series (late 1870s, early 1880s) which are also excellent and by this point can increasingly feature women who work. My favourites of the Ravenels are Marrying Winterbourne and Hello Stranger.
Diana Quincy – start with “her night with the duke” and go on from there. Mixed race heroines from the Lebanese merchant community that was in early 19th century Liverpool and Manchester, with a familiar dose of London aristos.
Evie Dunmore, a league of extraordinary women – didn’t love the others in the series so much, but this set in the late 1870s suffrage battle is excellent and actually made me fancy a blond hero for once. One for anyone who secretly likes Draco Malfoy / Hermione fanfiction I reckon.
Tessa Dare – the duchess deal. The hero curses in Shakespearean, guys. Also lots of delightful verbal sparring and a cat called Breeches. I don’t like “cute” children as side characters in my romance novels, I like cats.
CONTEMPORARY – BIG TOWN
Lucy Parker, Act like it – fake dating, enemies to lovers and two actors in the London theatre scene. I very much imagined Richard Armitage in the lead role here. There is also a cat. Delightful.
Alexis Daria, you had me at hola – more actors romance, this time on a telenovela being made for Netflix that is both actors’ chance at a comeback. Identity, family, regrets, sweet jokes and a delightful overlap between the script and the characters’ own love story. I gobbled this up with a spoon. The second in the series didn’t hit the same spot for me as the B plot there is sci-fi fan fic, but if that’s your jam then you’ll love it, and I’m looking out for no 3 eagerly.
Emily Henry, Book Lovers – putting this here, because even though set in a small town in N Carolina both characters love new york (and there’s some epic writing to hail new york in it) and are unashamed of doing so. I also loved Beach Read, which is set in a summer beach town but still feels big city in that the characters aren’t going to settle down there.
Julie James, Something about you – FBI agents, but written before we all started rethinking our relationship with law enforcement. Listen, I will get it if this is not your jam, but if you want to suspend thinking about hard things for a bit these are mythical cops who are actually on the side of good.
Alisha Rai – “the right swipe”, “first comes love” – smart women of colour running tech companies, YouTube channels, etc. dating sports and film stars and navigating sexism in the workplace, family dynamics and the unexpected experience of having a partner who actually supports you for once. You feel all the feels with Alisha’s work and these two are are the lighter end of her scale.
Lyssa Kay Adams – bromance book club series. A series where the heroes are always reading a romance novel to try and be better feminists and that book is layered against their own story? Yes please. I have no idea if Nashville is actually like this, but I like it. The first book, Gareth and Thea, is a second chance romance of a couple whose marriage is in trouble, whilst others feature friends to lovers with a scary cat called Beefcake getting in the way. Sweet and funny, it’s about the friendships as much as the romance so this could kinda sit in the small town category too.
CONTEMPORARY – SMALL TOWN
Disclaimer – small town romance can often be in the no-sex, “inspirational” (read: really no sex. a wounded soldier finds hope with a widowed mother at his church, with an extra side of american fundamentalism, no no no) category. Sometimes there is sex, but with heavy doses of guilt and insecurity about not making it in the big city. which is also a no. None of these recs below fall into those traps, and instead they’re particularly good for curling up with a hot chocolate on an autumn day. Interestingly they’re often set in autumn/winter in order to tap into all the cozy but hot vibes. I generally find this end of things is a good starting point if you’re not super sure romance is your thing.
Naima Simone – Christmas at rose bend. Does what it says on the tin and Naima is currently the Patreon guest on Heaving Bosoms podcast and her delightful laugh makes my day. I want to be friends.
Tiffany Reisz – Her halloween treat. Terrible title imposed by Harlequin, but halloween basically doesn’t feature and this is really about rebound sex in a wooden cabin in Oregon. Good stuff.
Elisabeth Barrett – Star Harbour quartet. Romance loves a good series, working it’s way through a set of friends or siblings. In this case it’s four brothers and I can’t tell whose book is best. Mmm, I might have to go and read them all again.
Kate Clayborn – the luck trilogy about three friends. I started with Greer and Alex’s story in Best of Luck, but all three of them are good. Kate is on the record as saying she doesn’t like hot, hot books and is at the innocent end of romance authors so this could be a good starting point if you’re unsure.
CONTEMPORARY – PARANORMAL
Juliette Cross – the whole series about the Savoie sisters is excellent. It started with a couple of witch/werewolf romances (Wolf gone Wild, etc.) and has now moved onto witch/vampire and witch/grim (just go with it). Set in new orleans but with a dose of the small town feel too thanks to the paranormal community. Unlike many series, there’s a different vibe to each book and I’m eagerly awaiting Jules and Ruben’s book later this year.
Erin Sterling, the ex hex – wonderful, funny, makes Welshmen sexy. Also, the best break up spell ever – the guy is cursed to never be able to find the clitoris again and therefore never experience the good stuff. This is definitely small town vibes, and has good Tarot jokes if that’s your bag too. Finally, confirming the fact that I like a cat in my romance novels this one has Sir Purrcival, who starts to talk human after the town’s magic gets cursed. Cat owners will not be surprised by what his inner monologue turns out to be.
As on previous posts: Talia Hibbert is also good at this side of things, eg Mating The Huntress, although she also does v good contemporaries.
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