Romance

This is possibly my favorite contemporary romance. A tattoo artist and a budding CEO, haunted by a shared past, are given a second chance—at love, but more importantly at their own lives. Their story is a taut tale of redemption, betrayal, sex, and romance. With complex characters, sizzling tension, juicy drama, and intricate tattoos (and desert) I finished fully satisfied. - Jocelyn

This is one of my favorite Regency Romance series and an excellent choice if you are looking for more after Netflix’s Bridgerton. Riffing off 1980’s rom-coms with a Breakfast Club-inspired linking story, each book in the series is fun, compelling, and deliciously sexy. This one starts the series with library-based friendship, a faked relationship, zero-to-rake makeover. - Jocelyn

Poppy should be immensely unlikeable. She has a dream job writing about traveling for a fancy magazine in New York City, but she’s also incredibly sarcastic, charming, and spontaneous. Alex…well, he wears khakis and teaches high school English. Poppy and he have been friends for 12 years, and as they jet-set on their yearly summer trips, the possibilities start to rise. Come for the vicarious vacation, stay for the chemistry that burns off the page. — Celeste

In her latest historical novel, Beverly Jenkins writes a love story that is as satisfying as it is rebellious, giving us Spring Lee, a fiery rancher in Wyoming, and the thoughtful reporter who travels from DC for a story only to be captivated by the landscape, the rural living, and the independent Lee. Centering Black experiences in the post-Civil War American West, Wild Rain does not shy away from issues of race and class, even as it propels forward with the refreshing, sensuous storytelling one expects from a Jenkins novel. — Melinda

In this lively debut by Paul Rudnick, hilarity and romance ensue after New York event planner Carter and the dreamy, openly gay Prince Edgar cross paths. And when their relationship goes public unexpectedly, Carter is called before the disapproving queen and tasked to prove himself a suitable partner for a prince in just three weeks. Filled with bright characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and musical references, this book is the perfect summer beach read. — Brooks

This regency romance romp is so fun, sexy, and satisfying. A heist to readdress a wrong turns into an alliance under false pretenses, where tension crackles amidst London’s tea parties and balls. A buttoned-up duke trying to make up for his father’s failings, a woman so much more than she appears to be, and a diverse and wild family defying the prejudices and failings of the ton—I loved every moment and can’t wait for the next in the series! — Jocelyn

This love story between a 23-year-old waitress and a girl from the 1970s who is lost in time is truly charming. At first, cynical August thinks living in New York City is going to make her even more pessimistic. But then she meets Jane on the subway and very quickly realizes Jane’s look isn’t vintage at all, and she knows she has to help this punk rock time traveller, and at the same time confront her own past. For fans of Red, White & Royal Blue. — MJ

The Duke Undone is infused with a passion for art, feminism, and social justice around class inequity, adding welcome depth to an already high-spirited “duke meets commoner” historical romance. Lowell dishes up an engaging plot, quick-witted banter, and plenty of heat between aspiring art student Lucy Coover and her apparent muse, the troubled duke of Weston, as she struggles to keep her tenement home and he works to repair his family’s reputation. There is much to get lost in here, and Lowell’s lively prose and fresh approach to the genre makes it all the more worthwhile. — Melinda

For those who love historical fiction and fantasy, we have this: high society women—the vision of Victorian ladyhood—who also happen to be pirates and witches. There’s a Gothic abbey, there’s romance, there are cannons. It’s a wild ride, with assassination attempts and a bunch of badass ladies. The tone of Wisteria Society reminded me a lot of The Princess Bride. It’s fun from start to finish. — MJ

I’m so glad this was my first romance novel. I’ll be honest, I was hooked in by the adorable cover art, but I’m so happy that I dug deeper than the surface. This is a classic “city mouse falls in love with country mouse” sort of tale, filled with swashbuckling, intrigue, and sauciness. I hope it someday gets the Bridgerton treatment so I can see pretty boys flouncing about in period costumes, falling in love with each other. — Jae