Looking for the best romance novels to read right now? I love romance books, and I’m not ashamed of it. The only thing I don’t like is the cringy book covers. Full disclosure. Reading a romantic comedy is the perfect form of escapism we need right now. Even though we’re likely not jetting off to read these books on a beach, you can still get your feet up and devour a good book to get away from it all. Why the hell not? Since my Goodreads library is literally stuffed with romance books right now, I thought I’d share the love and give you a couple of very solid recommendations from my reading list.
You’re welcome, girls!
1. Beach Read
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The plot: January is a hopeless romantic who writes rom coms for a living. When her Dad dies and his secrets are uncovered, her entire view of the world is shaken. She breaks up with her ‘sure thing’ boyfriend and goes to the secret love nest he left behind, intending to clear it out and sell it on. Gus is a cynic who writes dark realism, he doesn’t believe in happy endings but he thinks it’s a pretty lie. Turns out he lives next door to January’s father’s secret place. Both of them decide to let each other live in the other’s shoes while January writes a dark book, Gus will write a romance. Of course, it always leads to more.
Why you should read it: Alright, this book caught me off guard. I thought I was going to read a fluffy book about two people on holiday at a beach, but it’s not really about that at all. It wasn’t a fluffy, summer tan beach-based book. This book is so much more. First of all, it’s not actually set on a beach. What it is, in fact, is a gorgeous story where you’ll fall in love with both of the protagonists. Gus and January knew each other before the book started, which adds some realism to the romance. You’re going to fall in love with this book, period. It’s one of the best romance novels this year. I’ve read it twice.
2. The Flat Share
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The plot: This book has topped charts everywhere, and is about a fairly ridiculous situation where two people share the same flat (same bed and all). It’s a creepy idea most of us would shy away from, but Tiffy has no other option and the owner of the flat says that he’s out of the flat enough that it won’t be weird. At first, she thinks it definitely will be, but she meets his girlfriend and decides to go for it, leaving notes for Leon when she leaves. Eventually, they feel like they get to know each other through their notes, and then they meet face-to-face.
Why you should read it: Yes, I do think sharing one bedroom with a stranger is completely weird, but in the context of Tiffy escaping a controlling relationship and Leon trying to free his jailed brother, it makes sense. It’s more believable, and it’s sweet. This is a really nice romance that allows it’s characters to grow, learn lessons, and overcome huge challenges. Will warm you up on a rainy day. Yes, this is one of the best romance novels that has some real depth to it.
3. You deserve each other
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The plot: Naomi and Nicholas are the perfect couple. They’re engaged to be married, live in their perfect place, and never fight. But they’re both pretending. Neither of them are really happy, and Naomi has been checked out for a while. When she wonders why they don’t just end it, she realizes that whoever ends the engagement has to foot the bill for the lavish wedding they’d planned. Then, she has the horrifying realization that Nicholas has been trying to get her to be the one to end it for the longest time. Which only spurs her on to play the game harder. Obviously it’s not that simple. By being the worst versions of themselves, they remember why they fell in love in the first place.
Why you should read it: The first chapter of this book will have you wondering why the hell Naomi stayed with Nicholas for so long, but slowly the truth unfurls itself until you realize that she’s been blind to his true intentions the whole time. This book is on our list of the best romance novels because it shows that sometimes in perfect relationships the only thing that’s missing is the truth. Reality. Pretending to be happy is definitely not going to fix anything, and once Naomi starts being present in her relationship, so many things get better.
4. The hating game
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The plot: Sitting opposite each other in the office, Lucy and Joshua have always hated each other. It’s just something that has always been the case. They are both personal assistants to two warring bosses after a company merger, so the fact they hate each other seems destined to be. Together they both play ridiculous games of one-upmanship. The Staring Game. The Mirror Game. Even contacting HR is a game. Lucy doesn’t want Josh to win anything, especially the new promotion coming up. But the games of one-upmanship only lead Lucy to wonder whether she really knows Joshua at all. And if she really hates him after all?
Why you should read it: This is one of the most addictive romantic comedies I’ve ever read. There’s something satisfying about haters-to-lovers and this book absolutely nails it. You’ll want to rush through this one, but then go back and figure out what you missed from the speed reading. One of the best romance novels for slow-burning, addictive reading. Cute, romantic, funny, and spicy!
