As Promised, Romance Book Recs …
After yesterday's thoughts on the romance genre, misogyny, HEAs, and steamy reads...
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My favorite romance genres are Contemporary and Historical (mostly UK and some US) so here are my recommendations for those who want to start and try the genre and for those who already like Romance and perhaps need to try some new authors and perspectives!
Recommendations with 💜 are BIPOC authors. Recommendations with 🌈 are LGBTQ+ if I am aware. Series are a great way to get to know an author and spend more time with characters you like. They are more fun read in order, but not always need to be!
I read so many other books and authors in the genre, but these are the ones I search for and keep track of regularly! Share your favorite authors/genres/books in the comments.
Bromance Book Club Series, by Lyssa Kay Adams - this is a fun series that centers men as they learn to find love by being awesome friends for each other. One of a few series based in sportsball that I love, despite not loving sportsball at all.
Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas💜
Reluctant Royals Series and Runaway Royals Series by Alyssa Cole💜🌈
The Roommate and The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan💜
The Raje Series by Sonali Dev - one of the OG Indian American romance writers! I like her books but this series is all based on Jane Austen books! Know me!💜
Jasmine Guillory💜 - Start with the Wedding Date series and stay all her books!
Alexis Hall - prolific LGBTQ+ contemporary romance, I love Boyfriend Material and the Winner Bakes All Series. 🌈
The Brown Sisters Series by Talia Hibbert💜 (and her other books!)
The Kiss Quotient Series by Helena Hoang💜 - with neurodivergent leads
Real Men Knit Series by Kwana Jackson💜 - another series focused on men finding love
Beverly Jenkins - she is one of the OG Black contemporary romance writers for African American romance.💜
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston🌈 - politics and royalty and great banter!
The Playbook Series by Alexa Martin💜 - I don’t enjoy sportsball but love sportsball related romances! This is a great series and her other books are enjoyable too!
Forbidden Hearts Series and Right Swipe Series by Alisha Rai💜- Alisha is also great on TikTok and instagram!
Singh Family Trilogy by Nisha Sharma💜 - She started out as a YA author with the great My So-Called Bollywood Life and I love her YA and Adult books.
Mia Sosa - enjoyed her Wedding Crasher series and now reading her other books!💜
Sapna Bhog💜 - She is an Indian romance writer and I love her Elusive Lords series (Dare to Be a Duchess and To Covet a Countess), both with Indian heroines in London. She also writes contemporary but I haven’t read those yet!
Loyal League Series by Alyssa Cole💜🌈 - read this description and guess why I love this series and Alyssa Cole! “The Loyal League is a thrilling Civil War-set trilogy centered on a secret society of Black spies working to topple the Confederacy and ensure that the United States lives up to its promise of Life, Liberty, and Happiness. All of the suspense and adventure of an espionage thriller paired with swoon worthy romance and hidden American history that wasn’t taught in your textbooks!”
Tessa Dare- an icon in the historical genre, I like all her books especially Spindle Cove and Girl Meets Duke Series
You Had Me at Hola and a Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria💜
Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana De La Rosa💜 - comes out in April, getting lots of buzz, and I was able to read an ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) thanks to my librarian friend!
The Truitts Series by Felicia Grossman - Jewish historical romance in Philly 19th century
Alexis Hall - prolific LGBTQ+ historical romance - Something Fabulous is the beginning of a series. 2nd book, Something Spectacular comes out this Spring. I also loved A Lady for the Duke.🌈
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera💜 - I loved this book, second in the series is coming out later this year.
Amalie Howard💜 - historicals that are loosely connected but not required to read in order. Many leads who shake up the establishment with their beliefs, their actions, their class and their race.
Beverly Jenkins - she Is the OG Black Woman historical fiction writer, all US based historical fiction💜
The Ravenels Series by Lisa Kleypas - This series is iconic in the subgenre and I love it a lot. I do enjoy her previous series including the Hathaways but unfortunately there is a little too much exoticification of the Romany/Roma in those books which pulled me out of the relatively good love stories.
Eva Leigh - I read all her books and love her series, her most recent series is one of my favorites- Last Chance Scoundrels
Sarah MacLean - Honestly I love all her series and her books, you can’t go wrong with any of them, and she’s also host of a great Podcast, Fated Mates.
Brothers Sinister Series and The Worth Saga by Courtney Milan💜 - Milan is also a great follow for her detailed figure skating and legal analysis.
Rogues and Remarkable Women Series and Lady Worthing Mystery Series and The Island Queen by Vanessa Riley💜
Stacy Reid💜 - I love her historical, specifically like her Sinful Wallflowers series.
Seducing the Sedgwicks Series by Cat Sebastian 🌈, LGBTQ+ historical romance
Joanne Shupe - So far this is the only other author who has kept me reading US based historicals (apart from Cole and Jenkins). I particular love her Fifth Avenue Rebels, Uptown Girls, and The Knickberbocker Club series (all NYC based, hmmm, that might explain my love of them)
Feminine Pursuits Series by Olivia Waite🌈- LGBTQ+ historical romance AND the New York Times Romance Book reporter!
Sharp eyed readers will note that Bridgerton is not mentioned anywhere on this list. The series and its author Julia Quinn are not even in my top 20 of the genre. The Netflix Bridgerton is better than the actual books for sure - specifically because they took out or re-wrote lots of problematic stuff in the now over 30 year old books.