Romantic Novels That’ll put you in the mood for love!

I love putting a list of mini reviews of books I’ve read that others may enjoy. In the past I put a list of books that take you to new places, I even made a list of the best and worst books of the year sometimes. I wasn’t able to do it in 2022 as time ran out. This list will be different. It will be a list of romantic novels that will put you in the mood for romance, and with Valentine’s Day around the corner, this is the perfect time to do it. This list will include romantic comedies; second chance romance, contemporary romance and romance that might bring tears or even break your heart. Be prepared to make some Amazon orders, go to the bookstore or put these books on hold for the library as I give off my list.

Love And Other Words by Christina Lauren

Today I finished reading Love And Other Words by Christina Lauren. It originally came out in 2018 but recently was released with a beautiful cover. I know the old saying, don’t judge a book by its cover. The story definitely matched the beautiful cover. Macy Sorenson has a good job as a pediatrics resident, she’s engaged to single dad Sean, who’s financially stable. One day while Macy is with her friend Sabrina, she runs into Elliot Petropoulos her best friend and first love who 11 years ago declared his love for her but something tragic broke them apart. I actually felt some tears come down a few times. I like the fact that it goes back and forth from the present to when they were teenagers and how they met and how their friendship gradually became more. I love all the characters too including Macy’s fiancé Sean. I also like the themes of words and books and what they mean to us and the theme of letting go and taking a chance.

 Every Summer After by Carly Fortune

Every Summer After by Carly Fortune was a debut novel. Though you wouldn’t tell it was a debut novel because the descriptions of the lake and Canada were gorgeous and the characters were likeable but not without flaws.  Persephone nick named Percy and Sam become friends one summer as they meet at the lake house that her parents rent. Over the course of several summers their friendship deepens into something more. Unfortunately something terrible happens and years later a tragedy brings Percy and Sam back together again. This is another second chance romance novel and the setting is gorgeous Percy is into writing, reading and watching horror movies. I also like that Percy herself grows as a character. Something’s might seem a little too perfectly tied up toward the end but I recommend this one especially if you like romance’s with a second chance.

 Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry is about literary agent Nora Stephens. Nora’s whole life and career is books and the stories within them. Nora is a cutthroat literary agent who’s an advocate for her author clients and her younger sister Lily. Lily is the reason Nora agrees to go on vacation with her to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the entire month of August. Lily’s hope is that Nora finds romance that would only happen in a Hallmark movie. Instead of running into a small town guy who wears flannel, Nora runs into an editor from the city Charlie Lastra. Nora and Charlie have met a few times but they are far from friends let alone romance. As time goes on they realize things about each other and themselves. While yes it’s a romantic comedy and it’s for people who love books about books and writing there are other themes in the novel such as growth, sisterhood, family and going after your dreams. If you’re a fan of books about books with romantic comedy as well as the other themes I mentioned I suggest you pick up Book Lovers by Emily Henry.

Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay

Paris is Always a Good Idea by was my first time reading from Jenn  McKinaly who is a famous author of romantic comedies and who done it cozy mysteries. Paris Is Always A Good Idea is about protagonist Chelsea Martin. Chelsea’s father is getting remarried after knowing his fiancé for just two weeks. Understandably Chelsea has her doubts. At the same time Chelsea wants to go back to the fun loving girl she was in her early twenties when she traveled to Ireland, France and Italy before becoming a cynic due to her mother’s death from cancer. Chelsea also wants to discover if she still has sparks with any of the men she met in all three countries. Chelsea’s annoying coworker Jason meets up with her and we all know where this is going. I love rom coms that have travel in it. I can picture myself being in Ireland, France and Italy. There’s a romantic scene where Chelsea and Jason are dancing to Lie Vie En Rose on the Eiffel Tower. It reminds me of every rom com from the 90s and 2000s. If you enjoy romance, travel and don’t mind the predictability of who Chelsea gets with you will enjoy Paris is Always A Good Idea.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

The Unhoneymooners was the first time I read a Christina Lauren romantic comedy. There were several times I laughed out loud while I was reading it. Olive Torres always sees herself as the unlucky twin and her twin sister Ami is the lucky one. On Ami’s wedding day, things go awry when the wedding party gets food poisoning except for Olive and the groom’s brother Ethan. Ami tells Olive she must go on the free honeymoon to Maui and pretend to be her. Ethan’s brother Dane, tells him the same. Although Ethan and Olive can’t stand one another they agree to a truce to pretend to be a couple so they can enjoy the free vacation. While on the trip of course they get to know one another and realize there could be a spark after all. If you enjoy enemies to lovers’ trope, romantic comedies, and books providing an escape, you will enjoy The Unhoneymooners.

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

To say that Catalina Martin needs a date to her sister, Isabel’s wedding is an understatement especially since Catalina came up with a white lie that she has an American boyfriend. Everyone including her ex-boyfriend the brother of the groom will be there. Handsome cranky co-worker Aaron Blackford offers to be Catalina’s date. While Catalina would rather do anything else than have him be her date though beggars’ can’t be choosers. The more Aaron and Catalina get to know each other, the more Catalina realizes that there’s more to Aaron than meets the eye. This rom com has the familiar tropes in a rom com which is the fake dating and enemies to lovers trope. I like the settings of New York and Spain. It has a special place in my heart too because I have Spanish on my mom’s side of the family as well as Italian, Dutch and French. If you like fake dating, enemies to lovers, and travel this is another rom com you will enjoy. I can’t wait to see it become a movie and read the sequel The American Roommate about Catalina’s hilarious best friend Rosie.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Nina Redmond knows how to match a reader and a book together, something Nina and I have in common. When the library Nina works at closes down, she decides to convert an old van into a book mobile and moves from London to a Scottish village. There are two men who serve as love interests, a train conductor who is too good to be true, and a brooding landlord. If you enjoy books about books and bookish plucky characters with romance, then I recommend The Bookshop on the Corner.

The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns

This novel of romance, heartbreak and discovering family takes goes back and forth between the late 1950s to the present day. We also go back and forth between Japan and America. Ana Johns does a wonderful job of making her writing descriptive. The story is about Naoko Nakamura whose family is pressuring her to marry the son of her father’s business partner. We know she’s not in love with him but in love with an American Navy man. Naoko knows that marrying the American and having a child with him would bring shame to her family since this is during the time where mixing with another race was frowned upon. Tori the daughter of the man in the present day finds out she has a half-sister from the Japanese woman her father fell in love with. After her father’s death she must go to Japan and find out the truth. I remember reading this novel back in late 2019 when I started out with this blog. The wedding between Naoko and Hajimie (the American army man) was romantic with the beautiful lantern lights. The descriptions were beautiful and you felt as though you were in Japan. If you like historical fiction with romance I recommend this novel.  Just keep in mind there is dark subject matter such as under the table abortions, the murder of babies after they were born and the mistreatment of mixed race children in Japan.

Paris for One & Other Stories by Jojo Moyes

Paris for One & Other Stories is by New York Times and Sunday Times Bestselling author Jojo Moyes. Jojo has written many novels one of them being the very controversial Me Before You. Paris for One & Other Stories has 6 light hearted romantic stories that take place in Paris or England. My favorite one is the first and obvious one in the title Paris for One. The main character of Nell isn’t the adventurous type, though she does plan on going on a romantic trip to Paris with her unreliable boyfriend Pete. Surprise surprise he opts out of going, leaving Nell to go to Paris alone. While in Paris an adventurous side of Nell comes out. Nell is willing to start a romance with French writer Fabian, goes shopping in dress shops and picks out an outfit to look more Parisian. There’s a scene where Nell and Fabian go on a romantic boat ride while the night is young. Not only does this story give you the travel bug but it’s also a fairytale-esque modern day romance. If you love romance and travel and Paris I recommend Paris for One.

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

I had to mention Christina Lauren again. In A Holidaze obviously has romance, humor, Christmas and time travel. Maeyln Jones is unhappy in her life with her new job and having to move back home. She also has a crush on a family friend since forever but was afraid to make the first move. If things couldn’t get any worse Maeyln’s family friends are selling the cabin they go to every Christmas. Maeyln makes a wish pleading with the universe to please show her what will make her happy. Before the car she’s in crashes with the other one, she wakes back up in on the plane on its way to Utah. It will keep happening until Mae figures out a way to get out of the time loop. Think of this as romantic comedy with Christmas meets Quantam Leap and Groundhog Day. If you enjoy time travel mixed with romantic comedies you will enjoy this one.

The Fallen Series by Lauren Kate

The Fallen Series had 4 main books, a novella and a spin off series about one of the other characters. The first 4 novels are Fallen, Torment, Passion & Rapture. Lucinda Price is sent to a boarding school after witnessing a death of a guy she was kissing. At the boarding school Lucinda meets the handsome brooding Daniel Grigori who tries to stay away from her. Lucinda realizes later on that she and Daniel have been lovers in several past lives and that Daniel is a fallen angel as well as Cam and the rest of the crew. Lucinda and Daniel are under a curse, each time Lucinda and Daniel share a kiss she dies and its always when she’s 17. Only this time she’s unbaptized so the kiss doesn’t kill her. I read this series back in my late teens and early twenties. Other than romance, it has angels, battle between good and evil. The first book starts off slow but then picks up. The second novel Torment picks up and gets exciting. The third book feels like it should have been a prequel and book 4 it was time to end their storyline. The novella which I can’t remember the name of right this moment was about the other characters love stories. The spin off Unforgiven was about Cam’s storyline and his love for Lilith. I can’t wait to see how the tv series does. If you enjoy paranormal romance with action I recommend this series.

The Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick is another paranormal romance of a human and a fallen angel falling in love. The series has 4 books Hush Hush, Crescendo, Silence & Finale. Nora Grey is your typical highschool girl and her life is uneventful until Patch Cipriano shows up. For some reason Patch and Nora are drawn to each other despite also disliking each other of course. Nora later finds out Patch is a fallen angel and his initial plan was to kill her so he can have a mortal body. Obviously Patch doesn’t follow through as the two of them fall in love. There’s romance, and good vs evil battles to fight. If you enjoy paranormal romance with action I recommend this series. I can’t wait to see how the Hush Hush movie does on Paramount + it, like Fallen has been long overdue.

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate

Lanie has a successful career as a romance editor, the perfect fiancé that checks off 99 boxes on her checklist. Lanie is living her best life. It only seems to get better when she is given the opportunity to help her favorite writer Noa Callaway get out of her writers block and if she can do that she’ll get the promotion she’s always wanted. If Lanie fails she loses her job. Though there is a reason no one has seen the famous author. When Lanie meets Noa in the flesh it comes as a surprise that Noa is actually Noah. This novel was like catching up with an old friend because I loved Lauren Kates “Fallen” series and I knew I would enjoy her very first romantic comedy book. I love how Lanie and Noah slowly fall in love and seeing her story as to her not following in her family’s footsteps of being a doctor. What I enjoyed about this novel is Lanie learns that she won’t meet the guy that fulfills all her checklists and that’s okay. Rom coms have a bad habit of telling readers and watchers of their books and movies that women will meet the perfect man when no such thing exists just as no perfect woman exists.  By Any Other Name is a love letter to those of us who love books and romantic comedies. If you enjoy romantic novels which are also a love letter to books and writing this book is up your alley.