Lean into love this Valentine’s Day by picking up a new romance novel. To ensure love at first read, stick to a tried and true trope that you know you’ll enjoy. Whether it’s the wholesomeness of ‘Friends to Lovers’, the effortless banter of ‘Enemies to Lovers’, the heart-aching angst of ‘Second Chance Romance’, the secret pining of ‘Fake Dating’ or the agonising build-up of Forced Proximity’, this list has got your favourite trope covered…
Friends to Lovers
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
Out of a mutual love for books, Macy and Elliot’s friendship grew into much more, but a decade later they’ve become strangers. A chance reunion forces them to face what happened.
You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
Two longtime best friends, Poppy and Alex, try to fix their broken relationship by dusting off their past tradition of going on holiday together. Without knowing it, this trip will determine their future.
Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron
Kamila loves playing matchmaker amongst her friends, happily ignoring her own love life. That is until her secret nemesis returns to town with an eye for her longtime friend Rohan.
Enemies (Rivals) to Lovers
Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter
After her forever crush moves back to town, Liz ropes in her childhood frenemy, Wes, to help make him notice her. Together they scheme to get Liz her magical prom moment.
See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Trapped in a time loop, a freshman is forced to relive her disastrous first day of college, only to realise that her rival from Physics class is stuck in it too.
Some Of It Was Real by Nan Fischer
A psychic on the verge of stardom who isn’t sure she believes in herself and a cynical journalist with one last chance at redemption are brought together by secrets from the past that also threaten to tear them apart.
Second Chance Romance
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Yasmen and Josiah’s love couldn’t take what life threw at it. Yet as a divorced couple, they’re still able to successfully co-parent and run a business together. This makes them wonder whether they’re truly ready to move on.
The Infinity Between Us by N. S. Perkins
On the cusp of turning their friendship into something more, Violet and Will’s lives are torn apart. When Violet returns five years later, she realises she can’t keep running from her past.
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
When his wife asks for a divorce, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source to save his marriage: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men.
Fake Dating
How To Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder
A talented Hollywood starlet and a reclusive A-lister enter into a fake relationship to give them each a career boost. However, they soon discover that their feelings may be more than a PR stunt.
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Hannah has been hired to protect superstar actor Jack from his stalker. To keep both the stalker and the bodyguard situation a secret from Jack’s family, Hannah pretends to be his girlfriend.
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
To curb humiliation, the recently dumped Laurie sets up a fake dating scheme with the office playboy, who happens to be in dire need of a respectable girlfriend.
Forced Proximity
Exes and O’s by Amy Lea
A romance novel–obsessed social media influencer revisits her exes on her hunt for true love. She enlists the help of her new roommate, only for her connection to him to grow as they spend more time together.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Cash-strapped Tiffy and Leon agree to share a one-bed flat without ever meeting. Their plan goes awry when the notes they communicate with gradually builds a friendship.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
A quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete test their abilities to survive the great outdoors – and each other – when they are forced to team up to win a grand prize.