With love in the air, it seems like an ample opportunity to escape into the cozy world of romance. From second chance to enemies to lovers to slow burn, romance tropes have captured the hearts of young people everywhere.
A cute and cozy romance is perfect for capturing the hearts of readers seeking to escape into a fictional romance.
Personally, I am an avid thriller reader, but as a mood reader (and a hopeless romantic), I dabble in romance when I find myself searching for the perfect man or the boy next door.
These are my recommendations for the hopeless romantic searching for their “book boyfriend.”
- “Begin again” by emma lord
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As a girl in college searching for the perfect college romance, this book allows me to live within my fantasy of meeting my perfect match. Emma Lord’s “Begin Again” is set at Blue Ridge State University, a fictional college where the main character, Andie Rose, transfers after a semester in college.
Throughout the novel, Andie experiences deep personal growth as she learns about herself and follows in her parent’s footsteps at their alma mater. The novel focuses on Andie finding her own way and developing herself.
The novel is slow-burning, with the reader constantly saying, “just kiss already.” As someone who loves a good slow-burn novel, I enjoyed every minute I spent reading it.
My rating: 4/5 stars
- “the song of achilles” by madeline miller
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Every romance reader needs to experience the beauty and distress “The Song of Achilles” brings. I have read many books, but this is probably the only book I wish I could reread for the first time again.
The love story between Achilles and Patroclus brings me immense appreciation for the romance genre. “The Song of Achilles” is the epitome of a great romance novel.
The love between the characters displays a level of passion unimaginable in the real world. They care so deeply for one another, and as a hopeless romantic, I eat it up.
Miller’s writing style is incredible (in my opinion), and for those who love fantasy, historical or queer romance, this book is perfect.
My rating: 5/5 stars
- “Bride” by Ali Hazelwood
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This is the only Ali Hazelwood book I have read to date, but trust me, I am going to read more. Her writing style is impeccable, and she displays frustration through a beautiful lens where every moment has room for improvement.
“Bride” is one of my more recent reads, and I loved it, though that may be an unpopular opinion.
The way she captures the character from the view of the main character Misery displays how the view from one person cannot capture the entire scene or moment. Misery’s perspective is the only one displayed, but readers can perceive the perspectives of other characters through the expressions and actions the novel portrays.
I recommend this novel to any reader who enjoys a romance between werewolves and vampires. It has the vibe of enemies to lovers because of the conflict in the novel. It is the perfect romance/fantasy for Hazelwood fans!
My rating: 4/5 stars
- “heartstopper” by alice oseman
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The “Heartstopper” series by Alice Oseman is full of queer representation, which allowed me to expand my reading further when I picked up a book again after a reading slump. From the comic art style to the cute conversations among the characters, I fell in love.
“Heartstopper,” which became a TV show after it was published, is a wholesome series about Nick and Charlie’s connection. The adorable nature of this queer romance makes me genuinely joyful. I love love, so the sincere representation this book offers is healing.
People who aspire to find a soulmate connection in their books should read “Heartstopper.” The entire series discusses mental health concerns and brings light to the problematic societal standards regarding being gay in high school
My rating (for all five published books): 4/5 stars
- “Call me by your name” by andrรฉ Aciman
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This book is another queer romance. It features a problematic age gap yet a heartfelt connection between Elio and Oliver. The romance begins because Oliver acquires a position with Elio’s father to help him with his academic work.
Throughout the novel, readers see the bond between Elio and Oliver growing into a passionate, lustful relationship. The two characters enter a forbidden love affair (which reminds me of Taylor Swift’s “illicit affairs”).
As a queer and forbidden romance lover, this book was thoroughly enjoyable for me. I love to see the slow-burn growth of characters’ connection, and despite their age gap (which made me uncomfortable), this was one of the most enjoyable novels I have ever read.
My rating: 5/5 stars
As mentioned before, I don’t read a lot of romance. However, I find romance to be thrilling because all the connections have real-life elements despite their fictional state. I will always love love as a hopeless romantic, so I hope any reader seeking a romance novel can benefit from my little list.