I’m an avid reader and over the past couple of years, I’ve read my fair share of romance novels. A lot of them feel perfect to read in the warmer months because they’re fast-paced and the settings are often in gorgeous beach towns or vacation houses. Here are a few of my favorite reads to get you prepped for the spring season.
1. Better than the movies by lynn painter
This is probably one of the most popular YA books out there right now, and for good reason. This book feels like a movie and has the perfect components of romance novels. It has famous romcom quotes, banter between our love interest, Taylor Swift references, and a “she’s not you” style love confession. Lynn Painter is such a good writer that you feel immersed in her stories and they take you back to being in high school and having a crush. And it gets even better because the sequel, Nothing Like the Movies, is releasing on Sept. 1, 2024!
2. twice shy by sarah hogle
This is Sarah Hogle’s not as popular book, but I believe it needs more hype. This book follows our main character Maybell who inherits her great-aunts house, but she’s not the sole inheritor. You get some forced proximity as well as grumpy/sunshine in this novel. Maybell is such a fun character and the hero Wesley is such a sweetheart. This book also contains some great anxiety representation and the love confession had me shedding a few tears.
3. lease on love by falon ballard
First of all, this cover screams spring. Second, our main character Sadie is a florist — enough said. Seriously though, this was Falon Ballard’s debut novel and I became a stan immediately. This book takes place in Brooklyn and it has a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers kind of trope and the hero Jack IS MY MAN. He is so shy and nerdy but loves Sadie so much and their relationship is so sweet. Sadie’s inner monologue is also hilarious and relatable. All around this book is top-tier for me and probably my favorite romance (sorry Beach Read).
4. dream on by angie hockman
Another gorgeous cover and another book with florists: sounds like spring to me. Angie Hockman, like Falon Ballard, instantly became a favorite author after her debut, but this book is unlike anything I’ve read. The novel follows Cass Walker who survives a car accident and wakes up with memories of a man named Devin, who in her coma was her dream man, but in the real world, Devin doesn’t exist. That is until Cass sees him in a flower shop a year after she’s decided to quit thinking about him. That’s all I’m going to say on that because this book took a turn I did not expect but I was cheering for by the end.
5. how to fake it in hollywood by ava wilder
Now this is a romance novel but with SO MUCH DEPTH. Two Hollywood stars agree to a fake relationship to get some good PR for both of them. This book is so addicting that I read it in one sitting. What starts out as your run-of-the-mill romance novel turns into an emotional story between two broken people. It’s messy and angsty and portrays the dark sides of Hollywood so well. Triggering warnings for addiction, alcoholism, and trauma. Read this book with tissues.
6. the bodyguard by katherine center
On a lighter note, The Bodyguard is a quick 300-page book following a female bodyguard, Hannah, who is hired to protect a superstar actor, Jack, from a stalker. This book is a reverse grumpy/sunshine and has a bit of fake dating. This is such a wholesome and feel-good romcom with low stakes. The way Jack did small but thoughtful things for Hannah to show her he loved her and they come full circle at the end of the book. There’s also no spice for those who prefer that!
7. people we meet on vacation by emily henry
Is it really a book rec list if Emily Henry isn’t included? People We Meet on Vacation is no Beach Read, but if you’re looking for something a bit lighter and fun this is the book for you. This is friends-to-strangers-to-lovers but with plenty of emotional depth to have you relating to both Poppy and Alex. This book is also told in then/now perspectives that have you wondering WTF happened in Croatia. Emily Henry is a master at writing novels about flawed characters and toying the line between romance and women’s fiction. While Alex and Poppy are polar opposites, inside they’re both lonely people who need each other. People We Meet on Vacation may not be the most popular EmHen, but it is perfect for early spring days when you want to escape.
I could probably recommend a dozen more books that have that spring vibe and energy, but these seven are perfect in encapsulating the spring/summer seasons we’re all eager to get to.