Ever since I was in middle school, I’ve had a passion for reading books. Specifically, I love reading rom-coms, I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic. When TikTok started a new trend called “BookTok” I was instantly sold. “BookTok” started as a way to illuminate the most popular books of the season, especially rom-com books. So I have compiled a list of my favorite rom-com books, many of which I found from “Booktok”, that I believe every rom-com lover will die for too.
#1: “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover
If you have indulged yourself in “BookTok” you have for sure heard of Colleen Hoover. “It Ends with Us” tackles the complex and difficult concept of focusing on the present and moving forward, while also dealing with the positive and negative effects of the past creeping up on you. Throughout the book, Lily realizes sometimes the past can save you from the present, as she struggles to navigate the complexities of love and what it takes to make the right choices.
#2: “It Starts with Us” by Colleen Hoover
“It Starts with Us” is a sequel to “It Ends with Us as it begins right where the first novel ended. Lily continues to deal with the complexities of moving forward in life and not letting the past consume her. In navigating the difficult reality of adult relationships, readers like myself learn that everyone’s got a past and you can’t always erase that.
#3: “One True Loves” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A love story focused on a woman, Emma, who is faced with a life-changing dilemma: her husband, who was believed to be dead after getting in a plane crash years ago, unexpectedly survived. After having dealt with the pain and trauma, Emma moved on and was engaged when informed that Jesse was alive. The story unfolds in two parts: part one follows Emma’s high school relationship with Jesse and her new engagement and part two explores how Emma learns to deal with Jesse’s reappearance into her world, and if he even has a place there anymore. Struggling with the past and future, Emma makes a difficult decision about who to pick as her “one true love.”
#4: “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry
If you know anything about Emily Henry, you know she has cool, aesthetic book covers. But there’s more to this story than just neon colors and summer vacations. “People We Meet on Vacation” follows the path of Alex and Poppy, two college friends who have a tradition of taking an annual summer vacation together. However, after their Croatia summer trip, they did not speak for 2 years. Not wanting the friendship and memories to dwindle, Poppy invites Alex on one last trip, but Poppy struggles to keep her feelings for Alex aside and tucked away. This one last summer vacation reveals what they both kept from each other all those years they spent together.
#5: “The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller
I, of course, had to save the best book for last! Set in the beach town of Cape Cod, “The Paper Palace” reminds readers of young kids’ summer memories. It combats the conflicts of Elle who has to choose the life she once always imagined having or the life she is committed to today. It reminded me of what it means to feel like you belong in a place and how your belonging can change due to unforeseen circumstances.