Last time out I did a whole deep dive into romance tropes and so it only felt fitting that I provide some book recommendations for said tropes. This is going to be full of Bookshop affiliate links and if they aren’t linked that’s because they are on Kindle Unlimited. Also, this is going to feature as many indie authors as I can because there are a lot of great ones out there (the kind of great where a lot of them started out as indie and have their books republished under trad publishing). I’m also going to try and not recommend the same author twice…let’s see how successful that is.
Only the chosen few (aka, tropes I will only read when I trust the author with my life)
surprise/accidental pregnancy - Okay, I can’t personally vouch for it BUT I have on good authority that Out on a Limb - Hannah Bonham-Young is a good one (and one I might give a go). I can however vouch for Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake - Mazey Eddings.
stalker romance - Crossed - Emily McIntire. Although Katee Robert’s - Wicked Pursuit is on my TBR because she is one of my trusted few
bully romance - I got nothing.
cheating - Kismet - Ashley James, although I went into this for the second chance of it all and it came with cheating that I wasn’t immediately put off by.
love triangle - Girl Abroad - Elle Kennedy is the only one that has really done it for me recently
single parent/nanny - Behind the Camera - Chelsea Curto and it isn’t out yet and I am eagerly anticipating my ARC dropping but I know Learn Your Lesson - Kandi Steiner is going to get the job done. Also shout out to The Nanny - Lana Ferguson which was the first time I ventured into the genre.
forbidden romance AND age gap - Scandalous Park Avenue Prince - Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine. This book has lived rent free in my mind since I read it.
The Bread and Butter (aka the ones that I really, really like)
marriage of convenience - Bride - Ali Hazelwood really did what it needed to do.
friends to lovers - Lovelight Farms - B.K Borison. Hook, Line and Sinker - Tessa Bailey. You And Me On Vacation - Emily Henry. I used all 3 of these as my comps when I was querying because I have written a friends to lovers (more on why I am no longer querying next time out…most likely)
billionaire/CEO romance - Love Redesigned - Lauren Asher (my current favourite Asher book). King of Pride - Ana Huang.
slow burn - Salt Kiss - Sierra Simone; the burn is so slow that not even all the characters are in play (I should say it is a trilogy which would be the reason). From Lukov with Love - Marina Zapata; this was the slowest of slow burns and I think I hated it, but also I very much enjoyed it.
grumpy/sunshine - Unsteady - Peyton Corrine. Mistletoe and Mishigas - M.A Wardell (and yes, this is now the second Christmas based book I am recommending while we are in touching distance of April - the way my year is going I will have a toe in Christmas all year). Luke - Cora Rose; I didn’t know what to expect from this one and I fell in love pretty promptly with it.
cowboy romance - Flawless - Elsie Silver was my first. Swift and Saddled - Lyla Sage is god tier.
second chance - Once More With Feeling - Elissa Sussman. You, Again - Kate Goldbeck
brother’s best friend - Okay, so I am going to repeat an author because I can’t talk about brother’s best friend without giving Done and Dusted - Lyla Sage its dues.
Ride or Die (aka the ones that I love with all my heart and will devour every iteration of) - As these are my ride or dies, I read a lot of them and could probably fill a whole book with recs, but I will limit myself to 3 for each.
enemies/rivals to lovers - Make Me - Caroline Masci, Two Wrongs Make a Right - Chloe Liese and An Education in Malice - ST Gibson
fake dating - I can’t not rave once again about The Fake Mate - Lana Ferguson, so we have another duplicate author and TWO books that feature knotting. Black Ties and White Lies - Kat Singleton; technically they are fake engaged but that comes with all the same thrills. How to Fake It In Hollywood - Ava Wilder; also comes with an age gap that I find acceptable.
forced proximity (yes this includes, only one bed) - The Director - August Jones; also a throuple and age gap situation and my favourite book of Jones’ that I have read. Raiders of the Lost Heart - Jo Segura; I mean they’re on an archaeological dig and he has her favourite coffee flown in (at great expense). The Long Game - Elena Armas; this is now my favourite book of hers, although her next one may take that crown
sports romance - Do you have any idea how many sports romances I read??? It’s so excessive. I put away at least one a week. So have one American Football, one ice hockey and one fencing to really throw a curveball in there.
Reverse Pass - Maggie Rawdon (American Football). On Guard - Andi Jaxon & J.R Gray (fencing). Collide - Bal Khabra (ice hockey)
I lied - have a bonus football one Their Ball Boy - Addison Beck. And a bonus rowing - Oar Than Friends - Lulu Moore
why choose - Triple Duty Bodyguards- Lily Gold was my first excursion into why choose and it opened quite the can of worms. Pucking Around - Emily Rath fuelled the fire. The Losers duet - Harley Laroux; I don’t know what it is about these two books (and The Dare novella) but I think about them constantly and I have to resist the urge to re-read them often.
Have you read any of these? Have I made your TBR longer? Let me know in the comments!
Jumpin’ Jumpin’
What I’m reading - Is this chiller than usual? I can’t tell. I’ve read over 70 books this year already now. Again, reading is almost all I do in my spare time and I’m a quick reader. I’m also really trying to focus on getting my ARC reads read (fitting given that there has been discourse about ARCs this week)
ARCs read - Medea - Rosie Hewlett (out now), The Rule Book - Sarah Adams (out April 2nd), The Prospects - KT Hoffman (our April 9th), Something Good - Melody Claire (out April 2nd) and How to End A Love Story - Yulin Kuang (out April 9th)
Other books - Try Me - Neve Wilder (on KU)
Currently reading - The Four - Ellie Keel (out April 11th) and Just for the Summer - Abbey Jimenez (out April 2nd)
(Bookshop links are affiliate links)
What I’m watching - I sort of half watched Criminal Justice and I didn’t really understand what was going on and I thought it was because I was only half paying attention, but no, my parents didn’t really know what was going on either.
What I’m listening to - Hozier - Unheard EP. Too Sweet felt like a personal attack. i felt EP by Victor Ray. It Only Cost Everything and Hollow have got some creative ideas brewing and I both love and hate that. What Happens Now? - Dasha. I heard Austin on the Chart a couple of weeks ago and it sent me into a rabbit hole and I am now in love. The perfect primer for Cowboy Carter tomorrow.
Title Inspiration - A rare occasion where, as far as I know, it is from neither song nor book. Just good ol’ repetition