Add one salty infertile heroine with one firefighter hero who dreams of having a big family someday and you have a debut friends-to-lovers contemporary romance you might stay up reading until the wee hours of the night. Ahem. Josh and Kristen have some big things to overcome but there’s no denying their chemistry from the moment they meet. In a fender bender, no less. This story will make you laugh out loud one minute and cry the next. It doesn’t shy away from the hard topics and it makes the happy ending that much more satisfying.

In this delightful follow-up to The Friend Zone, bestie Sloan gets her own story. After an adorable (and extended) meet-cute involving a stray pup, Sloan strikes up a flirty text thread with the dog’s owner, who’s out of the country for work. These texts turn into emails, and then hours-long phone calls; the two haven’t met in person but the connection is undeniable. It’s the first time Sloan has felt excited about anything since her fiancé died two year ago. But can a touring musician make a relationship work—and does Sloan even want it to? You’ll have more context if you read The Friend Zone first, but this novel absolutely stands on its own. Heads up: there’s a steamy open-door scene or two here.

What does a city doctor have in common with a small town carpenter? Alexis is not expecting more than one night with Daniel but their chemistry is undeniable. The more time she spends in Daniel’s town, the more she learns what she wants in life but it’s not without cost. Daniel doesn’t belong in her world but she’s not sure she can give him up either. Abby Jimenez’s trademark sense of humor helps balance the  moving exploration of intimate partner violence, making for one heartwarming read. I loved Julia Whelan and Zachary Webber’s dual narration.

I’m a huge fan and completist of Abby Jimenez’s romance novels, so when I say this is her best yet—it’s no hyperbole. She truly outdid herself with this grounded, funny, and deeply romantic story about two ER doctors who turn from enemies to friends to fake relationship to head-over-heels lovers. One of my favorite parts of the story involves a realistic exchange of letters between Dr. Jacob Maddox and Dr. Briana Ortiz, beginning with an apology note and a cupcake. Jacob struggles with social anxiety, so a letter proves to be the perfect way to break the ice with Briana, no confrontation needed. The notes are funny, heartfelt, and sweet; they’re bright spots in Briana’s stressful days working in the ER and going home to take care of her brother who awaits a kidney transplant. If you’re looking for a charming romance novel with layers of complexity, you can’t go wrong with Jimenez. (Open door.)