Bookish romance Archives

Book Lovers

by Emily Henry

This readerly enemies-to-lovers romance delights with small town charm, serious Roy Kent energy, and banter galore. Successful literary agent Nora Stephens’s colleagues call her the Shark, but Nora doesn’t care. She's (mostly) at peace with who she is, plus she’s proud of fighting for her clients—even if that same fierceness has always spelled disaster for her love life. But Nora has one soft spot: her beloved baby sister Libby. When Libby persuades her to take a sisters’ trip to the too-cute-to-be-real hamlet of Sunshine Falls, Nora is gobsmacked to encounter her professional nemesis Charlie Lastra, a famously grumpy and inconveniently handsome editor who despises Nora. Soon the sparks are flying—and Nora has to keep reminding herself she hates his guts, lest she succumb to their undeniable chemistry. A heartwarming, steamy, and sweary love letter to readers, and a moving exploration of family, ambition, love, and belonging. Open door. For fans of Ted Lasso and You’ve Got Mail.

Thank You for Listening

by Julia Whelan

Two audiobook narrators find love in this meta take on contemporary publishing. Romance enthusiasts always roll their eyes when critical readers mock the “predictability” of the genre. In her long-anticipated sophomore novel, top-tier narrator Whelan (Educated, The Great Alone, and 2022’s Book Lovers) has a ball skewering the tired objections of romance skeptics as she takes us deep into the world of the field she knows so well. Actress-turned-narrator Sewanee is still recovering from a terrible accident that scarred her inside and out when she’s cast alongside the sexy and secretive Brock McKnight in a coveted project. Whelan clearly enjoys playing with the genre’s familiar tropes—snowed in, just one night, mistaken identity. With wittily named chapter titles (don’t miss them!) and great supporting characters, this sometimes steamy romance shows our heroine forgiving herself and finding true love. Open door. For fans of Emily Henry’s Beach Read and Linda Holmes’s Evvie Drake Starts Over.

The Dead Romantics

by Ashley Poston

Set in the world of publishing, this delightful novel gives “ghostwriting” a double meaning. Florence Day makes her living writing bestselling romance novels that are published under somebody else's name; only one person knows the truth behind her facade as a personal assistant. This puts her in a tricky spot when she tries to tell her handsome new editor that she—er, her boss—won't be able to meet her deadline. She doesn't tell him the true problem: after a bad breakup, she doesn't believe in love anymore, so she sure can't write about it. Before she can force words on the page, her father dies. When she returns home for the first time in a decade she finds the family she loves (and the funeral home they run) the same as they've ever been, even though her father is gone. She also finds a ghost standing at the funeral home front door who looks remarkably like her editor, who seems to have died with unfinished business that's somehow connected to Florence. This open door ghost romance sounds bonkers, but it's sweet and fun and—as far as the audiobook was concerned—compulsively listenable.

By the Book

by Jasmine Guillory

This fun and frothy Beauty and the Beast reimagining pairs an overworked editorial assistant with a grumpy and secretive author. Life hasn’t turned out the way Isabelle imagined; instead of shaping stories and working with the literary elite, she’s stuck running coffees back and forth for her boss—then ending the day back at her childhood home. Just as Izzy questions her future at Tale As Old As Time publishing (wink wink), she overhears her boss complaining about beastly Beau Towers and his missing manuscript. Ambitious Izzy preps her pep talks and travels to Beau’s mysterious mansion to coax his story out of him, where what began as a spontaneous career move slowly turns into a fairytale romance as Izzy melts Beau’s cold exterior. Guillory turns down the heat in this closed door romance and pours plenty of charm on the page.

Seven Days in June

by Tia Williams

The early pages of this swoony romance with serious depth are set at a literary festival, where bestselling writers Eva (bombshell of the fantasy romance genre) and Shane (darling of the literary fiction world) are reunited after nearly twenty years apart, in front of an audience of delighted readers. Nobody knows the two have met before, or that they were high school soulmates before they were wrenched apart due to circumstances neither fully understands. This was a lot of fun and also insightful about the complexities of romantic and family relationships, with a summer-in-NYC setting I particularly enjoyed. A couple of content notes: this is open door and includes addiction and self-harm, as Williams shows her characters working through trauma in order to find both healing and their way to each other.

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care

by Ashley Herring Blake

Small town bookstore owner and big city photographer meet (again) in this fun-yet-emotional romance novel. When Delilah Green breezes into town, Claire Sutherland automatically bristles. Prickly Delilah and controlling Claire are far from perfect, and they know just how to bug each other—but as they navigate growing feelings for each other, and plenty of drama in their other relationships—their initial ill will towards one another falls away. Our romance aficionado Leigh Kramer harbors STRONG feelings about these characters and the significant growth they undergo over the course of this swoony story. Spoiler alert: Delilah Green actually does care…it just takes her awhile to realize it. With endearing side characters, snarky dialogue, and a few bookstore scenes, this emotionally complex (open door) romance will capture your heart.

You & I, Rewritten

by Chip Pons

Will Cowen is living the bookworm dream when he accepts a promotion and moves from Chicago to NYC to work at a huge publishing house with his best friend. He cannot wait to start working with authors on the stories he loves: deeply emotional, heart-wrenching, and tear-inducing. Then heir to the publishing house Graham Austin bursts into the conference room with his commanding presence and demanding work ethic (oh, and his good looks). When a major work event falls through for Will, he finds a surprisingly empathetic and gentle ear in Graham. Cold indifference quickly turns to hot and heavy chemistry as they write their own workplace romance. Navigating their past scars, family tensions, and work dramas lends a realistic tone to this steamy story. Although Chelsey (another of our avid romance readers) had qualms about the ethics behind Will and Graham’s love affair, a moving and emotional ending wrapped up the book on a high note as it touched a topic close to her own heart. This open door romance will make you feel ALL the feels and includes references to anxiety, alcoholism, and PTSD.

Better than Fiction

by Alexa Martin

Drew Young would rather marathon an entire movie franchise than finish a short novel, but her book-loving grandmother surprises her when she leaves the Book Nook in Drew’s hands. Out of her depth and missing her grandmother, Drew finds solace in the shop’s senior book club. These ladies have read enough romance novels to fill the whole shop, and when a hot young romance author stops by for a book signing, they immediately start the set-up. Jasper Williams, writer and romantic at heart, hopes to show Drew the joy of reading, while Drew shows him the sights of Denver, Colorado. Dinner dates and outdoor adventures bring Jasper and Drew closer, but family drama threatens to wreck Drew’s future with the Book Nook. While the romance is swoony, and the bookshop is a dream, the “Dirty Birds” book club steals the spotlight in this open door romance.

The Printed Letter Bookshop

by Katherine Reay

Books. Love. Friendship. Second chances. All can be found at the Printed Letter Bookshop in the small, charming town of Winsome.

Well Met

by Jen DeLuca

I enjoyed this fun contemporary romance set at a Renaissance Faire. In this first-in-a-series rom com, DeLuca pairs her grumpy English-teacher-turned-renaissance-faire-pirate with a recently dumped college dropout trying to get back on her feet. The banter, y’all. The BANTER is perfection. Emily takes a job as a tavern wench, placing her under Simon’s jurisdiction as ren faire organizer. While playing characters all summer is fun and flirty, they also have to figure out how they are together in real life, versus how they are at the Ren Faire. DeLuca explores identity, expectations, grief, and the proverbial masks we wear, all while providing a simmering slow burn love story. Come for the bantery main couple, and stay for the side characters—one of whom owns a bookstore called Read It And Weep.

Bookish romance

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