I read 70+ romances this year, and here are my top 5 (so far).
My StoryGraph account says the genre I’ve read the most is LGBTQ+ books, but that’s not a real category, as it can encapsulate almost every type of book out there. Instead, what I’ve become is a romance reader.
If you’re unsure where you might start with romance — or if you’re looking to get a gift for a romance reader — here are my five favorite romances from this year (so far).
Almost all of them are contemporary romances, with one being historical. Four of them feature queer characters. Four of them are spicy (sex on-page), and one, the couple doesn’t even kiss due to their Muslim faith.
But all of them present some of the best writing in romance with strong characters, careful building of tension and relationships, and an ending that nails it.
Unwritten Rules (Unwritten Rules #1) by KD Casey
A baseball romance? Zach falls in love with teammate Eugenio despite believing that he can either be gay or play professional baseball, not both.
Band Sinister by KJ Charles
When Guy’s sister falls off a horse while snooping around, he must stay at his hated neighbor Phillip’s estate (to protect his sister’s reputation!) and meet the merry band of homosexual atheists occupying the estate known as the Murder.
Saint (Priest #3) by Sierra Simone
Aiden leaves secular life behind to become a Catholic monk, but then the ex-boyfriend he abandoned shows up to write an article about beer-brewing monks and travels to Europe with him.
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin
In a remake of You’ve Got Mail, Hana is on a coming-of-age journey and discovering her family’s secrets when an annoyingly cute man opens a competing restaurant to her family’s.
A Prince on Paper (Reluctant Royals #3) by Alyssa Cole
Recovering from her father’s disgrace, Nya becomes accidentally fake engaged to the rakish Prince Johan and agrees to go on a press tour with him to deflect attention from his younger sibling, who will take the throne.
Other solid 5-star reads
Adult romance
- Act Your Age, Eve Brown (The Brown Sisters #3) by Talia Hibbert
- You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
- Rafe (Loose Ends #1) by Rebekah Weatherspoon
- American Love Story (Dreamers #3) by Adriana Herrera
- Think of England by KJ Charles
- The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz
YA romance
- The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver
- Check, Please!: Year Four by Ngozi Ukazu
- Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
- Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
- Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier