Hello all!

If you’re looking for some fun, lighthearted romance reads to get you in the mood this weekend (whether you’re in a relationship or not), I’m sharing a few fun ones for you to dive into. I have everything from quirky classic romances to steamier stories to magical escapes. These books also are written by a range of authors and feature protagonists of color, biracial couples, and queer love stories.

Here are a few of my recent favorite romance books, and a few that I’m excited to read:

• Beach Read – one of my favorite romances from last year, this book follows two writers: one a dark, realist and the other a romantic comedy author, when they find themselves neighbors on a lake house. They’re both there recovering from personal tragedies, but have a friendly competition to switch writing styles for their next books. It’s truly a story about writer’s block, but is just such a sweet story that deals with tough emotions, breaking out of your comfort zone, and loss and forgiveness.
• Red, White, and Royal Blue – an adorable, fun romance between the Prince of England and the First Son of the American President. It’s such a sweet, queer love story with just the right amount of political drama for this DC-based reader!
• The Brown Sisters series – Get a Life, Chloe Brown and Take a Hint, Dani Brown are the perfect lighthearted, steamy romance novels! I also love that they feature people dealing with issues/topics you don’t always see in romance novels – chronic illnesses, anxiety, verbal abuse, interracial couples, and more – so it’s a refreshing series that seems real while also being very fictional!
• Love Your Life – this novel take on a It’s similar to The Circle/Love is Blind, for any fans out there looking to take their reality tv binging into book form. A writer goes on vacation to be part of a secluded group where no one’s real names or identities are revealed and she meets her perfect match…but what happens when they get back to reality?
• The Crazy Rich Asians trilogy – a hilarious, stylish, whirlwind trilogy that inspired the 2018 film. I adore this series – it’s the perfect escape of a Chinese American girl who finds out her boyfriend is the heir to Asia’s wealthiest family!
• Opposite of Always – this sweet take on fate and soul mates meets supernatural time travel, a boy is destined to fall in love with a girl again and again until he can find a way to save her life. Groundhog Day on repeat as every time his love dies, he returns to the exact point they first meet and begin his journey with her all over again.
• American Royals – The Princess Diaries meets West Wing in this fun reimagining of the modern day grandchildren of America’s royal family (if George Washington had been King instead of President). The drama that ensues between the royal siblings and their love interests will leave you yearning for the sequel!
• This Lovely City – I’m intrigued by this love story wrapped up in a murder mystery set in 1950s London. A Jamaican jazz musician arrives in London and falls in love with the girl in his new apartment building, but one morning he encounters something that changes the course of his life!
• The Dinner List – I’m so excited to read this book based on the question: “if you could pick five people throughout history to have dinner with, who would you and why? Sabrina arrives at her thirtieth birthday party finding not just her best friend, but significant figures from her past…and Audrey Hepburn! This unusual story is certain to be a delight for fans of quirky plotlines and Hepburn aficionados.
• Anna K: A Love Story – This modern retelling of Anna Karenina takes place in my hometown of Greenwich, CT and one of my favorite cities, NYC. I’m excited to read an updated take on a classic novel.
• The Duke and I – yes, this is the book that inspired the Bridgerton series, and no, I haven’t read it yet…but I just know it will be positively scandalous!
• The Hating Game – recommended by my blogger friend Kim, she really loved this book about rival co-workers turned something more.

Let me know if you’ve read any of these books or if there are any new ones I should check out!

Happy reading!

XOXO

Parisa