We might not be able to go to the beach this year, but we can still indulge in a beach read or two (or twelve) this summer! Last week we talked about the best (cutest, light-but-not-fluffiest) young adult novels you might read this summer. (Get that list here.) This week? Light-but-not-fluffy romantic comedy novels about grown-ups!
I know YA isn’t everyone’s genre of choice, so I went through my own to-read stack and made this list for you. Now, because these are love stories (though sweet and often laugh-out-loud funny), some of these novels might be a little spicier than others. My personal preference is closed-door romance, but because I haven’t read all these books yet, I can’t promise they don’t have scenes on the racier side of PG-13. So, consider yourselves warned!
If you happen to notice that these books aren’t QUITE in alphabetical order, that’s purely because I was feeling artsy when I made the cover collages and wanted the colors to look pretty. (Side note: How do you feel about the cover design trend of using mostly the same color palette and cutesy illustrated figures? I’m mostly good with it, but I’m sure others might feel differently…)
All right, get your library card or online shopping muscles ready! Here are a dozen romantic comedy novels to read this summer.
Beach Read by Emily Henry: This is one I’ve read, and it’s very good! Two writers (and former college frenemies) dealing with writer’s block unintentionally rent cabins next door to each other for the summer.
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon: Three women bond over the same terrible ex, vowing not to date for a while. Then one of them meets a man at work. What to do, what to do…
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane: I’ve read this one, too, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s a fake dating story and my favorite part was that the main character is in her thirties.
Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein: I have this one, courtesy of Book of the Month Club, and am looking forward to reading it soon! Former gymnast returns home and connects with a new coach in town. Also, scandal erupts regarding her former best friend and their old gymnastics coach. I suspect this will be a ripped from the headlines! situation.
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London: This is another Book of the Month Club selection, and it was fantastic. A plus-sized fashion blogger is a contestant on a Bachelor-type show.
Not That Kind of Guy by Andie J. Christopher: An attorney and an intern from her office connect after his internship is finished. Also, a trip to Las Vegas and a sister’s wedding are involved. (Also, any other So You Think You Can Dance fans get Neil and Sabra’s table dance vibes from this cover?)
A Taste of Sage by Yaffa S. Santos: Lumi Santana is a struggling chef with the ability to read people’s emotions by tasting the food they’ve cooked. This causes romantic and professional hijinks when she tastes food her grumpy boss cooked. Full disclosure, this book has mixed reviews, but it sounds so interesting I’ll give it a try!
A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee: A Korean-American baker gets a bad review from a critic, who turns out to be a recent one-night stand (steamy scene alert!) and also the guy who wants to help fix the problems his bad review created. Hijinks! Baked goods! Sounds good to me!
Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson: I bought this one a few weeks ago to support Black authors and can’t wait to read it. A woman helps her childhood crush keep his mom’s knitting shop open after she (the mom) passes away.
The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel: Liya Thakkar’s parents try to set her up again, so she walks out on dinner with them and her unsuspecting date — who turns out to be her new co-worker. (Mixed reviews on this one, too, but I want to give it a try.)
The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler: A woman vacationing in Alaska connects with a diner owner who doesn’t really like tourists. (Something about the description makes me think Luke from Gilmore Girls. I’ll let you know if that pans out after I read it!)
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle: An engaged couple falls out of love while planning their wedding. Both attempt to force the other to break it off (and therefore, foot the wedding bill) and are surprised to have a lot of fun with each other in the process.
What are you looking forward to reading this summer?
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