Romance Reads for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is the perfect day for an "HEA" (Happily Ever After) read and Katie gave us some great suggestions! We hope that you will pick one up to celebrate.
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne
For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor's ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own. When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer. But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science, and love? Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!
Secretly Yours (Vine Mess #1) by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey, I love you. I swear I would be thrilled to read your grocery lists. Secretly Yours is a delightful romance full of laugh-out-loud hijinks and the drunken secret admirer letters we've all longed to leave. If you would like to be enchanted by a witty yet heartfelt love story, this is the book for you. - Katie
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He's recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it's the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he's let his pride and fear get the better of him. Welcome to the Bromance Book Club. Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.
Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires #3) by Lauren Asher
Tasked with selling his grandfather's Michigan lake house in order to receive his inheritance, Callahan 'Cal' Kane is determined to do right by his grandfather, but standing in his way is Alana Castillo, Cal's childhood friend and now co-owner of the lake house. Alana's mother was the caretaker of the lake house and Alana shares fond memories there, not only with Cal's grandfather but with Cal himself. While Cal's destructive ways stood in the way of he and Alana being anything more, Alana does not want to part with the lake house. In order to settle the issue, Cal and Alana make a deal: if Cal can sell the property for double what the house is worth, Alana will agree to the sale.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem--after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It's as good as dead. When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won't give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father. For ten years, she's run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can't bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it. Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor's front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he's just as confused about why he's there as she is. Romance is most certainly dead . . . but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she's ever known about love stories.
The perfect mix of self acceptance, romance, and sports novel. Mickey and Jaysen are relatable young men trying to balance freshman year of college, pressure from their anticipated and rivaling NHL draft positions, and a budding romance. You don’t need to know anything about hockey to root for the boys through their highs and lows. The beach read of winter sports novels.
Twice a Quinceañera by Yamile Saied Méndez
One month short of her wedding day--and her thirtieth birthday--Nadia Palacio finds herself standing up to her infuriating, cheating fiancé for the first time in . . . well, ever. But that same courage doesn't translate to breaking the news to her Argentinian family. She's hyperventilating before facing them when she glimpses a magazine piece about a Latina woman celebrating herself--with a second quinceañera, aka Sweet 15! And that gives Nadia a brilliant idea . With a wedding venue already paid for, and family from all over the world with plane tickets, Nadia is determined to create her own happily-ever-after. Since the math adds up perfectly, she'll celebrate her treintañera, her double quinces. As the first professional in her family, raising a glass to her achievements is the best plan she's had in years. Until she discovers that the man in charge of the venue is none other than her college fling that became far more than a fling. And he looks even more delicious than a three-tiered cake . Full of exuberant heart, Twice a Quinceañera is a pure delight for every woman who needs to be her own biggest fan--and who dreams of a second chance at first love.
A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson
Xavier Reynolds is doing less than stellar. He just got dumped, was passed over for a prestigious fellowship, and to top it all off he's right back home in Harper's Cove, Maine (population: 9,000). The last thing he wants to do is to work as a prep chef in the kitchen of the hip new restaurant in town, The Wharf. Especially since the hot, single-father chef who owns it can't delegate to save his life. Logan O'Hare doesn't understand Xavier or why every word out of his mouth is dipped in sarcasm. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to hire him--he needs more help in the kitchen and his tween daughter, Anne, can only mince so many onions. It might be a recipe for disaster, but Logan doesn't have many options besides Xavier. Stuck between a stove and a hot place, Logan and Xavier discover an unexpected connection. But when the heat between them threatens to top the Scoville scale, they'll have to decide if they can make their relationship work or if life has seasoned them too differently.
Twisted Love (Twisted #1) by Ana Huang
He has a heart of ice...but for her, he'd burn the world. Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape. Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart. But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest: A crack. A melt. A fire that could end his world as he knew it.
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love--and the inevitable heartbreak--is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn't expect her lie to bite her in the ass.Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy... a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy's brother--and Elle's new business partner--expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date? Because... awkward.Darcy begs Elle to play along and she agrees to pretend they're dating. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family during the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year's Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a faux relationship. But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars?
A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings
This book was so good. I read my fair amount of rom-coms and this one is a strong contender for my favorite! Filled with witty banter and just all around fun this book will leave you smiling. The author does a wonderful job at representing an anxiety disorder in a very real and respectful way and I will absolutely be rereading. - Katie
The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
Praise for Elena Armas! The American Roommate Experiment is a super fun friends-to-lovers, forced-proximity, fake-dating, romance! Can be read as a stand alone or as an exciting follow up to The Spanish Love Deception with guest appearances of its beloved characters. -- Katie
Back in a Spell (The Witches of Thistle Grove #3) by Lana Harper
This series has been my current obsession and this book did not disappoint! Lana Harper has created such an enchanting and spine-tingling series, with each book somehow even better than the last. Back in a Spell follows Nina Blackmoore, an uptight and recently heartbroken lawyer, and our fan-favorite non-binary bartender, Morty Gutierrez. This book was the perfect balance of sizzling romance and genuinely intriguing magical plotlines that will have you begging for more. Do yourself a favor and pick this series up ASAP! -- Katie
Thank You for Listening by Julie Whelan
Julia Whelan hooked me from page one with this rom-com filled with loveable characters. Sewanee Chester is a former actress who is now an award-winning audiobook narrator. She got her start in romance but hasn’t recorded the genre in years. An opportunity to record with romance audiobooks’ top male narrator pops-up and she initially declines until financial concerns appear. Then she returns to her roots and takes the world by storm alongside Brock McNight. Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply personal by turns Whelan penned a story that leaned into many a romance trope without getting too campy. Plus, the audiobook experience was so meta I had to pause on more than one occasion just to laugh at the sheer absurdity and hilarity of the events transpiring. -- Hanna and Rebecca G
Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings
Mazey Eddings is simply marvelous. Her ability to write vibrant personable neurodivergent characters is phenomenal and refreshing. This book follows Lizzie, who is struggling to manage her ADHD, and Rake, a Australian hunk who is dealing with emotional trauma from a past relationship. An unplanned pregnancy knocks our characters off their feet as they struggle to figure out their futures and whether or not fate has brought them together. -- Katie
Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a collection of steamy, STEMinist novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing--with a special bonus chapter!
Lynn Painter is a genius. This was an adorable spin on a classic time-loop scenario, that had me straight up cackling at its hilarity. The Do-Over follows Emilie, who has meticulously planned out everything in her life, including love, stuck reliving the worst Valentine's Day in the world. As she realizes there is no accountability for actions on a day stuck on repeat, she plans a Day of No Consequences. While living her life to the fullest, Emilie may just find herself and love in the process. -- Katie
PUT THESE ON YOUR TBR LIST WHEN THEY RELEASE, pre-order available
Happy Place by Emily Henry (4/25/2023)
Emily Henry writes masterpieces that root themselves into your soul and always seem to teach me about myself. A bit different from her other works, Happy Place is about Harry and Wyn, a pair of ex-fiances who must pretend to still be together during their friend group's annual vacation. This book cracked me open and then filled me back up with sunshine. Touching, endearing, engrossing, and powerful, this book will inevitably become your new happy place. -- Katie
The Plus One by Mazey Eddings (4/4/2023)
Mazey Eddings has done it again! Another wonderfully endearing romance between two truly deserving characters. The Plus One follows Indira and Jude, two childhood rivals who are reunited just in time to be each other's fake wedding dates. Mazey Eddings' continual creation of dynamic lead romance characters who are neurodiverse is inspirational. Mazey is destigmatizing these characters and what they are going through while giving them beautiful and epic love stories and I am so grateful to feel seen through her writing. -- Katie
If you have not noticed, Katie is a huge Mazey Eddings fan! If you love Mazey Eddings or have not yet come to read Mazey yet, we strongly recommend it! Mazey Eddings will be joining Rediscovered Books for a CrowdCast event on Tuesday April 18, 2023 at 7 p.m.. Event is free and open to the public.
