Over the past few years, something unexpected has happened to me: I’ve started to turn into a romance reader.
I mean, I’ve always loved romance in books. I crave it, actually — the stolen glances, the slow burns, the moments when two characters finally realize what’s been obvious to everyone else. But romance was never the main course. It was always the side dish, the seasoning sprinkled into stories that were “really about something else.”
And I still love books like that. I’ll never stop being the reader who thrills at a romance that takes several books to simmer. But somewhere along the way — maybe as the world has felt heavier and heavier — my heart started reaching for something different.
I wanted books where love is the point. The kind you can read in one sitting. The ones that promise a happy ending, where you know everything will turn out right for the characters.
Ten years ago, my highbrow, literary-leaning self would’ve been horrified. That version of me was in college and grad school, priding herself on layered novels full of tortured characters who specialized in making terrible choices. I thought romance novels were “easy.” I thought they didn’t mean much.
I was wrong.
The me of now knows that some of the best lessons I’ve learned about life and love have come from romance novels. Especially as a woman who is both aware of her own flaws and deeply proud of her strengths, I’ve found myself reflected in these pages in ways I never expected.
I’ll be honest — I’m not looking for books full of endless smut (though I don’t mind spice when it feels earned and tied to real connection). What I am searching for are romances with depth. Stories that touch on grief, mental health, physical challenges, or that ache of being lost in the world. Characters who feel real and flawed and human — and who still get to be happy in the end. Not in spite of their struggles, but with someone who loves them because of them.
That’s what keeps me coming back to romance.
And because of that, I’ve gathered some new favorite authors — the ones who reliably deliver heart, humor, depth, and joy— such as Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Katherine Center.
Here are just a few romances that have brought me so much joy:
✨ The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary – A quirky, heartwarming romance built on the slow discovery of love through shared space and scribbled notes. This one got me through a pretty difficult time in my life.
✨ The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston – A witty, tender story about love, grief, and ghosts (literally). Ashley Poston is new to me, but I already can’t wait to read the rest of her books.
✨ Beach Read by Emily Henry – A smart, banter-filled romance about two writers with very different approaches to love and storytelling. Honestly, I can recommend any of the books I have read by Emily Henry, but I thought I would highlight her very first book, which still remains my favorite of hers so far.
✨ Hello Stranger by Katherine Center – A heartfelt tale of resilience, identity, and finding love when life looks nothing like you expected. Great mental health representation! Plus, there’s an adorable dog.
✨ Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez – A romance full of heart, healing, and that perfect balance of humor and depth. I think this is actually my all-time favorite romance I’ve read so far!
✨ The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord – A sweet, funny, deeply charming love story that celebrates second chances and self-discovery. I’m not sure why this one hasn’t gotten super high ratings on Goodreads. I found it to be absolutely adorable, and I read it in one sitting on a ten-hour plane ride home. Those ten hours flew right on by.
I am so thankful to these books for turning me into the kind of romance reader I never thought I’d be — and am now so glad to be.
Because romance matters. And I can’t wait to talk about it with you.
The Book Nook 