Between Valentine’s Day and nearing the end of the cozy winter season, I think we can all agree that February is the ideal time to cuddle up on the couch with a good ol’ romance novel. But where to begin? Well, there are about 10,000 paperbacks out there with a strapping young man holding a damsel in distress on the cover. However, I’m much more inclined toward modern, spunky love stories with fewer damsels in distress (and fewer shirtless men on the cover — they’re a tad awkward to have on your bookshelf in the background of a Zoom call). So, without further ado, here are five golden romance novels I recommend, from least to most saucy:
- Would Like to Meet
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A rom-com in its truest form: An aspiring screenwriter stuck in an assistant job is forced to reenact meet-cutes and fall in love to convince her boss’s biggest client, a hot-shot writer, to pen his next hit. Funny and feel-good, cheesy and a bit predictable, this is a wonderful comfort novel.
Steam Level: None! Would let my mom read it
- Evvie Drake Starts Over
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This one follows a recently widowed woman who hardly leaves her house and a professional baseball player who’s in a major slump. When he rents her guest room, they agree on one thing — no talking about the dead husband and no talking about baseball. But, hey, as a friendship forms, sometimes rules are broken.
Steam Level: A few scenes but all PG-13 — I recommended it to my mom because I forgot they were even in there
- The Royal We
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I’ve recommended this one a thousand times. It’s just so good. Loosely based on Will & Kate’s romance, this book is perfectly gossipy, spunky, and fun. An American studies abroad in England, and, oops, accidentally falls in love with the prince! Also, there’s a sequel (which is nearly as good!) entitled The Heir Affair.
Steam Level: A tad steamy, but my mother and I read this one at the same time, and there wasn’t any awkwardness afterward if that tells you anything
- Beach Read
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A romance writer who no longer believes in love? Who ends up in the same little Michigan town as her college nemesis? AND the two of them making a bet? Sign me up. There are so many good flirting scenes.
Steam Level: Would not recommend this one to my mother
- The Bromance Book Club
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This is one of the most interesting concepts for a book that I’ve read recently. It’s completely different than the usual storylines. When a professional baseball player’s marriage is in crisis, he’s invited to join The Bromance Book Club, a group of successful and powerful men who study romance books to better understand women and save their relationships.
Steam Level: Would definitely not recommend this to my mother
Now, go show some Valentine’s love to your public library or favorite local bookstore by grabbing one of these, heat up a Trader Joe’s Chocolate Lava Cake (trust me), and happy reading!