Written by Noha Hashem
There are two types of potential romance readers: those who are interested in romance but don’t know where to start, and others who are sceptical of the genre but are secretly curious about it. If you belong in the first category then you’ve come to the right place to kick-start your journey into romance reading. However, if you belong in the second category and need a little convincing, here are some reasons why you should dive into the romance world!
1. You can guarantee a happy ending
2. You can experience love—more than once—without ever having to leave the safety of your room. (This is to all of you introverts out there. I feel you.)
3. It’s very easy to get into, and takes minimum brain power, so it’s a great way to relax after a long day.
4. Great for taking breaks after reading multiple fantasy or sci-fi books back to back.
5. Contrary to what many believe, romance books actually have great characters and captivating storylines.
Need I go on?
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s get into the actual reason why you’re here. Since there are millions of romance books out there, it can be hard to find the ones worth reading! We’ve found a few books as well as authors that you can start with to make your journey into romance reading much easier.
Young Adult Contemporary
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
This debut novel by Sandyah Menon is a cute and hilarious story about two Indian-American teenagers, who have been arranged by their parents to be married and sent to a web-design summer program in order to get to know each other. The only problem is that while Rishi is aware of this arrangement and even excited about it, Dimple has no idea this is the real reason her parents finally agreed for her to attend her dream summer program. This book had so much representation of the Indian culture and language that we don’t get to see very often in YA or any genre for that matter. It’s also filled with hilarious scenes as well as swoon-worthy ones that are sure to put a smile on your face.
Sandhya Menon has a brand new book ‘From Twinkle, With Love‘ that just came out in May!
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
This heart-warming novel follows Lara Jean, who has a habit of writing love letters to every boy she ever has a crush on, but never actually sends them out. That all changes one day when the letters get mailed mysteriously, and now she has to confront all of her past crushes, including her current one who also happens to be her older sister’s boyfriend. Cue the dramatic music! One of the best things about this book is Lara Jean’s relationship with her family, as well as her love for baking. I should probably warn you that you will be craving baked goods the whole time you’re reading this book! This book is also followed by two more in the series, PS. I Still Love You and Always & Forever, Lara Jean.
The first book has also been adapted into a movie that is set to come out on August 17th on Netflix, and stars Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse), Noah Centineo (The Fosters), and Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars).
Morgan Matson
Goodreads
Morgan Matson is the author to turn to when you’re looking for a summer fling within a book. Her books are almost always set in summer and they have major summer-y vibes, and tend to focus on the family aspect as well as the romantic one. Her most popular books include Since You’ve Been Gone, Second Chance Summer, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, and The Unexpected Everything. She also has a new book called Save the Date that has been released this month!
Kasie West
Goodreads
Kasie West is known for writing some of the cutest YA romances ever and her books are the kind that makes you smile even when you don’t want to. They are also the best to read when you’re suffering from a book hangover, reading slump or just in need of a book that will give you major feels. Some of her books include The Distance Between Us, By Your Side, and P.S I Like You. Kasie also has new book out titled Listen to Your Heart.
New Adult Contemporary
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
As the title suggests, this book is about Lucy and Joshua who hate each other’s guts as they are both executive assistants to co-CEO’s of a merged publishing company. To make matters worse, they are both now competing for the same promotion, which results in them declaring an all out war on each other. As the tension builds and reaches a breaking point, Lucy and Joshua start to question whether ‘hate’ is the right word for how they feel about each other. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the hate turned love trope, as this is honestly one of the most enjoyable, funny, and charming books out there.
Roomies by Christina Lauren
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Roomies follows Holland, who lives in New York with her two uncles, and one day she gets attacked in the subway and her rescuer is none other than the Irish subway musician she’s been stalking for the past few months because she has a little crush on him. To thank him, she gets him an audition for her uncle’s hit Broadway musical and he blows everyone away. When he reveals that his student visa has expired and he’s illegally in the country, Holland decides she will do anything to help her uncle’s show: yes, even offer to marry the subway musician whom she barley knows in order to keep him in New York.
This book is full of hilarious moments, charming moments and of course steamy moments! You cannot help but fall in love with the characters, and will not be able to put the book down until you finish it. Christina Lauren (which is the combined pen name of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) is also known for the Beautiful Bastard series, which I would recommend reading it if you enjoy Roomies.
Sophie Kinsella
Goodreads
Sophie Kinsella is known for her Shopaholic series, which was adapted into the Confessions of a Shopaholic movie in 2009 starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy. Her books are known for having a great sense of humour with quirky and relatable characters and you are guaranteed to have a great time reading her books. It’s basically like watching a rom-com, except…well reading it! Some of her books include Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, My Not-So Perfect Life, and Surprise Me. There’s also the Shopaholic series, which has 9 books in total, but each stands on their own.
Colleen Hoover
Goodreads
Now let’s talk about the Queen of Contemporary Romance herself! I can confidently say that Colleen Hoover is my favourite author when it comes to contemporary romance. Not only do her books make you experience the full spectrum of your emotions and causing you to laugh out loud in public, they also address topics that are rarely approached in books or in any media platform. Hoover is not afraid to talk about sensitive topics and always does an amazing job of representing them. The best thing about her books is that every time you finish one of them, you see the world in a different light, and you feel like your eyes have been opened more and more. Start off with Maybe Someday, and then check out her other books such Hopeless, Losing Hope, Ugly Love, and November 9. You can also read Confess, which has been adapted into a television series on the go90 app.
Her latest book All Your Perfects comes out in July and you can read the first chapter here!
And there you have it! These are the books and authors that I would recommend to any romance beginner!
