August recommendations: the romance novel edition 📚♥️
On feel-good reads this summer.
This is coming to you over a week late, but life just got in the way, you know? I took a different approach to my August recommendations with a roundup of romance novels that I really enjoyed this past summer. All the books below were published this year. It’s been a good summer of reading with so many great debuts and new releases from some of my favourite authors.
Now, I’m full of big fall energy and can’t wait to cozy up with books that I’ve missed but have heard great things about like Sangu Mandanna’s The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and finally, finally diving into the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas.
In the meantime, here are my top romance reads from the summer!
Love of My After Life by Kirsty Greenwood
A recently deceased woman meets the man of her dreams in the waiting room of the afterlife, only to discover that he’s been sent there by accident. She strikes a deal that if she succeeds in finding him on earth, she’ll get a second chance on love and life. I loved how laugh-out-loud funny and warm this book was, and equally enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Mr. Yoon.
When I Think of You by Myah Ariel
Seven years after Kaliya’s college romance with Danny, he’s become a hot shot director, and she’s still looking for her big break. When he shows up back in her life to offer her a job, Kaliya’s struggles to keep their connection strictly professional. Sometimes, a book takes a beat before I’m fully invested, but this book pulled me right in and kept me in the world.
How To End A Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Helen and Grant haven’t seen each other since a tragic accident changed their lives many years ago, but now they find themselves working together in the writers’ room for the TV adaptation of her YA novels. This was one heck of a debut! There’s enemies-to-lovers and then there’s Yulin Kuang’s enemies-to-lovers where the reason why the animosity exists between the characters is so intense. It felt high stakes, packed an emotional punch and the writing was really, really good.
Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar
Another great debut! Someone compared this book to being a cross between My Best Friend’s Wedding and Indian Matchmaking, and it’s so spot-on. Meghna, a teacher and Karthik, an engineer fake their engagement to avoid pressure from their Indian families, and attend Meghna’s ex’s wedding where she’s the best man. Their deal seems straightforward until they actually start falling for each other. I really enjoyed this book, and felt like I understood both characters and their motivations. Karthik, in particular, felt really fleshed out.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
An Emily Henry novel is always automatically on the top of my TBR pile because that’s the rule. Daphne and Miles don’t have much in common except their exes have suddenly decided they’re in love with each other, leaving both of them high and dry, and in an awkward roommates situation. Despite being polar opposites, they strike a friendship and decide to fake-date to get back at their exes. This book was like a warm dessert—sweet and comforting in all the right ways. I’d say this is one of my favourite Emily Henry books so far.
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
Katherine Center books follow the same Emily Henry rule. Emma has longed to be a screenwriter and finally gets a chance to re-write a script for the famous Charlie Yates. The script is a romantic comedy, and Charlie Yates doesn’t just not like the genre, he’s pretty terrible at writing it, too. Needless to say, Emma has her work cut out for her. I love Katherine Center’s books because they feel as much of a love story for her characters, as they do a journey of self-discovery.
This Summer will be Different by Carley Fortune
Lucy is vacationing in Prince Edward Island when she falls for Felix, only to realize that he happens to be her best friend’s brother and is totally off limits. This book made me want to drop everything and book a flight to Prince Edward Island with the beautiful and lush descriptions of the setting. Carley is also so good at capturing that sense of longing between her characters, and equally, I liked that she didn’t just center the story around romantic love, but also friendship.
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
Ali may be a professional organizer, but her personal life is a mess. After her divorce, she decides to live a little with Ethan, which doesn’t end up being the carefree summer romance she thought it would be. Annabel Monaghan’s books just keep getting better and better. Like Carley Fortune, she has the kind of writing that really grounds you in the setting of her novels. I also loved that the protagonist was older and a mom of three, and liked following her journey as she navigated both life and finding love again.