25 Romance Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down
Hi there, lovelies! I’m here again sharing one of my favorites romance books.
I’ve been reading romance novels for years and I’ve read amazing books along the way. You can see the whole list of books I have read on my Goodreads profile.
Or can just click here to see all my book recommendations. You will find tons of ideas you can add to your ‘to-read’ list.
Also, last year I created a romance book reading challenge you can still check out. It comes with 50 book prompts that can help you to explore more the genre and a printable.
*SOME OF THE LINKS IN THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS AND I WILL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU MAKE A PURCHASE AFTER CLICKING ON MY LINK*
1. Grip (Grip #1) by Kennedy Ryan
Resisting an irresistible force wears you down and turns you out. I know. I’ve been doing it for years.
I may not have a musical gift of my own, but I’ve got a nose for talent and an eye for the ext
raordinary. And Marlon James – Grip to his fans – is nothing short of extraordinary.
Years ago, we strung together a few magical nights, but I keep those memories in a locked drawer and I’ve thrown away the key. All that’s left is friendship and work.
He’s on the verge of unimaginable fame, all his dreams poised to come true. I manage his career, but I can’t seem to manage my heart.
It’s wild, reckless, disobedient. And it remembers all the things I want to forget.
This is a series with two books and a prequel. In this series you will read about the same couple so we get to enjoy a lot of Grip and Bristol.
Also, if you have Kindle Unlimited, this book is free!
2. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting.
Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary.
She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.
But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.
For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.
What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?
This is a light romance novel but full of emotions. Aiden is is sweet!
This book is also included in Kindle Unlimited!
3. Royally Endowed (Royally #3) by Emma Chase
Logan St. James is a smoldering, sexy beast. Sure, he can be a little broody at times—but Ellie Hammond’s willing to overlook that. Because, have you seen him??
Sexy. As. Hell.
And Ellie’s perky enough for both of them.
For years, she’s had a crush on the intense, gorgeous royal security guard—but she doesn’t think he ever saw her, not really.
To Logan, Ellie was just part of the job—a relative of the royal family he’d sworn to protect. Now, at 22 years old and fresh out of college, she’s determined to put aside her X-rated dreams of pat-downs and pillow talk, and find a real life happily ever after.
The Queen of Wessco encourages Ellie to follow in her sister’s footsteps and settle down with a prince of her own. Or a duke, a marquis…a viscount would also do nicely.
But in the pursuit of a fairy tale ending, Ellie learns that the sweetest crushes can be the hardest to let go.
***
Logan St. James grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, in a family on the wrong side of the law. But these days, he covers his tattoos and scars with a respectable suit. He’s handsome, loyal, brave, skilled with his hands and…other body parts.
Any woman would be proud to call him hers.
But there’s only one woman he wants.
For years he’s watched over her, protected her, held her hair back when she was sick, taught her how to throw a punch, and spot a liar.
He dreams of her. Would lay down his life for her.
But beautiful Ellie Hammond’s off-limits.
Everybody knows the bodyguard rules: Never lose focus, never let them out of your sight, and never, ever fall in love.
The Kindle version of this book is only $0.99 now so it’s a great moment to get it! I swear you won’t regret it. It’s also good rated on Goodreads, so it’s definitely a good deal.
4. Bitter Heat (Singed #1) by Mia Knight
She was the wood. He was the flame. After this, they would be ash.
A cruel twist of fate leaves Jasmine Hennessy stranded in a remote cabin with her worst nightmare—her ex-husband, James Roth, who she hasn’t seen in five years. He isn’t acting like the man she married, but did she ever really know him?
One night together kicks off a series of events that threatens her freedom as Roth seeks vengeance on those who ruined him seven years ago. He’s determined to bring her back into the world she left behind where money is king, reputation is everything, and people will kill to keep their secrets.
Author’s Note: This is a dark romance novel with triggers and mature themes that may make some readers uncomfortable.
Now, this series is just starting and only the book #1 is out. Even though I can’t guarantee the whole series are worth it, the first book definitely is. It would leave you speechless.
It does end up in a cliffhanger, so if you are a person that doesn’t like that, I recommend you to wait until the next one is published.
5. Hearts Of Darkness (The Santiago Trilogy #1) by Catherine Wiltcher
“First, Dante Santiago held a gun to my head. Then he blew my world apart …”
He’s a criminal with no conscience. The whisper of a name, a faceless stranger… A man content to dwell in the shadows of his underworld.
I’m the light to his dark, an investigative reporter intent on exposing dangerous men like him. We were worlds apart until I caught his attention. Now I’m his captive, kept at the whim of a devil with no kindness or morality.
I may be an innocent but I have secrets too. For years I’ve been fighting a private war with the illegal drugs trade, with the cartel responsible for murdering my brother. I’m closer to revenge than I’ve ever been until his duplicity tears my life apart.
Ours is a relationship borne of hate but we can’t deny the fire that rages between us. But Dante’s a haunted man. He knows only pain and suffering until I see a spark of light buried deep within the shadows of his heart.
Now I have two choices. Save Dante Santiago’s soul or lose myself to his darkness forever.
This trilogy is consuming. Not only the first book, but the other’s two as well. I literally couldn’t out them down. I literally didn’t sleep for three days straight so I could finish them.
Also, this book is included in Kindle Unlimited, so if you have it, take a chance and start this series. If you want only the book without the subscription, then it’s only $2.99, which is not bad!
6. Fighting Solitude (On the Ropes #3) by Aly Martinez
I was born a fighter. Abandoned by my parents, I spent my life forging my own path—one guided by my fists and paved with pain.
Untouchable in the ring, I destroyed everyone who faced me, but that’s where my victories ended. Outside the ropes, I repeatedly failed the few people who loved me. Including my best friend, Liv James—the one person I’d die to protect.
Even though I didn’t deserve her, Liv never stopped believing in me. Never gave up. Never let go. After all, she understood what I’d lost, because she’d lost it too.
Liv was everything to me, but she was never truly mine.
That was going to change.
I lost my first love, but I refused to lose my soulmate.
Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting to be the man she deserves.
Fighting the solitude of our pasts.
Fighting for her.
This has to be one of my favorites books ever. I think I have re-read the whole book at least 7 times. Which is crazy for me because I usually don’t re-read books unless they are amazing.
Also available in Kindle Unlimited. You can try the subscription for free for one month. So maybe create a list of your favorite books and try it out!
7. Pursue (Portland Street Kings #4) by Evie Harper
I found my Queen, but I’m no King.
Ivy Johnson is my complete opposite; kind and innocent with a white picket fence lifestyle.
Yet somehow when we’re together, she makes me whole. Her cheeky grin and contagious laughter, a balm to the way I viewed life. She brought color to my lifeless world.
We had it all, a beautiful and carefree beginning. Something amazing was building between us, something real.
But one fucked-up accident ruined it all. Then the world fought against us. Pursuing me and my family at every turn. Not even my past was off-limits.
We held strong, like a hundred-year-old tree staring down a hurricane. Until…Ivy ruined it all.
The pain in her eyes. The tears which spilled. I despised Ivy more than I hated my memories.
The fear evident in her eyes, the knowledge I’d given up fighting for us. Hate sprung from love, an endless supply of fire, both created from my heart.
All my nightmares and fears had scorched me from the inside out. I promised myself, my heart would heal and learn to beat without her.
I never wanted it to end this way. My dream was to look back one day and say I loved her right. Instead, I’ll be the reason she loses the only family she has left. And nothing will stop me as I choke on memories of the past and stay trapped in the recess of my mind, spiraling out of control.
Blinded by my weaknesses, fate raises her ugly head and proves nothing is guaranteed in this world, not even the life of the ones we love.
Available on Kindle Unlimited as well, but if you don’t have access to it, it’s only $2.99.
8. Beneath These Lies (Beneath #5) by Meghan March
Look, but don’t touch…she might as well wear a neon sign that says it. It just makes me want her more.
She might be above me in every way, but I still want her under me.
I’ve got no business touching her rich-girl skin, but that won’t stop me from stealing a taste. Because rules were meant to be broken—especially when the prize is so fine.
In a world where nothing is as it seems, what’s buried beneath these lies?
I just re-read this book a couple of days ago for the first time and I’m so happy I did! I totally forgot the amazing chemistry between Valentina and Rix.
I wish I could give you more details, but I suck at it. By trying to explain I always end up giving spoilers so I just learn to not talk about movies and books haha.
9. My Skylar by Penelope Ward
Skylar was my best friend, but I secretly pined for her. One thing after another kept us apart, and I’ve spent the last decade in fear of losing her forever.
First, it was the cancer, but she survived only to face the unthinkable at my hands. Because of me, she left town. For years, I thought I’d never see her again.
But now she’s back…and living with him.
I don’t deserve her after everything I’ve put her through, but I can’t live without her. This is my last chance, because she’s about to make the biggest mistake of her life. I can see it her eyes: she doesn’t love him. She still loves me…which is why I have to stop her before it’s too late.
Ok, so this one right here is old and a little different from the other romance books in this list. What I mean, read it with tissues next to you, because you are going to cry. At least I did.
Also, when I say old, I just mean from 2014; but it has been six years since it was published and to be honest, the way romance books used to be written have changed.
So sometimes I avoid reading books that are five years or older. I know, I’m kinda weird.
10. Flawed Love (House of Obsidian #2) by Bella Jewel
Rainer Torrence is everything I could have wanted in my life and more.
He became my best friend when I was Thirteen years old. From then on, we were inseparable. He was my first love and my first heartbreak.
But I always thought it was forever until his Father died and things went bad. Then suddenly, he disappeared.
Ten years and I didn’t see or hear from him. Then came the call I’d be praying for– he was back in town. Only the man I remembered is not him.
This man is quiet, deadly, and so incredibly beautiful.
He also doesn’t remember me. He looks into my eyes, and he sees nothing. Nothing.
So, I let him believe I’m just a girl that walked into his bar. I let him believe I’m just a friend. I let him use me on the cold, dark nights. I let him believe that I am as emotionless about our relationship as he is.
I just let the secret go on and on.
But all secrets have an end, don’t they?
Another book I have re-read quite a few times. I just love the story between Rainer and Mali. I feel so bad for them but so happy they get a second chance (trying very hard to not spoil any detail right now haha).
This romance book is also included in Kindle Unlimited, and if you just prefer to buy it, you can do it for $2.99 by clicking the button below.
11. Make Me Bad by R.S. Grey
I was issued a warning: stay away from Ben Rosenberg.
As Clifton Cove’s resident “king”, he thinks he’s entitled to anyone and anything.
The trouble is, I’ve spent my whole life following the rules and playing it safe. I know what it feels like to be the good girl. I’m the police chief’s daughter and a librarian—for adorable children, no less. My wardrobe consists of colorful sundresses and baggy jeans. I might as well have a Post-it stuck to my forehead that reads: Yup, she’s a virgin.
An all-nighter with a fictional hunk is about as exciting as my life gets, until one day, fate decides to take pity on me and shove me straight into the path of Mr. Off-Limits himself.
Just as I suspected, every inch of him promises to be my demise. Up close, he’s tall, menacing, dangerously handsome—the type of man who’s never spent a single moment worrying about the opinions of others. A well-behaved girl would do as she’s told and avoid him at all costs, but I’m overdue for a little rebellion.
No more Friday nights sprawled out on the couch in my comfiest pajamas. No more wishing I had the courage to misbehave.
Everyone thinks Ben is going to ruin me. They think he’ll chew me up and spit me out.
Well, Ben…go ahead.
Tempt me. Taunt me.
Make me bad.
If you want a funny and light romance book, then this is the one for you.
Madison is hilarious and sweet. I truly enjoyed her personality and her relationship with Ben.
This author writes many romance comedies so if that’s your thing, then check her out!
12. Midnight Man (Midnight #1) by Lisa Marie Rice
Interior designer Suzanne Barron always thought she’d fall in love slowly with a suitable man, a safe man. Former navy SEAL John Huntington—aka the Midnight Man– is anything but safe.
The day they meet, Suzanne shocks herself by having no holds barred sex with John. But her panic goes into overdrive when danger strikes. John will protect her, but who’s going to protect her heart from him?
John is a SEAL, and he never backs down. The Midnight Man is used to fighting for what he wants, but the fight turns deadly when unknown enemies attack. Suddenly, Suzanne’s life is on the line.
Once John’s had a taste of her, there’s no doubt that Suzanne belongs to him, and whoever is after her will have to go through him first.
I used to be obsessed with romance books that included SEALs. Not so much at the moment, but this is one of my favorite books about them.
13. Legend (Real #6) by Katy Evans
Maverick “the Avenger” Cage wants to rise to the top and become a legend in the ring. Though he keeps his identity well guarded, he’s known on the fighting circuit as the new kid with a chip on his shoulder and a tattoo on his back that marks him as trouble.
He’s got a personal score to settle with the Underground’s one and only Remington “Riptide” Tate.
As Mav trains, he meets a young girl—the only other new person in the town–and sparks fly. When things get heated between them, he finds out she’s none other than Reese Dumas, the cousin of Remington Tate’s wife.
A girl who’s supposed to root against him and a girl he’s supposed to stay away from.
But Maverick fights for the woman in his heart, and the monsters in his blood. The world’s eyes are on them and the victor will go down in history as the ultimate fighting champion; the ultimate LEGEND.
The best thing about this book? Maverick. He’s quiet, he listens, and he’s sweet. He’s hard to read at first but that is part of his charm.
This books is part of the Real series, but it can be read as a standalone in my opinion. The first three books are about the same couple, then book #4 and #5 are about different couples as well.
14. Rewrite the Stars by Charleigh Rose
Evangeline Thorne is privileged. Beautiful and popular, if not a little jaded.
A chance encounter with a green-eyed stuntman sets off a chain of events that turns her perfect, little world upside down. Short on options and desperate for adventure, she joins the traveling carnival for the summer.
Thrust into a world full of drama, deception, and secrecy, Evangeline tries to find herself and protect her heart in the process.
Sebastian McAllister is cursed. He knows better than to think otherwise.
He’s content to live out the rest of his life traveling the country as one of the four Sons of Eastlake, seeking thrills the only way he knows how.
The one thing he doesn’t see coming is the spoiled blond with stars in her eyes. The only problem is, the more time he spends with her, the more hope starts to stir in his dormant heart.
Too bad hope is a dangerous thing when you’re a McAllister.
I know. The idea of this is book is kinda crazy. A girl that decided to join a carnival for the summer? At first I wasn’t sure about the book, but I have a thing for stories about privileged girls and troubled boys.
So I bite the bullet and read the book. I’m so happy I did! Wasn’t really what I was expecting. It’s also included in Kindle Unlimited, or you can purchase it for just $2.99.
15. Sledgehammer (Hard to Love #2) by P. Dangelico
Amber Jones is in a pickle. And when I say pickle, I mean a world of trouble. She knew she shouldn’t have gone to her ex’s New Year’s Eve party. And she reeeaally didn’t mean to almost burn down his house. Now she needs a good lawyer, stat. But where to find one?
Ethan Vaughn is a very busy man. He really shouldn’t have agreed to spring Amber Jones out of jail. As the most sought after lawyer in professional football, he should be focused on representing his NFL clients––not an accident-prone, struggling actress.
Now she’s remanded on bail, and living in his house. The woman is a walking talking disaster. And considering his track record, he needs to stay as far away from this one as possible. Problem is, he’s finally met the one he’s willing to risk it all for.
Take one outspoken actress, put her under the same roof with an overworked lawyer, and watch the slow burn bring down the house.
This book is not only funny but it hits you right in the feelings.
A book that shows that sometimes we go through hard moments in life and that great things can come from hardships.
16. Until Nico (Until #4) by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Sophie Grates has never had it easy, but she’s finding her way through life one step and one day at a time. That is, Until Nico comes in and flips her world upside down.
He forces her to see that she cannot live life from the outside looking in and that sometimes you have to step out onto the ledge so you can really enjoy the view.
Nico Mayson knew the moment he saw Sophie Grates that she was the one. His whole life, he has been judged by what’s on the outside, so finding a beautiful woman who sees the real him only makes his feelings that much stronger.
Nico knows the kind of man he is and the things he is capable of, but he also knows that everything in life worth having is worth fighting for.
From the whole Until series, Until Nico is by far my favorite book. Not only because Nico is amazing, but also because Sophie is a lovely character as well.
I love how the relationship develops. It’s fast and you believe it. Literally love at first sight.
17. The Gravity of Us (Elements #4) by Brittainy C. Cherry
Graham Russell and I weren’t made for one another.
I was driven by emotion; he was apathetic. I dreamed while he lived in nightmares. I cried when he had no tears to shed.
Despite his frozen heart and my readiness to run, we sometimes shared seconds.
Seconds when our eyes locked and we saw each other’s secrets. Seconds when his lips tasted my fears, and I breathed in his pains. Seconds when we both imagined what it would be like to love one another.
Those seconds left us floating, but when reality knocked us sideways, gravity forced us to descend.
Graham Russell wasn’t a man who knew how to love, and I wasn’t a woman who knew how to either. Yet if I had the chance to fall again, I’d fall with him forever.
Even if we were destined to crash against solid ground.
It was hard to read at first, not because it was difficult, but because I couldn’t connect with the book and the characters, especially with Graham.
So once you pass through his bad attitude, you start understanding him more.
18. Cole by Tijan
I shouldn’t have remembered him.
He was just a guy who walked through a restaurant. I didn’t know his name. We never made eye contact. There was no connection between us at all.
But I could feel him.
The tingle down my spine. The command in his presence. The snap of tension in the air around him. That was the first time I saw him, and I was captivated.
The second time was different.
He was in the mysterious back elevator of my apartment building. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before the doors closed, and I was staggered. My breath was robbed. My senses on high alert. My body hummed.
That was just the beginning.
He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him, and his name…
Cole Mauricio
For some reason I love romance books that involve the mafia. They can be dark, but very romantic at the same time. This is for sure one of my favorite book in that genre!
19. Release by Aly Martinez
Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.
At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend. At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss. By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.
Love never fails, right? But for Ramsey, it did. Love failed him. I failed him. The entire world failed him.
At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.
Move on, he wrote in his first and only letter from prison. Start a new life, he urged. I don’t love you anymore, he lied.
There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.
So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don’t even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.
I love this book mainly for one reason: she never give up on their love (or him0. She knew the wait was worth it, and that they deserved a second chance.
Also, I love the kind of stories where the characters know each other since they are little. I think that is so adorable!
20. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.
After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.
But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.
Including Ivan Lukov.
Again Mariana Zapata writing an amazing romance book. This time about something I have never read before: figure skating.
After watching Ice Princess in my childhood I was super excited to read it.
It’s an amazing book with a tenacious athlete. Jasmine is definitely a role model and I loved her personality!
21. Method by Kate Stewart
Hollywood is a temptress, a trickster, a soul-stealing devil. I married an A-list player, knowing I come second place to his craft. But Lucas and I are a golden couple, a modern-day fairy tale.
I’ve never doubted what we built…until the sudden death of Lucas’s best friend has scandal rocking the Hills and shaking the foundation of our relationship.
I chose Lucas as my safe haven…he chose the role of a lifetime.
For the next three months, I’ll share my nights with a stranger, watching as he buries his pain, immersed in his role and living as someone else.
We’ve done this before. I tell myself it’s just another movie, and he’ll return to me.
I should’ve known this time would be different.
To get my husband back, I’ll need the strength of ten men.
As it turns out, I’ll have to go through two.
This book was crazy and intense. I really didn’t even know what a method actor was before this book. It’s just insane what they go through to get into a role.
It’s a very interesting book to read with a very strong heroine. I love that!
22. The Good Samaritan by R.C. Boldt
The biggest story of her life is the one he wants to hide.
I’m homeless by choice.
I have no intention of returning to my former life after what I’ve done.
This—living among the filth and discarded remnants of others—is what I deserve.
As atonement for my sins, I give back; I help those who cannot help themselves. But it’s always under the guise of anonymity.
Newspaper headlines throughout the city are clamoring to discover my identity. Including the beautiful woman who manages to see through my “armor.”
She has the capability to put my entire life at risk.
The blurb is a mystery. It doesn’t tell you a lot, which is great! A man that chooses to be homeless? It’s weird someone would take that decision.
The characters in this book are troubled but the see the light at the end of the tunnel.
23. Pretend You’re Mine (Love in Everton #3) by Fabiola Francisco
I’ve gotten into my fair share of awkward situations… Although, asking a random stranger to be my fake boyfriend is by far the worst.
In my defense, it was an act of desperation. An act I hope will keep away the men in town who see me as their ticket to becoming the mayor’s son-in-law.
But I have a plan.
1. Date my fake boyfriend long enough for the news to spread across town.
2. Have a very public breakup that leaves me too heartbroken to move on.
3. Continue living my happily single life.
There’s only one problem… Harris wasn’t supposed to be the kind of man I’ve always wanted.
There’s no denying the sparks that fly between us. Just when I’m about to give him my heart, he does the one thing I can’t forgive.
Our breakup is public all right, and the heartbreak is real.
For some reason I love romance books that start as fake couples. They start building a relationship without even noticing. They need to get to know each other and they need to share personal space.
I love how predictable they can be. Especially when I don’t want to read about the whole hassle of getting to know each other.
24. Repeat by Kylie Scott
When a vicious attack leaves 25-year-old Clementine Johns with no memory, she’s forced to start over.
Now she has to figure out who she was and why she made the choices she did – which includes leaving the supposed love of her life, tattoo artist Ed Larsen, only a month before.
Ed can hardly believe it when his ex shows up at his tattoo parlor with no memory of their past, asking about the breakup that nearly destroyed him.
The last thing he needs is more heartache, but he can’t seem to let her go again.
Should they walk away for good, or does their love deserve a repeat performance?
A book that reminds me to the movie ‘The Vow’? Yes, please!
This is practically a second chance romance, which I tend not to agree too much about in real life; but in a book, I think it’s the most romantic thing. Besides everyone deserves a second chance, or at least most of the time people deserve another chance.
Also available in Kindle Unlimited!
25. Steadfast (True North #2) by Sarina Bowen
Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there’s no way he can ever right that wrong.
He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.
For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed.
The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen.
She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes.
No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie’s police chief father. But it’s a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.
What are some of your favorite romance books? Also, do you have Kindle Unlimited? Because I’m thinking about trying it. If you do, is it worth it? I didn’t realize so many of my favorite authors have their books available. Let me know in the comments!
Sincerely,
