10 Romances You Can Read in One Sitting

As bookworms, we all have those times where we just want to burrow down in our favorite reading spot and disappear into a book for, like, eight hours straight.

This past winter, heretofore known as The Winter That Would Not Die, I spent a lot of snowy days curled up in an armchair in our library, with a cat or two hunkered down with me for warmth – because seriously, this winter was brutal.

On these days, I couldn’t bring myself to read anything too heavy. I just wanted the comfort only something that ends with a happily ever after could provide. And so I found myself returning to some of my favorite romances. Ones that, no matter what time of year, I know I can count on if I’m in the mood to binge-read.

This list contains my top ten recommendations. Some are adorkable, some are hilarious, and still others are sexy as hell, but what they all have in common is sheer enjoyment level.

So whether you plan to spend the day sprawled out by a pool, or bundled up where the rain (or snow – *shudder*) can’t get you, these books will have you covered.

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#1 – The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

 

Synopsis: 

Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Why you should read it:

“Favorite rom-com of all time. By the time I closed it, my face hurt from smiling. The chemistry between these two is palpable from the beginning. Lucy has a completely open, self-deprecating, hilarious inner monologue. Josh, who starts out sort of broody and mysterious, only becomes more and more attractive as you peel back his tough outer layers.

And the two of them together? Gah.” – My Review

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#2 – How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

 

Synopsis: 

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . . .

Why you should read it:

“This book surprised the hell out of me. Unlike your usual, placid “Either my brain works or my vagina does, for neither can live while the other survives” style of pushover female lead that keeps me away from the paranormal romance genre, we have ourselves a bonafide heroine.

I. Loved. Her.

She was hilarious. Throughout this book. Too many times when I read something that people claim is funny, I find the humor disappears around the halfway mark, when the storyline really starts to heat up. Not so with this. I highlighted every line that made me laugh, just to prove a point. The point is, I highlighted something on almost every goddamn page.” – My Review

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#3 – Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

 

Synopsis: 

In the first in Tessa Dare’s captivating Castles Ever After series, a mysterious fortress is the setting for an unlikely love . . .

As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.

And as she grew older, Izzy crossed them off. One by one by one.

Ugly duckling turned swan?
Abducted by handsome highwayman?
Rescued from drudgery by charming prince?

No, no, and… Heh.

Now Izzy’s given up yearning for romance. She’ll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who’s never even been kissed?

This one.

Why you should read it:

“I actually look forward to certain HR tropes. They’re like mental check boxes, and the more of them are checked off, the higher I’m likely to rate the book.

Take this book. It had witty banter, hilarious moments, a disheveled duke, a virginal yet non-prudish female lead, hate to love relationship, hawt schmex, insta-lust, goddamn near insta-love, a drafty castle, and a plot I can hardly remember even though I just finished it.

Do you know what that translates to?

CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK.” – My Review

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#4 – These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

 

Synopsis: 

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.

Why you should read it:

“This book is everything that makes me keep coming back to the YA category. Because sometimes, sometimes an author does it right. Kaufman and Spooner did it right. They did it sooooooo right. This book was a not only refreshingly original, but filled with all sorts of delicious mind-fuckery.” – My Review

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#5 – A Gentleman in the Street by Alisha Rai

 

Synopsis: 

Shameless. That’s what she was.

Billionaire businesswoman Akira Mori can get anything and anyone her heart desires. Anyone, that is, except for a certain aloof author who has been dominating her dreams for over a decade. Accustomed to Jacob Campbell’s stern disapproval, Akira has turned provocation into an art, using every trick in her arsenal to keep the man from guessing the depth of her filthy fantasies.

Shameless. That’s what she made him.

Since the moment the sexy, sultry socialite sidled up to him years ago, there hasn’t been a time when Jacob didn’t crave Akira. But as guardian to his younger siblings, responsibility has controlled his life. Confining his darkest desires to secret, stolen moments maintains his carefully disciplined world…but a cold bed is the price he pays.

A single touch is all it takes for their simmering need to explode. As secrets and fears are stripped away one by one, shame becomes a thing of the past. They find themselves becoming addicted to each other, in bed and out—a frightening prospect for a man just learning to live…and a woman who thinks she doesn’t know how to love.

Why you should read it:

“Feminist, sex-positive erotica that says fuck you to rape culture, slut-shaming, and totally flips the traditional gender roles of the billionaire shiterature that has flooded the market since The Book That Shall Not Be Named was first published.

Need I say more?” – My Review

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#6 – Radiance by Grace Draven

 

Synopsis: 

THE PRINCE OF NO VALUE

Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.

THE NOBLEWOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE

Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom isn’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.

Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.

Why you should read it:

“While their appearances couldn’t be more different, their souls share a kinship. They’re both witty, intelligent, and quick to laugh. Which basically means that their interactions are frigging hysterical.

They first meet just before their wedding, and recognizing this kinship in each other, form an alliance based on mutual respect and honesty.

I KNOW, HOW REFRESHING, RIGHT?!

Their marriage is one that will secure an alliance between their kingdoms, and while both were pushed into it, neither one resents it.

BECAUSE – HOLY CRAP – THEY’RE BOTH DESCENT “PEOPLE”.

What follows can only be described as one hell of a love story, set against the backdrop of a world balanced on the brink of war. As there is no physical attraction between them (at first *waggles brows*), Brishen and Ilkido form a fast friendship. This love story is a slow burn, a realistic joining together of two souls with more meaningful things to draw them to each other.” – My Review

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#7 – Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

 

Synopsis: 

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

Why you should read it:

“I was nervous the whole time I read this, because I thought there was no way in hell I’d be able to make it through a contemporary, fairy tale-ish romance without some stupid misunderstandings on the part of the main characters or at least some self destructive behavior. I’m here to tell you, worry not! Neither of the characters are emotionally crippled, neither are crazy jealous, neither need constant reassurance from the other…they just…I mean. GAH!

This book was one part The Princess Diaries, one part gigglefest, one part tear jerker and a whole bunch of schmexy.” – My Review

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#8 – The Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang

 

Synopsis: 

A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there’s not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases–a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice–with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan–from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he’s making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…

Why you should read it:

“Stella and Michael’s voices are both so separate and unique and relatable. This is one of those refreshing, modern, feminist, cathartic books that I can see myself re-reading every time I start to lose my faith in the contemporary romance genre.

So, yeah. That should tell you everything you need to know about how much I loved this.” – My Review

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#9 – Glitterland by Alexis Hall

 

Synopsis: 

Once the golden boy of the English literary scene, now a clinically depressed writer of pulp crime fiction, Ash Winters has given up on love, hope, happiness, and—most of all—himself. He lives his life between the cycles of his illness, haunted by the ghosts of other people’s expectations.

Then a chance encounter at a stag party throws him into the arms of Essex boy Darian Taylor, an aspiring model who lives in a world of hair gel, fake tans, and fashion shows. By his own admission, Darian isn’t the crispest lettuce in the fridge, but he cooks a mean cottage pie and makes Ash laugh, reminding him of what it’s like to step beyond the boundaries of anxiety.

But Ash has been living in his own shadow for so long that he can’t see past the glitter to the light. Can a man who doesn’t trust himself ever trust in happiness? And how can a man who doesn’t believe in happiness ever fight for his own?

Why you should read it:

“There are already a lot of beautiful, glowing reviews for this, so instead of adding my own lengthy breakdown of the gloriousness that is Glitterland, I’ll tell you the one thing you really need to know:

It transcends the form.

This is one of the most incredible, and incredibly well written love stories that I’ve ever read, and if you take a gander at my shelves, you’ll see that I’ve read a lot of romance.” – My Review

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#10 – Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm

 

Synopsis:

“Someday I want to live in a place where I never hear “You’re Dusty’s sister?” ever again.”

Life is real enough for Dylan—especially as the ordinary younger sister of Dusty, former Miss Mississippi and the most perfect, popular girl in Tupelo. But when Dusty wins the hand of the handsome Scottish laird-to-be Ronan on the TRC television network’s crown jewel, Prince in Disguise, Dylan has to face a different kind of reality: reality TV.

As the camera crew whisks them off to Scotland to film the lead-up to the wedding, camera-shy Dylan is front and center as Dusty’s maid of honor. The producers are full of surprises—including old family secrets, long-lost relatives, and a hostile future mother-in-law who thinks Dusty and Dylan’s family isn’t good enough for her only son. At least there’s Jamie, an adorably bookish groomsman who might just be the perfect antidote to all Dylan’s stress . . . if she just can keep TRC from turning her into the next reality show sensation.

Why you should read it:

“Here’s the thing, before picking this up, I was legit beginning to fear that I had turned into an actual adult. One who had so lost sight of her formative teenage reading years that she could no longer enjoy the fluffy, happy, squeaky-clean YA romance novels that she used to live on.

This book set me straight. The rom-com levels are off the charts, the male lead is super (believably) quirky, the female lead reads like a real (and yet not annoying) teenage girl just trying to figure life out, and the Scottish highland setting, complete with contrived reality-TV fairy tale wedding added just the right amount of drama.” – My Review

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