I’ve been a romance reader for pushing two decades, hooked by their unapologetic commitment to women as main characters and endless interest in the fine-grained specifics of human emotion. But the last year has only deepened my appreciation for the genre, which has provided a refuge from political turbulence, even as I’ve taken on the responsibilities of becoming a parent. I’m certainly not the first new mother to have been kept company through nighttime feedings by these books. They’re a means to claw back some time that’s purely my own; settling in with one of these books feels like drawing a heavy velvet curtain around myself. And yet, they’re also deeply engaged with the most pressing issues of the wider world.
I know lots of highly intellectual arguments about the cultural importance of romance—primarily, its value as a place to discuss sex and women’s experiences in the world—which I completely believe. But truthfully, I’m a fan because at their best, they give me the buzzy, bubbly feeling of hearing a wedding band segue into an Earth Wind and Fire hit, or unexpectedly spotting a dear friend across a crowded room, or eating a fully loaded hot dog at a baseball game. Pure, pure pleasure.
So! Think of this like speed dating. I’ve curated this admittedly somewhat idiosyncratic list with an eye to books that I think make good introductions specifically for the audience of Jezebel; many of them are relatively new releases. I have tried very hard not to let my personal obsessions overtake this post—I could read a Regency romance a day for the rest of my life and never get tired of them—and consequently, I’ve left out some of my very favorites. And there are some authors, books, and series that are just more fun when you have more familiarity with the tropes, which are legion. By the same token, my gaps are this post’s omissions, hence the poor representation of small-town contemporary romance, a popular and beloved subgenre that I’ve never quite learned my way around. I hope that fans will provide some suggestions in the comments!
If you…
Have seen every costume drama available on Amazon Prime (twice): Frankly, I’m not sure why you aren’t already reading historical romance? Anyway, it’s not too late to remedy that. While it’s the subgenre that perhaps suffers most from the “bodice ripper” stereotype, it’s my personal favorite, and it’s full of avowedly feminist writers. Courtney Milan’s novella The Governess Affair acknowledges that the vulnerable position of these women who’ve become such a popular trope, spinning that awful reality into a beautiful story about recovery. (Free on Kindle!) Sarah MacLean’s latest series, Scandal and Scoundrel, started out riffing on modern celebrity gossip and concluded with a book where she rewrote the hero in the wake of the Access Hollywood tape. Meredith Duran’s Lady Be Good and Luck Be a Lady are closely tied, weaving between the British upper crust and the East End.
If you’re looking to ease in a little more slowly, Sherry Thomas, who writes a lovely historical romance, currently has a gender-flipped Sherlock Holmes series going, which is maybe slightly more romance adjacent and would be a good way to test the waters. Though, honestly, if you’ve seen and enjoyed North and South at least twice, you could probably grab almost any historical from the last five to ten years and enjoy it. They are almost certainly extremely your shit and you don’t even know it yet.
Read loads of American history: Beverly Jenkins’ classic Indigo, which follows a woman who’s honored to have an Underground Railroad hero recuperating in her home—until she realizes that he is a handsome pain in her ass. (Don’t worry, they come to an understanding that culminates in a speech at church referencing the Song of Solomon.)
Are actually dying for Hollywood to get back into rom coms: A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole is just delightful and a perfect read for the #RoyalWedding2018 frenzy. It follows a mostly charming prince who arrives in Manhattan from his prosperous African nation to reclaim the betrothed who disappeared as a child. I knew I’d love the STEM-working heroine when she first encounters a real tool who works in her lab:
“How are you this morning?” she asked him in the tone she’d heard secretaries use on old syndicated TV shows use to placate their sexist bosses. Brian smiled; he’d watched the same reruns it seemed.
“Actually, I’m a little behind in my work after getting back from the Keystone conference.” That was when Naledi noticed the sheaf of papers in his hands.
This motherfucker, she thought.
I’ve been completely charmed by Lucy Parker’s London celebrities series, featuring a bunch of theater pros with extremely good banter. And Jasmine Guillory’s The Wedding Date, which is everywhere right now, opens with the lead couple getting stuck in an elevator and the hero attempting to wheedle some cheese and crackers out of the heroine in the most charming way possible.
book one features medieval LARPers of the Regency era, while another has a plot twist involving a lobster.
I’m also putting Tessa Dare here, even though one typically associates romcoms with contemporary settings, because her books so totally crack me up. I personally recommend the Castles Ever After series; book number one features medieval LARPers of the Regency era, while another has a plot twist involving a lobster.