Yahoo Lifestyle 13 Romance Novels That Bewitched Me, Body And Soul, In 2024
Is there anything better than getting cozy with a steamy drink and an even steamier book? No, I really don't think so — which is why I've read over 100 romance novels this year!
If you're looking for the perfect comfort read after a long, hard year, here are my 13 favorite romance novels I've read in in 2024:
1.The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
The Paradise Problem is a hilarious and sexy rom-com that fans of Crazy Rich Asians and The Proposal will love. The book follows Anna Green, a struggling millennial artist who was just fired from her convenience store job after rebuffing her boss's sexual harassment, and Liam “West” Weston, an heir to one of the largest grocery store chain fortunes in the US. They entered a marriage of convenience in college so Anna could access discounted couple's housing on campus and West could fulfill the five-year marriage requirement in his grandfather's will to unlock his $100 million inheritance.
The pair lose touch after West graduates, but they reunite several years later when they're forced to attend West's sister's extravagant week-long wedding on a private Indonesian island. As sparks fly and hijinx ensue, the pair realize their relationship might not be so fake after all.
Christina Lauren's books are basically the gold standard for romance novels at this point, and The Paradise Problem might just be their best book yet.
2.Funny Story by Emily Henry
At this point, Emily Henry IS the romance industry, so it's no real surprise that Funny Story is such a dazzlingly electric rom-com. Still, I can't help but gush about this book. In a lot of ways, it feels like the spiritual successor to her first best seller, Beach Read (similar setting, fun small town on Lake Michigan vibes, a great cast of characters, and the whole "every weekend they go on date-like adventures together" thing).
The story follows unlikely roommates Daphne Vincent and Miles Nowak, who move in together after Daphne's fiance cheats on her with Miles's fiancee. The pair fake their relationship to get back at their exes, and hilarity ensues.
From the banter to the sexual tension to the summer vibes, Funny Story is quintessential Emily Henry in the best way.
3.Trouble by Lex Croucher
If you love Regency-era romances, defiant feminist heroines, or The Sound of Music, then Trouble is the perfect book for you. The story follows Emily Laurence, who fills in for her sickly sister, Amy, as the new governess at Fairmont House. The only problem is that Emily hates children and doesn't have any governess experience...and she's pretending to be Amy.
Emily immediately butts heads with Captain Edwards and his two troublesome children, but she slowly falls for the Captain despite her best efforts. But Fairmont House is full of secrets, nobody knows that "Amy" is really Emily, and a nefarious naval officer threatens to expose Captain Edwards's bisexuality, which could cost him his life.
If you're anything like me, you'll absolutely devour Trouble in a single afternoon. The action is explosive, the sexual tension is unparalleled, and the happily ever after is incredibly well-earned.
4.Beautiful Villain by Rebecca Kenney
Beautiful Villain is the first book in the Gilded Monsters series based on modern retellings of old classics. The twist? Vampires. This book is perfect for fans of The Great Gatsby's societal critiques mixed with the action, life-or-death stakes, and timeless love story of the Twilight saga. It's a campy, fun, self-aware romp with heart-pumping action and steamy sex scenes. I can't say enough good things about this book!
Bonus: The next book in the series, Charming Devil, is an excellent adaptation on The Picture of Dorian Gray. It comes out on February 11, 2025.
5.The Catch by Amy Lea
The Catch is an adorable small town romance reminiscent of While You Were Sleeping. Fashion influencer Melanie "Mel" Karlsen travels to a spa on Canada's east coast for a sponsored influencer trip, but a booking mixup forces her to book a room at a B&B in a remote fishing village.
She and Evan Whaler, a broody lobster fisherman and partial owner of the B&B, get off on the wrong foot, and things only get worse when Mel accidentally causes a boating accident that puts Evan in the hospital. While he's unconscious, Evan's family mistakes Mel for Evan's fiancée, and the pair are forced to fake their relationship in a desperate attempt to reunite Evan's fractured family.
Mel and Evan's love story will reel you in, and it's the perfect way to end Amy Lea's The Influencer series.
6.When I Think of You by Myah Ariel
When I Think of You is a dazzling second-chance romance between film studio receptionist Kaliya Wilson and famous director Danny Prescott. The two met in film school and had a steamy whirlwind romance — until everything fell apart. Seven years later, Danny offers Kaliya a job on his next film, and the pair have to figure out how to work together on and off set. But as is often the case in Hollywood, scandal and behind-the-scenes politics threaten to ruin careers, relationships, and everything in between. Eventually, Kaliya is forced to choose between her moral compass and her second chance at true love.
Myah Ariel's storytelling is so engaging that it's hard to believe this is her debut novel. These characters are so easy to fall in love with, and the ending is incredibly well-earned.
7.Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff
Readers are in for a treat (pun intended) because Lindsay Hameroff's debut novel is just as sweet as it is hilarious. The book follows Lexi Berman, who desperately wants to become a chef in a Michelin-star restaurant, and Jake Taylor, a dive bar musician. They hook up one night, Jake moves to LA, and he quickly rises to celebrity status after one of his songs climbs the charts. The catch (because you just KNOW there's a catch) is that Jake's song is probably, almost certainly, definitely about Lexi's blueberry pancakes.
Till There Was You has everything you could want in a rom-com: a great meet-cute, stakes that are equally serious and silly, and laugh out loud hijinks. Hameroff's background as a humorist shines through every page with belly laughs abound, and Lexi and Jake's relationship will have you smiling like a fool in love.
8.Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert
Katee Robert's Dark Olympus series is like if Scandal was set on Mt. Olympus. It is dramatic, highly addictive, and occasionally ridiculous in the absolute best way. Midnight Ruin is the sixth book in the series and follows the love story between Eurydice, her bodyguard Charon, and her ex-boyfriend Orpheus who deeply betrayed her and almost got her killed. As the climate of Olympus becomes even more dangerous than usual in the face of outside threats, sparks have been flying left and right between Eurydice and Charon.
The pair finally get together after months of sexual tension, but Charon realizes that Eurydice is still hung up on her ex. He meets with Orpheus and helps the pair reunite, although Orpheus still needs to make amends for his horrible betrayal...which manifests as puppy play in the trio's sex life. But even though Eurydice's heart is no longer in danger, that doesn't mean she's not at physical risk.
If you're addicted to romance and drama, you'll positively devour Midnight Ruin.
9.Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
I can honestly say that Last Call at the Local includes one of the most realistic portrayals of ADHD and OCD that I've ever read in fiction. This book takes place in a small Ireland town where American musician Raine Hart finds herself stranded after her belongings are stolen. She wanders into a struggling bar, The Local, and impresses owner Jack Dunne with her vision of how to improve the bar's appearance and finances.
This book is so funny, and the romance is so sweet and loving. Every emotional beat feels true to the story and characters, and the eventual happily ever after is so incredibly earned. Sarah Grunder Ruiz's storytelling is realistic and heartwarming — you'll feel like a regular at The Local until the very last page.
10.The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
This is the first novella in the Improbable Meet-Cute collection. Each story in the six-book series tells the story of how a different couple met on Valentine's Day. The Exception to the Rule is not just the best story in the series — it's one of the best romances of 2024. The book takes place over roughly a decade, starting when Callum accidentally emails Terra over their school district's email system. They briefly exchange some friendly banter, but they don't share their names or any identifying information about themselves. One year later, they resume the correspondence on Valentine's Day, and the tradition continues every year. Eventually, they move away to college and grad school, and they slowly reveal more information about themselves, until Callum discovers Terra's identity and realizes he knows her in the real world.
The Exception to the Rule is like a modern retelling of You've Got Mail, minus the part where Tom Hanks's character puts Meg Ryan's out of business. This book is genuinely one of the cutest romances you'll read this year.
Available on Kindle Unlimited and Audible.
11.We Could Be Heroes by Philip Ellis
If you're still in the mood for books set in the entertainment industry after When I Think of You, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better romance novel than We Could Be Heroes. The book follows actor and on-screen superhero, Patrick Lake, and secondhand bookseller slash part-time drag queen, Will Wright. After a classic rom-com meet-cute, the two become friends — and feelings naturally start to develop between them. The pair are forced to contend with who they really are deep down and what they mean to each other. And most of all, they must decide if being together is worth the risk.
12.Wild Love by Elsie Silver
Wild Love is the first book in Elsie Silver's addictive new Wild Love series. It takes place in Rose Hill, city girl Rosie Belmont's small hometown, and the place billionaire Ford Grant visited every summer as a child. As an adult, Ford returned to Rose Hill to establish his recording studio and reconnect with his childhood best friend. He chose the town because of the peace and quiet — but his peace is promptly interrupted by two life-altering events. First, Ford discovers he's the father of an angsty tween girl. And second, Rosie Belmont moves back to Rose Hill after she's unfairly dismissed from her corporate job in the big city.
Ford and Rosie always butted heads, but they slowly realize their animosity might exist to cover up long-held romantic feelings for each other. But Ford just hired Rosie as his assistant, and Rosie is Ford's best friend's sister. If they get together now, they'd risk the fragile peace between them. But maybe true love is worth the risk.
The second book in this series, Wild Eyes, is about a pop star and small town single father. It's also terrific!
13.Bespelled by Laura Thalassa
Bespelled is the sequel to Bewitched, which told the story of young witch Selene Bowers and the ancient warlord and vengeful warlock Memnon, who she accidentally awoke from a curse. Memnon was convinced that Selene was his former wife and blood-bound soulmate, but she refused to believe they shared a romantic history — until Memnon restored Selene's lost memories and revealed that she was his wife from a past life. Even worse, Selene was the one to curse Memnon all those years ago.
Now Memnon demands a modern marriage with Selene, but there's only one problem (well, there are many problems, but one of them is more pressing than the others): Selene originally cursed Memnon for a very good reason all those years ago, and lifting the curse was definitely a mistake. But Memnon is far more powerful than Selene ever imagined, and escaping him will be tricky. Between her insistent soulmate and the entire coven of evil witches out to get Selene, she is surrounded by danger and running out of time.
If you love romantasy, enduring love, and extremely high stakes, you will be utterly *bewitched* by Laura Thalassa's storytelling and world-building (pun fully intended).
Make sure you check out the best romance novels of 2023!
What are your favorite romance novels of the year so far? Share them in the comments! 📚💘
