Looking for a well written romance novel

I have a low tolerance for romance as well and a couple that I have really enjoyed are Part of Your World by Abbey Jiminez and Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane. They didn’t do anything substantially different than other romance novels but they just felt more realistic, enjoyable and funny to me.

I’m listing a bunch of my faves and maybe when you read the descriptions, a few will catch your interest. Or if you have more info on what kind of tropes you like/dislike, I can narrow down my suggestions.

**Contemporary romances:**

1. Much Ado about Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin (this author’s other romances are also great)
2. The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
3. Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood
4. Whistleblower by Kate Marchant

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**Historical romance:**

1. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
2. A Love Most Daring by Joanna Barker
3. The Winter Companion by Mimi Matthews
4. Reputation at Risk by Martha Keyes

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**YA romance:**

1. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
2. Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth
3. Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino
4. Chloe and the Kaishao Boys by Mae Coyiuto
5. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

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**Fantasy / Paranormal Romance:**

1. Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
2. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
3. A Touch of Blood by Sajni Patel

You should try Emily Henry! Her books are marketed as romance but more often than not they heavily feature other themes and relationships (friendships, family dynamics, etc.) My personal faves of hers are Happy Place and Book Lovers 🙂

Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones is an f/f closed door fantasy romance set in the fictional country of Alpennia a few years after the Napoleonic wars.

Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles is a spicy m/m pulp adventure romance set just after WWI.

The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan is a closed door f/m historical romance set during the Victorian era in Engand.

Crocodile on the Sandbank is a closed door f/m Victorian melodrama pastiche romance set in the Egyptian Archeological scene.

The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer is a closed door f/m romance set during the Georgian era in England. It’s really funny.

Literary romance: Normal People by Sally Rooney

Fantasy romance: Mages of the Wheel

I think Amanda Quick’s books are well written in the sense that they have a distinct style and sharp dialogue. (Source: have read like 25 of them in the last year for…reasons, lol.) The best way I can describe the style is that they’re like the romance equivalent of Clue the Movie—there’s a sort of screwball comedy vibe happening, but the stories are usually still engaging, and the romance always has plenty of heart.

I’ve liked everything of hers I’ve read except Scandal and Seduction, but a few of my favorites (all standalone):

-Mischief, in which a charming, AuDHD coded heroine ropes an eccentric scholar/explorer into a questionable revenge plot and he’s so taken with her that he just follows along and tries to make sure things don’t go too far awry. They’re both weird nerds obsessed with the same (fictional) ancient society.

-Mistress, in which a woman investigating a blackmail incident poses as the mistress of a man she believes to be dead so she can move in his social circles—only he is very much alive. Shenanigans ensue.

-Affair, in which a man investigates a woman his aunt suspects of murder by applying to be her man of affairs—except she is not the murderer, so they investigate together. And fall in love, naturally.

-Deception, in which a man who looks like a pirate but is actually boring, straight-laced, and probably autistic meets the niece of a business associate and is so into her vibe that he lies and says her uncle has sent him to serve as tutor for her three nephews and proceeds to do that job, unpaid.

-Surrender, in which a fortune hunter falls for a woman who happens to have a fortune and they get along wonderfully, except for the Fortune Of It All, which is the main source of conflict they have to work through. (She has fortune hunter related baggage to unpack.)

For My Lady’s Heart by Laura Kinsdale.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

If you don’t mind historical romances, my favorite romance author so far is Laura KInsale. She has an absolutely beautiful, breathtaking writing style and heartbreakingly flawed main characters. Flowers from the Storm is her most well-known book, which is about a rich Duke who has a stroke, is sent to his asylum and loses his privileges in society. The female main character is a Quaker whose cousin runs the asylum Christian (the Duke) is sent to, and she saves his life. This one has a lot of inner turmoil and is not an easy read, but it’s SO worth it and not just one of my favorite romances, but one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. I read it last year, but already plan to read it again soon. I’ve heard the audiobook is good too. The way Kinsale depict Christian’s stroke and aftermath (Broca’s Aphasia) is amazing. Sorry I rambled, this book is just amazing and I sincerely recommend it.

Other authors like Kinsale include Sherry Thomas, Meredith Duran, Cecilia Grant, LaVyrle Spencer, if you’re in the mood for historical romance with a more ‘serious’, intense edge.

Love Story, by Erich Segal.

Curtis Sittensfeld’s Romantic Comedy. Set in a place like Saturday night live, excellent writing