See, this would’ve been the perfect post for Valentine’s Day, except on Valentine’s Day I was busy trying not to fail out of school; thus, I’m coming to you (at the request of Melissa) in April with some cute romance book recs to make your heart soar. All of the books on this list are YA contemporaries and relatively quick reads that I finished within a few days, but let me know if you want some fantasy recs! Some of these I’ve definitely mentioned before, but others are completely new. I hope you all enjoy, and happy reading! (Not but seriously, I hope you all enjoy because this post took me longer than I’d like to admit)
Reminder: ALWAYS check trigger warnings before reading! I have many listed in each book’s individual section, but you can look here to find a more comprehensive list.
All summaries are shortened from the synopses on Goodreads.
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon (16+)
Synopsis
It’s the last day of senior year, and Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time. When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other. As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.
Info
Enemies to lovers
Representation: Jewish main characters; Korean side character; LGBTQ+ (namely bi and lesbian) side characters
CW: anti-Semitism
My Thoughts
I fell immediately in love with all of the characters (specifically dorky love interest himself, Neil McNair)
Both the main and the love interest are Jewish, and they had some really interesting conversations about being Jewish and their experiences with anti-Semitism, which I learned a lot from
Rachel Lynn Solomon has my heart for the natural diversity she incorporated into this book. The book is set in Seattle, which is such a diverse area, so I loved the incredibly diverse set of characters
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (15+)
Synopsis
Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago, but her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar—even befriend Wes Bennet. The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in. But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own ideas of what Happily Ever After should look like.
Info
Enemies to allies to lovers, boy next door, fake dating, and love triangle/square
CW: death of a loved one (mentioned), drinking
My Thoughts
I swooned so much oh my gosh I was in love from the first page
Wes is your classic sarcastic, slightly dark and brooding love interest who's also thoughtful, understanding, and loyal. He's so unbelievably romantic it kind of hurts.
Liz reminds me of Rowan (from Today Tonight Tomorrow) and Lara Jean (from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before)
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman (12+)
Synopsis
Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more?
Info
Graphic novel series
Friends to lovers
Representation: gay, biracial main character, bisexual love interest, mlm relationship, wlw relationship (side characters), mlm relationship (side characters), plus-sized POC side character, demisexual side character, lesbian side character
CW: homophobia, f-slur, bullying, self-harm, eating disorder
My Thoughts
A really cute and quick read! I thought the narrative was beautifully crafted, and even though there were limited words, you were really able to get a sense of Charlie and Nick’s personalities. I love both of them with all of my heart.
Alice Oseman is updating Hearstopper on WebToon (just Google it and you can read it for free), but there are 3 print volumes out with 2 more coming out in the next two years
I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn (13+)
Synopsis
Kimi Nakamura loves a good fashion statement, but her mother disapproves, and when they get into an explosive fight, Kimi's entire future seems on the verge of falling apart. So when a surprise letter comes in the mail from Kimi's estranged grandparents, inviting her to Kyoto for spring break, she seizes the opportunity to get away from the disaster of her life. When she arrives in Japan, she's met with a culture both familiar and completely foreign to her. She also meets Akira, a cute aspiring med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. What begins as a trip to escape her problems quickly becomes a way for Kimi to learn more about the mother she left behind, and to figure out where her own heart lies.
Info
Friends to lovers
Representation: Japanese main character and side characters
My Thoughts
Such a cute, fluffy romance that took me on a mini-tour of Japan!
Akira is so unbelievably thoughtful -- he needs to plan all of my future dates
I loved seeing Kimi explore her Japanese-American identity, connect with her grandparents, repair her relationship with her mother, and come to realizations about her future
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett (14+)
Synopsis
Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets. But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together. With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world?
Info
Forced proximity
Childhood best friends to enemies to lovers
Representation: biracial love interest, Korean side character, lesbian couple (side characters)
CW: cheating, death of a parent, depression
My Thoughts
This book made me so happy. It made me forget I was reading, and I really got lost in the story.
Lennon? Swoon.
I also recommend Jenn Bennett's other books, such as Alex, Approximately and Serious Moonlight
Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum (13+)
Synopsis
Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?
Info
Online relationship trope, friends to lovers
CW: overdose, drug use, death of a loved one (all mentioned)
My Thoughts
This is one of the books that got me back into reading, and not only was it adorable, but it also kept me on the edge of my seat (I couldn’t put it down)
Jessie and SN's inside jokes were so cute
It Started with Goodbye by Christina June (12+)
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she’s stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF’s gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client). When Tatum discovers she’s not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.
Info
Online relationship trope
Cinderella retelling
First in a series (three standalone novels set in the same universe, so you don’t need to read this one to read either of the other books)
Representation: biracial (Black and Irish) love interest, Latinx side characters
My Thoughts
A cute story with relatable characters, as well as some great character development
Dear mysterious cello-playing client: play me a song too?
What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Synopsis
Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Info
Strangers to lovers
The sequel comes out at the end of this year!
Representation: gay, Jewish main character with ADHD; gay, Puerto Rican main character; mlm relationship
CW: alcohol, cheating, homophobia, panic attacks, racism
My Thoughts
SO freaking cute! My heart was so happy reading this and taking in all of the “NYC in summer” vibes
I can’t wait for the sequel; I love Arthur and Ben with all my heart and I need to see more of them
Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka (14+)
Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Megan Harper is about due for her next sweeping romance. It's inevitable—each of her relationships starts with the perfect guy and ends with him falling in love . . . with someone else. But instead of feeling sorry for herself, Megan focuses on pursuing her next fling, directing theater, and fulfilling her dream college's acting requirement in the smallest role possible. So when she’s cast as Juliet in her high school’s production, it’s a complete nightmare. Megan’s not an actress, and she’s used to being upstaged—both in and out of the theater. Then she meets Owen Okita, an aspiring playwright inspired by Rosaline from Shakespeare's R+J. Megan agrees to help Owen with his play in exchange for help catching the eye of a sexy stagehand/potential new boyfriend. Yet Megan finds herself growing closer to Owen, and wonders if he could be the Romeo she never expected.
Info
Friends to lovers
Representation: Japanese love interest
CW: cheating
My Thoughts
Anything by Wibbroka is amazing, so of course this one is as well (go read the other books by these two, like If I’m Being Honest)
Megan was such a strong main character and so unapologetically herself, and I loved Owen as well (they make very cute cameos in other Wibbroka books set in the same universe)
From the perspective of a speech kid, I really enjoyed the theater backdrop of the story
Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales (13+)
Synopsis
Will Tavares is the dream summer fling, but just when Ollie thinks he's found his Happily Ever After, summer vacation ends and Will stops texting Ollie back. To complicate the fairy tale further, a family emergency sees Ollie uprooted and enrolled at a new school across the country. Which he minds a little less when he realizes it's the same school Will goes to...except Ollie finds that the sweet, comfortably queer guy he knew from summer isn't the same one attending Collinswood High. This Will is a class clown, closeted, and a bit of a jerk. Ollie has no intention of pining after a guy who clearly isn't ready for a relationship, especially since this new version of Will seems to go from hot to cold every other week. But then Will starts "coincidentally" popping up in every area of Ollie's life, and Ollie finds his resolve weakening. But Ollie would have to be an idiot to trust Will with his heart again. Right?
Info
Lovers to enemies-ish to lovers
If you liked Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (or Love, Simon the movie), you’d definitely like this
Representation: gay main character, bi Venezuelan love interest, bi side character, plus-sized POC side character, other POC side characters
CW: terminal illness, homophobia
My Thoughts
Something I loved about this book was that the side characters had stories of their own. For example, Niamh isn’t just Ollie’s friend. She’s an aspiring plus-size model who wants to make it in New York, but who struggles with PCOS and is contemplating whether to pursue a relationship with a guy when she’s just going to move away. No character is one-sided in this story, and I love that.
All of the following books I haven’t personally read, but my friends have recommended them to me and I think my friends have great taste so here you go!
Disclaimer: some of these age ratings may be inaccurate because I’ve never read the books and thus don’t know if I need to correct the recommendations on Barnes and Noble/Amazon.
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le (12+)
Synopsis
If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant. For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition. But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?
Info
Forbidden romance (Romeo and Juliet style), opposites attract
Ownvoices
Representation: Vietnamese-American protagonists and side characters
CW: loss of a loved one, racism
A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen (12+)
Synopsis
To her friends, high school senior Liza Yang is nearly perfect. But to her mom, Liza is anything but. Compared to her older sister Jeannie, Liza is stubborn, rebellious, and worst of all, determined to push back against all of Mrs. Yang's traditional values, especially when it comes to dating. The one thing mother and daughter do agree on is their love of baking. With college just around the corner, Liza agrees to help out at the bakery's annual junior competition to prove to her mom that she's more than her rebellious tendencies once and for all. But when Liza arrives on the first day of the bake-off, she realizes there's a catch: all of the contestants are young Asian American men her mother has handpicked for Liza to date. The bachelorette situation Liza has found herself in is made even worse when she happens to be grudgingly attracted to one of the contestants; the stoic, impenetrable, annoyingly hot James Wong. As she battles against her feelings for James, and for her mother's approval, Liza begins to realize there's no tried and true recipe for love.
Info
Pride and Prejudice retelling
Ownvoices
Representation: Taiwanese-American protagonist, love interest, and side characters; bisexual Taiwanese-American side character
CW: microaggressions
You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson (12+)
Synopsis
Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor. But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?
Info
Representation: Black queer MC with anxiety, wlw love interest, wlw relationship, Black side character with sickle cell anemia, Black side character
CW: anxiety, bullying, death (parental), chronic illness (family), forced outing, homophobia, racism, panic attacks
Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales (13+)
Synopsis
Darcy Phillips can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes―for a fee. She uses her power for good (most of the time), really cannot stand Alexander Brougham, and has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke…who is in love with someone else. However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89―out of which she’s been running her anonymous relationship advice service―Darcy gets blackmailed. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach―at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back. To keep her identity a secret, all Darcy has to do is help an entitled, bratty, (annoyingly hot) guy win over a girl who’s already fallen for him once. What could go wrong?
Info
Leah on the Offbeat meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
For lovers of The Half of It
Representation: bi main character, trans side character, Vietnamese-American lesbian side character, bi side character, gay side character, pan nonbinary side character
CW: biphobia (including internalized), toxic parents, drugs, alcohol, vomiting
Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen (12+)
Synopsis
Codi Teller has never crashed a party, never stayed out too late. She’s never even been kissed. And it’s not just because she’s gay. It’s because she and her two best friends, Maritza and JaKory, spend more time in her basement watching Netflix than engaging with the outside world. So when Maritza and JaKory suggest crashing a party, Codi is highly skeptical. Those parties aren’t for kids like them. They’re for cool kids. Straight kids. But then Codi stumbles upon one of those cool kids, Ricky, kissing another boy in the dark, and an unexpected friendship is formed. In return for never talking about that kiss, Ricky takes Codi under his wing and draws her into a wild summer filled with late nights, new experiences, and one really cute girl named Lydia. The only problem? Codi never tells Maritza or JaKory about any of it.
Info
An ode to late bloomers
Representation: lesbian main character, wlw love interest, wlw relationship, bisexual Panamanian character, two gay black characters, bisexual side characters
CW: drug and alcohol use
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
Synopsis
After losing spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up, Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, the incredibly beautiful and incredibly mean Irene Abraham. Things only get worse when their moms get involved and the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop. But when an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex, she bribes Irene into playing along.
Info
Enemies to lovers, fake dating
Representation: lesbian main characters, Indian American love interest
CW: homophobia, homophobic language, alcohol
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