Contemporary Romance Archives - Page 2 of 14

Book Review:: Say it Out Loud | Ashley Schumacher

If you’re looking for a true-blue fun and meaningful romance novel to snuggle up with this fall, Say It Out Loud by Ashley Schumacher is honestly a great choice.

Say It Out Loud by Ashley Schumacher Book Cover

Starting at the beginning, we live through Juniper Green’s big acting break. Or…what should have been, if Romeo hadn’t completely dismissed her performance as his own support helping her shine. She wasn’t supposed to even be on stage. She was doing him a favor. And that’s how he treats her?

Years later, after building up and selling a successful podcast, Juniper’s next opportunity is to narrate one her mother’s favorite book series. Except it’s a dual narration. And the other narrator is…James.

She’s unsure at first if he even remembers her. For her, their chance meeting that night back stage was a formative experience – the night she always wondered about. If it had gone differently, it might have changed her entire life.

James, of course, went on to become a famous actor, and is the real draw for listeners to tune into the audiobook they’re recording. Juniper has to work through a lot of imposter syndrome, and get over her baggage to make this work.

It’s been a minute since I’ve gotten to enjoy a romance novel like this. It’s clear, it’s structured well, both characters have a lot of heart and heartache they’re contending with. It was just a really good time. I really enjoyed it!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Say It Out Loud
Author:: Ashley Schumacher
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Del Rey
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 19m
Audiobook Narrator:: Lauren Ezzo
Published:: September 30th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

We Met Like This | Ka s ie West
People Watching | Hannah Bonam-Young
Love Walked In | Sarah Chamberlian

Book Review:: Firelight Days | Savannah Pryce

If you are a fan of small-town vibes and yearning romances, you’re going to love Savannah Pryce’s new release, Firelight Days.

Firelight Days by Savannah Pryce Book Cover

Penny is a baker in town who works herself to the bone for a boss who takes her for granted. When a dangerous fire starts ripping through the forest nearby, one of her regular customers and friends, Jack, offers to put her up at his family’s property to wait out the evacuation orders. Things have been changing between them lately, but Penny isn’t sure she wants to cross any lines with him and ruin the good thing they have going.

Firelight Days is well written and captures that small-town vibe so well. It’s cute and full of tension and the characters have to reckon with themselves before they can open themselves up to another. I was very impressed with this one! It’s got everything you want when picking up a new romance novel – this one isn’t risky…you’ll love it!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Firelight Days
Author:: Savannah Pryce
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Rosmarin Books
Length:: 327 pages
Published:: August 3rd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Where You’re Planted | Melanie Sweeney
He Falls First | Jill Shalvis
Left of Forever | Tarah Dewitt

Book Review:: The Heartbreak Hotel | Ellen O’Clover

Sometimes you’ve got to roll with the punches. Like when your long-term famous boyfriend breaks up with you in an unbecoming manor, or you fail the test that was supposed to be the start of your dream career…or, both.

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover Book Cover

Louisa refuses to leave the home she’s kept and cherished for years in Estes Park, Colorado. It’s everything she ever wanted. Except now, without her boyfriend’s income, she can’t afford the rent. With some fancy financial footwork, and pleading with the home-owner slash small town veterinarian and handyman, she arranges to turn it into a bed and breakfast of the most interesting variety: a haven for the broken-hearted to come and heal. She is almost a psychologist, after all.

This is such a layered and charming and lovely story about grief, and gumption, and getting back up again after you’ve been down-on-your-luck. The home-owner, Henry, is a stoic, guarded, handsome hunk of a hero, and Louisa has her heart in the right place, always. There are plenty of swoon-worthy moments, and humor, and a big serving of heart. These characters are not bubbly and naive – they’ve had big hurts and are working hard to heal and repair and perhaps even find their happy endings.

I enjoyed not only the romance, which I thought was done very well, but also the storyline about Louisa’s family. Their dynamic is very specific, but also relatable. We tend to fall into certain roles in our families, and it’s hard to break free from them.

I absolutely recommend this novel. I think it’s a great choice for a long weekend!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Heartbreak Hotel
Author:: Ellen O’Clover
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 16m
Audiobook Narrator:: Brittany Pressley
Published:: September 23, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Songs of Summer | Jane L. Rosen
The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander
As A Last Resort | Kristin Wollett

Book Review:: We Met Like This | Kasie West

This is the kind of book you have to pause the audio when you have literally anything that takes brain power, because you don’t want to miss a second. Something about this book has you constantly turning pages. The chemistry, the tension, the absolute mess of the FMCs life. So delicious.

We Met Like This by Kasie West Book Cover

Margot and Oliver meet on a dating app. Their first date is a disaster. But then they keep matching…and matching. Eventually three years pass and Margot is still looking for Mr. Right, while making some bad Mr. Right Now choices. Oliver is in the same way, and through the dating app messaging system, they become sort of friends.

Their connection is so sparkly. I mean–sparks everywhere. It’s probably a hazard. But their first date was so bad, it holds them back from pursing more in the present.

Until. They. Do.

This book had me screaming, crying, kicking my feet. Margot made me slightly crazy with some of her over-the-top and highly selective decisions through the middle of the book, and some of the middle was a little but they don’t feel the same way kind of angst which dragged the tiniest bit, but overall, absolute banger of a romance novel.

9/10, Recommend.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: We Met Like This
Author:: Kasie West
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Saturday Books
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 19m
Audiobook Narrator:: Katie Bloomwood
Published:: September 16th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance | Bethany Turner
The Reluctant Flirt | Jennifer Probst
Hate Mail | Donne Marchetti

Book Review:: Leave Before I Love You | Max Monroe

If you are looking for a bit of a harrowing love story, look no further than author duo Max Monroe’s newest release Leave Before I Love You.

Leave Before I Love You by Max Monroe Book Cover

Avery and Henry get stuck traveling solo on what was supposed to be a big group trip. They’ve known one another forever had have had a few fly-by romantic interactions, but he’s her brother’s best friend, and she’s got every guy she could ever want. Henry, who is an adrenaline junkie who literally founded a company based around it, persuades Avery to go skydiving with him. He promises everything will be fine, but that was before the pilot has a massive heart attack and the plane falls into a dive. Avery and Henry have to jump early and frantically, leaving them far off course, on a deserted island.

I love this kind of incredibly dramatic and tension heavy novel with Big Trauma in act one that leads to a trauma bond that binds the two characters together inexorably. My other two recs in this sub-genre are at the bottom of this post.

However, Henry kind of gets a bad deal, because he is stranded with a carbon copy of Shannon from Lost (if you know, you know). Avery is worse than useless. She’s a plastic barbie Miami girl whose greatest talent is spending daddy’s apparently endless money. There’s a little bit of depth to her eventually, but for me, it was still pretty darn shallow. I wish she wasn’t quite as much of a caricature, but I guess it works for what they were after.

If this book was another hundred or two pages longer, I’d still be happy. There was a lot of backstory with Henry I feel like I could have enjoyed exploring between his two parents and how he got into such a very specific and incredible industry. But the story is complete and pretty wonderful as it is.

This is my second Max Monroe novel, and this was very different than the other title I read (Oops, I’ve Fallen), but it’s clear this writing team is very good at what they do. I’m looking forward to reading more of their stuff!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Leave Before I Love You
Author:: Max Monroe
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Indie
Length:: 300 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 25m
Audiobook Narrator:: Will Damron & M.K. Blackwood
Published:: July 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Swept Away | Beth O’Leary
Still Beating | Jennifer Hartmann

Book Review:: People Watching | Hannah Bonam-Young

I’ve heard only good things about Hannah Bonam-Young, so I was curious to experience her writing for the first time with People Watching. Now on the other side of it, I can say I get the hype.

People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young Book Cover

This book brings together a retired teacher who has Alzheimer’s disease’s caregiver daughter with one of her former art students who is only back in town for an S.O.S. his brother sent out. They are completely different. Milo is a world traveler and so far has loved widely but never deeply. Prue is a responsible small town girl with no worldly experience, who holds onto the relationships in her life with both hands. I found the union of these two characters lovely and surprising and the bond they forged through their small town adventures together was steamy and genuine and lovely.

All elements of the plot were handled well and adequately tangled and inter-woven, which tells me this author has a great handle on her craft. There were plenty of scenes handled with such tenderness, and the unfolding of the two hearts at play was just so swoony and satisfying.

The spice in this book is quite spicy, and there’s plenty of it, so if you’re sensitive to that, this book is probably not for you.

Personally, I look forward to reading the rest of Hannah Bonam-Young’s novels, and I’ll surely be keeping an eye out for her work in the future.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: People Watching
Author:: Hannah Bonam-Young
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Dell
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 21m
Audiobook Narrator:: Victoria Connolly & Brandon Francis
Published:: September 9th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Love Walked In | Sarah Chamberlain

Sarah Chamberlain’s sophomore romance is another deep dive into grief and healing, all wrapped up in a rocky-start inevitable romance that’s just what the doctor ordered.

Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain Book Cover

Mari’s come to the UK as a consultant to help save a bookstore flailing after the death of the founder and patriarch of the family-run business. Leo, who stands to inherit the shop, immediately dislikes the always-sunny newcomer due to the stark difference in his ever-stoic British sensibilities. Not to mention his entire life has been overturned more than once in the past few years and smiles seem to be something long forgotten.

I really enjoyed this book. Everything was set up very well, if not a little too conveniently. It’s no argument that Sarah is a great writer who pours a lot of real world complexity into her books. Life and love are never simple. They’re messy, and contradictory, and sometimes painful, and that’s what you’ll find in this book. But things are always all the sweeter when they don’t come easy.

In some ways, it did feel a little over the top. Sometimes it felt like the drama was ratcheted up a little bit too high for the type of book this is trying to be. Both characters, but especially Mari has a very difficult past that is deeply explored through the narrative. It also almost felt like the author was trying to fit in as many little ‘representations’ as possible, and it started to feel a little tired. Maybe it’s part of the reading slump-y mood I’ve been in lately, because that was actually something I really enjoyed about her first novel, but it felt a little distracting this time if I’m being honest.

However, this book is a really great option for a quite modern contemporary romance, and if you love reading about book lovers, you’ll love Mari!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Love Walked In
Author:: Sarah Chamberlain
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Published:: September 2nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamberlain
It’s A Love Story | Annabel Monaghan
Work in Progress | Kat Mackenzie

Book Review:: Obsession Falls | Claire Kingsley

Y’ALL. If you have never read a romantic suspense novel, it is an oversight that must be remedied. It is the perfect blend of swoon level romance and page turning thriller. It is mystery and the majesty of love with an emphasis on the love and I am here for it.

Obsession Falls by Claire Kingsley Book Cover

In this particular novel, a girl comes back to the town she left long ago, looking to settle into a new life. Needing a little distance from her mother, she rents a little place from a drop-dead gorgeous contractor who mistakes her at first for a squatter (his sister hooked her up with the place, it was a whole thing). Anyway, they have a sexy meet-cute, and run into each other often since he’s working on remodeling the rental unit next door. Strange things keep happening around Audrey, dead squirrels on her property, and incidents that only escalate from there, and Josiah is the one making sure she’s safe. It doesn’t take the two of them long to form a strong connection, and even though he’s been burned in love before, he can’t deny the hold this girl has on him.

Josiah is a strong silent type with big feelings he plays close to the chest. Audrey is kind of a sunshine character who is struggling in a new career that seems doomed from the start. She doesn’t have any enemies, which makes what’s happening to her all the more mysterious.

Give me all the books like this. All the typical romance stuff is in there, but there are high physical stakes that jack it all up on steroids until it makes you completely obsessed with the story. Apt title! These are the kinds of books you absolutely devour, and that feeling is unmatched!

Details

Title:: Obsession Falls (Haven Brothers #1)
Author:: Claire Kingsley
Genre:: Romantic Suspense
Publisher:: SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 38m
Audiobook Narrator:: Connor Crais, Ava Erickson, & Scott Rose
Published:: February 4th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

All the Missing Pieces | Catherine Cowles
Storms and Secrets | Claire Kingsley (Book Two)
A Killer Getaway | Sienna Sharpe

Book Review:: The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander

It’s the Romeo + Juliet of the 21st century, but make it cozy and super intricate! Of the two bookstore battle books that have come out this year, this is the one I prefer. The plot is detailed and well thought out, both the characters and setting are charming, there are hearts on the line, age old rivalries, AND there is a mystery to solve!

The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander Book Cover

The Battle of the Bookshops certainly has a lot going on. In some ways I wonder if it could have gone without an entire storyline, or even two and still been an interesting story, but also, the more the merrier! The Capelthorne’s and Montbeau’s have been in a competitve rivalry for generations. Currently the Montbeau’s are on the upswing, and the Capelthorne’s are on the verge of losing their beloved bookshop. Roman (Montbeau) and Julia (Capelthorne) are the young generation, and guess what? Yep, they’re falling in love.

With such a robust plot, every time you open the pages it feels like you’re stepping right into the quaint little seaside town. There’s got to be something for everyone to enjoy in this book, and it’s such a fun book for a summer read!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Battle of the Bookshops
Author:: Poppy Alexander
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Avon and Harper Voyager
Length:: 336 pages
Published:: August 19th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Battle of the Bookstores | Ali Brady
Finders Keepers | Sarah Adler
The Summer You Were Mine | Jill Francis

Book Review:: Wes and Addie Had Their Chance | Bethany Turner

Another second chance love story out of Adelaide Springs. That place did their youth so bad the universe has conspired against it to bring all the little soulmates back together. Wes and Addie are just the latest to be struck (again) by cupid’s arrow. Of the two books I’ve read in this currently three book series, it is by far my favorite. The stakes are high, the histories are complicated, and they choose each other anyway.

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance by Bethany Turner Book Cover

He’s running for president, and she’s running from her problems. Wes once left his dream girl Addie at the alter and skipped town. It broke her. For years. Until she decided to let go of all that hurt and move on. Now hovering around 40, she’s widowed, unemployed (kind of), and recovering from an alcohol addiction, living back with her aging father in good ol’ Adelaide Springs. She’s seen Wes on TV. Who hasn’t? He’s the country’s most hopeful candidate for president in a long time, following in his once undisclosed father’s prestigious footsteps. He recently lost his perfect candidate’s wife to cancer and flies back to Adelaide Springs without telling anyone on his campaign team. Once more Wes and Addie are at the same place at the same time, and the profound love of their childhood has a long memory.

Okay, so I wasn’t expecting this book to be quite this good. I read Brynn and Sebastian awhile back and Brynn’s attitude and entire kerfuffle from the first book of the series kind of turned me off. However, this is a very grown up story of two people with many faults finding their way to forgiveness and love. How can you not love that?

My main complaints would be in how many elements seemed to mirror in this book and the first in the series, and how convenient certain things are set up in order for all of this to make sense, but hey, it’s a rom-com. It’s for fun.

I have to say I really liked the male narrator on the audio version of this novel, Patrick Zeller. He has a very deep and calm voice and I certainly believed he could be running for president. He did a great job with Wes’ character! Talon David was also great, but Patrick really stuck out to me, and I listen to a lot of audiobooks.

Also, the covers for this series are amazing. Seriously, look at them!

Ultimately, this book really gives me hope for future Bethany Turner books. I many even search out the Cole & Laila love story. The blurb actually sounds amazing. Okay Okay Turner, I hear you, I see you, I’ll read you again!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Wes and Addie Had Their Chance (Adelaide Springs Love Stories #3)
Author:: Bethany Turner
Genre:: Small Town Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 48m
Audiobook Narrator:: Talon David, Patrick Zeller, and Bethany Turner
Published:: July 15th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars