Chaotic capers, hilarious antics, and unlikely pairings, romantic comedies have it all.
We all have our trusty romantic comedy film for when all else fails during movie night. But do you have a favorite rom-com book yet? Romantic comedies are a fitting choice any time of the year. We’ve gathered some of our favorite romantic comedies from 2020 and 2021. Some feature familiar tropes (hello, sexual tension) while others are a modern retelling of classic novels. Ahead, nine charming books that you’ll want to add to your reading list.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Chloe is a computer geek who has lived her entire life under the shadow of a chronic illness. But after coming too close to death, she makes a plan to rebel from her life. She makes the perfect plan: Ride a motorcycle, have a drunken night, enjoy meaningless sex, and travel the world. Only one problem, it’s hard to rebel when you’re so used to following the rules. She needs a teacher. Enter Red Morgan.
Red is a handyman by day and an artist by night. He rides a motorcycle, has incredible sex appeal, and his rough exterior is enticing. He is exactly the teacher she needs for her life rebellion. Actually, it turns out that Red needs Chloe just as much as she needs him. As Chloe starts to rebel, Red starts to break out of his shell.
Pride and Prejudice and Other Flavors, by Sonali Dev
Dr. Trisha Raje is a genius. She is an accomplished neurosurgeon who has dedicated her life to helping others. DJ Caine is a chef trying to make a name for himself in San Fransisco. He has managed to impress an influential family and is catering for a political campaign. The two couldn’t be more different – which becomes abundantly clear when they run into each other at a Raje dinner party.
Trisha insults DJ’s pride, while he immediately succumbs to his prejudices about the wealthy. Needless to say, these two are truly a modern day Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. As the two lives become even more intertwined, they realize that in order to protect the people they love from death and ruin, they must put aside their assumptions and trust each other.
This modern take on Pride and Prejudice subverts expectations while staying true to the heart of the classic novel. It’s the perfect romantic comedy. Just don’t read on an empty stomach – the food descriptions alone will have you ordering take out.
Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson
Times can be hard, especially for a small knitting shop in Harlem. Jesse Strong, however, is determined to keep the shop up and running. After his adoptive mother suddenly dies, Jesse has to fight against his three brothers for the fate of the shop.
The thing is, the shop isn’t just the legacy of Jesse’s mother, it is also Kerry Fullers job. Kerry works part-time at the shop, and works full-time at keeping her crush on Jesse a secret. After all, Jesse has a bit of a player reputation, so their relationship wouldn’t work out anyway. When she overhears the brothers fighting, she volunteers to help Jesse revamp the shop for a new generation. The problem is, it can be hard to keep a secret love a secret, when you have to spend time together.
Can the two work together to save the shop? Or will Jesse’s reputation cause a snag in their plan? This adorable “will they, won’t they” romantic comedy is the perfect read for a chilly night.
Dial a for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto
If you are looking for a romantic comedy with an emphasis on com, then this is the book. Part romance, part accidental murder, all chaos. These are the aunties you will want to call the next time you get in a bit of trouble.
Meddelin Chan accidentally kills her blind date. To make matters worse, she has to cater a billionaire’s wedding. The love of her life is not only in town, but attending the wedding. Also, she’s pretty sure her family is cursed. Needless to say, Meddy is having a rough day.
So, Meddy calls in the aunties. Her mother and her three sisters, all of whom should be catering this wedding, come to Meddy’s aid to help hide the body. However, hiding a body is a little harder than you might think, especially when someone accidentally puts it in the wrong cooler. Is it possible for Meddy to come out of this on top? Or, at the very least, avoid murder charges?
Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola
A Nigerian goddess longs to be seen, but is beaten down by her unappreciated lover. A Ghanaian spokeswoman has to choose between politics or love. A businesswoman makes a big leap in business and in her love life. All different stories. All in the same book.
This truly unique collection of love stories is a romance lovers dream. Bolu Babalola takes love stories from history and mythology and re-writes them in gorgeous prose. While the stories are drawn from myth, they take place in the 21st century with women in complete agency over their lives without losing any of the magic found in the original tales.
This collection offers romantic genres that span continents, perspectives, preferences, and identities. These vibrant tales are unashamedly romantic.
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Craving a love story where a fake relationship finds itself becoming very real? Us too. Gotta love a great friends to lovers story.
Elle Jones, a professional astrologer dreaming of finding her soulmate. Darcy is the sister of a dating app creator. After a disastrous blind date the two would rather not spend time together. Actually, Darcy would rather avoid romance all together. Sadly, her brother can’t take no for an answer, so she lies and says that the date went well.
When Elle starts working with Darcy’s brother on his dating app, Darcy has to convince her to lie. Elle is reluctant, but agrees under one condition – Darcy has to bear with Elle’s family over the holidays. Little did they know that it’s hard to fake a relationship when you start to fall in love.
Last Tang Standing, by Lauren Ho
Andrea Tang’s life is perfect. She is a successful lawyer about to make partner. She has a nice condo, awesome friends, and can hit up the hottest clubs in Singapore. So what if she is the only member of her family who isn’t married. She doesn’t need a man.
Suddenly, after a chance encounter with the wealthy and witty Eric Deng, Andrea might be questioning that whole “needing” a man thing. Sure, she doesn’t NEED one, but having one might be nice. Her family approves of Eric after all. But just as Andrea starts contemplating the married life, her work rival starts stirring up trouble in the office.
Torn between having the life she wants and the life expected of her, Andrea has to decide what is really important. Part Crazy Rich Asians, part Bridget Jone’s Diary, this book is truly a romantic comedy.
The People We Meet on Vacation, by Emily Henry
For the last decade, Poppy and Alex have had the perfect friendship. After meeting in college, they realized that they’re made for each other. While their lives might keep the friends apart, Poppy living in New York City and Alex living in his small hometown, they stay close. But, most importantly, every year, they take a vacation together. Well, until two years ago.
Their last vacation ruined everything. They don’t even speak any more. A perfect friendship gone and Poppy is feeling the effects. When asked when the last time she was happy, her answer was the last time she was with Alex. So, determined to either mend the friendship or end it forever, Poppy convinces Alex to take one last trip.
The two friends will lay everything out on the table. They will speak their minds and tell each other the truth about that last trip. If only Poppy can let out a secret that has been hidden since the day they met.
The Dating Plan, by Sara Desai
What happens when a woman enters into a fake engagement with her childhood crush? What happens when a man enters into a fake engagement with a girl whose heart he broke nine years ago? Sparks fly, chaos ensues, and the rules of engagement get thrown out the window.
Daisy Patel is expected to get married. But in all honesty, she doesn’t care much for relationships. Her life is perfect just the way it is, but she is willing to make her family happy. Liam Murphy must get married to inherit his grandfather’s money. Luckily, Daisy and Liam know each other from childhood and agree to a fake relationship.
As it turns out, however, it’s hard to avoid real feelings in a fake relationship. As the two spend time together, they start to realize that their relationship might have too much history and not enough chemistry.
So, the next time you need to take a break from heavy reading, or at just looking for something fun and flirty, check out a romantic comedy. This is just a small sample of our favorites.
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