6 books of sweeping love stories for the romantics

If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a grown adult, it’s that fictional romance will forever be unmatched. Reading fictional romance is entirely an experience on its own. From the moment the main character meets their love interest till the end of the book, regardless of whether the book concludes on a happy note or a tragic one, we feel everything the protagonist feels. We experience the butterflies, the heart pumping just a beat faster, the need for them to meet again, the squeals and giggles when they confess to each other, the overwhelm when they kiss, the absolute tenderness or the wildness of their love that leaves you aching for more and last and worst, the whole experience leaves a deep hollow within you, desperately wanting to have the whole experience again for the first time. Whether you’re in a relationship or a single pringle, fictional romance is bound to have most of your attention. Here’s a list of books to transport you to an irresistible dimension of love and leave you craving for more.

1. Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson
Ramón Montez, a guy who collects ivy league degrees for hobby, is also the CEO of his father’s well known taco chain. He’s driven and always gets what he wants. We know the type! But Ramón’s world turns into blissful chaos when he happens to cross paths with a mystery senorita at the Día de Los Muertos party. It doesn’t take long for him to figure out who she is, but that’s where the story begins. Julieta Campos is celebrity chef who has done everything in her power to stay true to her family, her community and her culture by running her very own taqueira. So when she finds out the mystery man she was smitten with from the Day of the Dead party is none other than her enemy as well as her new landlord, the air thickens with nothing but building tension by the second. Ramón’s father had stolen Julieta’s mother’s taco recipe many years ago and their history dictates they hate each other for eternity, but the irresistible tension between them forces them to work together. Ramón and Julieta must find their balance as the communities of San Diego protest against the taco-king and the families divide. Dive into a delecious novel filled with yummy Mexican American food and a lovely star-crossed romance between Ramón and Julieta, written by Alana Quintana Albertson.

2. Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan
This is a perfect steamy romance story between an occult expert and archeologist, who absolutely despise each other. Riley Rhodes has always had a knack for the supernatual, something she inherited from her family. When she is finally presented with a chance to use her abilities to break a cure on an infamous Scottish castle, she determines to accomplish it. But to her abrupt disappointment, she is met with a handsome, yet aggravating stranger. Clark Edgeware is an archaeologist seeking for his final redemption and he was not going to let some self-proclaimed curse breaker to get in his way. So he tries his very best to get her fired but he fails at it. Riley does not let it pass. She takes it upon herself to give him a taste of his own medicine. Even though they vow to avoid each other or try to best the other, somehow, they keep coming back together, plenty steps closer every time. The tension of enmity between them somehow transforms into a steamy romance. They can fool around for the time being, but if they aren’t watchful, it may not be just the castle that ends up in ruins. A thrilling, fierce and adventurous story authored by Rosie Danan.

3. The Neighbour Favor by Kristina Forest
Lily Greene comes from a family where everyone is a high achiever who try to attain Black excellence. Compared to them, she feels inadequate, stuck as a published author in the non-fiction section with no promotion for years now. She’s something of an introvert, shy and awkward with a sparkly dream of one day becoming an editor of children’s book. Lily finds escapism in her correspondence with her favourite fantasy author. Their conversations soon develop into something much more than just words of exchange between a fan and an author until he ghosts her. A few months later, still trying her best to take charge of her life, Lily figures she needs a date for her sister’s wedding. She happens to come across Nick Brown, her attractive new neighbour. For reasons she can’t explain, she is completely magnetic towards this man who just moved in next door. What she doesn’t know is, Nick Brown is her favorite fantasy author who uses his pen name. Nick too soon realizes that Lily is the same person he had fallen in love with over the email exchange months ago. In his attempt to not complicate things more than they already are, he tries to set Lily up with someone else, but he soon realizes the flaw in the plan. Nick cannot stop thinking about Lily. If you’re one for a gentle and tender romance read, Kristina Forest’s ‘The Neighbour Favor’ will leave you wanting to read it all over again.

4. Exes and O’s by Amy Lea
Tara Chen, a romance books savant has had ten bad breakups with ten different men. Her hopes of finding the one true love through a meet cute died slowly with all her past relationships. She’s a romantic, a little dramatic and a ‘stage-five clinger’ in relationships as described by her exes. Still determined to find ‘the one’, Tara embarks on a different approach. Second chances! Her aim is to secure her very own trope-worthy romance by reconnecting with her exes with the help of her new roommate Trevor Metcalfe. Trevor is a fire fighter who would rather walk through the flames with no precautions than seek love. In his quest to get Tara her romance with her exes, the roommates are slowly dawned with feelings for each other as Tara realizes he accepts every bit of her with lots of love and respect and vice versa. Do they seize the moment and confess their feelings for each other or in vain lose themselves in all the chaos? Read and find out for yourself.. A funny and lovely rom-com novel authored by Amy Lea.

5. Role Playing by Cathy Yardley
Maggie is a forty-eight-year-old single mom with a college aged son whom she wouldn’t stop advising to be more social. He strikes her deal that he’d be more social if she does the same. He signs her up for an online gaming guild led by a player named Otter. And just to clarify, Maggie’s gaming name is Bogwitch. Otter, according to Maggie is a college student like her son, but little does she know that Otter is Aiden, a fifty-year-old man who comes online as a form of therapy to escape the family drama that screws up his reality. And Aiden here thinks Bogwitch is an eighty-year-old lady. Finally when they meet each other face-to-face, they are equally taken aback, shocked and massively attracted to each other. But, Maggie’s previous relationships have left her bitter and Aiden has got some messy past himself. Does Otter and Bogwitch make the sparks burn brighter or do they extinguish it in fear of a much more painful heart break? Ride along a delightful journey of finding love between Maggie and Aiden, a perfect romance fiction authored by Cathy Yardley.

6. Raiders of the lost heart by Jo Segura
Corrie Mejia’s life ambition is to go on an expedition through the Mexican jungle in search of the lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec warrior. Best part is, she gets to lead the exact expedition she’s been dreaming of, worst part is, she must lead alongside her nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews. Corrie and Ford have always tried to best each other since grad school. Neither of them were eager about having to share this moment with each other but obstacles along their journey forces both of them to work together because even though they despise each other, they trust them more than anyone. With artifact smugglers and the Mexican authorities closing in on them, they must protect their discoveries and above all they might have to get under each other’s skin to know themselves. Transport yourself on a crazy yet wonderful journey through the Mexican Jungle along with Corrie and Dr. Ford as the discover the lost remains of Chimalli and their feelings for each other. A beautiful tale written by Jo Segura.