Romance Recs You’ll Love
Life is hard. Sometimes you just need to read about people falling in love.
June 8, 2020
Life is hard. Sometimes you just need to read about people falling in love.
All of these books are available for immediate download on hoopla—free with your library card! We’re big fans of the hoopla app; it’s easy to use, and you don’t need to wait for holds. For even more ebooks and audiobooks, check out OverDrive.
So get comfy, grab some hot chocolate—or a glass of wine—and enjoy these romance titles!
Audiobooks
About A Dog
Jenn McKinlay
Mackenzie Mac Harris fled her hometown of Bluff Point, Maine after being left at the altar and seeking solace in the arms of her best-friend’s off-limits brother, Gavin. Seven years later, she’s back to attend her best-friend’s wedding, and she figures she’s safe now from the mistakes of her youth. But Gavin, the town’s veterinarian, has never forgotten the woman who has always held his heart. And when Mac rescues a stray puppy named Tulip, only Gavin can help.
After
Anna Todd
Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way. But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to. But he’s also rude-to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does-until she finds herself alone with him in his room.
Beach Town
Mary Kay Andrews
As a movie location scout, picture-perfect is the name of the game. But her last project literally went up in flames, and her career is on the verge of flaming out. Greer has been given one more chance, if she can find the perfect undiscovered beach hideaway for a big-budget movie. She zeroes in on a sleepy Florida panhandle town called Cypress Key. There’s just one problem. Eben Thibadeaux, the town mayor, completely objects to Greer’s plan.
Dark Prince
Christine Feehan
Enter the enchanting world of the Carpathians,where dark adventure, mystery, and love await,and the desires of two daring hearts unite in one irresistible passion. A telepathic hunter of serial killers, Raven Whitney helps to catch some of the most depraved criminals. But her work keeps her from getting closet others, and has drained her body and spirit. In need of rest and rejuvenation, she embarks for vacation far from home.
Dead Witch Walking
Kim Harrison
Rachel Morgan is a witch, one of the many who revealed themselves after a genetically engineered virus wiped out 50 percent of humanity. Witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolves-the creatures of dreams and nightmares have lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But now they’ve stopped hiding, and nothing will be the same. On the run with a contract on her head, this witch is way out of her league. To clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crimelord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death…not to mention her own roommate!
Flamingo Diner
Sherryl Woods
Flamingo Diner has always been a friendly place where everyone knows your name. Unfortunately, in the small town of Winter Cove, Florida, it is also the place where everyone knows everything about you. As a teenager, Emma Killian didn’t recognize what a remarkable business her family had created, and so she moved away. Now her father’s tragic death has brought her home to face a mountain of secrets, debts and questions about why and how her beloved father died.
The Hating Game
Sally Thorne
Debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with a hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love. Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome. 2) A person’s undoing 3) Joshua Templeman Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.
Insatiable
Meg Cabot
Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper. But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them. Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die. (Not that you’re going to believe her. No one ever does.) But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets-then makes the mistake of falling in love with Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side.
The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases-a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with as well as way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old. It doesn’t help that she has Asperger’s and that French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. She decides that she needs lots of practice-with a professional-which is why she hires escort Michael Phan.
Maybe Someday
Colleen Hoover
At 22 years old, Sydney has a great life: She’s in college; working a steady job; in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter; and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter’s cheating on her – and she is left trying to decide what to do next. Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to his playing his guitar every day out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either.
Must Love Dogs
Claire Cook
Life after divorce for Sarah Hurlihy consists of juggling her job as a preschool teacher and the demands of her interfering family. Then her bossy big sister decides to place a personal ad for her, and the unexpected becomes a daily event. Everybody wants Sarah to put the past behind her and take a bold step towards a fresh start. But when Sarah winds up with a lot of new men and rambunctious dogs in her life, she wonders whether those mindless evenings sitting alone and watching TV reruns were really so bad.
The Next Best Thing
Jennifer Weiner
Actors aren’t the only ones trying to make it in Hollywood… At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders left her childhood home in Massachusetts and headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to make it as a screenwriter. Six years later, she hits the jackpot when she gets The Call: her sitcom has gotten the green light. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on her boss, and her grandmother’s impending nuptials.
Nosy Neighbor
Fern Michaels
Lucy Baker walks away from her high-flying legal career when she successfully defends yet another heinous criminal. Leaving New York City for the suburbs, tending her garden and her dog, Lucy is making future plans with her fiancé, Jonathan St. Clair – and getting acquainted with her neighbors, including the handsome, exasperating one next door, Wylie Wilson. But when FBI special agents confront Lucy with shocking revelations about her fiancé’s secret double life, everything about her husband-to-be is cast in suspicion.
On A Night Like This
Barbara Freethy
Smokejumper Aiden Callaway never questioned his job until a fire took the life of his friend, Kyle, and left Aiden with injuries and fractured memories. Sara had always been untouchable, sweet, innocent, his sister’s best friend, and the girl next door. However, one reckless night in their youth took their relationship to a new level. Sara has never forgiven or forgotten the way Aiden brought it crashing down, but she’s no longer that girl with the crazy crush. She’s a woman in search of her own truth.
Playing For Keeps
Jill Shalvis
When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark-the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s yoga pants, he’s a suit. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie. Caleb doesn’t do emotions. He’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before-not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Jane Austen’s classic romantic comedy is the sparkling tale of the Bennets, a family blessed with five daughters and a mother desperate to marry them off. The tempestuous pairing of the witty, independent Elizabeth and her arrogant but honorable suitor Mr. Darcy sets the standard for all great couples of stage and screen.
Read by Kate Burton Read by Rosalyn Landor Read by Julia McIlvaine
Smitten
Colleen Coble
The proposed closing of the lumber mill comes as unwelcome news for the citizens of Smitten. How will the town survive without its main employer? A close-knit group of women think they’ve got just the plan to save Smitten. They’ll capitalize on its name and turn it into a tourist destination for lovers complete with sweet shops, a high-end spa, romantic music on the square, and cabins outfitted with fireplaces and hot tubs. But is this manly town ready for an influx of romantically-minded guests?
Suddenly You
Lisa Kleypas
She was unmarried, untouched, and almost thirty, but novelist Amanda Briars wasn’t about to greet her next birthday without making love to a man. When he appeared at her door, she believed he was her gift to herself, hired for one night of passion. Unforgettably handsome, irresistibly virile, he tempted her in ways she never thought possible… but something stopped him from completely fulfilling her dream.
Welcome to Moonlight Harbor
Sheila Roberts
Once happily married, Jenna Jones is about to turn forty, and this year for her birthday she’s getting a divorce. She’s barely able to support herself and her teenage daughter, but now her deadbeat artist ex is hitting her up for spousal support… and then spending it on his “other” woman. When she gets a very unexpected gift from her Great-Aunt Edie, things seem to be taking a turn for the better. Aging aunt Edie is finding it difficult to keep up her business running The Driftwood Inn, so she invites Jenna to come live with her and run the place. Aunt Edie is confident they can return it to its former glory, though Jenna feels like she’s jumped from the proverbial frying pan into the beach fire.
Within Reach
Barbara Delinsky
The vacation house was meant to be a retreat for Danica Lindsay and her husband Blake, a place where they could mend the wounds of a strained and tired marriage. Instead, she finds herself mostly there alone while Blake’s political star is rapidly rising back in Boston. Were it not for the companionship of her new neighbor, gentle and caring Michael Buchanan, Danica would surely be overcome by loneliness and despair. But a friendship that is cherished and uplifting is slowly transforming into something less innocent, more passionate-something that could easily be called love.
You Say It First
Susan Mallery
Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks-mainly the venue’s captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won’t let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he’s all in. When a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her.
Standout Authors
Mary Kay Andrews
Mary Kay Andrews is The New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House Cookbook and 24 novels, including The Weekenders, Ladies’ Night, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, and Savannah Blues. A former journalist for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English writer focusing mainly on romantic fiction, and society and life in the 19th century. Austen’s titles are revered around the world and still widely sought after. Austen had her family encouraging her throughout her writing career. She originally published her writing anonymously. Austen’s novels include: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion.
Robyn Carr
Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series. Robyn and her husband live in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr’s website at www.RobynCarr.com.
Colleen Coble
Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author and RITA finalist best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.
Samantha Chase
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 27 years and their two sons in North Carolina.
Tessa Dare
Tessa Dare is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen historical romances. A librarian by training and a book-lover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a pair of cosmic kittens.
Jude Deveraux
Jude Deveraux is the author of more than forty New York Times bestsellers, including Moonlight in the Morning, The Scent of Jasmine, Scarlet Nights, Days of Gold, Lavender Morning, Return to Summerhouse, and Secrets. To date, there are more than sixty million copies of her books in print worldwide. To learn more, visit JudeDeveraux.com.
Barbara Delinsky
Barbara Delinsky, a lifelong New Englander, was a sociologist and photographer before she began to write. There are more than 30 million copies of her books in print.
Barbara Freethy
Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 68 novels. Traditionally published for many years, in 2011 Barbara began self-publishing and has sold over 8 million eBooks. In 2014 she was named the Amazon KDP bestselling Author of ALL TIME! Twenty-three of her titles have appeared on the NY Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Barbara writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction. She is known for writing emotional and compelling stories that include love, mystery, family, secrets, and often a little suspense.
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Sherrilyn Kenyon is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with more than twenty-five million copies of her books in print in over one hundred countries. Her fiction series include the Dark-Hunters, The League, Deadman’s Cross, Chronicles of Nick, Hellchasers, Mikrochasers, and the Lords of Avalon.
Jayne Ann Krentz
The author of over fifty New York Times bestsellers, Jayne Ann Krentz writes romantic suspense in three different worlds: contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick), and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over thirty-five million copies of her books in print.
Sarah Maclean
A life-long romance reader, Sarah Maclean wrote her first romance novel on a dare, and never looked back. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, the host of the romance novel podcast Fated Mates, and a columnist for The Washington Post, where she writes about the romance genre. She lives in New York City.
Susan Mallery
#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives-family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.
Brenda Novak
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has penned over 45 novels. A two-time Rita nominee, she’s won The National Reader’s Choice, The Bookseller’s Best, The Bookbuyer’s Best and many other awards. She runs an annual online auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com. To date, she’s raised over $2 million. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.
Susan Wiggs
Susan Wiggs’s life is all about family, friends… and fiction. She lives at the water’s edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers’ group in a 21-foot motorboat. From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages.
Lori Wilde
Lori Wilde is the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers’ Weekly bestselling author of 87 works of romantic fiction. She’s a three-time Romance Writers’ of America RITA finalist and has four times been nominated for Romantic Times Readers’ Choice Award. She has won numerous other awards as well. Her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than four million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her breakout novel, The First Love Cookie Club, has been optioned for a TV movie. Lori is a registered nurse with a BSN from Texas Christian University. She holds a certificate in forensics and is also a certified yoga instructor. A fifth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World