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book recs

As romance writers, we like to recommend books each episode that correspond to our topic. We hope you find something new to read among this list!

Writing Craft:

Emotional Wounds Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma by Becca Pugsli and Angela Ackerman

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

Be a Sex Writing Strumpet by Stacia Kane

7 Figure Fiction: How to Use Universal Fantasy to Sell Your Books to Anyone by Theodora Taylor

New to Romance:

Beach Read by Emily Henry
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Bad Neighbor by Molly O'Keefe

Forbidden Love/Fated Mate Romance:
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles

Badass B*itch Queen Romance:
Rock Chick Regret by Kristen Ashley
If I'm Being Honest by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegmund-Broka
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz

Out of the Box Romance:

Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M Nascosta

Omega from the Ocean by Amy Bellows

#ownvoices Romance:
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

London Royal by Nana Malone

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Glitterland by Alexis Hall

Five-star Romance:
Work For It by Talia Hibbert
Glitterland by Alexis Hall
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Wounded Hero Romance:
Garrick by Theresa Beachman
Losing it by Cora Carmack
Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale

Paranormal Romance (c/o Goblin):
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Dark Lover by JR Ward
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Bromance Romance:
Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare

Lover Revealed by JR Ward

Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

Horror With Romantic Elements:
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
Safe in Your Fire by Darien Cox

Romance With Great Kissing:
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers
Last Hit by Jen Frederick and Jessica Clare

Zombie/Forced Proximity Romance (c/o Train to Busan):
On the Island, Tracy Garvis Grey

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Daring Fate by Megan Erickson 

 

Hero Who Goes All In On His Love Interest:
The AI Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole
Sleepless Over You By Sydney Smyth
Protecting What's His by Tessa Bailey

New Adult Romance:
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The Bronze Horseman Paullina Simons

The Edge of Never by JA Redmerski

 

Historical Romance:

Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne

The Dark Lord by Kathryn Le Veque

 

Romance Books That Make Us Fangirl:
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Flowers From The Storm by Laura Kinsale
Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley

 

The SML Stole Our Heart:
The Spindle Cove Series by Tessa Dare

Grishaverse trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Her Forbidden Hero by Laura Kaye

Quiet Romance:
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Truly by Ruthie Knox

Liberating Lacey by Anne Calhoun

If Only by A.J Pine

 

Favorite Villains:
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat 

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin (Jaime Lannister)

Time Traveling Romance:
The Viking Wants Forever by Koko Brown
The Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Cyborg/Alien Romance:

The Drixonian Warrior series by Ella Maven (Megan's alter-ego)
Aliens Among Us series by Tiffany Roberts

Dash (The Cyborg Chronicles) by Kelsey Nicole Price

 

Second Chance at First Love:

Last First Kiss by Lia Riley

Starter Romance

Jill Shalvis

 

Poor Little Rich Boy Romance:

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Upside Down by Lia Riley

Filthy Rich Americans Series by Nikki Sloane

 

Male Author Who Writes Women Right:
Passion by Jude Morgan

 

Romantic Suspense:
Stacy Abrams writing as Selena Montgomery

Favorite Heroine:

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

 

Psychopathic Hero (c/o Flower of Evil):
Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells

Cat Books (c/o Imaginary Cat):

Changing His Game by Megan Erickson

My One and Only Cowboy by A.J. Pine

Non-binary MC:
Every Day by David Levithan

MMA Hero:
Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille

Hero We Would Marry:
Joe Callahan from At Peace by Kristen Ashley


 Amnesia:
The River Leith by Leta Blake

What Alice Forgot

 

Ugly Cry:
One Day by David Nicholls

 

Hooked Us from Page One:
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Heroine Complex by Sara Kuhn

Romance Fandom:
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

Quirky Romance:

Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score

 

Doctor/Medical Romance:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

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