Andrea’s Book Nook: Five light-hearted romance book recommendations
By Andrea Silva Santisteban Fort, August 13 2021—
I am of the opinion that romantic comedies can be one of the most entertaining types of books there are, as they are typically lighthearted and can be an effective tool to unwind after a stressful day. So, with this in mind, I wanted to recommend five light-hearted romance books. Happy reading!
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Olive Torres is her sister Ami’s identical twin and, although they look alike, they are complete opposites. Olive believes in luck and sees herself as the victim of every unfortunate scenario possible. Ami, on the other hand, is the lucky twin who wins a free wedding and honeymoon. However, a case of bad seafood served at the reception leads to everyone in attendance getting food poisoning — except for Olive and her sworn enemy, Ethan, the groom’s brother. The bride and groom are so ill, they are not able to go on their own honeymoon. Since it is a non-refundable free trip, the newlyweds insist that Olive and Ethan pretend to be them and go in their place.
This results in Olive and Ethan going on a romantic holiday together, each deciding that the benefits of a free trip to the island of Maui exceed any cons a ten-day trip with a person they can’t stand could bring. To avoid any potential charges of fraud, Olive and Ethan have to pretend to be married and in love which leads to many hilarious situations and adventures. This book is a lighthearted and entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance. There are really sweet and funny moments as they go through a lot of activities, get to really know each other and realize they may have been misjudging each other from the start.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Thorne’s debut novel is about Lucy, a twenty-eight-year-old who works for a publishing company that recently merged with another enterprise. This leaves her sitting across from Josh, a super tall and broody guy from the other company. They have been working with each other for a while when the story begins and it’s clear that they have become rivals in their workplace. This situation only worsens after an announcement for a promotion that requires them to compete against each other. This brings in all the humorous situations and witty banter you can imagine.
Despite the competition, the tension between them increases and neither of them can deny their attraction to the other anymore. Lucy is Josh’s polar opposite. She is quirky, sweet and tries hard to get everyone to like her. Josh appears to be cold-hearted and cocky, but it’s clear that there is more to his story than his hard appearance. I really enjoyed his character development as the book progressed. As the plot develops, their chemistry becomes tangible and I could not get enough of it. If you are looking for an office romance, this is a great and entertaining option.
The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel
This book tells the story of Liya and Jay. Liya is a successful biochemical engineer who does not need a man. When her traditional Indian parents ambush her at their family dinner by inviting Jay and his mother, Liya makes a quick escape. Unfortunately for her, the next week, she finds out that Jay is the new lawyer at her office. Despite their not-so-meet-cute, Jay and Liya have to work together to save the company.
Liya’s cold attitude and the walls she puts up are the results of a betrayal she suffered that left her shunned by her own family. She has become the black sheep in her traditional Hindu community both by choice and because she was once made a victim by those who should have protected her. Jay is a successful lawyer who does not blindly believe gossip but gets to know people and their stories for himself. This book deals with a lot of issues that surround stereotypes in traditional family settings. Reading this story can be an educating experience, but please keep in mind that this book might be triggering as it discusses sexual abuse. I think the subject is touched on in a delicate way, but I’d still like to warn any potential readers.
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
This book starts by introducing baseball player, Gavin Scott, at the lowest time in his life. His wife of three years, Thea, has told him she wants a divorce. As he tries to drink himself into oblivion, he is interrupted by his best friends who welcome him into their reading club — a group formed by men who read romance novels in order to understand what women think and want. Although skeptical at first, Gavin quickly realizes that this book club might be the only way to get his family back. He is determined to woo his wife and make her fall for him once again. This is done in an entertaining and endearing way and I like how the baggage of this relationship is shown to the reader.
The book has some heartbreaking but engaging situations that get you to understand the reasons behind Thea’s request for a divorce. Nevertheless, the couple is obviously meant to be together and end up overcoming their difficulties. This is a marriage-in-distress romance that is part of a series of four standalone books that tell the story of different members of the reading club.
- Shipped by Angie Hockman
Shipped is Hockman’s debut novel with an enemies-to-lovers romance premise. It tells the story of two co-workers, Henley and Graeme, who are competing for a promotion with the cruise line they work for. Henley has worked with Graeme since he joined their company a year ago and she can not stand him. When they meet in person, after only interacting through phone calls and video conferences, Henley realizes that Graeme is not the guy she thought he was and that he may prove to be a major distraction.
The book follows their story as they compete for the same work opportunity while cruising through the Galapagos. This romantic comedy is light and easy, however, it also touches on some serious topics such as sexual harassment and the consequences of a toxic work environment. This is a great mix between The Hating Game and The Unhoneymooners.