Romance Novellas

Novellas are great for a lot of reasons. 

I love to squeeze them in between longer reads as a break, they’re perfect if you’re trying to reach a reading goal, they work wonders if your attention span isn’t great (especially during busy times such as the holiday season).

For whatever reason you have for reading them, here are quite a few options. Some I’ve read, some were recommended to me by others.

Contemporary

  • Denise Williams – Love and Other Flight Delays (3 novellas bound into one)
  • Rachel Lacey – Out of the Blue 
  • Suleikha Snyder – Tikka Chance on Me 
  • Devney Perry – Timeless 
  • Rilzy Adams – Treble 
  • Evie Mitchell – Knot My Type
  • Tessa Bailey – The Sweetest Fix 
  • Chelle Sloan – Thirst Trap 
  • Jenny Bunting – Safe With You
  • Penny Reid – Live and Let Grow

Historical

  • Erin Langston – A Day Until Forever 
  • Beverly Jenkins – A Prisoner of love 
  • Alyssa Cole – Let It Shine 
  • Courtney Milan – A Governess Affair
  • Mimi Matthews – A Holiday by Gaslight  
  • Erin Langston – Some Winter’s Evening
  • Felicity Niven – Duke the Halls 
  • Nicola Davidson- Her Virgin Duke 
  • Tessa Dare – When She Was Naughty 
  • Megan Frampton – The Earl’s Christmas Pearl

Audible Originals

  • Rebekah  Weatherspoon – A Walk In The Park 
  • Cara Bastone – Sweet Talk 
  • Kennedy Ryan – Coming Home
  • A Thief in the Night- KJ Charles
  • Michelle Stimson – Let It Snow 
  • Codi Hall – Along Came Holly
  • Karen Schaler – Once Upon a Christmas Carol 
  • Mahi Cheshire – Whisked Away At Christmas

Monster Romance

  • Lucy Eden – Bear with Me
  • Monster Pucker – Clio Evans & Ashley Bennett
  • Honey Phillips – Her Alien Farmhand
  • Ruby Dixon – Ice Planet Barbarians

Series Starters

  • Claire Kingsley – Protecting You
  • Max Monroe – Gotta Have Fate
  • Elsie Silver – Out of the gate
  • Devney Perry – Christmas in Quincy

Christmas I’ve read and recommend:

  • Talia Hibbert – Merry Inkmas
  • Devney Perry – Holiday Brothers (3 novellas) 
  • Lucy Score – One Night Only
  • Chloe Liese – Mistletoe Motive 
  • Melanie Harlow – Baby it’s cold outside
  • J Saman – Just One Kiss 
  • JR Jenner – One Week With You 
  • Talia Hibbert – Wrapped Up In You
  • Katie Reus- How the Hitman Stole Christmas
  • Melissa Ivers – Mistletoe and Mischief

Christmas recommended to me by others:

  • Hannah Bonam-Young – Set the Record Straight
  • Rilzy Adams – Spiked Hot Chocolate
  • Kate Clayborn – Missing Christmas 
  • Wren K Morris – From Cocktails to Sleigh Bells 
  • Rachel Holm – Carry Me Through Christmas
  • Carrie Aarons – A Wonderful Lie 
  • Stacey Kennedy Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
  • Oona Grace- Santa’s Broken Toy
  • Dirty Santa – Daphne Loveling 
  • The Christmas Blanket – Kandi Steiner 
  • Exes and Ho Ho Hos – Pippa Grant 
  • Gingerbread Kisses – Lucy Eden

2023 releases on my TBR:

  • Ilsa Madden Mills – Christmas Cupid
  • Victoria Wilder – December Midnights
  • Jessica Joyce – A Risk Worth Taking
  • Ann Einerson – If You Give A Grump A Holiday Wishlist
  • Echo Grayce – Provoking Saint Nick
  • Maren Moore – A Festive Feud
  • Nellie Wilson – Corporate Mandated Holiday Romance
  • Adriana Herrera – Run Darling

Extra Spicy

  • Naima Simone – Only For A Night
  • Katee Robert  – Your Dad Will Do
  • Molly Doyle – Scream for Us
  • Briana Michaels – Glitch
  • Eve Dangerfield – Dysfunctional
  • Kayla Grosse – Trick Shot 
  • Eliza McClane – Santa Baby
  • Katee Robert – Gifting Me to His Best Friend

Kissing Only

  • Jenny Proctor – The Christmas Letters
  • Summer Dowell – The Elle Project
  • Cindy Steel – A Christmas Spark
  • Hailey Gardner – The Holiduel

New Years

  • Tessa Bailey – Same time next year 
  • Kathryn Nolan- Keep You Both 
  • MJ Duncan – Champagne Kisses 
  • G Marie – Snowed in Fling 
  • Erin McClellan – Party Favors 
  • Sara Ney – New Years Steve 
  • Alexandria House A New Year New Boo? 
  • JL Sterling – Kissing My Coworker

Bonus – Even More

Authors who have a lot of novellas:

  • Kat Baxter (insta-love)
  • Cassie Mint (insta-love)
  • TS Joyce (shifters)
  • Honey Phillips (aliens/monsters)

Novella Series

  • ST Abby – Mind*ck
  • Adriana Herrera – Toy Runners (3 books)
  • Aurora Rose Reynolds – Adventures in Love (3 books)
  • Evie Mitchell – Capricorn Cove (10 books)
  • Annabeth Albert – Portland Heat (6 books)
  • Jackie Lau – Holidays with the Wongs (4 books)
  • Ruby Dixon – Risdaverse (11 books, I think two are not novellas)
  • Multi authored – Bold Brew (10 books)
  • Jillian Dodd – Kitty Valentine (9 books)
  • Brook Blaine – The Elite (3 books)
  • Kendall Ryan – Hitched (3 books)

Not technically novella but short and very bingeable:

  • KA Tucker – The Wolf Hotel (5 books)
  • KA Tucker – Empire Night Club (4 books)
  • Ruby Dixon – Ice Planet Barbarians, Ice Home
  • Amber Kelly – Poplar Falls (6 books)
  • Rebekah Weatherspoon – Loose Ends (2 books)
  • Devney Perry – Runaway (5 books)

Among the Heather

Among the Heather is out now! I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love returning to Ardnoch! This world the author has built is my favorite – so cozy, so beautiful, so atmospheric. Among the Heather is book two in The Highlands series, which is a spin off of the Adair Family series.

In this we have characters we’ve met in the previous books – Aria, who is managing Ardnoch for Lachlan, and North, an up and coming hollywood star who’s laying low at Ardnoch after a scandal breaks about his past. The two are immediately attracted to each other but Aria, whose father is an extremely famous movie director, is distrustful of actors after being used by so many of them to try to get to her father. But, throw in a bit of forced proximity, a meddling sister, and intense chemistry and the two start a “no strings” affair … but will it turn into more? 

I loved both characters – Aria is so prickly but in an understandable way given her past. I loved her journey to self acceptance and her relationship with her family. I always love when we get a curvy heroine! North is just a superstar book boyfriend – so supportive, so loving, so open and willing to communicate his feelings. He definitely falls first and he made me cry at one point and I’m not usually a crier so that shows how much I love him.

There’s also a good bit of steam, some suspense, a gorgeous setting, and great secondary characters. I love this book, this series, this world, and this author. Definitely recommend!

Make Believe Match

This was such an enjoyable marriage of convenience romance! 

It’s a one night stand turned more when Lexi discovers the man she had a wild night with turns out to be none other than the man trying to buy out her family’s ski resort. She’s convinced he seduced her on purpose, but things take a turn when he offers to marry her so she can inherit the resort and he can get payback to his former employer. 

It has everything I love about marriage of convenience – the forced proximity, the tension (which these two give in to often), the “wife” nickname. I loved both characters – Devlin is so charming and confident but in a non-toxic way, and Lexi is so spunky and determined to save her family’s resort. The two had such a fun relationship with so much chemistry, and I loved the way Devlin supported her to help make her dream come true.

It’s a Melanie Harlow book so of course it’s very spicy but also funny and full of heart. We get plenty of Buckley family time, and also the fun addition of Winnie from Ignite as Lexi’s friend. This has been my favorite of the series so far and I’m still looking forward to the rest of the Buckley’s stories!

Side note – I have seen some reviews calling it enemies to lovers and I don’t think that’s quite true. She doesn’t like him at the beginning but he always likes her so it’s one-sided at best.

One Chance

Happy Monday! One Chance by Lena Hendrix is out today. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

It was so good to be back in Outtatowner and with the Sullivan family. We’ve seen playboy firefighter Lee and his bestie Annie circle around each other in previous books, and this was their time to shine. I don’t love the friends to lovers trope in general but I have to say – what an excellent friends to lovers romance! 

The two have been friends for a long time, continually insisting they’re just friends to everyone, until the town’s Matchmaker Gala inspires Lee to bid on a series of dates with Annie. It starts off as sort of fake dating but quickly turns to more as Lee tries to prove to Annie it’s been real between them all along.

There were some angstier elements to this one that I wasn’t expecting but loved. The two have a somewhat complicated history and I was curious how that would play out. It’s all mixed in with lots of humor and I love that quirky town and its residents. 

This has quickly become one of my favorite small town series and I’m so looking forward to Duke’s story! And then hopefully the Kings’ stories!

Shadows of You

It’s Roan day! 🧭

Finally we get Roan’s story! I’ve been waiting for this since the beginning of the series and it did not disappoint. We’ve seen Roan as the solitary, sort of outsider of the Hartley family and it was so wonderful to see him find the place where he belongs.

Aspen is in hiding with her daughter due to reasons we find out as the story unfolds, and when danger yet again arrives at her door, Roan is there to protect her even if that means sleeping on her couch and being attacked by her cat. 

I loved watching that grumpy loner fall for both Aspen and Cady. The relationship between Cady and Mr Grizz was just so precious. I also loved watching Roan start to open up to his family after seeing him as such a closed off guy during the series, and I loved how easily and wholly the Hartley’s accepted Aspen and Cady into their fold. 

The suspense will keep you guessing, the romance will have you swooning, and the Hartley antics will have you laughing out loud. An excellent edition to the series!

Obsession Falls

Happy Thursday! Today we are lucky because a new Claire Kingsley book has released. I am doubly lucky because I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This was such a sweet small town romance! It’s got all my favorite things – grumpy/sunshine, characters in their 30s, forced proximity, quirky small town, and a good dose of romantic suspense. 

It’s a slow burn as they move from strangers to friends to lovers and I loved watching how they melted for each other, especially Josiah because what’s better than a stoic man who is perfectly happy on his own falling for a quirky sunshine woman?

Though this is a spin off of the Bailey Brothers (which is a spin off of the Miles family) you could definitely read this one as a standalone. That being said, it sure was wonderful being back in Tilikum with all its weird residents and squirrels. I never thought I’d be rooting for the Havens but I can’t wait for more of these brothers!

I’m Your Guy

Happy Tuesday! I’m Your Guy by Sarina Bowen released today, I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This is a heartwarming, kick your feet and giggle kind of romance between grumpy very closeted hockey player Tommaso and sunshiney very out interior designer Carter. Tommaso’s mother is visiting for Christmas and he wants his (entirely empty) townhouse to be perfect for her visit so he hires Carter to transform his place.

Carter is having a rough patch both personally and professionally so this opportunity is a lifeline for him, but I love how he still knows his worth in the relationship as they move slowly from client/professional to friends to lovers. 

The two were such opposites, I love how they accepted each other so wholly despite their differences. Tommaso was so stoic & broody, afraid to be his true self due his unsupportive extended family while Carter was so outgoing, confident, and comfortable with himself. 

It just felt so warm and cozy and just filled my heart with joy. I love the whole Cougars team and the flashes of Bruisers we got to see. 

If you’ve read Roommate by the author and loved those vibes you will surely love this one too! But if you haven’t read Sarina Bowen before you could absolutely read this one as a standalone – I don’t ever say that lightly because I hate feeling like I’m missing something but you really could read this by itself. 

The audiobook has me intrigued too, Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan? Okay!

I Wish I Knew Then

Like a cold glass of sweet tea on a warm summer’s day, I Wish I Knew Then is a refreshing and very southern treat.

Riley and Louise had a whirlwind summer relationship when they were 18, only for Riley to unceremoniously dump Lu at the end of summer. It’s ten years later and the two run into each other at their respective best friend’s wedding, and Riley decides not to let Lu get away this time. 

Riley was a man determined, he sacrificed for love once before and wouldn’t make that mistake again. Louise is fresh off a long term relationship and not so sure she’s ready to start something new, especially with the man who broke her heart ten years before. 

It’s a very sexy story, full of exploration and rekindled feelings, but it’s also a warm and cozy story about a small touristy southern town and the wedding the two were brought together for. It’s also brimming with food descriptions that had my mouth watering as is common with any Jessica Peterson. Oh, and butt stuff. 

It’s a fairly low angst story, just a sweet second story with a lot of spice. I enjoyed it a lot! 

The Stars Are On Our Side

Happy Tuesday! The Stars Are On Our Side is out today. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interconnected standalone based in the same world as Still Beating and Lotus, and I do absolutely recommend reading those first. We first met Tabitha in Still Beating and fell in love with Gabe in Lotus (I did anyway) and I’ve been very excited for their story!

This is an emotional friends to lovers, unrequited love romance that will pull at your heartstrings and take you on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s told in dual timelines, taking us back to Earl’s basement in a series of flashbacks, as well as showing us where Tabitha is today and how the effects of her trauma impact her every day.

Gabe is such a sweetheart, I loved him so much in Lotus and loved him even more here. He was so so so good  and kind and loving and patient. Tabitha has been through so much in her short life and I just felt so much for her. 

It didn’t pack quite as emotional of a punch for me as Still Beating and Lotus, or at least it didn’t have me feeling emotionally distraught for days after – but to be fair it would be hard to top those. The conflict and drama (as hinted in the blurb) did kind of drive me insane but whatever. It was still great to be back in that world and hanging out with Oliver, Sydney, and Cora!

I definitely recommend this one as long as you’ve read the first two!

The Best Laid Plans

The Best Laid Plans releases tomorrow, thank you Montlake for the ARC.

This was such an enjoyable romance! It was perhaps a little more grief heavy than I was anticipating, but I enjoyed how emotional it was.

Burke is recently retired from the NFL due to an injury when he gets the news his best friend has tragically passed in a car accident and left him his grandparent’s mansion which is in massive need of a renovation. All Burke wants to do in his unplanned forced retirement is relax with his family in Florida, so a stressful project halfway across the country doesn’t appeal to him.

The house comes with a project manager in charge of the renovation who convinces him to keep the house and oversee the reno in honor of his best friend who wanted the house returned to its former glory. Burke and Charlotte temporarily move in together in the carriage house on the property and immediately butt heads. I enjoyed the sparks and banter between them and their slow burn relationship.  I also really enjoyed their families and the set up for the next book sounds great!

Overall it was a good read, I really enjoyed the setting and the home preservation and I look forward to the next book!