I read A LOT of romance books this year. I think it was just the lure of something comforting to escape from the horror of the real world this year. There were some amazing romance books and some real stinkers. These are my top five romance reads from the year!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
😭😭😭💎💎💎💘
Evelyn Hugo was my favorite book this year. I talked about it extensively in my November recap and my feelings haven’t changed. I still start to tear up when I think about it. It’s so so so good. You should read it.
In Five Years by Rebecca Searle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️/5
😭😭💘
I read this book pretty early in 2020 and it stayed in my top spot until Evelyn in November. It’s such a unique premise and I thought it was beautifully done. Dannie gets a glimpse into her future in five years and it's not what she expected; we follow her as she discovers what the interceding five years hold for her. While there is some romance, the friendship that is at the core of this novel is what really got me. I sobbed so hard when I finished it. Rebecca Searle’s other adult novel The Dinner List was one of my favorite books last year as well.
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️/5
😭💘🍆
I tend to enjoy Christina Lauren’s books, but this one was just on another level. This book is told in two different timelines. One where Macy and Elliot fall in love as teens and another whereas adults Macy and Elliot find each other again, after being separated by a mysterious incident. The ending broke me (clearly we’re sensing a theme between my five-star books here). I just loved Macy and Elliot so much. Their teenage love story is so sweet and I was rooting for them so hard in the adult timeline. A goody.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
💘🍆
Finally, a book where I didn’t cry! This is just a cute book about the president’s son falling for the prince of England. The boys are just the best and the tension about the consequences of their relationship being discovered keeps things interesting. It’s a good time.
The Idea of You by Robinne Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
😢🍆💎
The premise of this book is simple, a single mom starts up a romantic relationship with a member of her daughter's favorite boyband. It sounds like the plot of bad fanfiction, but it’s well done and the characters are dynamic and multi-dimensional. The mom is such an interesting strong woman, which isn’t something you truly get in every romance book. The ending devastated me and I cried. I need a sequel, please Robinne!
I'll be sharing my full list of 2020 reads (including LOTS more romance books) next week!
Emoji Decoding Key
💩 = Hot Garbage*
😢 = I shed a tear**
😭 = I ugly cried**
🍆 = Some steamy scenes (Rated R)
💎 = A gem
💘 = Warmed my heart
👻 = Scary!
*I loving refer to these books as hot garbage. I want to be clear that just because it’s hot garbage, doesn’t mean it wasn’t an enjoyable read. It just means it’s not particularly enriching or fine literature. Sometimes you want a hot garbage read and that’s okay.
** I’m a pretty easy crier, so take that with a grain of salt.