First Dates & Soulmates Romance Book Recommendations

The internet is crawling with book recommendation listicles. Some are just grids of images (where you literally have to judge a book by its cover). Some are generated by publishers to only share the authors they represent. Others are built by algorithmic tagging (like people shelving books on Goodreads), which can tell you “grumpy sunshine hockey romance” … but it can’t tell you the third-act breakup felt unearned, or that the banter never quite lands, or that the quirky best friend needs a spinoff stat.

Here’s how we’re different:

We hand-selected every single books on these lists … because one of us has read each of them.

Yes, we also check the keyword data and track trends. (Meg does this professionally.) But we’re not building any lists that we can’t back up with our own opinions. No matter how popular the topic, if we don’t read it or have anything to add to what’s already out there, we don’t publish it.

And our lists aren’t just traditionally published romance. We include picks by indie and BIPOC authors with diverse character representation. That means lots of queer, gay, and sapphic picks, even i categories that are traditionally straight-leaning.

Every pick below traces back to a specific podcast with our honest opinions, real-time reactions, and reasons we love that book, and a link to the podcast so you can hear the full conversation.

Many books show up in more than one list on purpose, because good books don’t hit only one trope or archetype or identity. Their plots multi-faceted and nuanced, just like their characters.

Want our full-length take on one specific book instead of a list? That’s what Reviews are for.

Want to know why these books work? Check out our Frameworks page.

By Trope: Friends to Lovers · Second Chance · Fake Dating

By Archetype: Himbo · Rockstar · Vampire · Paranormal · Professor-Student

By Identity: Bi-Awakening • Lesbian & Sapphic • Asexual spectrum

By Setting: Holiday · Gay Sports · Vacation