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Anahera returns home to a small New Zealand village after she is widowed. Will, a police officer new to town, is struggling with his own demons. They are prickly with each other.

When a local girl with a bright future disappears after going for a run, Will and Anahera team up along with the whole town to search for her. In the course of his investigation Will uncovers rumors and evidence of previous runners disappearing. He relies on Anahera for local insight, and the pair dig up crimes of the past.

A Madness of Sunshine (2019) by Nalini Singh is a gripping romantic suspense novel in a lushly described New Zealand setting. The story is filled with lots of red herrings and a shocking ending.

Discover more romantic suspense.

Wedding planner Carolina (Lina) Santos doesn't advertise the fact that she was left at the altar three years ago. So when she walks into the biggest meeting of her career and sees her ex-fiancé and his brother Max, she impulsively pretends she doesn't know them. When she must work with Max to pitch to a potential boss, the forced proximity makes them see each other in a new light.

The Worst Best Man (2020) is a romantic comedy full of heart, humor, and awkward situations. It also has fabulous characters: Lina's strong Brazilian family plays a large role, as do her girlfriends. If you enjoyed Nora Roberts' Bride Quartet (start with Vision in White) or Lauren Layne's Wedding Belles (start with To Have and To Hold), you'll enjoy Mia Sosa's story of weddings, family, and friendships. For another romance featuring strong family ties, try His Perfect Partner by Priscilla Oliveras.

Find more romantic comedies (we made a list!).

Join us on Tuesday, February 18 at 7pm to Celebrate Romance Reads. Hear about recent releases, books into movies/TV shows, and more. Whether you're a voracious reader or a romance newbie, there will be something for you.

In this sweet and steamy romantic comedy, a near-death experience spurs Chloe into action. After years of being stuck in a rut, chronically ill Chloe makes a list to "get a life." That, of course, doesn't go as planned and leads her to Red, the local handyman and a secret artist. The snarky banter and the warm characters make Get a Life, Chloe Brown (2019) a delightful read. Talia Hibbert gracefully handles portrayals of living with disability and surviving emotional abuse.

This own voices enemies-to-lovers rom com is perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Helen Hoang. Discover more romantic comedies (we made a list!).

Join us on Tuesday, February 18 at 7pm to Celebrate Romance Reads. Hear about recent releases, books into movies/TV shows, and more. Whether you're a voracious reader or a romance newbie, there will be something for you.

​The novel begins with Grace Kelly in Cannes, being pursued by James, a British photographer. She ducks into a perfume boutique where Sophie gives her refuge. Over the next 30 years, James and Sophie form a friendship and mutual admiration, though life sometimes pulls them in opposite directions. Meanwhile, Grace meets and becomes engaged to Prince Rainier, returning to Monaco for the wedding. Grace has never forgotten Sophie and orders the perfume for her wedding from the boutique. The publicity causes business to pick up.

In Meet Me in Monaco: A Novel of Grace Kelly's Royal Wedding (2019), Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have written an amusing and delightful novel with a light romance amidst the wedding of the century. 

Kailyn literally collides with former child star and crush Daxton on their first day of law school. This meet cute seems picture perfect, but nothing materializes other than a betrayal. Fast forward to five years after law school when circumstances bring the pair together again: Kailyn is appointed as guardian to Daxton's 13-year-old sister.

Meet Cute (2019) is full of heart, humor, and family. This witty romantic comedy from Helena Hunting is perfect for fans of Julie James (especially Practice Makes Perfect) and Sally Thorne (The Hating Game).

After Tiffy breaks up with her boyfriend, she is finding it hard to locate somewhere to live in London on her limited budget. She decides her best option is to share a flat with a man named Leon. Leon, with his job as a palliative care nurse, only needs the apartment from 9am-6pm weekdays, since he spends weekends at his girlfriend's house. This arrangement suits Tiffy perfectly with her job as an assistant book editor at a small publishing house. Even though they are never at the flat at the same time, their lives begin to intermingle as they learn about each other through their possessions and notes to each other, which are at first pithy and humorous, then turn caring as they get involved in their respective lives. Soon, both Tiffy and Leon realize they have feelings for each other. Will they end up as more than just flatmates?

Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare (2019) is a light, fun debut novel similar to Jojo Moyes and Jenny Colgan.

Set in 1950s Tehran, this ill-fated love story features teenagers Roya and Bahman. Roya's favorite place is Mr. Fakhri's stationary shop and she goes there every Tuesday after school to indulge her love of novels, poetry, and everything stationery. It is here that she meets Bahman, a young political activist and, despite parental disapproval, class differences, and Iran's political unrest, their love blossoms.

The story actually begins 60 years later in Boston. Raya has spent her adult life in America as an immigrant, always wondering why the love of her life never showed up to their rendezvous in a city square amidst a violent coup. Out of the blue, she discovers that Bahman is a resident in a nursing home nearby. Will visiting him finally give her the answer? Has their love lasted a lifetime?

I really enjoyed this romantic tale by Marjan Kamali, who writes very evocatively of the 1950s streets of Tehran. Her descriptions of Persian food had me looking up recipes, especially for the cooling melon ice that she mentions multiple times in The Stationery Shop (2019). I went out and bought some cantaloupe the next day and it was just as refreshing as I imagined!

Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogan) is a goofy yet gifted journalist devoted to exposing the truth.  After losing his job when his company is bought out, he finds himself down on his luck with no plan.  By chance, he runs into his former babysitter and crush, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), who is now Secretary of State with her sights set on the presidency.  She's elegant, smart, and professional…everything Fred is not.  After learning of his predicament, she hires him to be her speechwriter, despite the objections of everyone on her staff.  Although a determinate to her campaign, Fred is helping Charlotte take a step back and enjoy life again.

Long Shot is a twist on the classic rom-com, switching up gender roles and ignoring the classic tropes.  While it resembles a classic Seth Rogan film, awkward moments and drugs included, he managed to go beyond his regular cult comedy.  Hilarious and heartwarming, Long Shot it a great movie to add to the rom-com rotation.

Released as a motion picture in 2019, rated R

This uplifting novel got me out of my reading slump! The Flatshare features a perfect blend of delightfully quirky humor and lovable characters. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Leon and Tiffy, who share an apartment but haven't met (Leon works overnight and is home from 9am to 6pm; Tiffy has an opposite schedule). The pair begin a correspondence via post-it notes and slowly are drawn into each other's lives.

Beth O'Leary's charming debut is my favorite read of 2019. It's perfect for fans of romantic comedies, Sophie Kinsella, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, and One Plus One by Jojo Moyes.

​Young Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley) marries an older writer, nom de plume Willy (Dominic West), who takes her from the countryside to cultural, sophisticated Paris.  They lead an extravagant lifestyle, always having bills to pay.  He convinces her to ghostwrite stories for him, and she does turning out a semiautobiographical novel of a bold, young girl that becomes the new sensation in Paris.  She continues to write as she explores her sensual side and Willy takes all the credit for the rage of Paris. Colette is visually a beautiful movie and definitely an adult story because of her sexual appetite.

When Rachel Chu goes with her boyfriend Nick to a wedding in Singapore, she is in for a myriad of surprises.  It turns out that Nick's family is rich, Like...super rich.  Everyone in Singapore is gossiping and wanting to know everything about the girl that Nick is dating.

Crazy Rich Asians is based on the 2013 novel by Kevin Kwan.  This movie is so wonderful.  I loved the acting, the story, the costumes, and the scenery.  This is a perfect rom-com and one that I will watch over and over again on DVD.

But in addition to how great it is, it's also a record-breaking movie: the first movie in 25 years starring a majority Asian cast AND it's the highest grossing studio movie rom-com since 2009.  I hope that producers and executives take note that people are hugely interested in diverse casts and stories and give us the two sequels to the book.