From meet-cutes to happy endings, these romance books are the perfect match for your summer reading list.
Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young
Out of the Woods follows high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood who have been together for 17 years. Following a rift caused by Caleb saving the day after the event she’d planned failed, Sarah begins to question who she would be without Caleb. Desperate to fix things between them, they decide to get out of their comfort zones and join a hiking trip for couples having relationship issues.
Hannah Bonam-Young is a writer whose books often feature disabled, marginalized and LGBTQIA+ characters. Her other romance novels include Next of Kin, Next to You, and Out on a Limb. She lives near Niagara Falls.
Drop Dead by Lily Chu
Drop Dead follows two rival journalists: Nadine, now an obituary editor after a career setback, and Wes, an aspiring investigative reporter stuck writing lifestyle pieces. After Nadine accidentally publishes a premature obituary for a literary legend Dot Voline, she and her old rival are thrown together in a race against time to uncover a hidden scandal from Dot’s past. With just weeks before Dot’s eccentric mansion is sold, Nadine and Wes dive into the mystery — and their tension-filled history.
Chu writes romantic comedies set in Toronto with strong Asian characters. Her debut rom-com novel was The Stand-In. She’s also the author of The Comeback and The Takedown.
In Only Because It’s You, Miz panics when her best friend Kal faces the possibility of being forced to return to Ethiopia, as she can’t imagine life without him. She comes up with a plan to marry him so he can stay, with the idea of quickly getting a divorce afterward — believing nothing will change between them, right?
Rebecca Fisseha is an Ethiopian Canadian writer based in Toronto. Her previous works include the novel Daughters of Silence and short stories and essays that have appeared in the anthologies Addis Ababa Noir and Tongues: On Longing and Belonging Through Language. She is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers, the Vancouver Film School and an alumnus of the TIFF Writers’ Studio.
In One Golden Summer, photographer Alice returns to a childhood summer cottage with her nan. What she expects to be a relaxing, peaceful summer takes an unexpected turn when Charlie Florek — a shameless flirt — shows up, making Alice feel like a 17-year-old again and wondering if there could be something more between them.
Carley Fortune is a Toronto-based writer and journalist who has worked as an editor for Refinery29, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine and Toronto Life. Her previous books are Every Summer After, This Summer Will Be Different and Meet Me at the Lake, which was a contender for Canada Reads 2024, championed by Mirian Njoh.
Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli
In Not Safe for Work, engineer Trishara Malik is forced to spend time in Hawaii in close proximity to her nemesis, Rafe Gallagher. Trish believes Rafe only got to where he is because of blatant nepotism, but sharing a hotel room and spending more time with him makes her realize that maybe Rafe isn’t so bad after all. Not to mention, he’s incredibly handsome. Will she be able to resist the attraction?
Nisha J. Tuli is a Winnipeg-based author. She is the author of the Artefacts of Ouranos series which includes Trial of the Sun Queen, Rule of the Aurora King, Fate of the Sun King and Tale of the Heart Queen.
Crash Test by Amy James
The Formula 1 romance Crash Test follows racing driver Travis Keeping and his secret lover, racing driver Jacob Nichols. When Jacob is involved in a massive crash, no one but Travis knows they’ve been secretly dating for a year. As the F1 season barrels on, Travis must keep fighting for the championship win while Jacob has to recover from his traumatic injury. But perhaps those months apart are what they need to better find their way back to each other.
Amy James is based on the east coast of Canada. Her debut novel is A Five-Letter Word for Love which was nominated for the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.
In the novel Austen at Sea, the setting is 1865 Boston. Two daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice are chafing against the restrictions placed upon them as women. Inspired by the works of Jane Austen, they start a secret correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother. They travel to Europe on a life-changing journey that teaches them how to love life by way of the power of literature — and they just might find love along the way.
Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie Jenner now lives in Oakville, Ont. as the owner of an independent bookstore. Her previous books include Bloomsbury Girls and The Jane Austen Society, which was a Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel.
Two different worlds collide in Spiral, when Elias Westbrook, a famous hockey player always in the spotlight, agrees to fake date Sage Beaumont, an aspiring, less-assuming ballerina hoping to join the Aurora Ballet Theatre. As they spend more time together, the two opposites begin to realize that their feelings for each other are more than just for show.
Bal Khabra is a Vancouver-based writer. Her debut novel is Collide.
You Started It is a YA romance about high school senior Jamie Taher-Foster. After three years with her boyfriend, Ben Cameron, Jamie is set on a check list of things to do before graduating. What she doesn’t expect is for Ben to come back home after the summer ends and break up with her, only to be seen with another girl the following day.
Now, Jamie’s new plan is to get him back by fake dating Axel — a chilled out guy she has nothing in common with except for being Arab. As Jamie reckons with all these surprises to her senior year and the anxiety that comes with it, she begins to understand Axel and herself even better.
Jackie Khalilieh is a Palestinian Canadian YA writer who lives just outside of Toronto. Her first novel, Something More, was shortlisted for Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz and named one of the best Canadian books for kids & teens in 2023.
Shoot Your Shot by Lexi Lafleur Brown
After missing his dream team, hockey player Jaylen “JJ” Jones hooks up with a stranger in Shoot Your Shot. Soon later, he lands a spot with the Seattle Rainiers — and starts thinking she’s his good luck charm. He offers bisexual tattoo artist Lucy Ross a no-strings deal to keep seeing him, and she agrees — for a price. But as the lines blur, what began as a casual arrangement turns unexpectedly real.
Lexi LaFleur Brown is a Métis writer originally from North Bay, Ont., now based in Seattle. She holds a master’s degree in public relations and a PhD in education. Shoot Your Shot is her debut novel.
Time Loops and Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau
In Time Loops and Meet Cutes, Noelle eats a plate of dumplings given to her by an old woman at a night market. Now every time she wakes up, she’s reliving the same Friday, June 20 and she doesn’t know how to get out of this time loop she’s stuck in. Could the good looking Cam — who she keeps running into in many of the iterations of that day — be the key to getting back to her timeline?
Jackie Lau is a Toronto-based author of over a dozen romantic comedies, including Donut Fall in Love, Love, Lies and Cherry Pie and the Holidays with the Wongs series. She went to school for engineering and worked as a geophysicist before writing romance novels.
Something Like Fate is a YA romantic comedy about two best friends testing their fates over a summer trip to Italy. The women of the Zhao-Jensen family, except for Lo, have been able to psychically find their soulmates long before they actually meet. After many years without knowing who “The One” is, Lo finally has a vision and her aunties are certain she’ll meet them on her trip. Set amongst the backdrop of the Italian countryside Lo’s trust in fate and friendship is tested.
Amy Lea is an Ottawa-based contemporary romance writer and Canadian bureaucrat. Her previous novels include Woke Up Like This, which was on the Canada Reads 2024 longlist, Exes and O’s and Set on You. Lea was named one of CBC Books’ writers to watch in 2024.
Lia Juma, a successful corporate lawyer in The Summers Between Us, has built a life to meet the expectations of her immigrant family, from her career to her choice of partner. But returning to her family’s summer cottage resurfaces old memories and secrets that could change everything — especially when Wes, an old flame, comes back into her life.
Noreen Nanja is a Toronto-based writer and second-generation immigrant. Her writing frequently explores themes of identity and belonging that’s wrapped in stories of romantic and familial love.
The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid
Former hockey player Riley Tuck thought he left everything behind when he returned to his hometown of Avery River, N.S., ten years ago — including a broken heart. But when tragedy strikes in The Shots You Take, his ex-teammate and former best friend with benefits, Adam Sheppard, reenters his life. As they confront their shared past, long-buried feelings resurface, forcing them to face what was never truly over.
Rachel Reid is an author from Nova Scotia, best known for her queer hockey romances. Her previous books include the Game Changer series and Time to Shine. Her book Heated Rivalry is being adapted into a television series by Letterkenny‘s Jacob Tierney.
Wild Side by Elsie Silver
Wild Side is the third book in the Rose Hill series. In Wild Side, Tabitha will stop at nothing to make sure she gets to keep her nephew, even if it means marrying a man she hates. He’s secretive, broody and frustrating, but the tension between them is too much to ignore — and she’s beginning to learn that maybe he’s not the man she thought he was.
Elsie Silver is a B.C.-based writer of steamy romance novels. Her other books include the Gold Rush Ranch and Chestnut Springs series.
