The most intoxicating romance books of 2021 - so far

Avid baker Reena Manji is determined not to like any of the perfect, Muslim suitors her parents pick out for her — including Nadim, who just moved in across the hall.

It doesn't matter that Nadim has a cute British accent, a perfect body, or a knack for knowing exactly what to say; Reena's parents already ruined him by wanting her to like him.

When Reena gets the chance to go on a couple's baking show, asking Nadim to be her fake fiancé might be her only way to make her dreams for the future a reality. But finding out that Nadim is one of those dreams is a shock Reena wasn't prepared for.

At its core, Farah Heron's "Accidentally Engaged" is a story about finding love when you least expect it.

Find out more about this book here.

Fans of Talia Hibbert will love "Act Your Age, Eve Brown," her latest installment of the Brown sisters series.

The novel follows Eve, who has always been more comfortable with chaos than order, as her purple hair makes clear.

It's no surprise that constantly controlled Jacob Wayne doesn't hire her to be the chef at his bed and breakfast — but it is a shock when Eve accidentally hits his car and breaks his arm.

To make amends, Eve lingers around the B&B, becoming a nuisance Jacob is prepared to hate. But his loathing soon turns to something else, warming a place inside him he didn't know existed.

Find out more about this book here.

Grace Porter has always done what she was supposed to do in Morgan Rogers' "Honey Girl." She followed the rules her military father set for her, completing her PhD in astronomy at just 28 years old.

So when she marries Yuki Yamamoto, a woman who was a stranger just a few hours before they said "I do," during a drunken trip in Las Vegas, everyone — including Grace — is shocked.

Grace surprises herself even more by running away from her home in Portland to spend the summer in New York with Yuki, trying to ignore her parents' ever-present pressure. Soon, Grace is in love with Yuki, who is free in ways Grace never thought she could be.

But Grace can't hide forever, and as the summer comes to a close, she'll have to face her fears — and what her feelings for Yuki mean.

Find out more about this book here.

After Chase Black cheated on her, Maddie Goldbloom was determined to make her life as perfect as possible. She found the perfect job, perfect apartment, and perfect pediatrician boyfriend.

It was all perfect.

Until Chase knocks on Maddie's door again with a bizarre request. His father — who runs the multibillion-dollar corporation Chase hopes to inherit — is dying, and Chase told him that he and Maddie were engaged to fulfill his dying wish.

Now, Chase needs Maddie to come with him to a family getaway to keep up his ruse. Maddie agrees, and soon they're running a months-long charade that has the potential to ruin the perfection Maddie spent so long working towards.

In "The Devil Wears Black," the truth will inevitably come out, especially since Maddie is realizing she can't ignore her true feelings for Chase much longer.

Find out more about this book here.

Evangeline (Evie) Starling didn't expect to be running the Much Ado About Books bookstore in an English village. But that's exactly what happens when she books a getaway with a built-in job after not getting a promotion back home in Chicago.

The vacation is the perfect escape for bookworm Evie, and she quickly finds herself becoming part of the fabric of the town, while trying to remind herself the people she meets are temporary.

That becomes more challenging thanks to Roane Robson, a sexy farmer whose flirting has been constant since she arrived in town.

Evie agrees to a holiday fling, but the feelings she develops for Roane prove to be more intense than she bargained for in Samantha Young's "Much Ado About You."

Find out more about this book here.

Sara Desai, the bestselling author of "The Marriage Game," is back with another tale of unexpected love in "The Dating Plan."

Daisy Patel and Liam Murphy both need to get engaged. Career-focused Daisy wants to give her family the marriage they've imagined for her, and Liam can't get the inheritance his grandfather left for him until he's wed in holy matrimony.

The duo agree to a self-arranged marriage, hoping they'll both get something out of it. Sure, it might be a bit awkward for the two because of Daisy's childhood crush on Liam, who happens to be her older sibling's best friend, but they can make it work.

When both Liam and Daisy realize pretending to be in love comes a bit too easily for them, they'll have to reevaluate how much of their hearts they're willing to put on the line for a chance at a happily ever after.

Find out more about this book here.

Stella's roommate moved out in the dead of night after not paying rent for months. So when a wedding invitation arrives for her, Stella thinks pretending to be her at the party will make them even.

The wedding turns out to be one of the most luxurious events Stella has ever been to, and the attention of sexy groomsman Hudson Rothschild takes the night from good to great.

But once Hudson finds out Stella is crashing, he's not so happy with her, and he's even angrier after Stella grabs a few expensive bottles of champagne as she fled the event.

Stella thinks she pulled off the greatest night of her life — until she realizes she left her phone behind for Hudson to find. Vi Keeland's "The Invitation" is a delightful and delicious read.

Find out more about this book here.

Henley Evans and Graeme Crawford-Collins have been enemies from the day they started working together at a cruise line — though they've never met in person since Graeme works remotely.

Their first IRL meeting comes in the form of a company trip to the Galápagos Islands, where they'll both be competing for their dream promotion. Henley is prepared to do whatever it takes to crush Graeme, as she thinks moving up the corporate ladder will make the last few years of putting her life on hold for her job and MBA worth it.

But Henley's plan falls apart when she meets Graeme and discovers he's nothing like she thought. Her feelings for him threaten to ruin everything she's been working towards — which might be the best thing that ever happened to her.

Angie Hockman's "Shipped" is the rom-com beach read you've been waiting for.

Find out more about this book here.

Luna Rossi and Alec Baxter are polar opposites. Luna is a crafting expert with a super popular Etsy shop, while Alec is a divorce lawyer who is as cynical about love as you can get.

But somehow, both of them end up on the DIY crafting show "The Wedding Game" with their families. Luna convinces her brother and his soon-to-be husband to compete with her, while Alec's brother asks him to enter with him and his pregnant fiancée.

Alec and Luna's differences lead to drama on-camera — and sparks off of it. Their attraction will make them both realize they had love totally wrong in Meghan Quinn's "The Wedding Game."

Find out more about this book here.

Fans of period romance will swoon over Beverly Jenkins' "Wild Rain," which takes place in post-Civil War Wyoming.

Spring Lee has been avoiding men ever since she made it to Paradise, Wyoming, after a tumultuous youth that led her father to kick her out of the house. Meanwhile, Garrett McCray is a former slave who became a journalist in Washington.

Their paths cross in Paradise when Garrett comes to interview Spring's brother, and neither can deny the instant attraction between them.

Their love blooms despite Spring's hesitancy, and she begins to hope that love might be in her future after all — until echoes of her past find her and threaten the life she's built for herself.

Find out more about this book here.

Sweet and soft-spoken Kieran didn't expect to see Roderick after divulging a secret to him in high school. So when Roderick moves into the spare room in his house, it's a bit more than Kieran bargained for.

Out-and-proud baking aficionado Roderick can tell Kieran, who grew up to be a sexy lumberjack, is drawn to him. The attraction is definitely mutual, but Roderick doesn't want to push a boundary and ruin an ideal housing situation.

Both Kieran and Roderick will have to decide if their feelings for each other are worth the risk in Sarina Bowen's "Roommate."

Find out more about this book here.

Hollyn loves being Miz Poppy, the blogger famous for her reviews of New Orleans nightlife. But when her boss tells her she needs to add videos to her blog, Hollyn is terrified to put her Tourette syndrome and anxiety on display for the world.

Enter Jasper Dears, an out-of-work actor/barista who thinks helping Hollyn will jump-start his career. As they get to know each other, sparks fly, and Hollyn surprises herself by falling in love — with herself.

Roni Loren tells a heartwarming and sweet story about where the love we have for others intersects with the love we have for ourselves in "Yes & I Love You."

Find out more about this book here.

Shay Goldstein loves few things more than her job at a Seattle public radio station. So when her boss accepts her pitch for The Ex Talk, a show in which two former sweethearts give romantic advice, she's over the moon.

But Shay is less excited when her boss makes her and Dominic Yun cohosts of the show for a few reasons. One: She hates Dominic's know-it-all attitude. And two: She and Dominic never dated, so they'll be lying to their listeners.

But it's Shay's dream job, so she takes it on despite her misgivings. The show's popularity soon soars, putting Dominic and Shay at more risk with each lie they tell. Things get even more precarious as Dominic and Shay's hatred turns to love.

Banter and passion will engross you in Rachel Lynn Solomon's "The Ex Talk."

Find out more about this book here.