Books
Picture this: it's a lazy summer Sunday afternoon, and you're in the mood to lie on the couch and watch a new rom-com on Netflix. If you're anything like me, this is a frequent occurrence. So, you pull up your Netflix account and start scrolling. You could watch To All the Boys I've Loved Before... for the twentieth time. Or Always Be My Maybe... although you did just watch it last week. OK, take it back a bit further. Maybe Bridget Jones's Diary? But you've seen that one so often you could say the lines backwards, in your sleep. It's official: you've run out of rom-coms to watch.
As somewhat of a rom-com connoisseur, I have found myself in this exact same predicament too many times to count. While I would never insist that I've seen every rom-com there is to see, I can easily fall into a romance watching rut, returning to my tried and true favorites over and over. But when there just isn't anything new to watch, there are so many novels like rom-coms movies to check out instead. If you're in the mood to lose yourself in a new story that will give you all the same feels as some of your favorite romantic films, check out the list of recent releases below:
'Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune' by Roselle Lim
If rom-coms with emotional familial backstories and delicious foodie scenes like those in Julie & Julia and Always Be My Maybe are your bread and butter, check out Roselle Lim's debut rom-com. It follows Natalie Tan, who returns home to reopen her family's restaurant after the death of her mother.
'Truly Madly Royally' by Debbie Rigaud
When it comes to beloved royal rom-coms, the list is stacked: What a Girl Wants, The Princess Diaries, The Prince & Me... I could go on. If this is your favorite subgenre of rom-com, Debbie Rigaud's novel is for you. It follows Zora Emerson after she meets Owen, a prince of England, at a prestigious summer program.
'Say You Still Love Me' by K.A. Tucker
If you love rom-coms like Sweet Home Alabama and 13 Going on 30, in which a successful and confident career woman reconnects with a boy from her hometown, get yourself K.A. Tucker's latest. In this one, 29-year-old V.P. Piper Calloway's life gets complicated when she runs into Kyle Miller, the new security guard at work — and her the first love.
'Tell Me How You Really Feel' by Aminah Mae Safi
If you're a massive fan of the hate-to-love trope in beloved rom-coms like 10 Things I Hate About You, then Tell Me How You Really Feel is the new novel you need to dive into. It follows Sana and Rachel, who are forced to work on a school project together after years of animosity.
'Waiting for Tom Hanks' by Kerry Winfrey
If Tom Hanks is your ultimate leading man and films like You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle make your heart beat faster, Winfrey's new novel is a must-read. It follows Annie, whose obsession with rom-coms has given her unrealistic dating expectations. When she meets her perfect match, it’s nothing like she expected.
