100 Books Like Mrs. Nash's Ashes

This book drew me in immediately with one of the best meet-cute scenes I’ve ever read. I loved how it was obvious pretty quickly that Dallas isn’t the grumpy bad boy that the media makes him out to be and how Poppy draws that softer side out of him with her sunshine personality.

I also loved Dallas’s grandmother and all of Poppy’s family—they are so supportive and also provide some delightful awkwardness since they aren’t aware that the relationship is fake. Also, Poppy owns a restaurant, and I loved the food descriptions!

I loved the meet-cute for this book—technically, the second meet-cute of the two main characters. Who doesn’t want to be saved from a burning building by a hunky firefighter, especially the one you loved as a teenager?

I adored the main character, Emmy, and her belief in love and romance. The setting was especially cozy, and the book made me laugh, too!

Getting back to the fluffy–and the steamy–I’m not a huge holiday romance reader but this was delicious!

A plus-sized adult film star accidentally getting cast in a squeaky clean Christmas movie and her co-star is an ex-boy band bad boy trying to rehab his image? *chef’s kiss* Add in the fact that they're fans of each other’s work? Perfection.

I felt that the characters being huge fans of each other helped offset the sometimes parasocial power dynamic of a fan dating/banging a star they’ve idolized for years. That plus them both needing to keep Bee’s porn career a secret put them on even ground, which allowed me to really enjoy their delightful banter, chemistry, and hot sex scenes.

The first installment of Michelle Pennington’s Shaped By Love series, A Man Worth Shaving For is a fantastic romantic comedy centering around Tessa and Logan. Tessa is the head of HR in a body-positive lingerie company, while Logan has been called in to analyse the business and give his opinion on where cuts should be made. They are not aware of their upcoming connection, however, until after Tessa is set up on a blind date with him through mutual friends… a date which did not go particularly well. 

Michelle Pennington has written a lot of romances, but with romcom she blows everything else out of the water. I had pre-order alerts set up on my phone for when the next release in the series came out because I loved them that much.

I love new adult stories and endearing art. This book reminded me of a beautiful and terrifying time in my life when I wasn’t yet a “real” adult, but not a child, either.

The main characters are riddled with anxieties I know all too well. They get in their own way when it comes to finding love. Seeing them stumble, eventually learn from their mistakes, and grow together was cathartic. 

I’m fascinated by books that take place in college, a rich transitional time where characters are still teens–insecure and figuring things out–but also with new adult responsibilities and freedoms. 

This book took me back to those late teen years of uncertainty and new adventures. The protagonist, Penny, is thrilled to be away from home at the University of Austin, Texas, but even more thrilled by meeting Sam, an aspiring filmmaker who works in a local café. These two couldn’t be more awkward, and through most of the book, they are too anxious to actually meet up and only communicate through text. Their final meet-up, like any good romance, is thrilling.

I loved the snappy dialogue and texts and the deep development of Choi’s characters. I also loved that author Choi’s website is called Choi to the World.

This one will break your heart. It’s more of a romantic tragedy, but I think there’s something wonderful in near-miss romances because it helps you appreciate what you have, when you have it.

In a monochrome world, you can only see color once you’ve met your soulmate. The problem is that the main character, Brighton Evans, has been able to see color since forever—so who on earth is her soulmate and how will she ever be able to tell? We’d Know by Then is without a doubt a tearjerker, so prepare yourselves!

Have you heard about the “grumpy/sunshine” trend? My next book has this popular trope and more—a jilted heroine, a jaded hero, cute banter, and sunny beach vibes.

Eden and Philip are strangers on solo vacations, both nursing broken hearts, when they meet-cute at a tiki bar. Eden’s warm personality melts Philip’s cool reserve, and they tumble into a steamy island affair. I like the way gruff workaholic Philip rolls up his sleeves to give Eden the holiday she deserves. Love is always the best revenge. 

I loved how different this fantasy rom-com was from anything I had read before picking it up. From the meet-cute to the epilogue, I adored all of it. I was shocked at first by the contemporary language and the modern world-building within a traditional fantasy setting.

The MFC was relatable, reacting to the crazy world around her as I’d imagine I would if I were taken on a wild adventure with a dragon shape-shifter. Funny, witty, steamy, and exciting. This book had it all.

I did not want this book to end; it’s that good! The beginning had me rolling and laughing, with the meet-cute at the basketball game and the “kiss cam” moment. But the rest of the book gave major Cinderella vibes, and that’s my favorite fairy tale of all time.

I loved how Duke cared for Nora and did everything he could to take care of her, and I loved how they overcame their past hurts together. This was a really beautiful story that truly felt like a fairy tale!