As the dreary days of winter slog toward spring, many of us are dreaming of a vacation. The good news is that even if you can’t get out of town, there are plenty of amazing rom-coms that can carry you away with will-they or won’t-they characters, lots of fun scenery, some occasional miscommunications and a dash of spice.
My latest romcom, Take Two, Birdie Maxwell, traps our heroine in a rickety RV with her high school crush as she sets out all over California to track down an ex who sent her an anonymous love letter. So whether you’re a road trip reader or a swanky resort lover, here are some of my very favorite rom-coms that will whisk you out of your everyday life.
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Neely Tubati Alexander, Love Buzz
Serena Kahn is on a dreaded bachelorette party trip in New Orleans when she meets a handsome stranger at their very last stop on Bourbon Street. Who among us hasn’t been there, right? Serena jets back to Seattle nursing a hangover and a massive crush, and with only the few details she gleaned that night, sets out to find the man who made her knees buckle.
This is Tubati Alexander’s debut, and her follow-up, In a Not So Perfect World, is getting rave reviews and hits shelves on March 19th. I devoured Love Buzz and cannot wait for her next one. If you missed this when it published, add it to your list asap.
Jessica Joyce, You, With a View
In one of my very favorite romcom reads of last year, two high school enemies discover that their grandparents were once set to elope, and the heroine, Noelle, sets out to recreate the honeymoon roadtrip the elders never got to take. Big oops when her nemesis, Theo, is forced to join her at his grandfather’s insistence. Joyce’s writing absolutely sparkles, as do her characters—this one is fun, sexy, poignant, and of course, romantic.
Into my veins, please!
Taleen Voskuni, Sorry, Bro
Sometimes, a vacation turns into a staycation, in which case, Voskuni has you covered. After a disastrous proposal, Nar realizes that she needs to re-evaluate her notions of love and of, well, life. Her mom implores her to attend “Explore Armenia,” a month-long event in her hometown, to get in touch with her roots, but also, to find a man. Instead, she finds a super-cool woman and learns a lot about herself along the way.
I adored Sorry, Bro for its reflections on culture, identity, love, and that age-old notion that so many writers explore: that you often don’t know what you need until that something finds you.
Amy Mason Doan, Summer Hours
If you haven’t picked up Doan’s books yet, you’re in for a treat. All of them are gorgeously written and absolutely consuming, and Summer Hours is no exception. A nostalgic, swoony road trip with the man who broke her heart offers Becc Reardon a second chance at love but just as critically, forces her to consider what’s ultimately worth fighting for—both in love and within herself.
Be sure to also pick up Doan’s Lady Sunshine when you’re done, another one of my favorites—I’m on a mission to make her a household name.
Elana Armas, The Spanish Love Deception
If you haven’t yet read this one, run, don’t walk to your local indie and grab it immediately. I insist. When I tell you that I lost hours of precious sleep staying up late unable to stop myself from reading the next chapter, I’m telling you nothing but the truth. Take two colleagues, force them to fake date for a wedding in Spain, add in a lot of spice and hijinks, coupled with an ex who may no longer want to be an ex, and you have a recipe for perfection.
Truly one of my favorite romcom reads in recent memory.
Sarah Adler, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes
Okay, you need to pick this one up for the premise alone: our heroine, Millicent, promises her elderly best friend that she will carry her ashes from Washington D.C. to Florida to reunite her remains with the woman she believed was her one true love. (Seriously, this is the best idea—I read this wishing I had come up with it!) When flights get cancelled, Millicent is forced to drive, along with an acquaintance who may or may not be a smoke-show, and who, of course, is as cynical about love as Millicent is optimistic.
I loved this book for its swoony vibe, its exploration of many facets of love, and of course, the crackling leads.
Beth O’Leary, The Road Trip
Take two exes who haven’t spoken to each other in years, have their cars collide on the way to a wedding in Scotland, and force them to share one car for the rest of the journey, and you have this absolute delight of a confection. Because really, what can go wrong?
The Road Trip has some of my favorite tropes built in: forced proximity, second chance loves, and a culminating wedding where they have to reckon with the lingering feelings they thought they’d walked (driven?) away from. 10/10 for a road trip rom-com.
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Take Two, Birdie Maxwell by Allison Winn Scotch is available via Berkley.