As the semester draws to a close, many students may find themselves with time to read again. Check out these five romance book recommendations that will help you pass the hours, swooning included.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
The two main characters in this novel are Augustus Everett and January Andrews, both authors that write completely different types of books. January loves to write romantic, happily-ever-after stories, but Augustus writes dark books that are made to provoke thought — it wouldn't be surprising if he killed all his characters off by the end of the book. Saying that January and Augustus are total opposites doesn't seem to cover it. In Beach Read, they are both struggling to write their next book and make an agreement to try each other's writing style and go on outings that they each plan to hopefully gain ideas.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This is by far my favorite book I have read recently. Not only is it a story of self discovery but it is also cute and entertaining. It focuses on the fictional first female president's son, Alex Claremont-Diaz, and his nemesis, Prince Henry Fox-Mount-Christen-Windsor. Alex is invited to a royal wedding in England because of his mother, where an unfavorable event that would cause a diplomatic crisis occurs. To prevent the media from taking the attention away from the president's re-election campaign, it is decided that in order to control the damage, the two have to pretend to be close friends. That fake friendship soon turns into being something more.
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Chasing the high the previous book, Red, White & Royal Blue, gave me, I was frantically searching for anything remotely similar and came across this gem. Luc O’Donnell is not just any average guy but the son of very famous rockstar parents. Luc is thrown back in the public eye once his father’s music career picks up again. He is told he needs to clean up his public image as a partying bad boy, and that's when Oliver Blackwood steps in. Oliver is nice, normal and just what Luc needs, but they have nothing in common. So they come up with a plan that will be beneficial to both of them: pretending to be each other’s fake boyfriends to improve the public’s opinion. It's just fake dating with no feelings attached — that's sure to work out.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
This was the first real romance book I ever read. The Hating Game has started an expensive addiction because this book will soon be turned into a movie. The main character, Lucy Hutton, doesn't just dislike Joshua Templeman — she hates the guy. She is forced to see him and interact with him on a daily basis because they are trapped working in the same office. Throughout The Hating Game, they are always trying to one-up each other in everything. Lucy can never let Joshua win, especially when they are both fighting for the same promotion.
Meet You in the Middle by Devon Daniels
My most recent read, and the one I relate to the most, is about a young liberal senate staffer named Kate Adams. Her inner dilemma is that she’s falling in love with Ben Mackenzie, who works for one of the most powerful conservative senators. Not only was this book thought-provoking, but it showed how two people that hold such different opinions can fall in love with each other. In the beginning, Kate finds Ben to be overly arrogant, and Ben finds Kate to be a person that is too quick to judge others. Not often do I find a romance book that makes me think about my own life, but I could relate to this one.
By Hannah Brittain-Du Bois, Contributing Writer