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Sometimes romance books are meant to be light-hearted with a wacky plotline that makes us smile. Other
times romance books tackle deep personal growth that’s needed to form deep relationships with others. The latter is my absolute favorite as a reader!
These six books have characters that are working on themselves while navigating a romantic relationship. If you are looking for a romance novel with a well-developed character you can really get to know, I highly recommend these!
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. I’ve read and enjoyed all three in this series and truly love the way the author builds her characters with depth. This was my favorite of the three books and I loved the unique premise of the book, and that the author included small details about the characters in this book throughout the series, so I knew how they were doing. I also appreciated that all three of her books include characters on the autism spectrum and each is represented in their own way. (4.5⭐️// 4🔥)
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert. Another in a three-book series that I enjoyed, with Dani being my favorite of the Brown sisters. This is a fake relationship to real relationship trope with inner monologue from both people and I just enjoyed both of their characters so much. You could read this series in any order (5⭐️ // 4🔥).
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. This is YA fiction and not considered romance in the tracking apps, but the relationship in the center of the story was romantic and I thought it was a sweet love
story. It’s somewhere between romance and literary fiction because of the experiences each character is having and I loved the depth in this book. (5⭐️ // 0🔥).
While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory. I’ve read several of the author’s books and love her writing style, with this book being my favorite. It’s another fake relationship to real relationship trope with the characters coming to life in my mind. They deal with traumas from their childhoods and past relationships, and help each other heal. It’s humorous and deep at the same time. (5⭐️ // 3🔥).
The Stand-In by Lily Chu. This was a fun and quick romance read that didn’t shy away from embracing complex topics and while I loved the romantic relationship in this book, what I really loved was the depth of the female friendship storyline. The premise is a bit far-fetched (perhaps not for a romance novel) and the relationship building is slow, with a focus on character development. (4⭐️ // 3🔥).
Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie. This book might technically be literary fiction, but the romantic relationship that builds is worth adding it to the list. The author beautifully weaves in experiences of policing in Black communities, queer love, family traumas and the personal healing journey Skye is on. The character and the romance took time to build and the author did a great job bringing the reader along. (4.5⭐️// 4🔥)