I've included a rating scale of 1-4 fire 🔥 emojis to give you a sense of how explicit the physical relationship of the characters gets on the page.
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
🔥With her newest book Sonali Dev has shifted away from her popular Bollywood romance series to create modern variations on Jane Austen's classics, starting with Pride and Prejudice. Trisha is a neurosurgeon from an incredibly rich and powerful family, DJ is a talented chef whose family has struggled for everything they have. There's romance, family drama, some interesting twists, but most memorable are the lusciously delicious food descriptions.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
🔥🔥🔥I'm always a sucker for stories where enemies or rivals discover that they don't actually hate each other, and that all those sparks flying are True Love. McQuiston's debut is exactly that. For years Alex, son of the first female President of the United States, thought he hated Prince Henry, the younger son of the Queen of England. Of course, as the sons of such powerful people, it's going to be more than a little complicated to make things work.
Can't Escape Love by Alyssa Cole
🔥🔥🔥This is a novella, which means that it is currently eBook only and available to City of Dubuque residents through the library's OverDrive/Libby collection. It also means that this story falls smack in the middle of Cole's Reluctant Royals series, so be wary of spoilers for the other books in this series. Reggie is driven, fiercely independent, and unapologetically nerdy. Gus has a sexy voice, a love for puzzles, and is just breaking into the world of Escape Rooms. They met online, but in person their attraction proves to be impossible to resist.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
🔥🔥🔥🔥Helen Hoang's debut novel is a enjoyable story about a fake relationship between two people who don't feel worthy of the real thing - yet. Stella is successful and accomplished, but Asperger's syndrome makes interpersonal relationships a challenge. Michael is the half-Vietnamese escort she hires to help her learn and improve her skills. I listened to the audiobook, and narrator Carly Robins is fantastic.
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
🔥🔥🔥🔥Jasmine Guillory's debut was one of my top three favorite reads for 2019 with what felt a perfect mix of sweet and spicy, humor and drama. Alexa and Drew meet when they get stuck in an elevator together, and then Drew impulsively asks Alexa to be his date at his ex-girlfriend's wedding. It's a fake relationship with an undeniable attraction, but the real conflict comes from how two accomplished professionals with established lives in different cities can make things work.
Intercepted by Alexa Martin
🔥🔥🔥🔥If you'd asked me a year ago, I would've told you that sports romances weren't really my thing, but Alexa Martin convinced me that I was wrong. It helps that Intercepted doesn't require the reader to be a football expert to understand the story. Marlee has been dating Chris since high school, though they've had a few rough patches over the years. On one memorable break, Marlee had a one-night stand with Gavin, who just so happens to be the new quarterback for Chris's team. Plus Chris still hasn't #PutARingOnIt, which means Marlee is a second-class citizen when it comes to the mean girls club made up of the other players' wives.
