Learn more about our top 10 fall romance picks tailored for your fall mood in the listicle below as you snuggle in your nook with pumpkin spice lattes and sugary treats!
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Great Gatsby”
There is something undeniably romantic about the arrival of the fall season. As the leaves turn into crisp, fiery shades of red and gold, and a gentle coolness engulfs you as you step out, ‘tis the season for solid hues and cozy sweaters. This is THE perfect setup for taking a walk on the streets, coming back to a steaming mug of hot chocolate on your squishy bean bag chair, and of course, a beautiful love story. The enchanting world of fall romance books – with their pumpkin spice lattes and the scent of sickly sweet candles becoming the catalysts to love – is a place we want to snuggle up to and never leave.
In this listicle, we’ll go through 10 of the most captivating fall romance books in contemporary literature. So get ready to be swept off your feet and embrace the inviting arrival of autumnal romances.
- The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
- Well Met by Jen DeLuca
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
- If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
- Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell [writer] and Faith Erin Hicks [illustrator]
- The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Khai Diep, the hero of this romance, is a successful, highly intelligent, and wholly practical individual with a strong aversion to romantic entanglements. However, his traditionally-minded mother believes it’s time for him to find a suitable bride, so she travels to Vietnam to select a potential life partner. Here in Vietnam, she meets Esme Tran, who works as a hotel maid and believes her to be the perfect match for her son. Khai’s mother then invites her back to meet with him.
Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test is a captivating contemporary romance novel that delves into themes of love, self-discovery, and the complexities of cultural identity. Helen Hoang, known for her emotionally rich and diverse characters, goes beyond the conventions of a typical romance novel in this story.
As someone on the autism spectrum who struggles to have socially acceptable relationships, they set up a system for Esme to accompany him as his plus-one to various events. Esme, determined to provide a better life for her young daughter, agrees to this unconventional arrangement. She faces the daunting challenge of fitting into a new culture and society while navigating the complexities of a budding romance with Khai, who has his own emotional barriers to overcome.
A tale of acceptance and understanding, the book is a reminder that love transcends barriers. It is a heartwarming novel about human connection irrespective of how or what you were born with.
Well Met by Jen DeLuca
Jen DeLuca’s Well Met is a novel that transports readers to the enchanting world of a Renaissance Faire. With charming characters and a unique setting with funny characters, DeLuca weaves a story that blends romance and wit, drawing you in from page one.
The story introduces us to Emily Parker, who, after a challenging year of personal and medical issues, has relocated to Willow Creek, Maryland, to help her sister recover from a car accident. Struggling to adapt to her new life, Emily agrees to volunteer at the local Renaissance Faire as a tavern wench. While she isn’t exactly thrilled about the setup, this is where she meets Simon, who plays a pirate captain and irks the hell out of Emily for no reason. As a consequence, she cannot stop thinking about him.
As Emily gets into character and becomes “Emma,” a wench from the past, she finds herself entangled in a complex love-hate relationship with Simon. Their witty banter and playful interactions during the Faire mask deeper emotions, creating a simmering tension that the fake Faire knives can cut into. While Emily initially sees Simon as arrogant and insufferable, the lines between her and Faire’s life begin to blur. It is only worth picking Well Met for the development.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
A blend of humour, introspection, and literary exploration is what defines Beach Read. Emily Henry, who has been churning out hit after hit in the witty-romance genre in the last few years [People You Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers], won readers’ hearts once again in 2020 with this book. It follows January, a romance writer grappling with a recent breakup and loss of faith in love; she is stuck in a writer’s rut. Parallelly, we have Augustus, a critically acclaimed author of literary fiction, who has his own challenges and a writer’s block to overcome. Both of them have decided to find inspiration and clarity and spend the summer at two separate beach houses that happen to be next to each other in a gorgeous location [of course].
To overcome their respective hurdles, they challenge each other to write the opposite of what they are used to – Gus will write something joyful, and January, something dark, with literary undertones. In order to further help, January shows Gus what rom-com hideouts look like, and Gus, in turn, takes her to dark, shady alleys of the town to understand where the real ‘action’ happens. As they swap stories and processes, they confront their demons and develop a deep connection with each other. The book thus explores creative inspirational themes, underlining the power of words in general and the potential of love blossoming.
Also Read: Pick a Book and Choose a Nook: 10 Must-Read Summer Books to Add to Your Cart
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
Known for her sharp wit and relatable characters, Mhairi McFarlane delivers a love story in If I Never Met You that proves that sometimes the most unexpected encounters can lead to some of the most extraordinary transformations.
In this book, we meet Laurie – a successful lawyer in a long-term, seemingly stable relationship – seemingly being the key word here. She envisions her life according to a pretty predictable path – but that illusion shatters when her partner unexpectedly ends their relationship, instantly making her a struggling mess. Coping with the breakup and the ensuing office gossip, Laurie decides that she needs to be a more stoic, composed colleague in front of her coworkers.
Now, enter Jamir – a charming and notorious office ‘playboy’ trying hard to get rid of the tag. Sensing an opportunity to boost his image, he proposes a fake romance to Laurie. The plan he lays out is simple: they pretend to be a couple, thereby elevating Laurie’s reputation and allowing Jamie to prove that he can maintain a committed relationship. It’s a win-win situation, at least in theory.
What follows is a series of entangled webs of modern relationships, office politics, and unexpected connections. As much as the cliche of couple-pretending-eventually-falls-in-love is reused to death, the novel exhales a breath of fresh air into the trope and ends up a book worth perusing.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Me Before You explores the themes of love, sacrifice, and the profound impact one person can have on another’s life, irrespective of how long you’ve known them. Adapted into a romance movie of the same name starring Emilia Clarke [from Game of Thrones fame] and Sam Claflin [from Hunger Games fame], it is a cheerful, warm story that might make you burst into unsourced tears halfway through.
We are introduced to Louisa “Lou” Clark, a cheerful and quirky young woman who finds herself at a crossroads in life after losing her job. In dire need of some kind of employment, she takes on the role of caregiver to Will Traynor, a former affluent businessman now living with quadriplegia following a recent tragic accident and losing quite a few things, including his long-time work.
Initially, Will’s cynicism and bitterness toward his new life are a stark contrast to Lou’s vivacious and colorful personality. As Lou tries to cheer up Will’s days – and more complexly, to brighten up his general state of being – an unexpected and profound connection forms between the two. Despite the challenges and differences that separate them, their bond deepens, and they begin to understand the transformative power of love and companionship.
The book delves into the convoluted concepts of life quality, individual autonomy, and the emotional toll of caregiving on both the caregivers as well as receivers. Me Before You portrays the bittersweet reality that sometimes love means letting go and trusting the one you love to make the right decision for yourself.
Also Read: The 10 Best Romantic Comedy Movies of 2022
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The Unhoneymooners is a charming story that combines humour, mistaken identities, and the vistas of vibrant vacations. Olive Torres, a ‘practical’ woman, knows that most of her life she is down to ill luck in, well, everything. Her identical twin, Ami, is the polar opposite – she was born with a four-leaf clover growing out of her head. When Ami’s all-expenses-paid wedding ends up in a food-poisoned disastrous hell, it seems that Olive’s luck has taken a twisted turn, and only time will tell if it is for the better.
The best man in the wedding, Ethan, is Olive’s sworn nemesis. However, being the only two people from the wedding who escaped unscathed from the dysenteric abyss [including the bride and the groom], they are obliged [as obliged as choices in romance novels go, of course] to fulfil the fully paid honeymoon. They end up taking the trip in the place of the bride and groom despite their mutual dislike. When they reach their tropical getaway, Olive realises that her colleague is also present at the vacation, and they have to maintain their cover as a newlywed couple, bubbly-in-love.
As time goes on, Olive realises that she probably doesn’t as much mind pretending to be hopelessly in love with Ethan. In fact, it seems she quite enjoys it. Ethan, on a similar note, realises that he doesn’t quite find her annoying anymore. What follows, of course, is an awkward journey into admittance of love and the realisation of digging themselves out of their lies, putting a smile on the readers’ faces for sure.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Breaking into the throes of LGBTQ+ romance, Red, White & Royal Blue is a novel that celebrates love, discovery, and diversity within traditional settings – all while holding onto your family dearly. The story begins with Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States of America, in an encounter with his so-called arch-nemesis Prince Henry of Wales, whom he has to maintain a public friendship with, much to a lot of angst on either side.
Their paths cross at a highly publicised royal wedding, leading to an accident followed by a major PR disaster. Following the incident, the two receive strict instructions from their respective families to appear as if they have made up and are the best of friends now to maintain international diplomatic relations. As Alex and Henry navigate their new roles and relationship, their interactions gradually evolve into a genuine curiosity about each other and, in turn, into a blossoming teenage-esque romance with a good amount of identity, friendship, and politics thrown in.
The novel celebrates breaking traditional boundaries while maintaining old relationships and defying prejudices by creating your own space and helping others understand it. It also propagates the idea that love knows no background and has the potential to create positive change in the world.
Also Read: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: In Anticipation of the Upcoming Movie
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
A fast-paced, witty novel that explores the complexities of workplace dynamics with rivalry and romance. Sally Thorne’s debut novel blurs the line between love and hate, ambition and passion. Lucy and Joshua, two executive assistants to CEOs of a publishing company, share an office and darting looks from time to time. Their initial interactions are marked by hilarious, passive-aggressive games and pranks, largely competitive in nature, as they are revealed to have been at odds for years at the job itself.
However, soon in the book, they come to know that a promotion is up for grabs – but only one of them can have it. When professional ambition is on the line, their rivalry reaches new heights. The tension between them reaches a crescendo as they engage in a battle of wits and practical jokes to win the coveted job. Amidst all the office politics they participate in, Lucy and Joshua also need to confront their true feelings, and it slowly becomes evident to both that their ‘hating game’ might have more to it than pure professional strife.
The book navigates the waters between love and hate as the characters grow through respective arcs of learning and find love where they least expected – in the office, in their sworn rival. With this premise combined with zesty characters, this book is definitely worth a read!
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell [writer] and Faith Erin Hicks [illustrator]
Pumpkinheads is a graphic novel by popular YA romance writer Rainbow Rowell [do pick up her Eleanor & Park sometime!] and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks. This charming work takes readers on a truly autumnal adventure, celebrating friendship, pumpkin patches, and the magic of the season! It starts with Deja and Josiah, two friends from high school who have a pact to reunite every year in the autumn to work at the Pumpkin Patch, an attraction in their hometown. Year after year goes by, and they reach their last night working together. To go out with a bang, they decide to “seize the day”.
Deja encourages Josiah to pursue the opportunity to talk to the “Fudge Girl”, a crush he’s had for a while but never had the courage to approach. On top of this, throughout their final shift, the two embark on an epic quest through the various attractions maintained in the patch – including food stalls, corn mazes, and rides – all in the name of finding the Fudge Girl. Along the way, they meet with a cast of myriad colours, share memories, and bid bittersweet farewell to their beloved tradition.
If there is one story that feels like a warm hug, it is this. With elements of true friendship, nostalgia, and a cute, elusive romance, it shows that sometimes, the things we are looking for are right in front of us the whole time. It captures the spirit of the fall season and the fleeting moments that unexpectedly become lifelong memories.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A truly heartwarming story, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is an unconventional romance that marries the idiosyncrasy of human connection with the delight found by two people in each other’s company. Don Tillman, a brilliant and socially awkward professor of genetics, has his life meticulously organised. He adheres to a strict schedule, to the minute, and does not allow for any wavers at all. However, he decides to embark on the “Wife Project”, consisting of an all-too-elaborate questionnaire aimed at finding the perfect life partner – and his world takes a complete 180-degree turn.
Enter Rosie, a free-spirited bartender and graduate student, seemingly the complete opposite of Don. She is the antithesis of Don’s ideal partner. However, she enlists Don’s help in identifying who her biological father is. Now that both the protagonists have their own projects and agendas to look after, neither being aware of the other’s motives, what follows is a funny and heartwarming series of fortunate and unfortunate events as Don assists Rosie in her quest while gradually coming to a realisation that most perfect relationships often defy cold, hard, scientific logic – the only kind of logic he’s known all his life.
Another story that goes beyond the traditional romance of meet-cutes and summer vacation reads, the book explores Don on the autism spectrum finding true love in a neurotypical. The book proves that sometimes our quirks and imperfections make us most lovable.
