Wow, that’s tough. There are so many great books. But if I have to pick just eight, I’d go with:

‘Ask, Tell‘ by EJ Noyes
I’m normally not a big fan of first-person point of view stories, but I make an exception for EJ Noyes’s books because she has such a strong voice. I enjoyed following Sabine Fleischer’s story while she discovers that her unrequited crush on her superior officer isn’t quite as unrequited as she thought.

‘And Playing the Role of Herself‘ by KE Lane
It’s a pity that KE Lane wrote just this one book, because it’s a good one. It’s a long novel, which means we really get to know the characters well. It’s the story of down-to-earth actress Caiden, who finds out that the supposedly straight co-star she has a crush on isn’t as straight as she thought. If you loved ‘Ask, Tell‘, you’ll like this one too—and the other way around. This is another first-person POV book with a strong voice.

‘Coming Home‘ by Lois Cloarec Hart
What I loved about this book was that the main characters are an introverted bookworm and a writer, so I could identify with both characters. I also loved the friendship that developed between them long before they fell in love. It’s sweet and just beautiful.

‘Without a Front‘ by Fletcher DeLancey
The book—the entire series—has wonderful and believable world-building. I think even people who normally don’t like science fiction would enjoy it for the romance and the likable, complex characters. My favorite is Salomen—a strong, stubborn woman with a strong sense of duty and family.

‘Battle Scars‘ by Meghan O’Brien
Meghan O’Brien is well-known for her erotic romances, and while this one has an explicit love scene toward the end, it’s more of a slow-burn—and that’s what I enjoyed about it. The main character has PTSD, and I felt it was portrayed very realistically.

‘Galveston 1900: Swept Away‘ by Linda Crist
I love historical romance, and this one is well-written and well-researched. What’s more, the characters are realistic and lovable, and I enjoyed the realistic pace at which Linda Crist developed their relationship.

‘Jericho‘ by Ann McMan
This is a slow-burn romance between a librarian and a small-town doctor. They become friends first rather than jumping into bed on page 2. By now, you can probably detect a pattern in my list of favorites. What can I say? I like slow-burn romances. What’s special about this book is the sense of humor. I often found myself laughing out loud while reading Jericho.

‘Hunter’s Way‘ by Gerri Hill
This is an enemies-to-lovers romance between a grouchy detective and her new partner. It was fun to witness how they slowly grow closer and Tori is starting to let Sam in.

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