Welp, it’s that time again. 2019 is almost over and it was time for me to buckle down and pick my top reads of the year. This year was a strange one for me. Usually, I struggle over these lists for weeks, attempting to narrow down my list. This year, all I had to do was just search my top faves and I realized my list wasn’t that big. The crazy thing is that I read over 150 books this year, but I think I’ve simply been getting pickier and pickier each year. I’ve become incredibly stingy with my 5 stars. So when I tell you that these are my creme of the crop, my best of the best, my shout it from the rooftops amazing, nothing beats them sort of reads…I mean it. Out of the 153 books this year, I had 12 that just rocked my socks. And without further ado, here they are in no particular order.
FAVORITE ROMCOMS
MOTI ON THE WATER by Leylah Attar
I would’ve resented the dimple that formed on his cheek. When I was little, I prayed for dimples. And now I had them. On my ass. Naturally, people with properly-placed dimples irritated me.
Oh. Em. Gee. This book. Y’all!!! Think My Big Fat Greek Wedding but with one side being a crazy and quirky Indian family and all of it set on the stunning and vivid backdrop of Greeke isles. Intrigued yet? Add into all that Leylah Attar’s colorful and magical story telling skill and what you’ve got is one unforgettable romance. Seriously. This was not just a romance, it was an experience. One where the story unravels like a stunning movie reel before your eyes and leaves you incapable of setting it down for even a setting.
Moti on the Water was sheer magic set on a stunning backdrop and wrapped around a swoony romance; all of it told in Leylah’s unique voice made for one incredible read. This book is not to be missed and one I recommend for every romance reader out there.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
THE FRIEND ZONE by Abby Jiminez
“I’ll orbit around you and be your universe, because you’ve always been my sun.”
Have you ever started a book and knew, you just knew, from the first few pages that it’s THE book. One of those books that you’ll never want to end. A book that you’ll be thinking about all year. A book that you’ll want to be shouting about from the rooftops. Well, my friends, this was THAT book for me. This was everything. It was romcom perfection unlike any I’ve read. And it is an absolute must read. It’s a book that I can’t recommend enough, whether romcom is your thing or not. It’s simply not to be missed and a story that will stay in my heart for a long while. I loved it from beginning to finish!
I’m still reeling over the fact that this was Abby’s debut. I’ve been stalking the woman ever since I devoured this read and she’s just as hilarious on her social media. I live for her updates. And I’m also absolutely dying for the second book in this series.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE HISTORICAL ROMANCE
THE WALLFLOWER WAGER by Tessa Dare
“Every time I speak three words, you look as though you’re going to swoon into my arms.”
“I do not,” Penny objected, knowing very well that she probably did.
“You sigh like a fool, blush like a beet. Your eyes are the worst of it. They turn into these . . . these pools. Glassy blue pools with man-eating sharks beneath the surface.”
“I hope you’re not planning a career in poetry.”
“For the good of us both, you have to cease gazing at me.”
It’s funny, because Tessa Dare graces each of my lists going back to 2017 with her Girl Meets Duke Series. Without fail. This series just does something for me. Every time I finish a book, I think that no way Tessa can outdo what she just did, and she does. Every. Single. Time. The Wallflower Wager had all of my favorite things; Dare’s signature witty banter and humor, amazing characters, and an unforgettable romance, all with a quirky twist.
This book was everything I love about a swoony historical romance and so much more!
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
KINGDOM OF DREAMS by Judith McNaught
“You are mad!” she snapped, her chest heaving. “And you are a devil!”
“And you, my dear,” Royce imperturbably replied, “are a bitch.”
With that, he turned to the horrified friar and unhesitatingly announced, “The lady and I wish to be wed.”
In case you missed my social media raving, I went on a Judith McNaught binge this year. Yes, you read this right. This was THE year that I finally read the queen of angsty historical romance. I’m equally ashamed of myself for waiting this long and ecstatic that I got the chance to binge on the woman’s entire backlist. I have to say that I loved every single one of her historical romances, but there was just…something about this one. Something that just…hit me right in the feels. I hated and loved Royce. I wanted to rip my hair out and rage at the ceiling. I wanted to cry and swoon. And I loved every single second of it. GOD. This book. Y’all. I’m probably the last person on earth that hasn’t read it, but if you’ve been living under the same rock as I have, I recommend you come to the light, friend. And READ THIS BOOK!!!
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE DARK ROMANCE
TAKE by Pam Godwin
His love for her resembled a blade, a source of pain, but vital. He would always protect her, however she needed him, even when he was the cause of her suffering.
Truth be told, Pam released two books this year that are in my top faves. This one, obviously, and MANIPULATE, which was the next book in the same series. It was torture to pick one, but there was something about this book that just stuck with me. If there’s one thing that Pam has a knack for, it’s taking the ultimate villain and redeeming him into someone that you root for. And Tiago was the ultimate villain.
I never thought I’d love an anti-hero more than Van from Vanquish, but Tiago captured my heart with every heart wrenching page.To put it shortly: I loved this book! Dark romance lovers, this is an absolute must read! You don’t want to miss this incredibly written, jaw dropping, and edge-of-your seat book! Trust me!
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE APOCOLYPTIC ROMANCE
KINGS OF CARRION by Keri Lake
In many ways, we’re the same, though. He’s still the scarred boy who touched my heart. And I’m the wounded little bird, whose wings he made fly again.
When was the last time a book ruined you? I’m talking utterly gutted you. Like wrung every single emotion out of you until you were an inconsolable mess only to stitch you back together piece by devastating piece? Because THIS BOOK. Y’all. I worship at the evil genius feet of Keri Lake. If you’re looking for an utterly unforgettable read, you NEED this in your life.
I was questioning putting this under my top dark romance, because it’s also that. But really, it’s so much more. Even if apocalyptic isn’t your thing, you’ll want to read this one. TRUST ME.
Kings of Carrion was darkly captivating, emotionally devastating, and positively unforgettable. It owned me from beginning to end and I still can’t get over it. I’m RUINED. Completely ruined.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY WITH A TWIST
THE KISS THIEF by LJ Shen
Our hearts were tarnished. Stained. And guilty. Unpredictable to a fault. And bound to break.
I got two words for you here: Must. Read.
I know I say this each time I finish a book of hers, but this was my favorite LJ Shen book to date.
If you like a modern day arranged marriage trope, welcome to your next addiction. This book? GAH! It had an anti-hero that only Shen can write; brutal and hard but completely redeemable. This is someone you won’t be able to help rooting for! This was like if Vicious and Sparrow had a baby, and that baby threw down the gauntlet of delicious angst and grit. A clashing of a ruthless politician and the mafia, and a young beauty used as a pawn that gets caught in the crosshairs of political agendas and blackmail. DELICIOUS!!!!!
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE EMOTIONAL ROMANCE
WRITTEN WITH YOU DUET by Aly Martinez
Our entire lives were one impossibility after another.
Is it any wonder that Aly Martinez graces my top favorites list every year? The woman is an evil genius when it comes to feels.
If there’s one thing Aly Martinez can do, it’s write one unpredictable story that will grip you by the heart and keep you at the very edge of your seat. And this book? MY GOD! It was EVERYTHING. Seriously all of the things. An emotional powerhouse of love and secrets, pain and regret, and second chances. Written With You owned me. Absolutely owned me. Beginning to finish. I never wanted it to end.
This is obviously not a standalone, and you need to read the first book, but trust me, you’ll be devouring both in one sitting.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
ANOTHER SKY by Jayne Frost
“Tell me something no one else knows about you,” she said, her voice a soft whisper.
I thought of all the things I kept hidden. Dark thoughts. And darker intentions. The lure of nothingness. And the fear that one day the clouds would return and block the sun forever.
Tightening my grip, I let her warmth seep through me. “I like ballet.”
MY. WHOLE. HEART. I have no words for the experience that was this book. NONE. It was magical, heart wrenching, emotional and completely unforgettable.
If you think this is just another rockstar book, think again. Miles is also not your stereotypical damaged rockstar. The depth of his character is unlike anything I’ve read in a really long time. This is a man that experienced the ultimate heart break and never really recovered. He’s broken and he doesn’t want to be fixed. His scars run so deep that not even those closest to him know the depth of his pain.
This book broke me in the best of ways and then weaved my heart back together, word by magical word.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
SMOKE AND SIN by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake
“Nothing has ever made me feel as alive as you.”
“And no one has ever broken me the way you did, Roman.”
This book. THIS BOOK was everything!!! My favorite book in the series, Smoke and Sin absolutely blew me away. I was glued to the pages well into the night, completely incapable of setting it down for even a second.
Gus is one of my favorite heroines. If you like strong willed and sharp witted women, you’ll love her as much as I did. There is nothing I love more than a sex positive heroine. And Gus owned her sexuality. This is a woman that finds no shame in her beauty and sexuality and has no issues flaunting it. She wasn’t pining away for the hero without notches on her own bedpost, and I love that. I’m so sick of these heroines that basically go on a sex hiatus in the years that they spend apart from the hero. It’s completely unrealistic and I loved that Gus didn’t stop living her life after hot and brief affair with Roman went up in fiery flames.
But as far as their reunion back to lovers? HAWT.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
PIECES OF US by A.L. Jackson
“There’s never been a single day in my life when I didn’t want you. We are endless.”
Deeply romantic, heartbreakingly emotional, and achingly beautiful. Pieces of Us is easily one of my favorite AL Jackson books to date. I fell head over heels for Mack and Izzy’s story and I still can’t stop thinking about them.
It’s no secret that I love a good punch to the feels that a second chance romance always brings. But there was something so special about Mack and Izzy’s story. I don’t even know how to begin to describe it, but it felt almost electric.
If you’re looking for a beautiful romance that will break you and then put you back together in the best of ways, you seriously can’t go wrong with this book. I can’t recommend it enough!
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FAVORITE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
WICKED SEXY by J.T. Geissinger
“Should I jump to the ending? Spoiler alert: the hero saves her.”
Tabby looks over at me, her eyes shining like gems in the dark. “A real hero would teach the princess how to save herself.”
GAH. This series, you guys. This series was amazing! I’ve loved every single book in the Wicked Games series, but something about Tabby and Connor just hit all the right spots for me. I’ve reread it 3 times already, and it will continue to be my re-read staple.
The amount of love I had for this completely unputdownable story is so ridiculous, I lost count. It had everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING. A badass, take no prisoners, sharp witted and sassy heroine. Banter that will make your life. Sexual tension that will make you shiver. And a total badass, dirty talking hero that’s a doppelgänger for Dwayne Johnson. I mean C’MON!!!
Chock full of passion, emotion, with fascinating multi-layered characters and a story that you never want to end, Wicked Sexy was absolutely everything I love about romance.
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