What kind of romance reader are you? Find your niche
Not all romance books are created equal. Some deliver slow-burn longing, others bring chaos, fantasy kingdoms, rivals-on-ice tension or fangs and forbidden desire.
If you’ve ever wondered what kind of romance reader you are, this guide is your invitation to find out.
To help you discover your niche, our librarians have picked out nine romance booklists across a wide range of subgenres, romance tropes and spice levels.
1. Sports romance
You love rivals, locker-room tension, and feelings that get messier under pressure.
Heated rivalry by Rachel Reid
SO hot right now. Two rival NHL players begin a secret, years-long affair that starts as pure physical chemistry and slowly turns into something neither of them planned for. Set against the pressure of professional ice hockey and public scrutiny, this is a sharp, emotional enemies-to-lovers romance with real depth.
Deep end by Ali Hazelwood
Scarlett, a competitive college diver, agrees to a friends-with-benefits arrangement with Lukas, an Olympic swimmer juggling his own career pressures. What starts as a controlled, no-feelings setup quickly unravels as ambition, vulnerability and real affection collide.
The cheat sheet by Sarah Adams
Bree has been secretly in love with her best friend Nathan, a famous NFL player, for years. When fake dating enters the picture to improve his public image, long-buried feelings rise to the surface in this sweet, low-angst friends-to-lovers romance.
Explore more sports romance books
2. Romantasy for adults
You want fantasy worlds with real emotional stakes – and you don’t mind a little danger.
From blood and ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Poppy has lived a life of isolation and duty as “The Maiden”, forbidden from touching, exploring or really living until a guarded warrior enters her world. Packed with tension, forbidden desire, mythical creatures, violence, intrigue and plenty of spice, this book hits every romantasy sweet spot.
Divine rivals by Rebecca Ross
Set against the backdrop of a looming war between gods, this tender enemies-to-lovers romance follows two rival journalists who unknowingly begin writing to each other through magical letters. With high feelings and softer stakes, it focuses more on longing and connection than explicit content.
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Halla inherits a magical sword containing a sarcastic warrior who is magically bound to protect her. What follows is a cosy, low-stakes fantasy adventure full of dry humour, found family and a slow-burn romance that prioritises kindness over drama.
Find more romantasy suggestions
3. Romance with neurodiverse representation
You value emotional safety, honest communication, and characters who feel real.
Yes & I love you by Roni Loren
Hollyn struggles with severe anxiety and Tourette’s, while Jasper is a confident improv actor hiding his own insecurities. Their relationship grows through patience, humour and honest communication in a romance that centres emotional safety as much as attraction.
Act your age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
Eve crashes into Jacob’s carefully ordered life and ends up working at his B&B. As two autistic characters with very different coping styles, they slowly build trust, affection and a deeply satisfying opposites-attract romance.
Done and dusted by Lyla Sage
Clementine returns to her hometown feeling directionless and overwhelmed, only to find connection with a steady, grounded love interest who helps her rediscover confidence. This is a warm, character-driven romance with thoughtful ADHD representation.
See more romance books with neurodiverse characters
4. Later-in-life romance
You believe love doesn’t expire – it just gets more interesting.
Flirting with fifty by Jane Porter
After her long-term marriage ends, Kyra finds herself navigating dating, independence and desire in her fifties. This romance balances humour and honesty while celebrating reinvention and second chances at love.
Heartwaves: A Greyfin Bay novel by Anita Kelly
Set in a small coastal town, this gentle romance follows characters who are rebuilding their lives after loss and burnout. It’s a soft, affirming love story rooted in community, healing and emotional openness.
The half of it by Juliette Fay
Helen Spencer’s life has been shaped by small mistakes – and one unforgettable night with Cal Crosby. Forty years later, he reappears, forcing her to confront the secrets, regrets and feelings she thought she’d left behind.
Discover more later-in-life romance books
5. Romance featuring booklovers
You’re a sucker for witty banter, literary settings and stories that know the genre.
Book lovers by Emily Henry
Cutthroat literary agent Nora Stephens goes on a sisters’ trip expecting nothing but calm. Instead, she keeps colliding with Charlie Lastra, and their awkward encounters might just rewrite the carefully curated lives they’ve built.
The gentleman’s book of vices by Jess Everlee
This witty historical romance pairs a reserved bookseller with a charming, rule-breaking aristocrat, bringing together two men whose chemistry is impossible to ignore. Set in Victorian London, it blends class tension and sharp humour with plenty of emotional payoff.
The love scribe by Amy Meyerson
After writing a love story to cheer up a heart-broken friend, Alice discovers an extraordinary gift that leads her readers to real-life romance. As she grapples with fate, belief and her own romantic hesitations, this charming novel explores the power of storytelling and the magic that happens when we allow ourselves to hope.
Find more bookish romance stories
6. Ranchers and rodeo – Western romance
You want earthy settings, strong hands and feelings that hit hard and fast.
Chasing the wild by Elliot Rose
Set against sweeping rural landscapes, this steamy Western romance delivers exactly the vibe you’re hoping for: a rugged older cowboy, an independent good girl and an undeniable pull neither can ignore.
Wild and wrangled by Lyla Sage
Camille moves back to her small-town Wyoming dream home, only to find her first love, Dusty, living next door. Years of unspoken history and old hurts resurface as they navigate the familiarity – and complications – of being so close again.
Three cowboys and a baby by Kate Pearce
Three ranchers find their lives upended when they become unexpected caregivers. This steamy romance leans into found family, shared responsibility and unconventional love.
See more boot-scootin’ romance titles
7. Shapeshifter romance
You like your romance a little wild, a little weird, and very fun.
Hot and badgered by Shelly Laurenston
It’s not every day that a beautiful naked woman falls out of the sky and lands face-first on grizzly bear shifter Berg Dunn’s hotel balcony. Tasked with protecting her sisters from a deadly family secret, Charlie’s not sure if Berg’s giant-grizzly-sized help is a blessing or a complication. Wild, witty, and unpredictable, this is a shapeshifter romance like no other.
Blind date with a werewolf by Patricia Briggs
Asil’s friends think a lonely werewolf at Christmas is unacceptable. They’ve lined up five dates in three weeks, told the whole pack, and started a betting pool. Romance, misadventure, and pack drama collide in this witty holiday tale.
The devil she knows by Alexandria Bellefleur
This queer paranormal romance blends demons, bargains and unresolved feelings as a woman navigates dangerous deals and complicated attraction. With Bellefleur’s signature warmth and humour, the story balances supernatural stakes with emotional depth and romantic tension.
What else is out there? See more shapeshifter suggestions
8. DIY darlings – renovation romance
You enjoy forced proximity, shared projects and emotional walls coming down.
Sweet home Alabarden Park by T.J. O’Shea
Fiona Turner has two impossible tasks: repair the crumbling Alabarden Park in time to host the Queen of England, and help turn the all-American Alice Stewart into a proper English duchess.
Wild things by Laura Kay
Two best friends. One huge crush. A year that could change everything. When El and her friends ditch city life for a ramshackle country house, they’re ready to chase their dreams—but El can’t ignore her feelings for Ray, the effortlessly cool best friend she’s loved for years. A hilarious, heartwarming queer rom-com about friendship, risk, and taking a leap for love.
Fix them up by Maggie Grant
Kat moves hundreds of miles to renovate her late father’s house, only to find the grumpy builder Liam is the same man who ruined her funeral day. Living under one roof sparks fly amid faulty wiring and renovation chaos, but a dark secret could threaten their growing connection.
9. Vampire stories to sink your teeth into
You’re here for dark power dynamics, immortal longing, and seductive danger.
The serpent and the wings of night by Carissa Broadbent
A human woman enters a deadly vampire tournament ruled by an immortal king, forming a dangerous alliance with one of his kind. Dark, immersive and driven by survival and desire.
Filthy rich vampire by Geneva Lee
Julian Rousseaux is expected to marry. But he has other plans. When human cellist Thea stumbles into his life, he offers her protection from his family’s dangerous expectations in exchange for posing as his lover. Dark, decadent, and irresistible, this is vampire romance at its most decadent.
Immortal pleasures by V. Castro
Malinalli, an ancient Aztec vampire, roams the modern world seeking vengeance, love, and lost treasures from her past. In Dublin, she encounters a mortal horror novelist and an immortal companion, both of whom challenge her desires and her heart. Steeped in history, danger, and immortal longing, this dark vampire romance blends horror elements with intense attraction.
Love is love at your library
Ready to tuck into some delicious love stories? All throughout February, borrow 3 romance titles from our physical or e-collections and be in to win a $100 gift card to spend on brands, food-spots or experiences of your choice!
For details and special library events, check out our Love is love competition.
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