I just finished the Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore. It was kinda awful (I only finished it because it was an audiobook). I tried reading Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson and only read half of it before I couldn’t get over the quality of the writing. I also hated Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood for the same reasons.
I prefer books with POC as leads, I’d love a nice cozy book with fall/halloween/Christmas vibes, small town would be a big plus. I was drawn to the working in a cafe/yarn store of the two books above but I need there to be some character development and realistic writing. I hated how quickly the romance progressed in the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. I felt like the two characters hardly knew each other. In real men knit, I couldn’t get over how forced all the situations felt. And Check & Mate was just so cringe I only finished it cause it was an audiobook.
The closest thing to a good romance I’ve read recently was The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, Crumbs by Danie Stirling, Blackout by Clayton, Jackson, and Stone.
I’m okay with spicy but it’s not necessary. I just wanna read a good romance book that’s cozy and realistic. Slice of life type book.
by flower4556
2 Comments
Maybe Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
edit: also it doesnt really meet any of your other asks BUT its really well written and realistic despite being fantasy, I would suggest the Saint of Steel series by T Kingfisher
I liked If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane. Realistic though I wouldn’t really call it cozy. There is a fair bit of profanity but I don’t remember there being much spice. Overall I really enjoy the author. Her voice is much more realistic and chill than a lot of other romance writers and her main characters feel like real people.