This year has been stressful. It’s led many of us to search for comfort — whether that be diving into a Netflix binge or putting up the Christmas decorations by Halloween. I’ve found myself devouring light, entertaining reads this year (like, a few dozen). Women’s fiction, chick lit, romantic comedies, whatever you’d like to call ‘em, I’m all over ‘em. Think Hallmark movies in book form, as a friend of mine put it. The lightness and dependability of rom-com storylines have been my getaway from the chaos of 2020. As this year winds down and we hunker down for winter, it’s the perfect time for enjoying some light, entertaining books.
Here are some comforting new reads to cozy up with this season.
The Creek Water Series by Whitney Dineen
The Event: A Second Chance Coming Home Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 1), 2019
The Move: A Big City to Small Town Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 2), 2019
The Plan: A Sweet and Sexy Rock Star Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 3), 2020
The Dream: A Funny and Feel Good small Town Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 4), 2020
The Creek Water Series is a set of romantic comedies that take place in Creek Water, Missouri, USA. The main characters in each book are in some way related to the Frothingham family, though each installment focuses on a different family member or friend. It’s a sweet series of rom-coms bound to whisk you away to small town America.
Moose Springs, Alaska series by Sarah Morgenthaler
The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska Book 1), 2020
Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska Book 2), 2020
Enjoy the View (Moose Springs, Alaska Book 2), 2021
Welcome to Moose Springs, Alaska, where you’ll find eccentric locals, tourists, and plenty of wildlife. The first book tells the story of tourist Zoey Caldwell and local grumpy diner owner Graham Barnett (Luke Danes, anyone?). The second focuses on Zoey’s friend, longtime tourist Lana Montgomery and her adventures in work and love in the small town. The third to-be-released book follows a Hollywood starlet who visits Moose Springs to film a documentary. With its charming cast of characters and plentiful Alaskan wilderness, Moose Springs is a lovely place to explore this winter from the comfort of your own couch.
Just Saying: An Absolutely Perfect and Feel-good Romantic Comedy, by Sophie Ranald, 2020
Just Saying is a recent release from Sophie Ranald. It follows the story of Alice, whose life is upended when she loses her job and her boyfriend’s ex re-enters their life. With lots of big questions about her career, relationship, and home swirling, Alice tries to navigate it all and move forward. It’s a light and relatable rom-com that’ll keep you entertained.
Plus, several of Ranald’s books focus on the same area of London and a cast of characters whose lives intersect — like Sorry Not Sorry and It’s Not You It’s Him — so while they’re not a series per se, if you enjoy one, you’ve got plenty more to explore!
The Boyfriend Project, by Farrah Rochon, 2020
In Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project, Samiah Brooks is thrown into the spotlight when a video of her confronting her cheating boyfriend goes viral. She becomes friends with the two other women he was cheating with, and the group creates a pact to support each other in their careers. However, an attractive new coworker at Samiah’s office threatens to distract her. With romance, friendship, family, and career, there’s a bit of everything — and it all fits together to make quite an enjoyable read.
One to Watch, by Kate Stayman-London, 2020
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London focuses on Bea Schumacher, a plus-sized fashion blogger who becomes the star of Main Squeeze, a reality dating show à la The Bachelorette. Once filming begins, Bea has to tangle with the mix of fiction and reality — which of these guys are really into her and which just want their own fame? This book is a charming page turner perfect for winter nights at home!
