There exists in this world a delightful sort of magic—the kind found in dog-eared pages and wine-stained bookmarks, in the collective gasp of a reading circle when hearts finally collide on paper. If your book club has grown weary of weighty tomes and yearns instead for stories that leave one feeling rather like sunshine has taken up permanent residence in one’s chest, then you have arrived at the right place.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Beach Read proves that novels marketed as “light summer reading” can harbor tremendous depth beneath their cheerful covers. January Andrews writes romance novels, but after discovering her late father’s affair, she no longer believes in love. Augustus Everett writes award-winning literary fiction about cults and tragedy, but finds himself creatively blocked. Fate deposits them in neighboring beach houses in Michigan.
Their solution to mutual writer’s block? A genre swap bet. January will write something dark and literary while Gus attempts romance. She’ll take him on rom-com worthy adventures; he’ll take her to interview death cult survivors. What emerges is a story about processing grief, challenging assumptions, and discovering that people—and genres—contain multitudes.
Kirkus Reviews called it “a heartfelt look at taking second chances, in life and in love.” The meta-commentary on romance as a genre provides book clubs with rich discussion material about the stories we value and why.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
What transpires when the unluckiest woman alive finds herself stranded in paradise with the one man she cannot tolerate? The Unhoneymooners answers this question with tremendous wit and charm. Olive Torres watches her twin sister marry her perfect match, then watches the entire wedding party succumb to food poisoning from the reception’s seafood buffet. Only she and the best man, her sworn nemesis Ethan Thomas, remain standing.
A free honeymoon to Maui hangs in the balance. Neither will let the other claim it alone. Thus begins a forced proximity situation that spirals delightfully out of control when Olive’s boss appears and she must pretend Ethan is actually her husband. The enemies-to-lovers transformation unfolds through hilarious banter and genuine emotional growth, making the inevitable happy ending feel thoroughly earned.
Falling Down Under by Errin Krystal
There is something tremendously satisfying about watching a life come gloriously undone before reassembling itself into something far better than before. In Falling Down Under, we meet Georgia Bailey, a London socialite who loses her father, her fortune, and her rockstar boyfriend in rapid succession. What does one do when stripped of everything familiar? One boards a plane to the Australian outback, naturally, to work as a waitress at one’s grandparents’ vineyard.
The twist that makes this tale particularly delicious: Georgia’s boss in the kitchen is Jared, her high school sweetheart who now speaks to her in monosyllables and glares. The grumpy chef and the sunshine-filled former influencer must navigate shared spaces, unfinished history, and the small matter of saving a struggling family business.
The Australian setting—complete with a kangaroo who frequents the parking lot—provides endless discussion fodder. This is the first book in the Seven Sisters Vineyard series of open-door romance, but each book stands completely on its own with no cliffhangers, making it ideal for clubs hesitant about series commitments.
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
From the author of Every Summer After comes this 2026 release that explores what happens when the ground shifts beneath a friendship that has lasted decades. Frankie and George have been inseparable since age eight—passionate, stubborn, and prone to clashing before always finding their way back. Until the morning of Frankie’s wedding, when her fiancé vanishes, leaving only a note.
The honeymoon to Tofino, British Columbia, is already paid for. George, her complicated best friend and would-be best man, offers to take the trip with her instead. Amidst mist-draped beaches and lush rainforests, these two must finally confront the feelings that have complicated their friendship for years.
Fortune has described her goal as “giving readers an immersive experience, transporting them to gorgeous Canadian landscapes.” Book clubs who loved her previous works will find this friends-to-lovers tale continues her tradition of emotionally resonant romance set against breathtaking natural backdrops.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
One flat. One bed. Two occupants who have never met. The premise of The Flatshare sounds like the setup for a farce, but Beth O’Leary transforms it into something genuinely touching. Tiffy, an underpaid assistant editor fleeing a toxic relationship, cannot afford London housing. Leon, a palliative care nurse working nights to fund his brother’s appeal against wrongful conviction, needs someone to occupy the bed while he’s away.
Their communication begins through Post-it notes scattered about the apartment. By the time they actually meet, readers are already invested in their connection. The novel alternates perspectives, giving equal weight to both characters’ journeys. Beyond the romance, it addresses emotional abuse and justice system failures with sensitivity, providing book clubs with meaningful topics alongside the warmth. It sold over half a million copies for good reason: it demonstrates that rom-coms can tackle serious subjects without sacrificing their essential hopefulness.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Academia has rarely been this entertaining. Olive Smith, a biology Ph.D. candidate at Stanford, requires a fake boyfriend to convince her best friend she’s moved on. In a moment of panicked improvisation, she kisses a stranger—who turns out to be Dr. Adam Carlsen, the most feared professor in her department. He agrees to maintain the ruse for reasons of his own, and what follows is a slow-burn romance wrapped in wit and scientific metaphor.
The “grumpy professor meets sunshine Ph.D. candidate” dynamic generates tremendous charm, while the book’s portrayal of women in STEM fields and female friendship adds substance beneath the humor. Each chapter opens with a hypothesis that sets expectations delightfully askew. Book clubs will find plenty to debate in the academic politics and the handling of power dynamics.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Ten years. Ten summer vacations. One friendship that defies all logic. Poppy is impulsive, colorful, and adventurous. Alex is reserved, methodical, and content at home. They should have nothing in common, yet their annual trips became the highlight of both their years—until Croatia, when something happened that silenced their friendship for two years.
Inspired by When Harry Met Sally, the novel unfolds through alternating timelines: present-day Palm Springs and flashbacks to vacations past. We watch the friendship deepen while simultaneously experiencing Poppy’s attempt to repair what broke. The structure gives book clubs natural discussion points about how relationships evolve, what it means to truly know someone, and whether some connections are worth fighting for despite the risk.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Every Schitt’s Creek devotee will recognize the setup: privileged socialite gets cut off from family wealth and exiled to a small town to learn responsibility. Piper Bellinger, Los Angeles “It Girl,” lands in a Washington fishing village to run the dive bar her late father left behind. She is spectacularly unsuited to the task.
Enter Brendan, the gruff sea captain who gives her approximately five minutes before she flees back to Beverly Hills. The opposites-attract tension generates tremendous heat, but the real pleasure lies in watching Piper’s transformation from influencer concerned with appearances to someone who discovers genuine connection and purpose. The book examines the hollowness of performative social media existence without becoming preachy, and the small-town setting provides atmospheric charm. Fair warning: this one runs steamier than some book clubs prefer, so know your group.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
What if every person you dated immediately found their soulmate after you broke up? Justin and Emma both claim this curse, and when they discover each other via Reddit, they devise a plan: date, then break up, and let their curses cancel out. Simple enough.
The problem, of course, is that spending a summer together in a cottage on a Minnesota lake tends to complicate purely transactional arrangements. Jimenez has a gift for balancing humor with genuine emotional weight; the story addresses foster care trauma and family dysfunction without losing its essential warmth. Harper’s Bazaar named it one of the “Top 10 Best Summer Romance Books of All Time.” Book clubs will find much to discuss about how we heal, how we choose our families, and whether curses might sometimes be blessings in disguise.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Here is a romance that knows exactly what it is and delights in subverting expectations anyway. Nora Stephens is a New York literary agent—sharp, ambitious, and tired of being the woman men date before finding the love of their lives. Her younger sister Libby convinces her to spend August in the picturesque town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina.
The town is small, quirky, and full of characters who seem lifted from the rom-com scripts Nora’s clients write. It’s also home to Charlie Lastra, a book editor she’s clashed with professionally. When their paths keep crossing, the “city woman finds herself in small town” trope gets thoroughly examined and cheerfully dismantled. Publishers Weekly called it “a moving examination of love, belonging, and family.” The meta-commentary on romance tropes makes this a particularly rich choice for book clubs who enjoy novels that are aware of their own genre conventions.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Across the desk, they sit. Lucy Hutton, colorful and optimistic and prone to Pollyanna declarations. Joshua Templeman, joyless and meticulous and seemingly allergic to anything resembling warmth. Executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing house, they have spent years perfecting the art of mutual antagonism through elaborate passive-aggressive games.
When a promotion puts them in direct competition—winner takes all, loser walks—the stakes rise considerably. Then comes an elevator encounter that changes everything, and Lucy begins to wonder whether Joshua’s cold exterior masks something rather more interesting. The enemies-to-lovers trope receives masterful treatment here, with dialogue so sharp readers find themselves quoting it aloud. The slow-burn tension builds to a thoroughly satisfying resolution. Book clubs that appreciate workplace dynamics and the particular pleasure of watching hostility transform into something altogether different will find this a reliable choice.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
The title serves as both description and invitation. Sally Milz writes sketches for The Night Owls, a Saturday Night Live stand-in, and observes with cynical precision that mediocre men on the show consistently end up with glamorous women, while the reverse never occurs. She writes a sketch about it. Then Noah Brewster, pop star with a reputation for dating models, guest hosts the show.
What unfolds across three sections—a single frenetic week at the show, pandemic-era email correspondence, and an eventual reunion—is a thoughtful examination of whether life might, occasionally, follow the rom-com rules. Ali Hazelwood called it “an uplifting, feel-good, romantic read.” The book works beautifully for clubs who enjoy discussing gender dynamics, celebrity culture, and the gap between what we think we deserve and what we might actually find. Reese’s Book Club selected it for good reason: it makes readers think while still delivering the warmth the genre promises.
Final Thoughts for Your Book Club
The finest feel-good romances share a particular quality: they acknowledge that life contains genuine difficulty while insisting, gently but firmly, that connection and joy remain possible anyway. Each book on this list offers something for discussion beyond the central love story—family dynamics, career ambitions, personal growth, the ways we sabotage ourselves and the courage required to stop.
Choose based on your group’s sensibilities. Some prefer their romance with considerable heat; others want fade-to-black discretion. Some want pure escapism; others appreciate weightier themes woven through. All of these deliver the essential promise: by the final page, you will feel lighter than when you began.
And isn’t that precisely what a book club ought to provide? The chance to escape together, to feel together, and to emerge having shared something that matters, however briefly, with people who understand why these stories are worth telling.
