There exists a magnificent sort of reader—perhaps you are one yourself—who, upon finishing a book that has thoroughly delighted the heart, finds themselves wandering about in a daze, rather like a lost child at a country fair, desperately seeking that same magic again. If you have recently closed the final pages of It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey and find yourself in this very predicament, then do sit down and join us, for we have assembled a collection of books that shall set your heart aflutter once more.
What makes Tessa Bailey’s beloved tale so irresistible? Why, it is the delicious combination of a glamorous fish-out-of-water heroine discovering herself in a small town, a grumpy yet thoroughly swoon-worthy hero, and that warm, crackling tension that builds between two people who ought not to suit each other at all—yet suit each other perfectly.
The following recommendations have been gathered with the utmost care, each possessing that same enchanting quality that makes one stay up far past one’s bedtime, turning pages with increasing urgency.
1. Falling Down Under by Errin Krystal
If It Happened One Summer left you yearning for another tale of a city woman finding herself—and finding love—in an unexpected rural paradise, then Falling Down Under shall prove the most splendid discovery.
Georgia Bailey has lost rather everything at once: her father, her fortune, and her rock-star boyfriend who proved himself unworthy of her magnificent spirit. What remains? A struggling vineyard in the Australian countryside, owned by grandparents she has not seen in years, and memories of a boy she once loved with all the fierce devotion of youth.
That boy, you see, is now a thoroughly grumpy chef, and Georgia must work alongside him whilst pretending her heart does not remember every tender moment they once shared. Readers have called this “the ultimate second-chance romance” with “the perfect balance between heart and humor, loss and hope.” One reviewer declared it “like spending a day with close friends”—warm, satisfying, and leaving one with that delicious glow of contentment.
The setting is utterly transporting—a sun-drenched vineyard complete with a resident kangaroo named Boomer, scrumptious food descriptions that shall make you desperately hungry, and an Australian authenticity that readers from Down Under have praised as wonderfully accurate (the author being, in fact, Australian). Georgia herself is intelligent and feisty with a bubbly personality, yet carries real depth as she rebuilds her life from nothing. This is the first book in the Seven Sisters Vineyard series, and each book is a complete standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.
Read a sample of Falling Down Under
2. The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
Now here is a fish-out-of-water tale that shall sweep you away to the magnificent wilderness of Alaska, where mobile phone signals fear to tread and the men fly small planes with rugged competence.
Calla Fletcher, a city woman through and through, ventures to the Alaskan frontier to reconnect with her dying father—a man she has not seen since she was but two years old. What she does not expect is Jonah, a brooding bush pilot who seems utterly convinced she cannot handle the wild. Their banter is delicious, their pranks upon each other most entertaining, and their slow-burning romance unfolds against a backdrop of breathtaking wilderness.
This Goodreads Choice Award nominee masterfully weaves love, loss, and the courage it takes to let someone in.
3. Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
For those who adored the small-town charm of Westport, the fictional town of Knockemout, Virginia shall prove equally captivating—if rather more prone to settling disputes with fists and beer.
Naomi Witt arrives to rescue her twin sister, only to be abandoned with an eleven-year-old niece she never knew existed. Enter Knox Morgan, a bearded bar owner whose grumpy exterior cannot quite hide his reluctant heart of gold. The banter is sharp, the found-family elements deeply satisfying, and the slow-burn romance builds with delicious tension.
Lucy Score has crafted something rather special here—a tale that manages to be both hilarious and emotionally resonant.
4. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
What could be more delightfully absurd than two people who cannot stand each other being forced to share a honeymoon in Maui? When food poisoning strikes an entire wedding party, only Olive Torres and Ethan Thomas are left standing—and left with a non-refundable Hawaiian holiday.
The enemies-to-lovers tension crackles like electricity, the tropical setting is pure escapism, and the moment these two adversaries begin to suspect they might actually like each other is perfectly orchestrated. One cannot help but laugh aloud at their predicaments whilst rooting desperately for their happiness.
This New York Times bestseller earned starred reviews and was named one of Amazon’s Best Romances.
5. The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler
Another tale of a sunny tourist meeting a grumpy local, this time set in the quirky Alaskan town of Moose Springs. Graham Barnett runs a diner called The Tourist Trap—a name chosen in bitter jest—and has absolutely no interest in the endless parade of resort visitors.
Then comes Zoey Caldwell, for whom two weeks in Alaska represents her entire bucket list, and Graham finds his carefully constructed walls crumbling most inconveniently. The book delightfully examines tourism’s impact from both perspectives whilst delivering a romance that is both humorous and heartfelt.
There is also an adorable dog and a lovestruck moose, which one feels ought to be mentioned.
6. Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
The beaches of Avalon Bay provide the setting for this opposites-attract romance between Mackenzie Cabot, a wealthy “good woman” who has always followed the rules, and Cooper Hartley, a local with a reputation that is anything but proper.
Mac has spent her life meeting expectations—her family’s, her controlling boyfriend’s, society’s. Cooper represents everything she should not want. Their chemistry, however, cares nothing for propriety. Elle Kennedy delivers steamy scenes, witty banter, and the thoroughly satisfying transformation of a woman discovering who she truly wishes to be.
7. Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
Perhaps you desire something with greater emotional depth? This New York Times bestseller, ranked among Goodreads’ Top 100 Romance Novels of All Time, delivers a love story that shall leave you quite undone.
Bree Prescott arrives in tiny Pelion, Maine, seeking peace after tragedy. She discovers Archer Hale, a mute man who has lived in isolation since a childhood accident, misunderstood by all who encounter him. As Bree learns his sign language, a profound connection develops—one built on shared vulnerability rather than grand gestures.
This is romance at its most tender, exploring how love can foster healing and growth.
Finding Your Next Perfect Read
Each of these books captures something of what makes It Happened One Summer so beloved: the transformation that occurs when a woman discovers herself in an unexpected place, the delicious tension of opposites attracting, and the warm embrace of communities where everyone knows everyone’s business—for better or worse.
Whether you choose the Australian vineyards, the Alaskan wilderness, or a small Virginia town, adventure and romance await. One need only turn the first page to begin.
