I'm writing an instant chemistry, opposites attract, forced proximity rom-com, so I've been paying attention to how my favorite authors handle those tropes. Here's my shelf, sorted by the trope that made me pick each book up, with a quick idea of what you're in for.
Forced proximity
- The Roommate by Rosie Danan
Clara moves to Los Angeles for a guy, who promptly leaves her with a stranger for a roommate: Josh, who turns out to work in adult film. What follows is funny, sex-positive, and surprisingly sweet. The forced proximity classic of the last few years.
- The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
Tiffy and Leon share a one-bedroom flat, and one bed, in shifts: he works nights, she's home evenings and weekends. They fall in love through sticky notes before they've ever met. Charming, and one of the best uses of the one-bed idea ever written.
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
A romance novelist and a literary fiction writer end up in neighboring beach houses, both blocked, and swap genres for the summer. Rivals-ish, neighbors, and the book that made Emily Henry a household name.
- Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
A figure skater and a hockey captain are forced to share the same rink after a scheduling disaster. College sports romance, found family, and a very sweet hero.
Fake dating and fake relationships
- The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Two public-radio coworkers pretend to be exes to host a show about relationships, then have to keep the lie going on air. Workplace romance, fake relationship, and a heroine who loves her job.
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
A PhD student kisses the first man she sees to convince her friend she's dating, and the first man she sees is a notoriously grumpy professor. The fake-dating book that launched a thousand STEM romances.
- The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
Adalyn's sister-story sequel in Green Oak: a fake engagement to fix a public image, a small town, and a romance that gets more real by the chapter.
- The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Bree has been in love with her best friend Nathan, a pro quarterback, for years; a viral photo forces them into a fake relationship. Friends to lovers, fake dating, and a hero who's been in love the whole time.
- All I Want Is You by Falon BallardLucy rated it 4 stars
Funny, hopeful, and fast, with a holiday-season setting and a romance that earns its ending. A four-star read for me.
Rivals to lovers
- Battle of the Bookstores by Ali BradyLucy rated it 4 stars
Two bookstore managers in the same building compete for one job, and the winner gets to keep the store. Rival booksellers, workplace tension, and a love letter to indie bookstores. A four-star read for me.
- Not in My Book by Katie Holt
Two writing-program rivals, one literary and one romance, are forced to co-write a book. Sparks, arguments, and a dual-POV structure I paid close attention to.
- The Enemy by Sarah Adams
June and Ryan have been rivals since childhood, and now their businesses are competing too. Childhood enemies who never quite grew out of it, with Sarah Adams's signature sweetness.
Opposites attract and slow burn
- Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
A Hollywood showrunner and her assistant are photographed together and the rumor mill decides they're a couple. A patient, slow-burn f/f romance about learning to trust what's real.
- The Match by Sarah Adams
Evie trains service dogs; Jake is the grumpy single dad whose daughter needs one. Sunshine meets grump with a very good dog in the middle.
- How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Two screenwriters are assigned to the same TV adaptation, and they share a tragedy from high school neither has recovered from. A second-chance romance that earns every emotional beat, and a book I think about a lot.
Sports rom-coms
- Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
A college diver and a swimmer, discipline, pressure, and a lot of feelings. Emotional and funny, with Hazelwood's usual smart heroine.
- Dream Girl Drama by Tessa BaileyLucy rated it 5 stars
A harpist, a hockey player, and instant chemistry with a complication. My five-star sports romance.
Pucking Around by Emily RathA sports medicine intern joins a hockey team's staff and finds herself at the center of a found family that turns into something more. Big, warm, and unconventional.
These are books I've actually read, with the star ratings from my own reading log. No sponsorships, no affiliate links, just my shelf. Ratings are on a five-star scale.
My own book leans hardest on instant chemistry and forced proximity: a wedding planner, the bride's big brother, and six months of planning meetings neither of them can get out of.
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