6 Best Romance Books to Read in a Weekend—Plus Easy Ways to Make More Time for Books

The world is overflowing with amazing book choices, but limited opportunities to enjoy them in our busy schedules. Let’s call it the “too many books, too little time” problem. But we’re here to help you on both sides of the equation. Keep reading to discover six contemporary romance books so good, you’ll want to finish them in a single weekend. And don’t miss our insider advice and ingenious hacks to make more reading happen in your routine. We’re supplying the titles and the know-how for you to succeed while you read!

Best spicy romance book: ‘Yes Chef’ by Grace Reilly

After hitting rock bottom—gruff chef Jack is fired from his job at a top restaurant in New York City and ditzy social-media influencer Poppy is dumped by her professional-athlete boyfriend in public—these two have to rebuild their reputations. So they team up to rehabilitate a rundown eatery in Florida. And what follows isn’t just super-spicy cuisine. The book’s message: “If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.”

One fan of this “when grumpy meets sunshine” story confirms: “The spice was spicing. Hot damn, was it good.” Another reader said: “Who knew working in kitchens was so exciting?! The tension building in this story was delectable, and I loved the push and pull between the characters. It was the perfect balance between deep, real feelings and fun, easy banter.”

Best sad romance book: ‘No Matter What’ by Cara Bastone

One year ago, Vin and Roz survived a traumatic accident together—but their marriage is still on life support. They are like ghosts living in the same apartment. There isn’t even a conversation when Vin leaves a lease on the kitchen counter for a new apartment, indicating he’s planning to move out. In her grief, Roz wanders into a live figure-drawing art class, where she begins to find healing and community. But will she be able to draw Vin out of his shell before losing him forever?

One reviewer said, “It was a story about the complicated, painful, beautiful reality of loving another person. Because sometimes love isn’t easy. Sometimes love is choosing, hurting, forgiving, questioning and trying.” Another reviewer called it “a story you need to read!”

Best rivals to lovers book: ‘The Love Variations’ by Victoria Lee

Goldie is a wild, wealthy big-city pianist, specializing in the raucous compositions of Rachmaninoff. Jaime is a country-boy piano prodigy, with a knack for playing Chopin’s romantic arrangements with fluid perfection. Suddenly, the two must practice together before facing off against each other in the most prestigious piano competition on the planet. How can one of them win without ruining the harmony they’re developing away from music?

One reviewer talked about the power of partnership, saying, “This tender and heartfelt novel follows the journey of two young people whose personal struggles seem overwhelming when faced alone.” But together the “insurmountable become manageable—and even transform into opportunities for joy.”

Best slow-burn romance book: ‘The Night We Met’ by Abby Jimenez

Over-stressed Larissa and super-dependable Chris have been friends all year—ever since she started dating Chris’s unreliable best friend. Chris feels he has to stick around, protecting Larissa from her severe food allergies and trying to lift the burden of her complicated life. But the longer Chris tries to care for Larissa from afar, the more he wishes he could rewrite history and be the first one to ask her out. This tender story is about taking care of the people who are busy taking care of everyone else.

An online fan described it as a “tear-my-heart-out-and-put-it-back-together-with-missing-pieces kind of story… If you love a slow burn, a friends to lovers, a good guy gets the girl, you’ll love this book!” Another shared, “I couldn’t put this book down at all and I loved Every. Single. Page!”

Best not-a-billionaire romance book: ‘Married with Benefits’ by Ellie Palmer

There’s definitely a trend for “billionaire romance” stories but this is the opposite take: A regular woman, barely getting by, who needs love to survive. Lainey is living paycheck-to-paycheck and can’t cover the cost of the expensive migraine prescription medication she needs to function in life. Elliot is a new-in-town loner who suggests Lainey enter a marriage of convenience with him for the health insurance. This story has top-notch banter that only comes when characters have nothing left to lose.

One reviewer said: “A romantic comedy that is actually funny and actually romantic? Check! The characters felt real and specific, and the leads had goals, fears and backstories that had me invested in their story.”

Best sort-of-stalker romance book: ‘Bonfire & Bliss Bookstore’ by Brittanée Nicole

Okay, to be fair, this is a fun fake-dating story and not a tense hostage trope, which is becoming more popular with readers these days. But hear me out: As the main characters catch real feelings for each other, they begin to live out some fantasies with each other—including one spicy scene where they role-play a stalker situation. It involves writer Monty wearing a mask and using a voice modulator to boss bookstore owner Penny around, consensually, of course.

What one online fan said: “Woooooweeeee—this one completely blew me away… Enter Monty. I think he may be one of my favourite MMCs [main male characters] I’ve read in a long while. He had me swooning from the moment he stepped off the plane in Hope Harbor. Tattoos and muscles aside, he was soft, mysterious and just all-around adorable.”

How to enjoy more books—faster, easier—in your busy life

So now you have six great new book titles to add to your reading list. But how exactly do you accomplish reading them in your busy life? Here’s inside advice to help you level up…

Utilize different formats: “Be open to reading in multiple formats—physical, digital and audio,” advises bookstagrammer Julie Gordon, who runs the Instagram account @bookmom22 and reads/listens to around 120 books every year. “It’s a great way to read multiple books at the same time or keep reading a book while switching between formats.”

Get inspired by read-and-watch schedules: Many women are reading books to coincide with the stories’ TV or movie adaptations. Recently, people rushed to read Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis so they could enjoy it on Amazon Prime Video. You can use read-and-watch schedules to know which books in a series—say, Off Campus, Bridgerton or The Summer I Turned Pretty—to read to correspond with their TV seasons. Or check out this East of Eden reading schedule to know which chapters of the book to finish before watching each episode of the show. For example, episodes 1 and 2 cover the first 11 chapters of the novel.

Try immersive reading: This strategy—where you simultaneously read words on the page while listening to the audiobook—is gaining popularity. It helps set a steady reading pace and keeps attention focused so your mind doesn’t wander.

Adjust the audio speed: If you’re consuming books by listening to audio versions, consider cranking up the speed a bit on the narration. This can dramatically shave off time. An eight-hour story is just a four hour commitment at twice the speed.

Add stories to downtime activities: Whether you’re walking on the treadmill or folding laundry, try adding a paperback or an audiobook into the mix. Many women get more walks and chores done while they distract themselves with a favorite book.

Take a book everywhere: Stuck waiting at the dentist or in a parking lot for your curbside grocery order? Pick up a a book. Gordon reveals, “I will download digital books on my phone and read when I’ve got downtime. Those minutes add up!”

Have your next read cued up: Use an app like Libby, which links to your library card, to maintain an active list of borrowed and on-hold books so you never find yourself with free time to read, but you don’t know what to choose.