I’m always looking for a good laugh when I’m reading or a good selection of books that can offer me a bit of a break from the denser, thicker books that I sometimes like to read. There is something so familiar and comforting in a book that you can just speed through. If you’ve ever felt that way, romantic comedies are a great place to start. I’ve put together a list of romantic comedy books for you to choose from, all by authors from systematically marginalized communities, with a focus on BIPOC authors.
PS. Bookish Brews is your one stop shop to help you diversify your reading. Please stay to browse when you’re done!
What Are Romantic Comedy Books?
One thing that always bothered me about romantic comedy books is that the publishing industry seems to think that any contemporary romance is a romantic comedy. That is not true! Romantic comedies are funny, comedic, a bit ridiculous, and so so fun. Think about your favorite romantic comedy movie, it’s not just any romance movie. They are a particular brand of romance!
Romantic comedies are a subgenre of romance novels that focus on a slice of life romance with a lighthearted nature, especially focusing on humorous romantic ideas or obstacles. They are often full of tropes, moreso than your average romance novel. Familiar tropes and ideas aids the author in throwing in more humor.
So today I’m sharing with you a list of romantic comedy books that are actually funny. I spent time searching reviews on multiple sources to find a significant amount of reviews saying something about how these stories are funny, hilarious, or comedic. It is important to me that people are able to find romance books that are funny when they want them.
This is absolutely not to say that publishing calling a book a romantic comedy and the book not actually being funny means that the book is bad at all. However, something that really affects how people enjoy books is the expectations they have going in. It is always such a disappointment when a book isn’t what you want it to be. Even if the book is incredible, that can sometimes take away from the experience.
Why Read Funny Romances?
I’m a huge advocate for reading lighthearted and funny novels. Not only does it give you brain a bit of a break from denser novels, if you like to read those, but engagement helps us retain knowledge better. I can’t tell you how many romantic comedies that I’ve read where I suddenly learned something that stuck with me way longer than the novel. I learned about ghost kitchens, baking techniques, and what a paralegal does all from lighthearted romances.
Lessons have always been taught through repetition and the way we tell stories is no different. Sometimes in the face of the familiar (like a story you’ve heard before, or a story very similar to one you’ve heard before) we open ourselves up more to the details that aren’t in repetition, and we can retain those details better. I’m a firm believer that one of the best ways to learn about others is through these types of lighthearted stories.
The Best Romantic Comedy Books
On Location by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Alia Dunn finally gets the green light for her dream production and it feels like her dreams are coming true. That is, until she meets her newest crew member, who just so happens to be the date she went on two weeks ago who then ghosted her.
☁️ Cozy Reading 🗺️ Adventure 🍃 Easy Reading 🎥 Hollywood
Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron
Reena doesn’t love her career, single status, or her family meddling in her business. So when her meddling father strikes again and moves in his newest employee across the hall in hopes that Reena will marry him, the last thing she anticipated was to actually like spending time with Nadim. Certainly, she can’t marry a man who works for her father! Right?
🏙️ City Life 🍃 Easy Reading 💗 Heart Warming 👩👧 Meddling Parents
Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau
Innovative baker Lindsay McLeod is doing what she loves at her bakery when Ryan Kwok comes in and destroys two dozen of her specialty donuts. She has no idea that Ryan is actually a slightly famous actor who is taking a break from acting until her friend tells her. The last thing she expects is for Ryan to come back in and ask her to teach him how to bake so he doesn’t embarrass himself on the celebrity episode of Baking Fail.
✨ Low Conflict 🍃 Easy Reading 🍜 Food Focused 🕯️ Slow Burn
So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park
After investment banker, Jessie Kim, gets laid off in a virtual meeting and overhears it was because she was an Asian woman, she storms out never to look back. Ashamed and embarrassed, she moves back to live with her parents and runs into the last person she wants to see: her childhood nemesis turned successful and charming lawyer, Daniel Choi.
⏱️ Fast Paced 🏢 Corporate World 📖 Couldn't Put It Down 🍃 Easy Reading
The Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie Vale
Rita has her life in order until her mom decides to completely ignore her boyfriend, Neil, and set Rita up with her ex. To prove to everyone that she and Neil are meant to be together, she signs them up for a dating site, confident they will be paired up, only to be paired with her ex instead.
⏱ Second Chance 🌱 Character Growth 🤌 Forced Proximity 🕯️ Slow Burn
How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days by K.M. Jackson
When Bethany Lu Carlisle reads a tabloid that says Keanu Reeves is getting married, she and her best friend Truman go on a wild road trip to bring Keanu face to face with his true soul mate, Lu, for the first time and convince him to call off the wedding.
🗺️ Adventure 🍃 Easy Reading 🕯️ Slow Burn 📘 Standalone
Additional Romantic Comedy Books
Did you find your perfect read yet? Did I convince you to read more romantic comedies? Don’t worry, I’m not done yet. Because there is never enough room to give you all the recommendations, especially since we’re doing romantic comedies this round, here’s some runners up. There are honestly just so many to choose from, I had to include more. Enjoy!
