SEXIEST ROMANCE NOVELS
Get A Life, The Kiss Quotient +
When you hear the word romance novel, you may have an image of a cheesy Harlequin paperback in your mind. You know, the kind where a woman, typically Caucasian, has a ripped bodice and is in the arms of another Caucasian Thor wannabe. However, in recent years there has been a rise in romance novels that break stereotypical norms, featuring couples that are interracial, differently-abled, not heternormative and so on. If you’re looking for a good romance that features diversity on top of steamy sex scenes, read on.
Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
I have never read a book like this before and that’s both great and genuinely horrifying. The book is about protagonist Chloe Brown, a curvaceous Black-British woman. She lives with chronic pain because of fibromyalgia and her love interest Red is the building’s super, a hunky red-haired artist. The book has steamy and silly back-and-forth dialogue between Chloe and Red. It also explores rarely discussed chick-lit topics like dating with chronic pain and dealing with emotional abuse from a past partner. The couple is interracial, but the primary focus of the story is simply on two people, dealing with their emotional issues who find one another and fall in love. It’s disappointing that few characters, like Chloe Brown, are featured as romance novel leading ladies. Fear not, with authors like Talia Hibbert, the future of the romantic genre looks bright.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Like Talia Hibbert, Helen Hoang is another author paving the way for satisfying, diverse romantic literature. The Kiss Quotient is about protagonist Stella Lane, an econometrician on the autism spectrum. She has trouble developing relationships due to a poor understanding of typical dating behaviors. In comes Michael Larsen, half Vietnamese, half Swedish and an aspiring fashion designer and professional escort. The story quickly overthrows the usual tropes of a woman falling in love with her companion as we explore the romantic and sexy relationship that builds between Michael and Stella. Women on the autism spectrum are rarely featured in mainstream mediums, let alone as a love interest. It also explores the intricacies of dating with this condition and dating among different racial and economic backgrounds. The love scenes are both emotionally and sexually intimate and very detailed.
The Bride Test By Helen Hoang
The Bride Test is a follow-up to The Kiss Quotient. It focuses on Michael’s cousin Khai, who, like Stella, is also on the autism spectrum. The novel explores the budding relationship with Esme, a Vietnamese immigrant who comes over, at Khai’s mother’s request, to make Khai fall in love with her. While the two initially have trouble figuring out one another’s thoughts and behavior, a romantic and sexual relationship is building. It’s great to see a connection with the joys and difficulties of a relationship with different cultural backgrounds, emotional intelligence and so on. There are few books written about dating on the autism spectrum in such an honest and entertaining way. Esme’s quest to understand American culture and norms enhances the story.
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The romance novel explores a relationship between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the President of the United States’ son and Prince Harry of England. The bond goes through a series of shifts from antagonism to friendship, then love so intense the two are willing to shift each other’s worlds to be with each other. We often don’t see enough gay relationships in mainstream romantic literature that explore political, racial, and patriotic barriers. The love scenes are very sexy, with a depth of detail that shows the couple’s passionate and emotional connection. Another feature I love is that the President of the United States, aka the protagonist’s parent, is a woman, and the book explores some of the complexities that go along with it.
