The Best of 2020 – Maria Rose’s List
Narrowing down my best books of the year is always a challenge (and don’t get me started on trying to pick THE best book of the year). Despite the strangeness of 2020 and the fact that I didn’t read as much as a I usually do (opting for stress free TV comedies and baking shows more often than not), I had some really great books cross my path and am delighted to share them with you!
If The Boot Fits by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Rebekah Weatherspoon combines Hollywood with the West in this fun and sexy romance about a personal assistant to the stars and an actor who comes from a ranching family. If you love a cinnamon roll hero (nice guys don’t always finish last, you know), a woman comfortable with her body and her sexuality, a western style setting and a well deserved happy ending, this should definitely be on your reading list.
Buy it at: Amazon
Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha
I’m a huge fan of Kit Rocha’s Beyond series so there was no doubt I’d be looking forward to reading their new post-apocalyptic dystopian romance. A trio of mercenary librarians is not your everyday heroine material but in these authors’ hands and combined with genetically engineered super soldiers in a quest that will test their loyalties, it’s an exciting and action-packed read.
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
Just a Heartbeat Away by Cara Bastone
This is the only début author on my list (though the author had a prequel novella before this one, I’m counting this, her first full-length novel as her début.) The story of a widowed parent trying to do his best for his son while struggling with his own grief, and the teacher who makes their lives better is heartwrenching at times, heartwarming at others and just an all around excellent example of what I love in a contemporary romance.
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
The setup for this story is what drew this one to my attention. Three women who discover they’ve been ‘catfished’ by the same man make a pact to work on themselves before getting involved with a new partner. But things go awry when IT professional Samiah finds herself attracted to Daniel, the new guy at work. Female friendships, real working relationships and a sexy romance make this easily a top read.
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kennedy
I eagerly await every new offering in the fantasy romance world by Jeffe Kennedy and The Fiery Crown, sequel to The Orchid Throne , is just as exciting as the first in the series. It’s a rollicking adventure with a heartless villain, magical world building, and a marriage of convenience between two characters easy to root for even as their agendas clash. I can’t wait for the finale!
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent bookstore
A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane
This is the first time I’ve read this author (writing either as Meljean Brook or Milla Vane) and I am completely captivated by the world she has created in her Gathering of Dragons series. It’s a violent world with barbarians and sorcerers, alliances and betrayals and in the midst of this worldbuilding is a romance between a warrior- queen and a warrior-king whose marriage of convenience goes from wariness to defend-at-all-costs loyalty. It’s exciting from start to finish!
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent bookstore
Starcrossed by Allie Therin
The idea of someone who can see into the history of something just by holding it is a magical idea I had never even considered before it crossed my path in the form of this author’s 1920s set Magic in Manhattan series. In Starcrossed, book two of the series, Arthur and Rory’s romance is tested with the return of an ex-boyfriend while trying to stop paranormals from wreaking havoc in the city. The varied locations, (a jazz club, Chinatown and an ocean liner) and an eclectic group of characters combined with excellent worldbuilding make this a magical read where one never knows what will happen at the next turn of the page.
Buy it at: Amazon or Audible
Whiteout by Adriana Anders
I started the year with this exciting, action packed arctic set thriller and it’s stayed in my thoughts all year – that in itself is worthy of a top ten finish. A grumpy hero and a cheerful heroine finds themselves forging a wary partnership as their remote arctic station is attacked and they flee into the cold. The wintery worldbuilding is stellar, adding the unpredictable elements as a tension builder while the couple knows they are being hunted. It’s the first of a series, and I’m eager for more.
Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent bookstore
Love Around the Corner by Amanda Weaver
Set in Brooklyn, this second chance contemporary romance weaves a realistic tale about a changing neighbourhood. Gemma is trying to keep her family bar from being bought out and her teenaged love Brandon is back and he’s the bad guy in her eyes, a property developer whom she blames for the changes happening around her. The setting, the family relationships and the hero-in-pursuit theme all made this one a delightful read.
Buy it at: Amazon
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Alexis Hall has a writing style that is hard to describe but recognizable as his own unique way of telling interesting, always enjoyable romances. Boyfriend Material is based on a fake relationship theme where Luc is trying to clean up his image and his plan is to find a perfectly normal, nice guy to pretend to be his boyfriend. Oliver is that guy, but along the way, they end up in a real relationship. I loved the circle of friends in this story as much as I loved the way the romance develops and it’s a perfect comfort read.
I liked Boyfriend Material and definitely think Alexis Hall brings a fresh voice to romance. The Guy in the Middle by Kate Stewart was one of my favorites on my list of Best Romance Books of 2020.
I loved the Romano sisters series (Amanda Weaver). Book #1 (The One I Love to Hate) was my favorite but they were all really good and I am so happy to see Love Around the Corner on your list!
Thanks! I still have to read the others in the series!
Wow, this looks like a really fun list! Lots of different types of books. I own Whiteout but just haven’t gotten to it yet. Several others I either own or put on my TBR list. I am always that person discovering the best of year- in the next year!
Thanks! Yes, I could make a top ten of just contemporary romances but I like to mix it up.
‘Starcrossed’ (and its companion books) are almost at the top of my queue. :-)
I’m going to have to find time to reread the series before the final chapter comes out!
Thanks for the reminder about Love Around the Corner by Amanda Weaver. I’ve read the other books in this series (also excellent) but somehow this slipped my radar. Ordering it now! Great list!
Thanks! I have the others by Amanda Weaver and some of her historicals too on my TBR.
Although WHITEOUT is the first full-length novel in Anders’s new series, there is a prequel novella called DEEP BLUE (the hero is the brother of the hero of WHITEOUT). It’s in an anthology called TURN THE TIDE, which is usually available for free in the kindle store. I expected Anders to publish another book in the series this year—instead, a few weeks ago, with very little fanfare, she published a book called DADDY CRUSH, which—despite its rather unfortunate title—was not full of daddy-kink, but was rather an age-gap romance between a young artist (who finally broke away from her stifling extremely religious upbringing) and her older, world-weary neighbor.
The sequel to WHITEOUT is coming out August 31, 2021. It’s called UNCHARTED and looks really interesting.
I’ll definitely be looking for it!
I’m so glad to find a fellow Boyfriend Project fan. Loved that book! I’m going to give White Out a try – it’s been years since I read an Antarctica set book and this one sounds really good.
Yes, I am looking forward to the rest of that series by Farrah Rochon! And White Out for me was just non-stop action and intensity, which made it linger in my mind all year (hence the top ten spot, as there are often books I read that I’ve forgotten by the next week).