15 Awesome Indie Romance Books

I love indie romance! Some of the best romance books I’ve read have been indie romances, and you never know when you’re reading the next big thing. These books are often the trendsetters, steering the book market in the direction readers are seeking. They have quicker turnaround times, take more risks, and often have an extremely bingeable quality – maybe that’s why so many are getting picked up by traditional publishers these days! This list was actually a little tricky to put together, because MANY of my favorite indies have been scooped up by traditional publishers recently – Elsie Silver, Lauren Asher, J.T. Geissinger, Lucy Score, Ana Huang, Tarah DeWitt, B.K. Borison, Hannah Bonam-Young, Becka Mack and MANY more were all indies first.

The books on this list were all released by the author or a small publisher. The majority of them are available in Kindle Unlimited (which I love!), and they’re all fantastic reads. Several are by popular authors, but there are some under appreciated gems here too. From rom com to emotional, suspense to office romance, there’s a couple for everyone on this list – and plenty of tropes at play too. They’re all 4 or 5-star contemporary romance books that kept me hooked while I was reading. I’ve included the blurbs, links to my book reviews when available, and links to Amazon for easy addition to your collection. Happy reading!

The Sixty/Forty Rule by Ellie K. Wilde

six-ty for-ty rule (noun): a deal you make with your pain-in-the-butt client, when hating him starts to feel a little too good.

Jude Holland has slogged it for years at a chance to land a coveted job designing the city’s most breathtaking restaurants and nightclubs. And when a spot opens up on her firm’s design team, her boss makes her a deal: design Theo Jordan—the firm’s biggest client—a new restaurant, convince him to renew his contract with the company, and the job is hers.

If only he’d play along.

Theo is infamous for three very specific things: he’s a hot-shot young chef-turned-restaurateur, a thorn-in-your-side client, and the kind of attractive that makes you wonder which kind of psychedelics the great maker was taking, when he created him. Not that Jude notices. She’s too busy sticking to the plan, and it helps that he’s a total ass, anyway.

That is, until a steamy business trip leads to a very different deal between these enemies, who suddenly can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Sixty percent of the time, they’d indulge those funny, fluttering feelings that seem to manifest whenever they’re together. The rest of the time? They’d be nothing but professional.

It doesn’t take Theo long to realize that’s easier said than done. But with a restaurant launch and a dream promotion on the line—not to mention a workplace rival hell-bent on ruining her career—Theo only has a handful of weeks to convince Jude to make that sixty percent full-time.

The Sixty/Forty Rule is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers workplace romance between a sunshine commercial designer and her grumpy client. It has a healthy dose of spice and a happily ever after. It is the first book in the Sunset Landing series of standalone reads.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HqyBU1

Honestly, I’m Totally Faking It by Amanda Gambill

Rach is a down-on-her-luck, happy-go-lucky kind of lady … Sure, she may be an assistant to personal assistants, crashing on her ex-boyfriend’s couch, and have a whole secret past, but mostly, things are great.

Until she:

Meets Pres — an aspiring politician, certified Capricorn, and a definitely “unlikable” dude (He knows, he had a poll done on it), and
Accidentally goes viral at the same time. (The internet is calling it “Boobgate.”)

His PR person says they should capitalize on the fame. Pres only wants to win an election. And Rach, well, she really just wants to keep her job.

Now she must decide if she can be herself and get the guy, too, or if faking it until you make it is all it’s cracked up to be…

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A1EmDu

Hans by S.J. Tilly

Cassie

How to make the handsome, brooding man across the street notice me.

Step one: Deliver baked goods to his front porch, even though he never answers his door and always returns the containers when I’m not home.

Step two: Slowly lose my mind as a whole year passes without ever running into him, no matter how hard I try.

Step three: Have my boudoir photos accidentally delivered to his mailbox instead of mine. Have him open the package. Then have him storm into my home for the most panty-melting scolding of my life.

Step four: Still figuring out step four.

—–

Hans

I’m a dangerous man.

A man who has spent the last two decades removing so many souls from this earth that it’s a miracle my hands aren’t permanently stained red.

I’m a man who belongs in the shadows.

I certainly don’t belong in my pretty little neighbor’s bedroom when she’s not home, touching her things and inhaling her scent.

I shouldn’t follow her. Shouldn’t watch her. Because no number of cookies on my doorstep will change the fact that love isn’t an option for me.

The only option left for me is violence.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/413GaZ1

1 Last Shot by Nikki Castle

He’s running from his past.
She’s searching for a new future.
Their journeys are about to collide.

When an injury overturns her ballet career, Isabella decides to move to a new city so she can start fresh and discover who she is without dance. The last person she expects to meet is the angry MMA fighter living next door.

Kane has spent his entire life putting up walls to keep people out, and he’s never had any problem doing it—until Isabella. Because the second the sweet ballerina appears in his life, it becomes apparent that his short fuse and brazen rudeness are not going to be enough to keep her away. And suddenly, that doesn’t seem like the worst thing in the world.

While Isabella searches for a new identity for herself, Kane has to decide if he’s willing to take a chance on someone for the first time in his life.

Can Kane and Isabella help each other to find their new paths in life? Or will Kane’s ugly past keep them from their happy ending?

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PHJ8yk

Boss in the Bedsheets by Kate Canterbary

Mr. Santillian,

Despite the fact I’m currently living out of your guest room and sleeping with you most nights, I am writing to announce my resignation effective two weeks from today.

In other words, I’ll locate someone who is both obscenely overqualified and willing to devote their days to the handful of tasks you are able to wrench from your perfectionist, micromanaging grip. It may be difficult to find a Nobel laureate genius looking for basic filing work on such short notice, but I’ll do my best.

Don’t worry about your sister’s wedding this weekend. I still plan to attend as your date, assuming you’ve finished hating me by then.

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Zelda

Ms. Besh,

Resignation not accepted.

I’ll see you at home.

Ash

CW: history of emotional abandonment, briefly discussed on-page; family estrangement; history of emotional abuse by a romantic partner, one on-page event and brief discussion.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kEFfxa

Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant

If people have polar opposites, Luca Rossi is mine.

His butt is in the baseball hall of fame. Mine’s comfortably seated in the hall of lame.

When he’s not snagging fly balls out in center field, he’s modeling in shampoo commercials. I once jammed my own finger while stirring cookie dough, and sometimes I forget shampoo is a thing.

He’s a total cynic when it comes to love.

I make a living writing love stories.

But after my latest broken engagement (no, I don’t want to talk about how many times that’s happened), it’s clear he’s exactly the man I need.

If anyone can teach me to be the opposite of me, it’s him.

The first thing I want him to teach me?

How to not fall in love.

And as luck would have it, he’s in desperate need of a fake girlfriend to get a meddling grandmother off his back.

We couldn’t be more perfect together, because the last thing Luca Rossi will ever be is the next man to leave me at the altar.

Or will he?

Real Fake Love is a line drive straight to the heart featuring a grumpy athlete, a jilted bride, a fake relationship, and the world’s laziest cat. It stands alone and comes complete with sibling rivalry, the world’s most awkward shower scene, and a sweetly satisfying happily ever after.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3i1T2aE

Things I Overshared by Kelsey Humphreys

If you’ve ever been told you’re too much…

Samantha Canton feels your pain. She knows she is, well, a lot. It’s been a rough year, to put it mildly, so she is overjoyed to find out she gets to go on her dream work trip to Europe. But she’s not going alone. She’ll be crossing the pond with the company’s CFO, Emerson Clark.

Icy Emerson, as the industry calls him, is logical, serious and quiet. He likes solitude, the color gray, rain and hot tea – he is British, after all.

And he cannot stand Samantha in all her extra, southern, chatty, upbeat, neon-dress-wearing glory.

No problem, she’s never met someone she couldn’t befriend.

Until Now.

Commence nervous verbal diarrhea.

And commence the ultimate Grumpy/Sunshine, Billionaire, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn Boss Romance with rich characters and a payoff that will leave you absolutely giddy.

**This is a steamy, full-length standalone adult contemporary romance. Prepare for Manhattan, London, Paris, surprise twists, laugh-out-loud banter, a happily ever after, and a sisters group text thread you’ll wish you could join. This is the second Heartlanders book but can be read on its own.**

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kWzISD

Kiss My Putt by Tara Sivec

“Palmer ‘Pal’ Campbell has epic breakdown on the 18th hole of the Bermuda Open! Video at 11.”

After spending my entire pro golfing career being known as the quiet, controlled, no-nonsense golfer on the tour, there’s nothing more humiliating than throwing all of that down the drain—or into a water hazard—on national television. Needing some place to hide, to lick my wounds and figure out what I even want to do with my life once this blows over, I can only think of one place I need to be. Summersweet Island, where everyone treats me like one of their own, and they’ll all be happy to have me home again.

Well, except maybe one person. It’s been two years since I last set foot on Summersweet Island or spoke to anyone there. But I’m sure Birdie Bennett, my best friend since I was 15 and the clubhouse manager of my favorite golf course, has had plenty of time to forgive me for that tiny little misunderstanding where I blocked her on social media and blocked her in my phone. Oh, and I guess I kind of, sort of accused her of being a stalker. It’s fine!

Once my sexy, spunky, former best friend gets over the shock of seeing me again and stops trying to drive a 9-iron into my skull, I can finally let her know I’ve also kind of, sort of always been in love with her…

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jygZHE

Sleeper by Kayley Loring

SHANE MILLER SLEEP DIARY:

Went to bed at: Late.
How long it took to fall asleep: Forever. I have insomnia. Duh.
Number of caffeinated beverages you had consumed: Zero. Thanks for advising me to quit!

My stress level is off the charts.
I can’t sleep right on a normal day, and lately my days are filled with the best kind of chaos.
My ex-wife and husband number two are filming in Poland for three months,
so I’m turning down movie parts to focus on the most important role of my life—
impossibly charming and somewhat capable young single dad.
My son won’t stop asking questions.
My daughter won’t brush her teeth unless I sing her showtunes.
Our regular nanny quit.
The only person I could trust to hire as a temp nanny is my best friend’s sister.

If Mary Poppins and Bill Murray had a baby it would be Willa.
Fresh out of grad school and beautifully weird.
She hates my movies, and my kids adore her.
I couldn’t sleep last night because she wasn’t here.
Turns out I can’t sleep unless she’s in my house now.
Turns out she’s what’s been missing from my life all along.
If my friend had any idea what I want to do to his gorgeous troublemaker of a sister,
he would smother me with a pillow.

The chances of us succeeding as a couple are about as good as that little indie movie
that I made being a huge hit.
But it’s a chance I’m going to take.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3iLTuiR

All Downhill With You by Julie Olivia

The moment we meet, it’s all downhill.

My job is providing happiness and smiles at Honeywood Fun Park, and Emory Dawson is the frown our park didn’t ask for.

When our star roller coaster malfunctions with me on board, the manufacturer’s heir and lead engineer, Emory, vows to renovate the attraction. So instead of having a fun summer season as Marketing Manager for Honeywood, I’m now saddled with playing host.

Wonderful.

Emory is the opposite of a good time. He’s the grump that won’t stop grumping, and our arguments escalate quicker than my heart rate after a roller coaster’s fall.

He knows I can see right through his broody gaze and big ideas. Repairing the coaster? More like overhauling his own company’s reputation, regardless of whether it helps our local theme park.

But when our firm handshakes start lingering too long, or when his muscled thighs rest against mine under the table, I’m thrown for a loop.

Most roller coasters are fun, but I’d like to get off this emotional one, please.

All Downhill With You is a stand-alone romantic comedy. This book is an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine romance with laugh-out-loud theme park moments, a cozy small town, and sizzling spice!

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GSqddY

Out of the Blue by Kathryn Nolan

There was no way I could protect her and my heart at the same time.

Cope McDaniels is known for two things: His cocky charm and his sterling reputation for keeping high-profile clients safe. Until a security job goes bad, and he suddenly finds his career on thin ice. Cope’s newest assignment comes with serious consequences – he’ll keep his job as long as he makes no mistakes.

Cope isn’t worried…until his new client turns out to be a beautiful blast from his past.

Big wave surfer Serena Swift loves the adrenaline of her sport. And the elite athlete hates being told what to do. That goes double when the orders are coming from the sexy bodyguard-in-a-suit who broke her heart.

But she doesn’t have a choice when a mysterious threat materializes and Serena’s sponsor saddles her with the last man she’d want guarding her body. She’d rather focus on her next surf competition, not on some shadowy danger or the arrogant ex who dared to get even hotter since their breakup.

Cope can’t stop butting heads with his new client. Just like old times, Serena refuses to play it safe, even when it’s clear she’s in peril. Now the intimacy of spending every second of the day by her side is wearing away at his self-control. He can’t afford to lose focus, but everything about the woman is a constant distraction.

Including the fact that their divorce was never finalized…

Author’s Note: One-click this scorching-hot bodyguard romance if you’re a fan of second-chance angst, sizzling sexual tension, thrilling action and mysterious danger set on the warm, sunny beaches of San Diego.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2R966mv

Forbidden by Karla Sorensen

No man has ever been able to rattle Isabel Ward. Until Aiden Hennessy walks in the door of her gym—ownership papers in hand.

The former fighter is a lot of things- a devoted single dad, a widower trying to start over, and a watchful presence that knocks her off her very capable feet.

To make matters worse, Isabel had a crush on him for the entirety of her teenage years. Doodles in her diary, and letters declaring her admiration—while never sent—haunt the absolute crap out of her now that she has to face him every single day.

She’s not the only one affected.

No woman has tempted Aiden to move on from the memory of his wife—until Isabel. But she’s too young, too feisty, too much of everything he should avoid.

Working together makes avoidance impossible, and so is pretending like the blistering chemistry between them doesn’t exist.

Now that the unshakeable woman is shaken and the un-temptable man is tempted, Isabel and Aiden have to decide what they’re willing to risk for a taste of the forbidden.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dpZSpo

The Perfect Catch by Meghan Quinn

“Kiss me. Just this once . . . please Walker.”

Those whispered words were my undoing . . .

As the most hated player in baseball, I had two options: either clean up my image or pack my bags. Being traded wasn’t an option which only meant one thing, I had to become compliant.

That’s how I found myself sharing a small bistro table with Kate Chapman, the Chicago Bobbies newest PR Manager. Devastatingly beautiful, vastly intelligent, and incredibly cunning, she knows exactly how to handle my grumpy demeanor.

It was supposed to be simple. Book some PR events, show up, smile for the camera, and be done. But one massive mistake on my end sends me into the trenches with Kate, forcing me to open up to her.

Innocent glances turn into cordial encounters.
Secret touches turn into tempting invitations.
And dangerous nights alone turn into consuming desperation.

I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want her. And I know she wants me, but there’s a no fraternizing with the players rule. Neither of us can afford to lose our jobs, but we also can’t seem to keep our hands off each other either.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hENiWN

Love to Tempt You by J. Saman

Our band’s stunning, untouched new assistant was completely off-limits. But that didn’t stop me.
A car crash. A fake story at the hospital.
She warned me when I dragged her from the nightmare that was her life that she could very well destroy mine.
I didn’t listen. I didn’t care.
My Pandora. A goddess amongst mortals who opened a jar and obliterated my world with her beautiful evils.
Because from the moment I saw her, I knew she had to be mine. Consequences be damned.

In a life where getting by is barely a thing, I didn’t expect much.
Until I crashed into him. Literally.
Keith Dawson is a god amongst mortals. A Rockstar I’ve drooled over for longer than I can remember.
And now the hero of my darkest tales.
But a god this powerful always has a fatal flaw. Turns out, she died a long time ago. And there is no living up to that, right?
So where does that leave us? Well, that’s where this story starts to get interesting.
__
Meet the sexy alpha drummer of Wild Minds and the sassy woman who knocks him to his knees in this steamy romance filled with fiery chemistry, delicious banter, and ALL the feels you crave.

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YK6ZCc

Rebellious by Kristy Marie

From best-selling author, Kristy Marie, comes Rebellious, the highly anticipated love story of star-crossed lovers, Aspen and Bennett–characters from the international best-selling novel, IOU.

No kissing.
No cuddling.
No blah, blah, blah.
He wrote the rules onto our skin–every ink stroke tragically smeared by the lines we’d crossed.
He claimed it was the only way we could be together–the only way we wouldn’t destroy our families.
But there was an exception to his rules–one he never saw coming.
All I needed was opportunity and a sunburn.
The girl who played by his rules is gone.
This girl… is not his “friend.”

Read the review here

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gYcW8K