We all judge books by their covers, don’t deny it. I will wholeheartedly and enthusiastically admit that I’ve added countless books to my TBR based almost entirely on their cover. Sometimes that works out in my favor… and sometimes it doesn’t, lol. But I love me a good cover.
The 20 books on this list feature the covers that stopped me in my tracks. They’re all gorgeous in one way or another, and 100% memorable. Whether there’s a shirtless dude or an adorable illustration, these covers make an impact.
Throughout the month, I’ll be looking back on some of my favorite romances from 2020. From swoonworthy heroes to well-done tropes, there are elements of so many books that stood out from the crowd. Check back every weekend for a new list!
Our Way by TL Swan
Nathan Mercer, the only man in my life.
Falling for him was never an option.
We met ten years ago, when we started at the same company on the same day.
With being new in town and nobody else to rely on, we quickly became friends.
And while Nathan went on to rule San Francisco, I’m still doing the same job with the same people.
We finish each other’s sentences, we spend Christmas together and he sleeps at my house more than his.
He’s beautiful…. beyond belief.
In another life, he’s probably my soul mate.
However, lately things have changed. He’s started looking at me differently.
His eyes drop to my lips as I speak.
His hugs are tighter…. longer.
Our fights are more passionate, his jealousy insane.
I know it’s all in my head….it has to be.
They say to never love someone who treats you like you’re ordinary.
I don’t, to him I’m a queen.
But our story is complicated.
And as much as I love Nathan Mercer with all of my heart.
He’s the one man I can never have.
Read my 5-star (with an asterisk) review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/302HzkF
Tarnished Empire by Ava Harrison
Alaric Prince. Powerful. Arrogant. Dangerous. And my father’s enemy.
My plan was simple.
Get invited onto his yacht.
Find information to destroy him.
But I wasn’t prepared for Alaric Prince.
Dangerous and seductive, he trapped me in his gilded cage.
He calls me Dove.
Easily preyed on.
Easily broken.
A man that ruthless only wants to crush me.
I must resist the temptation to let him.
He’s my father’s enemy.
At war with my family.
A danger to me.
Falling for him would be my demise.
But if my plan works, it will be his.
Read my 4-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/34bc6yF
Catch by Deborah Bladon
What would you do if you discovered your new boss in his office with no pants, a magnum of champagne, and a glitter cannon?
Asking for a friend.
I found something that belongs to Keats Morgan, the notorious bad boy sports agent. So I do the right thing.
I return it.
You’d think the man would be happy to have it back.
He’s not.
Instead, he proceeds to fire his assistant right in front of me.
He looks to me to step in as a replacement, but I want nothing to do with the jerk.
Keats is gorgeous and charming as hell. It’s his arrogant attitude that makes me turn around and almost walk out the door.
The problem? I desperately need a job. Any job.
And Keats is offering me an incredible one.
I agree to his terms before I realize there’s a catch, and it’s a big one.
Author’s Note: This standalone novel features a gorgeous boss and the assistant who turns his upside-down world right side up. Toss in a cute sidekick named Dudley, a trio of professional baseball players, and a twisty road to a happy ending. You’re in for a swoony read with a dash of heart.
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Jpiaf4
Dirty Charmer by Emma Chase
Abigail Haddock is stunning, sensible, and some would say . . . stuffy. But it’s not really her fault. She was raised in one of Wessco’s oldest, most affluent, aristocratic families—“stuffy” is their middle name. So is successful. Abby’s working overtime to distinguish herself as a top-notch physician, just as her family legacy demands.
She doesn’t have time for nonsense.
Tommy Sullivan’s all about nonsense.
Sure, he’s an elite bodyguard with lethal skills and co-owner of the renowned, S&S Securities Firm—protector of the wealthy and titled. But he’s also rowdy, fun and thoroughly irresistible.
Tommy knows how to have a good time, and he’s never seen someone more in need of a good time than Abby. The lass needs long, wet, filthy kisses—STAT—and he’s just the man for the job.
It doesn’t take long for a wildly sexy, sinfully satisfying, no-strings attached arrangement to turn into something more. Something sweet and addictive and real. But Tommy and Abby are too royally stubborn to admit it.
Opposites attract, everyone knows that. But can they last—can they love…for forever?
Read my 4-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2X8RXEH
Devious Kisses by Thandiwe Mpofu
Some rivals can be fatal to your heart, but, It’s Just High School.
Here’s the 411 about high school, well, at least for my high school, Clintwood Academy.
-It’s a fucking warzone.
-Everyone has a grudge against someone else.
-It’s the breeding ground for losers, jealous broken-hearted girls and acne covered fools with zero game.
-The disgustingly rich kids are vile, vindictive, popular and the mecca of social life worth a damn.
-Lastly, high school is simply, survival of the fittest.
And I was the fittest of them all. Once.
Once, before I was set up to take the fall for an attempted murder of one of the Fitz brothers, the golden boys of St. Jude High, our sworn rival enemy.
Before I was played for a kiss and it worked.
Now, the Fitz brothers hate me.
They suspect me.
They want to destroy me.
They know everything about me, and I hate them for it.
And now, we’ll all be living together, like one big, happy step-family. With secrets brimming, hatred festering, and other feelings I have no business having for my step-cousin-brothers or whatever, haunting me night and day.
Now, let’s kiss and be forever rivals…
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ou5UZJ
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone comes a fresh romantic comedy full of “fierce humor and fiercer heart” about one trouble-making dog who brings together two perfect strangers. (Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue)
Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can’t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a “take me home” look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker’s owner reaches out. He’s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.
Well, Sloan’s not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can’t deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There’s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?
Read my review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XaW4Sq
Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
Sought-after social media influencer Sara Vance, in recovery from an eating disorder, is coming into her own, with a potential career expansion on the horizon. Despite the good news, her successful siblings (and their perfect spouses) have a way of making her feel like the odd one out. So, when her unreliable boyfriend is a no-show for a Florida family vacation, Sara recruits Luis Navarro—a firefighter paramedic and dive captain willing to play the part of her smitten fiancé . . .
Luis’s big Cuban familia has been in Key West for generations, and his quiet strength feeds off the island’s laidback style. Though guarded after a deep betrayal, he’ll always help someone in need—especially a spunky beauty with a surprising knowledge of Spanish curse words. Soon, he and Sara have memorized their “how we met” story and are immersed in family dinners, bike tours, private snorkeling trips . . . sharing secrets, and slow, melting kisses. But when it’s time for Sara to return home, will their island romance last or fade with the stunning sunset?
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XpRboC
Teacher by Fiona Cole
I made a promise once that led me to an infamous club… and then to him.
What better place to conquer my fear of intimacy than a club called Voyeur that allows you to watch?
Who better to help me than the owner himself?
Daniel is tall and broad with eyes as cold as ice, but somehow still make me melt on the spot. He’s mature and the definition of everything desirable.
He’s also the first man I’m not scared of which led me running into his arms.
With my fear still clinging to my skin, he brushed it away and made his own promise.
“I’ll teach you.”
Just teach.
No dating.
No kissing.
And definitely no falling in love.
But with each lesson, the friendship we form shifts–pressing against the boundaries we set.
Lines are crossed. Rules are broken.
What happens when the passion that ignites becomes so much more?
Daniel and I started because of a promise, and I hoped that we wouldn’t end because of one too.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/37AGqmW
Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills
The rich and popular Sharks rule at prestigious, ivy-covered Camden Prep. Once upon a time, I wanted to be part of their world—until they destroyed me.
The last thing I expected was an anonymous love letter from one of them.
Please. I hate every one of those rich jerks for what they did to me. The question is, which Shark is my secret admirer?
Knox, the scarred quarterback.
Dane, his twin brother.
Or Chance, the ex who dumped me. . .
Dear Ava,
Your eyes are the color of the Caribbean Sea.
Wait. That’s stupid.
What I really mean is, you look at me and I feel something REAL.
It’s been ten months since you were here, but I can’t forget you.
I’ve missed seeing you walk down the hall.
I’ve missed you cheering at my football games.
I’ve missed the smell of your hair.
And then everything fell apart the night of the kegger.
Don’t hate me because I’m a Shark.
I just want to make you mine.
Still.
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dzWAiW
Fortuity by Jewel E. Ann
Forty-something Gracelyn Glock is living the dream.
No husband.
No retirement plan.
And since her self-imposed man-ban—no need to shave above her knees.
After a tragic accident, Gracelyn inherits her ten-year-old nephew. She signs a lease on a San Diego beach house and learns their neighbors for the summer are a sexy anatomy professor and his young daughter.
Professor Nathaniel Hunt has spent the last decade being a single dad . . . and not having sex.
So when he discovers Gracelyn has a peculiar outdoor stripping ritual, a million inappropriate thoughts fill his responsible mind.
When kisses are stolen, man-bans are broken, and summer comes to an end, will hearts stay in one piece and hope stay alive? Or will saying goodbye destroy everything?
Read my 4-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eATF98
The One That Got Away by Karina Halle
An epic standalone sports romance
Ruby Turner was never meant to be mine.
When I first met her she was a fresh, young American sports journalist trying to find her footing in a new life abroad. She was the one interviewing me for an article, yet I wanted to know more about her. She captivated me.
But she went home with Marco that night.
My agent.
My brother.
And I did what I could to pretend I was fine with it. After all, I’m Luciano Ribeiro. As the captain of Real Madrid, and Portugal’s National Team, it’s my job to be cool, calm, and collected, not easily rattled.
Only what I felt for Ruby over time, shook me to my very core. It made me do things I never imagined I would do.
It started with a stolen kiss in the middle of the night.
It led to a passionate tryst.
It created a burden of guilt that I had to carry, as Ruby came in and out of my life until she left for good, leaving her mark on me.
Now, seven years later, she’s back.
She was the one that got away.
I don’t think I’ll let her go this time.
But I might not have a choice.
Because my heart still belongs to her.
And her heart might belong to my brother.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lIZGUf
Loner by Harloe Rae
“Everyone deserves a chance to be rescued.”
That’s the mantra I’m repeating when a well-equipped biker pulls over to save me. One glance at the scowl Crawford Doxe is wearing proves he isn’t impressed with the task. My efforts to change his mind deflate faster than the shredded tire at our feet. But disgruntled or not, my so-called hero still agrees to fix my flat.
I don’t expect to see Crawford again, but he’s suddenly very visible in our small town. Avoiding him would be my preference. That’s not how this story goes. For whatever reason, my daughter finds an ally in the broody mechanic. Denying her is something I do my best to avoid. I can only hope Crawford’s shine wears off before he tarnishes what little trust still exists.
As if the odds are ever on my side.
Commitments are a foreign concept to him. He doesn’t make any promises to try. That should’ve been enough for me to steer clear. It most certainly isn’t.
What follows can only be described as a disastrous clash of epic proportions.
But one indisputable fact remains. That lone soul has no plans of opening his heart.
Read my 4-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hgdFjl
Stay for Me by Corinne Michaels
From New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels comes the final poignant love story in the Arrowood Brothers Series..
Hollywood taught me everything I know about relationships—except how to be in one. As an actor, I became an expert at faking it. Faking that I wasn’t affected by my childhood. Faking that I was okay. Faking that I knew how to save the day, the girl, the whole damn world.
But I’ve always known the truth—I’m no one’s hero.
Until I’m forced to move back to Sugarloaf for six months, and Brenna Allen offers me a chance to prove otherwise. She’s everything I never knew I wanted, but can’t have. Her broken heart, perfect face, and adorable children turn my world upside down. Instead of preparing for my next leading role, I’m directing a middle school play.
All to make her smile.
The more time I spend here, the more I want to stay. Build a life in this town that I swore I’d leave—for her.
But when the world comes crashing down around us, I’m forced to decide if staying for her is the right choice or if leaving is better for the woman I love.
Cover Design: Perfect Pear Creative
Photographer: Wong Sim
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cac3FG
Wylde by Sawyer Bennett
There’s a reason they call me Wylde and it’s not just because it’s my last name.
I might be one of the newest players on the Arizona Vengeance team, but I’m no stranger to the celebrity that goes along with being a professional hockey player. Whether it’s a fan seeking an autograph or a puck bunny looking for more, I’ve grown used to the attention. I not only thrive on it; I use it to my advantage. Let’s just say my bed is rarely empty.
When a quirky redhead at the local bookstore stops me dead in my tracks, I decide to pop in and turn on the trusty Wylde magic. As smart and strong-willed as she is beautiful, Clarke Webber isn’t swayed by my witty banter or charming good looks. And when she realizes who I am and the fame that comes along with it, she likes me even less. Thankfully, I’m always up for a challenge. The more I get to know about her, the more I know my playboy days are behind me.
If I’m going to capture Clarke’s heart, it’s time to be a lot less Wylde, and a lot more Aaron.
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3c4rHSk
Wild For You by Kendall Ryan
He’s growly. Grumpy. Stubborn.
And now, my new roommate.
Walking away from my disastrous last relationship was an easy decision, but moving in with a friend-of-a-friend hockey star who’s rarely home? Not quite as simple, because Grant makes me feel all kinds of things I’m not prepared for.
Protected. Desired. Unsteady.
• • •
She’s beautiful. Smart. Tempting.
And a little fragile.
I’ve never been anyone’s knight in shining armor, but when Ana needed a place to stay, it was easy to offer her a room with me.
Not so simple, though, is keeping my hands—or my mouth—to myself. And the night she crawls into my bed and shares her body with me? Heaven.
But she’s not looking for a relationship, and to my surprise, I find myself pissed off by that idea.
They say my heart is broken, that I’ll never settle down. I used to think that was true. Now, though? Hell, your guess is as good as mine.
First, she took my bed.
Then she took my heart.
Then she took my everything.
Read my 4-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TNLNIh
Boss Man Bridegroom by Meghan Quinn
“Will you do me the greatest honor of all time and be my bridegroom?” she asks, hope in her eyes . . .
How did I get here? My assistant, bent on one knee, holding my hand, her expectant face waiting for an answer.
Just . . . how?
How did I go from being insulted by Charlee Cox to hiring her to be my assistant? How is it that she’s chaos in color – making me crazy and my life better at the same time?
I never thought I would be staring down at her bright blue eyes begging me to go along with this ridiculous scheme I suggested.
Yes, I suggested. Like the idiot I am, I thought hey, why not start an HR nightmare and have my assistant ask me to marry her?
Confused? Don’t worry, so am I.
But try to follow along, because this is how I became Boss Man Bridegroom.
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/39IzjeF
A Love Song for Liars by Piper Lawson
We never should have met.
I was rich, he was poor.
I was plain, he was beautiful.
I ached for the spotlight, he made his music in the dark.
Yet he looked at me in a way my rock star father and cruel, entitled classmates never did: like I mattered.
I never saw it coming.
When Tyler moved in with us to attend Oakwood Prep, he crushed my heart to claim their crown.
They can keep their lying prince.
Because I’ll never forgive the boy I used to ache for.
But some nights…
…He makes me want to.
A Love Song for Liars is Book 1 in the angsty, emotional, and forbidden Rivals trilogy. Fans of bully, academy, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and rock star romance will love this new series.
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/39KuMso
One Last Time by Roxie Noir
Seth Loveless has been my weakness since I was sixteen years old.
Two years ago, I moved back to my hometown. I started a business, bought a house, took up yoga, and went on hiatus from dating. Life is good.
If I never had to see Seth, it would be perfect.
After all, my history with my ex-boyfriend is anything but simple. It’s taken us years, but we’ve finally learned to live in the same town without killing each other.
Is there an elaborate set of rules governing our every casual interaction?
Yes.
Do I still think dirty, off-limits thoughts every single time I see him buying apples at the grocery store?
Of course. I’m only human, and Seth and I are practically experts at the two F’s: fighting, and…
…sleeping together.
Still, we’re managing just fine.
And then?
He shows up at my sister’s wedding. The man looks like pure sex in a suit, handsome as the devil himself and twice as charming.
Worse, he claims he’s my date.
We flirt.
We dance.
We break every one of our carefully-crafted rules, and we… should stop.
Too bad I’m having the time of my life.
I know I should end it. After all the heartbreak, hurt, and anger we can’t be more than enemies.
But Seth asks me for one more night.
Just one night.
Then, we’re back to being virtual strangers to each other.
I know I should turn him down.
I know this ends with my heart shattered into a million pieces.
I know lunacy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
But I’ve always been bad at resisting a weakness.
One Last Time is a standalone romantic comedy and the final book in the Loveless Brothers series.
Read my 3-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/36pribu
Prince of Hearts by L.A. Cotton
Arianne Capizola is her father’s daughter.
Humble. Hardworking. Honest.
She’d rather spend her days helping at the local shelter than brushing shoulders with her vain and entitled classmates.
Niccolò Marchetti is his father’s son.
Dark. Dangerous. Deceitful.
He’d rather spend his days getting bloody in the ring than attending class and keeping up pretences.
When their paths cross at Montague University neither of them are willing to drop the walls they’ve spent so long building. But he can’t resist the girl with stars in her eyes, and she can’t forget the guy who saved her that night.
There’s only one catch.
Nicco isn’t Arianne’s knight-in-shining-armor, he’s the son of her father’s greatest enemy.
He is the enemy.
And their families are at war.
*Prince of Hearts in the first book in Nicco and Ari’s duet. Due to mature content that some readers may find distressing, this book is recommended for readers 18+
Read my 5-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/33M11Dt
Make Me Hate You by Kandi Steiner
If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.
Every sip of air is shallow and burning, because in the arms of my best friend’s brother, I’m the closest I’ve ever been to sin.
His eyes flick to my lips, and I remember the first time I tasted him, seven years ago before I left this town and vowed never to return. His hands grip my waist, and I remember the pain when he rejected me, when my entire world crashed down at his command. His jaw clenches, and my senses come alive with one stinging reminder.
I’m not his to kiss, and he’s not mine.
I tried to stay away from Tyler Wagner, putting an entire country between us. But when his sister’s wedding brings us back to the same town, to the same house, I can’t avoid him, no matter how hard I try.
He’s always there, his dark eyes bewitching, luring me into their depths. The memory of us pulls me under like a rip current, and when he flashes that smile, I lose my breath, along with my will, unable to escape his grip and find the surface.
Now, hours before our plus ones arrive for the wedding, I’m in his arms, begging him to make me hate him, knowing he never could.
If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.
And I’ll take him down with me.
Make Me Hate You is a best friend’s brother romance that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Read my 3-star review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2B5owME
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