Brothers of the Vine
Forever Evermore
Women of W.A.R.
There’s nothing quite like escaping the sweltering Aussie heat with an ice-cold drink in one hand and a captivating romance novel in the other. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, hiding in the shade, or curling up in your air-conditioned haven, the dreamy pages of a good love story are the ultimate summertime companion.
This summer, we’ve curated a list of must-read romances, perfect for every kind of bookworm. From laugh-out-loud rom-coms to heart-racing romantasy, from swoon-worthy country town romances to sizzlingly spicy tales, there’s something here for everyone. Grab your bookmarks because these books might just be your new obsession!
Rom-Coms
Crash Into Me by Darci St. John
Humour, heart, and the perfect amount of heat. Crash Into Me has everything readers want in a love story.
Fast isn’t her thing anymore.
No one’s more surprised than Mia Rubie when she unexpectedly inherits her father’s elite auto racing team. Mia hasn’t been near a race car—or a certain Italian driver—since she walked away from a promising racing career fifteen years ago. But with the racing season about to begin and a letter from her father tugging at her heartstrings, she reluctantly puts her life on hold to travel the world with Rubie Racing … and Luca Toscano, the only man she ever loved.
But she can’t slow him down.
Mia’s father Rob had lured Luca back to Rubie Racing with the promise of making his dreams of being world champion finally come true. One of the oldest drivers on the track, Luca was already running out of time on his lifelong quest to be the best of the best. But now Rob’s gone … and Mia—who once nearly took his career along with his heart—is back.Mia can’t seem to avoid Luca, and he can’t stop thinking about her.
But can they move past what drove them apart?
Nine Month Contract by Amy Dawes
Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby mumma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbours. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.
I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.
But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap.
Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.
Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect.
She’s wild, she’s opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her…
She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.
And to my great horror, I realise on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance — when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter — I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.
I want to make her mine.
Romantasy Reads
The Rogue King by Abigail Owen
The best revenge is worth waiting for. Even if it takes five hundred years…
Brand Astarot is patiently biding his time for a chance to take vengeance on the King of the Gold Dragon Clan. To unleash the rage that he lives with, the grief for his slaughtered family.
Already he can taste the blood, the smoke. The fury.
Until then, Brand remains a rogue dragon shifter, bound to no one but himself. And with the chance to ally himself with a new clan, he’s tracking down a woman who could shift the balance in the world of the dragons.
Only no one told him exactly what or who Kasia Amon is, or that she’s coveted by those who would use her for their own purposes.
Unpredictable and dangerously lethal, Kasia will not be used by anyone – especially the mercenary dragon shifter who calms the inferno raging inside her.
But nothing will stop a dragon who wants to be king…or a rogue who’s out for revenge.
A Fire In The Sky by Sophie Jordan
Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying. But human lust for power is immortal.
Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it’s her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. So when she is tasked with the ultimate sacrifice of pretending to be one of the true royal princesses and marry Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, son to the great dragon slayer, Tamsyn accepts her fate even if it means tricking the deadly warrior.
The wedding night begins with unexpected passion, but ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride but Tamsyn isn’t what she seems. She harbours dark secrets, secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist.
For Tamsyn is more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.
Magic is not dead it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.
Travel to the Past
The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser
Amid the rising flood waters and shearers’ strike violence, can one brave woman reclaim her future? From an Australian bestselling author comes a riveting historical adventure about one woman’s journey from a life of isolation to one of love and acceptance.
1894, Echuca, Victoria
Tess Hawthorn is a woman on the run from her abusive husband. All she has to do is get on the riverboat Victor and she will be free.
But with tensions at an all-time high between unionist shearers and Scabs, Tess isn’t the only person trying to board a boat under the cover of night. When a brawl erupts between the union and non-union men, Tess is mistaken for a fellow Scab and in the chaos pulled aboard the PS Rodney – the same boat heading up the Darling River that her husband was bound for.
The last person Bram Kempster expects to see on board is Tess Hawthorn, the girl he’s loved from afar since they were young. But he can’t afford to get distracted, not when he’s on an urgent trip to Renmark. Tess didn’t want him back then and, if her haughty behaviour is anything to go by, she certainly doesn’t want him now.
But childhood hurts are the least of their problems. The continent is a tinderbox of violence and bloodshed waiting to ignite, and at home the Murray River is rising fast. Can they overcome their past in time to work together and survive?
Wild Wicked Scot by Julia London
Wicked intrigue unfolds in New York Times bestselling author Julia London’s latest historical gem as an unlikely marriage leads to a path of risky desire in the lush, green Scottish Highlands
Born into riches and groomed in English luxury, Margot Armstrong didn’t belong in a Scottish chieftain’s devil-may-care world. Three years ago she fled their marriage of convenience and hasn’t looked back-except to relive the moments spent in wild, rugged Arran McKenzie’s passionate embrace.
But as their respective countries’ fragile unity threatens to unravel, Margot must return to her husband to uncover his role in the treachery before her family can be accused of it.
Red-haired, green-eyed Margot was Arran’s beautiful bride. Her loss has haunted him, but her return threatens everything he has gained. As the Highland mists carry whispers of an English plot to seize McKenzie territory, he must outmaneuver her in games of espionage…and seduction.
But even as their secrets tangle together, there’s nothing to prevent love from capturing them both and leading them straight into danger.
Country Towns
The Summerfield Saddler by Penelope Janu
Join the small community of Summerfield in this warm-hearted, charming romance about trying not to fall in love – and failing – from an award-winning Australian author. For readers of Stella Quinn and Fleur McDonald.
Mackenzie Henry is happy enough with her life in the small town of Summerfield. She loves her work as a saddler, the bushland surrounding her home, and the feeling of safety her beloved grandfather brings her. She doesn’t want anything-or anybody-else.
So when her grandfather asks her to lead the fight to rehabilitate land destroyed by an open-cut mine, and work in front of the camera with a Norwegian documentary-making team, Mackenzie fears her life will be tipped on its axis. And she’s right. The documentary not only reignites old resentments but unearths secrets that threaten her family’s reputation and her own safety. To make matters worse, the enigmatic scientist, filmmaker and adventurer Kit Thorsen is a threat to the heart Mackenzie has kept safe.
Handsome, arrogant and infuriating (read: Viking), Kit is in equal parts as fascinated and frustrated by Mackenzie’s mix of independence and vulnerability as she is by his. Given the demons in both of their pasts, they should run a mile. Will the compulsion that brings them together unite them or tear them apart?
‘A rural story that has it all … simmering romance […], a complex heroine and a swoon-worthy hero. What’s not to love?’ Karly Lane, bestselling Australian author
Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates
Shoulda Been A Cowboy
There’s not much about his teenage years that Jake Caldwell can be proud of. Except maybe for keeping his hands off cute, kind-hearted Cassie Ventimiglia. She was the only one who saw him as more than a tattooed rebel who couldn’t wait to leave the ranching life behind. Now he’s back in Copper Ridge to sell his father’s property — and staying right above Cassie’s coffee shop. And out of nowhere, the girl he’s never forgotten is offering a whole lot more than fresh-baked muffins…
Jake’s dark, smoldering appeal hasn’t changed one bit. But Cassie has. Following everyone else’s rules didn’t quite work out. Time to ask for what she’s always wanted…and what Jake’s more than happy to give. A wild, hot romance that could make a one-time bad boy realise he’s back for good.
Part Time Cowboy
Sadie Miller isn’t expecting any welcome-home parades on her return to Copper Ridge. Least of all from part-time rancher, full-time lawman Eli Garrett. The straight-laced, impossibly hot deputy sheriff glares at her like she’s the same teenage hoodlum who fled town ten years ago. But running from her demons has brought Sadie full circle, ready to make a commitment at last. Not to a man, but to a bed-and-breakfast. On Garrett land. Okay, so her plan has a tiny flaw…
Eli works too hard to let a blonde ball of trouble mess up his town. But keeping an eye on Sadie makes it tough to keep his hands off her. And if she’s so wrong for him, why does being with her feel so right?
Contemporary
Next To You by Hannah Bonam-Young
Two friends battle feelings for each other as they work together to renovate a school bus into a home in this charming romance novel from Hannah Bonam-Young, the viral TikTok author of Next of Kin and Out on a Limb.
Lane is in the middle of an identity crisis. Her friends are all partnered up, her career is leading nowhere, and she’s just not happy. So, after a night out celebrating her birthday, she makes one hell of an impulse purchase: a giant yellow forty-eight passenger school bus that she intends to make a home.
With little-to-no renovation experience, but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt – mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature.While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt’s a total family guy with ‘settle down with me’ tattooed across his forehead, whereas Lane is entirely commitment averse.
Matt and Lane have silently agreed that friendship is the only thing that can ever exist between them. So when Matt offers to help her with the bus, and in the bedroom, Lane’s sure it can never work… can it?
Beating Heart by Laura Pavlov
I wasn’t looking for love, until it moved in next door…
Welcome to Magnolia Falls, perfect for fans of Elsie Silver, Lucy Score and B.K. Borison!
***
From the moment my son came into the world – my life changed. I’d found my purpose.
My heart beats for this kid every damn day, and life is good. But then Emerson Chadwick happens. Our town’s new paediatrician is gorgeous, brilliant, and complicated.
But I’m not looking for complications.
To make matters worse, she’s moved in next door, and she’s everywhere I turn.
I can’t stay away no matter how hard I try, but Emerson isn’t here to stay. And now my heart beats for her in a way I never expected.
Falling for the girl next door is a bad idea. Loving her…well, that’s as easy as breathing.
Extra Spicy
The Hook Up by Kristin Callihan
#SpicyTok sensation and New York Times bestselling author Kristen Callihan’s sexy Game On football romance series — with exclusive bonus content.
The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone and above all…no falling in love.
Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is most definitely not on her to-do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy, right?
Too bad he’s committed to breaking all of the rules…
Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humour and blatant disregard for his fame turn him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.
That is…until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.
All’s fair in love and football…game on.
The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore
From the author of the viral TikTok phenomenon, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, comes a new seasonal spicy romance!
‘A charming break from reality’ Publishers Weekly
‘Unputdownable, I devoured [it] within days… Dream Harbor is not short of a vibrant and hilarious cast of characters to help breathe life into the already charming town’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazel can’t understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues… she just needs someone to help her out.
Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he’s been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!
Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells…
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is a Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling cozy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!
Short n Sweet Recs
How To Charm a Nerd by Katherine Garbera
She’s kind of a witch. He’s definitely a nerd. And this Halloween they’re letting their geek flags fly in this playful romantic comedy from bestselling author Katherine Garbera.
Dungeons and dragons and nerds, oh my…
The spooky season is almost here, and occultist and tarot reader Liberty Wakefield is already feelin’ it. But ever since her sick nan muttered the name of Liberty’s mysterious biological father, nothing feels normal. Not her friends, her family, nor the quirky shop she runs with her besties. So maybe it’s time for Liberty to track down the father she’s never met. Of course, that means getting a little help from the sexy nerd she’s been not-so-secretly vibing since last summer…
Merle Rutland hasn’t met anyone like the vivacious, bubbly Liberty. Part of him wishes he was more like her — instead of hiding his geekery from his hyper-athletic family. The other part just wants to pull the curvy redhead close, steal a kiss and hope he doesn’t roll a critical fail.
Only, somewhere between Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, pumpkins and a few ridiculously hot sexy-times, Liberty and Merle discover their respective weirds might be a match. Yet as Halloween draws closer, it seems everyone has skeletons in the closet…and nothing spells disaster quite like being haunted by the past…
Stuck in the Country With You by Zuri Day
Good fences make good neighbours — except when a scorching shared past makes things complicated — in this delightful city meets country romance from Zuri Day.
She’s packing her bags — and her baggage.
Ten years ago, Genesis Washington made a very poor decision. At the time, it seemed great. Fantastic. Explosive. But the truth is, your one-night rebound should never be your younger brother’s rival. And he definitely shouldn’t be someone who allegedly only slept with you to gain the upper hand — even if the sex was amazing.
Now, Genesis is blindsided when the farm she’s inherited just happens to be right next door to Jaxson King, the regrettable one-night stand she she’s still painfully attracted to. This man has aged like the finest of wines and what’s worse — he’s now a thoughtful and responsible father. Good thing Genesis has a (*cough* long-distance *cough*) boyfriend. Well, sort of. It’s complicated.
Jaxson and his hotness should be easy enough to ignore. But when city-girl Genesis discovers there’s a serious learning curve to her humble new home, it’s Jaxson who’s there to lend a very skilled helping hand. With every problem that arises, Jaxson is seemingly making all the right moves — both on the farm and when things heat up behind closed doors. But, surely, that doesn’t mean he’s right for Genesis, does it?
Romance & Suspense
Mission: Survivor by Elle Kennedy
This time it’s personal…
The Survivor – Elle Kennedy
Blake was tracking the Rose Killer in order to forget the woman he couldn’t save. Now there was a new lead: a survivor. Convincing Samantha ‘Sam’ Dawson to help was only half the battle. Resisting the allure of the fiery beauty was downright impossible.
Sam wanted nothing to do with men. With the city. With the fame of her former life as a model. Six months after the heinous attack, she still bore the killer’s trademark scar. But if she was as tough as she thought, she’d have to face her fears to catch a killer — and dare to love again.
The Avenger – Elle Kennedy
Journalist Morgan Kerr shouldn’t be surprised that ex-fiancé Adam Quinn wants nothing to do with her. Two years ago the rugged mercenary ran out on her, believing she’d betrayed him. But with her best friend murdered and her own father threatening to cart her away to a loony bin, she needs Quinn’s help and forgiveness. Never mind that she never stopped loving him.
Reluctantly, Quinn is in. He knows Morgan’s not crazy. With old feelings reigniting like wildfire, their investigation turns fiercely passionate. Quinn tries to convince himself it’s nothing more than lust. But when a killer takes Morgan hostage, he realises it is something more…a second chance with the woman he’s always loved.
The Coltons: Family First by Linda Conrad & Caridad Pineiro
The Sheriff’s Amnesiac Bride – Linda Conrad
Sheriff Jericho Yates was about to marry a friend as a favour when a gorgeous damsel appeared, dodging bullets and running for shelter. He had to help this woman who didn’t know who she was.
Rosie wished she could tell Jericho why she’d been running — and how she’d ended up pregnant. She did know she was falling in love with the handsome, engaged sheriff. Then Jericho’s marriage was called off…and he showed Rosie how far he’d go to keep her safe. But once her memory returned, would they lose their chance for a future together?
Soldier’s Secret Child – Caridad Piñeiro
At eighteen, Macy Ward had turned to Fisher Yates for a single night of comfort…and then Fisher joined the military while she married another man. Years later, she is a single mother, and Fisher is back in town, unaware that the troubled teen with Macy is the result of that one passionate, unforgettable night.
Macy knows that she should tell Fisher. But the military is his life — a life that never seemed to include the desire for family. Until her son’s disappearance brings them together in a race to save him…and forces the ultimate decision between duty and lost love.
Well, I’m off to the bookstore…
Happy reading book lovers!