It’s that time of year again when the best books of 2017 are announced. Some amazing romances novels have formed part of these lists, and rightly so. However, what these lists tend to miss is new authors. I understand why, and by no means am I saying books should appear on lists when they don’t deserve to. But I do believe that validating authors – more established and new – is important, and so I’ve compiled my own list:
The best romances I’ve read this year by new authors.
I tweeted about this in hopes that I’d be able to get a few more authors to add to this list. Unfortunately, I only got one recommendation (thanks, Rachel!), so I wasn’t able to add that many . I also only had this idea in November, and since I only wanted to add authors I’ve read, it severely limited my options. And yes, this list is also made of ALL the new authors I’ve read this year, but that’s because all of them were amazing. (If your book hasn’t made this list, it’s because of what I just mentioned. You’re still amazing.)
Now that I’ve covered all that, I’ll get to it…
Five of the Best Romances of 2017 by New Authors
Rachel Burton
The Many Colours of Us
My dearest daughter
This will be the last letter I write to you. I hope she will let you read this one. I hope she will let you ask questions and hear the story you need to hear. The story of you. And if she doesn’t I hope that one day you will get curious, wonder where you came from and come and find me.
Called to a lawyer’s office to be informed of an inheritance, Julia Simmonds, discovers she’s the secret love-child of the late, great artist Bruce Baldwin. With temperamental seventies supermodel Philadelphia Simmonds as a mother, Julia is used to drama, but is completely unprepared for the way her life is about to irrevocably change.
Bruce not only left Julia his house, but as she discovers, her father wrote to her. One letter every year of her life, urging Julia to learn from his mistakes. It is finally time for Julia to dig deep into her mysterious past and take control of her future, but as more secrets and lies are uncovered, she must find the courage to follow her dreams…
Here’s why you should get it
This book was beautifully written. Rachel has a unique voice, clear in the first-person narrative of her debut. It elevates (and is elevated by) the emotional plot of the book about a heroine rediscovering herself after finding out the identity of her father. The love story is wistful and hopeful. If you love emotional and heartfelt stories, this one is for you. Get the book.
Kate Clayborn
Beginner’s Luck
When three friends impulsively buy a lottery ticket, they never suspect the many ways their lives will change—or that for each of them, love will be the biggest win of all.
Kit Averin is anything but a gambler. A scientist with a quiet, steady job at a university, Kit’s focus has always been maintaining the acceptable status quo. A sudden windfall doesn’t change that, with one exception: the fixer-upper she plans to buy, her first and only real home. It’s more than enough to keep her busy, until an unsettlingly handsome, charming, and determined corporate recruiter shows up in her lab—and manages to work his way into her heart . . .
Ben Tucker is surprised to find that the scientist he wants for Beaumont Materials is a young woman—and a beautiful, sharp-witted one at that. Talking her into a big-money position with his firm is harder than he expects, but he’s willing to put in the time, especially when sticking around for the summer gives him a chance to reconnect with his dad. But the longer he stays, the more questions he has about his own future—and who might be in it.
What begins as a chilly rebuff soon heats up into an attraction neither Kit nor Ben can deny—and finding themselves lucky in love might just be priceless . . .
Here’s why you should get it
Kate’s debut is special. A lot of people know this, and Kate probably doesn’t need this boost, but I’m going to give it to her anyway because she deserves it. She’s written a relatable heroine and a sweet, wonderful hero. Both characters have significant obstacles to overcome, and thankfully, they do. It has a refreshing hook – the fact that this story begins with three friends winning the lottery. The book is less about the details of that, and more about how winning the lottery contributes to the inner conflict of the heroine. The sincerity of the author’s voice will absolutely charm you. Get the book.
Victoria Cooke
The Secret to Falling in Love
Status Update: I’m going offline for a while… Wish me luck! xx
Lifestyle journalist and thirty-something singleton Melissa hashtags, Insta’s and Snapchats her supposedly fabulous life on every social media platform there is.
That is until she wakes up on her birthday, another year older and still alone, wondering if, for all her internet dates, love really can be found online? The challenge: go technology free for a whole month!
Forced to confront the reality of her life without its perfect filters, Melissa knows she needs to make some changes. But when she bumps into not one, but two gorgeous men, without the use of an app, she believes there could be hope for love offline.
If only there was a way to choose the right guy for her…
Here’s why you should get it
Victoria’s second book was recommended to me after I sent out that tweet I mentioned earlier. While I look forward to reading that book, too, Victoria has made me a fan with The Secret to Falling in Love. It has an incredibly fun plot with great characters. It’s a light-hearted read, though it deals with real emotions and issues, and is the perfect escape for the holidays…which just happens to be now! Get the book.
Jenni Fletcher
Married to Her Enemy
From captive to bride…
Lady Aediva of Etton will do anything to protect her sister, Cille. So when enemies storm her family’s keep, Aediva assumes Cille’s identity…taking her place as prisoner of Sir Svend du Danemark.
Svend’s sole aim is to fulfill his service to William the Conqueror and rebuild the life a woman’s betrayal once lost him. So when he receives his new orders to quash the Saxon rebellion, he is stunned. To do his duty, he must vow to take the beautiful yet provoking Aediva as his wife!
Here’s why you should get it
Some mistakes can never be fixed and some secrets never forgiven . . . but some loves can never be forgotten.
Charlotte Gibbs wants nothing more than to put the past behind her, once and for all. But now that she’s back at Firefly Lake to sell her mother’s cottage, the overwhelming flood of memories reminds her of what she’s been missing. Sun-drenched days. Late-night kisses that still shake her to the core. The gentle breeze off the lake, the scent of pine in the air, and the promise of Sean’s touch on her skin . . . True, she got her dream job traveling the world. But at what cost?
Sean Carmichael still doesn’t know why Charlie disappeared that summer, but after eighteen years, a divorce, and a teenage son he loves more than anything in the world, he’s still not over her. All this time and her body still fits against his like a glove. She walked away once when he needed her the most. How can he convince her to stay now?
Here’s why you should get it
Like I said, there are fewer books on this list than I would have liked.
However, now that I know I’d like to compile a list like this, I’ll change that for next year. (Speaking of which…if your debut is out next year, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to read it and support you. If you can’t tell by this list and some of my other posts, it’s kind of my passion.)
If you’re a follower of my blog, thank you so much for reading my posts this year. This is my final post until 2018, though you’ll still be able to find me on Facebook and Twitter (probably). And remember that the first book in my royal duet, United by Their Royal Baby, is out 1 January 2018.