I love this time of year where everyone and their grandma gets to start making top 10 lists of anything and everything that we love in 2024. Best toaster ovens of 2024? Bring it on. Best colors to paint your kitchen in 2024? I’m ready. Best non-plastic shopping bags of 2024? Tell me more. Every year I make my own top 10 book list, and it’s so great to go back through the year’s reads and remember ones that were so captivating and invaded my brain space throughout the year. Some of my absolute favorites this year were from the beginning of 2024, and I’m still thinking about them today. The ones that really rose to the top of my list have some commonalities–they all tend to be beautifully written, they have creative choices about plot and character, and they really inspire thought about our world and the romance genre. Romance can be challenging to make feel fresh, particularly when your audience feels they know the outcome early on, so when one really hits in this way, I’m left even more in awe.
Without further ado!
10. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
I think of the books included on this list, THE PARADISE PROBLEM is the most pure FUN. Set on an exclusive tropical island, fake dating ensues as Anna and Liam try to convince Liam's rich family that he is really married to Anna who he married only on paper when she was in college in order to trigger a clause in his trust that would allow him access to millions of dollars if he is married for a certain amount of time. The premise sounds a little silly, but it's Christina Lauren's absolute mastery of this genre that allows this one to shine. Anna is down to earth and relatable in that Julia Roberts/PRETTY WOMAN way. She is winningly the type of person who values her morals above money every single time. The pure fun of the locations here complete with fancy parties, beautiful beaches, and the absolute excess of this family just makes for such a fun read. Of the very famous and popular romance writers who published this year (I'm thinking Emily Henry, Carley Fortune, Abby Jimenez, Elin Hildebrand, Christina Lauren), this was my favorite for its mastery of the genre.
9. The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
A European vacation and a love story in one--be still my heart. And with Rowley's beautiful sense of humor and heart, THE GUNCLE ABROAD is an extremely worthy addition to his GUNCLE domination of 2022. In this story, Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP for short) agrees to take his now pre-teen niece and nephew on a trip to Europe before arriving in Lake Como for the wedding of their father. What follows is a trip filled with pop culture references, a swoony romantic return, and a host of wedding festivities that include the new rival for the kids attention, their soon-to-be launt (Lesbian Aunt, natch). This is equal parts sweet and salty, and I enjoyed every minute of it. This is my favorite of Steven's books as GUP continues to evolve as an actor, a partner, and a guncle.
8. The Women by Kristin Hannah
There's no book this year that taught me as much about history and gave me a peek into my parents' generation's experience of the United States like THE WOMEN. Set during the Vietnam War, Frankie experiences the adrenaline and the horrors of war as a triage nurse, a gig she signed up for thinking she'd be a hero but with zero understanding the danger she was courting, as well as the hard time she had dealing post-war with what we now understand as PTSD in the 70s when the general public was both wary of Vietnam Vets and also did not really consider women to be part of this group of vets no matter the experience in Vietnam. Hannah has the ability to find ways to keep throwing trauma at her characters, but for me this was a fascinating exploration of a period of US history that I hadn't known about or experienced in this way. While nowhere near a typical romance, there are romantic storylines here that are shocking and dysfunctional in turn. It's the kind of story I wish everyone would read and then have a big book chat about--so interesting on its own but also when held up through a modern day lens.
7. The Good Part and Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousens
I couldn't decide which of these Sophie Cousens books I enjoyed more in 2024 so decided just to do a little Sophie Cousens fan detour on this list. These are both great examples of the modern romance novel and both explore romance in your late 30s/early 40s. Cousens has a way of delivering fully rounded characters, unconventional storylines, and just plain having fun along the way. I'd recommend either of these so highly and was so happy to enjoy them both this year.
6. Be Ready When The Luck Happens by Ina Garten
I don't read a ton of memoirs, but I love ones that feel like they give you a really complete view of a person, that add on to the perception you had about them in a way that's memorable. Ina's book absolutely does that while giving you a peak in to her decades long marriage to Jeffrey and how she went from a difficult, unloved childhood to being a maternal figure to legions of fans. The thing that stands out so much about her book is how welcoming Ina was her entire life when it came to risk. While others cling to the things that make them feel safe like job security, etc, Ina constantly threw caution to the wind and went after things she wanted to try. Some worked, some didn't. But it never made her stop taking risks. A huge life lesson wrapped up in a story about the things I love the most--cooking fabulous food and sweeping romance.
5. The Wedding People by Allison Espach
Espach's latest novel, THE WEDDING PEOPLE, is one of the more deceptive books on this list. The title sounds so soft and flirty. But even if you knew nothing about this book when you picked it up, within a few pages it feels clearly like the antithesis of soft. Phoebe has arrived at a Newport, RI bed and breakfast with plans to kill herself. Only once she's there, she realizes she is the only guest of the hotel not associated with an upcoming wedding. When the bride realizes Phoebe's plan, she ingratiates herself with Phoebe so that the suicide won't upstage her wedding. As the only outsider at the hotel, people feel more comfortable sharing secrets with Phoebe, and, through the course of the book, all of the people at the wedding become really clear, fully rounded humans. I loved the way this book took zigs and zags--I never felt like I was truly getting a handle on it before it would morph into something else. And through all of this, there's still a beautiful love story to enjoy, which honestly feels surprising in and of itself when a book starts so strongly with themes about suicide. I loved the inventiveness of this book and hated for it to end, just like any good wedding.
4. Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
Margo is a truly unique underdog character and is one my favorite characters of the year both for the way she fights adversity and for the ways in which she finds her own voice. A single mom as a young 20 something, Margo has to move in with her estranged ex-wrestler dad, Jinx, in order to find ways to conserve and make money to support her baby. She starts making content for OnlyFans, which pays dividends and has the unintended benefit of allowing her to spend more time with her baby since she is 'working from home.' But her association with the platform opens a can of worms for her in lots of other ways. Another atypical romance, this story explores the way society creates impossible barriers for single moms and is an effective thesis on our distaste mixed with our desire for sex work in America. Margo is cunning and has an astute business sense, but it's wrapped up in such an unconventional package that people treat her callously. She deals with all of the challenges any new mom deals with, and it's clear under everything else what an amazing mother she is despite the way she is viewed on the surface. Her relationship with her dad is also refreshing. This is a total winner of a book.
3. The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
The absolute most creative book on my list is Holly Gramazio's THE HUSBANDS. On one level, this book is an interesting exploration of the choices we make that lead to us choosing a partner and the implications that choice has for the rest of our lives. There were husbands that allowed Lauren's career to flourish or that cut her off from her friends. But I think even deeper, the book explores the idea of the power of choice and our own influence over it. Lauren may make decisions about the husbands in the book, but the men all ultimately have their own agency. She can't force them back in the attic, they have to make that choice on their own--which some do even against Lauren's wishes. It's fascinating, and the ending here is surprising but also offers the author's own definitive take on that unknowable element of decision making--how we learn to live with the choices we make. A sci fi twist on the romance genre, this is a really unique story.
2. One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin
Spanning about a decade, ONE STAR ROMANCE follows the relationship of Natalie and Rob who meet when their best friends get engaged. Natalie is an aspiring novelist and, when she publishes her first book, is furious to discover that Rob gave it a 1 star rating on GoodReads. This book captures that decade between 25 and 35 in such an honest, warts and all, way. Natalie is not always likable--she is jealous of her best friend's life and is sometimes self important--but I never felt like I didn't understand why she was behaving in a certain way even if some of it was just immaturity. These are very human qualities, even when they can be sometimes ugly. Rob is similar--these are both characters who show true growth through the book. I loved Natalie's friendship with Gabby, which felt honest too in terms of their love for each other but also the way their respective partners put a strain on their friendship. Hankin is also exploring the ways we put expectation on friendship (not so differently than the ways we put expectation on romantic relationships) and some of the hurt that can come when a friend can't live up to those expectations. ONE-STAR ROMANCE has a beautiful message about the twists and turns of life--part of the joy of life is just going for the ride and trying to find the good even when things don't work out the way you planned. It's gorgeous and thoughtful and I felt very connected to Rob and Natalie finally finding their way to one another. Oh and Angus! A quick shout out to Angus, the best book boyfriend of 2024.
1. Good Material by Dolly Alderton
I read this book around Valentine's Day and it has just stuck with me, which is really saying a lot as there are books on my list that I can't remember even one thing about. The story of a bad break up from the guys perspective, I was utterly charmed by the complete vision of this book from start to finish. It explores both masculinity and femininity in a way that feels very fresh, and I was really engaged with Andy's ability to find his own voice through the pain of this break up. He reminded me a little of Richard Gadd and his experience, both as a writer/actor and as a character, bringing BABY REINDEER to life. Andy ultimately finds a way to deal with his pain in a way that is truly honest and doesn't rely on any traditionally expected versions of masculinity. And the final chapter is an absolute stunner and a must read for anyone interested in the female experience of dating/career/marriage in 2024. So insightful but also just plain old enjoyable, this was the one that stays with me. I'll happily carry it right into 2025 and beyond.
Most of my picks are from early 2024, but here are links to the books I’ve reviewed on MidModRom that have made my top 10 list:
Is She Really Going Out with Him? Review
The Wedding People Review
Be Ready When The Luck Happens Review
