One of my favorite things to do is read. I almost always have a book I’m reading. I have loved reading since I was a kid. When others would be outside, you could likely find me inside, snuggled with a good book on the couch. If asked what my favorite genre of books is, I’d likely say fiction, specifically a good thriller. Recently, I’ve begun to read romance novels. I have found myself gravitating towards lighter reads.
Not only do I love to read, but I also love to recommend books to others. If you’re like me and you don’t read much romance, this list is for you. If you want to add some diversity to your reading list, this list is also for you. Below, I’ve included some of my favorite Black romance authors.
Kennedy Ryan
Kennedy Ryan primarily writes romance. What I love about her books is that she has a diverse cast of characters. If you want to read a book with primarily black characters, Before I Let You Go is a great book. It does have some trigger warnings, including divorce and miscarriage. With the heavy topics, this book is not a typical warm and fuzzy romance novel, but rather two adults trying to figure it out. On her Goodreads page, she says that she likes to give her characters a happily ever after, but she makes them work for it. This is a perfect review of her books. I think it makes them more realistic.
Tia Williams
One of my favorite books of 2021 was Seven Days in June. I read it on vacation with my husband, so when I think of the book, I think of a beach, hearing the waves in the background, and a pretty summer drink next to my hand. It was a great vacation read. Without giving away too much of the premise, Seven Days in June is about two people re-connecting. What isn’t to love about that?!?! If you like reading novels that have been adapted for television or movies, try The Perfect Find. Last year, it was adapted into a Netflix movie, which I highly recommend.
Jasmine Guillory
I’ve read a couple of Jasmine Guillory’s books. What I enjoyed most about them was that if her characters were real people, I’d want to know and be friends with them. One of my biggest criticisms of romance novels is that the characters often feel flat and one-dimensional. Not in Guillory’s books. The characters feel like real people. Apparently, I read my romance novels while on vacation because I’ve read two of Guillory’s novels while on vacation, Drunk in Love and While We Were Dating. Both made a perfect addition to my vacation.
This year, if you made a resolution to read more (and even if you didn’t), I hope you try romance novels. For the longest time, I didn’t think they were for me, but I’ve found myself adding romance novels to my growing To Be Read list. So, break out of your preferred genre and try something new. A little romance doesn’t hurt anyone, and I’ve found that they make the perfect beach read. Happy Reading!
