Recs if you like The Beast Takes a Bride...

Every year we pick 10 books that we think rise above the rest. These are the 70 we've picked since 2019.

Updated to include our Best of 2025 picks.

A growing historical romance book list for the weary bookish time traveler. Not limited to the Regency era.

Save a shirtless, bare-chested man! Each one is in dire need of a shirt! 👕 Those covers of romance novels are not very warm, although under the covers, it could be hot. Steaming, in fact. Maybe even scorching. 🥵❤️‍🔥

(Other editions exist where the book cover has a shirtless man, but this list only includes those shirtless on PB. ) Enjoy! 😉

Marriage in crisis romance books

they got married few years prior but barely aknowledge each other now but oops fate is bringing them together

These books do a phenomenal job of going on the journey of falling completely and truly in love with someone. Not obsessed or comfortably intimate with, but the kind of love where you want the absolute best for the other person, even when it means letting them go.

These books showcase the kind of love that changes both people in the best ways, especially when they are “dummies” about it, as Sarah and Jen say on Fated Mates. I love when this kind of mutual character development is done well!