Welcome to Rom-Com-a-Thon - Jen Ryland Reviews

Rom-Com-a-Thon = me reading and reviewing romantic comedy books and helping you find the perfect rom com. If you love romantic comedies as much as I do, check out the books I’ve read below! For each book, I’ll tell you the tropes involved, the level of steam, and the level of humor so you can find the perfect book for you!

What is a Rom Com: (According to me)?

A Rom Com is first and foremost, a romance. There IS a HEA (happily ever after). NO exceptions.
Tropes! As I discussed in this post, trope is NOT a bad word. Meet Cutes, Hate to Love, Friendship to Love, Fauxmances…. bring them all on!
Some humor. This does NOT mean a rom com can’t incorporate and address serious issues, but see rule 1: The romance needs to be the main focus. And the seriousness can’t take over the book and make it all sad and dark.

Rom com o meter rating for Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan (2024)

I reviewed Same Time Next Summer AND have Monaghan’s book Nora Goes Off Script on my list of Celebrity Romances but Summer Romance is different than both of these. It’s a little more poignant:

Grief after a loss
Post-Divorce Uncertainty
Guy with a secret crush on you
But you decide this is Just a Summer Fling
Cute kids and dogs!

This is a really sweet and moving book that IS a rom com and I loved it!

Trope chart for The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren (2024)

This might be my favorite Christian Lauren yet. This was VERY romantic comedy movie inspired, with nods to The Proposal, Pretty Woman and even Succession. The comedy level is balanced by toxic family drama but it’s definitely funny!

Summary of the tropes of the Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (2019)

Twin hijinks and a faux honeymoon! This one is a lot of fun and has an audiobook only sequel called The Honeymoon Crashers (2023.)

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren (2021)

This book is a classic rom com filled with all our favorite tropes! A hot, nerdy guy. A fake dating situation. A dating app. A single mom.

There’s also a sequel:

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (2023)

Fizzy, the hilarious BFF character in The Soulmate Equation, gets her own book, which takes place on a reality TV dating show.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (2020)

This book is an adorable rom com featuring my favorite pairing: a sarcastic, wise-cracking girl with a guy who’s a big softie.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert (2021)

Act Your Age, Eve Brown is an opposites attract story about a sunny chef and her grumpy boss.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown (2019)

I love the Brown sisters books! Get a Life, Chloe Brown is British, funny, a heroine with a chronic illness, and a bucket list! (I didn’t review this as I read it for fun, but definitely give it a try!)

The Roommate by Rosie Danan

This book is an opposites attract romance between a straitlaced society girl and an adult film star. It’s (no surprise) on the steamier side! (Quite steamy, be warned!)

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria (2020)

You Had me at Hola is a sweet, funny and romantic book featuring a diverse Latinx cast of characters and a fun telenovela theme.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (2019)

The Bromance Book Club is a laugh-out-loud-funny yet touching second chance at love story featuring a book club of guys who read romance to help each other with their love lives.

if you loved Bromance Book Club, check out the companion book, Undercover Bromance. The guys are back. The humor is back! And there are chickens (?!)

The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren

A book about two couples, one who is just getting together and another whose relationship is falling apart. If you love home renovation shows, definitely check this one out!

Headliners by Lucy Parker

Headliners is the latest installment in the London Celebrities series – a set of companion books I highly recommend! Check out my review of The Austen Playbook as well.