The best rom-com books that feel like fairy tales

Why am I passionate about this?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with fairy tales and love. I had imaginary friends and would pretend to be the “damsel in distress,” waiting for my prince to find me. I’ve never lost that love as an adult, but I’ve found that certain books can give me the same feelings I had as a child. And reading these stories always fills me with hope that there is good in the world and that love conquers all!


I wrote...

Cinder Luna

By Marie Soleil,

Book cover of Cinder Luna

What is my book about?

Cinder Luna is a sweet, modern-day retelling of Cinderella—as a romantic comedy! It follows Luna as she moves from southern California to the idyllic town of Brookhaven and meets a handsome stranger on the train ride there. But little does she know that the handsome stranger from the train is none other than her best gaming friend, MidKnight.

They’ve never exchanged names, and Luna hasn’t even told him she’s female. As they get closer, both in person and online, Luna must also learn to stand up for herself and find the bravery to be treated as she deserves. 

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Royally Rearranged: A Sweet Royal Romcom

Marie Soleil Why did I love this book?

Fairy tales are all about princes and princesses, and I loved this book because it is a modern-day rom-com royal romance. Rafe is a swoony male lead, and his character is so well-developed!

didn’t want to put this book down. I still think about it and remember certain scenes that were especially romantic. 

Book cover of Can't Help Falling

Marie Soleil Why did I love this book?

I loved the meet-cute for this book—technically, the second meet-cute of the two main characters. Who doesn’t want to be saved from a burning building by a hunky firefighter, especially the one you loved as a teenager?

I adored the main character, Emmy, and her belief in love and romance. The setting was especially cozy, and the book made me laugh, too!

By Courtney Walsh,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Can't Help Falling as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sometime all it takes to start a fire is a single match. . .

Owen Larrabee is not my soulmate.

He wasn't when I confessed my love to him on his wedding day, and he isn't now. I should probably say that I wasn't the bride when that happened. I don't have the best timing.

He’s got a temper, he's moody, and he has a history of being misunderstood and making big mistakes.

I, on the other hand, make pumpkin cupcakes, spend my Friday nights curled up with a beloved romance novel and long to be kissed in the rain.…


Book cover of The One with the Kiss Cam

Marie Soleil Why did I love this book?

I did not want this book to end; it’s that good! The beginning had me rolling and laughing, with the meet-cute at the basketball game and the “kiss cam” moment. But the rest of the book gave major Cinderella vibes, and that’s my favorite fairy tale of all time.

I loved how Duke cared for Nora and did everything he could to take care of her, and I loved how they overcame their past hurts together. This was a really beautiful story that truly felt like a fairy tale!

By Cindy Steel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The One with the Kiss Cam as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It was just one date.

My friend told me I needed more fun in my life, so I reluctantly said yes. Fun wasn’t exactly in my wheelhouse. After watching my own mother’s love life implode time and time again it’s only natural that I have a few rules to protect myself.

Actually, it’s just one rule…

Avoid relationships with men so I don’t get attached.

I wasn’t worried. Getting attached has never been a problem for me. This guy was just a warm body in a chair. I was here for the basketball game. I was absolutely NOT here for…


Book cover of Summer Ever After

Marie Soleil Why did I love this book?

This book is so much fun. I loved how Jane was determined to fall in love with all the romance tropes and they backfire. It felt like a reverse fairy tale, which made me laugh and swoon.

And when the main characters finally got together, I was kicking my feet in delight. Such a fun story set in the small-town island of Sunset Harbor.

By Kortney Keisel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Summer Ever After as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Falling in love is easy. Finding the right guy to spend happily ever after with... that's the hard part.

But I have a foolproof plan. I'm taking the tropes that work in romance books and applying them to my love life.

Only one bed? Never fails.

Caring for someone when they're sick? A classic.

"Who did this to you?" Seals the deal every single time.

So long, loneliness. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

But the more I try to force romance, the more feelings naturally progress with the one man who's off limits: Walker Collins,…


Book cover of Authentically, Izzy

Marie Soleil Why did I love this book?

This book is so sweet, and I loved the epistolary format! My husband and I wrote each other many letters (yes, by hand) and emails while we were dating, so reading all the exchanges between Izzy and Brodie brought me back to those first fluttery feelings of falling in love. Izzy is such a sweet heroine, and Brodie really saw her, which I also loved!

By Pepper Basham,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Authentically, Izzy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dear Reader, My name is Isabelle Louisa Edgewood-Izzy, for short. I live by blue-tinted mountains, where I find contentment in fresh air and books. Oh, and coffee and tea, of course. And occasionally in being accosted by the love of my family. (You'll understand my verb choice in the phrase later.) I dream of opening my own bookstore, but my life, particularly my romantic history, has not been the stuff of fairy tales. Which is probably why my pregnant, misled, matchmaking cousin-who, really, is more like my sister-signed me up for an online dating community.

The trouble is . .…


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Thorn City

By Pamela Statz,

Book cover of Thorn City

Pamela Statz

New book alert!

What is my book about?

Dressed to kill and ready to make rent, best friends Lisa and Jamie work as “paid to party” girls at the Rose City Ripe for Disruption gala, a gathering of Portland's elite.

Their evening is derailed when Lisa stumbles across Ellen, a ruthless politician and Lisa’s estranged mother. And to make matters worse, Lisa’s boyfriend, Patrick, crashes the party to meet his new boss, Portland's food cart drug kingpin. Lisa makes a fateful choice that traps her, Jamie, and Patrick in Ellen’s web. In this gripping thriller, Lisa must reconcile a painful past and perilous present.

Thorn City

By Pamela Statz,

What is this book about?

Suspected murder, eclectic food trucks, and artisanal cocaine: just another day in Thorn City.

It’s the night of the Rose City Ripe for Disruption gala—a gathering of Portland’s elite. Dressed to kill in sparkling minidresses, best friends Lisa and Jamie attend as “paid to party” girls. They plan an evening of fake flirtations, karaoke playlists, and of course, grazing the catering.

Past and present collide when Lisa stumbles across Ellen, a ruthless politician who also happens to be Lisa’s estranged mother. Awkward . . . When Lisa was sixteen, Ellen had her kidnapped and taken to the Lost Lake Academy—a…


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