100 books like A Proposal They Can't Refuse

Angelina M. Lopez is my all-time favorite romance author. With beautiful prose and incredible wit, she always delivers on the steamy as well as the positive representation of Latina women.

After Hours on Milagro Street is her latest release featuring a fire-cracker, prickly heroine clad with tattoos and a partially-shaved head. Dead-set on saving the family bar, the only person standing in her way is an incredibly hot professor wanting to turn the bar into a historical museum. 

This book has a special place in my heart because it takes place in small-town Kansas, highlighting the little-known vibrant Mexican-American communities that settled here with the railroads and have stayed for generations. 

Come for the feels and history, and stay for the scorching-hot steamy scenes with the hot professor. 

Sierra Simone is the queen of diversity inclusion in romance. The Thornchapel series is my favorite by her. While I do recommend you start with Book 1, A Lesson in Thorns, Book 2 is where we get St. Sebastian Martinez’s voice and perspective. 

St. Sebastian is the first character I ever read in romance that embodied the otherness I felt growing up Mexican-American. 

This book is extremely taboo and not for the faint of heart. Come for a diverse cast with the dreamiest narrative voice (think an adult, BDSM, version of the secret garden), and stay for characters you will fall in love with. 

In research for my own books, I have learned how present the British were in the Caribbean for centuries.

Yet it is not often that I find Caribbean characters when reading historical romances. That is one of the reasons I was so excited to pick up A Caribbean Heiress in Paris – and I was not disappointed!

In this novel, you get a heroine who is trying to defend her identity on three fronts: as a businesswoman, as a mixed-race woman, and as a woman who does not want marriage to be the solution to her problems.

Much of the hero’s growth is discovering how to witness and learn about Luz Alana’s challenges without barging in and “solving” them.

This is a great read with a delightful plot, new insight into Caribbean-European history, and an endearing romance. 

Whenever I need a low-angst, light-hearted rom-com, Carla Luna is my go-to. White Wedding is my favorite of hers, featuring hot, Mexican-American chef, Rafael Sanchez. 

Rafael breaks every common stereotype of the Mexican man. Incredibly patient, gentle, and loving, he is the perfect cinnamon-roll hero for Victoria Blackwood. 

The premise of this book is everything. Our heroine, Victoria, is stuck planning a wedding. It just so happens the groom is her ex. Enter Rafael to cater the wedding. Oh, did I forget to mention he was her one-night stand she ran out on? Yes, this book is as delicious as it sounds. 

This book made me laugh out loud, embarrassingly, in public places. Perfect for a weekend escape into a happy world.

This is a cute story about finding your path and being true to yourself. I love coconut cake, so the cover really grabbed me (and the author includes a recipe in the book!).

Lou owns a French restaurant because she thought it would help her establish herself and get a steady clientele when, in reality, she would’ve preferred a more intimate restaurant featuring the comfort food she learned to cook from her grandmother. When a food critic gives her a scathing review, and she’s forced to close the restaurant, she hones in on what she actually wants and connects to her authentic self.

The book also explores the foodie scene in Wisconsin, which was a great addition and really makes you want to visit and taste the food.

This is a cute story about friendship, family, and food.

Annie and Julie are childhood best friends who reconnect in adulthood and decide to start a cupcakery called Treat. I loved reading about the start of their business and the descriptions of the cupcakes. I also loved how the title was applied to the story in that each character ate cupcakes differently, which revealed an aspect of their personalities.

Both main characters were well-developed, and I enjoyed seeing how they dealt with their problems and how their perspectives changed over time. 

This is an amazing story about sisters, family secrets, reality shows, and small towns.

The two restaurants, Chicken Mimi’s and Chicken Frannie’s had me craving fried chicken so much that my husband had to make a batch because I wouldn't shut up about the book.

I loved everything about this book: the setting, the reality show, each sister's story of reinvention, their relationship with their mother, and the constant battle between the two. It was so fun seeing how they reacted to each other and all the misunderstandings getting cleared up by the end. 

This is a humorous story about starting over, family, and having the courage to take risks.

Jessie starts a business creating meal kit supplements inspired by her Korean heritage. I loved the originality of this business, which combines not only food prep but technology since Jessie uses YouTube cooking videos to promote her business.

Lucky for me, my husband has become an expert in Korean cooking, and I was familiar with some of the dishes described. I, of course, had him cook Korean food while I was reading this book. The author also includes a recipe that I can’t wait to try.

The Singles Table features a lawyer too—but Zara is a happy, free-spirited lawyer because she loves the quirky law firm she works for. Her problem is that the law firm may go under unless she can drum up some business.

Luckily, she has her family and the aunties on her side.  I love an opposites-attract romance, and Zara and Jay were absolutely lovely together. Plus, there were some hilarious scenes between them and with family. And I loved how Zara figured out how to build her case and save her law firm—and Jay. 

Since I was old enough to say “cake,” I’ve been plagued by weight issues. Enter Cannie Shapiro, the protagonist, a Jewish, overweight journalist with low self-esteem and daddy issues, who has been publicly humiliated by her ex.

Though more about coming into one’s own and learning self-love and acceptance than an actual romantic relationship, I had to include this book because the impetus for Cannie’s growth is ultimately the result of her ex’s betrayal.

Though Cannie cuts loose differently than I chose to when my first marriage ended, I could still understand her desire to go bold. At the center of heartache, there’s always a wish for the resolution that can only come from the strength we find within—the old live-and-learn theory at work. I was moved to tears when Cannie eventually emerges more comfortable in her skin and ready to be happy.

Flavor Pick: Butter Pecan