Finding romances that aren't centred around white, cis people is something I'm really enjoying to read. I'd love to share my favourites with you but I promise no spoilers.
Adult Romances:
The Brown Sisters trilogy: Get A Life, Chloe Brown / Take A Hint, Dani Brown / Act Your Age, Eve Brown - Talia Hibbert. Some of my favourite romances EVER. Diverse and relatable characters, sizzing sex scenes and happy endings, what more do you want? Read them in order if you don't want too many spoilers but they stand as their own stories. Dani is my favourite but the others follow closely behind, Zaf is the one ❤️. Chloe - Black rep, fat rep, fibromyalgia rep, (not quite) enemies to lovers. Dani - Black rep, fat rep, bisexual rep, friends to lovers, fake dating. Eve - Black rep, fat rep, austism rep, enemies to lovers, grumpy and sunshine, colleagues.
The Kiss Quotient / The Bride Test / The Heart Principle - Helen Hoang. While The Kiss Quotient is definitely my favourite because of all of the sex, I need to mention the other two because like the Brown sisters, I love when there's a trilogy that feature the same characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the set up of this story (male sex hired by female MC), I've not read this trope before but I loved it and it worked so well. Stella and Michael were just so beautiful together (and I loved the peeks into their lives after the books in The Bride Test and The Heart Principle). TKW - Asian rep, autism rep, male sex worker rep.
Love In Colour - Bolu Babalola. A previous member of one of our boxes, Love In Colour blew me away. Myths and legends from around the world, reimagined with women at the centre. A set of short stories that will leave you begging for more. Black rep, black love, queer rep.
While We Were Dating - Jasmine Guillory. A new found favourite and an author I absolutely need to read more of immediatly. Lots of romance, lots of sex scenes, just glorious. Ben and Anna meet in an advertising pitch Ben is running. Floored by celebrity Anna, the two get on like a house on fire. I need more Jasmine Guillory in my life soon. Black rep, black love, colleagues to lovers, fake dating.
Open Water - Caleb Azumah Nelson. This short(ish) story blew me away so much it went immediatly into our Permission To Love box. A beautiful fiction set in London around the life and trauma of black artists. Heartbreaking but stunning. Black rep, black love, friends to lovers.
These next few I have on my shelf ready to read but want to reccomend because I'm excited to get to them and think you'll love them too -
You Had Me At Hola - Alexis Daria. Jasmine and Ashton meet on set while filming a rom-com, Jasmine is determined her leading lady role does not need a man, but I'm sure we'll find that changes! Latin rep, colleagues to lovers.
Pride - Ibi Zobio. Pride & Prejudice retelling with people of colour. Sign me up! Black rep, enemies to lovers.
Red, White & Royal Blue / One Last Stop - Casey McQuinston. Both of these I've seen read by so many and I'm very excited. If queer romance is for you, then these would be the top of my list. Red, White & Royal Blue features royalty and queer princes, while One Last Stop features saphic love who meet on the subway. Queer rep.
YA Romances:
Instructions for Dancing - Nicola Yoon. I won't lie, I may or may not have bought this because I wanted to know just how much dancing would be in it (I've been learning to salsa for a few years and I'm obsessed). I didn't however realise it was a YA until I read it. Very sweet and wholesome, an ending I hadn't expected but lovely characters. Black rep, black love, black joy.
And two I haven't read yet but have on my shelf -
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry - Joya Goffney. A main character that loves lists? I'm in. Instant relatability. But when their journal with said lists go missing? Chaos ensues. Black rep, black love, enemies to lovers (I think!).
Love Is A Revolution - Renee Watson. This one is a mix of first loves and activism and I can't wait to start, it sounds so sweet. Black rep, fat rep.
Buy all these and more through my affilate link with Bookshop.org here.