Complex and delightful friend groups ground two new romances in warts-and-all reality.

Trying to find love can mean putting your best foot forward: being the hottest, smartest, coolest version of yourself whenever the object of your affection is around. But as guarded as we are with romantic prospects, we open ourselves wholeheartedly to the friends who love us exactly as we are. By showcasing strong friend groups, two romances offer a glimpse into their characters’ truest, facade-down, flaws-exposed selves.

In Kris Ripper’s The Hate Project, Oscar Nelson and his friends have been fixtures in each other’s lives since college, providing encouragement, nagging, advice, excessive emojis and unconditional love. These are all things that Oscar needs badly, given the powerful and pervasive anxiety that threatens to crush him when he loses his miserable customer service job and must put himself out there to find another gig. 

A temporary reprieve comes when Jack hires Oscar to clean out his grandmother’s house. Jack’s late grandfather was a hoarder, so this is no easy task. It’s potentially awkward as well, as Jack and Oscar have never really gotten along. And since Jack and Oscar slept together that one time, well . . .

This story, if you’ll pardon the pun, has a lot of unpacking to do. Ripper digs deep into Oscar’s issues, depicting them with such uncompromising starkness that readers may have trouble envisioning how he will come out on the other side and step into healthy choices and happy endings. Ripper also devotes time to Jack’s issues, since he’s got his own burdens to carry. 

By the end, Ripper methodically reveals that nearly every character has had to work hard to get where they are—even the sunniest character, Jack’s hilariously irrepressible grandmother, Evelyn. While The Hate Project depicts a lot of struggle, including a fair and realistic amount of backsliding, it also showcases lovely moments of hope, steadfastly suggesting that troubles can be overcome with loyal friends.

The friendship group in Just Last Night faces a challenge that’s far more abrupt—painfully so. Three 30-somethings who’ve been tightly wound into each other’s lives since they were teenagers are forced to grapple with a shocking and sudden death among their ranks. 

Eve, Ed and Justin are wrecked at the loss of their fourth, Suzie. But their bond is further undermined when Eve discovers that, 10 years ago, Suzie had a one-night stand with Ed. Ed, who is now engaged. Ed, whom Eve has been hopelessly, silently in love with for years. This revelation shakes Eve down to her foundations, causing her to reevaluate the relationships that define her and those she'd written off, including her relationship with Suzie’s gorgeous, estranged brother, Finlay. He and Eve grow closer as she sorts through the impact of the past on her present and the ways the people around her have influenced the person she chose to become.

With complex subjects and complicated characters, Mhairi McFarlane's unflinchingly honest romances often go where other authors fear to tread. The turmoil and heartache in Just Last Night feel visceral and real, as do the scars from the past. A scene that describes a character's experience of childhood abuse carries a lot of weight and is particularly difficult to read. 

But McFarlane’s romances are always worth the journey. With incredible warmth, humor and humanity, they stir such deep empathy and engagement that you won’t just watch the characters’ cathartic experiences; you’ll feel them. Likewise, you won't just admire this group friendship; you'll feel like you're a part of it, and that you’re all the better for it.

People say that timing is everything in romantic relationships. It’s a well-worn aphorism, but one endorsed (at least partially) by psychologists, life coaches and parents alike. Romances that center unexpected babies therefore have massive conflict built in. Bringing new life into the world is always a monumental task, but doing so while you’re forging a new connection with another human being amps up the degree of difficulty to 10. While unplanned parenting would be a game changer for any couple, characters with already challenging lives in both Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez and Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl by Hettie Bell meet new partners at the most inopportune time, and fall inexorably in love nonetheless.

Soapy rather than frothy, Abby Jimenez’s first two novels, The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist, seamlessly combined romance, comedy and drama. Life’s Too Short, in which a globe-trotting YouTube star with a deadly neurodegenerative disease becomes guardian of her sister’s baby and falls in love with her workaholic neighbor who’s afraid to fly, further showcases Jimenez’s masterful blend of genres and tone.

For Vanessa Price, “yolo” (you only live once) is more than a catchy slogan; it’s the philosophy she lives by. At 28 years old, with a family history of ALS, she’s seen what the disease can do firsthand—the survival time from onset of symptoms averages just three years—and she’s determined to make the most of the time she has. Vanessa roams the world as a travel YouTube star, broadcasting her latest adventures and donating the bulk of her hefty earnings to ALS research. Neither settling down in one place nor long-term romantic commitments are part of the plan. And parenting is out of the question. So when her younger sister drops her infant daughter, Grace, on Vanessa's doorstep, Vanessa is very believably not equipped to take on the parental role. 

One particularly challenging night, help arrives in an unexpected package. Grace won’t stop wailing and her meltdown brings Vanessa’s sexy next-door neighbor, Adrian, to her door. Their first meeting demonstrates Jimenez's flair for character and conflict. A thoroughly lovely hunk, Adrian is smart, supportive and just a little wounded, coming off a yearlong relationship with a woman he didn’t realize was married. He’s as buttoned up and controlled as Vanessa is spontaneous and risk-taking, but he’s a natural baby whisperer and they make a great team. Though her chaotic family sees Adrian as a “Fancy Hall Cop,” Vanessa gawks admiringly at his calming effect on Grace—a “sorcery” that makes her “clutch a hand over [her] heart.” Impulsive jetsetter meets attorney who’s afraid to fly works well as an effective and creative variation on the idea that opposites attract, but the angst could easily be overwhelming. Instead, Jimenez successfully plays up the contrasts for welcome comic relief, as seen here in Vanessa’s first thought about Adrian:

"This is the hottest guy in my building. Maybe the hottest guy on my block. He is so attractive that if he rolled up on me in an alley in a windowless white van, wearing rubber gloves and waving duct tape, claiming he had candy—I’d get in."

Adrian and Vanessa's vibrancy, paired with Jimenez’s funny and irreverent writing, carry the reader through. The banter, mutual adoration and chemistry between Adrian and Vanessa are more than enough to trigger a swoon. These are irresistible characters, and Life’s Too Short will win readers over with its charm.

In Knit, Purl, A Baby and a Girl, single mother-to-be Poppy Adams’ life is much less glamorous than Vanessa’s. But they have one essential thing in common: becoming a parent was not part of their plan. Poppy is not in a good place emotionally, even before she learns that she’s pregnant. The 22-year-old is insecure, isolated and struggles with negative self-talk and self-loathing. Finding out that she’s pregnant after a drunken round of sex with her ex is the last thing she needs. After drugstore tests come up positive, she goes to Planned Parenthood almost set on having an abortion (though she’s internally unsure as to why), but comes out encouraged and determined to have the baby. Impending motherhood also leads her to join a knitting group where she runs into the very cute and supportive Rhiannon, who also happens to have been her kindly clinic escort.

In her first contemporary romance, Canadian author Hettie Bell (who also writes as Heidi Belleau) creates a sensitive, information-rich portrait of the experience of visiting a Planned Parenthood clinic in the early stages of pregnancy and all the factors that affect what happens next. As Poppy arrives at Planned Parenthood, Bell describes the gauntlet of protest many clients have to face just to get to the front door, the clinic escorts who help them navigate it and the counselors inside who clearly outline the options. Though she is strongly pro-choice, the conclusion Poppy arrives at is this: It’s time to grow up, and she wants to be a parent.

This is a particularly big step since a lifetime of harsh parental criticism has left Poppy with a damaged sense of self, and she struggles with social comparisons and a kind of failure to launch syndrome as a result. You know someone's not in a good place with their family when an innocuous declaration that she’s taking up knitting triggers the response of “Yeah sure, good luck with that” from her sister. Bell paints a consistently convincing portrait of Poppy as someone whose biggest challenge is psychological well-being and maturity. But Poppy also recognizes that she has the fundamental stability needed to take care of a child. Though she beats herself up for being a college dropout, that’s largely due to her family’s expectations. Financially, she’s doing ok. She has a small but comfortable home and a reliable job with health insurance. Similarly to how director/writer Gillian Robespierre’s rom-com Obvious Child normalized abortion, Knit, Purl shows the experience of choosing to become a young, single mother in a complex, loving, but still pro-choice way.

Maturity and a combination of family and pregnancy-related complications end up being the biggest barriers to Poppy’s relationship with the wonderfully sweet and hot Rhiannon, who leads the knitting group. There’s no question that they’re drawn to each other, and Rhiannon likes and appreciates Poppy from the start. They enjoy undeniable sexual chemistry, which Bell brings to vivid life on the page, but Rhiannon is understandably cautious about jumping into a committed relationship with a pregnant woman she’s just met and committing to being part of a child’s life. They’re mulling over the potential for co-parenting before they’ve even begun to formally date. The primary push-pull centers on the complexities of forging a new relationship under those circumstances and Poppy’s instinctual desire to make Rhiannon an instant partner.

Poppy’s loneliness and insecurities are palpable and vividly rendered. But she’s given no support system outside of the new knitting group and her girlfriend Rhiannon. All the spotlight is on the emotional growth of this one character whose near total isolation and alienation are confusing given her personality. As a result, Bell’s romance is largely a coming-of-age story about a woman on the cusp of adulthood as much as it’s a love story between Poppy and Rhiannon.

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl is an imperfect but original and emotionally engaging story that is worth reading for its messy but realistic portrayal of unplanned pregnancy and a young woman coming into her own.

Readers turn to romance novels for many reasons; they’re a bastion of enduring hope, as things are guaranteed to end well. But another draw is the way romance novels depict how characters who have experienced trauma and anxiety can find ways to heal and cope, with the added bonus of finding a partner who exudes support and acceptance. In these two contemporary romances, authors Sonali Dev and Roni Loren introduce characters whose lives have been changed by violence and fear and who carefully chart their paths toward recovery as well as true love.

Sonali Dev continues her Rajes series of Jane Austen retellings with Incense and Sensibility. Indian American politician Yash Raje has launched himself into the race to become California’s next governor, but while attending a campaign rally, he is the victim of a racist assassination attempt. Although the plot is foiled and he is unharmed, Yash is deeply traumatized. Being the direct target of gun violence leaves him anxious and fearful, despite the boost it’s giving him in the polls. 

Yash wants to treat his anxiety and PTSD before their severity is made public, so he seeks help from India Dashwood, a stress-management coach and yoga teacher. The situation is complicated by the fact that India isn’t a stranger to Yash; the two had a passionate affair 10 years ago, and he hasn’t forgotten her since. 

As with many of Dev’s central couples, Yash and India are endearingly bighearted. Their closed-off, protective demeanors cloak how much they’re seeking to be loved and understood by someone willing to make the effort. Dev masterfully explores the darker moments of being human while leading the reader to a realistic, hard-won romantic ending. Incense and Sensibility shares its source text’s focus on family, but it also launches Austen’s novel into the 21st century with its emotional, complex survey of racial identity in America.

What If You & Me, Roni Loren’s newest release in her Say Everything series, also puts mental health front and center. Andi Lockley’s life is shaped by a traumatic experience she had as a teenager, the details of which Loren carefully and sensitively spools out later in the novel. Despite her isolated lifestyle, Andi is still able to pursue her passions and work as a horror writer and true crime podcaster. But there’s one thing currently disturbing her carefully constructed peace: her neighbor, Hill Dawson, whose insomnia is annoying audible through the thin walls of his and Andi’s duplex.

To call Hill a grump is putting it mildly, but the former firefighter has a good reason for his standoffishness. He’s grieving the loss of his career and part of his leg following a disastrous rescue mission. When Andi and Hill finally come face-to-face, the two prickly neighbors feel something unexpected, and their instant attraction kicks off a casual arrangement.

Both Andi and Hill have issues to work through, and What If You & Me emphasizes that when it comes to healing from trauma, you don’t have to go it alone. This love story heaps on the yearning; Andi and Hill smolder through their agonizingly slow-burning romance. Loren’s unparalleled ability to plumb the depths of her characters is on full display in this multilayered and emotional romance.

Cults, fairy godmothers and a lot of Scottish whisky! This month’s romance column is sure to liven up your TBR list.

★ Men Are Frogs

Love proves truly magical in Men Are Frogs by Saranna DeWylde. After wedding planner Zuri Davis’ latest event goes awry, she leaves Chicago for Ever After, Missouri. Her new job at Fairy Godmothers, Inc. sounds promising, and her first glimpse of Ever After almost makes her believe that magic is real. And in DeWylde’s world, it is! There are enchanted castles, talking beasts and a charming prince cursed to be a frog from sundown to sunup. It takes time for Zuri to believe what’s before her eyes, and readers will enjoy watching her learn to accept her new fairy-tale surroundings. She even falls for the prince, only to (of course) discover he’ll stay a frog forever unless saved by true love’s kiss. There’s so much delightful imagination at play here; every page sparkles with fun and clever wordplay. A modern romp with Grimm throwbacks, Men Are Frogs has a decidedly poignant side that touches the heart even as it incites smile after smile.

Devil in Disguise

An aristocratic widow and a Scottish whisky distiller make an unexpected match as Lisa Kleypas continues her Ravenels series with Devil in Disguise. The head of her late husband’s shipping business, Lady Merritt Sterling meets Keir MacCrae when he’s recently arrived in London and in a well-deserved bad mood. But she’s instantly fascinated with the big and beautiful Keir, who is equally smitten with the composed, capable Merritt. She’s far above him socially, and he vows to keep his distance, though such vows never prevail against the will of a woman and sizzling mutual desire. Merritt and Keir succumb to a single night of passion that only serves to nourish their growing love. But besides issues of class, wealth and geography, there is the slight problem of someone trying to kill Keir. The unraveling of that mystery will please Kleypas fans as favorite former characters get involved in the story. But Devil in Disguise truly stands out thanks to Kleypas’ masterful blend of blazing ardor and tender yearning. Readers will bask in this lovely romance that hits every emotion just right.

Say Goodbye

Karen Rose pens a thrilling conclusion to her Sacramento series in Say Goodbye. Former pro basketball player-turned-FBI agent Tom Hunter is on the case of the cult known as Eden, which is hiding somewhere in the rural Pacific Northwest. Hayley Gibbs, a young pregnant woman, is being held by the cult against her will, and Tom and his team are determined to find her before she gives birth. To make matters more dangerous, DJ, a ruthless member of Eden intent on taking control of the group, is piling up bodies and threatening the lives of those Tom cares about—including his best friend, Liza Barkley. Can he concentrate on the crimes at hand even as his relationship with Liza begins to shift? Multiple viewpoints, including those of DJ and Hayley, ratchet up the tension. Chock-full of twists and scares, this is spine-chilling and heart-satisfying romantic suspense.