If you’ve been single for all of iso, and are still waiting for the day when, you know, you can get out there and start having some whirlwind sexy romances – you’re probably looking for some vicarious hot energy to get amongst. Enter romance books, the perfect antidote to lonely nights.
Well, aside from your vibrator that is. Combine the two? Anyway, we asked international bestselling author Paige Toon for her fave spicy romance picks. PSA – she has her own spicy romance book out right now:
1. The Kiss Quotient, Helen Hoang
Stella analyses data for a living. She’s successful and driven, and she also happens to have Asperger’s. Relationships are a struggle for her, so when Stella’s mother starts putting pressure on her to settle down and deliver some grandchildren, she decides to hire a male escort to teach her how to be a good girlfriend. Enter the divine Michael Larsen, who has his own reasons for doing the job he does. Think Pretty Woman with a twist – and a lot more action beneath the bedcovers. So steamy and utterly brilliant.
2. The Hating Game, Sally Thorne
Lucy and Josh sit across from each other all day, working for publishing companies that have merged: his boss is the CEO of one; her boss is the CEO of the other. Lucy and Josh are archenemies, and their snarky wit and caustic put-downs are hilarious from the get-go. When it turns out that Josh might not hate Lucy as much as she thought, things get complicated… and a whole lot more delicious. Funny, sexy and instantly unputdownable, and if you like this book, the author’s second, 99% Mine, is also a winner.
3. The Flatshare, Beth O’Leary
The premise of this one is brilliant: Tiffy and Leon share a flat and a bed, but they’ve never actually met. Leon has a one-bed flat and needs cash quick. He works nights and sleeps during the day, so he advertises for a flatmate with a day job to make use of his place when he’s not there. Along comes Tiffy, a gorgeously likeable heroine who needs cheap accommodation. As we get to know the pair in alternating chapters, it soon becomes clear that they’re made for each other. Now all they have to do is meet… A gorgeously heart-warming read that will lift your spirits no end.
4. Red, White & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston
I absolutely loved the idea behind this brilliant love story, which takes place in a world that is not so different from ours, but somehow seems so much better. Alex, the hilariously snarky son of America’s first female president, has a thing for Henry, second-born Prince of England. This is one of the sexiest, wittiest, cleverest books I’ve ever read. You’ll completely adore the protagonists and will want, so much, for them to find their happily ever afters.
5. The Unhoneymooners, Christina Lauren
When Olive’s sister gets food poisoning at her wedding, Olive is sent on the non-refundable, non-exchangeable honeymoon. The problem is, detested best man Ethan is also along for the ride. Forced to play newlyweds, Olive and Ethan are thrown together in more ways than one. I could have included any of the books writing duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings have written (you can never go wrong with them!) because they are all perfectly sexy escapist reads, but this is undoubtedly one of my favourites. You’ll race through it and won’t fail to enjoy soaking up the amazing summery vibes.
6. Maybe Someday, Colleen Hoover
Colleen always comes up with great reasons to keep her protagonists apart, which makes for great sexual tension, but there’s only so much I can say about this one without spoiling it for readers. When Sydney discovers her boyfriend and best friend are sleeping together, she moves out with nowhere to go. Ridge, who witnessed the cheating, lives in the apartment opposite, and Sydney has been watching him play his guitar out on his balcony for some time. Ridge, meanwhile, has seen her singing along to the lyrics he hasn’t yet written. When Sydney moves in and the pair begin writing music together, sparks fly, but there’s a reason they can’t be together… This forbidden love story is one of my most-recommended reads – the chemistry is off the charts.
Paige Toon is an internationally bestselling author, published in 15 countries, with more than 1.5 million copies of her books sold worldwide. She has been writing books set in sun-drenched locations since 2007 and The Minute I Saw You is her 14th novel.
