Ever want a book that’s filled with quirky side characters, slowed down living, and maybe even some shenanigans? Then you want a small town romance. Luckily for you I have small town romance book recs in most genres to recommend too.
We’ve got paranormal, contemporary, romantic comedy, and even a bit of dark romance in this list. Not all the MMC’s are cowboys, but we do have a demon, a dragon, a librarian, a mechanic, a doctor, and a guy in the mafia.
Small Town Romance Book Recs
Buckle in, grab your blanket and your drink of choice, we’ve got reading to do.
Dirty Deals Over Decaf by Eden Crowe
Lila’s recent divorce has her wanting to start fresh in a brand new town, Mistwood. What she doesn’t know is that Mistwood, WV is filled with monsters. Oh and little book store she’s visiting? It’s owned by a demon, one who is ready to make a deal with her. The demon, Azrael, has decided he wants Lila. So while he’ll offer his services and grant her wish, he’s also hoping to gain something more than her soul.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D5TDGMNKI am always down for a paranormal romantic comedy these days, I keep returning to them. Personally, it’s for the escapism that I desperately need right now. And Mistwood is the perfect small town to escape into. If high heat and laugh out loud moments are what you are after, read the Mistwood series.
Read my full recommendation for Dirty Deals Over Decaf by Eden Crowe here.
I Met Him At The Library by Jayne Katway
When Emily, a local secret alien romance author, decides to spend her days in the library she can’t help but to notice the sexy head librarian. And he’s noticed her too. But she swore off dating men from Maple Creek a long time ago and has no intentions of breaking that, but after an awkward meeting their friendship and maybe something more blossoms.
Shameless Self Promo – Yes, authors can be mood writer’s. At least that’s what happened with my Maple Creek series. One day I woke up with a cute idea featuring a blushing librarian MMC and next thing I knew I was writing a romantic comedy based in a small town. So naturally, I had to include it in this list.
Wild Love by Elsie Silver
Rosie’s life was out of control after she was wrongfully terminated from her job. Going back to Rose Hill, the small town she grew up in, seemed like the best thing for her. However, running into Ford – her brother’s best friend – wasn’t planned, and he sure does look good. With a boyfriend back home, Rosie is just trying to figure out her next steps and plans, but bickering with Ford is stirring all sorts of emotions.
If you want high heat, a rock star adjacent story-line, involving a single dad with plenty of excellent banter, I highly recommend grabbing this book. I devoured this along with every other book in the series so far and I can’t wait for the fourth. This is the first book of the series, and each one is a standalone, though characters often cross over with each other.
Read my full recommendation for Wild Love by Elsie Silver here.
Just Next Door by Sarah Everly
Millie travels around as a live in nurse, it’s what she enjoys doing until she finds the place she eventually will settle down in forever. So when a job comes through with her own house to live in and the only requirement is to cook for and be a companion for a grouch, she jumps at it. Except when she arrives that grouch is a hot lumberjack type who prefers his peace and quiet. Did I mention he’s hot?
A slow burn with plenty of banter, grumpy/sunshine, and a few meddling townfolk who will have you cracking up in laughter. I especially loved the meddling older woman that set up this entire meet cute – she knew what she was doing. Len is broody, introverted, but also a gentleman, and when the tension breaks? Oof, yes please.
Love, Again by April D. Berry
Kate, a widowed single mom, is holding everything down the best she can after losing her husband. She works hard, tries to keep her car running, and life isn’t easy. However, when an old friend – and movie star, Boyd, comes into town, he wants to catch up while he’s there. When he finds out what she’s been through, he’s heart broken for her, but in the process of catching up, he reveals how he once felt about her, and still is interested in her.
Do you want to cry? Cause you’re going to cry. There are two scenes in this book that will potentially make you cry and if it’s not the one, it will be the other. I’m typically doubtful that a book would make me cry, especially when so many others said it did, and to be fair, I didn’t cry at the scene everyone else cried at. April gives us a beautiful story filled with heart, a bunch of heat, and a woman trying to do what’s best for her and her son.
My Fake Forever by Isla Drake
After warding off the advances of a potential clients wife, Luke told her about his girlfriend. Problem. Luke doesn’t have a girlfriend, but there is someone who would fit the bill perfectly. Piper agrees, but only to get marketing advice from him. It’s an easy transactional deal. So why is it starting to feel so real?
I could not stop reading the entire Peach Tree Flings series, couldn’t put them down, and loved every minute of this character group. My Fake Forever is the first book in the series and is a fake dating romance set in a small town. There is banter, and tension, and all the things you want from a contemporary romance. Highly recommend, go read it now.
Never Fall For A Dragon by Lola Glass
Elodie was just trying to be a girl’s girl and helping out a woman who was having a heated conversation with a man. What she didn’t know was walking up to August, said man, would lead to her falling into heat with the dragon shifter. Now isn’t the best time for the mate bond to take hold but with one whiff of his potential mate he immediately fell into heat. Now the two have to fight it to protect Elodie from danger.
While not specified a small town, there were enough small town likenesses to appeal to small town romance readers. For instance, most of the story takes place in a cabin, away from everything and everyone. Oh and August, he comes from Mate Mountain where no one but a supernatural prison and dragons live. There is a lot of tension, and it is a slow burn. I loved this entire series and highly recommend it.
Runaway Love by Melanie Harlow
Veronica is about to get married, that is until a text message comes through revealing her fiance’s cheating ways. What’s a bride to do but runaway? Which is exactly what she does, landing herself in her wedding dress in a small town, and interviewing with August for a nanny position. August isn’t thrilled but everyone around him seems to think she’s a perfect fit, so he agrees, reluctantly.
Every now and then a nanny romance just hits the spot, and Runaway Love did that for me. I loved the back and forth tension, banter, and awkward moments between these two characters. It has grumpy/sunshine qualities with hilarious side characters too.
Latte Darling by SJ Tilly
Maddie needs to find a date for a wedding, because she sure as hell doesn’t want to go alone. But the man who walks up to her table is not the man she thought she was meeting. Axel is a silver fox, and the father of guy she’d been talking to, here to apologize for his son’s behavior. I mean … could you blame her for going for the older man?
This was the book that turned me into an SJ Tilly super fan. I do not often call myself a super fan, but I do in this case. High heat, great spice, and a story that sucks you in and will not let go. It’s an age gap romance with insta-lust. Every single time I pick up an SJ book I cannot put it down, and this book will do it to you too.
Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn
Sawyer could have handled things a bit better instead of going off on his ex-girlfriend and his movie star best friend on their wedding day, in front of the entire guest list, and the media. But what’s done is done and now he has to get away. There he ends up in the small town of Canoodle, California and he’s renting a cabin from Fallon to stay in. Fallon’s not interested in anything romantic, especially not with a Hollywood type, but he’s proving to be much different than she had first thought.
I was on a romantic comedy binge when I grabbed this book, and I was grateful I did. I laughed a lot during this book. Sawyer and Fallon are both hilarious, but all of the side characters in this book really bring this small town to life. It was delightful, spicy, awkward, and cute all wrapped in a bow.
Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Rose helps women in dangerous situations gain freedom, while reading tarot cards at the traveling circus. Except Rose feels like she wants to do more than give them a vial that takes care of their problem. She may have bitten off more than she can chew, and ends up with a broken leg and inside the clinic of Doctor Fionn Kane. Something draws him to her, regardless of the darkness that swirls around her, it matches his own, and though he should walk away, he can’t.
A dark romance, please check those trigger warnings! Also, about half the story takes place in a small town in the middle of Nebraska before the couple ends up in Boston. So, while significant in the small town story-line, there is a location change. Scythe and Sparrow is a dark romance, serial killer, forced proximity romance with a whole lot of banter, tension building, and a story that will have you rooting for the vigilantes.
Check out my full recommendation post on Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver here.
When He Desires by Gabrielle Sands
There’s a new person in town and he’s moving in right next to Blake. To her, Rowan’s nothing but a man whore and his reputation proceeds him. However, when a freak fire incident burns down her house, it’s Rowan who comes to her rescue. Of course fake dating the guy next door to help him with his little reputation problem is part of the deal, but there’s no denying the chemistry between these two.
When He Desires is book 1 of a duet. The entirety of it takes place in a small town. Without spoilers, book 2 does not take place in that small town. So be aware going in there will be a location change. We learn early in the book that Rowan is ex-mafia, sent away solely so he could continue to live and as a kindness that doesn’t really work well for Rowan. Especially when he becomes obsessed with Blake.
Small Town Romances
So those last two recs are a little different, but like I mentioned they were initially in small towns and those small towns do play a significant role in the story. That being said, I’m a sucker for a small town romance, even if I can be a bit picky about which ones I pick up.
Being a city girl myself – I mean I’d have a hard time surviving without all the take out options – I still see the appeal of small town life. A lot of these books feature a sort of found family vibe in which the townspeople will often band together for each other. Some of the small towns also feature some of the corrupted sides of it too. There are pro’s and con’s but a small town romance always ends in an HEA.
Did you add any of these books to your TBR? Or have you read any of them? Let me know in the comments. I love interacting with other readers over books I also loved.