Recommendations based on "The Date from Hell"

A New York Times Notable Book of 2023 A New York Times Books Review Best Romances of 2023 pick • Apple Books’ Best Books of the Month • Amazon Best Books of the Month Editor’s Pick, Romance • An NPR “Books We Love” • Library Journal Romance Pick of the Month • LibraryReads Hall of Fame: June 2023 • Publishers Weekly Best Romances of 2023 Casey McQuiston meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this mid-century grumpy/sunshine rom-dram about a scrappy reporter and a newspaper mogul’s son "‘for Newsies shippers,’ [that] absolutely delivers” (Dahlia Adler, Buzzfeed Books). “A spectacularly talented writer!” —Julia Quinn Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city’s biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can’t let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy. Andy Fleming’s newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He’s barely able to run his life—he’s never paid a bill on time, routinely gets lost on the way to work, and would rather gouge out his own eyes than deal with office politics. Andy agrees to work for a year in the newsroom, knowing he’ll make an ass of himself and hate every second of it. Except, Nick Russo keeps rescuing Andy: showing him the ropes, tracking down his keys, freeing his tie when it gets stuck in the ancient filing cabinets. Their unlikely friendship soon sharpens into feelings they can’t deny. But what feels possible in secret—this fragile, tender thing between them—seems doomed in the light of day. Now Nick and Andy have to decide if, for the first time, they’re willing to fight.

Named one of the Best Romances of 2020 by Apple, Kirkus, PW, Washington Post, NPR, BookPage, OprahMag, EW, Insider, Buzzfeed, Bustle, and Amazon!USA Today bestselling author Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral...Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.When big, brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and former rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact to him, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Suddenly, half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf is secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.The easy lay Dani dreamed of is now more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?“Talia Hibbert is a rockstar! Her writing is smart, funny, and sexy..." - Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Little Bridge Island and Princess Diaries seriesFeatured in OprahMag, Bustle, Parade, PopSugar, New York Post, Essence, Travel & Leisure, Ms. Magazine, TheSkimm, Betches, Shondaland, Buzzfeed and more...

An interior designer who is never without the perfect plan learns to renovate her love life without one in this new romantic comedy by Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care.For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she’s been focused on her career—her friends might say she’s obsessed, but she knows she’s just driven. When Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn’s renovation, which will be featured on a popular HGTV show, Innside America, Astrid is thrilled. Not only will the project distract her from her failed engagement and help her struggling business, but her perpetually displeased mother might finally give her a nod of approval.However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru’s granddaughter and the lead carpenter for the renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Jordan is determined to preserve the history of her family’s inn, particularly as the rest of her life is in shambles. When that determination turns into some light sabotage to ruffle Astrid’s perfect little feathers, the showrunners ask them to play up the tension. But somewhere along the way, their dislike for each other evolves into something quite different, and Astrid must decide what success truly means. Is she going to pursue the life that she’s expected to lead or the one that she wants?

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!'Talia Hibbert is a rockstar! Her writing is smart, funny, and sexy' Meg CabotOne of POPSUGAR's 42 Books Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2021, Marie Claire's 10 Best New Romances of 2021, and Oprah Mag's Most Anticipated Romances of 2021!In USA Today bestselling author Talia Hibbert's newest romcom, the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard - literally. Perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory and Helen Hoang!Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong - so she's given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins a wedding, her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself - even though she's not entirely sure how...Jacob Wayne is always in control. The uptight B&B owner expects nothing less than perfection from his employees, so when a purple-haired tornado of a woman applies for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car - supposedly by accident.Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she's infiltrated his work, his kitchen - and his spare bedroom. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else...Find out why readers love Talia Hibbert:'A worthy, unforgettable conclusion to one of the best romantic comedy series out there, Act Your Age, Eve Brown packs an emotional punch and simultaneously soothes the soul - and proves that this truly is Talia Hibbert's world and we're all grateful that we get to live in it' The Nerd Daily'Funny, sexy and intensely romantic' Lucy Parker, author of The Austen Playbook'I loved every page' Helen Hoang'Clever, sweet, sexy and brilliant' Carrie Ann Ryan, New York Times bestselling author'So so so so good' Andie J. Christopher, USA Today bestselling author of Not the Girl You Marry'A pure exuberant delight. I loved this book... Exactly what a romance should be' KJ Charles, author of Proper English'[An] awesome book, so full of heart and warmth and feels!' Charlotte Stein, author of Never Sweeter'A thrilling, life-altering adventure that will keep readers riveted... Best of all, the romance is sizzling hot. This contemporary is a page-turning winner' Publishers Weekly

A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

Sometimes you take the shot, and sometimes the shot takes you. As the manager of Montreal’s most infamous dive bar, Monroe—and it’s just Monroe, thank you very much—is used to serving up her signature pearls of wisdom alongside an array of shots, pints, and pitchers. In fact, she thrives on it. Taverne Toulouse is a mighty ship, and she its fearless captain, trusted by patrons and bar staff alike to steer them through choppy waters. If only she’d been given a little warning before a full-on tsunami swept in next door. Julien Valois’ wining and dining empire is making waves. The next item on his agenda is opening a trendy lounge right next to Monroe’s beloved Taverne Toulouse—one that’s meant to run the dive bar out of business so he can buy up that property too. His plans did not include falling for a five-foot-nothing brunette with an impressive vocabulary and an even more impressive ability to manhandle drunk frat boys twice her size. They’re rivals in every sense of the word, but when Monroe and Julien are in a room together, the battle lines fade away. Their defences lower, their hearts get louder than their heads, and the burn between them goes down like just the right shot—intense, intoxicating, and able to sweep their priorities away with a single taste. Until reality decides to slap up a big ‘For Sale’ sign and force them remember those priorities all too clearly. The Bar Next Door is part of the Barflies series, a set of standalone of romantic comedies that chronicle the ups and downs of the staff at a Montreal dive bar.

Amalie Whitfield is the picture of a blushing bride during her wedding reception–but for all the wrong reasons. Instead of proclaiming his undying love, her husband can be heard, by Amalie and their guests, getting off with someone else. She has every reason to freak out, and in a moment of insanity, she throws herself at the first hot-blooded male she sees. But he’s not interested in becoming her revenge screw. Mortified and desperate to escape the post-wedding drama, Amalie decides to go on her honeymoon alone, only to find the man who rejected her also heading to the same tiny island for work. But this time he isn’t holding back. She should know better than to sleep with someone she knows, but she can’t seem to resist him. They might agree that what happens on the island should stay on the island, but neither one can deny that their attraction is more than just physical. Filled with hilariously scandalous situations and enough sexual chemistry to power an airplane from New York City to the South Pacific, Hooking Up is the next standalone, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from Helena Hunting, the New York Times bestselling author of the Pucked series and Shacking Up.

From a stunning new voice in romance, Lauren Okie’s The Best Worst Thing is an intimate story about starting over, second chances, and two people who cannot help falling into each other’s orbit once again. All things considered, Nicole Speyer has a pretty amazing life. At least that’s what she tells herself. She’s got a beautiful house, a relatively successful fertility podcast, and a perfect husband, Gabe. The only thing that’s less than ideal is her years-long struggle with infertility—and how, with every passing day, she and Gabe seem to drift a little further apart. But then, mere hours after a Hail Mary embryo transfer to her gestational carrier, Nicole discovers Gabe’s been sleeping with their dog walker, and her world turns upside down. Suddenly, a jobless, childless, and now-husbandless Nicole finds herself at the doorstep of somebody she tried to say goodbye to a long time ago. Logan Milgram: a former colleague with serious golden retriever energy who happens to be laugh-out-loud funny, a colossal nerd, and legitimately kind of hot. When Logan opens his door that night, it’s like no time has passed. And as they fall back into each other’s lives, Nicole starts recognizing herself in the mirror again. She even begins to like what she sees. And then, like a cruel joke, she gets the news she’s spent a lifetime waiting for: her surrogate is finally pregnant.  As her relationship with Logan develops from a blast-from-the-past fling into something much deeper, Nicole struggles to balance her past, present, and future. Racing against the clock, she must learn to forgive her body for falling short and recognize that sometimes, it’s the biggest betrayals in life that set us free. With everything on the line, can Nicole accept love from the greatest man she’s ever known . . . even if it’s nothing like the story she’d written for herself?

Join an anxious bookworm as she lets her alter ego call the shots in this steamy romantic comedy about finding the courage to step out of your comfort zone. I keep my nose stuck in a book where things are safe. But after a night out with friends, it becomes painfully obvious that while I've lived a million lives between the pages, I've never had an adventure of my own. So when my sister asks me to fly to New York for her wedding, I decide to become Harriet 2.0: a bold, outgoing version of myself. Who knew this little experiment would initiate me into the mile high club? Except, Luke isn't just the tall, sexy stranger in the middle seat with a devastating smile and gorgeous forearms. He's here in New York, and he's totally off-limits. When I learn that he's a gamer who gets all my nerdy references, I can't stay away-even if it might jeopardize my sister's wedding. With my time in New York running out, I find myself wanting to do the most outrageous thing of all: take a chance on love. Here's what you can expect from Outrageously in Love: ♥ Steamy romantic comedy with a side of forbidden love♥ Hot nerdy hero♥ Anxious heroine stepping out of her comfort zone♥ First big O - but definitely not the last!♥ Instant attraction/chemistry♥ Maid of honor duties and wedding mayhem♥ A few of New York's quirky hidden gems Please note that this book contains sensitive topics such as high school bullying, self-harm, panic attacks, and divorce. It also contains cursing and sex scenes, and is intended for audiences 18 years and older. This book can be read as a standalone, but it contains spoilers for the earlier books in the series.

Kenya Stewart is so close to getting her dream position at an event agency. When a scheduling blunder risks her promotion, she hopes an upcoming pitch will give her a second chance. But an accident at her cousin's wedding sends her to the emergency room in the care of another wedding guest, Solomon Anruchi, the handsome doctor who ghosted her after their first date.Solomon's parents are eager for him to find a business-savvy wife and make the move to New York to take over a recent acquisition by their family's company. But he needs to buy more time to finish his residency and convince them that staying in Hope Springs is the best path for him. He realizes that Kenya is the perfect person to help, and Kenya needs his connections to land a high-profile client and save her career. Their solution? A fake dating relationship.As attractions increase amid their ruse, secrets they've kept from each other and the weight of others' expectations begin to unravel their scheme. Will their carefully constructed plans crumble when the truth comes out?Jenny Erlingsson's charming new contemporary romance is brimming with heart, humor, and characters that leap off the page.