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20 Cozy Fall Romance Books & Rom Coms
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.There’s just something about fall that beckons us to indulge in the comforting and cozy. As autumn leaves swirl and the air turns crisp, grab your softest blanket, light a pumpkin spice candle, and settle in with these highly-rated fall romance books.
When days grow shorter and the nights get longer, we often find ourselves drawn to heavier historical fiction reads, mysteries, and thrillers. We’ve curated a separate list of some of our favorite books for fall in those genres. But in between those heavier reads, we always find ourselves turning back to cute and cozy autumn romance books. From laugh-out-loud rom coms to heartwarming narratives, and from pumpkin patch meet cutes to apple picking dates, each of these romance reads is packed with fall vibes.
Autumn Romance Books & Rom Coms
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.
Pumpkin Everything
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
Amy Fox is a horror novelist with a major case of writer’s block. She’s heartbroken after recently calling off her fall wedding.
When she receives a call that her grandfather broke his wrist driving through a Dunkin Donuts (literally right through the front of the store), she has to return to her hometown of Autumnboro, New Hampshire, to care for him. But returning home runs the risk of bumping into Kit Parker – her childhood best friend and first love.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is light and sugary sweet, but it will transport you to small-town New Hampshire. If you’re looking for a quick and cute romance, this book fits the bill. True to a Hallmark-style romance, this book is a clean read. In fact, this book was adapted into a Hallmark movie in the fall of 2022, although the plot of the movie bears little resemblance to the book.
If you enjoy Pumpkin Everything, you can continue to enjoy the New England autumn via the sequel, Maple Sugar Crush.
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The Dead Romantics
Book Summary
Florence Day is a romance ghostwriter who no longer believes in romance. She has spent her career as the ghostwriter for one of the most well-known romance writers in the industry. But after a recent breakup with a man who took advantage of her trust and destroyed her self-esteem, she no longer believes in love and can’t seem to write about it either.
With a major deadline looming, her career is in serious danger. Then she gets a call from home that shifts her priorities.
She had an unusual, but very happy childhood growing up in a funeral home in a small town in South Carolina. However, a controversy when she was a teen caused her to flee for college and never turn back. However, after the phone call, she has no choice but to return home for the first time in a decade.
On her first night back, she finds a ghost standing on the front porch of her family’s funeral home. Florence was already convinced that romance is dead… but this complicates things further.
The Book Girls Say…
Angela downloaded this audiobook on a whim last October because she saw a few recommendations for it right before boarding a cross-country flight. She knew nothing about the plot, and thank goodness because terms like ‘paranormal romance’ and ‘ghost love story’ would have scared her away. And then she would have missed out on one of her favorite books of the year! She binged the entire book in two days, and couldn’t stop smiling the whole time.
This story is unique and will keep you on your toes. Despite the romance genre getting a bad rap for being predictable, this book is anything but that.
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A Proposal They Can’t Refuse
Book Summary
Kamilah Vega’s family runs a Puerto Rican restaurant in a Chicago neighborhood that is quickly gentrifying. In order for the restaurant to survive, Kamilah knows it needs some updates. She also wants them to enter into the Fall Foodie Tour. But convincing her family is another story. Her blackmailing abuelo (grandfather) says that he’ll only let her change his restaurant if she agrees to marry his best friend’s grandson – a man she can’t stand.
Irish American Liam Kane has spent a decade building up his family distillery, and he and his grandfather are on the verge of winning a national whiskey competition. Then he learns that his Granda (grandfather) has cancer. His dying wish is to see Liam married. But not just to any girl. It has to be Kamilah.
If Liam and Kamilah refuse, their grandfathers intend to sell the building that houses both of their businesses. So the pair decide to try to outfox the octogenarian duo by faking an engagement.
The Book Girls Say…
This fake relationship rom com is perfect for autumn, complete with a pumpkin patch, apple picking, and a Halloween costume party.
Readers adore the two meddling grandfathers, the realistically flawed main characters, the focus on family, and the laugh-out-loud banter in this fun novel.
The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living
Book Summary
Livvy is a talented pastry chef at an exclusive Boston dinner club. Unfortunately, her career goes up in flames when she manages to flambé not just a desert, but the entire building. Needing to get out of town, she heads north to Vermont and the comfort of her best friend. She doesn’t intend to stay long, but that all changes when she’s offered a job at the Sugar Maple Inn. The owner of the Sugar Maple hopes that Livvy can help her reclaim the inn’s blue ribbon status in the apple pie contest at the county fair.
Livvy and her dog, Salty, move into a sugarhouse on the inn’s property. She loves creating mouthwatering desserts for the residents of Guthrie, and she soon finds herself immersed in small-town life. She hits it off with Martin McCraken, a Guthrie native who has recently returned home to care for his father.
Soon there’s another new arrival in town that makes Livvy question if she really belongs in Guthrie after all.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel is described as a perfect mix of Gilmore Girls, the 1980’s Diane Keaton movie, Baby Boom, and the Broadway musical Waitress. What could be better than that?
Although some versions of the book cover look Christmasy, reviewers say this book has major New England autumn vibes. You’ll smell the crisp apple orchard air and hear the crunching of the fall leaves.
Like all good foodie books, this one will make you hungry, so grab a warm pastry and a cup of hot apple cider before curling up under a cozy blanket.
If you enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving with the residents of Guthrie, you may also want to check out these other Thanksgiving-themed reads.
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A Pumpkin and a Patch
Book Summary
Josie has written many cute children’s stories set on her family’s pumpkin farm. But unfortunately, the only story anyone seems to remember is the one she wishes they would forget. As a teenager, she penned a fantasy romance in which she cast herself opposite an older guy at school that she had a crush on. To this day, she is known around town as the “Reece the Rogue Pirate” girl.
The real-life Reece grew up to be a lawyer, and he’s now representing Josie’s ex-fiance in a legal battle over the engagement ring. To complicate matters even further, Reece also has an adorable daughter, and Josie is her teacher.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers describe this book as adorable and charming, with likable characters and major fall vibes.
This is a clean, closed-door romance perfect for fans of Hallmark movies and the single dad trope.
Pumpkin Spice and Not So Nice
Book Summary
Jenna’s toxic trait is that she’s constantly attracted to the wrong men – ones who are totally emotionally unavailable. She wants to change them, and she’s objectively good at it. She can turn any dysfunctional man into Prince Charming, but unfortunately, they all go on to marry the next woman they meet instead of Jenna.
When she finds a fifty-dollar bill with a handwritten note on it that was accidentally donated to her family’s pumpkin patch, it turns out that the mystery man it belongs to is extremely attractive. But it should come as no surprise to Jenna that he’s also emotionally unavailable. She knows that this time she should just walk away, but when sparks fly, she tries to convince herself that this time will be different.
The Book Girls Say…
This is a companion book to A Pumpkin and a Patch. Though written by two different authors, the main characters in each book are fictional cousins, and the stories surround the same small town pumpkin patch. Though each book reads as a standalone, if you do read both, you’ll enjoy the overlapping characters in the town.
This is a slow-burn romance and far more sweet than spicy. It’s perfect for fans of small-town romances and the grumpy/sunshine trope. Just be sure to read the tips for dating emotionally unavailable men as humor and not as actual life advice.
Don’t Just Fall
Book Summary
As a teenager, Parker fell hard for her brother’s best friend, Logan, but he ghosted her and broke her heart. Logan went on to become hockey’s hottest bad boy, but now an injury has forced him to return to Harvest Hollow to play for his hometown’s minor league team. Parker is the team’s social media manager, so it’s her job to convince Logan to cooperate with the filming of trending TikTok videos.
Parker’s dad is trying to match her up with his business partner’s son. To avoid the setup, Parker ends up fake-dating Logan. The problem is that Parker’s old crush on Logan has resurfaced, and the feelings she’s supposed to be faking are starting to feel a bit too real.
The Book Girls Say…
This closed-door, small-town, hocky rom com is perfect for those looking for a clean read. While most hockey romance books are quite spicy, Just Don’t Fall delivers all the chemistry without the spice.
This is the first title in the seven-book Sweater Weather series. Each book in the series is written by a different author, but all are set in the same fictional small town of Harvest Hollow. Each book reads as a standalone, so they can be read in any order. All are currently available with Kindle Unlimited.
Kissing Kosher
Book Summary
Pumpkin spice babka? Sign us up! In Kissing Kosher, Avital manages her family’s kosher bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn. She was a photographer but had to give it up due to chronic pelvic pain. She’s barely surviving running the bakery, and needs to hire help.
Handsome Ethan walks through the door and seems like the perfect option to take over some of her duties. However, she doesn’t know that he isn’t an average baker looking for a job. He’s been sent by his grandfather, who makes mass-produced kosher baked goods, to steal Avital’s grandfather’s world-famous pumpkin spice babka recipe.
However, Ethan is soon more interested in Avital than stealing secrets. But how can they build a relationship when he has deceived her from the moment they met?
First Frost
Book Summary
It’s October, the temperatures are dropping, and the leaves are changing in North Carolina. Claire Waverley has started a successful new venture, Waverley’s Candies. She loves the way her specialty products heal others, but along the way, she’s losing herself.
Sydney Waverley has also lost balance in her life as she’s become singularly focused on having a baby. When a mysterious stranger shows up and challenges the very heart of the Waverly family, each of them must make choices they have never confronted before. Along the way, romance is in the air.
The Book Girls Say…
This magical realism romance is a follow-up to Garden Spells, but it takes place 10 years later. You need not have read Garden Spells in order to read and enjoy First Frost. However, if you’re planning on reading both, it’s better to enjoy them in chronological order.
First Frost was a Goodread Nominee for Best Fiction in 2015. You may also recognize the author from her 2022 hit, Other Birds.
The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic
Book Summary
Aria comes from a family of witches, but her magic always manages to blow up in her face. That’s why she left the magical village of Charming Cove to work a regular job in London. But her wonky magic still seems to get in her way.
After losing her job, her grandmother insists that she compete in a competition to win the biggest magical fortune in England, the Garden of Enchantment. Aria wants nothing to do with the competition, especially when she learns that her nemesis, Callan, is also a competitor. But when she learns that winning is the only way to save her grandmother’s potion shop, she finally gives in.
The Book Girls Say…
This magical enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy is perfect for the fall season. The sequel, How to Fake-Date a Vampire has a publication date of August 31, 2023.
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Meet Me on Love Lane
Book Summary
Charlotte has not only been fired from her NYC job, she’s been blacklisted in her field by her former boss. Begrudgingly, she returns home to Hope Lake, PA to regroup. She’s pleasantly surprised by how the town has changed in the last twenty years. While Charlotte thought she was on a temporary visit, she unexpectedly reconnected with her childhood friends and her grandmother. She even managed to score her dream job at a floral shop.
Things get complicated again when she finds herself torn not only between New York City and Hope Lake, but between two men. One is the beloved high school English teacher, while the other is the charming town doctor. Are either of them the man she will spend the rest of her life with?
The Book Girls Say…
Readers say this cute novel is a blend of humor and heart and is perfect for fans of Hallmark rom coms. While it’s the second book in a series, each reads as a standalone.
November 9
Book Summary
This book takes place on November 9th over a series of years, following the one-day-per-year trope. Fallon meetings aspiring novelist Ben the day before moving cross-country. They’re so enamored with each other, that they spend the entire day together and then agree to reunite each year on the same day. Fallon’s life becomes the inspiration for Ben’s novels, but one year Fallon begins doubting that Ben is sharing the truth about his life.
If you like an emotional read full of plot twists, this might be a good read for fall!
The Book Girls Say…
With almost 500,000 reviews on Goodreads, November 9 by Colleen Hoover (CoHo to her fans) might be the most popular contemporary romance set in the fall. While the overall ratings of this book are phenomenal, some reviewers have valid concerns with Ben’s controlling nature coupled with Fallon’s lack of confidence.
We had similar concerns when we started reading It Ends With Us. However, after sticking with it, we were both satisfied with the final message. We haven’t read this one yet, but we hope the author brings it back around as well. We also feel like the simplistic writing in her books tends to feel more natural in audiobook form.
The Make Up
Book Summary
Chloe and Hunter have been friends since high school. When he invites her to co-star alongside him as the lead love interest in a country music video that he’s directing, she knows it will be an acting challenge.
She’ll have to act like she’s in love with Hunter without giving away the fact that she actually is. This is made all the harder when the full force of his charm is being directed at her.
The Book Girls Say…
This laugh-out-loud rom com is a clean read with sizzling chemistry, but nothing more than kissing on page. You’ll see Chloe and Hunter’s relationship both in the past and the present in alternating chapters. The present-day timeline has the perfect cozy, fall vibes.
While it’s listed as the second book in the Falling for Franklin series, the author says that the books read as standalones and can be enjoyed in any order.
Autumn Getaway
Book Summary
Lydia is recently divorced and looking forward to attending her college roommate’s wedding. It will be a much-needed fall getaway with old friends to a beautiful manor in Connecticut. She never expects to meet a man, but she can’t help feeling an instant connection with Sam, a friend of the groom.
Lydia isn’t sure she’s ready for a new relationship so soon, but her friends encourage her to give Sam a chance. When the weekend comes to an end, and they each head their separate ways – him to Chicago and her to NY – will the spark survive the distance?
The Book Girls Say…
This is not a stereotypical “insta-love” story. It’s a refreshing slow burn where the characters like each other enough that they want to get to know each other more.
We tend to like heavier novels in the fall, but sometimes you just need a soft and cozy book with fall vibes between the more intense, emotional reads. Reviewers say that reading this book “is like being wrapped in your favorite blanket with a warm cup of coffee.”
This title is the first in a series of four, each set in a different season.
Red, White, and Royal Blue
Book Summary
Alex is the early 20-something son of the first female US President, and Prince Henry is the 2nd in line to the British Throne. Alex considers Henry his nemesis, and the two get into an embarrassing scuffle during a royal wedding.
In order to calm the press and convince them the sons of the US and England aren’t foes, Alex and Henry agree to make public appearances as friends over the course of several months. After spending more time together, and exchanging many amusing text messages, Alex realizes there is much more to Henry than he assumed.
The Book Girls Say…
While this book starts on New Year’s Eve, Alex’s mother’s reelection campaign is prominently featured in the book and highlights an important aspect of fall culture in the US.
After reading, cozy up with your pumpkin spice latte and check out the highly-rated movie adaptation by the same name!
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Falling Inn Love
Book Summary
After tragically losing her family, Beth has been struggling to find her way. As a romance author, her writing is the only place she can find a bit of peace.
When she winds up stranded on the side of the road in Freedom Valley, New Hampshire, a local innkeeper comes to her rescue. And he is a very attractive, green-eyed, bearded, flannel-wearing innkeeper, no less.
Evan is a former Marine struggling to keep his family’s inn afloat after the sudden loss of his family. Beth agrees to help him run the inn for a short time, in exchange for room and board. Evan hopes she’ll stay longer.
The more Evan tries to get her to let her guard down, the more walls she builds up around her. But he’s willing to use any trick in the book to make her want to stay – including the adorable puppies he rescues from the side of the road.
The Book Girls Say…
This book reads like a fall Hallmark movie, and the cast of supporting characters in the small town gives Stars Hallow vibes (if you know, you know). It’s a cozy and sweet rom com, but it doesn’t shy away from the hard issues.
While it’s the first in a series, the book reads as a complete standalone. However, if you choose to keep reading after this first book, the characters and families in the other books are interconnected.
The Dating Playbook
Book Summary
Fall means football! In this rom com, Taylor is a personal trainer who expects the best out of her clients. However, she’s falling a little short personally when it comes to her finances.
Jamar is a former NFL player desperate to win his position back on a team. He wants Taylor to help him get back in prime shape, but he doesn’t want anyone to know that he’s planning a comeback. When the press spots Taylor and Jamar together, they pretend to be lovers to distract the media. What could go wrong?
The Book Girls Say…
While this is the 2nd book in the Boyfriend Project series, you won’t be lost if you haven’t read the first installment. Each book follows a different female lead.
Book Summary
If college football is your preferred fall sport, you might enjoy this slow-burn romance about Dylan, a star wide receiver expected to be drafted into the NFL. He meets quirky classmate Zoe during an embarrassing encounter and then runs into her again and again. Prepare to experience second-hand embarrassment for Zoe!
The Book Girls Say…
The story unfolds from the alternating points of view of Dylan and Zoe. Through the book, you’ll see them turn from strangers to accidental roommates, from friends to best friends, and from best friends to much more.
An Autumn Crush
Book Summary
This is the story of four friends, two crushes, and a secret.
Juliet is in her late thirties and recently divorced. With the help of her gay best friend, Coco, she is interviewing potential flatmates. The search isn’t going well until they meet Floz. Juliet and Floz become fast friends, and they bond over their recent relationship splits.
When Juliet’s twin brother, Guy, meets Floz, he instantly has a massive crush on her. Although she’d never know it by the way he acts around her). At the same time, Guy’s best friend, Steve, is interested in Juliet.
Then Juliet discovers a secret that turns all their lives upside down.
The Book Girls Say…
Taking place from August through October, readers call this the perfect laugh-out-loud autumn read. The one common complaint is that Coco’s story is secondary to the main plot, and readers wish he received more page time. You’ll become invested in his search for a man to love and wish that he had a book of his own.
The light-hearted, humorous aspects of this book are balanced out by some heavier themes that give this book more emotional depth.
Although this book is the third in the Four Seasons series, each book features a new set of characters, and all can be read as standalones.
The Best Days of Our Lives
Book Summary
When 35-year-old Leni is killed in a bicycle accident, her family’s world is turned upside down.
Her sister, Alice, was her best friend. But even Alice didn’t know everything about Leni. In the year following the accident, Alice tries to piece together Leni’s final days, only to be left with more questions. Things are further complicated for Alice when someone from her past comes back into her life.
The rest of the family seems to be falling apart. Leni’s mother has formed an unhealthy obsession with a clairvoyant. And her father, who has three failed marriages, is coming to terms with becoming a dad all over again.
Leni’s brother, Will, the youngest member of the family, feels he played a part in his sister’s death. Looking to escape before secrets come out, he hops on a plane to Thailand just days after the funeral.
The Book Girls Say…
Although this new release book begins in the month of May and takes place over the course of a full year, we thought it was a good addition to our fall book list. We often gravitate toward heavier books in the autumn, so while we might not choose a romance novel that’s heavy on grief in the spring or summer, fall seems like the perfect season for the story of a family putting their lives back together after the loss of a loved one.
In this novel, the romance element is secondary to the family drama, but readers say the story is not overly sad.
More Fall-Themed Books
From literary fiction to back-to-school themes, and from cozy mysteries to chilling thrillers, we’ve curated lots more fall book recommendations just for you:
