The Best of 2023 – Kayne’s List
It’s time for the AAR team to take a look back at their favourite books of the last year, and we’re kicking off our annual round up with Kayne’s choices for the Best of 2023.
I love books with humor and so it is no surprise that most of my favorite books this year are romcoms. Here are my top ten picks for 2023, not in any particular order.
The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
This book was so much fun – it’s a terrific romcom with lots of witty banter. Jack and Hallie meet at a wedding and end up having a one night stand. Afterwards they decide to just be friends and to help each other find their soulmates. It was really funny to watch them date other people and so special when they laugh and fall in love with each other. I happily recommend this feel-good romance.
Buy it at Amazon
The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella
This had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. It’s Sophie Kinsella at her best. Sasha works for a travel app and she is burned out. Finn is an overworked management consultant who had a meltdown at work. They meet at a hotel where they both used to stay when they were young. It’s a heartwarming story and a must-read for anyone who has experienced burnout or is looking for a fun romcom.
Buy it at Amazon
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing was so good – there are dragons, romance, friends and enemies. Violet has been preparing her whole life to be a scribe when her mother tells her she must learn to be a dragon rider. Xaden is a wing leader and their romance is hot. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fantasy romance.
Buy it at Amazon
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
This novel has actual letter writing, a large family, fake dating and a sweet rescue dog named Lieutenant Dan. The story opens with Dr. Briana Ortiz finding out the promotion she wants so badly could go to the new doctor, Jacob. She is also helping care for her younger brother who is in desperate need of a new kidney. Jacob thinks Brianna is beautiful and smart and she makes him feel calm and normal. This is a refreshing delight and I highly recommend it.
Buy it at Amazon
Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
This is a tender and steamy story with Ama, a wedding planner on the rise who has been hired to plan a celebrity wedding. But Ama must work with Elliot Bloom, a hot, broody florist who is a family friend of the couple and also Ama’s ex. This is a lovely second chance romance.
Buy it at Amazon
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
This book is Hazelwood’s first YA novel and it is so good! Mallory has not played chess in years until her best friend asks her to play in a charity chess tournament. Mal ends up beating Nolan, the bad boy of chess and top player in the world! Mal is so snarky and Nolan is sweet. This story has a great plot, sweet romance, family drama, and fun, nerdy characters. I highly recommend it!
Buy it at Amazon
You, With a View b
y Jessica Joyce
This story has all of my favorite things: a road trip, witty banter, a psychic and a sweet romance. Noelle has hit rock bottom – she’s laid off from her job, living with her parents and grieving the death of her grandmother (Gram). When she discovers old photos of her Gram with a man named Paul, she is surprised to find that Paul’s grandson is her old high school nemesis, Theo. They all decide to take a road trip that her gram and Paul had planned. I loved seeing them explore incredible scenery as they hike on trails, boat through canyons and take a jeep tour with amazing views as Noelle and Theo fall in love.
Buy it at Amazon
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
This book was funny and fresh. Sally is a writer for The Night Owls (TNO) a fictional version of Saturday Night Live (SNL). We get a peek behind the scenes as the cast members put together a show full of comedy sketches. I found myself laughing along as Sally, Noah, the guest host and the TNO cast worked together on the sketches. I loved when Sally and Noah opened their hearts and took a chance on love. This book is a feel good story and I recommend it, especially if you are a fan of SNL.
Buy it at Amazon
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Happy Place is full of heart and humor. Harriet gets a surprise when she meets up with her college friends and finds her ex-fiancé, Wyn, is there. The story takes us back to when Harriet and Wyn first met and fell in love through to the present time. The story is about friendships, family and love and I think it’s the author’s best book yet. Harriet and Wyn are soulmates and their friends are funny and loveable – I found myself rooting for all of them. While there is humor throughout the book, this is not a light romcom. It tackles topics like grief, depression, self-growth along with an angsty second chance romance. The ending is immensely satisfying.
Buy it at Amazon
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens
This is a time leap story and I loved it. Twenty-six year old Lucy is having a very bad day and is ready to ’skip to the good part’ with a good job, a person to love, and a decent place to live. The story is heart-wrenching, and wonderful and is now my new favorite Sophie Cousens book. I laughed and I cried as I rooted for Lucy. This is a wonderful story and I recommend it to readers looking for a feel good story with depth and a side of romance.
Buy it at Amazon
Have you read any of these and if so, what did you think?
I read both Happy Place and Romantic Comedy this year. I enjoyed the Henry but DNF’d the Sittenfeld (only 40 or 50 pages in) because it just didn’t grab me at the time. I’ll probably give it another go at some point – too many people have loved the book not to. The Jimenez has been on my TBR for a while and I need to pull it up. I’ve also added the Hazelwood based on my enjoyment of Love, Theoretically by the same author. The Kinsella, Soto and Joyce may get another look from me as well. Thank you for your list!
Thank you for sharing your favourite 2023 romance novels. I love lists and I always look forward these annual ones un AAR. About Kayne’s titles, I’m sorry I have read none of them. But it’s ok, I think Romancelandia is going one way and I tend to go a diferent path lately.
Great list! I’ve only read the Fourth Wing and really enjoyed it too!
These all look great. I have several of them on my TBR already, and it looks like I will be adding a few more books to that pile.
Looks like we have similar tastes. I read most of these and enjoyed them as well. I will check out Cousens and Soto, which I haven’t read yet. I haven’t tried Happy Place and Burnout but they sound angsty for my tastes. For Lynn Painter, I preferred her earlier book, Mr Wrong Number. Thanks for these!
I’ve not read The Burnout, but I’ve read other Sophie Kinsella’s books and they are usually hilarious rather than angsty – not that nothing bad ever happens – but I find myself laughing through the chaos. One of the funniest romances/chick lit I ever read was Kinsella’s Twenties Girl.
I look forward to these lists all year. Thanks for going first, Kayne, and what a great looking list! I have several of these on my TBR but the one I did read was Forget Me Note and I loved it.
Thank you Manjari! I saw Ali Hazelwood recommend Forget Me Not and am glad she did! Glad to hear you also enjoyed it.
All of these are on my TBR or in some state of partial completeness readingwise for me except the Hazlewood! Good work, Kayne!
I think I love Hazelwood because of the STEM in them. I look forward to seeing your list for the year. I think we enjoy many of the same authors.
Love your list! I have read most and given them 5 stars too. :) I still need to read The Good Part, Romantic Comedy and Forget Me Not – based on your list, it seems like books I will like!
If you feel like sharing, I would love to hear your favorite books you read this year? I think we enjoy similar books. Thanks.
Several of my favorites from this year are on this list – loved Yours Truly (Abby Jimenez is an auto read for me); You, With a View was a great read; and The Love Wager was really fun. I liked The Good Part but it wasn’t one of my favorites from this year.
I know that a lot of people enjoyed Happy Place by Emily Henry, but I found it to be very angst filled and not as lighthearted as the cover makes it appear. Not a favorite of mine.
I just finished a review for a fun short novella by the author of You, With a View, called A Risk Worth Taking! I hadn’t read Abby Jimenez before so her book was a nice surprise and she’s got a new one coming out in April that I’m reading now and it’s good too. I agree about the Henry book being very angsty. The Good Part felt more like women’s fiction with a side of romance but it worked for me.
Great list – I own all 10 books! It was such a good year for contemporary romance. Thanks for sharing.
It sounds like we have similar taste in books. If you don’t mind sharing, I would be interested to hear what books were your favorites this year?
Yes! I’d like to see that too.
Romantic Comedy really worked for me. At 74 years old, SNL has been a long time presence in my life. I loved the other books on your list as well. My favorite books this year have been Elodie Harper’s Wolf Den trilogy – really excellent historical fiction (with a tender romance). Pompeii and Rome have always been an interest for me.
I’m going to check out The Wolf Den and am happy my library has it. The time period sounds intriguing. I’m glad you enjoyed Romantic Comedy as much as I did.
The trilogy was really enthralling to me. The first book is difficult reading because the subject is not easy, but I liked the main character and admired her perseverance in the face of, to me, unimaginable circumstances. I do hope that you find these books as fascinating as I did. Again, thanks for the great list. It reminded me of all the great books I have read this year.
What a fun list! I’ve only read Fourth Wing–I keep meaning to read some Emily Henry. You’ve inspired me!
There were so many good books to choose from this year!
Some runners up: Hott Shot by Serena Bell, Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart and Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch