8 Cozy Romance Books to Curl Up With For Fall

While many cozy, fall reads include plots centered on spooky Halloween themes or pumpkin picking, I think it’s important to not overlook another celebration that happens every fall: Día de los Muertos. It is during the Day of the Dead festivities that successful businessman Ramón and accomplished chef Julieta meet for the first time. There’s serenading under the stars! Steamy chemistry! Spicy tacos! Characters who want the best for their communities (and each other)! And the little fact that Ramón and Julieta’s families are pitted against each other. Join the two lovers as they navigate the churning waters of love in this retelling of Romeo and Juliet in San Diego, California.

Cider is all Sanna knows, and quite frankly, all she’s prepared to care about. For as long as she can remember, the apple orchard and cidery have been a huge part of her family’s life. And she wants to keep it that way. Then Isaac and his son enter the scene. Suddenly Sanna is forced to rely on other people, and Isaac may have to learn how to let someone else in. At the end of the day, perhaps cider is not the only sweet thing in their futures.

There’s something so charming about a professional athlete who also loves baking. If you agree, then it’s time to pick up Jamie Wesley’s Fake It Till You Bake It! Donovan recently opened a cupcake shop with friends, but sales are unsteady. Unlike when he’s on the football field, he’s not sure what to do. Enter Jada. Jada has no idea what to do with her life following a television scandal. When she begins working in Donovan’s shop — after a rather embarrassing first encounter — she never expects to draw so many customers after she slips up and falsely tells the press that she and Donovan are an item. Somewhere between spilling flour and burning desserts, the two start to believe that perhaps there’s a recipe for happiness and they have the perfect ingredients between the two of them.

Although Katrina is a silent partner in a world famous dating app, she avoids fame more than anything else. When a misunderstanding turns into a viral moment, she freaks out. So what’s a girl to do but escape to the country with her hella attractive bodyguard? The crisp fall air, snug sweaters and flannels, and enough sexual tension to set a barn on fire proves just the thing. But as they begin to fall — pun intended — for each other, are Katrina and Jas prepared for reality outside of their cozy cocoon?

If the best night in means snuggling down under a fluffy blanket and pressing play on an episode of The Great British Bake Off, then I have the perfect cozy read for you. In Anita Kelly’s Love and Other Disasters, Dahlia is a nervous wreck. Competing and starring in Chef’s Special, a sensational cooking show, is a dream come true. But she’s had a tough year, especially after a divorce. It just happens that London, another contestant, is also having a tough year. London meets backlash from friends and foes after sharing they’re nonbinary. The one thing that does not seem so tough is the way Dahlia and London feel for each other.

When Kiran first moved to New York City, she made a list of all the things she wanted to accomplish. Years later, she’s a successful biomedical engineer, yet many of the items remain unchecked, including the most important: falling in love. Then she meets Ned. Over a cup of chai — after Kiran discovers Ned locked out of their apartment building — the two feel a spark. He’s sweet and always up for an adventure. She’s haunted, however. How can she fall in love when that’s the very thing that tore her family apart back in India? Perhaps the answer will become clear over a couple more cups of chai…