My Favorite Romance Novels by Black Authors
Some really good books by black authors in honor of black history month and Valentine's Day
The Main Dish
It’s Black History Month and I’ve been coming across a lot of lists of essential reading to properly celebrate. My personal contribution is a list of romance novels that I’ve given 4 or more stars (my personal rating system is out of 5). There were many other titles I could have included that were solid 3 star reads for me but I wanted this list to be just my favorites.
American Royalty by Tracey Livesay
I know not everyone is a fan of a royal romance but I really enjoyed this take on the trope. Our main characters are of course a Prince and a rapper who goes by Duchess. The best part is there’s a forthcoming sequel set for July but the story feels wrapped up after the first book.
Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory
To be fair, I could have listed every single Jasmine Guillory book here. She splashed onto the contemporary romance scene with The Wedding Date which I didn’t actually love. Some of the others in that series are solid 4 star books for me though. I highly recommend The Proposal, The Wedding Party, Party of Two, and While We Were Dating. You don’t have to read every book in the series or in order to get what’s going on but there are fun cameos and easter eggs if you do.
The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams
If you’re looking for body positivity in the world of health and fitness then this book is for you. The only downside is the main villain of the story is an evil ex-girlfriend and I seriously despise that trope. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the story and the themes at the center.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
This book is really excellent. The characters are written with so much care and compassion that you can’t help but root for them. The story has the feel of a grand and sweeping romance without feeling too outdated. It’s also set in the literary world giving us bookworms a lot to love.
The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann
This book has some incredible asexual representation. It’s educational but you never feel like you’re getting hit over the head with the information. There are ten different love triangles going on, a swoon worthy main love interest, and great fashion.
Just Desserts
There are so many amazing authors I’ve yet to read. I recently saw Kennedy Ryan speak on a panel and cannot wait to dive into her backlist. I’ve heard amazing things about Talia Hibbert and am intrigued by her backlist as well. Her most recent Brown Sisters series wasn’t quite it for me. Finally, Beverly Jenkins is a legend and it’s on me that I haven’t read any of her books yet.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all of the book lovers out there. Drop a comment with your favorite romance novel!