August is Romance Awareness Month, which means, time to celebrate love! Who says you have to wait for Valentine’s Day every year? These novels praise ways to love others and yourself.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Alexa and Drew’s meet-cute begins in a stuck hotel elevator. He’s in need of a last-minute date to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding and Alexa is seeing her sister from out of town, who is staying there. On a whim, Alexa agrees to be Drew’s date and sparks begin to fly with each wedding festivity they attend together. This book and the subsequent ones in the series have been optioned for movie adaptations. Read these before the premiere of the films!

Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams

This book received the Netflix film treatment simply titled, Juanita last year. Juanita is sick of everything in her life. Her children are grown-ups, still leaning on her. Her job is unfulfilling and she is not having any new experiences. When she starts reading for pleasure, the world opens up for her in ways she never imagined. This book is for anyone that has ever felt stuck in their lives and believes it’s too late to make a change. For Juanita, she leans into her confidence and intuition while “dancing on the edge of the roof.”

Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Dating by Christina Lauren

Hazel is not your typical female protagonist: she’s confident in her career goals and in herself. She knows she’s hot and is goofy in the most endearing way. Josh is reserved, also hot, and has only seen Hazel as a goofball until they accidentally sleep together. Well, readers, you can imagine what happens next! Their relationship is relatable, steering away from tropes and stereotypes which makes this a standout addition to the romance novel canon. Read if anything, for Hazel. I would totally be her friend. A delightful read.

One Day in December by Josie Silver

In this romance novel set in England, we meet Laurie, a girl who doesn’t believe in love at first sight until she sees a guy outside of the bus window, who she can’t stop thinking about two months later. When her best friend, Sarah introduces her to Jack, her heart sinks because he’s the guy she’s been talking to Sarah about all this time. The story doesn’t devolve into catfighting within women, which is refreshing. The author accurately depicts Sarah and Laurie’s relationship that nicely balances Jack’s perspective. I am hoping this book receives the film treatment because the story leaves the reader feeling hopeful and with a belief that love truly does exist.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Wren and Cath are twin sisters and attend the same university. When Wren tells Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates after sharing everything their whole lives, Cath meets her roommate, Reagan, the not girl next door. Levi, Reagan’s boyfriend-ish, is always hanging around, being nice to Cath. In this young adult novel, we root for Cath falling in love while also being entranced by her fan fiction of the popular Simon Snow series. It’s truly a book that makes you believe in the magic of falling in love for the first time.

These mirror reality with optimism and hope for love. Dive in. Read one or read them all! You won’t regret being a voyeur in these characters’ lives.