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Is it hot in here, or is it just that you’re stuck in very close proximity to someone you have feelings for? Whether it’s with a rival or the one that got away, these books are showcasing just how close you can get to risking it all. We’ve had the pleasure of rounding up the must-read forced proximity romances just for you. This list has it all, from slow-burn to enemies-to-lovers. So, pick your favorite, or read them all (we won’t judge), and enjoy!

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The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

Layla Patel’s father is determined to help find her a husband, even if that means setting up surprise blind dates for her at the office space she shares with Sam Mehta, a displaced CEO. When three becomes a crowd, Layla starts to notice that when she’s been looking for might just be right in front of her.

The Roommate by Rosie Danan

Clara is the only Wheaton that doesn’t live up to the family legacy and their lack of impulse control. She is the over-achiever, well-mannered, predictable socialite. However, every Wheaton has their weakness—and Clara might have just found hers. After a bait-and-switch, Clara finds herself living with a charming stranger, rather than her childhood crush who had invited her to move cross-country. Josh is perceptive, and not to mention handsome, maybe a little too much for comfort. They could have survived a summer together, but when Clara learns how Josh made a name for himself she realizes that living with him might make her the Wheaton family’s most scandalous story yet. They may not agree on much, but Josh and Clara both believe women deserve better sex. What they decide to do about it will change both of their lives, and if they’re lucky, they’ll help everyone else get lucky too.

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One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

Cleo Wilder’s boss thinks it would be a good idea for her to go on a solo retreat, for not only Cleo herself but for her dating column, too. The remote Irish island is more than a hop and skip from London, but maybe this is her chance to finally indulge in some much needed self-care while she figures out the next steps in her love life and her career. Unfortunately, a mix-up with bookings means that Cleo will have to spend her much needed-alone time with Mack Sullivan. Not the warmest to each other at first, the two find that the more time they are stuck with each other, they no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they would. Will they able to find the things they want, or finally get the things they need?

Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert

Charming, charismatic and effortlessly popular, Conrad Stewart seems to have it all. But he’s scrambling to keep his life from tumbling out of control. Alden Roth is brilliant and endlessly driven, but he’s guarded and can’t help but feel a little broken inside. When these mortal enemies are stuck together on a cross-country road trip to the biggest fan convention of their lives, their rivalry seems to take a back seat. Each of them wants to win the Odyssey gaming tournament, and they aren’t willing to let their feelings get in the way. Does that mean they’re giving up their chance at something truly magical?

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle  

Maybell Parish, a born dreamer, is excited for the opportunities that await her at her late great aunt’s estate. However, when she arrives, it’s more like a nightmare. She has to share the property with grouchy but handsome groundskeeper Wesley Koehler. As Maybell tries to compromise the future of the estate with Wesley, she discovers that underneath all the scowls lies something sweet.

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The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Khai Diep avoids relationships because he’s convinced he has no feelings. His family, however, knows better: his autism means he processes emotions differently, and with that in mind, his mother goes to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride. When Esme Tran gets her chance to come to America and meet a potential husband, she realizes this could be the break her family needs. But seducing Khai doesn’t go as planned, and she quickly falls in love with a man who thinks he will never be able to return her affection.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert 

Eve Brown just can’t get her life right. Her parents stop accepting her antics when she ruins an expensive wedding and they force her to grow up and get her act together. Eve tries to do so by becoming the head chef at control freak Jacob Wayne’s bed and breakfast. When Eve accidentally breaks Jacob’s arm, he’s furious at the loss of control and the mess Eve makes. However, opposites attract and after spending so much time together, Jacob finds his hatred towards Eve blooms into something else.

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa 

Wedding planner Carolina Santos has just faced her worst nightmare: being left at the altar during her own wedding. Bouncing back, she accepts a new job opportunity that has the potential to change her life. But in order to do this new job, she must work with Max Hartley, her ex-fiancé’s brother. If the two want to succeed in their endeavors, Carolina will have to look past the fact that Max encouraged his brother to leave her during their wedding. Sparks fly between these unlikely lovers in this new release from Mia Sosa.

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Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (Coming March 2022)

Fox Thornton has quite the reputation, and not just as a King crab fisherman. The flirt of the town, everyone know he’s a good time and he likes it that way. Then Hannah Bellinger shows up. Immune to his charm and looks, Hannah seems to enjoy his personality, as friends. Fox likes her too much to risk a fling, so a platonic relationship it is. But as they spend more and more time together, Hannah wants Fox more and more. However, as much as she can’t deny her love for him, she also refuses to be another notch on his bedpost. Living with his best friend should have been easy for Fox. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall. He’s fallen for her, hook, line and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she’ll choose him instead?

From the Jump by Lacie Waldon (Coming July 2022)

As an overworked graphic designer, Liv Bakersfield has never learned to say no and she’s about to miss yet another vacation with her beloved group of college friends. So instead of doing what she “should”, she finally learns to say no and it feels so good that she quits her job and hops on a plane to join her friends in South Africa. She thought the wildest of things would stay in Africa, but the close proximity with the emotionally unavailable Lucas Deiss has Liv thinking otherwise. However, their friendship is the only thing in her life that’s still solid, and she vows to do anything she can to keep the group together. But Liv soon discovers that her leaps in faith in saying “no” have sent her crashing into Diess’s arms. She will have to choose between what she should do, and risking everything for what she shouldn’t want.

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