Romance novels cover a wide range of topics, but what’s central in all of them is love! The romance titles picked for this post are either standalone novels or first in a series. As of this writing, these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions provided by the publishers.

The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. Morillo

Maria “Marianto” Camacho is a planner. At twenty-seven, she has her life perfectly mapped out. Her long-term boyfriend, Alejandro, is perfect on paper, and she’s expecting a proposal any day now. She has a stable job as a lifestyle columnist at Ellas, one of Latin America’s biggest digital magazines. Her future is set; she’s sure of it.

Until everything falls apart overnight: Marianto loses her boyfriend and her job. But she’s determined to get them both back with an idea that is either delusional or ingenious—a juicy new article for Ellas that documents a series of romantic experiments to get her ex back. Thus begins The Ex-Perimento. With her bank account dwindling, however, Marianto lands a temporary gig on Venezuela’s hottest new singing competition show. Her job? Personal assistant to Simón Arreaza, the lead singer of her favorite indie band.

It’s only her second day on the job when Simón discovers Marianto’s list of romantic experiments, striking her ideas and replacing them with his own better ones. Out of desperation, she offers a proposition: Help her win back Alejandro, and she’ll give Simón’s band a profile in the magazine once she returns to Ellas. But between the close quarters on set and the blurred lines of a budding friendship, Marianto and Simón find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other, caught in a whirlwind of unexpected romance. – Berkley

One & Only by Maurene Goo

She knows what her happily ever after looks like. And it’s not him.

Cassia Park believes in soul mates. Fated love stories. It’s her family business, after all—for centuries, from Korea to Los Angeles, Park women have peered into clients’ past lives to find their one true love, their fated. This magical secret is why One & Only Matchmaking has a 100% guarantee…for everyone but Cassia.

For ten years, Cass has been searching for her fated, a man named Daniel Nam. But he’s still nowhere to be found.

And so, on the eve of her 40th birthday, Cass decides to do something for herself. She impulsively has a fling with Ellis. He’s twenty-eight, indecently handsome, and not destined to be the love of her life. But she’s surprised by their connection and their fling feels like something more—up to the moment he introduces her to his boss…Daniel Nam.

As she battles between fate and chance, head and heart, a family secret is revealed that will make her question everything she’s ever known. Cassia will have to decide if she’ll follow her fate…or make her own. – G.P. Putnam’s Sons

This title is also available in large print.

Only Friends by Lydia San Andres

After being fired from her day job, unceremoniously ghosted, and facing a bad case of writer’s block, twenty-six-year-old aspiring screenwriter Mariel Rivera is one spilled coffee away from crying on the subway. When she’s rescued from a Times Square kerfuffle by a very handsome model dressed in regency costume, Mariel has no idea her life is about to change.

Dashwood Bennet has been modeling for years, though recently, his current portfolio includes some more risqué shots. However, he never imagined that after his encounter with Mariel, he’d be putting on his regency breeches just to take them off again…in front of the camera.

Dash is the answer to Mariel’s prayers in more ways than one. First, he saved her from an unruly mob. Second, he’s the perfect person to play the Duke of Harding, a character she’s created that captured her attention and won’t let go. Third, he’s more than game to be the face of her spicy historical shorts. And last but not least, he’s her perfect partner both in business and in the bedroom. But being work-partners-with-benefits can complicate things. Will their partnership survive or are Mariel and Dash doomed to not have their happily ever after? – Atria/Primero Sueno Press

Risky Business by Annabelle Slator

When tech founder Jess Cole is struggling to gain funding for her company, she begins to wonder if it’s because she’s a woman in the male-dominated tech industry—especially due to a former incident and subsequent NDA that’s been following her for years. In an act of financial desperation, she applies to a competition for start-ups using her twin brother Spencer’s name, pretending to be a man. To her surprise, it works! As though she’s discovered the ultimate industry cheat code, Jess and Spencer are invited into the exclusive world of Tech Rumble, an annual innovation competition hosted on the world’s stage by tech darling Dominic Orsino.

Spencer, an out-of-work actor, must pretend to be the CEO, and Jess must become his loyal “assistant,” Violet. Spencer is thrust into the limelight; charming Dominic and the competition judges but making promises Jess can’t keep—or afford.

“Violet” is introduced to the handsome Oliver, a fellow assistant who shows her how to let her hair down and enjoy life outside the pressures of her job. But she soon discovers falling for Oliver is riskier than any mistake Spencer has made.

During wild nights with Oliver in Rome, secret rendezvous in Paris, and luxurious parties in Vienna, Jess must navigate the competition and try to stay on top of her lies, especially when someone from her past comes sniffing around, putting her ruse at risk. – Avon

Royal Spin by Omid Scobie & Robin Benway

She can handle the press…but can she handle the Palace?

With the British monarchy reeling from a wave of scandals, young American politico Lauren Morgan is plucked from the White House press office to breathe new life into the Buckingham Palace communications team and improve the royal family’s streak of bad headlines. But the Palace is an institution steeped in tradition and strict protocol, and Lauren quickly discovers that change is far from easy, or welcome, especially when you’re dealing with culture clashes, displeased royal aides, and a risky new love interest—or two.

Just as Lauren finds her footing at work—and with a charming royal reporter who may be more than just a press contact—an unexpected encounter from her past threatens the career she’s worked so hard to build. And when scandal looms over the dashing duke who Lauren has developed a special bond with, she finds herself torn between duty, loyalty, success, and happiness.

From London’s high society clubs to the sacred corridors and rarely seen spaces of Buckingham Palace, Royal Spin is a fun, humorous, and heartfelt novel that reminds us of the importance of chasing your dreams, and that the most rewarding journeys are often the messiest. – William Morrow

This title is also available in large print.

Skate It Till You Make It by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Ari Shumba never expected to make it to the Winter Games, let alone be the one to lead Great Britain’s women’s ice hockey team through the most important competition of their lives. When her teammate’s unexpected injury catapults her to the role of captain, Ari reluctantly shoulders the responsibility while trying to navigate family drama and dodge her toxic ex.

Drew Dlamini has always feared taking risks. After breaking up with his girlfriend and dropping out of college to handle a family crisis, he’s desperate for a fresh start. When he finds himself in London for the holidays, he rekindles his dream of becoming a professional photographer.

When Ari and Drew meet at a New Year’s Eve party, neither of them is looking for love. Though their chemistry is instant, they live on opposite sides of the Atlantic, so they spend the night revealing their glaring red flags, thinking they’ll never see each other again. But when they unexpectedly cross paths in the snowy Swiss Alps two months later, their feelings for each other rise to the surface.

As the competition heats up, the combination of complicated exes, overinvolved families, and stress- inducing teammates convinces them that the perfect solution to their problems is to fake-date their way through the Games. After all, there’s no risk of falling in love if it is doomed from the start . . . right? – Flatiron Books