Best Books 2021: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly

The Duke Heist

Erica Ridley (Forever)

Ridley introduces a family of lovable rascals, each with their own whimsical criminal talent, in her utterly enchanting Wild Wynchesters series launch, which sees con artist Chloe Wynchester falling for her latest mark, the tortured Duke of Faircliffe. The heist itself is wildly entertaining, and the central couple combine playfulness and passion to swoonworthy effect, making for an unforgettable Regency romp.

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A Lot Like Adiós

Alexis Daria (Morrow)

The heat’s cranked up in Daria’s vibrant, standalone follow-up to You Had Me at Hola, a friends-to-lovers romance that beautifully captures the weight of history and depth of emotion between its leads. There’s no denying the sizzling chemistry between reunited childhood friends Gabe and Michelle, and it’s an absolute pleasure watching them grow toward each other.

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Love and Lotus Blossoms

Anne Shade (Bold Strokes)

Spanning the course of resilient heroine Ness Philips’s life, this thoughtful and sensual queer romance showcases the value and power of love in all its forms, including familial and platonic. It’s as much a story of self-acceptance as it is of Ness’s winding path to happily ever after, and Shade’s sophisticated emotional shading makes every note ring true.

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One Last Stop

Casey McQuiston (Griffin)

McQuiston’s laugh-out-loud sophomore outing features a vibrant New York City backdrop, an endearing queer cast who form a heartwarming found family, and a time-traveling lesbian love interest. The genre mash-up works remarkably well; the hint of magic only enhances the romantic tension. Add in plenty of wit, heartache, and some truly steamy scenes, and the result is rom-com gold.

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Wild Rain

Beverly Jenkins (Avon)

The reigning queen of Black historical romance does not disappoint with the transfixing second installment to her Women Who Dare series. Jenkins pairs a fiercely independent female rancher with a gentle newspaper reporter in post–Civil War Wyoming for a tender love story that doesn’t shy from the racist realities of the time but keeps the focus firmly on joy.

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