Summer Reads 2022 from Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly

24 Hours in Paris

Romi Moondi (W x Wattpad)

Moondi takes readers on a whirlwind trip through the City of Light when coworkers Mira Attwal and Jake Lewis’s flight home from Paris is delayed by a day. As this pair of polar opposites races to complete Mira’s Parisian bucket list, they come to see each other in a new light and romance blooms. Moondi’s transportive descriptions—especially of mouthwatering French cuisine—make this an ideal pick for any armchair traveler.

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Chef's Kiss

TJ Alexander (Atria/Bestler)

Alexander’s adorable debut rom-com pairs a grumpy pastry chef with her cheery new nonbinary kitchen manager as they navigate difficult office dynamics, their reluctant attraction to each other, and the unexpected viral fame that comes when their cooking videos gain traction—in no small part due to their on-camera chemistry. Theirs is a deliciously slow-burning romance that pays off in spades, with baked goods and banter along the way.

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A Lady for a Duke

Alexis Hall (Forever)

Hall captures everything readers love in Regency romance—sparkling dialogue, swoonworthy chemistry, and norm-bucking characters—in this pitch-perfect love story between trans woman Viola Caroll, who, presumed dead at Waterloo, seizes the chance to finally live as herself, and her grieving former best friend, the Duke of Gracewood, who doesn’t realize who Viola is when she reenters his life. It’s an emotional celebration of love and authenticity—and it may be Hall’s best yet.

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The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes

Cat Sebastian (Avon)

Blackmail makes for a surprising meet-cute between lovable rogue Rob Brooks and fiery Marian Hayes, the discontented wife of a duke, in Sebastian’s wildly charming Georgian England–set romantic caper. After a burglary gone awry, the pair go on the run together, creating plenty of opportunity for these feisty, intelligent characters to match wits and, eventually, succumb to passion. The pair’s palpable connection and hilarious, highly criminal road trip antics keep the pages flying.

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A Proposal They Can't Refuse

Natalie Caña (Mira)

Matchmaking octogenarian best friends push their grandchildren, Puerto Rican chef Kamilah Vega and Irish American whiskey distiller Liam Kane, toward each other in Caña’s absolute blast of a debut. The pair agree to fake an engagement to appease their grandfathers, leading to amusing hijinks, a thoughtful exploration of cultural heritage, and—of course—true love. This cute, delightfully tropey rom-com delivers both heat and heart.

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