26 Grumpy Sunshine Trope Books Like the Spanish Love Deception

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Catalina is a fiercely independent woman who ran away from her past but now she has to face it at her sister’s wedding where her former fiance is the best man.

She needs a fake boyfriend – and fast! Enter Aaron her annoying and grumpy co-worker who offers to help her with her ruse. As they put their differences aside to help each other out, their love begins to grow. This is the fake dating trope at its best.

While I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance in this book, at over 500 pages this office romance novel was just a bit too long.

Exes and O’s by Amy Lea

What a creative romance novel! I loved the slow-burn roommate-to-lovers story because of its fun premise. Tara, an avid romance novel lover, is trying to create her own second-chance romance story by attempting to re-date all her ex-boyfriends.

Her new roommate, Trevor, is a playboy who offers to be her moral support. We know they are going to get a happy ending in this second chance romance novel, but the journey is what makes this story! It was so charming.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Olive Smith is a Ph.D. student who does not believe in her ability to be in love. When her best friend develops a crush on someone she dated briefly, she decides to kiss the first man she sees to prove she is over him.

That one kiss happens to be with THE Adam Carlsen, an academic genius, who is also very standoffish. The two decide to fake-date and what starts as pretend, becomes something more- for Olive.

I loved this fake dating book/office romance novel that is also a perfect example of the grumpy sunshine trope. It has a well-earned spot on its list of the best romance novels of all time.

If you love this book as much as we did, check out our post: Books Like the Love Hypothesis to Obsess Over

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!

This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?) 

Why We Love It: The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and we are all in.
Find This Book in Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels/ Books With a Color in the Title

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

When I learned that Tessa Bailey used Schitt’s Creek’s Alexis as her inspiration for Piper, I knew I had to read this grumpy sunshine romance.

After getting in trouble one-to-many times for her party-girl lifestyle, Piper and her sister are banished back to their late father’s hometown in Washington.

While she’s learning to be responsible and money-conscious for the first time in her life, she needs to try not to fall for a local fisherman, Brendan. This is a sailing novel with heat!

Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books similar to The Love Hypothesis / Emily Henry books.

Highland Games by Evie Alexander

I gushed about this on Instagram, but I’m gonna gush about it again here too. I love a good Scottish romance, which long-term readers know because of our books like Outlander

This one has Zoe deciding to pack up her London life and move into the rustic, decrepit cabin on a castle estate her uncle left for her when he died. The problem is Rory, the castle’s caretaker, wanted the cabin for himself.

Rory starts messing with Zoe to get her to leave Scotland, but when he realizes he needs her help, sparks fly in this grumpy sunshine romance. This is the first in a new series of books set in Scotland about Rory and Zoe and their Scottish hometown.

It was charming, funny, STEAMY, and heartwarming. I personally can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

This enemies-to-lovers office romance book was recently adapted to Netflix. After two publishing houses merge, executive assistants for the two owners are in fierce competition with each other for a promotion.

These office enemies quickly realize that the tension is an attraction as well. But, is the attraction real, or is it a ploy to get the promotion? This grumpy sunshine romance book is now on Netflix and we hope it is as steamy as the book. The forced proximity trope is at its best in this steamy romance

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You has quickly become a classic story – and a movie to boot. But beware! This is one of the grumpy sunshine romance books that will emotionally wreck you that you don’t want to read in public!

When a young man becomes paralyzed his parents hire a young woman to be his companion. As love blooms, and she tries to convince him that life is still worth living, the reader questions what they would sacrifice to make a loved one happy. This novel about grief deals with grieving before the person has passed.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This is one of the best romance books I have read in a long time.  What could be better than a romance about writers?  January is a romance writer who no longer believes in love.  Until she was 28, she led an idyllic life filled with the ideas of perfect love. 

Augustus Everett is a literary fiction writer who has never believed in love.  They could not be more different.  When they find themselves living next door to each other they decide to help each other overcome their writer’s block by challenging each other to a writer’s duel. This might be my favorite pick from our list of enemies-to-lovers books.

Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books / Grumpy Sunshine Romance / Emily Henry Books / Books About Books

Twisted Love by Ana Huang

This book was my pick for a steamy romance for our summer reading challenge. This book could easily go on our list of billionaire romances (although Alex is a multi-millionaire and not a billionaire) and is a 50 Shades of Grey Feel.

Alex is singularly driven in his pursuit of vengeance for the death of his family. When his best friend goes abroad and asks him to look after his sister while he is gone, Alex begins to feel something he swore he would never feel again.

This steamy romance is the grumpy sunshine trope at its finest. It was a fun and quick read.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

Hot & Hammered Book 1

So, I didn’t know exactly what I was getting myself into when I started reading this romance.  It was definitely a lot steamier than I had anticipated.  When Travis Ford, an injured and retired baseball superstar, returns back home, he is in a state of depression. 

Georgette Castle, the best friend’s little sister, knows just how to smack some sense into him.  While Georgette is able to get Travis to stop wallowing in self-pity, he decides to help her family take her more seriously.  Having a job as a clown can make that difficult. 

Opposites attract in this great grumpy sunshine romance that has many a 17+ scene but, it’s a fun summer read. If you love this one, we have a whole list of books like Fix Her Up!

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Sometimes you read a book and you just want to go back and read it again. I loved Well Met!!! I never thought I would be interested in a renaissance fair but this book gave me all the feels.

Emily lost her job and her boyfriend at the same time that her big sister broke her leg. Emily decides to move to Willow Creek to help her sister care for 14-year-old April, where she is promptly tricked into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire run by Simon.

So now Emily is a wench…Simon is a Pirate…and obviously, we know where this story is going in this grumpy sunshine book. It’s the journey on this one, guys. It’s filled with feels, cute scenes, and romance. I couldn’t put it down.

I’m pretty sure hearts actually came out of my eyes at multiple points while reading this enemies-to-lovers story. I loved it so much!!!  This book gives me total modern-day Pride and Prejudice vibes and it is such a fun addition to our enemies-to-lovers books

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

I’m a SUCKER for renovation romances. Add in a swoon-worthy neighbor in a neighboring beach house, a charming best friend, and a second home renovation and I’m pretty sure this is the perfect grumpy sunshine romance for me.

I absolutely adore this book because there was no stupid break-up halfway through, just an enemies-to-lovers couple learning to communicate in their new relationship. A perfect romance for Valentine’s Day.

Romancing The Duke by Tessa Dare

Tessa Dare’s stories are some of my favorite historical romances. She always finds ways to inject humor into her books. This particular book is the first in a series in which a man dies and leaves a castle to each of our heroines, who are known spinsters.

In this story, Izzy wants to be a writer so retreats to her castle to write her novels. Meanwhile, Ransom shows up at the castle he still believes is rightfully his. Hilarity and romance ensue. I loved this grumpy sunshine romance novel based on Beauty and the Beast and it is another perfect pick for books like Bridgerton.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

We love this classic love story. This love story has everything you could want. Elizabeth Bennet is a smart and stubborn woman who was ahead of her time. With 5 Bennet girls, one of them must marry well to support the other sisters.

There are so many new and wonderful adaptations of this novel, that we did an entire post on it. And you don’t want to miss the other Jane Austen adaptations in the post as well.

Austen is a master of romances and this book is the original enemies-to-lovers novel! It’s my favorite of all the Jane Austen books.

Find this book in Books About Sisters / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Jane Austen Books in Order / Grumpy Sunshine Books / Classic Romance Novels

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Sarah J. Maas does it again, which is saying something because I am not a Nesta fan and she was our main protagonist in this story. The book revolves around her love story with Cassian, but also around her overcoming her trauma from being cauldron-made.

I can’t wait to see and read the next story in this series, even if I have to wait another 2-3 years. Even though it was 800 pages, I flew through it in 3 days.

Find this book in Books Like A Court of Thorns and Roses / Grumpy Sunshine Romance Books / Books With Color in the Title

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

If you only read one Christmas book this holiday season, let it be Just Like Magic. I adored this funny paranormal romance book and it is one of the best holiday books ever! The premise is amazing. Down-on-her-luck Bettie Hughes accidentally summons the magical Holiday Spirit, who can’t leave her until he raises her spirit level.

So going by the name of Hal, he poses as her boyfriend for her week-long family Christmas vacation. His use of magic throughout the week is hysterical. It also helps that the chemistry between Hal and Bettie crackles. It’s unlike any other Christmas story I’ve read in the best way possible! If you are looking for reverse grumpy sunshine books, this should be at the top of your list. Gifted by Putnam

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

I was definitely not prepared for this book.  Reader beware that it is the Rosie Project with a sprinkle of Pretty Woman and a whole lot of 50 Shades. 

I did not realize that some of the scenes would be graphic in this pick from reverse grumpy sunshine romance books. Stella decided to hire an escort to teach her how to have intimacy with other people. This is the fake dating trope at its absolute finest.

It is a great romance with a neurodiverse main character and I loved it. This contemporary romance is definitely on its way to classic status and has a well-earned place on our list of best romance novels of all time and was an easy pick for a list of books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Technically this steamy Christmas romance novel is the 5th in the Bromance Book Club series, but it can be read as a standalone (which I know because I’ve never read any of the others!)

Jackie loved the first book in this series, so I knew I would probably want to dive into the Christmas tale. It’s all about Colton, a country star and total sweetheart, who is head-over-heels for Gretchen, a grumpy immigration attorney.

It was steamy and swoony and I loved every minute of this Christmas story that fulfills the grumpy sunshine trope with Christmas joy!! Gifted by Berkley Romance

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

November 2020 YA Reese’s Book Club pick

This is an adorable YA romance that had my tea-loving heart at the title but, the story was sweet and had me turning the pages. But fair warning, you will be hungry while reading this book about tea.

Lila is leaving Miami to spend the summer in England with her mom’s best friend as a way to help Lila’s mental health. With the unexpected break-up with her boyfriend, her best friend leaving after graduation and the death of her beloved Abuela, Lila’s life is not where she thought it would be.

Slowly, with new friends and a new city, Lila starts to see a different side of life, and maybe change is ok. This is a sweet pick from our list of bakery romance novels.