Single Parent Romance Novels
While they used to be relatively hard to come by, single parent romance novels are now all the rage in the romance book world. Now that romances in general are more inclusive, it seems only fitting to have more stories about parents raising their children while trying to find love. They are open and honest and real – and that’s what readers love to see in a heartfelt love story!
I’ve read my fair share of single parent romances, and Kirsten has too! The stories we have to recommend are a mix of spicy and sweet, heavy and serious. Whatever you are looking for in this romantic sub-genre, there will be a book for you!
The Best Single Parent Romance Books
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
The Best Spicy Single Parent Romance
Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage – Jump to section
The Best Sweet Single Parent Romance
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan – Jump to section
The Best Holiday Single Parent Romance
Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman – Jump to section
The Best Celebrity Book Club Single Parent Romance
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams – Jump to section
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Spicy Single Parent Romance Books
It Starts with Us
Author: Colleen Hoover
Year: 2022
Genre: Romance
More info: It Ends With Us #2, New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Lily is finally divorced from Ryle and is trying to deal with the aftermath of a divorce from an abusive spouse. When Atlas Corrigan shows up back in her life, Lily must decide if she can have a relationship with him and how Ryle will react. He was her first love and true soulmate.
Atlas also must confront his past which is filled with neglect and abuse. Can the two of them overcome their traumas to find a life together?
Trigger Warnings
Domestic Abuse
Why Jackie loves it
This is the second book in the “It Ends With Us” series. I have to say that I liked this Colleen Hoover book a lot better than the first in the series. There are spicy scenes in the book but, I think the subject of abuse is less romanticized than in the first book.
Wild and Wrangled
Author: Lyla Sage
Year: 2025
Genre: Romance
More info: Rebel Blue Ranch #4
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Cam has just been left at the altar, and now she needs to start her life with her daughter all over again. There to help her pick up the pieces as a friend and landlord? Her ex-love, Dusty, who has never gotten over her. As Cam works to figure out life with her daughter, she also needs to determine Dusty’s place in it.
Why Kirsten loves it
This was a great conclusion to the series, and I love that we got to wrap it all up in the epilogue. #gifted by PRH Audio
Find this book in: Beach Reads 2025
Summer Romance
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Year: 2024
Genre: Romance
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Ali is a newly single mom and a professional organizer whose life could not be messier. When her mom died, she couldn’t get over it and her already failing marriage could not recover. Now her soon-to-be ex-husband comes and goes as he pleases and Ali is having a hard time picking up the pieces of her life.
When she meets Ethan, she decides that a summer romance would be the perfect thing for her to start the next chapter in her life. She does not realize that Ethan might turn into so much more. She also does not realize that Ethan is her best friend’s brother, whom everyone calls Scooter. She has not seen him in years.
Why Jackie loves it
Same Time Next Summer and Nora Goes Off Script were both books I loved, so I could not wait to read this book. It’s a slow-burn romance that deals with the loss of a parent, the loss of self, and how to move forward one step at a time. Throughout the book, Ali moves through the stages of grief, mourning the loss of her mother. It was poignant and moving with the HEA you expect. #gifted
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2024 / Best Books About Motherhood / Books with Summer in the Title
If It Makes You Happy
Author: Julie Olivia
Year: 2025
Genre: Romance
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Gilmore Girls lovers rejoice! This book is everything you wanted in a small-town fall romance!
Travel back to 1997, in a small town in Vermont, to a charming B&B where Michelle (aka Luke) is running the inn after the death of her mom – and she’s failing miserably. So, who can she ask for help? What about goofy, single-dad Cliff (aka Lorelai), the beloved local baker.
Why Kirsten loves it
If Stars Hollow is your favorite fictional town and Autumn is your favorite season, this must be added to your TBR. Cliff and Michelle’s reverse-grumpy sunshine romance lit me up, and the many festivals and town activities had me craving a Gilmore Girls rewatch. There is some steam, but those scenes are easily skipped if needed. I loved Michelle’s dog Rocket, Cliff’s amazing daughters, and all the other side characters. It was a perfect romance. #Gifted by Berkley Romance
Find this book in: Cozy Fall Books / Best Romance Books of 2025
Lost and Lassoed
Author: Lyla Sage
Year: 2024
Genre: Romance
More info: Rebel Blue Ranch Series #3
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This is a small-town enemies-to-lovers romance with a Western vibe. Gus needs help. He’s caught between taking care of his family’s 8,000-acre ranch and parenting his 6-year-old daughter who is with him for the summer.
Teddy, his little sister’s best friend and his nemesis, is the only one who can help. She’s recently been laid off and needs a summer job to help her pay the bills while she figures out what to do next – and she’s great with Gus’s kid. Can the anger they pretend to have for one another secretly be burning passion?
Why Kirsten loves it
Yes, the answer is yes. It is PASSION baby. This was my first introduction to the Rebel Blue Ranch series, but it won’t be the last one I read! I just adored this fun and sassy couple.
Sweet Single Parent Romance Books
Husbands and Lovers
Author: Beatriz Williams
Year: 2024
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Mallory is searching for a donor kidney for her son after he eats a poisonous death cap mushroom and goes into kidney failure. Now, she is forced to confront secrets from her mother’s past and her own. Her mother’s adoption and her romance with her childhood best friend who is a famous singer-songwriter.
This is a nonlinear narrative that also goes back to 1951 Cair. It is the story of a Hungarian refugee who is married to a British Diplomat but has an affair with the manager of the Cairo Hotel. This pick from the spring 2024 book releases is a story that is so much more than the sum of its parts.
Trigger Warnings
Sexual Assault
Why Jackie loves it
I was not sure what to expect from this book but there was so much to dissect when I was done reading. At its heart, this is a story of women and what we do to survive and thrive.
Find this book in: June 2024 Book Releases / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Best Poolside Reads / Second Chance Romance Books / Novels Set in Egypt
Life’s Too Short
Author: Abby Jimenez
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Vanessa Price is a famous YouTube star whose life motto is to live life to the fullest every day. Her mother and sister both died before they were 30. When she suddenly finds herself with custody of her half-sister’s baby, life takes a spin in the other direction.
Adrian is the complete opposite of Vanessa. He is a lawyer who plans everything. He is her next-door neighbor who happens to know about babies. When these two meet, they are just what the other needs.
Trigger Warnings
Terminal illness, death of a parent
Why Jackie loves it
Abby Jimenez writes so much heart and feeling into her romance novels. I love these characters and watching them grow.
Find this book in: Fictional Books About Influencers/ Romance Tropes
Nora Goes Off Script
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Year: 2022
Genre: Romance
More info: Adult Debut
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Nora is a mother of two kids who writes romance novels for television. When her husband leaves her, she writes it into a script that is being made into a movie.
Enter a handsome movie star who asks if he can pay her to stay at her house. He needs to get away from the scene. Their romance is sweet and doesn’t follow the usual formula.
Why Jackie loves it
I adored this romantic comedy novel. The story is sweet, fun, and unique. I love reading a romance story about a single mom. I love it when people get a second chance at finding love.
Find this book in: Annabel Monaghan Books / Romance Tropes / Best Rom-Coms /
Playing the Witch Card
Author: K.J. Dell’Antonia
Year: 2021
Genre: Magical Realism
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of The Chicken Sisters
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This witch book is the perfect blend of Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic in the new novel from the bestselling author! This fantastic fantasy book has characters and a story that are irresistible.
Flair Hardwicke must navigate three generations of magic, two exes, and a Tarot deck that insists on making itself known. This whimsical tale had me loving Flair more with each page and hoping that she would be able to navigate her own past in order to create a happy ending for herself and her daughter. If you love witch books, this pick is the perfect pick.
Why Jackie loves it
There is nothing not to love about this adorable magical realism book. I love a great HEA ending and this book gave whimsy galore!
Find this book in: Best Witch Books
A Happier Life
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Year: 2024
Genre: Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
In the present day, Keaton has lost her job, her boyfriend, and her house on one very bad day. She returns home reluctantly and is shocked when her mother tells her someone needs to put her childhood home on the market in North Carolina. Keaton did not know the house was still in the family.
When Keaton arrives at the house, it is a time capsule from the day her grandparents died in a car accident. With so many questions about why her mother and uncle never went back to the house, Keaton finds herself as she starts to find answers as well.
The cast of characters in this book are amazing. From the absolutely fantastic old bitties who lovingly interfere every chance they get to the adorable ten-year-old boy next door, I felt like I knew everyone in the town.
Trigger Warnings
Cancer, Suicide
Why Kirsten loves it
The cast of characters in this book are amazing. From the absolutely fantastic old bitties who lovingly interfere every chance they get to the adorable ten-year-old boy next door, I felt like I knew everyone in the town.
Why Jackie loves it
This is a story that is told in a dual timeline in both the present and from Becks’s point of view. Harvey weaves a wonderful story of life, love, and family in this book. I could not put it down. #gifted
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2024
Single Parent Holiday Romances
My Favorite Holidate
Author: Lauren Blakely
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Genre: Holiday Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This book was self-published last holiday season and was republished this year with a major publisher. However, the description on Amazon is INCORRECT
Fable catches her boyfriend cheating on her at a Thanksgiving dinner at her boss, Wilder Blaine’s, house. At the same dinner, her sister gets engaged to her billionaire boss’s best friend.
With the wedding coming up in just a few weeks, on Christmas, she and her boss decide to fake-date for the season. She can get back at her horrible ex, and he can escape his aunt’s attempts to set him up on dates.
With the help of his daughter, Mac, the two vow to become the best-fake daters anyone has ever seen. And to do that, they will have to practice, a lot.
Why Jackie loves it
When I was reading this book, I could not help but think of Christian Grey, but with all green flags instead of the blaring red flags. This book is 5 kisses of spicy, but it is also a healthier, kinder version of a love story. I loved every minute
Find this book in: New Christmas Books 2025 / Christmas Romance Books / Billionaire Romance Books
Bright Lights, Big Christmas
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
In this holiday tale, Kerry finds herself selling Christmas trees in Greenwich Village, living in a vintage camper with her brother and his dog. As she embraces the charm of the city and falls for a single dad and his adorable son, Kerry’s Christmas takes an unexpected turn when she becomes entangled in the search for a missing neighbor.
Why Kirsten loves it
I fell in love with the little street Kerry finds herself on at Christmas, as well as her love interest, the rivalry with the tree yard across the street, and her cute little camper van. I was swept away by this magical Christmas book for 2023. #gifted
Find this book in: Â New Christmas Books of 2023Â / Best Christmas Books of All Time
Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon
Author: Matthew Norman
Year: 2025
Genre: Holiday Fiction
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Grace and Henry both lost their spouses shortly after the start of the new year. Now, it’s been a year, and they’ve become friends because they understand one another, despite their mother’s meddling schemes. Together, along with Grace’s kids, they decide to tackle a tradition Henry had with his wife – an annual holiday movie marathon.
As Grace and Henry’s friendship grows, they learn to lean on one another to get through their respective grief and even being to start healing.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a Spouse, Grief
Why Kirsten loves it
This is sort of a romance, but it’s really more about Grace and Henry dealing with their respective grief in their own ways. Henry’s grief was unexpected while Grace’s husband has cancer. Because of how their grief manifested, their stories were very different and they way they healed was different and beautiful.
And I can’t leave out Grace’s kids and their connection to their mother, their family unit, and Henry – oh and the mice! They brought much-needed levity to the story, rounding it out and keeping it from being too heavy.
Find this book in: New Christmas Books 2025 / Christmas Book Club Books / Giftable Books
A Winter in New York
Author: Josie Silver
Year: 2023
Genre: Romance
More info: A POPSUGAR Best Book of the Year
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
In this sweet holiday romance book, Iris uncovers a hidden family recipe, falls in love, and learns the power of mouthwatering gelato. Set against the backdrop of New York City from Halloween to NYE, this romance book covers more than just love.
It’s a story that includes uncovering new layers of a deceased parent, recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship, single parenthood, and family ties.
Trigger Warnings
Emotional Abuse, Death of a Parent
Why Kirsten loves it
With secrets, romance, and a dash of culinary magic, this charming tale will leave you craving for more. My only complaint is that Iris kept the secret for a little too long. #gifted by Delacorte Press
Find this book in: Best Holiday Books / Best New Christmas Books of 2023 / New Year’s Eve Books
Single Parent Romance Celebrity Book Club Picks
Once Upon a Time in Dollywood
Author: Ashley Jordan
Release Date: August 5, 2025
Genre: Fiction
More info: August 2025 Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Part of Reese’s Lit Up Book Club, this debut novel is about a struggling playwright facing writer’s block. Eve has turned her life upside down after breaking up with her fiancé and heading to the mountains of Tennessee for a fictional “writing retreat.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Gallagher is bruised and battered from the drawn-out custody battle he just won and is trying to settle into single-dad life. When Eve and Jamie are drawn to each other, they must ask if they can handle falling in love again. Can they make it work with work and parental obligations? #Gifted PRH audio
Why Jackie likes it
This is a romance that has everything you expect, but it also examines deeper issues like parenting, finding purpose, and happiness. It examines the characters a little more closely than some romance books. I was hooked.
Find this book in: Single Parent Romances
Seven Days in June
Author: Tia Williams
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: June 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
The latest Reese’s Book Club pick was quite a unique read. It was billed as a romance but that doesn’t do this novel justice. Yes, there are some steamy scenes, but it also deals with childhood trauma, drug addiction, racial issues, and single motherhood.
Eva Mercy is a single mom and a bestselling author of Erotica. Shane Hall is an award-winning novelist. The two meet at a literary event and sparks fly, but what nobody knows is that the two met years ago and spent a week together. Since that time, their novels have been declarations of love for each other.
Trigger Warnings
Trauma, addiction
Why Kirsten loves it
It was much heavier than I expected, especially with a second-chance romance novel. If you are looking for something that will make you think, this is the right pick for you from our list of books about books.
Why Jackie likes it
This is such a complex and deep second-chance romance. The years have been difficult for these two and they carry a lot of baggage.
Find this book in: Books About Books Books / Becoming Movies in 2024 / Second Chance Romance Books / Romance Books About Books / Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2021
Expert Tip
- Check trigger warnings for these stories – some parents are single because of divorce, but others are widows or widowers, and that might be a trigger for you.
- Look at the spicy rating! Our spice goes up to level 5, but anything with 3 lips or more has at least one open-door scene.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Single Parent Romance Books?
Single parent romance books are stories that feature a parent with at least one child looking for (or sometimes accidentally finding) love. They often discuss the difficulties of raising a child alone or bringing a new romance into their child’s life.
Why Do We Love Single Parent Romance Books?
I think we love these stories because they are authentic. Gone are the days of only young virgins finding their true love at 21. Now readers get love stories that feature real-life scenarios because everyone deserves to find love.
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Epilogue
These are some of my favorite single parent romance books, but I’m always looking for more! Let me know if you have any recommendations below!
