14 Canadian romance books to swoon over this Valentine's Day
Warm your heart with this list of swoon-worthy romance books by Canadian authors!
And if you write nonfiction, the CBC Nonfiction Prize is accepting submissions until March 1, 2025.
Spiral by Bal Khabra
Two different worlds collide in Spiral, when Elias Westbrook, a famous hockey player always in the spotlight, agrees to fake date Sage Beaumont, an aspiring, less assuming ballerina hoping to join the Aurora Ballet Theatre. As they spend more time together, the two opposites begin to realize that their feelings for each other are more than just for show.
Bal Khabra is a Vancouver-based writer. Her debut novel was Collide.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
Vacationing one summer on Prince Edward Island, Lucy meets Felix in an electric, chemistry-filled night. Only one problem: Felix is her best friend Bridget's younger brother. On her annual return trips to P.E.I., Lucy vows to avoid Felix and his bed, that This Summer Will Be Different — easier said than done. When Bridget rushes home to P.E.I. in crisis a week before her wedding, Lucy can only follow and remind herself to protect her heart, but finally wonders if she really wants to do that after all.
Fortune is a Toronto-based writer and journalist who has worked as an editor for Refinery29, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine and Toronto Life. Her previous books are Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake, which was a contender for Canada Reads 2024, championed by Mirian Njoh.
A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James
A Five-Letter Word for Love follows Emily who is feeling stuck in her small-town life. Living on Prince Edward Island, Emily works as a receptionist at an auto shop while she dreams of working as a creative in a big city. The one bright spot in her day is her obsession with The New York Times' daily game Wordle. When Emily becomes stuck on a word she turns to her irritating coworker, John for answers. Their shared interest in the game fosters a surprising romance as they pursue her goal of a 365-day streak and Emily finds her ideas of love, success and joy completely upended.
Amy James is based on the east coast of Canada. A Five-Letter Word for Love is her first novel.
Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver
In Wild Eyes, Chart-topping country singer Skylar Stone is struggling to find peace since a recent streak of bad press, so she escapes to the small town of Rose Hill. But when she meets shameless flirt Weston Belmont, she falls head-over-heels — and begins to think that a small-town life might be the answer she's been looking for.
Elsie Silver is a B.C.-based writer of steamy romance novels. Her other books include the Gold Rush Ranch and Chestnut Springs series.
Love, Lies and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau
Thirty-something Toronto novelist and barista Emily Hung's four sisters are married with thriving careers, and her mother is obsessed with Emily finding a husband. Enter Mark Chan, a sweater-vest wearing engineer her mother hand picked herself.
When Emily and Mark meet, she's not interested, but to get her mother off of her back, Emily suggests they pretend they've started dating. Mark, intrigued, agrees. Once her mother questions the truth, they begin "fake" dating for real, getting to know one another. Did Emily's mother actually get it right?
Jackie Lau is a Toronto-based author of over a dozen romantic comedies, including Donut Fall in Love and the Holidays with the Wongs series.She went to school for engineering and worked as a geophysicist before writing romance novels.
Never Been Better by Leanne Toshiko Simpson
Each with their own struggles that landed them in the psych ward, Dee, Misa and Matt became inseparable friends in Never Been Better. When Misa and Matt are set to be married at a destination wedding a year after being discharged, Dee arrives with her own form of baggage. She's in love with Matt, and unlike everyone else attending the wedding, Dee knows how Misa and Matt met. Telling him would jeopardize not only their friendships but mutual support systems — Dee will have to decide what matters most.
Leanne Toshiko Simpson lives with bipolar disorder while teaching at the University of Toronto. She was Scarborough's Emerging Writer in 2016 and was nominated for the Journey Prize in 2019. Never Been Better is her first novel.
The Takedown by Lily Chu
Dee Kwan is having a rough few months. She lost her dream job as a diversity consultant, and her parents and cranky invalid grandmother have moved into her home. She finds fun playing an online game, where the teasing rivalry she has with another player keeps her on her toes. When they meet IRL, he's unexpectedly handsome.
Dee lands a new job at Celeste, a luxury fashion house desperately in need of diversity training. She meets the CEO's son Teddy Marsh — surprise, he's her online game rival turned crush! And his dad isn't interested in changing the toxic culture at Celeste. When Dee and Teddy band together to takedown his father, things get very complicated in business and love.
Lily Chu writes romantic comedies set in Toronto with strong Asian characters. Chu's debut romance novel was The Stand-In. She is also the author of The Comeback.
Time and Tide by J.M. Frey
Time and Tide is a time-travelling historical romance. It follows Sam, the only survivor of a catastrophic plane crash over the Atlantic, as she is impossibly rescued by a warship from 1805. Thrown into Regency England, Sam relies on the alluring sea captain to guide her through this unfamiliar world. When she is suddenly betrayed and left at the mercy of the men around her, Sam must rely on the help of the captain's sisters to survive. Eventually moving in with famous author Margaret Goodenough, Sam finds a surprising friend in the rule-breaking writer and maybe something even more.
J.M. Frey is a Toronto-based author, screenwriter and actor. Her debut novel Triptych was nominated for a CBC Bookie in 2011 and won the San Francisco Book Festival Award for SF/F.
Just Playing House by Farah Heron
When fashion stylist Marley Kamal gets the opportunity of her career — to be a personal shopper for a rising movie star — she's overjoyed until she finds out he's the prom date who ghosted her after sleeping together. Adding to this awkward dilemma is the fact that she's about to undergo an elective double mastectomy and breast reduction.
Actor Nikhil Shamdasani needs a stylist to boost his image and he wants Marley. He offers to move in and help take care of Marley during her recovery. The pair slowly find their way back to each other as she lets Nik into her home and life.
Farah Heron is a writer from Toronto. She is also the author of the romantic comedies Just Playing House, Jana Goes Wild, The Chai Factor, Accidentally Engaged, Kamila Knows Best and the YA novel Tahira in Bloom.
Fall With Me by Becka Mack
Becka Mack's series about fictional NHL team the Vancouver Vipers is peak hockey romance. Fall With Me is the fourth book in the series, featuring badboy defensive player Jaxon Riley, who doesn't need a relationship as long as he has his cat, Mittens. Jaxon is a fighter on the ice and a playboy in the streets.
When he meets photographer Lennon Hayes on her honeymoon alone, their chemistry is explosive. What was supposed to be another one-night stand for him and a quickie rebound with a stranger for her gets complicated when Lennon accepts a job as the Vipers' new team photographer. Various circumstances lead to her becoming Jaxon's roommate and surrogate mom to Mittens. Will these two hurt people heal and fall in love?
Mack is an Ontario-based writer of hockey romance novels. The other books in the Playing for Keeps series are Consider Me, Play with Me and Unravel Me.
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
A Sweet Sting of Salt is a historical novel set in the fictional town of Barquer's Bay, Nova Scotia in the nineteenth century. Jean, the local midwife, lives an isolated simple life in her cottage but all is set awry when she finds a woman in labour by the sea. After Jean helps Muirin deliver her child, the two grow affectionate towards one another. But Jean is left with more questions after meeting Muirin's husband in this twist on the myth of The Selkie Wife.
Sutherland is a Toronto-based writer, former patissier apprentice in France and occasional bartender. A Sweet Sting of Salt is her first novel.
An Honored Vow by Melissa Blair
An Honored Vow is the fourth and final installment in the epic romantic fantasy series, The Halfling Saga. The novels tell the story of Keera, a mysterious Halfling who is known in the kingdom of Faeland as the King's Blade, a dangerous spy and assassin. As the kingdom descends into violence and chaos, Keera and her allied rebels plan to rescue one of their own and confront King Damien's forces in an ultimate battle of magic and tragedy.
Melissa Blair is an Anishinaabekwe of mixed ancestry who split her time between Treaty 9 in Northern Ontario and Ottawa. The other books in The Halfling Saga are A Broken Blade, A Shadow Crown and A Vicious Game.
Under All the Lights by Maya Ameyaw
When Ollie Cheriet's song becomes popular online, he's approached to write an album, go on tour and fulfill all his dreams as long — as he can learn to manage his stage fright. As the pressure of being in the spotlight grows, his new touring partner Jesse begins to make him feel more at ease. In the coming-of-age novel Under All the Lights Ollie explores what it means to be an artist in the spotlight while he learns more about his anxiety disorder and bisexuality.
Under All the Lights is for ages 14 and up.
Maya Ameyaw is a writing instructor and author based in Toronto. Her books include the YA novel When It All Syncs Up and the anthology Brilliance is the Clothing I Wear.
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada
Skater Boy follows Wesley "Big Mac" Mackenzie as he struggles to complete his senior year of high school. Wes spends most of his time skateboarding, hanging out with a trouble-making friend group and fostering his secret love for photography. When his mom brings him to a production of The Nutcracker, he meets and begins to become attached to its star performer, Tristan Monroe. Caught between his closeted self and his true identity, Wes comes to realize who he truly wants to be in this gay coming-of-age love story.
Skater Boy is for ages 14 and up.
Anthony Nerada is a writer currently based in Vancouver. He previously studied psychology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, as well as earning his diploma in public relations. Skater Boy is his debut novel.
