New Adult Books
Back-to-School Romances: College Edition
Dorm rooms to classrooms
Sorority to sports
Internships to house parties
Freshmen to seniors
I find this time of year so inspiring! You get to see your friends and ditch the parents for some independency. You’re getting to discover the “mature” you! The transformation from young adult to new adult books where the reads get a little more “grown” and a lot more spicier. These back-to-school romances are just what you are looking for when on a study break.
Like many of you, I thrill at the smell of new school supplies, no matter how old I get. The crispy sound of brand-new notebook paper, that first click on a fresh-from-the-package mechanical pencil…all sounds that indicate fresh possibilities.
And SPEAKING of possibilities, we’ve rounded up a list of our FAVORITE back-to-school romances. I would argue that this time of year rivals the winter holiday season as the most romantically ripe. Get ready to write these suggestions down your shiny, new planner! Which you will store safely in your pretty new backpack!
So let’s get to reading something other than textbooks!
The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy
The first book in the delicious, icy-hot Campus Diaries series, a spinoff of BookTok sensations Off-Campus and Briar U, by a New York Times bestselling author!
Gigi Graham has exactly three non-academic goals for her time at Briar University: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow and shine on her own merits. To do ANY of those things she needs to improve her game. She needs help from Luke Ryder.
Ryder is six-and-a-half feet tall, built like a cinderblock, and is…sexy as hell. He’s also brash, rude, condescending, and really not pumped about giving Gigi any extra help. He agrees reluctantly, but Gigi still considers Ryder to be The Enemy.
But The Enemy has reason to be irritated. He’s a new co-captain of the men’s hockey team, which just merged forces with a rival team. Naturally everyone hates each other already. Even worse, he made a terrible first impression on Garrett Graham, a legendary player who just so happens to be Gigi’s father. So maybe working with her will be a big win for him? And she doesn’t need to know all of his motives.
It’s hard to concentrate on the instruction, though. There is a brain-numbing, mind-bending chemistry between the two of them. Are the potential rewards worth the dangerous game Ryder is playing?
THE MEDIA’S THOUGHTS:
“(The) chemistry ignites the pages… This is a standout story among the very popular hockey romance trend. Fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips may also enjoy Kennedy’s smart love stories.”
– Booklist (starred review)
“The Graham Effect is peak Elle Kennedy writing—magnetic banter, intoxicating chemistry, and plenty of spice. I devoured this book in one sitting.”- K.A. Tucker, International bestselling author of The Simple Wild
“Seductive college-set hockey romance… As romantic as it is spicy, this will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.”– Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Taking Chances by Molly McAdams
We loved this book so much! We are dying to read the next installment in the Taking Chances and Forgiving Lies series! This book will make you feel all of the emotions.
After 18 years of living under her father’s thumb, Harper is ready to experience life in her own way. She is a little nervous. Some of the jarheads in her career-Marine dad’s unit have told her about some of what goes on at college, and Harper isn’t sure if she’ll be into all of THAT. Or if she will even have the opportunity to do any of THAT!
She arrives at San Diego State University with an open mind. Harper falls in love IMMEDIATELY with Brandon…and with his ridiculously muscled brother, Chase, who is covered in tattoos and is a known troublemaker.
She is truly in love with two men. and those two men are closely related. Harper thought that things would change, but she didn’t realize they would change so quickly…or so drastically. How will she choose? Does she have to? This book is pure guilty pleasure!
THE MEDIA’S THOUGHTS:
Excited to escape her strict father, Harper goes off to college and soon finds herself torn in two as she falls madly in love with both her new boyfriend and her roommate’s hot brother. Both would do anything for her, including take a step back, if it would make her happy. – Library Journal, starred review
Hate by Tate James
If you’ve spent any time on BookTok recently you are probably familiar with TikTok sensation Tate James! In addition to building her online brand, James is a bestselling author of contemporary and romance titles, and she has been know to approach fantasy stories occasionally. According to her ABOUT page on her website, Tate James is a “lover of books, booze, cats and coffee and is most definitely not a morning person. Tate is a bit too sarcastic, swears far too much for polite society, and definitely tells too many dirty jokes.” If that doesn’t pique your interest and make you want to pick up one of her books, I don’t think anything can.
The MADISON KATE series is full of dark romance and enemies-to-lovers tropes. It is referred to as a “new adult/college age” romance. And if the reverse harem theme (one woman with several love interests that she does not have to or want to choose between), so if that isn’t for you, you might want to skip this one!
Madison Kate is a college student (which we really don’t get into too much) who has recently been framed for instigating a riot that resulted in violence and death. She’s allowed back to Shadow Grove, but her heart is filled with hate. All she wants is to exact revenge on the boys who framed her. Imagine her shock when circumstances conspire to make sure that all three of them are actually living in her house.
Archer, Kodiak, and Steele definitely messed with the wrong woman. How deep does her hate REALLY run?
The good news is that there are currently four books in this series, so you have plenty of time to find out! The writing feels a bit choppy in places, but that isn’t surprising since this was an indie-published book prior to getting picked up by Sourcebooks.
THE MEDIA’S THOUGHTS:
“All in all, a great first book in a series that definitely set up the next part of the story. I’m hooked! Do be aware that there are some trigger warnings, so check those out before reading!” – The Book Duchess
The Do-Over by Suzanne Park
This diverse romance is definitely one of our favorite reads of the year. We are all suckers for a second-chance-at-love tale, and this is an excellent addition to the genre!
Lily Lee didn’t actually graduate from college. Well, she DID, but it turns out she didn’t. She’s a few credits shy of finishing her senior year, which she thought she was done with ten years earlier. Lily is finally getting used to being a “mature student”, and things are looking up, until she learns that her computer science TA is no other than Jake Cho, her old college boyfriend.
Things seem to be going well for Jake. He’s handsome, charming, a grad student, and seems to have life figured out. But he didn’t anticipate Lily Lee walking back into his life. Suddenly maybe things aren’t as settled as he’d thought.
The action takes place in the present but there are lots of flashbacks to what their lives were like when they were young and together. This is a lovely story about diverging paths and letting things take their course! Will Jake and Lily finish what they started a decade before in this second chance romance?
THE MEDIA’S THOUGHTS:
“Park’s (So We Meet Again) latest does an excellent job of navigating topics of anxiety, self-doubt, nepotism, and misogyny through an enjoyable second-chance romance with great characters. This book is an essential read and highly recommended.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Some books just feel like an old friend, their first pages embracing you with an instant familiarity and warmth you can’t help but sink into. Suzanne Park’s So We Meet Again is that kind of book…A cinematic, charming heart-squeeze-of-a-book that has found its way to my Ultimate Comfort Reads shelf.” — Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Park’s pitch-perfect comedic timing and knack for creating heartstrings-tugging moments make this thoughtful romance really shine. This is a winner.” — Publishers Weekly
Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood
From the award-winning author of It Sounded Better in My Head comes a deliciously entertaining enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two high school nemeses who end up sharing a house together their first year of college
Brooke is not the really the kind of friend you want to BE, but she is the kind of friend you want to HAVE. She never forgets a birthday because she has a spreadsheet. She is the organizer, the one who pays for the group gift, meal, or trip out of pocket and then chases everyone down for their share of the cost. Brooke is responsible and likes following rules. She avoids conflict. And as she heads off to her freshman year of college, she has every intention of keeping it that way.
Her student housing accommodations have only one rule: no unnecessary drama. This means no fights, tension, or romance between any of the roomies. Brooke doesn’t think this will be an issue. She’s nervous about leaving home for the very first time and is ready to wrap herself in the comfort of structure, new friendships, and peace.
But of course the universe has other ideas! One of her roommates jut so happens to be Jesse, her high school nemesis. Determined to stick to the rules (no unnecessary drama!), Brooke decides to tough it out. Between classes, study groups, activities, and new friends, she won’t be home that frequently any way. She can endure living with Jesse for nine months, they just need to stay out of each other’s orbits. What other speedbumps does the universe have in store for her first year of college? Hint: Jesse becomes a big part of her world.
Unnecessary Drama is a relatively light read, we would put this firmly in the “new adult” reading category. A perfect choice for anyone heading out of their nest to make their way in the world, but may not be a great read for anyone who likes their romance a little more on the “mature” side.
THE MEDIA’S THOUGHTS:
“A fun, breezy read that feels lighthearted but is multilayered, this one will appeal to YA and new adult readers, especially those ready to begin college. Enthusiastically recommended.” ―SLJ“Teens learning to trust again and discovering that drama is sometimes necessary for growth populate this sunny rom-com. . . . Brooke’s high-intensity personality, amicable chatter, and hyper-independence propel the narrative through its believable and hilarious goings-on.” ―Publisher’s Weekly
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
LOCUS AWARD FINALIST – A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, PopSugar, Polygon, The Globe and Mail, She Reads
Of course we had to add a fantasy read in our back-to-school romance book recommendations!
Emily Wilde is not good at people. This is not ideal, because she is a professor at Cambridge and is often expected to make small talk at various department meetings, social events, and even with students after class.
Emily Wilde is VERY good at research and scholarly pursuits. In fact, Emily is the world’s foremost expert on faerie lore. When she arrives in the down-in-the-mouth town named Hrafnsvik on a research trip, she’s all about business. She doesn’t want to talk to any of the standoffish townsfolk, she wants to uncover all of the secrets of the Hidden Ones that are rumored to live in the area. Enter a rival academic, Wendell Bambleby, who manages to make friends with every citizen, which confuses Emily. How does he do it?
As she gets closer and closer to finding true, actual evidence of the Hidden Ones’ existence, Emily finds herself embroiled in another mystery. Who IS Wendell Bambleby REALLY? What does he really want? Emily isn’t at all sure if she wants to solve that particular mystery.
THE MEDIA’S THOUGHTS:
“An incredibly fun journey through fae lands and dark magic”—NPR
“Enchanting in every sense of the word, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a delight of snow-laden forests and changelings, folklore and faerie kings, meticulous footnotes and academic rivalry and adventure. This book is real magic.”—H. G. Parry, author of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep
“Fawcett grabs readers’ attention by drawing them into the folklore as well as the surrounding world. A great read for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Erin Morgenstern.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“The full cast of characters, well-developed faerie lore, and pervasive sense of cold add depth to the delightful proceedings, which include scholarship, yes, but also danger and a hint of romance.”—Booklist (starred review)
