Some people judge books by their covers, others by their blurbs. But smart ones evaluate books by their reviews. Plus, it's super easy to locate reviews on a book's Goodreads page.
When people finish a book, they always leave a rating, but not everyone takes the time to write a review. Hence, not all books get thousands of reviews, but that doesn't make them any less special. While not all books make it to the #1 on a Goodreads ranking, their reviews, albeit less, might help you find your next great read. And while you're at it, make sure to drop a review for your favorite romance. Avoid the bumpy road of spoilers, though.
'Something Wilder' by Christina Lauren
A notorious treasure hunter and terrible father, Duke Wilder left Lily broke and without much patience for the profession. She's tired of her job as a tour guide and miserable about life, but when the man she once loved walks back into her life, Lily is worse than she's ever been. Lily's set on keeping everything business until the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, and the group wonders if maybe the fable of the hidden treasure wasn't a ruse after all.
The newest creation by Christina Lauren, Something Wilder, is a beloved book with just over 4400 reviews on Goodreads.
'Good Girl Complex' by Elle Kennedy
All Mackenzie "Mac" Cabot wants is to grow her internet business, but first, she must get a college degree at her parent's insistence. And she agrees because she's a people pleaser. If realizing her dream means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, so be it. Soon enough, she makes friends with local bad boy Cooper Hartley, and their friendship is perhaps the realest thing in her life. But the only place she's ever felt home is threatened when the secret he's been keeping from her comes to the surface.
One of the best books by Elle Kennedy, Good Girl Complex, is a standalone you could devour quickly, with just over 4000 reviews on Goodreads.
'A Brush With Love' by Mazey Eddings
Harper Horowitz is a dental student anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program, and unlike the way everyone anxiously waits, she has full-blown panic attacks. That's when she crashes (literally) into Daniel Craige. But she can't have any distractions, not even a twenty-six-year-old first-year student who's slowly paving his way through the high walls around her heart. As the two set out to be "just friends," do they have what it takes to deny a connection this strong?
With just over 2200 reviews on Goodreads, A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings is an adorable romance and a strong debut that everyone must have the fortune to peruse.
'Mr. Wrong Number' by Lynn Painter
Olivia Marshall is an unbeatable streak of bad luck - or maybe she's the screw-up her family thinks she is. Whichever the case, this time, she's wound up at her elder brother Jack's house, living with his douchebag and spicy hot roommate Colin Beck. It's sad, until one night, she receives a "What Are You Wearing" text from a random wrong number, her Mr. Wrong Number. It's not long before Colin realizes that the Miss Misdial with whom he's an anonymous relationship is Olivia.
Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter is a sassy, saucy, and stimulating read for whenever you feel like experiencing butterflies, with 3400 reviews on Goodreads.
'The Wedding Crasher' by Mia Sosa
Solange Pereira is ready to abandon D.C. for greener pastures. But she's roped into helping her wedding planner cousin on a random couple's big day. It's easy... until she realizes the pair isn't meant to be. So like a sane woman, she crashes the wedding. And now, Dean Chapman, the groom from the wedding, is begging Solange to be his pretend girlfriend. She agrees to play along because she feels awful about ruining his bi. But how long can these two keep up the charade before the line between fake and real is blurred?
With a little below 2000 reviews, The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa gained popularity because of the author's debut, The Worst Best Man, but didn't gain as many reviews.
'Dating Dr. Dil' by Nisha Sharma
Kareena Mann is a hopeless romantic, but she'd rather restore her car than swipe right on dating apps. But when her father announces he's selling her mother's home, she makes a deal to be engaged within four months if he'll gift her the house, except when her argument with Dr. Prem Verma, host of The Dr. Dil Show, goes viral and the only man in her life is the one she doesn't want.
The first book in the If Shakespeare was an Auntie series, Dating Dr. Dil, is an enjoyable read, more than just a rom-com.
'Weather Girl' by Rachel Lynn Solomon
TV meteorologist Ari Abrams loves the weather as much as the next man loves ice cream. But her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too hung up on her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. The only person who seems to get her is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer. So they set out to patch up their bosses but discover their own undeniable chemistry.
A charming romantic comedy by the author of The Ex Talk, Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon has garnered over 3800 reviews on Goodreads.
'The Layover' by Lacie Waldon
After a decade as a flight attendant, Ava Greene is ready to put down roots and get married to her brilliant and successful fiance. But then she discovers that former pilot Jack Stone - the gorgeous yet pretentious man she's been holding a grudge against for years — is on her flight. She wants to kick him out, but she's not in luck. To make it worse, a quick stop at the Belize airport suddenly becomes a weekend layover. Ava might have to choose between keeping her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds.
A fun and fluffy read, The Layover by Lacie Waldon has less than 2000 reviews on Goodreads.
'The Meeting Point' by Olivia Lara
After getting fired, Maya flies to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend on her birthday. Instead, she finds out that his phone is with a lift driver and drumrolls... he's cheating on her. But this strange lift driver tells her to get on the bus to discover Carmel-by-the-sea and have a memorable birthday, so she does that. Not just that, he offers her an itinerary for one of the best birthdays of her life. But maybe, that's not all they're going to share.
With a beautiful setting that makes you want to teleport into the book, The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara has less than 1000 reviews on Goodreads, but mind you; it might make it to the top ten books of your life.
'Faker' by Sarah Smith
Emmie Echavarre is a professional faker. Working at Nuts & Bolts, a power tool company staffed predominantly by gruff, burly men, would do that to anyone. Every working hour, she's tough as nails, the exact opposite of her easy-going self. But there's one thing she doesn't fake at work: her disdain for her surly, hostile coworker Tate Rasmussen. But things start to change when Emmie and Tate are forced to work together on a charity construction project.
A swoony workplace romance, Faker by Sarah Smith, has over 1300 reviews on Goodreads.