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The bestest thing about romance is that it almost always sneaks up on a person and that unexpected element to it is what gives it its flavor.
In the books on this list, our leads come from cultures that are as diverse as can be, but, somehow, they make it work.
If you’ve been wanting to get sucked into a lovely, dramatic, interracial romance novel, you’re going to love all the books in this list.
There’s everything from old rivals who become lovers to an affianced queer man who finds himself in love with another man — They’re all so amazing.
1. Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu
Tina Das escapes to her cousin’s Delhi wedding to reassess life, but family drama, old flames, and career dilemmas disrupt her plans.
Soon enough, she’s pushed to make some hard, long-avoided decisions while the wedding is underway in the posh country club.
2. Dating Plan by Sara Desai
Software engineer Daisy Patel enlists her childhood crush, Liam Murphy, to pose as her fiancé to appease her matchmaking family.
But, they start actually falling for each other and the unexpected chemistry sweeps them off their feet.
If I know anything about South Asian families, it’s that they’re chaotic and fun in the best way possible, and you’re going to get a healthy dose of swoons and laughs in this interracial romance book.
3. Toddler by Vanessa Riley
Jemina St. Maur, suffering from amnesia and imprisoned in Bedlam, is trying to discover her identity with the help of barrister Daniel Thackery.
While they try to piece together the fragments of her past, they’re drawn together, but facing ruthless adversaries may jeopardize their only chance at happiness.
Also See: 31 Lovely Enemies To Lovers Books That Raise The Bar For Romance
4. Heart and Seoul by Jen Frederick
Korean adoptee Hara Wilson’s identity crisis leads her to Seoul, where she unexpectedly finds love and a new family.
For Hara, risking everything for a chance at romance (even though it’s forbidden) will challenge her sense of belonging but she wants to make it work.
5. We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Wedding planners Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour are rivals who have never been able to stand each other.
But circumstances soon force them together and while rescuing cakes and having heartfelt conversations, they resolve the many misunderstandings that drove them apart.
6. Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo
Azere promised her late father that she would only marry a Nigerian man, and while she doesn’t have an issue with this for the longest time, her unexpected love with Rafael challenges everything she knew to be true.
Ties That Tether made it to my list of the best African romance books, and I love that we see Azere try to develop her sense of cultural belonging and personal happiness.
7. Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
Social media influencer Sara Vance recruits firefighter Luis Navarro to pose as her fiancé during a family vacation.
And while a real relationship wasn’t in the plan, they start sharing secrets and slow kisses and their fake relationship blossoms into something real.
8. Blitzed by Alexa Martin
Football player Maxwell Lewis wants to get redemption with bar owner Brynn Larson after a misunderstanding.
Now, Max must learn to bring his best self forward when he realizes that neither his fame nor gifts have any sway over Brynn.
Related: 11 Best Cohabitation Novels With Swoony Romance You Need To Read
9. Love, Chai and Other Four-Letter Words by Annika Sharma
In this lovely cross-cultural romance, Kiran and Nash confront their personal fears and family expectations while nursing their budding feelings for each other.
10. Ana Maria and the Fox by Diana Dela Rosa
Ana María Luna Valdés finds freedom and love with Gideon Fox in London, but this relationship defies her familial expectations.
What I absolutely loved about this book is that it blends politics and romance and the character development is one of the best I’ve ever read.
11. The Other Man by Farhad J. Dadyburjor
Ved Mehra is a queer man who’s still in the closet and his life is relatively peaceful until his parents set the ball rolling for his arranged marriage.
In time, he finds himself shuffling between his two equally amazing partners – his arranged bride and his boyfriend – and the back and forth eventually takes a toll on his mental health.
If cheating is a hard trigger for you, you’re going to want to steer away from this book because while Prem’s actions are totally understandable, cheating is very much inexcusable and it was a little hard to get through.
Also See: 22 Lovely Queer Adult Romance Books That Show The Beauty of LGBTQ+ Relationships
12. American Royalty by Tracey Livesay
Rapper Duchess and reclusive royal Prince Jameson jump from one misunderstanding to the other and soon a Disney-like romance blooms between them.
I’m a relentless slut for cute book covers, so reading this beautiful BWWM cross-cultural romance book was a no-brainer — I loved every bit of it.
13. After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez
Alex Torres and Jeremiah Post are two very strong personalities with different goals as it concerns the renovation and/or demolition of a bar, so they clash at every turn.
What they don’t know is that each is hiding a world of hurt of their own and once they get closer, they each let down their spikes and walk towards healing.
And, that’s a wrap – Will you read any of these cross-cultural romance books? Let me know in the comments section.
Don’t forget to check out the related posts below if you want some more recommendations that you can read this weekend.
