Romance 
July 2026
Coming Soon to the Waterford Public Library
Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Extracurricular
by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Wilder has spent her whole life in the spotlight. After a hit kids' TV show, she transitioned into music, singing in arenas around the world and becoming an icon for millions of teenage girls. Now at age twenty-six, exhausted by the inhumane lack of privacy, she's done--with all of it. She wants a chance at normal, whatever that might mean for her. And she's starting with college. Professor Nick Navarro is recently divorced but determinedly optimistic, allowing himself a very reasonable ten minutes per day to wallow. When his department calls a meeting about a celebrity enrollment, he plans to treat whoever it is like any other student. Except when Ramona blazes into class and causes an uproar, the typically easygoing professor is rattled, maybe for the first time in his career. Ramona loves the way she flusters him, taking every opportunity to push Nick's buttons, though what she really wants is to unbutton them completely. When a crisis brings them closer outside of class, they begin a tentative friendship amid an undeniable attraction. But Ramona can't be so easily finished with her old life, and they'll both have to confront their pasts if they want a chance at something real.
Married with Benefits by Ellie Palmer
Married with Benefits
by Ellie Palmer

For better or worse is just the beginning. Lainey Davis can't wait for the day she'll be able to escape her tiny Wisconsin town. But she's not even close to covering her health insurance premiums and pricey migraine medication, let alone saving up enough to start over some place new. That is, until Lainey learns that through the archaic legal doctrine of adverse possession, she's inadvertently squatted her way into owning a marvel of modern architecture. But Lainey owns only the house. The surrounding property, a lakeside money pit the previous owner used as a front to deal illegal reptiles, has been willed to Elliot Hodges, a D.C. architect who wants to rent out the place to fellow architecture lovers. Their assets are tied together, but neither can move forward without the other. Desperate, Elliot proposes an unconventional arrangement: marry him for health insurance and in exchange, Lainey will allow him to buy her out. Win-win: Lainey will finally have a way out of town, and he'll own the house designed by his idol. Married in name only and living together while fixing up the property, Lainey and Elliot find themselves unable to keep their hopes, dreams, or bedsheets from getting entwined. And as their connection grows, Lainey's no longer sure what's more terrifying: leaving Elliot behind or letting him in.
The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
The Romance Revival
by Christina Lauren

Three years ago, scientist Emery Finch did something completely out of character: She got married. To Luca--the impossibly charming landscaper she met on one blistering night in Vegas who made her laugh, made her dance, made her feel. But now, Emery is consumed by her top research, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and promising herself Luca will understand once her cutting-edge discoveries come to light. Until the unthinkable happens: A tragic accident takes Luca from her. Desperate not to lose him, Emery breaks every rule, using the classified technology she's developed to bring him back to life. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her. Their first kiss, their Sunny Sundays at the beach, the life they built together...all of it is gone. It may be a miracle of science, but for Emery it's her one shot at a second chance. And this time, she won't waste it--because true love is always worth reviving.
Every Version of You by Natalie Messier
Every Version of You
by Natalie Messier

Joey Vasquez's life is the definition of good on paper. At thirty-two, she's a lawyer on the cusp of making partner, she owns her house in Los Angeles, and she almost keeps pace with her doctor sister in her parents' eyes. When she reluctantly arrives at the very couple-y dinner party hosted by Elijah Aarons, the best friend she's secretly pined after for fourteen years, she's dismayed to find that the last person on earth she'd ever want to see again is also there: Alex Aquino. Your basic rich Silicon Beach bro asshole. The night couldn't possibly get worse--and then she dies. When Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself eighteen again, the year she first met both Elijah and Alex. Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she's come back to finally convince the one man she ever loved to love her back--so why does she find herself strangely drawn to the man she thought she hated?
In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
In Stormy Weather
by Chelsea Curto

Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe's parade. She's a woman in STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram. Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn. Sebastian is her best friend's brother, her longtime academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy. Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?
Yes, Chef: A Romance Novel by Grace Reilly
Yes, Chef: A Romance Novel
by Grace Reilly

After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan's most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that's before Poppy Winfield, the blond, bubbly, utterly infuriating daughter of his former boss, shows up at his dock. Poppy needs to escape. From her disapproving family, her horrible ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself--and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, prickly, intimidating man she's ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at. She knows Jack is desperate to come back from his unceremonious firing, so she proposes a deal: working together to open a revamped version of his mentor's restaurant. He'll handle the menu, and she'll use her skill as a social media influencer to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make the restaurant a success, it'll be an accomplishment no one can deny--and a ticket for them both to return to New York. Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: if Poppy's going to work for him, she must learn the ropes of the entire business. Including how to cook. From him. As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen and tensions reach a boiling point, Poppy and Jack are left wondering--could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?
Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine
Not That Kind of Proposal
by Victoria Lavine

Gracie Holland can plan the perfect Happily Ever After--unless it's her own. After a soul-flattening breakup, she's rebuilt her life planning weddings at Larkwood--an ivy-covered Rhode Island estate where she lives in the staff cottage (and only occasionally cries herself into a blanket burrito). But when her beloved boss passes away and leaves the estate to her grandson, Gracie suddenly finds herself pitted against a love-allergic divorce lawyer determined to sell Larkwood by summer's end--even if it means crushing his grandmother's legacy and everyone's jobs beneath his polished wingtips. As someone who cleans up romantic disasters for a living, Jude Larkwood has no intention of keeping the estate as a wedding venue, no matter how much he loved his Nana. Selling it is critical for reasons he can't discuss, but there's just one problem: his Nana inexplicably left the guest cottage to the estate's maddeningly romantic wedding planner, who has somehow turned his mind into her permanent residence. So, when Gracie proposes that he help her plan her ex's shotgun wedding to prove Larkwood is worth saving, he agrees--on one condition. If she fails to convince him by the big day, she'll sell him her cottage. But as bickering and cake tastings turn into late-night confessions, Gracie and Jude find themselves breaking every vow not to fall for each other. After all, opposites may attract--but can a hopeless romantic and a professional cynic really say I do to their own love story?
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