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Sometimes I’m in the mood to read a book that will rip my heart out and then stitch it back in. And then to recover from that, I need some fluffy romances. Fluffy romance books can have a lot in common with cozy romance books, but I do think they are key differences. To me, coziness is about establishing an inviting atmosphere that manifests in storytelling modes, settings, professions, and plot lines. Meanwhile, I think of fluffiness as an emotional register. Rather than experiencing the full gamut of human emotion, fluffy romance books steer characters away from the lowest of the lows. The best fluffy romance novels hold readers gently. The characters take care of each other, fall in love tenderly, and resolve conflict without big drama.
When you think of the word “wholesome,” fluffy romances may come to mind. After all, characters in fluffy romance books are generally sweet and emotionally fluent. Fluffy romance does not necessarily avoid on-page sex scenes, however. Some of my very favorite romances are both wholesome and horny, in fact! If you are looking for books with no sex or closed-door sex, we can help with that. But today, we’re looking at the books that make you say “awwww.”
Who We Could Be by Chelsea M. Cameron
Are you ready for this? This fluffy romance is inspired by the relationship between Anne and Diana in Anne of Green Gables. Let the “bosom friends” jokes commence! But seriously. Tessa and Monty are BFFS, and they are both engaged to other people. When both of their romantic relationships fall apart, the two of them come together and realize what’s been there all along. My heart simply can’t take it.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Romances that delve into the paranormal can be fluffy, too. In the world of this book, witches live alone to keep themselves safe from unwanted attention. Mika Moon mostly obeys the rules. But when she receives a request to help three young witches harness their powers, she throws the rules out the window and moves to Nowhere House. There she finds her charges, as well as a found family, and a very handsome, if grumpy, librarian named Jamie. This one is heartwarming as all get-out.
A Taste of Honey by Rose Lerner
While this novella is part of the Lively St. Lemeston historical romance series, you can absolutely read it on its own. Like plenty of fluffy and cozy romances, this one overlaps emotional sweetness with actual sugary sweetness. Robert has closed his confectionery for a week to dedicate himself to a huge catering order. He needs shop girl Betsy to help him in the kitchen. She sees it as the perfect opportunity to make him realize he ought to fall in love with her. And will her seduction tactics work? Let’s just say she’s got him pegged (wink, wink).
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Bingo Love Volume 1: Jackpot Edition by Tee Franklin, art by Jenn St. Onge and Joy San
More fluffy romance graphic novels, please. This one is an absolute dream. Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray met in a church bingo hall back in the 1960s. The timing wasn’t right for them then, as they were both married to men and had kids. But decades later, they reunite at bingo and their season for love is about to start. This Jackpot Edition has auxiliary material that include many more artists and writers including romance rockstar Alyssa Cole.
Muscles & Monsters by Ashley Bennett
Of course I’m throwing a monster romance into the fluffy romance pile! And yes, it also has a confectionery element. Determined to be strong enough to lift big cakes, Tegan joins the gym owned by Atlas, the werewolf whose mighty muscles once helped her out in a pinch. This kind of premise is why I love romance, dear readers. This one does have some mention of an emotionally abusive ex. Also, you might want to know what you’re getting into when it comes to how werewolf sex works! Here’s a little explainer.
Guarding Temptation by Talia Hibbert
Talia Hibbert is a master of the fluffy romance. While you could choose from her backlist and be virtually guaranteed to find a book to delight you with its wholesomeness, I picked Guarding Temptation to spotlight. It’s a best friend’s little sister romance, pairing political blogger Nina with James, who acts as her bodyguard after an article Nina wrote made her a target of a hate campaign. I know that sounds dire, but trust me, both Talia Hibbert and James will keep us all safe.
Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau
Here’s another literally sweet romance. In it, actor Ryan Kwok agrees to appear on a celebrity episode of Baking Fail. He doesn’t really have much else going on. He asks Lindsay, who runs an innovative bakery, to teach him the ropes. Although their first encounter was something of a meet-disaster, she agrees, because that spark was undeniable. On the whole, it’s a very fluffy romance, but both main characters are grieving the loss of a parent if that’s something you wish to avoid.
For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes
This book proves romances with a prominent BDSM element can be fluffy, too. This novel follows the titular April, a trans woman who is a deeply caring, maternal figure at her local kink club. She’s also very guarded with her heart when it comes to romantic attachments. Dennis is new to town and new to the club. While they first share a flirtation, it turns into so much more. It’s a truly outstanding romance about the building of trust and the breaking of walls.
I hope you’ve found something temptingly sweet here, but maybe I haven’t quite matched your particular tastes. Perhaps you need a fluffy vampire romance? Or maybe a romance with gentle sports touches? Check out the dedicated bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations. They will help you find the fluffy romance of your dreams.
