BEST BOOKS OF 2015

Here’s my list of Best Books of 2015!! All of these are books I’d recommend for all fans of romance! Most of them were released in 2015, but there are a few released in previous years that I read in 2015 that are also included. Click my review links for more details on each one, or just click directly on the titles to purchase your copy. Enjoy and HAPPY READING!! 🙂

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The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel (Read my Review)

OMG. OMG. OH. MY. GOD!!! This was one of THE best books I have EVER read in my whole life. I UGLY CRIED. This isn’t a tragic story and it’s not depressing (it’s a happy ending, I don’t want to scare you away). It’s just POWERFUL beyond. One of the most profoundly BEAUTIFUL and UNIQUE stories I’ve ever read. I’ve never read a storyline like this. As I read, I’d get these full body CHILLS (and then tears right after) over and over and over again. The EMOTIONS it evoked were totally overpowering. I absolutely LOVED it. My first 6 STAR rating of the year!

 

The Mason List by SD Hendrickson (Read my Review)

HOLY WOW!!! This book was just BREATHTAKING!! I truly LOVED it and truly FELT this story with all my heart and soul. My heart raced with the intensity as this epic childhood friends-to-lovers romance built over the years and I honestly had tears in my eyes for the whole last 80% of the book. And that epilogue was perfect!!! This easily was one of the most BEAUTIFUL stories I’ve read.

A TOP FAVORITE STANDALONE. 5+++ STARS!!!

 

Fisher’s Light by Tara Sivec (Read my Review)

WOW. WOW. WOW!! I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK!!! I finished it with my heart overflowing with emotions. This story captivated me from the first page and I was literally unable to put it down until I finished!!! I was highlighting quotes non-stop!! This was exactly the kind of book that I most LOVE to read! A heart-wrenching, achingly BEAUTIFUL story of true love spanning 15 years. It’s a second chance military romance and one of the BEST books I’ve EVER read. A TOP RECOMMENDATION!!!! Everyone should read this!! 5+++ STARS!!!

 

The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar (Read my Review)

I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVED THIS BOOK!!! Fierce, powerful, and absolutely breathtaking, this beautifully-written book will sweep you away in an epic love story that spans years and lasts a lifetime. The Paper Swan is a must-read for any romance readers who are searching for a completely unique story that’ll captivate you from start to finish. While the twists and turns are intense, gritty, and sometimes even dark, this was actually one of the sweetest and most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read. I loved every word and HIGHLY recommend it! 5 STARS!!

 

November 9 by Colleen Hoover (Read my Review)

WOW. WOW. WOW!!!! This book blew me away!!! I read it in one sitting with my heart racing the whole time!! The story was SO unique and unexpected that it took me completely by surprise over and over again!! I swooned, I fell in love, my heart was broken, and then healed again. And THE TWIST!!!!! Holy hell, that twist!!! Total shocker but I LOVED it. This book was perfect from cover to cover and definitely one of the BEST BOOKS of the year!! 5 stars!! — I have loved every single book that Colleen Hoover has written. Her stories just reach right into my heart and this was another top-notch winner — a fantastic top recommendation!

 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Read my Review)

OMG. OMG. OMG. This book was absolutely BREATHTAKING. I was unable to put down since I started. It has over 1000 5-star ratings and a 4.8/5 rating average (which is HUGE!!) and now I completely understand why. It OWNED my heart!! In many ways, this was quite different than the usual books I read. It’s not specifically a love story, but there is a love story in it. Regardless, it was just so POWERFUL and the writing blew me away!! [STANDALONE]
— “In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.”

 

The Five Stages of Falling In Love by Rachel Higginson (My Review)

*wipes happy tears* This was such a BEAUTIFUL and heartfelt book. It broke my heart, healed it, and made me truly believe in second chances. — It’s about a woman whose beloved husband and father to their four young children dies leaving her alone to cope with her overwhelming grief and to hold their family together. Six months later, a man moves in next door who changes her life. Slowly. Patiently. One day at a time, he helps her heal and shows her that it’s possible to keep living, to find happiness, and even love again, without having to forget the past.

 

A Pound of Flesh by Sophie Jackson (Read my Review)

SQUEEEEEEE!!!!! I absolutely LOOOOOVED this!!! If you love SEXY BAD BOY heroes and unique love stories, then you have to try this!!!! The thrill of their forbidden romance kept my heart RACING the whole way through. I swooned over their love for each other, and really appreciated the way there was no ‘stupid’ drama. And now I just can’t stop smiling because the story was just so freaking GOOD!!!! I adored it!!! It’s about a “strong-minded prison tutor who discovers that her sexy bad-boy student is far more than he appears to be…”

 

Vanguard by CJ Markusfeld (Read my Review)

OMG. OMG. OMG!!!! I absolutely loooooooooooooved this!!!!! From the moment I read the prologue, I was hooked and could NOT put it down even for a single minute!! I cried, laughed, swooned, was totally overwhelmed with emotion, and even had to take little “breathers” before turning the page because it could get literally that intense!!! It had ALL THE FEELS. This story was 100% unique and unlike any other I’ve ever read. It’s a modern-day wartime love story with fantastic writing, strong characters, a gripping and emotional tale, and an epic romance that kept my heart racing from start to finish. This was smart, intelligent romance. Total BOOK HEAVEN!! And I’d recommend it for anyone who loved The Bronze Horseman (yup, I went there!!) It’s quite outside-the-box, but if you love “different” love stories, definitely try this!!

 

Confess by Colleen Hoover (Read my Review)

I absolutely LOVED everything about this book!! It was beautiful, heart-wrenching, unique, and unputdownable. The story is also SO much more than meets the eye.

Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping a major secret from coming out… To save their relationship, all Owen needs to do is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin.

 

Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley (My Review)

Bad boy biker alert!! HOLY FREAKING SQUEEEEE!!!! This is easily one of the best books Kristen Ashley has written (Chaos series)! I loved every single word in every single scene. From the gorgeously heartfelt romance that made me swoon over and over again, to the thrilling cameos that will have any true KA fan jumping for joy, and the intensely badass showdowns, this was pure Alpha male romance perfection!! The heroine is the single mom just out of an ugly divorce who falls in love with a guy she’d crushed on in high school! 5 STARS!!

 

Walk Through Fire by Kristen Ashley (My Review)

What a gorgeous love story!! Kristen Ashley really outdid herself. The emotional journey that Logan and Millie went through and the depth of their love — the things they sacrificed for their love — just hit me so hard. Theirs was the kind of ‘bottom of your soul, straight to your gut’ epic love that made them willing to walk through fire for each other. I cried, I swooned, and I completely adored this book!! If you’re a fan of emotional, heart-felt second chance romance, and you happen to love Alpha male heroes and bikers, then this book and series are must-reads!

 

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Read my Review)

SQUEEEEEE!!!! Omg!! Wow, I totally ADORED this book so freaking much!!! My gosh, that last 10% was seriously loaded with feels!! This was honestly one of the BEST BOOKS I’ve read this year. The story was unlike any other I’ve read, the writing was AMAZING, and it kept me glued to the page. It was totally unconventional and gave such a UNIQUE perspective on finding your soul mate and one true love. I cried, I laughed, my heart felt like it was bursting with emotions. I LOVED IT!!! 5++ STARS!!!

 
 

The Deal by Elle Kennedy (Read my Review)

This was one of the best college romance I’ve read. It had epic banter, sexy romance, and fantastic writing!! I laughed, I swooned, I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!! Fans of Beautiful Disaster or Wait For You should definitely check this out! — The heroine makes a deal with the college bad boy. She’d tutor him if he helped her catch the eye of a guy she was crushing on. But when the bad boy begins to fall for her, he has to convince her that HE is really the guy she wants.

 
 

Hawthorne & Heathcliff by R.K. Ryals (Read my Review)

What a BEAUTIFUL story!! I was wiping happy tears at the end! The UNIQUE feel originally grabbed my attention and the gorgeous writing hooked me. It’s deeply introspective, almost poetic, but a very REAL, HEART-FELT story about an awkward girl with a past full of heartache and a good-looking boy she meets in high school who saw past her pain and, no matter what happened, he never gave up on her. This is their journey over 8 years of self discovery, first love, and second chances. I have almost 50 highlighted quotes in my book. It’s YA/NA and totally non-formulaic. If you’re in the mood for something different, definitely try this!

 

Thirty Nights by Ani Keating (Read My Review)

OMG!!! What an amazing book!! This literally was everything I could want in a romance: well-written, intelligent, sexy, addictive. It made my heart race and my palms tingle, it made me swoon and FEEL and totally fall in LOVE with this couple!!! The story captured that same “spark” (as I call it) that Twilight, Fifty Shades, Crossfire have (to me at least). There’s just this INTENSE attraction between them, but also circumstances which *could* keep them apart that ultimately serves to bring them closer. There’s chemistry, mystery, and seduction. It’s beautifully erotic, sensual and smouldering, but tasteful. Ah, I LOVED everything about it and I can’t wait for the next book. This is a TOP FAVORITE!!!!

 

Where One Goes by BN Toler (Read my Review) 

A truly UNIQUE love story!! — “One minute, I’m about to leap to my death, and the next, I’m saved by a strong, striking soldier. He’s the kind of man that smiles and brightens an entire room. Sweet and gentle. He is my savior. And he’s dead. We’ve made an agreement… I’ll help him with his unfinished business so that he may crossover. His unfinished matter involves his twin brother… When I agreed to help, little did I know that I’d fall in love… Now, I am faced with a cruel predicament. In saving one brother, I must let go of the other…”

 

Heart-Shaped Hack by Tracey Garvis Graves (Read my Review)

This book had me laughing, smiling, and SWOONING non-stop!! I appreciated so much that there was literally no stupid drama. It was just this gorgeous romance with two people who fell madly in love and did everything they could to STAY together. There were definitely heart-stopping moments (omg 70%!!!!) but I totally loved the ride!! Plus, there was so much FANTASTIC banter (I have so many highlights!!) and sexy ROMANCE that it was an awesome, HEART-WARMING read mixed with a little mystery because the hero had a whole secret identity that the heroine didn’t know about at first… This is definitely a top favorite!

 

The Man I Love by Suanne Laqueur (Read my Review)

WOW WOW WOW!!! This book’s WRITING was exquisite! It was a very slow-building, detailed story, but one where EVERY detail mattered. Everything was connected and had DEPTH. It was vivid, powerful and UNIQUE. It told a love story that spanned 10-15 years (they were in love in college but a school shooting tore them apart), but didn’t follow ANY rules. Normally that would be scary to me but the way that everything was portrayed made me really *get* where these characters came from. And I was honestly blown away by how much I FELT and how BEAUTIFULLY it was written. It’s like I lived the story with them. It just felt REAL.

 

Broken Juliet by Leisa Rayven (Read my Review)

SQUEEE!! This was the perfect conclusion to Bad Romeo (Review) and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!! If you’re a fan of intensely passionate love stories — I’m talking the kind of love that doesn’t let go even after years apart and the deepest hurt, where you just KNOW in your heart that these two people are MEANT for each other, then you have to read these!! Plus the hero is a deliciously tormented, moody, and insanely HOT bad boy who is just crazy in love with the heroine… Gah. I LOVE HIM!!! Read these books!!! The 2 books together tell a complete story!

 

Kane’s Hell by Elizabeth Finn (Read my Review)

WOW!!! I absolutely LOVED this book. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I totally loved it!!!! There are very DARK, GRITTY parts of the storyline, but it’s also deeply, intensely, beautifully, and painfully ROMANTIC. It’s raw, emotional, erotic, and had this SPARK that made my heart race and kept me CONNECTED to the story. Please be warned that the main couple share a very painful past which could include triggers for some readers. It is genuinely horrific and not glossed over. (Note: there are several chapters – the flashbacks – near the beginning that had me questioning whether I could or even wanted to handle this story, but I’m SO GLAD I kept going). They do get through it, and their journey back together and the way they helped each other HEAL through their undeniable and undying LOVE for each other was just gorgeous. I’ve written a detailed review (with an optional, hidden spoiler section in case anyone needs it). I don’t think this book will be for every reader, but I LOVED it. For me, this is a 2015 FAVORITE!!!! It’s a standalone with a gorgeous ending! — “Everything in my life seems to bring me to you.”

 

Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre (Read My Review)

I totally LOVED this standalone “opposites attract” Hollywood romance!! It was SEXY, fun, and fantastically well written (seriously, such STRONG writing), with an intense hate-to-love romance that made my heart race!! The perfect balance of ANGST, HUMOR, and HOTNESS!!! I laughed, I swooned, I couldn’t stop reading. The hero is a world-famous superstar actor and the heroine is a girl from a small-town. Their worlds collided after he read a book about her town and decided to make a movie about it… “From the start, I knew he was trouble. For our town. And for me… Sometimes, opposites just aren’t meant to attract.”

 

Pocketful of Sand by M. Leighton (Read my Review)

WOW!! This was just gorgeous! The hero was a mysterious, gorgeous man with a heart-breaking past, and the heroine was a single mom of a little girl…

I don’t know what makes a great love story. I only know what makes my love story. Finding him when I did, saved me. He was more broken than I was, but we took each other’s shattered pieces and made a whole. If that is what makes a great love story, then mine… ours is the greatest of them all.

 

Sustained by Emma Chase (Read my Review)

If you’re a fan of stories with heroes/heroines with kids, then you HAVE to get this!! The heroine is the legal guardian of her late brother’s six kids, and the hero is roped into her life after a chance encounter with her… and now he just can’t stop thinking about her. OMG this book is just HILARIOUS!!! The scenes with the kids are ADORABLE!!! And it’s told from the guy’s POV which is pure GOLD!! It was hilariously funny, sexy, romantic, heart-warming, and kinda badass with that lawyer stuff too. Best of all, you can read it as a standalone romance!

 

Cross The Line by Julie Johnson (Read my Review)

SQUEEE!!! I absolutely LOOVED this!! It was such a great mix of everything I could want in a kickass romance!!! It was SEXY, SWOONY, SASSY, and SWEET, but also suspenseful, hilarious, emotional, and fast-paced. The feisty heroine had me laughing out loud soooo many times, and the mysterious brooding Alpha hero stole my heart!!! It’s either a forbidden or unrequited love story (depending on whether you look at it from his or her perspective) with epic, rapid fire banter, witty and sarcastic inner monologue, and a whole lot of romance!! She’s been in love with him since they were kids, but since she’s his best friend’s little sister, she’s always been off-limited to him even though he’s always been drawn to her. But when her life is put in danger, he steps in to protect her… You can read it as a standalone and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for an AWESOME light-hearted romance with a dash of suspense!!

 

Because of Ellison by MS Willis (Read my Review)

WOW!!! I read this GORGEOUS book in one sitting!! It hooked me right from the prologue and the EMOTIONS in the epilogue were just SO powerful!! I LOVED it!! — It begins fifty years into the future. The hero is now an older man, a genius, who has discovered the cure for cancer and is about to give a speech in front of an entire medical community. He was supposed to talk about the medical accomplishments. But instead he told them the truth of where it started. About a summer when he was 19… and a girl who defied him and stole his heart. It all started because of her.

 

Hero by Samantha Young (Read my Review)

I LOOOOOOOVED THIS BOOK!!!! It was exciting, addictive, sexy, well-written… everything I had hoped for!!! The hero could be an ass at times BUT he definitely had a heart and the heroine was determined to bring out his softer side. She was strong and sassy and he was this was this Alpha, dominant, wealthy CEO with a dark history and “kind of honourable in a fucked-up way.” I loved their banter and sexual tension, and the way their shared history gave the story layers. I highly recommend this especially for fans of the Crossfire series!

 

Every Wrong Reason by Rachel Higginson (Read My Review)

WOW!! What a BEAUTIFUL book! I loved every word and am sitting here wiping away the happy tears. It was such a powerful, emotional, and deeply profound journey. This story OWNED my heart. I was SO emotionally connected on every page and just FELT so much for it. It was raw and honest, but passionate and heart-felt. I cried, I hoped, I swooned, I was rooting for this couple so hard. The writing was just GORGEOUS (I have endless quotes highlighted) and I especially loved that this author showed a very rarely-seen side of contemporary romance by tackling both the subjects of marriage AND divorce… [standalone romance]

 

The Play by Karina Halle (Read my Review)

Sexy sports player alert!! I read this book in one sitting and loved it! It was a heart-warming, sexy romance featuring a swoony yet damaged Alpha hero with a painful past and a heart of gold, and a feisty, free-spirited heroine who he fell in love with. If you’re looking for a great new read, definitely give this one a shot! — “Why the hell did I have to meet this beast, this superman, who blows my mind in the bedroom, mows down rugby players for a living, rescues helpless animals, looks like a fucking god, and just happens to cook, just before he has to leave?”

 

Never Let You Go by Katy Regnery (Read my Review)

HOLY HELL!!! I read reading this in one non-stop sitting because I could NOT put it down. I mean seriously… THE ANGST!!!!! Gah. *clutches heart* It’ll be a while before my heart rate to go back to normal, but WOW, it was unputdownable!!! It felt like I barely blinked or stopped to breathe because I was flipping the pages so fast…… It was sweet and romantic, heart-breaking and painful, angsty as all freaking hell, and really just a gorgeous story of UNDYING LOVE!!! The story was unique and it’s a complete standalone so if you’re looking for a new read, try this!

 

Here With Me and Choose Me by Heidi McLaughlin (Read my Double Review) 

HOLYYYYY SHIT!!!!! I read both Here With Me and Choose Me back-to-back because I literally COULD. NOT. PUT. THEM. DOWN!!!! Together they tell a complete story and seriously, IT WAS AWESOME!!!!! OMG. My heart!!! Gah!!! The feels!!! It kept me glued to the page from start to finish and I HIGHLY recommend them!! (military romance)

 

Consolation & Conviction by Corinne Michaels (Read my Double Review)

SQUEEEEEE!!!!! I also read these two back-to-back and LOVED them!!! I couldn’t put either of them down even for a minute!!! They were addictive, thrilling, emotional, romantic, sexy, and had ALL THE FEELS!!! If you love big, strong Alpha male heroes, heroines with kids, and military romances, then these are must-read!! Definitely a new favorite for me!!!

 

Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty (Read my Review)

“A murder. A tragic accident…. Someone is dead. But who did what?”

WOAHHHH!!!! This was a genre change for me because I was just craving something “different” so I gave this a try and was BEYOND impressed with it!! The writing was FANTASTIC — starkly honest, detailed, introspective, observant, multi-sided… the story kept me guessing right up til the end. Gah. It was POWERFUL. I totally get why they’re making it into a movie. 5 STARS!!

 

The Strongest Steel by Scarlett Cole (Read my Review)

TATTOOED HERO FANS!!! This was a great book!! The sexy, tattooed hero had me swooooooooning!!! The heroine had survived an attack that left her back covered in scars and the hero was a talented tattoo artist whose specialty was inking over scars. When she shows up at his studio, he cant turn her down, and designs the perfect tattoo while fighting his intense feelings for her that grow with each tattooing session… This story was swoony, heart-meltingly romantic, a little suspenseful (her ex was a real piece of work), a lot sexy… with a hot, protective Alpha male hero!! (It’s a standalone)

 

Rush by Emma Scott (Read my Review)

This was a really touching story! The first few chapters were a little slow but once they officially met, I was hooked. If you loved the “feeling” of Me Before You (minus the ugly-crying), then definitely try this! — The hero used to be a pro extreme sports athlete who was blinded and severely injured in a cliff diving accident. With his life and dreams shattered, he was left bitter and angry and shut himself away the world until the heroine arrived to work for him as a live-in assistant. She was a prodigy musician who’d suffering her own loss as well but they began to help each other heal as they fell unexpectedly in love…

 

Beyond What Is Given by Rebecca Yarros (Read My Review)

So, I’ve literally been meaning to read one of this author’s books for over a year and I’m so glad I finally did because I loved it!!! I finished reading this book with my heart racing and SO full of happy feels!!! Even though the story started a little slow and on the light side, oh-my-gosh did it ever get ANGSTY!!!!! There was this whole complex “situation” going on that kept me flipping pages like crazy!!!!!! And I loved that the story kept surprising me too!! If you’re looking for a romance with a swoony, sexy Alpha hero with a heart-breaking past and quite a unique storyline, then definitely try this book!! (military romance)
 

Withering Hope by Layla Hagen (Read my Review)

I finished this brand new standalone romance while wiping away tears just because of how BEAUTIFUL the epilogue was!! The story is about a woman who is on her way to her wedding when her private jet crashes in the rainforest. With no communication to the outside world and barely any supplies, she and her pilot have to work together to survive. And the more time they spend together, they slowly begin to fall in love… If you’re looking for a “different” love story, give this a try!!

 
 

King by T.M. Frazier (Read my Review)

Holy wow, I totally LOVED this book!! Dark and gritty, sweet and sexy, raw and shocking, and utterly addictive, with an unapologetic, badass Alpha male hero and unexpected twists that I never saw coming!! — Homeless. Hungry. Desperate. Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from. A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross… When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go.

 
 

Everything I Left Unsaid & The Truth About Him (Read my Review)

This 2-book series was HOT HOT HOT!! With it’s sexy mysterious hero, strong feisty heroine, and captivating story, I was addicted from start to finish!!! Seriously, the hero was just the kind of guy I fall in LOVE with most… scarred and sexy … just mysterious enough to keep me wondering, just tortured enough to tug my heart strings, just sweet enough to make me swoon, just dangerous enough to give him an edge, but with that possessive and protective edge that defines him as an ALPHA male. I loved him, I loved her, and I loved the series!!

 

➜ Virtuous (Quantum Trilogy #1) by MS Force (Read my Review)
➜ Valorous (Quantum Trilogy #2) by MS Force (Read my Review)
➜ Victorious (Quantum Trilogy #3) by MS Force (Read my Review)

SQUEEEEE!!! I read this trilogy back-to-back and LOOOVED every word!!! My heart was RACING from the first chapter — the CHEMISTRY was off-the-charts!!! — and I literally could not put it down!! — The hero is a world famous movie star who is also a sexual Dominant… and he falls in love with a young teacher he runs into at a park who has sworn off sex. They’re total opposites but they’re trying to make a relationship work. I loved EVERYTHING about the entire series so far!!! Pure BOOK HEAVEN!!! (Erotic BDSM romance. Recommended for fans of Fifty Shades/Crossfire)

 

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (Read My Review)

WOW. WOW. WOW!!!! This was one of the most breathtaking books that I have ever read in my entire life. And I do not say that lightly. I cried so hard I couldn’t even see the pages. The emotions were overpowering and all-consuming. It also has THE. MOST. BEAUTIFUL. EPILOGUE. of all-time. The only other book that has made me cry this hard before has been The Bronze Horseman which is my favorite book in the world… My God, THE FEELS!!!! What began as a family mystery turned into an EPIC story of love and survival. I rarely give this rating, but this was 6 STARS!

 

Night Road by Kristin Hannah (Read My Review)

5 STARS!!!!! My God, after finishing this book, I feel like I’ve been through some kind of emotional marathon. My heart is racing. I feel out of breath. There are tears in my eyes. AND I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! It’s not a romance in the sense that the guy-meets-girl isn’t the sole focus, but the heart of the story is ALL about different relationships and there IS a love story in it. SUCH an intensely beautiful, heart-wrenching love story (like the kind of love that is always in your heart even if it can’t always be acted on) and just… ALL THE FEELS!!!! Holy wow, this author can WRITE like you wouldn’t believe. I loved it. *deep breath* LOVED IT.

 

The Siren (The Original Sinners #1) by Tiffany Reisz (Read my Review)

WOW!!! So, I’ve finally worked up the courage to read this book that I’ve literally had since 2012. I was equally curious about and yet kinda scared to read it… but I’m glad I read it because OMG… it was GOOD!!! The writing was AMAZING! The story was verrryyy different than a lot of what I read. It’s an erotic BDSM world and while there was definitely love, it was NOT at all a traditional romance. It was taboo and shocking at times, raw but extremely honest, very intricate and complex… It took me WAY the hell out of my usual “reading comfort zone” but I loved it!

 

The Angel (The Original Sinners #2) by Tiffany Reisz  (Read my Review)

OMG. OMG!!!!! Holyyy hell, THIS book was fucking BRILLIANT!!!! Gah. Wow. Ok, I did love the first book but NOW I seriously GET why so many of you absolutely L.O.V.E. this series. I get it. The feels. THE FEELS!!! Holy intensity!! I have tears in my eyes, my heart is racing and full to bursting. Ahhhh!! Yes, a few scenes definitely had me going WhatTheFuckDidIJustRead?! but that’s part of the thrill. This may not be a romance, but my gosh is there ever LOVE on such a STRONG level. And LAYERS. Layers upon layers to this story. I’m in pure awe.

 

Worth It by Linda Kage (Read my Review)

If you’re a fan of heart-meltingly sweet bad boys, tortured heroes, forbidden romances, and intense second chance love stories, then you HAVE to try this!!! I read the whole book from start to finish in one non-stop sitting because I honestly just COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!! It’s well-written, full of feeeeeeels, and kept my heart racing!! You can easily read this as a complete standalone and it’s totally a new TOP FAVORITE recommendation!!! Note: each book in the series is about a different couple and written in a way that each one can be read alone.

 

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter (Read my Review)

HOLY HELL!!! This was an awesome book! It went waaaaay the freaking hell outside of my “usual” reading preferences. The genre is more of a crime thriller (no romance) which I almost never read but this particular blurb really grabbed me. So I opened the book. By the end of the prologue, I had CHILLS running through me and tears in my eyes…. So, I had to read it!!! And honestly I loved it!! But you guys, it is NOT for the faint of heart. The story starts out small but the “mystery” just gets deeper and deeper and deeper. And every new thing you discover is this whole other level of creepy. It has fantastic writing and even though it’s totally not a genre I usually read, I’d definitely recommend it as an amazing crime thriller!

 

Hold On by Kristen Ashley (Read my Review)

This was the very highly anticipated final standalone in the amazing ‘Burg series and I absolutely LOVED it! This story was badass, heart-felt, smokin’ hot, and loaded with the strongest, deepest, most gorgeous emotions you can imagine. And seriously it had THE. BEST. EPILOGUE. EVER!!!! I literally have happy tears pouring down my face!!! KA is well known to be the Queen of Epilogues and the Queen of Badass but she really outdid herself with this book. It was pure Alpha perfection!!!! 5 STARS!!!

 
 

Soaring by Kristen Ashley (Read my Review) — New Release!!

A slow burn and a gorgeous love story between a firefighter and an heiress, both divorced and trying to heal their respective families. This can be read as a standalone and has all the depth and heart we’ve come to love from KA romances!!

This is the second standalone in the Magdalene series and can be read totally alone or after The Will (first standalone).

 
 

Act Like It by Lucy Parker (Read My Review)

This was such a fun, refreshing romance!! It was smart, sassy, oh-so-witty and downright hilarious in places — I laughed out loud so many times. The hero and heroine had started out hating each other but they’re both famous actors and had to fake a relationship for publicity’s sake and it slowwwly but surely turned into something real as they both realized that they were perhaps a little quick to judge each other… I’d been searching for the RIGHT book to fit my mood today and this was it!!! Oh, and it’s completely a standalone!! YAY!

 

Throttled by Elizabeth Lee (Read my Review)

Second chance romance fans, this book was awesome!! Ahhh, I couldn’t stop smiling after I finished it!!!! It had ALL THE FEELS! The hero was a famous Motocross racer who returns to his hometown to realize that the girl he left behind when he went to follow his dreams still holds his heart and this time around, he was willing to do everything and anything in his power to win back her trust and prove that he still loves her more than anything. I loved him, I loved her, I loved them, I loved the whole story. — It’s the first standalone in a series of standalones.

 

Kyland by Mia Sheridan (Read my Review)

Totally amazing!! This book is the newest standalone in the Sign of Love series (but completely unrelated to any other book in the series). I finished it in one sitting and absolutely LOVED it!!!! True to Mia Sheridan’s style, it was completely unique too. A heart-wrenching, beautifully written story about hope, sacrifice, and the strength and endurance of true love. It kept my heart racing and I just couldn’t put it down!! A must-read!

 
 

Grayson’s Vow by Mia Sheridan (Read My Review) 

In Mia Sheridan’s latest new standalone (inspired by the Libra sign), she tells an unconventional yet passionate love story that grew out of the most unlikely circumstance. While her previous books are more serious in tone and often even heart-wrenchingly emotional, Grayson’s Vow was a little on the lighter side and showed a new side to her writing. What began as a marriage of convenience turned into a love that would last a lifetime. I was hooked from the first few pages, and now, having finished it, I can absolutely call this a new recommendation!

 

Lev by Belle Aurora (Read my Review)

SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! I love love LOVED this book!! It was perfect!!! SO HEART-WARMING!!!! My heart is overflowing with happy feels!! Seriously, if you want a UNIQUE story that is SWEET, SWOONY, and SEXY, with a romance that is downright freaking ADORABLE, then read this book!!! The hero is wealthy, the heroine is homeless, and he takes her in when he catches her stealing money to buy food. There’s a gorgeous love story and a lot of focus on family. I loved EVERY single thing about it!! Barely a few pages into the book and all my heart-strings were tugged!! By 6%, I could already tell that this book was going to deliver ALL THE FEELS. And it most certainly did! Again and again and again! (Standalone.)

 

The Fall Up by Aly Martinez (My Review)

I loved everything about this book!!! From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. It had the perfect balance of a gorgeous romance, heart-melting swoon, sexy hotness, hilarious banter, and incredibly deep emotions, that all came together in a unique love story loaded with feels!! I couldn’t put it down, can’t stop thinking about it, and highly recommend it to every romance reader!! Aly Martinez’ books always have that absolutely perfect blend of sexy romance, deep emotions, light hearted fun, and unique storylines. They are the very best kind of love story! Oh and also, this is easily one of my favorite covers of 2015 and I promise you that the story inside is every bit as beautiful as the cover. I highly recommend it!!

 

TIGHT by Alessandra Torre (Read my Review)

WOAH!!! This book was ADDICTIVE! It kept me guessing the whole way through!!! I was so sure I knew the twist but then the ending surprised me yet again!! I LOVE it when a book can do that!! I started it just a few hours ago and literally read it all in one sitting. — I was glued to my kindle, unable to stop flipping pages!!! It’s SEXY, erotic, mysterious… there’s romance, a complex plot, fantastic writing… I went in TOTALLY blind. It’s a standalone and I didn’t know anything other than the blurb. I recommend you dive right in!!!

 

Captured by Jasinda Wilder (Read my Review)

Oh gosh!!!! I absolutely LOVED this standalone military romance!!!! It had gorgeous emotions with the perfect balance between heart-wrenching and heart-melting… Sexy hotness that had me fanning myself for pages on end… And a story that kept me glued to the book!! This can be read as a standalone and I HIGHLY recommend it!!! It’s been on my TBR since the day it came out and I’m kicking myself for not having read it sooner. I was in the mood for something emotional and this was EXACTLY what I wanted!!! It had ALL THE FEELS!! 😀

 

Absolution by Amanda Dick (Read my Review)

This was really beautiful love story — a second chance romance standalone with a heart-wrenching back story. — After a car accident shatters his girlfriend’s spine, Jack McKenna disappeared. Desperate to escape the guilt, he spent four years hiding in the shadows, punishing himself for not having the courage to go back to her. Then, out of the blue, a phone call forces him to face up to everything and everyone he left behind… especially her.

 

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Looking for more favorites? Check out my lists from previous years too:

• LIST of BEST BOOKS READ in 2014
• LIST of BEST BOOKS READ in 2013
• LIST of BEST BOOKS READ in 2012

• 24 ROMANCE BOOK LISTS – sorted by category

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What about you?? What have been your favorite books this year?
Leave me a comment below and let me know!!