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I love a good novella, and I especially love good genre novellas. Make it a romance novella, and you’ve putme on cloud nine.
Not only are romance novellas fantastic stories in their own right, they are also brilliant tools that are often utilized in long-running romance series. They can set the foundation of a series, bridge stories, or act as bonus content for seeing your favorite characters all together for a particular event or holiday. You can often tell a novella in a series by the way it’s listed as a .5 number rather than a full number in a series (#0.5 for a prequel novella, or #2.5 for a novella between novel s, etc.) Romance writers know exactly what they’re doing when placing a novella in a series, so don’t discount them.
Standalone romance novellas are especially masterful, because you have to put a full romance arc, with all the beats in a newly-crafted world, within a much shorter word count. You get all the goods you’re looking for in a romance novel, often compressed to include only the parts that really count. These are romance writers wielding their skills with minute precision.
But What is a Romance Novella?
I’ve written about novellas at length in previous Book Riot posts, and to review: a novella is usually between 20,000 and 40,000 words. It’s shorter than a novel but much longer than a short story. Usually (I’m using this word again because there are exceptions to every rule), novellas contain what you expect in a novel, but as I mentioned above, it’s more compressed. Sometimes that means there are less characters, the world is smaller, the setting more contained, but again, there are always exceptions. There are epic novellas, experimental novellas, hybrids, etc. What I love about the novella is that, like the novel, it can be whatever the story needs it to be, but shorter. You’re able to read it in a day, even a single sitting. You can capture a whole world in your heart in half the time.
Below are four romance novellas to get you started on your journey. I’ve tried to include romance novellas across the board, from novellas included in long-running romance series to standalones, and across the subgenres of romance.
4 Romance Novellas: Short, Sweet, and (Some) Spicy Reads
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Reluctant Royals #2.5) by Alyssa Cole
This novella bridges stories in Alyssa Cole’s acclaimed contemporary Reluctant Royals series and features a second chance queer romance that will melt your heart. Following the second novel, A Duke by Default, Once Ghosted, Twice Shy centers Likotsi and Fabiola. Likotsi and Fabiola had a love affair after swiping right on a dating app, but Fabiola broke Likotsi’s heart without explanation. Later, they run into each other on the subway in NYC, and Fabiola asks for a chance–one cup of tea—which leads to exploring the city and the love they lost, yet may find again.
Loathe to Love You (The STEMinist Novellas#1-3) by Ali Hazelwood
If you want three novellas in one place, then I give you Loathe to Love You, Ali Hazelwood’s compilation of three novellas in one series. It includes the titles Under One Roof, Stuck With You, and Below Zero. Each of these spicy romance novellas are linked to each other, so you get rewarded for each read. Each story follows an engineer and the loves they loathe. From close proximity to rivals to lovers, you’re going to gobble up each of these stories.
The Governess Affair (Brothers Sinister#0.5) by Courtney Milan
I’m a sucker for historical romance and Courtney Milan is one of the best in the genre. The Governess Affair is a prequel novella to her Brothers Sinister series, following two stubborn individuals who cannot seem to defeat each other, and instead they fall hard in love. Honestly, it’s the best. Governess Serena Barton was recently sacked, and she demands compensation from the duke that got her sacked. The duke tells his right-hand man—the Wolf of Clermont—to deal with Serena. The Wolf, also known as Hugo Marshall, does his best to push her away, but finds he cannot help falling in love with the woman he’s supposed to get rid of.
Stone Heart (Dark Olympus#0.5) by Katee Robert
Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series has become foundational in mythology retellings and dark romance. But before Pesephone meets Hades in Neon Gods, there’s the queer prequel novella Stone Heart that kicks the series off. This story brings together Medusa, Athena’s assassin, and Calypso, the mistress of the rich politician Odysseus. Athena sends Medusa after Calypso, but Calypso will do anything to keep her life. What begins as a cunning plan to avoid execution quickly turns into something more magnetic, as the two powerful women can’t help but fall into each other’s arms.
Hopefully these lovely short-and-sweet tales will get you started on your romance journey. I encourage you to share your own favorite romance novellas—or any novella for that matter—across social media. May you find the perfect happily ever after story for you, and/or a bite-sized novella that works for you. And if you’re looking for more novella-related Book Riot posts, check these out:
The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
This week, we’re highlighting a post that asks: Are reading parties the next big thing? People—especially readers—are clearly looking for community. Are reading parties the answer? Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
Reading communities are everywhere online. From Storygraph to Fable to BookTube to BookTok, the growth of online reading buddies feels exponential. The problem with social media as it exists online, however, is that it’s a stand-in for the true connections we all seek over the things we love. As much as reading roundups and reading tracking can be fun, meeting up with in-person book lovers is a great book lover community event. With that in mind, reading parties could be the next big thing.
A reading party is distinct from a book club because everyone shows up to read instead of having read something to discuss. At a reading party, you can make time to discuss what you are reading, but it doesn’t all need to be the same book. It’s more of a reading vibe check than a book discussion.
Sign up to become an All Access member for only $6/month and then click here to read the full, unlocked article. Level up your reading life with All Access membership and explore a full library of exclusive bonus content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations.