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My favorite romance novels bring warm, comforting vibes, often through cozy settings, flirtatious banter, and a mouth-watering food description or two. But nothing tugs on my heartstrings more than an adorable pet. Pets make excellent additions to romance novels. They bring people together in unexpected ways, and they provide ample opportunities for comedic relief. You might even call them (ro)man(ce)’s best friend.
Pets brighten up our real lives, and they can be just as fun to encounter in a good romance novel. Below you’ll find some of my favorite romance novels with the best animal characters to wiggle their ways into my heart. Let’s hear it for the emotional support dogs/cats/rabbits/goldfish/whatever other animals that make our protagonists smile — and sometimes help bring about unforgettable meet-cutes.
The Re-Do List by Denise Williams
I’m a fan of Denise Williams and knew I’d love her newest book, but it’s that illustration of Gus on the cover that had me making heart eyes right from the start. In The Re-Do List, we meet recently-dumped-and-virally-embarrassed Willow, who’s dog-sitting her brother Cruz’s German shepherd while he’s deployed as a pararescue jumper. Cruz asked his best friend Deacon to keep an eye on — and his hands off — his baby sister. We spend much of the story with the lovable Gus, who’s so perfectly behaved that Deacon jokes he’s “pretty sure that dog is trained to do Cruz’s taxes and oversee a multilevel marketing operation.” Even better, we meet Deacon’s rescue pitbull Cupcake, who is best friends with Gus. What’s more romantic than dates at the dog park?
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Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Talia Hibbert’s wildly popular Brown Sisters series is a total delight. But where would the first sister, Chloe Brown, have ended up if not for a well-timed encounter with a cat? Shortly after challenging herself to be more adventurous, Chloe spots a cat seemingly stuck in a tree. Scratch (as we come to know him) is “small, but wonderfully fat, with fur so gray as to seem almost black, and piercing eyes that seemed to say, Surely you won’t leave me here?” It turns out Smudge is actually quite athletic and capable of getting himself out of the tree. Perhaps he was really pushing Chloe to climb a tree and live a little. We love a Cat Distribution System success story.
Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zipps
This chaotic bisexual While You Were Sleeping retelling stole my heart in many ways, from its endearingly messy protagonist to its hot butch love interest and powerful representation of MS. But the character that lives rent-free in my head is Frank, the tall, lanky, slobbery, scene-stealing, very good boy. Frank is “all legs and elbows, with floppy ears, light brown speckles, and an enormous grin,” and I would give anything for one of his signature hugs. Frank is based on a real dog, who you can find on author Emily Zipps’ Instagram, and he’s described with the kind of loving enthusiasm that makes him leap right off the page and into your heart.
The Baby Dragon Café by A. T. Qureshi
This cozy romantasy series takes place in a world full of pet baby dragons. Picture the adorable feistiness of a kitten. Now add wings and fire. You can imagine why most restaurants won’t allow baby dragons inside. But Saphira opened her café with baby dragons in mind, serving coffee and snacks to humans and treats like charred naan to their pets. After a baby dragon accidentally sets her espresso maker on fire, Saphira worries her business won’t recover from the accident. Then handsome gardener Aiden realizes how good Saphira is with his unruly little dragon Sparky and offers to pay Saphira to train him. It’s a delightful story full of baby dragon chaos.
With Stars in Her Eyes by Andie Burke
Bookstores, both real and fictional, are sometimes home to adorable cats and dogs. Andie Burke’s secret-rockstar sapphic romance With Stars in Her Eyes features a bookstore that takes the animal love a step further. Menagerie Books, the bookstore where protagonist Courtney hides from the viral disaster that ended her music career, is known for fostering exotic pets. You’ll meet colorful characters like Baxter the potbellied piglet, Harry Styles the horny toad, and Lady Fruitcakes the ferret in this story that will make you wish you could take a trip to Menagerie Books in real life.
We hope you enjoyed these romance novels with the best animal characters! You might also enjoy:
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