The word “romance” evokes something different in all of us. For some, it’s a cozy Hallmark movie about an undercover billionaire who saves a small-town bookstore and falls in love with the shop owner in the process. For others, it’s the song they danced to at their wedding, or a painting that reminds them of a faraway place to which they’d like to escape.
And for so many of us, romance defines an idea. A lifestyle we’ve never experienced, friends we can only dream of having, or a luxury hotel we can visit but never live in forever. The following is a list of books that cover all aspects of romance, and so many of the ways that they can turn bad. So much romance and beauty are just a cover for something horrific that lurks underneath.
You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa
Who doesn’t love a destination wedding? Amaya, apparently. Sometimes it’s painful to move on after you’ve parted ways with your ex, but things get a lot more complicated in this twisty, well-paced thriller when Amaya’s finds out that her ex is marrying her estranged best friend. Even more mysterious is that she was invited to the wedding, which promises to be the event of the year. But when Amaya’s former friend goes missing, and it’s not looking as though she’s—you know—still alive, the dream wedding turns into a real-life whodunnit, with Amaya at the center.
They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall
There is nothing more romantic than being invited to a private island off the coast of Mexico. Miriam is sure she’ll never receive such an opportunity again, so of course she takes it, along with six perfect strangers of varying professions and circumstances who have never met. But by the time Miriam and her fellow vacationers realize that maybe this trip was too good to be true, and that there may be something sinister afoot, they’re surrounded on all sides by beautiful ocean waters with no way out.
Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier
This book is so deceptive that all the characters in it are fooling themselves in addition to each other. Lyla and Graham have more money than they know what to do with, and it turns out that money can’t buy happiness. It can, however, buy them lots of time to lure in unsuspecting tenants into their guest house so they can have a little too much fun destroying them for sport. It’s The Most Dangerous Game meets Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
The unnamed protagonist in this romance-y thriller will do anything to make his wife happy. It just so happens that what his wife wants is a partner in crime. But as their own twisted game escalates, their perfect appearance of a dream life starts to fall apart. This book asks the question: is it possible to have it all? Love, money, a happy family, and the craftiness to get away with murder.
People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd
We’re living in the age of the digital celebrity. Anyone who’s spent more than thirty seconds on social media has seen that account. The beautiful person with the glowing, minimalist aesthetic and adoring family. Emma is one such influencer. Celebrating the birth of her second child—but more importantly, the launch of her new merch—she seems to have it all. But while she boasts over a million followers, all it takes is one stalker to threaten everything.
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
If a person seems too good to be true, it’s probably because they are. Still, Jane is new in town and doesn’t have much in terms of money or prospects, so who is she to judge? When she meets Eddie, she’s charmed, even when things get a little bit suspicious. Everyone has a skeleton or two in their closet, after all. But in Eddie’s case, the skeleton may actually still be nestled safely beneath the beating heart of a wife he won’t let out of the attic.
Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft
Thanks to her mother’s influence, Bea knows what she’s worth. It’s just a matter of finding the perfect partner who can help her get it. When she sets her sights on the humdrum but absurdly wealthy Collin, she’s positive it’s in the bag. But when she sinks her teeth in, she discovers she may have bitten off more than she can chew. It’s all fun and games until someone (maybe even Bea) gets killed.
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