I consider myself to be a picky RomCom reader.

When characters drop innuendos every other page or are attracted to one another primarily for their looks, it makes me cringe. When I’m looking for a clean RomCom, I’m seeking a clean and wholesome love story, not a lust story.

I also have a weird sense of humor that hasn’t jived with the “com” parts of some of the RomComs I’ve read.

But that doesn’t mean I haven’t found any RomComs I enjoy. Over the past couple years, I’ve somewhat entered my RomCom Books era, which is long overdue, considering how much I enjoy RomCom movies. So, since I now have a list of favorites, here are this picky RomCom reader’s top clean RomCom recs!

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson

Though this wasn’t the first book I read by Melissa Ferguson, Meet Me in the Margins became my favorite clean romantic comedy last year because it specifically appeals to several of my reading interests: 1) It’s about writing/authors/publishing, 2) It’s set in Nashville, TN, 3) It features a swoon-worthy, You’ve Got Mail inspired romance that is not based on looks, 4) It includes a side story involving dealing with a narcissist, 5) It features gripping, relatable quotes, and 6) It’s full of comedic gold.

I’m grinning just thinking about this adorable book. If you like any of the aspects I just mentioned, run to go buy this book.

This book is a stand-alone and can be read independently of Ferguson’s other books.

The Cul-de-sac War by Melissa Ferguson

This was the first book I read by Melissa Ferguson, and this was the first book that proved to me that I, in fact, can like RomComs and that there are some gems out there that I’ll fall in love with. Though it took me a chapter or two to get into this one, I ended up loving the couple and all the hilarious scenes with the male main character’s dog. One thing I love most about Ferguson’s writing is that while she excels at writing cute and quirky romantic comedies, she also drops deep quotes that make you stop and go *hand over heart* “Ow. Dagger to the feels”, such as this:

“I just feel like sometimes I can’t enjoy the moment as fully as I’m supposed to. I just wonder if maybe something’s wrong with me. Like I just can’t get filled up to the top like everybody else.”

–The Cul-De-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson

If you like RomComs that’ll make you stop and reflect, definitely check out Ferguson’s books! I’m planning on reading the rest of her backlist and new releases.

This book is a stand-alone and can be read independently of Ferguson’s other books.

The Nice Guy Next Door by Haley Zaragoza

This book, which was my favorite read of December 2023, is another that proved to me that RomComs can be clean, sweet, and goofy while still covering tough topics like grief. My favorite aspects about The Nice Guy Next Door were that the romance was personality-based rather than appearance-centered, and both Millie and Jameson were interesting to read about while not falling into the “trope traps” that many RomComs force on their characters for marketing purposes.

This book is Book 1 in Zaragoza’s When in Waverly series. I have also read Book 2 in this series and suggest reading the books in order.

Falling for My Fake Fiancé by Emma St. Clair

As you’ll see once you finish reading this post, Emma St. Clair is another one of my favorite clean RomCom authors, and for a good reason! While she sometimes does include innuendos or moments of physical attraction in her books, they are not as prevalent as in some of the others RomComs I’ve read. Falling for My Fake Fiancé is my most recent read by this author, and I absolutely ate it up! I read this shortly after the passing of a dear loved one, and even though I was grieving heavily, this book made me laugh and smile (sometimes for the first time that day, during the days I read it) and any book that can do that is gold in my book. Thayden also reminded me a lot of my husband for his Acts of Service love language, so there’s that too. XD

This book is Book 3 in St. Clair’s Love Cliche’s series. I read it out of order but suggest going back and reading the other books first, because there were some character cameos I would’ve understood better if I had read them in order.

Eloise and the Grump Next Door by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor

Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor write phenomenally well together as a duo. The “com” in RomCom is definitely emphasized in this book, and it made me laugh out loud several times. While there is a trope in this one that I don’t really care for, this book was just a fun-filled time, and it made me overlook it. Even though I read it last year, I’m already wanting to revisit Eloise and Jake.

There’s also a specific, hilarious scene in this one that lives rent-free in my head and makes me laugh at random times, but I won’t share it due to spoilers. XD

This is Book 1 in St. Clair and Proctor’s Oakley Island series.

A Holly Jilly Christmas by Emma St. Clair

As you can tell from the title, this is a Christmas RomCom, but it’s so good that I had to mention it in this list. If you’ve ever watched Napoleon Dynamite, there is a specific quote related to the movie in this book that took me out. XD Emma St. Clair is one of the few authors whose sense of humor meshes well with mine. Though this is a Christmas RomCom, I feel that it can be enjoyed any time of the year, because Christmas isn’t the primary focus of the book.

This is Book 2.5 in St. Clair’s Love Stories in Sheet Cake, Texas series. I read it before reading Book 2 and don’t feel that it spoiled anything, though I had previously read Book 1 and was familiar with the side characters in this novella. I do plan to read Book 2 in the future.

Most Books by Jenny B. Jones

I say “most books” here only because Jenny B. Jones has also written a cozy mystery trilogy and several YA books, though most of them still have romantic comedy elements. If you’ve followed Authoring Arrowheads for any length of time, you probably already know that Jenny B. Jones is one of my favorite authors of all-time, because I absolutely LOVE her sense of humor. One of her trademarks is that she includes sassy grandmas in her books, so if that’s your jam, be sure to check out her books! Jones’s books have consistently been stellar reads for me over the past several years.

Can’t Help Falling by Courtney Walsh

Courtney Walsh is a beloved author in the Clean and Christian RomCom space, and for a good reason. Though I’ve only read one book by her, Can’t Help Falling made a great impression on me when I picked it up last fall. This book follows a hopeless romantic woman who ends up running into her long-time crush who has returned to their hometown for work. I emphasized heavily with the female main character, Emmi, who was crushed by her crush as a teenager, and even though I was mad at Owen for doing that to her, Walsh still wrote him in a way that made me love him and Emmi together enough to fangirl for the majority of this book. If you’re the type of reader who only likes to read happy endings, Walsh promises one for each book she writes, so she may be the perfect author for you to try!

Can’t Help Falling is Book 3 in the multi-author Sweater Weather series. I read this book out of order from the series and don’t think I missed any references from the previous books, though I may be wrong. I believe they can be read as stand-alones.

Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

If you’re looking for a clean RomCom with a darker side, or also love cozy mysteries, Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder is a fun option! This book explores grief, academia, childhood trauma, and more while still delivering an adorable love story along the way. Mitchell drops some thought-provoking quotes throughout the book, so if you’re like me and prefer your RomComs to have depth, I think you’ll enjoy this.

This book is Book 1 in Mitchell’s Happily Every Homicide duology.

I’m Not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton

Austen fans, if you’re in want of a RomCom that pays homage to an underrated character from Pride and Prejudice, I’m Not Charlotte Lucas may be right up your alley! In this contemporary re-imagining of Charlotte Lucas’s side story in Pride and Prejudice, we follow a California girl of the same name who is determined to prove she is not an old maid who will settle for less than love like her fictional counterpart. One of my reading updates on Goodreads for this book said, “I have been grinning NONSTOP while reading this,” and if that’s not enough to convince you that this was a grand ole time, I don’t know what else will. I’m like the Simon Cowell of RomComs, so if I cracked a grin, you know it was good. XD

Though this book is not part of an official series, characters from this book are featured in Stockton’s other standalone, I’m Not His Style. From my understanding, I’m Not Charlotte Lucas should be read first if you intend to read both.

The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson

Last, but certainly not least, The Paid Bridesmaid is a clean RomCom featuring a tropical background and wedding antics. Though the couple in this does focus on one another’s looks more than I normally prefer, I related to the female protagonist and found her love interest to be incredibly sweet. I cracked up several times while reading and especially remember the bride’s cousin being extra in a hilarious way. XD

This is a stand-alone novel that can be read independently of Wilson’s other books.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

And there we have it! Even though I was once a bookish RomCom skeptic, I have since fallen head-over-heels for these titles, and hope that you may too.

Based on the books I listed, what other clean or Christian romantic comedies do you recommend? Drop your favorites in the comments!

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀