Your Caribbean romance reading guide is here

Sports, contemporary, historical, small town, romantasy — Caribbean authors are building in every corner of the genre.

Hi Librarygoer!

Sometimes I don’t know what to say here in this section so I’ll jump right ahead to this lovely round up that I hope I get to build on year after year … happy Caribbean American Heritage Month!

I’ve seen quite a few bookish round ups featuring Caribbean books so far this month and they are such a joy to see. Today I want to talk about the romance specific picks—and especially those that fit into what you’re already reading.

When it comes to books, affinity months like Caribbean American Heritage, Asian-American & Pacific Islander, Black History, Hispanic Heritage, and Pride aren’t here to make you change your reading habits (unless you’re not reading diversely at all but that’s a conversation for a different day). Instead, these months can be great reminders for you to expand the reading experiences you’re already having.

If you’re into small town romance, find something in your lane. Same with romantasy or paranormal or historical.

So, I’m going to give you a little roadmap through Caribbean romance. It’s not by any means exhaustive and I’m not including entire backlists (but I’ll include all books in a series when they apply) and I would LOVE for you to share your own recs with me!

This list is NOT about books set in the Caribbean on a vacation or a cruise or stranded on an uninhabited island. It’s the books that speak to our shared histories. The stories we quietly recognize as our own, wherever we happen to be in the diaspora.

Happy reading!

- Aleia

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Sports Romance

There are fewer basketball and (American) football stories in this selection of Caribbean romances than the wider sports romance genre so start here if you’re looking for a little variety.

Millie Perez (Dominican Republic)

• Strikeout - Baseball, Single-Dad

• Fair Trade - Baseball, Marriage of Convenience

• Home Runner - Baseball, Runaway Bride

Priscilla Oliveras (Puerto Rico)

• Holiday Home Run - Baseball, Novella

Tember Sapphire (St. Lucia)

• She’s A Keeper - Football (Soccer) Romance, Childhood Best Friends to Lovers

• She’s A Grinder - Hockey Romance, Best Friend’s Brother

• She’s An Anchor - Track Athlete, One Night Stand to Secret Baby

• She’s A Catch - Cricket Player, Accidental Vegas Wedding

Contemporary Romance

These books are set in a variety of locations, Trinidad to Chicago and many places in between. The common thread? They make you swoon!

Adriana Herrera (Dominican Republic)

• Here to Stay - Workplace Romance

• On the Hustle - Former Boss x Employee

Joanna Kimber (Jamaica)

• Hide Away - Vacation + A Deal

• Dry Cry - Restaurant workplace, Slow Burn

Alexis Daria (Puerto Rico)

• You Had Me at Hola - Soap Opera Stars, Workplace Romance

• A Lot Like Adiós - Second Chance, Friends to Lovers

• Along Came Amor - Secret Relationship

Families Without Boundaries: Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria

Mia Sosa (Puerto Rican & Brazilian)

• When Javi Dumped Mari - Friends to Strangers to Bride + Groomsman to Lovers

Best Friends to Lovers to Best Friends to Lovers: When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa

Rilzy Adams (Antigua and Barbuda)

• Treble - Polyamory, Novella

• Go Deep - Friend to Lovers, Novella

Nadine Gonzalez (Haiti)

• Only Lovers in the Building - Slow Burn, Close proximity

Summer in Miami: Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez

Zakiya Jamal (Jamaica & Cuba)

• Sparks Fly - One Night Stand to Ooops, We Work Together

  Caribbean Romance + Virgin Heroine | Sparks Fly by Zakiya Jamal

N.G. Peltier (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Sweethand - Rivals to Lovers

• Don’t Go Baking My Heart - Friends to Lovers, Baking Competition

• The Dating Countdown - Queer (Sapphic), Friends with Benefits to Lovers

Historical Romance

Lydia San Andres (Dominican Republic)

• Compromised into a Scandalous Marriage - Island Setting, Society Forced Marriage

• Alliance with His Stolen Heiress - Fake kidnapping

• The Return of His Caribbean Heiress: Second Chance

• Unexpectedly Wed to the Heir - Marriage of Convenience

Callie Browning (Barbados)

• Island Christmas - WWII, Spies

Adriana Herrera (Dominican Republic)

• A Caribbean Heiress in Paris - Marriage of Convenience

• An Island Princess Starts a Scandal - Sapphic, A Barter

• A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke - Rivals to Lovers

Amalie Howard (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Always Be My Duchess - Pretty Woman meets Regency

• Never Met A Duke Like You - Clueless meets Regency

• The Worst Duke in London - 10 Things I Hate About You meets Regency

Vanessa Riley (Trinidad & Tobago)

• A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby - Disability rep, West Indian heiress

• An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler - Amnesia + a shipwreck

• A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie - Marriage of convenience

Addy Du Lac (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Miss Thornfield’s Daring Bargain - Victorian, suspense

• Miss Mason’s Secret Baron - Victorian, Black Widow(ish)

• Miss Hawthorne’s Unlikely Husband - Victorian, best friend’s brother

Small Town Romance

Joanna Kimber (Jamaica)

• The Fiancé Favor - Runaway, Workplace

• How the Plot Thickens - Romance Writer, Magical Realism

Adriana Herrera (Dominican Republic)

• Finding Joy - Gay, Workplace

Romantasy & Paranormal Romances

Amalie Howard (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Starlight Heir - Romantasy, Enemies to lovers, duology

• Queen of the Night Sky - Romantasy, why choose, duology

Joanna Kimber (Jamaica)

• Code of Conduct - God x Mortal, Forbidden Romance

Alexis Daria (Puerto Rico)

• What the Hex - Witchy Family, Magical Mystery

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I’m obsessed with reading more Caribbean authors this year (and finally getting on the shelves with a Caribbean story of my own!).

Are there any Caribbean romance stories you’ve loved or plan to read next? Let me know below!