6 NYC Romances to Knock Your Socks Off

Beautiful Stranger, by Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren’s romances are just like NYC: energetic, with characters that are unforgettable. Sara Dillon is one of them. She’s moved to the Big Apple after a disastrous ending to her engagement, and isn’t looking for anything more than a fun fling. Neither is Wall Street tycoon Max Stella, womanizer and money-maker extraordinaire. But “more” is what they find when their first encounter becomes a series of clandestine hookups. And in New York, secrets only stay secrets for so long…

The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton
A classic novel for classic New York, but the Golden Age of NYC was not as pretty as it sounds. Scandal and intrigue are the bedrocks of romance, but in the 1920’s, they were the enemies of high society. Newland Archer plans to marry May Welland…until her cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska returns to the city. With her comes that dreaded scandal—a disastrous marriage in her wake—and intrigue, as Newland falls madly in love with her. The ensuing romance is tortured and tragic, but full of passion.

Sex and the City, by Candace Bushnell
You’ve seen the show, now read the book! For NYC-inspired romances, there’s nothing I think of more than Carrie Bradshaw’s love for the city (it rivals my own). Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda’s journeys are different in the book than they are on the show, so expect some surprises…but the same glamour, grit, and provocative storytelling that made the show so successful.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Truman Capote
Perhaps the original Carrie Bradshaw, Holly Golightly is as quintessential a New York girl as it gets. Making her way through life by socializing with wealthy men, Holly has left her country roots behind—after all, if she can make it there (NYC), she can make it anywhere, right? But “Fred”, the narrator of the story, believes Holly is more than just a girl who wants to marry rich.

Lions and Lace, by Meagan McKinney
If you’re a Lisa Kleypas fan, definitely pick this one up! In 1870’s New York, Trevor Sheridan is a former street kid and self-made man who tried to break into high society by throwing his young sister, Mara, a coming-out party…to which no one came, because they are Irish. As an act of revenge, he vows to take down all of the families who refused to attend…including Alana’s, even though she was the only one planning to attend the party. After sending her family into financial ruin, he blackmails Alana into marrying him so he can utilize her family name to his advantage. But he doesn’t expect to fall in love with her. If you love tortured anti-heroes, and plenty of hate-to-love tension, you will fall for this story.

Too Hot to Touch (Rising Star Chef #1), by Louisa Edwards
This romance is just delicious: the story of a star chef, Max Lunden, who conquers the kitchen as deftly as he conquers women all over the globe. But the soul of his cooking comes from his family’s restaurant in New York City. He’s been running from his past after a falling out with his father, but when his family needs him, he returns home to help them win the Rising Star competition. But Juliet, a rising star herself in the competitive cooking world, who used to have a crush on him when she was young, is the one running the kitchen now, and she wants to win by her rules. The heat is on in this sizzly and scrumptious romance about two competitors who eventually decide they’re better on the same team.
What are your favorite Big Apple romances?