7 Romances to Read During Wedding Season

The Royal We, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
If you’re constantly scrolling through royal weddings for inspiration to add to your Pinterest board, then definitely read The Royal We! It’s a tale as old as time: regular-gal Bex travels from America to Oxford and finds herself falling for Prince Nicholas, the heir to the British crown. What I love most about this book is that it covers their entire relationship, not just the falling in love part! Over five years you see Bex wrestle with the changes and challenges of living and loving a monarch— and we, the readers, get to live vicariously through her.

Eligible, by Curtis Sittenfeld
A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice? Sign me up. The roles of women have certainly changed, as has the general acceptance of their being single as they approach middle-age, but the central plot is still the same: Liz is a magazine writer who lives in New York City, as does her sister, Jane. But when their father has a health scare, they go home to find their family in shambles. Enter, of course, the men: in this version, Bingley is a doctor who took a turn on a Bachelor-esque  TV show, and Darcy is a neurosurgeon (still with a chip on his shoulder). The modern updates to the characters make for a much more relatable and funny read.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Of course if you’re going to read the retelling, you should try your hand at the original! Did you fall in love with your intended the moment you set eyes on each other? Or, like Lizzie and Darcy, did you have some “prejudices” and “pride” (see what I did there?) to overcome before you could say “I do”? A classic historical romance that will remind you that people are always more than what they seem.

Something Borrowed, by Emily Giffin
Okay, so this scenario might be every bride’s nightmare, but I love this book so much (it’s my favorite of Emily Giffin’s novels). Rachel has always been a good girl, a loyal friend, a rule-follower…until one night she ends up in bed with her best friend’s fiancé. This novel is all about how falling in love is NOT always a fairy tale. When Rachel has to make a choice between keeping her BFF in the dark-and keeping silent to save her own skin, the lines between good and bad are crossed, friendships are tested, and true love comes at a cost.

Marrying Winterborne, by Lisa Kleypas
I had to put one of Lisa Kleypas’ novels on here—she’s the queen of historical romance, and a perfect pick for a bride (or bridesmaid) looking to escape the harsh realities of seating charts and family feuds. Her newest novel, Marrying Winterborne, will introduce you to one my new all-time favorite heroes: Rhys Winterborne, a man of “new money” and cunning, with an eye for beautiful things. When he meets lady Helen Ravenel, nothing will stop him from possessing her—least of all her virtue. We first met these characters in the first Ravenel’s novel, Cold-Hearted Rake, and they do not disappoint! Winterborne is devastatingly charming, and eventually, compassionate, while Helen is a passionate heroine with a mind of her own.

Castles, by Julie Garwood
Alessandra and Colin from the Crown’s Spies series are one of my favorite reluctant-to-wed couples. An orphaned princess taking refuge with a Duke’s family, Alessandra must wed to protect her kingdom from the will of a bloodthirsty general who would marry her first. But Colin, the Duke’s son, does not want to marry—especially someone his father picks. They strike up a bargain that he will help her choose her husband from the leftover candidates…and in the process, they fall in love.

The Bride Quartet, by Nora Roberts
Okay, I’ve cheated a bit: this option is four books in one: Vision in White, Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment, and Happy Ever After. Whether you’ve just gotten engaged, are in the middle of planning your wedding, or are about to embark on your honeymoon, the Bride Quartet is one of my favorite Nora Roberts series. Four best friends run a wedding planning company together, and in each installment, meets the man of their dreams!
What are your favorite wedding-season romances?