1. Cordelia and Hartford - The Book of True Desires by Betina Krahn
With a hostile gleam in her eye she stepped in front of him, hiked her skirts above her knee, and propped her stocking-clad leg against the corner of the building, blocking his way. Under his widening eyes, she removed a small revolver from the holster strapped to her thigh and inspected the chambers. As she lowered her leg and her skirts fell back into place, she heard him suck two partial breaths in quick succession. "You'd better stay behind me," she ordered, giving him an incendiary glance while stroking the gun's trigger with her finger. "Oh, and in case you get shot," she said with vengeful earnestness, "you better tell me where you keep our money."
I've already used this quote for Best Scene, but I don't care! I loved how this shows their dynamic and starts off the sparking between them. I loved the byplay between these two and how the female lead character's competence at first befuddled the male lead character but then lead to his attraction towards her.
2. Merry and Shane - Too Hot to Handle by Victoria Dahl
“You’re cute when you laugh,” he said, which was true enough, but not the whole story. Her smile made him happy, but he couldn’t say that. Ever.
Merry was the nerdy good girl and Shane the from the wrong side of the tracks but they kind of get thrown together and their chemistry was amazing. I mean, it's Dahl, so you get all those sexy steamy scenes and dollops of deeper emotions.
3. Gareth and Josiah - The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles
“I missed you so much.” It was a whisper.
Oof, these two. Circumstances line up to have them against each other but that darn attraction! It's a quieter story that delivered deep emotions between these two, hurt, pain, and love and you'll feel them all.
4. Lindsay and Catlin - Tell Me No Lies by Elizabeth Lowell
"If she is hurt, most honorable Chen Yi, you will wish that you had not gone fishing with a dragon."
I don't even know where to start with this one, just know lies and deceit swirl all around and in-between this couple while Catlin is trying to protect Lindsay from all sides as she tries to help the government. Lindsay is the "innocent" one but she has that grit along with her vulnerability I love from female main characters and Catlin is the one who gets a little thrown for loop. The intimacy that built between these two, with all those little touches, was top notch and I wish newer published romances would bring this back.
5. Harlow and Ben - The Haunted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes
With a half sigh, half groan, he presses his forehead to mine. “Truth?”
I nod.
“I think I’m in a lot of trouble.”
A story that surprised me with more romance in that I thought it would have, I loved their shy approaching each other and flirty interactions, made them feel cute and sparking.
6. Manuela and Cora - The Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera
That was the precise moment it dawned on Cora with unequivocal certainty that Manuela Caceres Galvan could wreak absolute havoc on her life.
These two have a steamy first meeting that lead to a passionate and sensual building relationship that also connected them through their struggles with being women in their time period. This couple was fierce and sexy.
7. Violetta and Bertrice - Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan
“They've had seventy-five years to defeat you,” Violetta said, turning to her. Her eyes were wide and dark, and she was almost certainly the dearest thing that Bertrice had seen in years. “What do you think it means that they've yet to accomplish it?”
A budding friendship that lead to a building romance as the two concoct schemes to get back at a Terrible Nephew. Their shared and contrasting life experiences bonded these two and helped create a sweet romance that had me smiling and feeling so good that these two found each other.
8. Neelo and Talhan - The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford
"You fit so well in the Southern Court." Neelo frowned, walking off at full speed, uncaring of Talhan followed. "Everything is just fun and games with you all, isn't it?"
"Not everything." Talhan easily fell into stride, his long legs eating up the distance between them. "There are some things I take seriously. My oaths and duties, protecting my friends, keeping my promises."
"Don't make any promises to me, then."
"I already have," Talhan murmured, "you just don't know about them yet."
I loved these two! Neelo was the shy, keep themselves, convinced no one could love them for who they were and Talhan was the popular fey warrior who fell in love with Neelo as kids and just steadily and calmly, showed them that they were there for Neelo and loved them just as they were. A lot of underlining emotion between these two that hit all those angsty, sweet, and sexy points.
9. August and Keaton - Confessions of a Canine Drama Queen by Stefanie London
“I'm not your type, huh?” He walked over and leaned a hand on the kitchen counter, crowding August against the cabinets.
She tipped her face up to his and looked him right in the eye. “Not if you were the last man on earth, Keaton Sax.”
I think it's pretty well established I'm a sucker for the bestfriend's older brother connection/trope, well here it is and with added unfinished business! Really, Keaton was so sweet, August was a bit of a mess, they both have some emotional issues, and a mouthy Huskie, I was goo for these two's chemistry. They had a "are we flirting" fun sparing relationship that was live wire, fun, and sweet.
10. Morag and Gregor - The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan
A place to which I belonged utterly; a place where I could breathe.
A romance that I can't say was exactly front and center but their less than friendly beginning led to such a fun, dry humor building relationship that I ended up really enjoying their byplay. A cute couple, with goats!
11. Verity and Magnus - It Had to be a Duke by Vivienne Lorret
It was just that, somewhere along the way, she had stopped hating him quite so much. And all this not hating him was making her heart ache.
A fake betrothal that lead to a light angst, fun back and forth couple. They had amusing chemistry with Verity driving Magnus mad in the best ways. I liked how their banter slowly broke Magnus down and they also delivered with sweet and steamy with Verity discovers some of Magnus' keepsakes and a desk is nearby.
Winner:
Neelo and Talhan
“You are mischief, Neelo Emberspear, and I love it. No one else gets to see it: the boat-commandeering, book-stealing mischief-maker you are. But that's who you've always been around me and you never have to change.”
His footsteps didn't pause as if he was just casually chatting, but his words made Neelo feel like they were free-falling. They were mischief...and he loved it. There was something about them that Talhan Catullus loved.
I could quote these two all day. So, yeah, when I said I loved these two, I meant I LOVED these two. That whole, seeing the other person for who they really are and loving them all the more for it. Bonus fey warrior loving the shy heir and helping them gain confidence in themselves and their already there abilities through strong, steady love.
2022 Winner
What couple touched your heart from 2023?
And finally, next time, Fav Contemporary, Historical, and Book of 2023...
