Most Reviewed Romance Books of 2020
By: Hidden Gems on December 29, 2020
Hidden Gems sends out thousands of novels from hundreds of authors each year, and although we cover more than 15 genres, our most popular by far is romance. Our subscribers decide which books they want to read and review, but if you’re searching for something new to read yourself, you’ll want to start with the ones that got the most positive attention both in terms of number of reviews left, and an overall positive score. Here are the top 5 romance novels that we sent out this year that meet those criteria.
Bang by Sabrina Stark
One hard billionaire. One college grad turned nanny. And a massive mansion that’s way too small for their growing attraction. With a 4.5 star average rating on Amazon, not only was this a popular selection amongst Hidden Gems readers, it was also well loved. For fans of enemies-to-lovers romance, Bang is a fun, full-length billionaire romantic comedy with a guaranteed happily-ever-after
“Wow!” writes Robin M. in their 5-star review. “I fell in love with this book so easily, Cami is such a sweetheart and she had me laughing a lot during this book with her non cussing words! Mason is your typical tall, dark, handsome brooding male that doesn’t believe in love because he was never shown it during his childhood. For me this book was very gripping and the story was brilliant, it was beautifully written and you can tell how passionate the author is because she makes you feel all the things the characters are experiencing and that alone tells me it’s a fantastic book, it’s a great steamy romance with a HEA.”
Allison B. writes in her 5-star review, “You know all of these glowing reviews you see here for BANG? Well, they’re true! Every Sabrina Stark novel I’ve read has been a pleasure, but this one somehow has even more sparkle than usual. It’s crammed full of the things that make you want to devour a book. Is Mason complicated and sexy? Oh my, yes. Is Cami a spunky, completely relatable heroine? Absolutely. Do the pages smoke from their scorching chemistry? Call the fire department. Stir that together with a healthy dose of humor, and you have an ace romance that’s impossible to put down.”
Now or Never by Stella Rhys
Iain and Holland haven’t seen each other in five years after he stopped coming around with no explanation. He is her brother’s best friend, but now she’s grown up and a chance encounter finds things heating up between these two. With over 230 Amazon reviews, this stand-alone romance in the Irresistible series was read and enjoyed by many Hidden Gems readers in 2020.
“Wow! This book had enough steam and sizzle to spare!” writes Sylvia L. in her 5-star review. “The chemistry and connection between Iain and Holland (loved that name!) was so intense!! This story had me going through a range of emotions; from disbelief to awe, frustration to hopeful, and heartbroken to uplifted! I LOVED how the whole story played out.”
“The chemistry between Holland and Iain was OFF. THE. CHARTS!!” gushes Kindle Konvert in their 5-star review. “It was absolutely palpable and electric. He had such a dirty mouth! However, what I really loved was underneath his inscrutable demeanour beat the heart of the old Iain that Holland knew and loved. His words! I swooned SO HARD for this guy. I loved his alpha, dominating ways but his fierce feelings for Holland and his tenderness OWNED me. Holland was a spunky heroine. I admired her so much – the life she’d previously overcome to have the life she had now. The fact that she’d suffered but came out the other side full of positivity and gratitude.”
Chaos & the Geek by Elizabeth Stevens
With over 950 Amazon reviews, the Grace Grayson Security series starter introduced many Hidden Gems readers to this debut romance novel from Elizabeth Stevens. This opposites-attract, brother’s best friend steamy romance is set in Australia and uses Australian English spelling and syntax.
“It’s hilarious and quirky with deep thought out characters you never want to let go of,” writes Novel Nerds and Book Babes in their 5-star review. “I wish I could be friends with them. Or at least the amazing author who created them. Especially considering I read her acknowledgment page and saw this is her first adult targeted book ever published. Can’t wait to read the next ASAP!”
Amy C. writes in her 5-star review, “Want all the feels but short on time? This is the book for you! Excellent writing that pulls you into the story line from the first sentence and holds onto you until the last word. While a pretty quick read, it doesn’t feel like a thrown together book trying to meet a word count. Has you cheering for the hero and his damsel in distress and plotting revenge for the ‘bad’ guy right along with the characters.”
Reckless by Stella Rhys
Another stand-alone romance in the Irresistible series from Stella Rhys, Hidden Gems readers continued to request these romantic comedies through 2020. This steamy workplace romance has over 200 reviews on Amazon and an average 4.6 star rating.
“I was blown away by this incredible read with characters so real you can feel their emotions and want to be their friend,” writes Pamela M. in her 5-star review. “This fast-paced book totally captivated me from the start and had me hanging onto every word. I loved the attraction and off-the-charts chemistry between Adam Maxwell and his assistant AJ Tan. The secondary characters added so much to my reading pleasure and I didn’t want the book to end. This was the perfect escape from everyday stress and if you enjoy well-crafted romance, don’t miss Reckless.”
“One of the best romances I’ve read all year..and I have read a lot!” says Charles S. in his 5-star review. “This one kept me glued to the page from beginning to epilogue. Adrienne AJ is a young graduate who wants to be a sports agent. She wins a job as assistant to the scorchingly hot Adam Maxwell a top MLB agent at the big Engelman Agency in LA. He is so hot that she seeks out reasons to dislike the man as a means of self survival. Every other woman in the agency has the hots for him but can’t handle his moods or temper. AJ finds a way and five years later she is his closest confidant professionally speaking. This is very sexily written as is the whole book with super sexy texts exchanged and sultry banter. The sex between these two is off the charts hot and triple X. I can’t do the book justice nor the characters such as the brother, Cole, who hasn’t spoken to Adam in years for a sad reason and Adam’s mom and dad. I am now officially a fan of Stella Rhys.”
The Best Man by Winter Renshaw
This angsty contemporary romance was read and enjoyed by a great number of Hidden Gems reviewers in 2020. With over 650 Amazon reviews, and an average 4.6 stars, this book is commonly referred to as readers’ favorite read of the year.
Jennifer H. writes in her 5-star review, “It’s been a few days since I finished this book & it’s still with me, I cannot get over it or stop thinking about it. There are so many positives I couldn’t possibly list them all, so I will summarize the best I can. First & foremost, there is no cheating or any type of love triangle. Trust Winter’s process, she is able to bring these two together without hitting any of your triggers or your no-go ‘zones’. And if you have ever been interested in dreams & deeper meanings as well as how they play into destiny… well this one is FOR YOU. Hint: DO NOT SKIP THE AFTERWORD.”
“The Best Man is a breathtakingly beautiful story that takes the reader on a soul-searching journey and deeply resonates long after the last page is turned,” writes B. Roscoe, Vine Voice in their 5-star review. “Fans of The Alchemist will absolutely love Cainan and Brie’s slow burn romance about destiny, friendship, and love. The story is wonderfully crafted. The plot is somewhat complex, with Cainan and Brie separately working through various relationships with friends and family, trying to do the right thing as their paths cross. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Cainan and Brie. I rate this book five stars and strongly recommend it.”
Hidden Gems readers got to read these books first, so if you want more novels to sink into in the new year, sign up today! Subscribers to Hidden Gems receive invitations to read books like these – plus other titles from any of up to 15 other genres – for free. All we ask is that you strongly consider leaving an honest review of them on Amazon when you’re done!
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