I know some of you are probably thinking it’s the end of the world or something because it’s the very first Best Of Year list I’ve ever done. I’ll admit, it’s a little intimidating to write one of these lists because I read a lot of great books every year. And choosing what goes on this list is like choosing my favorite cat. It’s not easy. In 2021, however, I felt connected to stories on a level that is very hard to achieve. Each one of the stories touched me in a way that lingered days, even weeks, after I turned the last page. And when that many stories cause that specific reaction, it prompts me to do somethings I’ve never done before, yet hopefully will do again. So, here it is, the ten books that topped my reading list in 2021. I hope by sharing this list with you, you’ll get as much as enjoyment as I did.
1 Not Guilty by Brit Ryder
Published by Bold Strokes Books
This book is a: Erotica, Workplace Romance
What it’s about
Claire Weaver’s only goal is to climb the ladder of success. After winning an unwinnable toxic tort case and securing a ninety-million-dollar verdict, she’s a shoo-in for a judgeship at Kansas City’s circuit court.
The last person fire investigator Emery Pearson expects to see in court is the stranger she had the pleasure of dominating last night—only this time, Judge Claire Weaver is definitely in charge. To say she’s excited is an understatement. Claire is everything she needs—sexy, available, and not looking for a relationship.
Their day jobs clash, even as their desire burns, and a discreet sex-only arrangement is the only option. But when pushing their sexual limits threatens the boundary of their hearts, will they be guilty of breaking their own rules, or allow love to tip the scales?
Why I love it
This was the first book I read in 2021, so it’s only fitting that I start with it. I should pre-empt by saying this is a continuation of Brit Ryder’s short story Shameless, so if you haven’t read that it would be wise to read it before this one. I read Shameless when it first dropped and my only wish was that there was more of it. And Ryder emphatically delivered. You not only get the lust, heat and desire amplified tenfold that was in Shameless, but you also get great character development from both Claire and Emery. Two strong, independent women who learn how to trust each other in ways they never expected. It’s sexy, it’s moving, and it’ll have you hiding pages from nosy co-workers. I would highly recommend saving this one for bedtime when your alone for full enjoyment.
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2 Thrust by Rachel Spangler
Published by Bywater Publishing
This book is a: Sport, Friends-to-Lovers, Second Chance Romance
What it’s about
Fencing prodigy Jess Kidman has always been ahead of her peers. At the age of thirteen she made the varsity team, won a state championship, came out, and fell head over heels in love with her team captain, Lauren Standish. After being gently rebuffed by the high school senior, young Jess vowed she would return for her some day when their age difference became irrelevant and her own accomplishments made her not merely an equal, but an Olympian. Ten years later, Jess makes good on her promise, but when she arrives back in Buffalo a few months before the big games, she’s intrigued to find that the woman she’s always dreamed of could also be exactly the coach she needs to win gold.
Lauren, however, isn’t the bubbly team captain she’d been at eighteen. After a stellar collegiate career of her own, circumstances forced her to put her dreams on the shelf and return to Buffalo. She’d made peace with a quiet life spent running a rust belt fencing club and coaching kids when Team USA’s hottest young fencer waltzes back into her life. As much as Lauren finds Jess’s confidence and athleticism alluring, she also sees the hotheaded superstar as a threat to the carefully controlled world rebuilt in the wake of the traumatic loss she is desperate to avoid reliving. Never one to turn her back on a friend in need, Lauren agrees to coach Jess on the condition that they focus only on the swordplay and not the sharp point of attraction threatening to sever the bonds of her professionalism.
The two women set to work preparing for the biggest event, but as tension mounts in the lead-up to the Olympic Games, the pressure and the passion building between them also grows, leaving both to wonder if Jess is trying to win the gold, or win the girl.
Why I love it
Okay, if it’s a sports romance by Rachel Spangler, I’m reading it. Period. Spangler has a knack for tapping into an athlete’s psyche to draw out their desires for their sport and interlace it with their desires for that special person. This one was no different, but what really stood out to me was the prologue. It’s literally one of the best prologues I ever read and it had me excited, especially when Jess and Lauren see each other for the first time after so many years. I got goosebumps. I got excited. I didn’t put it down for three days straight. And even then, I kept going back to it and re-reading my favorite parts. Even if you don’t know a thing about fencing, everyone should read this for Jess and Lauren. Their dynamic is amazing, and their chemistry is off the charts, and I think I just talked myself into reading it again.
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3 Chemistry Lessons by Jae
Published by Ylva Publishing
This book is a: Friends-to-Lovers, Workplace Romance
What it’s about
Kylie and Regan have been best friends since kindergarten, supporting each other through thick and thin. While everyone thinks they would be perfect for each other, they insist there’s no chemistry between them—and Regan should know since she’s a chemistry teacher. To prove it, they agree to a little chemistry experiment: they’ll go on three dates with each other.
So what if their gazes start to linger and accidental touches no longer feel platonic? They chalk it up to the romantic atmosphere—until a friendly good night kiss turns passionate. Can their friendship go back to the way it was before? Do they even want it to? Or will they risk losing what they have for a chance at love?
Why I love it
While I do believe angsty, spicy stories are my jam, I do love a sweet rom-com story every once in a while. And it doesn’t hurt when Jae is the author. Kylie and Reagan are so clueless about their mutual attraction it’s too cute for words. I laughed at some of their antics and pulled my hair in frustration at their blindness to what was right in front of them. And other times, I smirked because I was like “yep, that’s me right there.” I loved this story because we all need some cuteness to balance out all the drama in our lives.
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4 Evolution by MJ Duncan
Published by Indie author
This book is a: Friends-to-Lovers, Coming Out, Late-in-life romance
What it’s about
Life in The Royal Ballet comes with a set of unwritten rules, and no one knows them better than Nina Devereaux. Even in her current role as the Company’s Artistic Director, those expectations still loom menacingly over her life. But when she’s granted the opportunity to bring her revolutionary ballet to stage, the little voice that has always kept her playing by the rules begins to waver as she watches her love letter to the woman who has held her heart for years come to life. She knows better than most that it’s a long road from wanting something to having it, but perhaps this time she’ll finally manage to get it right.
Why I love it
This is a story that I feel like a lot of readers wished into being. If you know Duncan’s work, then you’re very familiar with her Blue Symphony series. In the second installment, Pas De Deux, we’re introduced to Nina and Clara. Immediately, I was drawn to them and wanted to see their offscreen dynamic become front and center. I said as much to Duncan, and I’m sure others did as well, because she got right on that and delivered to perfection. Watching Nina and Clara’s connection mature and strengthen, develop from friendship into something meaningful, and culminate in one perfect moment, made me so happy. It fulfilled everything I wanted for these characters and more.
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5 Objecting To Her by JJ Arias
Published by Indie Author
This book is a: Enemies-to-Lovers, Workplace Romance
What it’s about
Ari Vidal is starting her dream job as a prosecutor in Miami. After three years of competing with Sloane Medina in law school, she’s ready to shine on her own. When Sloane unexpectedly starts working at the same office, Ari’s plans are shattered, and she discovers old rivalries die hard.
Sloane expected to be working at a prestigious Manhattan law firm, but she’s trapped in Miami instead. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Ari, who insists on constantly competing with her, is back in her orbit.
Thrown together, the women find themselves back at each other’s throats. But, despite their best efforts to remain enemies, their relationship changes when they start to see beyond each other’s icy exteriors. Passions burn hot enough to melt glaciers in this addictive clash between two strong women who have more in common than they realize. The only question is . . . can they get out of their own way?
Why I love it
This one was a pleasant surprise. I picked this up because I was in the mood for two strong, smart, sexy women where the line between love and hate was razor thin. I was intrigued and excited to read about Ari and Sloane’s ever evolving, and complicated, relationship. Their dynamic is electric when their on the opposition, and it ratchets up the sexual tension to the point of exploding when their passions boil over. Truly a fun and enticing read to get your adrenaline pumping.
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6 Scent by Kris Bryant
Published by Bold Strokes Books
This book is a: Rich Girl/Poor Girl, CEO, Small Business Owner Romance
What it’s about
Nico Marshall’s living her best life. Her packaging company’s turning a profit and she’s just been labeled Chicago’s most promising up-and-coming artist. The only thing missing is love. When she meets a beautiful woman on the train with an indescribable sweet and sugary scent, Nico’s ready to make her move.
Sophia Sweet doesn’t have time for distractions. Never mind how fit and tan Nico is, or how she has the most beautiful eyes ever. Sophia only has one goal: keep the family business alive. Her third-generation chocolatier shop, Sweet Stuff, is tanking. In a last-ditch effort, Sophia creates an upscale version of their product and needs the perfect package to ensure success.
When Sophia recognizes Nico from the train but mistakes her for the packaging company’s warehouse employee, Nico doesn’t bother to correct her. She’s been burned by women in the past wanting her for her money. This time, she’s determined to win Sophia over with her charm.
Why I love it
This is Bryant’s fourth book in her sensory series, and I don’t know what it is, but when these books involve food, they really stick with you. Taste is one of my all-time favorites, but I feel Scent might dethrone it, mainly due to Bryant’s use of sensory recognition. It really brings another layer to this story. The emphasis on sound and smell in regards to Sophia are all things Nico recognizes long before she sees her. And it’s appealing because it really illustrates the depths of Nico’s feelings for her. These little nuances had me gobbling up this story in record time.
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7 Mrs Middleton by Melissa Tereze
Published by Indie Author
This book is a: Age Gap, Friends-to-Lovers, Coming Out Late-in-Life Romance
What it’s about
Emma Bradley is trembling. And not because of the climate difference between England and Africa, where she’s just ended an 18-month stint teaching sports to kids. She’s about to see Vanessa again.
Golden hair, luminous blue eyes, a smile to light up a room. The woman Emma loves. The woman she spilled her heart out to, then ran away to another continent to avoid a humiliating scene—because Vanessa is her best friend’s mum. If Emma is lucky, maybe Vanessa chalked it up to too much wine. Or better yet, forgot all about it.
Vanessa Middleton is fighting a serious case of uncertainty. Emma’s confession is crystal clear in her memory, and now that Vanessa is divorced from her cheating husband, the strongest barrier between them is gone. But there are others no less challenging.
Because if Vanessa couldn’t keep her husband’s attention, what could bright, beautiful, much younger Emma possibly see in her? Worse, if the two of them act on their attraction, their affair could jeopardise the relationship they both hold dear: Vanessa’s daughter—Emma’s closest friend.
Why I love it
I’ll admit I was a little cautious going into this one because of the dynamic. Having a crush on your best friend’s mom and being able to act on it can become very dramatic and create interesting plot threads that may not be too friendly to the characters involved. Tereze avoided a lot of those traps, however, and came up with a great angsty romance that has you longing for Emma and Vanessa to find their happily-ever-after. The smartest move Tereze was having a mutual attraction, which allows Vanessa and Emma to explore these feelings together and navigate the inevitable fallout when their romance is revealed.
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8 Never Say Never by Rachael Sommers
Published by Ylva Publishing
This book is a: Age Gap, Workplace, Thawing The Ice Queen Romance
What it’s about
Ambitious corporate shark Camila Evans might have just lost her marriage but she decides she doesn’t need love to build a television empire and raise her young son alone. What she does need is a nanny, but the incompetent idiots sent her way make her lose faith in ever finding anyone useful.
Enter Emily Walker—fresh out of college, bright, a little naive, and new to New York City. Emily is everything Camila is not and frankly it’s a little unsettling how innocent and gentle the young woman is.
That’s not all that’s unsettling. Camila’s growing feelings for Emily are making it hard to maintain a professional distance. Surely she can’t possibly be falling for the nanny? God, it’s such a mid-life crisis cliché. But would it be too impossible?
As time goes on, Camila starts to wonder if maybe even she can get her happy ending after all.
Why I love it
This is a trope that has been done many different ways, but I really liked this take on it. Sommers does a great job of giving some refreshing views between Emily and Camila. She really tugs at the heartstrings with Camila’s hesitancy over feeling deserving of love, and the way she inserts Jaime as the culmination point for Emily and Camila’s desires is genius. Really great job for her first release.
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9 The Secret Poet by Georgia Beers
Published by Bold Strokes Books
This book is a: Romantic Comedy
What it’s about
Morgan Thompson likes her life just fine. She has a tight-knit family, two opinionated cats, and her job as office manager for her brother Perry’s medical practice. Perry’s an eligible bachelor, but his divorce left him gun-shy, so Morgan has fun tweaking his responses to potential dates online, using her affinity for words to make him sound impressive. When new pharmaceutical rep Zoe Blake walks into his office, though, he’s smitten, and he needs Morgan more than ever.
Zoe is beautiful and a little mysterious and doesn’t seem terribly interested in Perry. Morgan decides she’ll need to get to know Zoe before she plays matchmaker. But soon, she’s talking books and movies and writing to her as Perry, and the more she knows, the more she wants to know, until she begins to wonder: Is she wooing Zoe for her brother? Or for herself?
Why I love it
This had everything I love about Beers’ work. It had humor, sass, a sweet romance, and a dramatic reveal. Morgan was quirky and fun. Zoe is the right amount of sophisticated and sexy. And Perry was the right amount of jerk older brother to make you want to smack him upside the head but still like him in the end. Nothing too heavy, very fun to read. Would totally recommend for a weekend.
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10 The Headmistress by Milena McKay
Published by Indie author
This book is a: Age Gap, Thawing The Ice Queen, Workplace
What it’s about
A chance encounter. An unforgettable night.
And back home, trouble is brewing on the remote island of Three Dragons, where nothing feels like it used to. Alone and lonely, Sam Threadneedle wishes upon a star, hoping for change. But when said change comes, it’s with a roar and not a whimper. Torn between loyalty and lust, Sam is forced to re-evaluate everything.
Can she and the Home of Dragons withstand the storm that is Magdalene Nox, or will any and all crumble? Not everything is as it seems, and as she slowly unravels the mysteries.
Why I love it
This book is number ten for a specific reason. I literally had a reading hangover after I finished it. Seriously, I couldn’t pick up another book for two weeks. I just kept re-reading this one again and again. It spoiled me to the point I was seriously worried if I’d ever read another book again (don’t worry, I did start reading again). But I will say, it was smart of me to read the other stories on my list before this one; otherwise, there may not BE a top ten. So, definitely grab this one, but be prepared to savor it and go back for seconds and thirds loooong after you finish.
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If you enjoyed Anna’s Best Of 2021 List then you may also enjoy these books that she has tagged as favourites.
