2022 Goodreads Choice Awards: The Best Romance Books of the Year
The 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards for the best books of the year have spoken and I’ve got all the details on the titles up for best romance book.
This book list has the entire list of nominees for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards for best romance book so keep reading to see which book claims this year’s title as the best!
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Every November/December, readers get to pick their favorite books of the year in the Goodreads Choice Awards.
This year there are 20 nominees for Best Romance Book of the year.
It’s always hard to pick just ONE book as the best of the year so I’m not yet sure which book will get my voice this year.
But if you’re curious as to ALL the books that earn my vote as the best of the year, then check out my list of the best romance novels of 2022.
While there is always some debate about which books actually make the final nominee list, the Goodreads Choice Awards are the only major book award decided by readers.
Books published in the United States in English between November 17, 2021 and November 15, 2022 are eligible for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards.
How books released on November 15 could be eligible since that is when voting begins is beyond me but I guess it has to do with how many readers have it on their Want to Read shelf in Goodreads.
Goodreads Choice Awards 2022 Voting Schedule
The voting schedule for 2022 is just like last year with only TWO rounds of voting: the opening and final rounds.
Unfortunately, they did not bring back the opportunity for readers to write in books that didn’t make the original opening round, which is a shame because I thought that was pretty cool to do.
The opening round begins with 20 nominees for best romance book of the year. After this round, the top 10 will continue to the final round before the winner is announced.
Here’s a quick recap on this year’s voting schedule:
Opening Round: Nov. 15-27
Final Round: Nov. 29 – Dec. 4
Winner Announcement: Dec. 8
After checking out the nominees, be sure to head over to Goodreads to cast your vote!
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2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Romance Book Nominees
It’s no surprise that Colleen Hoover made the list, and with two books no less!
Several books that have been popular on #Booktok also made the list.
I am happy that at least 4 of my favorite books of 2022 are up for the award for Best Romance. I enjoyed a few others as well so I have no idea which book will win though I do have a feeling…
A huge congratulations to all of the nominees!
What do you think of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards best romance book nominees? Share in the comments below!
Winner: 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
Book Lovers
by Emily Henry
Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and lands enormous deals for her clients as a cutthroat literary agent.
Now she’s off to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina with her sister Libby who’s convinced she needs to become the heroine in her own story.
But instead of bumping into her own hero, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
Related: Emily Henry Book List, Book Lovers Movie: The Ultimate Guide
Goodreads | Amazon
Nominees for Best Romance Book:
2022 Goodreads Choice Awards
It Starts With Us
by Colleen Hoover
Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again.
After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.
But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life, and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.
Related: Best Second Chance Romance Books, The Ultimate Guide to the It Ends With Us Series
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
Things We Never Got Over
by Lucy Score
Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. He doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.
Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin only to have her evil twin steal Naomi’s car and cash, leaving Naomi with a niece she didn’t know she had.
Since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of Knox, the least he can do is help her out of her jam.
And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.
At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.
Related: Things We Never Got Over Series
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
Hook, Line and Sinker
by Tessa Bailey
King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a hot, carefree flirt who’s a guaranteed good time–in bed and out–and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger.
She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends?
Now, Hannah’s in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom.
She’s still nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead.
Related: Best Friends to Lovers Books
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
Electric Idol
by Katee Robert
Psyche knew she’d have to face Aphrodite’s ire eventually, but she never expected her literal heart to be at stake…or for Aphrodite’s gorgeous son to be the one ordered to strike the blow.
Eros has no problem getting his hands dirty. But when it comes time to take out his latest target, he can’t do it.
Confused by his reaction to Psyche, he does the only thing he can think of to keep her safe: he marries her.
As they try to find a way out of their mess, lines blur and loyalties shift and two hearts are at risk.
Related: Best Marriage of Convenience Books, Neon Gods Series Ultimate Guide
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
Love on the Brain
by Ali Hazelwood
Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project, Marie would accept without hesitation.
But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school—archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle.
But now she seems to see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes.
But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?
Related: Best Enemies to Lovers Books, Ali Hazelwood Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Reminders of Him
by Colleen Hoover
After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter.
But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself.
The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter.
But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.
The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk.
Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Colleen Hoover’s Books, The Best Reminders of Him Quotes
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
Thank You for Listening
by Julia Whelan
For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her.
When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.
On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice.
Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago.
But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.
As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity.
Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.
If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.
Goodreads | Amazon
The Bodyguard
by Katherine Center
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than a bodyguard. Her latest assignment: protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton.
Jack Stapleton has been out of the public eye and off the grid, but when his mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out.
Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about the danger following him or his bodyguard. That’s why Hannah finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover.
But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack.
But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.
Related: Best Bodyguard Romance Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Every Summer After
by Carley Fortune
Persephone Fraser hasn’t been home in a decade but one phone call has her racing back to Barry’s Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek—the man she never thought she’d have to live without.
For six summers, Percy and Sam had been inseparable. Eventually, that friendship turned into something breathtakingly more, before it fell spectacularly apart.
When Percy returns to the lake for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been.
But until Percy can confront the decisions she made and the years she’s spent punishing herself for them, they’ll never know whether their love might be bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past.
Related: Best Beach Reads, Carley Fortune Books
Goodreads | Amazon
The Kiss Curse
by Erin Sterling
Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She’s running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she’s started mentoring some of the younger witches in town.
As Halloween approaches, there’s only one problem—Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow.
Wells has come to Graves Glen to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded as well as to make a new life for himself after years of being the dutiful son in Wales.
When he opens up a shop of his own, Penhallow’s, just across the street from Something Wicked, he quickly learns he’s gotten more than he bargained for in going up against Gwyn.
When their professional competition leads to a very personal—and very hot—kiss, both Wells and Gwyn are determined to stay away from each other, convinced the kiss was just a magical fluke.
But when a mysterious new coven of witches come to town and Gwyn’s powers begin fading, she and Wells must work together to figure out just what these new witches want and how to restore Gwyn’s magic before it’s too late.
Related: Best Witch Romance Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Part of Your World
by Abby Jimenez
After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down.
The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis is fine with being a “mere” ER doctor.
Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.
Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either.
With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?
Related: Best Age Gap Romance Books, Abby Jimenez Books in Order
Goodreads | Amazon
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care
by Ashley Herring Blake
Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily.
When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town.
She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all.
Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first.
Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push.
When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to…
Related: Best Lesbian Romance Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Twisted Hate
by Ana Huang
On his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn’t charm—except for Jules Ambrose.
The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has.
When their animosity ignites into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that’ll get her out of his system once and for all: an enemies with benefits arrangement with simple rules.
No jealousy. No strings attached. And absolutely no falling in love.
Outgoing and ambitious, Jules Ambrose is a former party girl who’s focused on one thing: passing the attorney’s bar exam.
The last thing she needs is to get involved with a doctor who puts the SUFFER in insufferable…no matter how good-looking he is.
But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes there’s more than meets the eye to the man she’s hated for so long.
Her best friend’s brother. Her nemesis. And her only salvation.
Theirs is a match made in hell, and when the demons from their past catch up with them, they’re faced with truths that could either save them …or destroy everything they’ve worked for.
Related: Best Enemies to Lovers Books, Twisted Love Series Ultimate Guide
Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty
by Akwaeke Emezi
Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again.
It’s been five years since the accident that took the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now.
Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.
She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the overwhelming desire Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits—his father.
This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers.
Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future?
And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?
Related: Best Age Gap Romance Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Terms and Conditions
by Lauren Asher
Declan is destined to become the next CEO of his family’s media empire. The only problem? His grandfather’s inheritance clause until his assistant volunteers for the job.
Our marriage was supposed to be the perfect solution to my biggest problem. But the more we act in love for the public, the more unsure I feel about our contract.
Caring about Iris was never part of the deal. Especially not when breaking her heart is inevitable.
Related: Best Billionaire Romance Novels, Dreamland Billionaires Series Guide
Goodreads | Amazon
The Wedding Crasher
by Mia Sosa
Just weeks away from ditching DC for greener pastures, Solange Perreira is roped into helping her wedding planner cousin on a random couple’s big day.
It’s an easy gig… until she stumbles upon a situation that convinces her the pair isn’t meant to be. What’s a true-blue romantic to do?
Crash the wedding, of course. And ensure the unsuspecting groom doesn’t make the biggest mistake of his life.
Dean Chapman had his future all mapped out. He was about to check off “start a family” and on track to “make partner” when his modern-day marriage of convenience went up in smoke.
Then he learns he might not land an assignment that could be his ticket to a promotion unless he has a significant other and, in a moment of panic, Dean claims to be in love with the woman who crashed his wedding.
Now Dean and Solange are fake-dating their way around town, but what started as a performance for Dean’s colleagues turns into a connection that neither he nor Solange can deny.
Related: Best Fake Relationship Romance Books
Goodreads | Amazon
The American Roommate Experience
by Elena Armas
Rosie Graham has a few problems. Her secret new career as a romance writer has stalled and the ceiling of her apartment just collapsed.
At least one problem can be solved by using her friend Lina’s spare key, unaware that Lina has already lent her apartment to her cousin Lucas, who Rosie has been stalking on Instagram for the last few months.
Lucas seems intent on coming to her rescue like a Spanish knight in shining armor and offers to let Rosie stay with him.
And then he proposes an outrageous experiment to bring back her literary muse and meet her deadline: He’ll take her on a series of experimental dates meant to jump-start her romantic inspiration.
Rosie has nothing to lose. Her silly, online crush is totally under control—but Lucas’s time in New York has an expiration date, and six weeks may not be enough, for either her or her deadline.
Related: Best Fake Relationship Romance Books, Ali Hazelwood Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Funny You Should Ask
by Elissa Sussman
Then. Twenty-something writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing high-profile book deals, all she does is churn out puff pieces.
Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker: her number one celebrity crush and the latest James Bond.
But what comes next proves to be life changing in ways she never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing—and Chani getting closer to Gabe than she had planned.
Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a healthy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles as a successful writer with the career of her dreams.
Except that no matter what new essay collection or online editorial she’s promoting, someone always asks about The Profile. It always comes back to Gabe.
So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together.
But the truth is that Chani wants to know if those seventy-two hours were as memorable to Gabe as they were to her. And so . . . she says yes.
Related: Best Second Chance Romance Books
Goodreads | Amazon
Dating Dr. Dil
by Nisha Sharma
Kareena Mann dreams of having a perfect love story like her parents did. That’s why on the morning of her thirtieth birthday, she’s decided to suit up and enter the dating arena.
When her widowed father announces he’s retiring and selling their home after her sister’s engagement party, Kareena makes a deal with him.
If she can find her soulmate by the date of the party, he’ll gift her the house, and she’ll be able to keep her mother’s legacy alive.
Prem Verma doesn’t have time for romance, which is why it’s no surprise when his first meeting with Kareena goes awry. Their second encounter is worse when their on-air debate about love goes viral.
Now Prem’s largest community center donor is backing out because Prem’s reputation as a heart-health expert is at risk.
To get back in his donor’s good graces, he needs to fix his image fast, and dating Kareena is his only option.
Even though they have warring interests, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he thinks she’s might actually be the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with.
Goodreads | Amazon
Now that you’ve seen all the nominees, cast your vote for best romance book in the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards!
Past Goodreads Choice Award Nominees:
- 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominees for Best Romance
- 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominees for Best Romance Book
- 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Nominees for Best Romance Book
- 2019 Goodreads Choice Award Nominees for Best Romance Book
