I’ve always had a soft spot for renovation or construction romances. Maybe because it evokes my fantasies of having my own small home someday, maybe because the symbolism of making something beautiful from the ruins of something else appeals to my underdog-loving sensibilities. Either way, give me two people falling in love over a crumbling house slowly being brought back to life, and I’m there. (Even though these stories only encourage my daydreams of winning the lottery so I can purchase my own old house.)
The books I gathered here all hit that sweet spot, from two men getting past the pesky issue of one destroying the other’s roof, to a cowboy-hating man and a cowboy-loving woman finding common ground over a house that’s, quite literally, falling apart.
If you, too, swoon over romances featuring renovations or construction, look no further: your own fantasies of renovating an old inn or a cozy cottage will absolutely be fed (yes, even in this economy). Because what’s sweeter than fixing something up and learning to love at the same time?
All Access members, read on for renovation romance book recommendations.
Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne
Who among us hasn’t dreamed of being our father’s secret child? Oh, that’s right. Not one person in this world. Alas, that’s the predicament Nora finds herself in… a complicated situation worsened by the crumbling inn she and her sister must now fix. Awkward. Let’s not forget Ennis “Bear” Freeman, whose unflattering preconceptions of Nora will be ruined in no time at all.
Fall For Him by Andie Burke
It’s hard when your new neighbor automatically despises you. Falling right through your floor and into his bed, well, it will not fix matters, as Dylan discovers to his chagrin. But since Derek needs his apartment fixed ASAP, and Dylan is very capable of fixing it, maybe first impressions need not be irredeemable. Good thing, too, since Derek happens to be uncomfortably hot.
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
A brother’s best friend romance with a twist, Darcy only has one month to fix things before she loses her beloved grandmother’s cottage, since her twin insists on selling it. So when Tom, his best friend and her crush of a lifetime, shows up at the cottage with power tools, perhaps things can finally start to look up. At the very least, she gets to watch him work…
By the Bootstraps by Alexa Martin
Luna loves cowboys. So much so, that she buys a little farm in Texas… one that’s likely to fall around her ears unless Tate, who very much doesn’t love cowboys, helps her out. It’s a good thing that Tate isn’t her type then, because soon they’ll be spending a lot of time together. Her heart is safe… right?
If this is not enough romance for you, you need to check out these Fall romance books to cozy up with. And if you prefer your renovation sans romance, perhaps you’d like these books for fans of renovation TV shows.
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