CALIFORNIA BOOK LIST

This California Book List is full of love stories set against the golden glow of the West Coast—where the sunsets are cinematic, the stakes are high, and the chemistry is off the charts. Whether you’re wandering the foggy streets of San Francisco, soaking up the beach vibes of SoCal, or getting swept away in Napa Valley wine country, there’s a romance here for every kind of reader.

California romances have it all. Fake dating in Hollywood? Check. Surf-town second chances? Absolutely. Grumpy billionaire meets sunshiney barista in a tech start-up café? Yes, please. The state’s diversity shines through in every story—characters from all walks of life falling in love in places that feel vivid, bold, and beautifully real.

These love stories blend glamour and grit. You might meet celebrities hiding out in sleepy towns, best friends finally confessing their feelings on a weekend trip up the coast, or opposites falling hard during a vineyard wedding gone sideways. Whether the vibe is chill and beachy or sleek and urban, California knows how to bring the romance.

So grab your sunglasses, press play on that road trip playlist, and fall in love under the palm trees, city lights, or coastal cliffs. With stories as dynamic and unforgettable as the Golden State itself, California is ready to help you cross another swoony stop off your U.S. state reading challenge.

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36 Hour Date

by Kelly Siskind

Romance

Clean

One Wild Wish

A Ballad of Betrayal and Beauty

by L.H. Blake

Romance

Clean

Carnal Sins

A Sea of Unspoken Things

by Adrienne Young

Magical Realism, Mystery/Thriller

Clean

All the Missing Pieces

by Catherine Cowles

Romantic Suspense

Clean

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball

by Kate Spencer

Romance

Clean

Beautiful Storm

by Katherine Jay

Sports Romance

Clean

San Francisco End Game

Beg For Me

by J.T. Geissinger

Dark Romance

Clean

Morally Gray

Birthday Girl

by Penelope Douglas

Romance

Clean

Bridesmaid Undercover

by Meghan Quinn

Rom-Com

Clean

Bridesmaid for Hire

Chasing Shelter

by Catherine Cowles

Romantic Suspense

Clean

Sparrow Falls

Deep End

by Ali Hazelwood

Sports Romance

Clean

Fake It Till You Bake It

by Jamie Wesley

Romance

Clean

Sugar Blitz

He Falls First

by Jill Shalvis

Romance

Colburn Brothers

He’s Going Down

by Kelly Siskind

Romance

Clean

One Wild Wish

Keep Me Never

by Meagan Brandy

Sports Romance

Clean

Boys of Avix

My Favorite Holidate

by Lauren Blakely

Rom-Com

Clean

How to Date

My Kind of Trouble

by L.A. Schwartz

Contemporary Romance

Clean

Nothing Like the Movies

by Lynn Painter

YA Romance

Clean

Better than the Movies

Off-Limits Crush

by Kelly Siskind

Romance

Clean

One Wild Wish

On Guard

by Kels Stone

Sports Romance

Clean

The Hastings

Need More Recommendations for Books set in California? Check out this list on Goodreads.

For trope recommendations, check out our popular Book Tropes page.

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