Rom-com roundup: 'Weather Girl,' 'Lucky Leap Day' top January reading list

The last two years have been anything but soothing, so reset the tone for a more whimsical 2022. Mix a little romance with a little comedy, and indulge in the ideal feel-good read: the rom-com. Perfect for book clubs or solo self-indulging with a hot cup of cocoa, the increasingly popular literary genre hits just the right spot.  

In this month's roundup, USA TODAY staff review books that include a modern take on "My Fair Lady," a memorable souvenir from a trip in the form of a brand-new husband, and a highly educated and successful professional 30-something woman whose mother and aunties just want to save her from singledom.

Here are January's most exciting rom-com reads:

'Love at First Spite'

By Anna E. Collins. ★★★½ (out of four). Out now.

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

Ever dream of taking revenge on an ex? You’ll enjoy "Love at First Spite," a funread that indulges that deep-seated desire for vengeance – and also asks how necessary it truly is. Collins’ debut novel follows Dani as she enacts an exhaustive (and expensive) scheme against her ex-fiance Sam, who seemed to care more about his dream home – and its realtor – than he did about Dani’s desires. Along with her scene-stealing landlord Iris and cousin Mia, Dani plans to buy the plot of land next to Sam’s home and build a gaudy Spite House, a vacation rental where scorned partners can celebrate their newfound single life. But there’s one more thing Dani needs to make her plan work: Wyatt, a muscle-clad, mysterious architect who's carrying his own ex damage. "Love at First Spite" is a page-turning, lighthearted read. Its twists are predictable and its convoluted revenge plot just stretches the limits of believability, but it’s a comforting and engaging ride nonetheless. – Kate Ellsworth

'Weather Girl'

By Rachel Lynn Solomon. ★★★★ (out of four). Out next Tuesday.

This humorous, captivating and delightful rom-com tells the story of TV meteorologist Ari Abrams and sports reporter Russell Barringer, who try to get their divorced bosses back together in hopes of making their lives easier at work. The characters' personalities make the novel intriguing, and I especially felt a connection to  Abrams, a dedicated and ambitious reporter who wants to move up the career ladder. What makes this rom-com stand out is unexpected turn of events in every chapter combined with the backstory Solomon provides for each character. It felt as though I already knew the characters from the minute I picked up the book. The novel sheds light on how romance can bloom in spontaneous situations, and more importantly, how being with the right person means being with a person who treats you and others with kindness and respect. – Sudiksha Kochi

'Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?'

By Lizzie Damilola Blackburn. ★★★ ½ (out of four). Out Jan. 18.

Blackburn’s debut novel is a perfect depiction of how a Black woman’s search for love can lead to disastrous results if it’s not rooted in self-acceptance. What starts out as a detailed plan to get a date for a cousin’s wedding turns into a cautionary tale of the pernicious effects of sexism, racism and colorism upon women of the African diaspora. Throw in religion and extremely nosey female family members into the mix and it only gets more complicated. You’ll cringe at the desperate ways Yinka Oladeji, a 31-year-old, dark-skinned British Nigerian woman, behaves (nasty words are exchanged with one cousin after a failed romance; she contemplates using skin-lightening creams to be more attractive). But you’ll also love how Yinka finds her way back to herself (with the help of some very patient friends and family members). In the end, what matters most in “Yinka” is not your marital status but self-love, love of family and a broader sense of connection. And maybe you’ll find something better than a happily-ever-after fairy tale. – Mabinty Quarshie

'Lucky Leap Day'

By Ann Marie Walker. ★★★★ (out of four). Out Jan. 18.

Talk about a whirlwind. If you love a big-screen rom-com, then this book is for you (and definitely was for me). Cara Kennedy, a fledgling screenwriter who lives in Los Angeles, takes a trip to Dublin the weekend of Leap Day that she had originally meant to spend with her awful ex Kyle. Right off the plane, covered in puddle water, she meets Finn Maguire, a local guide, musician and Uber driver. After a couple of tours and a Leap Day full of whiskey at the local pub, she comes home with not just a Claddagh ring as a souvenir but a whole husband. Back in LA, Cara readies to face a career-changing interview while she and Finn get to know each other and consider divorce while living together. What could go wrong... or right?  – Morgan Hines

More:The best books of 2021: These 17 titles received four-star reviews from USA TODAY critics

‘Love & Other Disasters’

By Anita Kelly. ★★★½  (out of four). Out Jan. 18.

This quirky novel throws you straight into America's favorite cooking competition. If you've ever wondered what it's like for the contestants on shows like "MasterChef," "Love & Other Disasters" does a pretty good job of recreating it – until it becomes the steamy, rom-com you were hoping for. From the moment Dahlia, a clumsy and wild divorcee, and London, a mysterious nonbinary chef, meet, there's so much tension you wonder how these two will end up. While the dialogue is a little cringey at times, many important topics are addressed due to the queer relationship and London's nonbinary gender identity that make this book an essential read. – Melissa Rorech

'Made in Manhattan’

By Lauren Layne. ★★★½  (out of four). Out Jan. 18.

Set amongst the bustling streets of Manhattan, this lighthearted read follows a prim Upper East Side heroine as she steps out of her comfort zone to help her dear friend’s long-lost grandson immerse into society in a twist on "My Fair Lady." Violet and Cain couldn’t be more different, yet despite their flaws and tumultuous pasts, they learn to respect and understand each other. It’s not your typical opposites-attract romance: It’s watching Violet and Cain push past their comfort zones and protect the legacy of someone they both love. There’s every trope you’d expect from a Layne novel, including witty banter, a "phew, that’s hot" romance and the author's adept ability to bring her characters and their experiences off the page and into your life. New York’s never felt more real than it does in Layne’s "Made in Manhattan." – Nishka Dhawan

‘How to Love Your Neighbor’

By Sophie Sullivan. ★★★★ (out of four). Out Jan. 18.

‘How to Love Your Neighbor’ is a smart and hilarious whirlwind-romance between two neighbors who seem like total opposites: Grace is a nontraditional college student finishing her final semester of design school; Noah Jansen is a wealthy real estate developer who wants to buy her house. Grace won’t sell, and Noah doesn’t know how to take no for an answer, but as their tug-of-war game goes on, they realize they actually have stuff in common – enough to permanently alter their perceptions of each other. Sullivan masterfully weaves Grace's and Noah’s past lives into the present by exploring how familial relationships and personal hang-ups collide and prevent us from opening our hearts to the possibility of love – but once our hearts are open, we are forever changed. This is a novel you'll want to read over and over again. – Joanna Nelius

More:20 winter books we can't wait to read by Valerie Bertinelli, Brian Cox, Bob Odenkirk and more

‘The Roughest Draft’

By Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka.  ★★★  (out of four). Out Jan. 25.

While it's quite a slow burn, the culmination of Katrina, a self-proclaimed "retired" novelist, and her "ex"-writing partner Nathan's relationship feels real, raw and heartfelt. By the middle of the book, you're already rooting for them to be together. With the book's realistic discourse and dialogue, even the side characters – both the on-again BFF and literary agent turned fiance – feel thoughtful and tangible. The combination of a narrator and timeline shift really nails the importance of the small details of human nature that some romance novels miss out on, but this one puts front and center. – Jillian Lucas

Also out this month: 

'Digging Up Love,' by Chandra Blumberg. Out now. Alisha Blake creates desserts at chef Alisha Blake's grandfather's restaurant in rural Illinois but dreams of opening her own shop in Chicago. Will her dreams take a turn when a dinosaur bone is discovered and paleontologist Quentin Harris shows up in her grandparents' backyard?

'When You Get the Chance,' by Emma Lord. Out now. Millie Price has her heart set on Broadway. But when she discovers her dad's forlorn journal from 2003, she decides to go in search of her mom. 

'Seoulmates,' by Jen Frederick. Out Jan. 25. In this sequel to "Heart and Seoul," Korean American adoptee Hara Wilson finds herself torn between her new identity as the biological daughter of a conglomerate CEO and her love for the dashing Choi Yujun.

'Getting His Game Back,' by Gia de Cadenet. Out Jan. 25. Khalil Sarda is just getting his life back together when the multimillionaire tech entrepreneur Vanessa Noble walks into his life. But will their differences keep them apart?