Books like A Long Time Coming

A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn reads as humorous, heartwarming. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.

What A Long Time Coming is like to read

A breezy friends-to-lovers rom-com narrated by the pining best man (er, man-of-honor), stuffed with wedding-planning hijinks and a monster-in-law antagonist. The comedy is character-driven and the yearning is the engine. Best for: readers who want a light, banter-forward best-friend pining romance with wedding chaos.

Things We Never Got Over

Lucy Score · 2020

A bantery grumpy-sunshine romance that leans hard into small-town found-family warmth, with an instant-parent subplot and a late-book danger arc giving it more propulsion than a pure cozy romcom.

guaranteed HEAhigh heatmildly eerie

RULES FOR THE SUMMER

Meghan Quinn · 2025

A breezy, banter-driven summer rom-com that leans on forced-proximity charm and small-town chaos more than emotional heft.

guaranteed HEAcomplete story

It Happened One Summer

Tessa Bailey · 2021

A frothy fish-out-of-water rom-com: a Los Angeles influencer exiled to a Pacific Northwest fishing town clashes and flirts with a taciturn boat captain.

guaranteed HEAhigh heatcomplete story

Part of Your World

Abby Jimenez · 2022

A contemporary romance built on a city-girl / small-town-carpenter clash, with the real tension coming from family-legacy pressure rather than external villains — warm, emotionally charged, and choice-driven.

complete storydeep cut

People We Meet on Vacation

Emily Henry · 2021

A warm, banter-driven friends-to-lovers romance that toggles between past summer vacations and a present-day reunion, letting the ache of what-went-wrong build slowly toward reconciliation.

guaranteed HEAcomplete story

DOLLY ALL THE TIME

Annabel Monaghan · 2025

A warm, witty contemporary rom-com where a post-breakup friendship softens into love — breezy, comforting, and emotionally sincere without heavy angst.

guaranteed HEAcomplete story

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

Christina Lauren · 2018

A banter-forward friends-to-lovers romance that feels like hanging out with a chaotic, big-hearted friend and her exasperated-but-charmed counterpart, warm and comedic more than tense.

guaranteed HEAhigh heatcomplete story