Staff Picks: The Best Romance Reads at Middleburg Books
Written by Diane Helentjaris | Photos by Shannon Ayres
Few times of year are more conducive to snuggling up with a great book and favorite beverage in a comfy chair than the cold depths of midwinter. Since opening in 2023, Middleburg Books has become the go-to spot for book lovers near and far. Mary Beth Morell, founder and CEO, invites visitors to step into “our jewel-box haven of deep teal shelves, starry ceilings, and nods to ‘The Secret Garden’ — and let yourself drift into the magic of stories waiting to be found.” It seemed only fitting, in this romance-focused month, to ask Morell and her staff for their recommendations on books celebrating love. Here are the books they can’t stop talking about and why they love them.
If you love figure skating: “The Favorites” by Layne Fargo
Think glitz, grit, and Olympic-level drama. A wrong-side-of-the-tracks ice-dancing duo claw their way through the cutthroat world of elite figure skating while carrying on a steamy, on-again, off-again romance. Told in the style of a documentary, it’s addictive, dramatic, and wildly fun. It’s also fabulous as an audiobook.
If “Bridgerton” and Jane Austen had a very witty baby: “The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion” by Beth Brower
The entire Middleburg Books staff is openly obsessed with this series. Told through the sharp, charming journal entries of Emma, a bookish orphan navigating 1883 London, these novellas are clever, cozy, romantic, and quietly magical. Come for the eccentric relatives and sparkling dialogue; stay for the who-will-she-choose romance and instant-classic energy.
For the wine lovers (and Francophiles): “Grape Juice” by Eliza Dumais
The staff love this new series of romance books by publishing house 831 Stories. Alice is adrift — at work, in love, in life — so she heads to France to work a grueling grape harvest at a stunning vineyard. Cue aching muscles, flowing wine, and a dreamy and equally adrift French love interest. Clearly written by someone who adores food, wine, and place, this novella is a total gem.
YA romance with summer vibes: “Audre & Bash Are Just Friends” by Tia Williams
Overachiever Audre is stuck in Brooklyn for the summer and desperate for some joy, so she hires Bash — the school’s gorgeous, mysterious new senior — as her paid “fun consultant.” Five reckless dares, one sweltering summer, and a lot of chemistry later, “just friends” becomes questionable.
LGBTQ+ Regency: “Like in Love with You” by Emma Alban
Sent to Regency Bath, England, to steal a suitor as revenge for her mother’s old feud, Catherine instead finds herself locked in a sharp, delicious rivalry — and undeniable attraction — with the city’s reigning mean girl. It’s witty, sexy, and subversive, with an enemies-to-lovers spark that absolutely crackles.
Those hockey books everyone is talking about: “Game Changers” (starting with Scott & Kip’s story) by Rachel Reid
A superstitious hockey captain and the charming smoothie guy he can’t stop thinking about fall into a scorching-hot, strictly secret relationship. But with the playoff season looming and public scrutiny intensifying, they’ll have to decide if love is worth the risk in a book that’s emotional, sexy, and impossible to put down.
That rom-com on Netflix everyone is talking about: “People You Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One spectacular falling-out. When Poppy convinces Alex to take one last vacation together, old memories and long-buried feelings resurface fast. Tender, funny, and so very romantic — this is peak friends-to-lovers perfection.
MB’s all-time favorite: “Nora Goes Off Script” by Annabel Monaghan
After her marriage implodes, a romance screenwriter turns heartbreak into a hit movie — only for the film’s charming leading man to show up on her porch and stay for seven days. Warm, funny, and quietly devastating in the best way, this is a love story about second chances, real life, and rewriting the ending. Fun fact: Annabel may pop up at Middleburg Books this summer for the release of her latest book!
You can find all these and more within the cozy walls at 17 S. Madison Street in Middleburg. The shop partners with Libro.fm to offer audiobooks, with each purchase directly supporting Middleburg Books. For those who want their books delivered to their doorstep (or a friend’s), shopping through Middleburg Books’ page at bookshop.org helps support the store. Morell suggests book lovers “think of it as the Rebel Alliance to Amazon’s Empire.”
Looking for more ways to engage? Middleburg Books’ Curated Book Tasting is a unique service, inspired by experiences offered in Bath by Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights. These private one-hour consultations with a Middleburg Books “bibliotherapist” include light refreshments, a curated “tasting flight” of recommended books selected specifically for your tastes and reading desires, a $75 voucher to be used for your book purchases, and a Middleburg Books tote bag. ML
More information is available at middleburgbooks.com.
Published in the February 2026 issue of Middleburg Life.