March is here, and while spring hasn’t officially arrived yet, the frigid February temperatures have made me more than ready to swap the freezing, dreary days for sunshine and flowers. With warmer weather on the horizon, I’m also refreshing my TBR pile, swapping out those cold-weather romances — and yes, a few leftover holiday titles — for lighthearted spring reads filled with adventure and travel. With plots involving enemies-to-lovers and dating-app disasters to far-off (like, really far-off) getaways, these are the books that kept me happily reading during the coldest nights of winter.

*****

With a fresh hook and plenty of playful banter, Annabelle Slator’s delightful workplace rom-com, The Launch Date (Avon), delivers an entertaining mix of humor, personal growth, and opposites-attract chemistry.

Grace Hastings has worked tirelessly to climb the ranks at Fate, a London-based dating-app company, but between a toxic boss, a recent breakup, and nagging self-doubt, she’s feeling mired in failure. When the CEO offers her a shot at a major promotion, she jumps at the chance — until she realizes she’ll be competing against her biggest workplace rival, the hopelessly charming and infuriatingly privileged Eric Bancroft.

Grace and Eric’s task is to develop a new app that prioritizes in-person connection over  impersonal online matchmaking, which means they must pair up for a series of curated dating adventures in order to test its effectiveness. Amid cooking classes gone terribly wrong and yoga sessions that turn up the heat, their constant bickering starts giving way to some very real sparks, challenging both of their assumptions about love, relationships, and each other.

The Launch Date hums along thanks to the smoking-hot connection between the lead characters and the creative, often hilarious dates they must endure. While Grace’s journey toward self-confidence takes time, the growing bond between her and Eric keeps the story engaging, and the inventive premise makes for a fun, fast-paced read — and makes Slator an author to follow!

*****

As much as I love romance fiction, I sometimes struggle to remember whether I’ve read a particular book because, let’s be honest, the plots and tropes start to blend together. Enter Kimberly Lemming, who confidently steps in and says, “Watch this.”

In I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com (Berkley), Dorothy “Dory” Valentine is a wildlife biologist on the verge of earning her Ph.D. when she finds herself in the most unexpected predicament: abducted by aliens along with the very lion that just tried to eat her. Escaping captivity, she crash-lands on a planet teeming with dinosaurs, where she’s rescued by the smoldering, fire-breathing Sol. Soon, they cross paths with the dangerously charming ex-warlord Lok, and suddenly, Dory’s surreal survival mission takes a steamy turn.

The trio’s chemistry crackles as they navigate intergalactic misadventures, from battling prehistoric creatures to grappling with a mysterious serum that bonds them for life. Dory must face the possibility of never returning to Earth (or finishing her doctorate), but her companions give her a reason to imagine a different future for herself. She also gains a loyal friend in the lion she names Toto, who develops the ability to communicate with her, which results in some hilarious conversations. 

Dory, Sol, and Lok’s dynamic is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and hot, making their unconventional romance one you can’t help but root for. This is silly, snarky, sexy sci-fi fun, and I cannot wait to see what Lemming comes up with next!

*****

Carlie Walker’s newest, Code Word Romance (Berkley), is a thrilling and seductive second-chance romance.

Margaux “Max” Adams is drowning in debt and guilt after her restaurant dream’s collapse, leaving her owing everyone who loves her and working a low-wage job that barely covers her rent. But then a surprising job offer from the CIA gives her a chance to start over. She happens to be a dead ringer for Sofia Christiansen, the prime minister of the small country of Summerland. For a million-dollar payoff, Max just has to impersonate Sofia for a few days — long enough to allow the CIA and Summerland to flush out Sofia’s would-be assassins.

The mission seems simple enough: Go on Sofia’s Italian vacation and pretend to be her while hanging out on a beach and waving to the paparazzi. Things get decidedly more complicated when Max learns her handler is Flynn, the man she once loved and lost, and he intends to be with her every step of the way. Soon, Max is dodging killers and trying to maintain Sofia’s icy composure while attempting to keep her distance from the irresistible Flynn.

With the Amalfi Coast as a backdrop, Code Word Romance is rollicking good fun, with lots of action and intrigue. Walker has populated her story with an outstanding cast of secondary characters, including an adorable hotelier, Max’s unexpectedly charming roommate, and a badass female assassin who deserves her own book. This is a must-read for spring!

Kristina Wright lives in Virginia with her husband, their two sons, two Goldendoodles and a ginger cat. She’s a regular contributor at BookBub and a lifelong fan of romance fiction. Find her on Twitter at @kristinawright or on Bookshop, where she features her book recommendations.