“And then one day, they stopped. Long, long before I had stopped loving him.”
If you loved The Idea of You book by Robinne Lee, you’re probably still savouring the blend of passion, heartache and the pull of a forbidden romance that made it so addictive for readers across the world. Far more than just another romance tale, The Idea of You is an exploration of the complexities of relationships, age, and social expectations. And we here at What We Reading thought we would pay homage to Lee’s novel with some of our favourite books like The Idea of You! These reads all promise emotional intensity, mature romance and character-driven storytelling where age-gap dynamics and passionate affairs blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
The Light We Lost – Jill Santopolo
First up on our list of books like The Idea of You is Jill Santopolo’s The Light We Lost, a deeply personal tale about first love, fate and the lasting imprint one relationship can have over the years. Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. When they meet each other again a year later, it appears to be fate.
But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy embarks on her dream career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year-long journey of desires, jealousies, betrayals and, ultimately, love. Was it truly fate that brought them together? Did a choice keep them away? Lucy and Gabe’s journey takes them continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.
Happiness For Beginners – Katherine Center
A year after getting divorced, thirty-two-year-old Helen Carpenter agrees to sign up for a wilderness survival course with her younger brother. But, when she learns that her brother’s annoying best friend is also attending, she can’t imagine the entire experience being anything other than a nightmare. However, what follows are three of the eye-opening weeks in Helen’s life, where her adventure sees her survive mosquito infestations, a surprise summer blizzard and a group of sorority girls.
Despite everything, the vast Wyoming wilderness has a way of making Helen’s own little world appear bigger too. Stranger still, the people who once annoyed her the most begin to teach her the very things she needs to learn. Similar to the themes in The Idea of You, Katherine Center’s Happiness for Beginners demonstrates how sometimes you have to get really lost before you can have any hope of being found.
Check Out The Best Books Like Happiness For Beginners
Scandalized – Ivy Owens
Georgia Ross is an investigative journalist who is overworked, exhausted and on a story that will either make or break her career. When a cancelled flight leaves her stuck in the airport overnight she is pushed to the brink of meltdown. But when the familiar face of the older brother of her high school friend offers help, Gigi appears to have caught a break. Alec Kim is handsome, humble and kind – exactly the sort of man a string of heartbreaks had taught Gigi no longer existed.
After a night of passion, Alec feels like a gift. That is until Gigi finally realises why he feels so remarkably familiar to her. As their feelings for one another grow deeper, the pair are forced to navigate a new reality. A reality where both of their hard-won careers are put in the crosshairs of a huge international scandal.
Nora Goes Off Script – Annabel Monaghan
No one knows more about the formula of love than Nora Hamilton. After all, as a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her husband leaves her and their two children, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash with the best script she has ever put to paper. So good is the script, it is commissioned for a big-screen adaptation filmed on her century-old home with former Sexiest Man Alive Leo Vance cast as her ne’er-do-well husband.
The morning after filming comes to a close and the crew departs, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a startling proposition. In return for being allowed to stay an extra week, he will pay a thousand dollars a day. The extra money will be a huge help for Nora, but a week is more than long enough to both mend or break a heart as well. Like The Idea of You, Nora Goes Off Script is a romance tale filled with warmth, wit and wisdom where love is complicated by all-too-familiar real-life occurrences.
Red, White & Royal Blue – Casey McQuiston
A Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Debut Novel and Best Romance, Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue is the perfect follow-up to The Idea of You for readers looking for another globetrotting romance romp filled with clandestine meet-ups. First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is one part of an ingenious millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. Nevertheless, his socialite duties have their downsides too. Notably, when photos of a confrontation with long-time nemesis Prince Henry are leaked to the press, threatening to sour Anglo-American relations.
The plan for limiting the damage of this story is to stage a fake relationship between the First Son and the Prince. But, as his mother kicks off her bid for re-election, Alex finds himself pulled into a secret relationship that could upend two nations.
Check Out The Best Books Like Red, White & Royal Blue
Once More With Feeling – Elissa Sussman
Katee Rose is living the dream as America’s number-one pop star, finding herself in the middle of sold-out concerts, legions of devoted fans and constant tabloid coverage. Everyone wants to know everything about her and her boyfriend, Ryan LaNeve, the hottest member of the boyband CrushZone. However, when she finds herself in the arms of another member of CrushZone, Cal Kirby, her relationship, career and life as she knows it is totally upended.
Fast forward to the present, and Kathleen Rosenberg is perfectly content with an ordinary existence and leaving her popstar image in the past. That is until Cal Kirby shows up with the opportunity of her dreams. The pair haven’t spoken since their careers were destroyed, making their reunion a tense battle of wits and egos. Nevertheless, as the long rehearsals play out, there’s no resisting the chemistry and small flame still burning between the two of them.
Bohemian – Kathryn Nolan
Another one of the best forced-proximity books like The Idea of You, Bohemian is a 2017 romance tale by Kathryn Nolan. Calvin Ellis’ neat and orderly life is shattered when his grandfather dies, leaving him the quirky bookstore in Big Sur, California. The Mad Ones was once known for poetry readings and bohemian rebellion but now stands on the brink of financial ruin. That is until supermodel Lucia Bell arrives for a photo shoot.
Lucia finds herself oddly intrigued by the shy nerdy owner of the bookshop, which winds up leading to a passionate and frenzied kiss against a bookshelf. Outside, a storm tears through Big Sur. When they seek refuge inside The Mad Ones, both Calvin and Lucia will find themselves sharing parts of themselves they’ve never shown to anyone else before. Yet, when the storm dies down, will they be able to face reality, or will their opposite worlds be too far apart to bridge together?
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
