3 Romance books by Caribbean authors to add to your Summer TBR
Island stories that stay with you
Ready to spiral into another book binge? This list was built to match your current mood or maybe tempt you into a new one.
3 Romance books by Caribbean authors to add to your Summer TBR
I didn’t grow up in the Caribbean, but I did grow up in Panama, and if you know, you know… the vibe is basically the same. The heat, the rhythm, the food, the aunties constantly asking when you’re getting married…it’s all there. And that’s probably why I love to read romance books set in or written by Caribbean authors. There’s just something about the way they write love and family: loud, layered, joyful, and rooted in culture.
These are stories that feel familiar in a way I can’t always explain. They remind me of getting good chisme (gossip) on a humid afternoon. Of mango juice running down your fingers. Of fighting with your cousins and defending them 10 minutes later. There’s so much heart, but also so much realness.
This week I’m sharing three books by Caribbean romance authors that I’ve loved, stories that bring the heat and chaos in the best possible way. And if you’re in the mood for weddings, forced proximity, steamy summer flings, or historical slow burns? This is your sign to pick them up.
Seriously, a Caribbean romance book is the perfect story for summer.
🎥 You can also watch the video version here:
Sweethand by N.G. Peltier
Set in Trinidad (and you feel it in every detail), this one follows a pastry chef salty over her musician ex, and absolutely not looking for love. But her sister’s wedding has other plans when she’s forced to plan all the festivities with the best man, her nemesis. The banter? Fire. The one-bed moment during a tropical storm? Chef’s kiss.
Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez (out July 15)
A Haitian pop star hiding out in a fancy Miami high-rise. A Cuban professor next door who just wants peace and quiet. An unexpected summer of rooftop tension, heart-healing, and a spark neither of them planned for.
Preorder Only Lovers in the Building on Amazon
Compromised Into a Scandalous Marriage by Lydia San Andres
A historical romance set on a fictional Caribbean island, where a quiet storm brings two people together in the most unexpected way. A forced marriage, a slow burn.
Grab Compromised Into a Scandalous Marriage on Amazon
Which one will you add to your TBR?
These books are the kind of summer reads that feel easy to fall into. They’re fast-paced, funny, full of romantic tension, and set in places that make you feel like you can almost hear the waves or smell what’s cooking in the background.
More Caribbean romance recs are waiting here:
👉 Read more on the blog
And if you’re looking to explore stories by Afro Latine romance authors across subgenres, I pulled together a post for that too:
👉 Romance Books by Afro Latine Romance Authors
Would love to know: what’s a romance book that made you feel seen?
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Sharing our love for books as Under the Covers Book Blog since 2011, running the Romanceopoly yearly reading challenge since 2019 and hosting the Reading Under the Covers podcast since 2020. Launched Mysterylandia in 2025.