Outdoor and Adventure Romances to Spice Up Your Summer

And a sneak peek of what's to come

Photo by Perfecto Capucine on Unsplash

With the 4th of July around the corner and a heat wave hitting the west coast, we are in the thick of summer. I’ve got a metric-ton of travel coming up next month, and nothing gets me more excited about summer vacays than some juicy books.

Everybody talks about “beach reads”—and don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love sticking my toes in the sand—but there’s so much more to the great outdoors than palm trees.

When you’re in the mood for mountains and campgrounds, waterfalls and wilderness, these are the love stories you need to spice up these summer months.

Keep scrolling for the top outdoor and adventure romances on my radar—plus a sneak peek of what’s to come.

To stay updated on my book recommendations throughout the year, follow me on Instagram and subscribe to this newsletter.

Top 10 Outdoor and Adventure Romances

(Note: When available, the links I include lead to Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase, you’ll support local, independent bookstores, and I’ll earn a small commission as an affiliate. It’s a win-win!)

1. Nerd Gone Wild by Vicki Lewis Thompson (2005). I’m always going to be partial to this book for having a protagonist named Ally Jarrett. This snowed-in story set in Alaska brings together an heiress and the bodyguard hired to protect her. It’s got suspense in sub-zero temperatures, but the chemistry is red-hot.

2. Something Wilder by Christina Lauren (2022). I don’t normally go for second-chance romances, but I couldn’t resist this treasure hunt in the Wild West. The antagonist was especially unique, and the tension kept me on the edge of my seat. An A+ adventure!

3. Cold Hearted by Heather Guerre (2020). This paranormal romance was a slower burn than I’m used to, but once the story picked up, I was in. It’s one of the best depictions of depression I’ve read, and the Alaskan winter is the perfect backdrop. I am *obsessed* with this series, and I’m on pins and needles waiting for the next installment.

4. You, with a View by Jessica Joyce (2023). I’m a sucker for a road trip romance. This is a rivals-to-lovers tale in which all the settings are lush, and the chemistry is sizzling. We need more romances in Yosemite, please! (*cough* keep scrolling *cough*)

5. Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (2023). This was quite possibly one of the best punny titles and most gorgeous book covers of last year, so I was on board immediately. A romance that rivals The Mummy, set among Aztec ruins? Say no more!

6. (Trust) Falling for You by Charish Reid (2021). I’m not the first person to notice that outdoor recreation is unbearably white, so it can be difficult to find adventure stories by BIPOC authors. After putting a call for requests on the r/RomanceBooks subreddit, the community delivered in spades. This adorable novella about two professors at a team-bonding wilderness retreat was short and sweet, with plenty of sneaking-around-in-cabins sexiness.

7. Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle (2016). I’m way overdue on reading this beloved romantic suspense, but the audiobook is currently available for free on Audible, so now’s the time! A city girl and a survival expert must escape danger in the remote Rockies? Sign. Me. Up.

8. Forrest for the Trees by Kilby Blades (2021). I had a blast meeting Kilby at a book event hosted by the Kiss & Tell Literary Salon here in the Bay Area. Her Green Valley Heroes series in the Penny Reid universe sounds just as fun as she is. I can’t resist a sexy firefighter on a mission to catch an arsonist—but, honestly, who could?

9. Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly (2023). Anita Kelly has been on my TBR for years now, and this love story between two men hiking in the Western wilderness sounds up my alley. There aren’t nearly enough queer adventure romances, so I’m excited to see what this one has in store.

10. Take a Hike by Mimi Grace (2023). One of my all-time favorite documentaries is Class Action Park, so when I was recommended this romance about a woman who inherits an outdoor recreation business, I clicked the Buy Now button with lightning speed. I hope it’s just as thrilling as a waterslide ride!

Now before I conclude this list, I have one more recommendation. You can probably tell where this is going…

Need to Touch Some Grass? I’ve Got the Book for You

The second installment of my Glam Fam series will be LOVE ON THE ROCKS, a rock-climbing romance that takes place in the heart of Yosemite.

If you’re wondering why I chose a national park as the setting for my next book, you’re not alone!

No one who knows me well would call me an outdoorsy person, but I was utterly compelled to write Tania & Nolan’s love story (binge-watching heaps of climbing documentaries and interviews will do that to a gal!)

I finished writing this book in record time. By comparison, it took me a year to draft my debut novel, Love Apptually, but Love on the Rocks burst out of me in just 13 weeks.

Its exact release date is TBD, as I’m still in the process of editing and having the cover designed, but here’s what you can expect:

☯️ opposites attract
🚐 only one van
😨 generalized anxiety rep
📱 mixed media
👀 dangerous missions and hidden secrets
😈 a creative use of climbing ropes

In the meantime, consider this my call for authenticity readers! If you’re a climbing enthusiast, especially outdoors/trad, please message me for a chance to read Love on the Rocks before anyone else.

I have gym experience and a boatload of research under my harness (ha!), but I’d greatly appreciate a 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) set of eyes!

Now it’s time for this month’s moment of sunshine.

Your Moment of Sunshine ☀️

Every month, I share the things I loved most to bring a ray of warmth wherever you are.

Watching 📺

Source: IGN

Season One of Outlander on STARZ and Netflix

“Droughtlander” is in full-force as Outlander fans await the second half of season 7 to premiere in November. Because I’ve got a trip to Scotland coming up, I decided to lean into the nostalgia and rewatch the first season. And I’m so glad I did!

Outlander gets a bad rap (rightfully so) for the obscene amount of sexual assault and trauma, especially in later seasons. But season 1 (at least until Wentworth Prison) delivers the best the show has to offer.

Forget the side characters and the journeys to France and America. Young Claire and Jamie in the heart of the highlands is peak television, and I will have the honeymoon episode on repeat until the end of time. Amen.

Listening 🎧

Source: GCN

The Queen’s Guard on Quinn

If you are not on the audio erotica bandwagon, you are MISSING. OUT. The popular app Quinn convinced me to subscribe, thanks to their absolutely genius partnership with smokeshow Andrew Scott in the three-part series The Queen’s Guard.

The Hot Priest actor plays Robb, the personal guard of a tyrannical queen who must choose between love or duty. In his delicious Irish accent, he speaks to you as Mira, the leader of the resistance and his former paramour. It’s an enemies-to-lovers medieval romance that keeps on giving.

Productions with Hollywood stars feel like sexy audiobooks, but the rest of Quinn’s catalog is not for the faint of heart. Voice actors create roleplaying scenarios and guided masturbation sessions for all genders and kink preferences, so definitely check it out if you’re interested in X-rated entertainment.

Eating 🍣

Kinme in San Diego

In case you didn’t know, my husband is a twin (and so is the hero in Love on the Rocks, FYI!), so last weekend, we celebrated their birthday with an omakase dinner at Kinme in San Diego.

With only ten seats and two seatings available each night, Kinme offers an exclusive fine-dining experience. The sushi was standout, of course, but so were courses like their wagyu tartar puff and strawberry gelato. And the brut rosé was so good I downed three glasses.

After hiking Stonewall Peak earlier that day, Kinme was the reward my body desperately needed.

What were your moments of sunshine this month? Share your recommendations in the comments!