When two people are forced to get close, it doesn’t take long for sparks to fly. The forced proximity romance genre is focused on stories where our romantic leads are completely unable to get away from one another. In that situation, what other option do you have than to get hot and bothered?
What is the forced proximity trope, exactly?
The forced proximity trope is any plot device that puts two characters near one another for long periods of time, especially when they normally wouldn’t be. So, a regular coworker romance wouldn’t usually be considered forced proximity—unless they get stuck in an elevator together! Some other tropes also fall naturally under forced proximity, like bodyguard romance books, while the one bed trope is a very specific example of forced proximity!
You can’t stop red-hot chemistry, especially when the world sets you up to make it happen! Here are ten forced proximity books where sparks fly.
Twelve-Gauge Guardian
Raine Chandler's work as a journalist often gets her in trouble, but now she's on the run from a killer. She needs protection, which is how she ends up catching the eye of hunky Cordell Winchester, a cowboy P.I. who can never resist a beautiful woman in need.
By the time a storm strands them at the Winchester ranch, Raine and Cordell decide to bare all, body and soul, but the dangers surrounding them are getting worse. Now, with another girl gone missing, Cordell has to trust and protect the woman who has already stolen his heart.
Hygge and Kisses
"Hygge" is a Danish word that describes a particular kind of coziness and comfort. Bo could use some hygge in her life after being made redundant. Before she starts immediately applying for other jobs, her friend Kirsten persuades her to take a holiday, to visit Kirsten's mother's house in Aslbrog, North Jutland, a part of Denmark Bo has never been to.
The weather's going to be terrible but Bo needs a change of scenery, and what she finds in Aslbrog will change her life forever.
The Wrong Cowboy
Nursemaid Marie Hall has spent months training for her latest task: accompanying six orphans through the wilds of Dakota to their new home. It's a dangerous task for a single woman, so she decides to pose as the mail-order bride of the children's next of kin.
But that leads her into the arms of Stafford Burleson, a rugged cowboy who is the exact type of man Marie's been told to avoid! Their safety is in his hands, but so is Marie’s desires.
Alone with You
Darcy Vaughan is a waitress who has been tasked with helping her friend out with the launch of a new restaurant. She's happy to assist, but then she finds out that the owner of this establishment is Jake Holland, the perfect guy who slipped through her fingers after one incredible night together.
Now they're forced to work together and confront what could have been. Perhaps it's not too late to fix the mistakes of their past.
Baby, I'm Yours
The last place Catherine MacPherson ever expected to find herself was sitting on a Greyhound bus and handcuffed to a surly bounty hunter over a simple misunderstanding. Catherine's wild sister is on the run and now everyone thinks this respectable schoolteacher is her twin.
Sam McKade, bounty hunter extraordinaire, doesn't believe the twin defense. He's heard it before. Now, he's got this sexy redhead attached to him and he won't let her go until he can claim his reward. Catherine, however, has a few tricks up her sleeve, and she's not going to make it easy for this sexy hunter.
The Beautiful Widow
Toni George needs a job to clear the gambling debts her late husband secretly accrued and to ensure her twin daughters don't suffer as she has. The only job she can get is working for the notorious heartbreaker Steel Landry.
Steel is immediately taken with his new employee, but she's 100% off limits. Still, there's something about her he can't resist and the more they try to stay away from one another, the harder it becomes...
An Innocent, A Seduction, A Secret
Argentinian billionaire Seb Rivas is used to getting what he wants. So, when he sees interior designer Edie Monroe, he makes her an offer: to spend the festive season decorating his opulent home, no expense spared.
As the holiday season passes, they find themselves snowed in together and Edie becomes Seb's holiday gift. But his seduction of the innocent young woman ends with a surprise that neither of them could have foreseen.
Kansas City Countdown
Kansas City police detective Keir Watson has been tasked with protecting attorney Kenna Parker. The last time they met, they were battling in the courtroom. Now, after an attack that puts her life at risk and has left her with a damaged memory, the only person she trusts to help her is Keir.
With the clock ticking, they need to uncover the culprit. The more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows, but Keir can't get distracted. If he gives into his desire, it could put Kenna at risk.
Hired by the Impossible Greek
Amelia Ashford agrees to move to Greece to be the teacher for the young son of Santos Anastakos, the outrageous billionaire whose every move is obsessed over by the press.
Santos doesn't believe in true love, in large part thanks to his father's eight ex-wives. So, when he first lays eyes on the innocent but irresistible Amelia, he's determined to bed her. She, however, wants to stay focused on her work. If only their chemistry wasn't off the charts…
A Royal Amnesia Scandal
Prince Lucas Silva is eager to forget the heartbreaking end of his engagement, but an accident leaves him with more than a few holes in his memory. Stuck in an amnesiac state, he becomes convinced that his loyal assistant, Kate Barton, is his bride-to-be.
The palace tells Kate to keep up the facade to help in his recovery, which isn't too hard for her since she's had a crush on her boss for years. But she knows it won't last: princes don't mingle with the help, and once Luc regains his memories, she'll be forgotten. But true love has never followed the rules.
