Most of us meet our partners in pretty normal circumstances: at work, among friends, on a blind date. But then there's the meet cute, where things get quirky. The meet cute is a romance trope wherein our central pair's first meeting is both adorable and unusual. Film critic Roger Ebert described it as a scene "in which somebody runs into somebody else, and then something falls, and the two people began to talk, and their eyes meet and they realize that they are attracted to one another." You can see why the romance genre loves a good old-fashioned meet cute, and here are eight books with great examples of just that!
One Summer Day in Rome
Alice is an art student from New York City who's journeyed to Rome in search of inspiration before she settles down and marries her fiancé. Meg and Alec, busy parents and successful business people from LA, are on a mission to find a rare blue tile they're desperate to use for their home renovation project, but soon realize their marriage is the thing that needs work.
Connie and Lizzie are best friends who come from London to scatter the ashes of their beloved husband and brother, and find that the city had its own plans for them. It seems that anything can happen in Rome, and for these people, it certainly will!
The Millionaire's Reward
It was a perfectly normal day when local gallery manager Ellie Hernandez was walking through the streets of Chicago and found herself colliding head-first with the legendary CEO and notorious playboy Garek Wisnewski on an icy sidewalk. It was an accident, but now witnesses are claiming that the pair are head over heels in love. 'Has Chicago's "Most Eligible Bachelor" Met His Match?', cry the headlines. It's news to Ellie and Garek, but it's undeniable that the sparks between them are red-hot.
The Friend Zone
Kristen Petersen doesn't do drama. She just wants a nice simple life with her friends and her job, something to keep her distracted from an upcoming medical procedure that will change her life and make it impossible for her to have children. Planning her best friend's wedding is bittersweet but a helpful distraction.
When she accidentally crashes into the car of Josh Copeland, the best man, things quickly go awry. He’s hard to resist and everyone thinks he’d be perfect for Kristen, but he also wants a future with a big family, and she knows she’d only be breaking his heart by leading him on. So why can’t she fully say no to him?
Act Your Age, Eve Brown
Everything in Eve Brown's life is falling apart. She can't hold down a job, her parents have cut her off, and she has no idea what to do. First, she needs employment, which leads her to Jacob Wayne, a surly bed and breakfast owner in need of a chef. When the purple-haired Eve turns up out of the blue, he tells her she's all wrong for the job. And then she accidentally hits him with her car.
Now, his arm is broken and he needs Eve's help to get his B&B up and running, whether he likes it or not. But it turns out that Eve is actually charming and impossible to ignore, and maybe he’s exactly what his business needs. And himself too…
First-Time Caller
Aiden Valentine is the host of Baltimore's number one romance hotline. But he's fallen out of love and feels unsure of how to help the city fix its relationship problems. Things change unexpectedly when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom. The interview goes viral, much to the dismay of Lucie Stone. She thought she was doing just fine in life until her kid bared all to Baltimore. Maybe a little romance wouldn't be such a bad thing, especially since the whole dang city now wants to aid her in her quest.
Aiden is less keen but it's good for the show, and besides, Lucie is smart and pretty and easy to be around. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the call between the seemingly perfect happy-ever-after and the grouch in the seat next to her.
Out on a Limb
Winnifred "Win" McNulty has always been wildly independent, determined to live her life of her own terms as a disabled woman and without any meddling from outsiders. With a few adjustments, she's found a route forward to a perfectly normal life with her limb difference. So, why not have a wild one-night stand with Bo, a perfect stranger who also has a limb difference? But that one night changes everything and now Win is pregnant.
While Bo is surprisingly elated to step up to the plate, Win finds herself unsure of whether she can handle this new challenge. Together, they must become friends, then a family, then maybe something more.
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch in centuries, but she'd rather by baking and gardening than training to fulfil her destiny. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself having accidentally summoned a demon looking to bargain for her soul.
Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. He is merciless, almighty, and cunning. But he's also going through a bit of an immortal dry spell after one soul bargain went very wrong. He's convinced he can use Mariel to clean up his reputation, if he can get her to complete a bargain. But Mariel isn't interested in such things. She just wants a normal cheery life, and she's accidentally told her mother that she's dating the hot and mysterious Ozroth.
The Flatshare
Is it technically a meet-cute if the pair don’t exactly meet? We’ll count it anyway because The Flatshare’s set-up is just too juicy to overlook! Tiffy Moore is in desperate need of a new place to live. So is Leon Twomey. They come to an unexpected agreement without ever meeting one another: they'll share the same apartment, with Tiffy occupying the bed while Leon works nightshifts and vice versa when Tiffy goes to work.
They pass one another like ships in the night, never meeting but communicating viia notes. But it's all easier said than done, with annoying exes, demanding work clients, and confused friends on the sidelines. Also, is it possible to have scorching hot chemistry with someone you've never seen?
Featured image: Josh Hild / Unsplash
