10 Great Age-Gap Romance Novels
Age-gap romances are a whole category of their own inside the romance genre. I can either eat them up like candy or sneak a peek and run the other way. It depends on the specific constellation in the book in question, but maybe some of it depends on my own biases, too. It’s a complicated relationship.
Next month, my 20th anniversary with my husband is coming up. As my kids like to remind us (frequently, with the judgement only teenagers muster over their parent’s life choices), we have a little age gap. All things considered, a seven-year difference isn’t the world and hardly even counts as a contender in the age-gap romance category. But given my barely legal age of 18 when we married, I get why my kids find it gross. I would blow a gasket if one of them started seeing an older person at their current age. Continue Reading
A Taste of Her Own Medicine by Tasha L. Harrison
Why I loved this book: From the first page, it put a big, goofy smile on my face. Sonja is 40, and it’s a whole thing for her that Atlas is nine years younger. A Taste of her own Medicine also has what makes a feel-good romance really good: friendships and family.
Force Her Hand by Jo Henny Wolf
She wants to expose him.
Emma Hardwick has one goal in life; okay, maybe two: provide for her family and expose the man who launched his career with her grandmother’s words. But just when she’s about to broadcast the truth about one of America’s most beloved literary giants, she runs into one pesky obstacle: his son. And he’s not about to let her ruin his father’s legacy.
He wants to own her.
Harlan Michaels wants only one thing: a child. And, ideally, a family. When Emma threatens something very dear to him, there’s one easy fix to get rid of the threat and gain a wife to mother his children. Everyone has a weak spot, and Emma’s weakness is almost too easy to find. But once he has her in his grip, the problems only start.
Who could have known that falling for your wife would be so complicated?
This is a steamy age-gap novella (20K words) with a clueless alpha hero blackmailing a stubborn heroine into an inconvenient marriage with a HEA. After all, revenge is tempting, but so is hate banging.
Why I love this book: Well, I wrote it. You can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited here.
After Ben by Con Riley
Why I loved this book: The loss of a spouse is written with so much empathy here, and the influence the experience has on Theo’s decision not to start anything with a younger man is poignant and real. I’ve cried a lot during this book, ergo, I love it.
Content Warnings: Loss of a spouse, domestic abuse.
A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James
Why I love this book: Because this is the other one. Also, Villiers. That’s it. One of my favorite heroes. Plus, Eleanor is a feisty heroine who knows what she wants. And despite the premise putting her in opposition to the mentally ill Lisette, there’s no ill will between the two women and no “catfight.” The love triangle gets drawn out much too long, but the depth of emotion between Villiers and Eleanor makes up for it. Plus, the audio narration by Susan Duerden is outstanding.
Content Warnings: Mental Illness, animal cruelty, child abuse and neglect.
Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield
Why I loved this book: Wonderful writing and lovely, deliciously twisted kink. Plus, roller derby. The characters are layered and real; Ty a grumpy curmudgeon who tries to do the right thing, and Kate the quirky ray of sunshine with ADHD (hello, sister) who wants to befriend his penis. And the rest of him, of course. This books delivers the whole bandwidth of emotions, and Eve Dangerfield is an auto-buy author for me.
Content Warnings: grooming (not by the hero), attempted date rape/drugging (not by the hero).
Control Freak by Brianna Hale
Why I loved this book: A grumpy Scandinavian hero? YES, please. The kink is rather mild in this one, but the content warnings are heavy: The heroine deals with an eating disorder and self-destructive thoughts.
