You see, I love books. While I like ‘Kite Runner’ and ‘Harry Potter’ as much as the next person, I also have my list of guilty pleasures. Yup, the chic-lit section or rom-com as we fondly call it. I have reason enough to love the genre – the protagonists are almost always women, they have problems I’d love to have in my life and they always end up with the hot guy.
So if you, like me, have no trouble in admitting your love for the genre, then here’s a list of the best ones that can satisfy every sassy-romantic’s soul
1. Bridget Jones Diary – Helen Fielding
A classic all the way. This one is my personal go-to book. It’s about Bridget Jones battling weight gain, men and a career. It’s fast, it’s hilarious and it’ll touch all the right romantic chords.
2. Boy Meets Girl – Meg Cabot
Meg Cabot knows how to write Chic Lit better than anyone I’ve read. This particular book is about a woman who gets caught in a legal crossfire and ends up fancying the lawyer. It’s quirky and quite a new age novel, it’s going to resonate with your chick-lit senses.
3. Twenties Girl –Â Sophie Kinsella
So the plot to this isn’t cliched and that’s what makes it awesome. Lara, sees her dead grandmother, Sadie and goes in search for a necklace, so that her soul can rest in peace. This book in its own fun way teaches you about family, love, generation gap and a whole lot more.
4. Emma- Jane Austen
I relate to this one the most, I feel like I could have been Emma in another life, but it’s not just me. She’s full of life, a matchmaker in plain sight and a romantic at heart. While setting up everyone else, she falls for a man who was right under her nose. It’s a page turner for sure.
5. Sushi For Beginners – Marian Keyes
The story revolves around three women, all of who are at different stages of their life. Divorce, demotion, mundane, it’s all there, until they take control and that’s the part you gotta read, it’s fascinating to see it all unwind.
6. Boy Next Door – Meg Cabot
Another classic by Meg Cabot, this one is spiced up with a little bit of mystery and suspense. When the protagonist, Melissa’s neighbour dies, she tries to locate her next of kin. She manages to get hold of him, only she’s isn’t sure if it’s the right ‘him’. It’s intriguing in all it’s girlish charm and yes, it has a happy ending.
7. Something Borrowed – Emily Giffin
The book is so good that it’s already been made into a movie and let’s just say the adaptation does no justice to the book. If you’re looking for a wedding themed read, this one is your cup of tea. It’s upbeat and at the same time, thoughtful.
8. Size 12 Is Not Fat- Meg Cabot
This one is a series, based on a one-hit-popstar, Heather. She’s the female protagonist we all dream of writing about. She’s all over the place, yet she’s amazingly compassionate. If you need to take one thing from this book, it’s her spirit, because that alone had me turning the pages.
9. The Unidentified Redhead- Alice Clayton
It’s a star-studded affair and Alice is the perfect subject. It’s about Alice, who wants to be an actress but gets caught in a romance with the ‘It’ boy of the Industry. It’s an insight into a steamy romance and the dialogues are going to tickle your funny bone!
10. Jemima J- Jane Green
This one should definitely make it to your top 10 list. It’s about a girl with weight issues. She’s been over-shadowed, bullied and undermined by her thinner friends, until she goes and creates a thin persona of herself, for a guy. A guy who wants to meet her. This book will take you through all the insecurities, addictions and attention you’ve experienced in life. It’s extremely relatable and you know in one read that it’s heartfelt.
11. Wallbanger – Alice Clayton
Another one from a woman who can spin a chick lit to our satisfaction. This one’s a sex comedy! What do you do when you hear sex noises incessantly from your hot neighbour’s house? Yup, that’s pretty much what Alice did. It’s a light read but don’t undermine its quality, it’s pretty sassy.
12. Beautiful Player – Christina Lauren
When Goodreads gives a chic-lit 4.4/5, you have to read it. It maybe a little bit clique. Woman loses V-card to brother’s friend, discovers sexuality, while playboy realises he’s in love with said girl. But if you had to read a clique, you should read a well-written one and this one is the best out there.
13. Welcome to Temptation – Jennifer Crusie
It’s about a little town called Temptation and it’s going to have you hooked on the first page. It has all the formulas for a good book: murder, adultery, blackmail, politics and love. It’s the book you should pick up when the straight road seems quite dull.
14. One For The Money –Â
It’s one of Janet Evanovich’s fine works, so much so that it’s a series and a major motion picture. The movie doesn’t do the characters much justice. Janet is lively and to be honest a little bit ditzy, since it’s fiction it all always works out for her in the end. But being the bounty hunter she is, the ‘Bad Boy’ factor is max level for sure.
15. The Zoya Factor – Anuja Chauhan
She’s the lucky charm of the Indian cricket team and even though she shares a love-hate relationship with the disbelieving captain, she’s determined to do her job. The struggle is fun to read and it’s rivetingly fresh.
16. Keep the Change – Nirupa Subramaniam
Another Indian author who’s given us a sassy rom-com is Nirupa Subramaniam. It’s about a south Indian girl who’s name is as big as her problems, and her job is pretty damn stereotypical and mundane. The twist in the plot comes when she shifts to Mumbai leaving all her mother’s ‘rishtaas‘ back in Chennai.
Which ones are you short listing right about now?