12 slow burn romance books that are worth the wait

Romance is all about the fantasy, but love at first sight isn't for everyone. If instalove would have you rolling your eyes in real life, you might need something that takes its time. With the slow burn trope, the connection between the love interests starts small and grows slowly. The pining, the tension, the angst, the anticipation…all of it simmers on a low flame until it suddenly erupts into a boil.

And after such an intense build-up, the relief of the love interests finally getting together will have you kicking your feet and squealing with joy. Really, a good slow burn is a recipe for a perfect romance and makes for some of the best books!

Is it getting hot over there? Unlike our favorite slow burn romance novels, I won’t make you wait for it. Dive right into one of the best tropes with these 12 slow burn romance book recommendations.

1. “In a Jam” by Kate Canterbary

Shay is reeling from her broken engagement when she learns her step-grandmother has left her a tulip farm back in her hometown. She only has to fulfill two conditions: move back to her hometown and get married within a year. The first term is fair enough, since tulip farming is kind of hands-on work, but the second stings a little after the whole engagement debacle.

Noah remembers Shay from high school (after all, she isn’t the kind of girl you forget), but he’s got his hands full running a business of his own and raising his young niece. He tucks his lingering feelings out of the way and offers to marry Shay so she can fulfill the marriage clause on her inheritance.

The marriage-of-convenience trope sets the stage for a scintillating slow burn. This sweet, emotional, funny book is packed with the kind of tension only a second-chance, slow burn romance can deliver.

2. “Hook Line and Sinker” by Tessa Bailey

Quiet, introverted Hannah met Fox, a flirty and fun womanizer, for the first time when she and her sister were exiled to the tiny town of Westport, Washington (you can read all about that in the first book). Against all odds, they struck up a unique friendship and kept in touch after she returned to Los Angeles.

Months later, Hannah is back in town for work, and the time apart has given Fox plenty of time to stew about his insecurities and feelings (and Fox does not do feelings). As they spend more and more time together, the pair find themselves walking the line between friends or something more. The tension simmers between them from the very first page—and when it finally boils over?? Let's just say Tessa Bailey remains the queen of steam, and this slow burn is one of her best.

You can read this as a standalone, but I can’t recommend enough the first book, “It Happened One Summer!”

3. “The Catch” by Dipsea

Summer is here, and there’s no better way to celebrate than diving into this smoldering, small-town beach romance.

Toni heads to Cape Cod for the summer with a plan to relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy the time off. When her path keeps crossing with Hunter, a local fisherman, she decides she might have room on her itinerary for a little summer flirtation.

This audiobook is split into three chapters and will make you want to drive straight to the coast for your own summer fling. The Dipsea app tells you how long each chapter is and how long the steamy scenes last. And if you decide you’re done with the slow burn, the app makes it super easy to skip ahead to the flame emoji that marks where the story heats up!

4. “Every Summer After” by Carley Fortune

Percy has spent her adult life running from a dumb mistake and has no plans to look back. But one phone call from her past has her heading to the tiny town where she spent summers on the lake. There, it’s impossible to avoid Sam, the one-time boy next door who was Percy’s best friend (and as they got older, something more). After years of avoidance and no contact, Percy and Sam pick up the pieces of their past.

Slow burn is all about the build-up and Carley Fortune delivers here. We see this story unfold over the course of a single, present-day weekend and through six summers from the past. There’s so many versions of each character to get to know and the common thread between them all is the incredible chemistry and tension between Percy and Sam.

You might have a tough time putting this down—don’t say I didn’t warn you!

5. “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry

Alex and Poppy have been joined at the hip since college and have taken a vacation together each year since meeting. Well, they were joined at the hip until their last vacation two years ago to Croatia. Since then? They don’t talk.

Poppy is feeling more than a little lost in her New York life and extends an olive branch to Alex: one last vacation together in the hopes they can forget about what happened in Croatia. The story alternates between flashback chapters of each of their previous vacations (saving Croatia for last, obviously) and the present-day, where Poppy and Alex are having the not-so-trip-of-a-lifetime.

The friends-to-lovers trope is a perfect base for a slow burn, and this book is no exception!

6. “You Deserve Each Other” by Sarah Hogle

Naomi and Nicholas are just months away from their wedding, but instead of being nauseatingly in love, they’re each secretly looking for an out. But whoever calls off the wedding has to foot the bill, and neither one of them wants to cave. So what does the not-so-happy couple do? Wage war against each other, of course!

These two are determined to annoy and antagonize the other into caving and calling off the wedding. But the more they fight, prank, and tease, the more they start to like each other (again).

The playful, mutual sabotage, sharp banter, and undeniable chemistry reminded me a bit of "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," and it offers a fun twist on the slow burn romance that will add some sizzle to your TBR shelf.

7. “All Rhodes Lead Here” by Mariana Zapata

Mariana Zapata might just be the queen of slow burn, and this book is another gem in her crown!

With her life falling apart around her, Aurora moves to the mountains of Colorado where she grew up—and where she first learned what it’s like to lose someone. She plans to mend her broken heart in the small town she hasn’t returned to in years.

But as Aurora heals and finds herself, she also finds herself falling for her hot, grumpy landlord. Their fall into love is excruciatingly—but delightfully—slow, and once it takes off, watch out because the steam is steaming!

If small-town mountain romances aren’t your thing (or if you just need more book recommendations!), give Zapata’s sports romances “The Wall of Winnipeg and Me” or “Kulti” a read!

8. “Twisted Games” by Ana Huang

After her brother suddenly abdicates, Princess Bridget goes from being the spare heir to preparing to someday be queen. If that wasn’t enough, she’s got one seriously overprotective bodyguard on her hands.

As an elite bodyguard, Rhys never gets emotionally invested in his clients. He doesn't have soft spots—except for Bridget.

Between Rhys and Bridget's mutual stubbornness and having to keep their feelings hidden (Royalty with the staff! Imagine the scandal!), this is one seriously slow burn!

While you can read this as a standalone, It’s the second book in the series—and the tension between Rhys and Bridget starts in the first book. And if you're in the mood for an even slower burn after this one, grab a copy of the fourth book in the series: “Twisted Lies.”

9. “Terms and Conditions” by Lauren Asher

Declan and Iris are first introduced in the first book of the series, “The Fine Print,” and the sparks were flying even then!

Declan is a billionaire executive at Dreamland trying to make a name for himself in the family business. But in order to receive his shares in the company, he has to get married and have a child. He’s trying to build an empire! He doesn’t have time for things like marriage or kids!

As Declan's assistant, Iris is a pro at handling his cranky moods and navigating his busy schedule. Surely, she can handle being his fake wife. What neither of them count on is how quickly things shift from fake to all too real.

"Terms and Conditions" is the second in the series, but it can be read as a standalone if your TBR is just too full.

10. “Things We Never Got Over” by Lucy Score

A small town, grumpy/sunshine, slow burn romance with a side of criminal drama? Sign me up!

Naomi is running from her wedding and finds herself in the small town of Knockemout, Virginia. If she wasn’t under enough stress as it is, she’s also suddenly responsible for raising her 11-year-old niece, who she just met.

Knox prefers spending his time alone with his dog (relatable, honestly) but he can’t seem to stop himself from coming to Naomi’s aid again and again. He might be the world’s grumpiest man, but there’s something about Naomi and her sunshine personality he just can’t resist.

It’s the first in a series so you can dive back into Knockemout with two more books after you finish this one.

11. “Powerless” by Elsie Silver

If there’s one person Sloane can count on to bust her out of her own wedding, it’s her best friend Jasper. She’s loved him in secret for years and there’s no one she’d rather run away with than him.

Haunted by his heartbreaking past, Jasper tries to keep a lock on his less-than-friendly feelings for Sloan. She’s a polished ballerina, while he’s a rough-around-the-edges hockey player. They’d never be a match, even if he wishes they could be.

All it takes is one impromptu road trip for years of stolen glances, secret feelings, and brimming sexual tension to break free. It’s the third book in a series, but you can read it as a standalone if you prefer. For another great slow burn in the series, give “Reckless” a read!

12. “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros

One day I will stop recommending "Fourth Wing," but today is not that day!

In this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, Violet is going through super-dangerous training to become a dragon rider. In addition to fighting for her life, she has to fight off her growing feelings for Xaden, the incredibly strong, handsome, dangerous wingleader who isn’t exactly Violet’s biggest fan (their families might hate each other more than Romeo and Juliet’s).

With "Fourth Wing" coming in at just over 500 pages and the sequel, “Iron Flame,” coming in with more than 600 pages, their love story is a perfect slow burn. It’s no wonder this is one of BookTok’s favorite books!

If you liked these book recs, check out more spicy slow burn audiobooks on the Dipsea app.