Proximity Pride!

I’ve mentioned before how much I love how tropey romance is—if you like a particular set-up, you’ll have a shorthand to finding many variations thereof—and another favourite when it comes to romance for me is the Forced Proximity romance. That’s where two people find themselves in the same spot, and they don’t really have much choice in the matter. Sometimes that’s as specific as “there’s only one bed!”—which I played with in my own queer holiday romance, Felix Navidad, but often it’s just two people stuck somewhere for reasons (weather, airport delays, you name it) and realizing they’ve clicked.

But what’ll happen when the thing that’s got them staying in one place together is over?

Well, it’s romance. So you know what’s coming—this is why romance is such a comfort read, to be clear, and another reason to adore it—but it’s the journey that matters.

So, today for my Pride Month theme, I bring you some proximity romances…

First up is a romance that puts Proximity Romance alongside a cooking show background (eee!), rivals-to-lovers (eee!), and grumpy-and-sunshing (EEE!) and honestly, if I keep listing all the tropey goodness in Adriana Herrera’s Mangos and Mistletoe, I’ll probably start deafening bats, so I’ll stop.

The set-up is pretty simple: two women are partnered for a bake-off style show where the contestants are amateur-and-professional pairings, and while they’d both like to win, the stakes are exceptionally high for one of them, which leads her to being… let’s say, inflexible.

Now, it’s also a Herrera book, so you’re getting lots of spice along with those sweet baked goods, but if you’re looking for a holiday romance with both, look no further…

Kiskeya Burgos left the tropical beaches of the Dominican Republic with a lot to prove. As a pastry chef on the come up, when she arrives in Scotland, she has one goal in mind: win the Holiday Baking Challenge. Winning is her opportunity to prove to her family, her former boss, and most importantly herself, she can make it in the culinary world. Kiskeya will stop at nothing to win, that is, if she can keep her eyes on the prize and off her infuriating teammate’s perfect lips.

Sully Morales, home cooking hustler, and self-proclaimed baking brujita lands in Scotland on a quest to find her purpose after spending years as her family’s caregiver. But now, with her home life back on track, it’s time for Sully to get reacquainted with her greatest love, baking. Winning the Holiday Baking Challenge is a no brainer if she can convince her grumpy AF baking partner that they make a great team both in and out of the kitchen before an unexpected betrayal ends their chance to attain culinary competition glory.

If you’re more the reader on the sweet side, and you want a big ol’ cuddly fella to root for, then Hank Edwards has you covered with Snowflakes and Song Lyrics. Here the set-up is adorable: big ol’ Will is stuck in a hotel where his heat won’t turn off—and even though it’s cold and snowing out, it’s way too hot in the room—so he cracks a window, and hears singing? Who’d be outside singing in the snow? Well, turns out it’s his favourite country and music star, trying to write a holiday song of his own, and he’s stuck, judging by how he keeps repeating and trailing off.

Will, being a shy fella, listens and watches, but also has ideas for the lyrics, and takes to leaving them out on the country singer’s balcony where he saw him, and… well. This one should get the full on Hallmark Movie treatment, is what I’m saying. Like, I re-read this one yearly because of how much I freaking love the snuggly, snow-and-song, oh-look-holiday-magic of it all.

It even has a perfectly written snarky and over-the-top best friend giving Will advice over his computer screen.

A hotel room with an overactive heater. A rising star struggling to write a Christmas song. Song lyrics written in secret.

Will Johnson is shocked to discover his hotel room window overlooks the courtyard patio of one of his favorite gay singers, Rex Garland. Even more amazing, Rex seems interested in Will too.

When Will overhears Rex struggling to write an original Christmas song, he is struck by a flash of inspiration and drafts an anonymous note with song lyrics. Will is sure nothing will come of it, but the Christmas magic swirling amidst all the snow in upstate New York is about to change both their lives forever.

This funny, sweet, and heart-warming love story about a boy-next-door and the celebrity of his dreams is set in the Williamsville Inn world.

Hit me with your favourite proximity romances! (Or, hey, books you think should be movies by now, damnit!) Really, just tell me what you’re reading and loving and it’s fine. Happy Pride!