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10 One-Night-Stand Romances that Readers Can Commit To

Posted by Sharon on April 16, 2021

In most romances, a romp in the hay comes after many chapters of meeting cute, silent pining, and steamy banter. Not so for books that boldly use the one-night-stand trope! In these stories, the protagonists tend to first fall into bed and then fall in love—after lots of "Oh no, I saw you naked before I realized you're my new coworker/neighbor/enemy!" angst, of course.

The path from sizzling physical chemistry to the final "I adore you" declaration is what makes these particular books so delicious. So if you're a fan of this trope (or just want to give it a try), here are ten recent romances that start off with a bang and just get hotter from there.

Ties That Tether
by Jane Igharo

A deathbed vow gets complicated in this debut novel by Jane Igharo. See, Azere promised her dad that she'd marry a Nigerian man and preserve her family's culture. Unfortunately, her mother's matchmaking skills are a bit, shall we say, lacking. Meddlesome mothers are enough to drive any immigrant kid to act out, right? For Azere, that rebellion takes the form of a steamy one-night stand with Rafael Castellano, a definitely-not-Nigerian hunk—who turns out to be her new coworker. Oops!

How to Fail at Flirting
by Denise Williams

Professor Naya Turner is an overachiever in every aspect of her life. So when friends convince her that a night out on the town is just the thing to get her mind off of her abusive ex and forthcoming budget cuts to her department, she makes a checklist for the evening. Flirt a little bit? Check. Let a stranger buy her a drink? Check. Have a one-time hookup with said stranger? Check. Never see that stranger again? Not quite. You know what they say about the best-laid plans...

A Secret for a Secret
by Helena Hunting

If your romance interests live at the intersection of "opposites attract," "forbidden love," and "sports romance," try this sweet (and steamy) tale from Helena Hunting's All In series. Hockey goalie Ryan Kingston is the NHL's resident good boy, but on the worst night of his life he sets the rules aside for an impulsive fling with wild child Queenie. Six weeks later they run into each other again, because she's the daughter of his team's general manager. The GM with a no-dating-the-players rule. Will love overcome?

Her Night with the Duke (Clandestine Affairs, #1)

Her Night with the Duke
by Diana Quincy

If you think one-night-stand premises are just for contemporary romances, think again! In this first installment of the historical Clandestine Affairs series, forward-thinking widow Delilah "Leelah" Chambers finds herself sharing a room with a handsome stranger at a country inn. They allow themselves to indulge in one night of passion, then part in the morning...only to meet again when it turns out the stranger is the duke who's about to propose to Leelah's stepdaughter. How! Very! Awkward!

Honey Girl
by Morgan Rogers

Morgan Rogers' debut takes an inventive spin on the one-night-stand trope by (ahem) wedding it to a "married in Vegas" scenario. After a lifetime of "shoulds" from her strict father, Grace Porter is ready to celebrate her new Ph.D. in astronomy by blowing off some steam in Sin City. When she wakes up one morning with a champagne hangover, a ring on her finger, and only a blurry recollection of the woman she exchanged "I dos" with, Grace decides to go looking for her mystery bride (and ends up finding herself in the process).

A Sweet Mess
by Jayci Lee

Life is looking sweet for pastry chef Aubrey Choi at the beginning of this rom-com: Her bakery has taken off, her strict parents might be starting to accept her unconventional career choices, and she just hooked up with a major hottie. But then, some complications! A cake mishap results in a scathing one-star review that scares off potential customers. Even worse? The writer of that review is none other than Landon Kim, her sexy one-night stand. Can these two foodies settle their differences in and out of the kitchen?

American Fairytale
by Adriana Herrera

Adriana Herrera brings a keen contemporary eye to that old Cinderella tale with this "opposites attract" romance. Social worker Milo Santiago Briggs spends an incredible night with a mystery man who—of course—turns out to be his agency's newest (and very off-limits) donor. Billionaire Thomas Hughes is used to throwing money at his problems, but in this case, his money is the problem. Quite a conundrum, that.

The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date, #3)

The Wedding Party
by Jasmine Guillory

Theo and Maddie agree on one thing: They hate each other. Like, really, really hate each other. Then they get drunk and have sex. And the sex is really, really good. This throws a wrench in the whole hatred thing, but a friend's upcoming nuptials gives them the opportunity to try an unconventional enemies-with-benefits arrangement: They'll secretly keep sleeping together until the wedding is over. Then they'll part ways, because they really, really hate each other. Really!

Grand Theft N.Y.E.
by Katrina Jackson

Cleo Wright is happy to scam rich men who have more possessions than they know what to do with, and at first glance she thinks Robert Shimizu is the perfect mark. Sparks fly, however, and Cleo allows herself to be tempted into one night of getting uncharacteristically up close and personal with him before taking off with his car. Now Robert is determined to track her down so that he can get answers, get even...and maybe get back into her pants?

The Virgin and the Rogue (The Rogue Files, #6)

The Virgin and the Rogue
by Sophie Jordan

Here's a fun premise: Charlotte Langley has always been a bit of a wallflower. When she accidentally drinks an aphrodisiac (her sister told her it was a tonic for menstrual cramps!), she suddenly comes waaaay out of her shell. Good thing rogueish Kingston is around to help her scratch that itch. But when the effects of the potion wear off? Well, there's a highly inconvenient fiancé to deal with, for one...

What are your favorite one-night-stand romances? Let's talk books in the comments!

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