Time for the most evil recommendation feature we have: READY, SET, GO!
Here are the rules:
We pick a specific sub-genre, trope, or type of romance, and we have to make ONE recommendation for that type.
ONE.
ONLY ONE.
And no more than two sentences as to why.
Yes, just one. Which one book do you pick to fill that rec?
What is the most hilarious romance you’d recommend?
Any genre, but just one rec.
Ready, set, GO!
Catherine: You are so mean limiting me to just one for this book type! I’m going to say Headliners by Lucy Parker, because I was still giggling and reading bits aloud to my husband on my third read through. I don’t know how she does physical comedy that well (and I don’t even go for physical comedy that much), but she is magnificent. And the snark is fantastic.
Sarah: You know I’m holding off on naming one so I don’t steal someone else’s! And yes, only one is mean and the whole point of this terrible, awful, mean exercise, mwahahaha.
Tara: Oh, goddammit.
I have two that make me laugh equally hard and now I will feel guilty for only choosing one and not the other. But I’m going to have to go with Mrs Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan. I laughed so hard I was weeping a few times. And it was all due to the ways the two characters were torturing Mrs. Martin’s nephew. Some of them were so absurd, yet diabolical. I kept saying “no…” to myself, only to learn that, oh yes, that weird, hilarious thing was really happening.
Elyse: When a Scott Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare.
Aarya: Mia Sosa’s The Worst Best Man is a recent release. The heroine’s inner monologue is very sarcastic and punny; since MY inner monologue (and outer monologue to be honest) is very sarcastic and punny, the meld of cynicism, hijinks, and biting humor really worked for me.
Claudia: The book that made me laugh out loud in more than one occasion is A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare. The most hilarious part is the hero making up a country, and people going oohs and aaahs when hero and heroine are nobles from that country.
Amanda: I’m seconding both Dare recs because they’re amazing! My own personal pick and since I didn’t want to double up is The Blacksmith Queen by GA Aiken.
It’s so goofy and over the top and every time I think of Keeley giving belly rubs to an ancient wolf god, I cackle.
Carrie: Not a romance but: Maskerade by Terry Pratchett. ( A | BN | K | AB ) Everyone has a favorite Discworld book, and this riff on musicals, opera, finding yourself, witchcraft, and The Phantom of the Opera is mine. I laugh out loud with every single page!
If we are sticking to romance: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn. Her best work. The origin of Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron. A gem.
Catherine: Oh yes, I was tossing up on some of the Julia Quinns!
Ellen: My pick is Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn. The heroine is a superheroine’s assistant in the fight against inter-dimensional demons but the demons possess things like cupcakes so you have rabid angry bitey cupcakes. There’s a high ridiculous factor and a lot of just absurd situational humor (plus a strong romantic subplot!)
Catherine: I loved the rabid cupcakes. It was just, oh yes, I’m definitely going to like this book.
Maya: Jumping on the Tessa Dare train and saying Lord Dashwood Missed Out (with a special shoutout to the audiobook)!! It’s about a woman who got trashed on champagne and wrote a pamphlet that tells her childhood sweetheart, who rejected her because his love for her was TOO DEEP, exactly how trifling he is.
AJ: The opening scene of Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Philips never fails to make me giggle. The beaver suit!
Sneezy: A Big Surprise for Valentines’s Day by Jackie Lau.
Amber and her brother’s childhood friend decide to be fwb. Drunk grandma trying to make Amber a ‘hot piece of ass’ included among other funny bones.
Aarya: The meddling grandparents are so funny in this series.
Sneezy: Hahahahaa and Ah Mah trying to mimic grinding
Amanda: I love a good grandma. The grandma in Chloe Brown was the highly of our local book club discussion, I think, right, Kiki?
Aarya: Same with Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh. I really like immigrant grandmas but all grandmas are superior.
OK, your turn! What about you? What romance Cracks You Up? What book made you laugh to ridiculous levels? Give us your one (ONE) recommendation for the Best, Funniest, Most Hilarious Romance.
Ready, Set, Go!
Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan series (space opera) contains both funny and serious books — and the fun ones are laugh out loud fun as nobody can get into as much trouble as fast as Miles.
I think the two funniest books are the two courtship books, A Civil Campaign (Miles’ own courtship) and Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance (where Ivan, Miles’ underachieving cousin, reveals unexpected depths). A Civil Campaign in particular is brilliant and its disastrous dinner party is one of the best rom com scenes ever. Bujold dedicates ACC to Heyer and it definitely has the kind of tight, intricate plot that Heyer’s best had.
Most of Jill Barnett’s work and most of Julia Quinn’s work hit that spot for me.
So many good ones already mentioned! I second a lot of them.
I’m going to say Love Hacked by Penny Reid. There is some pretty serious stuff in this book, but it’s also very funny. Sandra really makes me laugh, I love her.
@17
Beat me to it, “ The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer!” The whole book converts from tragedy to comedy and the last 100 pages are an incredible combination of tension and comedy – incredible achievement, plus attractive main characters, a interesting cast of fleshed-out secondary characters, plus HEA. What’s not to love?
“Naughty Neighbor” by Janet Evanovich and “Getting Rid of Bradley” by Jennifer Crusie.
I second or third When a Scot Ties the Knot, which caused snort-laughing, likewise the beaver suit AJ mentioned in Natural Born Charmer, but the rest of the book isn’t nearly as funny.
I would second Swordheart, the funniest book I have ever read, but the romance didn’t do much for me so it doesn’t qualify.
I must say I am perplexed by all the Tessa Dare recommendations, (except Scot Knot, a hard DNF for blackmail for me) The Wallflower Wager is at least 2 or 3 times funnier than her other books IMHO.
I love Jennifer Crusie and Bet Me was always at the top of this list but the 1 spot has to be an oldie but goody by Georgette Heyer called The Talisman Ring. The secondary character of Sarah Thane is a riot. That scene where she lures the “runners” by pretending to be an abigail is priceless. And the way she pokes at staid Sir Tristram is hilarious.
THE CORSET DIARIES by Katie Macalister has the funniest single scene of ANY book I’ve ever read (barking spiders, if you’ve read it). Actually the whole book is funny, but that scene had my whole family running in to see why I was scream-laughing.
I haven’t read any comments-because I know I will overthink this if I do! As soon as I saw this post title I thought of Tawna Fenske’s Believe It or Not. I read it within the last few years, and I remember trying to stop laughing because it was late at night and my husband was asleep. I think this is one of the first books I read by the author, and I happily dived into her backlist!
Maureen, do you know which other Tawna Fenske books are funny? I know Chapters 1-9 of Making Waves, Chapters 1-10 of Frisky Business and Studmuffin Santa are, but I have had MASSIVE troubles finding others. Next to 6 Fenske books I have, “DNF, not a romcom”.
@seantheaussie- I’m so sorry, I read so much, I don’t actually remember! I know I did enjoy her other books, but Believe It Or Not is the one the made me laugh out loud!
I don’t know if these books count, but D.E. Stevenson’s Mrs. Tim of the Regiment are so funny! D.E. Stevenson is one of my favorite authors, I’ve read every one of her books I could get my hands on. The Mrs. Tim are really witty-they take place during WWII in England. She was writing these novels in real time, and I think they are wonderful.
@Tammy Cat, you sold me. I just 1-clicked on The Thin Woman. My pick is “The Other Guy’s Bride” by Connie Brockway. It’s a screwball comedy, and totally unlike any of her more serious books you may have read. The heroine is more accident prone than Hepburn in “Bringing Up Baby”.
But I agree Devil’s Cub has some hilarious moments; especially Rupert and his cases of wine, and Tessa Dare’s A Week To Be Wicked, Chase’s Mr. Impossible, and Gracie’s The Perfect Rake are all extremely funny.
I can’t choose a funniest romance, but I can think of a romance that has one of my favorite funniest lines (and that line is spoken by neither of the two leads). The book is Lisa Kleypas’ Smooth Talking Stranger, and the line ends chapter one. You can see it in the excerpt on Amazon.
Lovestruck by Bronwyn Sell. I’m not the easiest person to please, but this had me laughing almost from page 1.
Also, anything by Lucy Parker. And Kara Isaac, if you like inspirational/faith-based fiction.
Yes, that’s three New Zealand authors. #SorryNotSorry
Not romance, but strong romantic elements and ridiculously over the top shenanigans: The “Wraith Squadron” books by Aaron Aallston.
Even the characters are surprised at some of the stuff they pull.
(From the Star Wars ex EU canon)
“Faking It” by Jennifer Crusie and “Welcome to Temptation” – any Crusie, really. Funny and you also feel the love (which some “funny for the sake of it” books forget to do). T.J. Klune’s “The Queen and the Homo Jock King”, for sure. “Swordheart” – a bit like Pratchett but more romantic. Lots of Heyer is funny, but not necessarily “I have to read out this bit NOW” levels of funny.
Marrying Harriet by Marion Chesney. It’s the last in the School for Manners and it may one of the funniest I’ve ever read. It helps to have read the ones before as some of it will be even funnier but it’s not strictly necessary. Read.This.Book.
I know I’m posting a second time here, but I wanted to give a shout out to “Boyfriend Material” by Alexis Hall. It’s not officially out until 7 July, so I went with my longstanding go-to, “The Perfect Rake” initially. I was lucky enough to get this one as an arc, and it made me laugh like a loon so hard that my dog came running to see what was the matter. The writing in this book is just so much fun -the dialog, the descriptions, the side character that has extreme Bertie Wooster vibes, the delightful coterie of pals who offer madcap plans and unquestioning support in equal measure – every piece of it made for a wonderful read. The main gist of the plot is Luc, who is reluctantly famous due to an absentee rock star father, ends up in a tabloid scandal that causes conservative donors for the obscure charity he works for to drop off. He needs to restore his image asap, and the best and fastest way would be by having a stable relationship with someone respectable. Enter Oliver, a lawyer who practically has his picture next to respectable in the dictionary. Oliver needs a date to a high pressure family party, and Luc needs one for his charity’s high stakes fund raiser. They agree to help each other out, but neither expects to like the other as much as they do. One thing I should note is that there are a couple of characters who act in a casually homophobic way – though the book and all the other characters call them out on it and they are rightly characterized as terrible people. Still, it is something that might pull you out of the story. It’s out of my league to make the call on whether this is a deal-breaker or not. For me the excellent writing, the characters, and the genuine relationship that builds from Luc and Oliver finding ways to care for and support each other, to help one another become better, and to communicate with one another when they’ve messed up, really made this book a winner for me. And, most importantly for the purposes of this thread, it’s so very funny. I spend an afternoon just laughing out loud again and again, and texting friends about it, because it was so delightful the urge to share was all but uncontrollable. I know it’s not out for a bit, but if you need a cheer-up in July, I think this book might be just the ticket.
The Governess Game, the funeral scenes! Funniest thing ever
Funny (farces) I enjoy are Tell Me It’s Real by TJ Klune and Lady with the Black Umbrella by Mary Balogh.
Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown. It has a hunny, funny, hearing-impaired hero and a quirky heroine trying to pretend to be a couple. They visit her parents on Passover and lots of funny stuff happens. And I love her family!
Since no one’s mentioned her yet, I think Maggie Fenton is really funny. A lot of people (OK, Americans) try to write witty British characters, and they’re just… not. Looking at her bio while trying to find her place of birth, I now learn that she has two master’s, one in piano performance and one in English lit. WTF, Maggie. (Heh, I kid, I play piano, so I love her even more now.)
Also, not romance, but Carrie mentioned Terry Pratchett, so what the heck. Iain M. Banks’ Culture series has the funniest ship names. If you enjoy a certain type of British humor (dry and dark), you’ll like the Culture.
Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert is hilarious; I hope she’ll write some more paranormal in the future!
Bromance, not romance I know, but I go started learning whole language mostly because I was raving crazy about “Asterix.” (Vale Uderzo.)
Now I like best a very particular vein of humour, like, ‘writers who can make recovery from narcissistic abuse funny’, more or less?
This is why I have infinite patience with the manga “Skip Beat,” meanderings and all. (This one would probably classify more as ‘strong romantic elements’ than ‘romance’, imo.)
And I really like Richard Glover’s episodic memoir books. The most episodic ones are funnier. The long one – “Flesh Wounds” – is, well, sadder. The wounds are in his background, not to the fore now, but it’s still a bit ‘death by a thousand cuts’ when he takes the long view of his parents.
I really can’t measure Pratchett novels; ‘one does not love breathing’. However I do have a sort of mini-HABO on the subject, if anyone knows the answer off the top of their head:
I was after a passage I thought was in “Maskerade,” but I searched my ebook for the most likely keywords and couldn’t find it. So I wonder: where there is a passage about (iirc) how people in the public eye – entertainers, etc – become ‘thinner,’ less substantial?
I got more the impression it was about them spreading themselves too thin and diluting their energy and influence, rather than the classic trope of having their heads turned by fame and becoming superficial and selfish.
I kind of didn’t agree with this reverse economy of scale at the time. Or more exactly, I didn’t want it to be true. Pratchett wasn’t advocating it, anyway, but I thought it was too bad to be true… so a fantasy world where it was literal didn’t sway me. Referencing required.
Unlike the book title, the message did stick enough that I read “Trigger Warnings” by Jeff Sparrow and thought ‘reckon there’s something supernatural a bit like that in Pratchett’ when I got to the ‘isolated cultural icons buckle beneath the weight of expectations that need whole social movements behind them to get realised’ part, though.
@Morgause, do you laugh at Mating the Huntress from the beginning? I have tried the sample and found no humour at all.
The first books that came to my mind were Just the Sexiest Man Alive and Something About You by Julie James. Smart characters, great banter – these books have me laughing no matter how many times I re-read them.
I had many LOL moments reading Pucked by Helena Hunting.
I also second novels by Jennifer Crusie. It may be time to reread them!
For my number one pick, I have to choose THE MAD MISS MATHELY, by Michelle Martin. Any time the doctor can’t tell who needs laudanum more, the patient or the caretaker, you have me at hello. The re-enactment of the fight between Robin Hood and Little John by the heroine and the hero also worked well.
The second pick is AN AFFAIR OF INTEREST, by Barbara Metzger. Sick puns. What more do you want? And besides, she only shot him in the leg.
For my number one pick, I have to choose THE MAD MISS MATHELY, by Michelle Martin. Any time the doctor can’t tell who needs laudanum more, the patient or the caretaker, you have me at hello. The re-enactment of the fight between Robin Hood and Little John by the heroine and the hero also worked well.
The second pick is AN AFFAIR OF INTEREST, by Barbara Metzger. Sick puns. What more do you want? And besides, she only shot him in the leg.
Love this prompt!
Here are some more:
How to Be a Normal Person; How to be a Movie Star – TJ Klune
A Duke in Shining Armor – Loretta Chase
there are some really funny anthologies: Lady Most Willing, Lady Most Likely, Four Weddings and a Sixpence.
and these are not romances but if you’re looking for something to listen to with the younger set in your life, the Artemis Fowl audiobooks are delightful – the narrator is AMAZING.
The Raider, by Jude Devereaux.
I can’t even think of certain scenes without cracking up.
The Hitman’s Guide to Making Friends and Finding Love by Alice Winters. I had tears running down my cheeks a few times it was so funny. I adored Leland
Mr impossible by Loretta chase. Lord of scoundrels is also hilarious in parts.
Oh Lort yes all Crusie all the time.
Also Pippa Grant’s Happy Cat books (starts with Hosed) are freaking hilarious (George Cooney!)
And she isn’t generally touted for humor but Susan Elizabeth PHILLIPS nails comedy in Nobody’s Baby But Mine and Natural Born Charmer 🙂
I second The Dukes Holiday by Maggie Fenton. It’s so beyond ridiculous. I’ve read it many times over!
Pretty much anything by Tracy Brogan, but especially her debut, Crazy Little Thing. Aunt Dody is hilarious!
“Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston. The whole book is funny, but the turkeys get me every time.
The Worst Best Mam by Lucy Score. It makes me chuckle past midnight in the middle of quarantine. One of the best RomCom book I’ve read so far, and I had read a lot. Kidnapped groom, underage driver, and witty banter.
Pippa Grant. I think my favorite is Beauty and the Beefcake — the heroine is a ventriloquist and the hero is a hulking hockey player whose primary mode of communication is gifs. There are also a monkey and dick cookies.