12 Afro Latine Romance Authors You Need on Your Radar
There’s no one way to be Afro Latine, and no one way to fall in love. The beauty of stories by Afro Latine romance authors is how they reflect the intersection of culture, identity, history, and heat. Whether it’s a Carnival fling, a messy second chance, or magic-laced fantasy, these books show that love doesn’t have to be neat to be worth the risk.
In a genre that still sidelines Afro Latine voices, these authors are creating space, on the page and in the hearts of readers.
What does Afro Latine mean and why does it matter in romance?
Afro Latine is a gender-neutral term used by people of Latin American descent with African ancestry. That includes a wide range of diasporas: Afro-Dominican, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Puerto Rican, Afro-Panamanian, and more.
When it comes to romance, Afro Latin authors bring a deeply layered lens to the genre. These stories can be joyful and soft, but they’re also rooted in lived experiences: colorism, family pressures, diaspora dynamics, sexuality, class, migration.
So no, this isn’t just about “adding diversity” to a bookshelf. It’s about seeing love that feels real, and sometimes complicated, for readers who’ve rarely seen themselves centered in a love story.
What makes Afro Latine romance stories different?
It’s the nuance. The cultural codes. The messy family dynamics. The tension between belonging and freedom. Afro Latin romances don’t just check boxes, they rewrite the narrative of who gets to fall in love on the page.
Whether it’s fantasy or contemporary, sapphic or straight, these books have one thing in common: they’re telling the full story. Not just the romance, but the identity behind it.
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12 Afro Latine Romance Books You’ll Want to Binge Immediately
Each book below is written by an Afro Latine author and features unforgettable love stories, some soft, some steamy, all worth your time.
The Insufferable Mr. Fletcher by Lindo Forbes
Junior Sano is an Afro-Latina powerhouse with a plan, until she’s forced to work with Davis Fletcher, a new producer who challenges her carefully curated world. Snark turns to sparks in this sharp workplace romance where control and vulnerability collide.
Grab The Insufferable Mr. Fletcher on Amazon
Rise of a Dark Throne by Ligia N. Cushman
When Sole survives the plague, she’s left with a power she never wanted, Magick. Her fate entangles with a disillusioned prince, and together they must decide whether to save their world… or burn it down. A fierce fantasy romance full of danger, power, and desire.
Grab Rise of a Dark Throne on Amazon
Without Fault by Janiah Benitez
Supermodel Sage has rules. Yankees player Liam has baggage, and a history with her brothers. Forced into a photoshoot partnership, their fling turns emotional fast. This romance explores eating disorders, grief, and love that refuses to stay superficial.
Ava After Midnight by Fortuna Lux
Ava’s wedding is days away. So why does one night with a magnetic bartender feel more real than everything she’s built? Torn between the life she planned and the life she craves, Ava must choose: safe or soul-shaking.
Grab Ava After Midnight on Amazon
Ms. V’s Hot Girl Summer by A.H. Cunningham
Single mom Trinidad Velasquez gets tricked into a Carnival vacation, and ends up rooming with the younger man who’s always tempted her. Steamy, joyful, and age-gap delicious, this is a midlife glow-up romance full of heat and heart.
Grab Ms. V’s Hot Girl Summer on Amazon
When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa
Best friends. One pact. Zero time left. Javi’s been in love with Mari for years, but now she’s engaged, and not to him. This rom-com serves angst, longing, and full-circle friendship with Puerto Rican and Brazilian rep at its center.
Grab When Javi Dumped Mari on Amazon
Heat and Run by Adriana Herrera
Omega Melina’s heat cycle hits during a snowstorm. Luckily (or not), she’s trapped with a broody alpha and his flirty beta partner. This sapphic omegaverse novella is wild, queer, and ridiculously fun, and written by a Dominican romance queen.
Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez
After her legal career implodes, Liliane retreats to a Miami Beach art deco rental, only to fall into a book-fueled slow burn with a brooding poetry professor. Black love, bookish banter, and accidental podcasting? You’ll eat this up.
Grab Only Lovers in the Building on Amazon
The Summer I Loved You by J.L. Lora
Cameron never knew he had a daughter, until the girl he once loved shows up, child in tow. Grief, redemption, and rekindled love collide in this Dominican-American second-chance romance full of heart and heat.
Grab The Summer I Loved You on Amazon
Owned by Siren Crow
Kidnapped by a weapons dealer who turns out to be an Elven prince, a human woman is suddenly promised to royalty, and expected to submit. Dark, dominant, and fantasy-rich, this captive romance is messy in all the ways fans of Hades & Persephone crave.
Love Sick by Cynthia A. Rodriguez
Inside a grim institution, Abel meets Rose, beautiful, dangerous, and absolutely off-limits. Their escape becomes a journey neither may survive. A twisted, intense romance by a Puerto Rican author who doesn’t shy away from sharp edges.
Shadowed Obsession by Evelyn Leigh
Cèsar is supposed to ruin Deirdre’s life, not fall for her. But this private investigator and crime family princess are playing a game neither of them controls. A dark, obsessive slow burn with a Latinx hero and morally gray vibes.
Grab Shadowed Obsession on Amazon
What’s next for Afro Latine romance?
There’s still so much room for growth. These authors are not just writing for representation, they’re building worlds, breaking tropes, and reminding readers that every love story deserves a spotlight.
If you love any of the books on this list: talk about them. Post them. Recommend them to your group chat. That’s how these stories stay in circulation, how they get the sales and recognition they deserve.
Afro Latin romance isn’t a niche. It’s essential. And it’s only getting better.
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