Book Recs for Love Islanders
By Deanna Ortega
Every summer, I tune in to the fiction that is reality TV—Love Island. We all know that the producers are behind the camera, whispering chaos, picking their villains, and engineering the couples they want us to root for. This year, there’s a wave of fresh faces in the audience, and the reader space is overflowing with takes. So, naturally, I had to contribute mine. Without further ado, here are my book recs for the islanders… even if part of me believes they should all be reading self-help.
Nic & Olandria
Rec: Just Our Luck by Denise Williams
Vibes: Fake dating, friends-to-lovers, money on the line, and so much left unsaid. Kissing like it’s a dare is required. Sybil and Kieran’s story is about stumbling into luck, faking a relationship to cash in, and realizing that the real jackpot is trusting someone with the mess you keep hidden.
Nic would read this and say, “This is nothing like us,” while side-eyeing Olandria and waiting for her approval.
Chelley & Cierra
Rec: Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez
Vibes: Sapphic love under a public microscope, chemistry that snaps like a rubber band. That coin toss to guarantee a kiss? That’s what editors were made for. Angela and Krystal’s story is about chemistry, pressure, and the risk of choosing joy even when the whole world is watching.
Cierra would highlight every line where Angela already knew what she wanted, just waiting for the hot bartender to catch up.
Charlie & Hannah
Rec: Funny Feelings by Tarah Dewitt
Vibes: Quiet pining, awkward flirting, golden retriever x black cat. Charlie, turn down your spicy audio contract and come home. Farley and Meyer’s story is about late-night vulnerability, big quiet feelings, and a love that feels inevitable—once they get out of their own way.
I wrote this rec before the Pepe x Hannah x Charlie debacle—but I stand by the fact that they could have won.
Jeremiah & Huda
Rec: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Vibes: High highs, low lows, and two people with unfinished business trying to pretend they’re fine. Yasmen and Josiah’s story is about deep history, deep damage, and the hard, healing road back to each other—if they can make it (Jeremiah and Huda shouldn’t, though).
They would both see themselves in the story and draw completely different lessons from it.
Taylor & Olandria
Rec: Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
Vibes: Baddie energy, cowboy boots, and a man ready to love out loud. She’s a baddie who deserves obsession. Give her a man in boots who sees her. This book is literally about a hot rodeo cowboy who sweeps the heroine off her feet confidently.
Take notes, Taylor. The man in this book does not fumble.
Chelley & Ace
Rec: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
Vibes: Main character energy, steamy tension, and a man who actually respects her. Samiah is ambitious and successful. When she gets played publicly and swears off dating, it leads her into a messy-fun friends-to-lovers workplace romance with a man who respects her and roots for her.
Also: The friendship between the women? That’s the girl’s girl thing this season’s villa wishes it had.
Not every couple deserves a happily ever after, but they do deserve a good book. And who knows, maybe after this recoupling we’ll know enough peace to give them time to read? Until then, grab your person
