I love a hiking romance. Fresh air makes a love story that much sweeter. Whether you’re reading in a tent or home in air conditioning, these 5 spicy hiking romances will get your heart rate up.
Leave No Trace by Alicia Wilder
Taking place in September in a small Colorado mountain town, this enemies-to-lovers love story about a movie star and a local girl has all the fall vibes. At first, Valentine and Zack don’t get along. But they end up hiking a mountain together and along the way might discover they have more in common than they thought. Also, there’s a snowstorm and only-one-bed!
This one takes place in the summer in that same small Colorado mountain town. It’s part of the same series as Leave No Trace but both books can stand alone. Mollie is a city girl who falls in love with her tour guide on a girls’ trip. Can their romance last past the summer? A quick, two-setting read, this outdoorsy romance includes everything from mountain biking to paddle boarding. And yes, Mollie and Hunter might get horizontal on that paddle board…
Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
Basically the OG hiking romance, this story about two people on a wilderness trip lives rent-free in my head. I still think of some of the hiking advice scattered throughout when I’m out in the woods, and root for these two opposites-attract lovers. Did you love “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed? This is the romance for you.
Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly
I’ve hiked (part of) the PCT, so this story about two Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers meeting and falling in love was a must-read for me. Full of fresh air, this story is honest about the difficulties of long-distance hiking AND falling in love.
You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
This book is borderline as a hiking romance, but there is some hiking in it! It’s a lovely read about a road trip shared by two people who don’t get along (or do they?) and one grandfather.
Honorable Mention:
Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura