7 Charming Midlife Rom Coms That Prove New Beginnings Are Possible

Midlife is supposedly the period where one has their shit together. But for a lot of people, it’s a very confusing time where you’re always second-guessing yourself and wondering if you should just start over. 

In the upcoming Ellergy Goes Dark by Alisa Kennedy Jones, one meets such a character, Ellery. She’s a perfectionist talk-show host and, one fine day, experiences a seizure on air, immediately destroying her career dreams. 

Now she has to reclaim her identity and life, brave all the public humiliation, navigate family issues, and more—she even gets the ghost of George Michael as her spirit guide. Hilarious, sharp, and emotionally resonant, Ellergy Goes Dark is slated to be a rather memorable read. 

Fiona, as per the book’s blurb, is “forty-five, recently divorced, and a certified hot mess.” What’s worse is that her hotel room is flooded, and her car has broken down, and then the knight in shining armor duly arrives and offers a room to stay. 

So naturally, sparks begin to fly. Lilian Monroe’s Dirty Little Midlife is a fun book about starting over when you’re forty-five, finding love after heartbreak, and making friends in unexpected places. Overall, a rather heartwarming and sexy midlife rom-com. 

If you love queer M/M romances and you’re specifically looking for a romcom with older protagonists, let M. A. Wardell’s charmingly written Napkins and Other Distractions distract you from all real-world concerns for a day or two. 

This one follows Kent and Vincent, two flawed guys navigating career crises and mental health issues, as they try their best to accommodate each other’s needs and somehow make it work. Sweet and spicy at the same time, Napkins and Other Distractions is a fantastic midlife workplace romcom. 

L.B. Dunbar has written romance novels specifically featuring characters over forty, and After Care is one of them. 

The book’s protagonist is a divorced mother of two and a breast cancer survivor who crosses paths with the independent and carefree manager of a rock-and-roll band during a vacation, and sparks begin to fly. 

A highly enjoyable read, After Care has plenty of satisfying spicy scenes to keep you hooked. 

Another M/M romance, The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid, is a story of second chances and a wacky ex-best-friends-with-benefits-to-lovers plot. It follows two hockey players who were once a little more than best friends, suddenly being reunited and getting a chance to rebuild…where they’d left off.

Tinged with the grief of losing a loved one and missed career opportunities, The Shots You Take tackles some pretty heavy topics while delivering a sweet and funny midlife romance starring two characters clearly made for each other. 

Do you love reading contemporary romances by day and enemies-to-lovers fanfics by night? Then you’ll definitely have a gala time with Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens. 

A divorced woman (with two kids and a cat) decides to let her kids play matchmaker, and she can chronicle her dating experiences in her column—the column that is her source of income and which her office rival is trying to take over. 

Of course, awkward and hilarious shenanigans ensue—building up to a satisfying finale. Overall, an entertaining and engaging read that will make you want to check out the author’s other works as well. 

Finally, Role Playing by Cathy Yardley is a charming story of mistaken identities featuring older characters, Maggie (Bogwitch) and Aiden (Otter), who quickly bond online in a gaming guild. But Bogwitch thinks Otter is still in college, while Otter is sure that Bogwitch must be in her eighties. 

Fun times and hilarity ensue as the novel explores older characters working through their baggage and past trauma, giving love a chance to find them when they need it most.