Best One Night Stand / Fling to Forever Books

The highest-rated books featuring one night stand / fling to forever, ranked by readers. Browse 35 titles across Romance, Thriller.

Read more

One Night Stand / Fling to Forever is about the delicious tension between wanting to keep things casual and being completely unable to. There's something electric about watching characters fight their feelings—the careful distance they try to maintain, the excuses they make, the moment when one of them finally admits they want more. It's the thrill of catching feelings for someone you weren't supposed to catch feelings for, plus the vulnerability of being the first to say it out loud.

You'll find this trope everywhere from contemporary romance to thrillers, and these 35 books deliver everything from steamy chemistry to emotional gut-punches. Some lean into the humor of denial, others into the intensity of unexpected love. Expect tension, heat, and that satisfying beat where casual becomes forever.

These are the highest-rated one night stand / fling to forever books across Romance, Thriller, ranked by reader ratings from Goodreads and Audible.

  1. 1
    Just for the Summer cover

    Just for the Summer

    Part of Your World • Book 3

    by Abby Jimenez

    ★ 4.79 BLT Score (1.1M ratings)
    ★ 4.34 Goodreads (1.1M)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  2. 2
    Ugly Love cover

    Ugly Love

    by Colleen Hoover

    ★ 4.46 BLT Score (2.3M ratings)
    ★ 3.99 Goodreads (2.3M)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  3. 3
    Turbulence cover

    Turbulence

    by E.J. Noyes

    ★ 4.44 BLT Score (3.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (3.8K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  4. 4
    Thank You for Listening cover

    Thank You for Listening

    Thank You for Listening

    by Julia Whelan

    ★ 4.43 BLT Score (100.9K ratings)
    ★ 3.99 Goodreads (100.9K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  5. 5
    The Score cover

    The Score

    Off-Campus • Book 3

    by Elle Kennedy

    ★ 4.43 BLT Score (521.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (521.4K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  6. 6
    Mother Maker cover

    Mother Maker

    The Momcoms • Book 2

    by Jenni Bara

    ★ 4.32 BLT Score (15.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (15.6K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  7. 7
    Mistakes Were Made cover

    Mistakes Were Made

    Story Lake • Book 2

    by Lucy Score

    ★ 4.31 BLT Score (1.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.46 Goodreads (1.6K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  8. 8
    Grip cover

    Grip

    Grip • Book 1

    by Kennedy Ryan

    ★ 4.25 BLT Score (17.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.24 Goodreads (17.8K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  9. 9
    Crossing the Line cover

    Crossing the Line

    by J.J. Arias

    ★ 4.24 BLT Score (2.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (2.3K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  10. 10
    Two of a Kind cover

    Two of a Kind

    by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod

    ★ 4.24 BLT Score (1.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (1.5K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  11. 11
    The Bridges of Madison County cover

    The Bridges of Madison County

    by Robert James Waller

    ★ 4.24 BLT Score (107.6K ratings)
    ★ 3.72 Goodreads (107.6K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  12. 12
    Keepers of the Cave cover

    Keepers of the Cave

    Johnston & Riley • Book 1

    by Gerri Hill

    ★ 4.20 BLT Score (2.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (2.7K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  13. 13
    One Beautiful Promise cover

    One Beautiful Promise

    Very Irresistible Bachelors • Book 4

    by Layla Hagen

    ★ 4.18 BLT Score (2.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (2.2K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  14. 14
    Bossy cover

    Bossy

    by N.R. Walker

    ★ 4.17 BLT Score (4.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (4.6K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  15. 15
    Layla cover

    Layla

    by Colleen Hoover

    ★ 4.16 BLT Score (616.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.63 Goodreads (616.1K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  16. 16
    Take a Hint, Dani Brown cover

    Take a Hint, Dani Brown

    The Brown Sisters • Book 2

    by Talia Hibbert

    ★ 4.15 BLT Score (111.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.99 Goodreads (111.4K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  17. 17
    Love Song cover

    Love Song

    by Elle Kennedy

    ★ 4.12 BLT Score (8.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.08 Goodreads (8.1K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  18. 18
    Strung cover

    Strung

    by Victoria Ashley

    ★ 4.12 BLT Score (5.5K ratings)
    ★ 3.9 Goodreads (5.5K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  19. 19
    Falling for the Backup cover

    Falling for the Backup

    Assassins • Book 4

    by Toni Aleo

    ★ 4.10 BLT Score (6.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.1 Goodreads (6.0K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  20. 20
    Remy cover

    Remy

    by Eden Summers

    ★ 4.09 BLT Score (2.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.36 Goodreads (2.3K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  21. 21
    Whiskey Reveals cover

    Whiskey Reveals

    Whiskey and Lies • Book 2

    by Carrie Ann Ryan

    ★ 4.03 BLT Score (1.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.19 Goodreads (1.3K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  22. 22
    Here With Me cover

    Here With Me

    Sugarland Creek • Book 1

    by Brooke Montgomery, Brooke Cumberland

    ★ 4.03 BLT Score (18.9K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (18.9K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  23. 23
    Puck Me Secretly cover

    Puck Me Secretly

    Vancouver Wolves Hockey • Book 1

    by Odette Stone

    ★ 4.03 BLT Score (49.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.93 Goodreads (49.4K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  24. 24
    Irish Crown cover

    Irish Crown

    Tear Asunder

    by Nashoda Rose

    ★ 4.02 BLT Score (2.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (2.0K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  25. 25
    I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You cover

    I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You

    by Harper Bliss

    ★ 3.99 BLT Score (1.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (1.4K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  26. 26
    The Heart Principle cover

    The Heart Principle

    The Kiss Quotient • Book 3

    by Helen Hoang

    ★ 3.98 BLT Score (130.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (130.1K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  27. 27
    Getting Lucky Number Seven cover

    Getting Lucky Number Seven

    Taking Shots • Book 1

    by Cindi Madsen

    ★ 3.97 BLT Score (10.0K ratings)
    ★ 3.82 Goodreads (10.0K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  28. 28
    Lost In Us (The Lost Series) cover

    Lost In Us (The Lost Series)

    Lost • Book 1

    by Layla Hagen

    ★ 3.96 BLT Score (3.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.68 Goodreads (3.8K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  29. 29
    In the Zone cover

    In the Zone

    Portland Storm • Book 5

    by Catherine Gayle

    ★ 3.94 BLT Score (1.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.11 Goodreads (1.7K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  30. 30
    Sleighed cover

    Sleighed

    by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Andi Arndt, Teddy Hamilton, Sebastian York, Zachary Webber, Maxine Mitchell

    ★ 3.93 BLT Score (1.5K ratings)
    ★ 3.71 Goodreads (1.5K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  31. 31
    Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny cover

    Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny

    Taking Shots • Book 4

    by Cindi Madsen

    ★ 3.92 BLT Score (2.0K ratings)
    ★ 3.89 Goodreads (2.0K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  32. 32
    Kismet cover

    Kismet

    Happy Endings • Book 3

    by Lauren Blakely

    ★ 3.86 BLT Score (6.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.59 Goodreads (6.2K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  33. 33
    It Happened One Semester cover

    It Happened One Semester

    by Aurora Rey

    ★ 3.81 BLT Score (115 ratings)
    ★ 3.5 Goodreads (115)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  34. 34
    One Wild Night cover

    One Wild Night

    Hollywood Chronicles • Book 1

    by A.L. Jackson, Rebecca Shea

    ★ 3.79 BLT Score (3.0K ratings)
    ★ 3.62 Goodreads (3.0K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →
  35. 35
    Body Check cover

    Body Check

    by Elle Kennedy

    ★ 3.61 BLT Score (43.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.4 Goodreads (43.7K)
    Get the Book → Start Listening →

Browse Related Lists

One Night Stand / Fling to Forever Audiobooks One Night Stand / Fling to Forever Overview All Tropes

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →