Ruby Barrett Books in Order

Ruby Barrett writes contemporary romance about people who want to be seen clearly, loved honestly, and allowed to be a little messy along the way. Her books make room for desire, awkwardness, grief, work stress, and the slow work of letting someone in.

She lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband and child. Barrett is bisexual, and queer identity, community, and self-acceptance are important parts of several of her stories.

Her path to romance writing was not a straight line. Before becoming an author, she worked as a horse groom, researched warning labels for cigarette packages, wrote mommy-blog essays, and tried matchmaking, with no successful matches to her name.

A period of unemployment helped push her toward a new career. While learning the craft, she took part in Pitch Wars and leaned on feedback from writing friends, including a best friend who became an early reader.

Her debut, Hot Copy, arrived in 2021. It follows digital-marketing executive Corinne Blunt and Wesley Chambers, the intern who makes an awful first impression, then tries to prove he is better than the office culture around them. The book uses a workplace romance to look at harassment, professional power, family illness, and the risks of trusting someone after being let down.

In The Romance Recipe, Barrett moves from an office to a struggling restaurant. Owner Amy Chambers and chef Sophie Brunet want the business to survive, but they disagree about almost everything, including how much of Sophie’s reality-TV past should be part of the plan. It is also a story about Sophie figuring out what being queer means to her as an adult.

Then came The Friendship Study, a romance about two people who are both trying to start over. Former firefighter Jesse Logan joins a paid study after an injury changes his life, while Lulu Banks is rebuilding after a painful breakup. Being paired together would be simpler if Jesse had not ghosted Lulu after a promising blind date.

Big feelings are part of the deal.

Across these books, Barrett returns to people who feel judged, stuck, or unsure they deserve care. Her characters often have demanding jobs and real responsibilities, but the romances do not treat those things as obstacles to be wished away. Instead, the relationships ask both people to communicate more honestly and make room for each other’s needs.

When she is not writing, Barrett has said she enjoys reading, drinking tea, spending time with her family, and visiting museums when she travels. Her author newsletter also leaves room for book talk, everyday thoughts, and the occasional Harry Styles meme.