Rom-com novels that nail the fun factor usually ditch the formula for something genuinely playful. I just finished 'The Love Hypothesis' and it's witty in a way that feels smart, not just quippy – the lab setting adds this whole layer of nerdy situational comedy that makes the tropes feel fresh. But if you want something truly unhinged and joyful, Tessa Dare's 'The Wallflower Wager' is my pick; the heroine's menagerie of rescue animals causing absolute chaos for the grumpy hero is pure, undiluted delight. It's less about will-they-won't-they and more about how many times a goat can interrupt a tense moment before everyone gives up and laughs.
For lighter stuff, I sometimes fall back on 'The Unhoneymooners' because the enemies-to-lovers setup on a free vacation creates this low-stakes, high-humor environment. The comedy comes from pettiness and sunburn, not deep angst, which is perfect when my brain needs a break. I've noticed the rom-coms that stick with me aren't always the most groundbreaking plots, but they have a specific, consistent comic voice that carries the whole thing.