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Once upon a time, before Netflix provided us with our regular romance fix (we’re looking to you Bridgerton), we relied on the humble book to transport us to the heart of mesmerising love stories where our imaginations could run free.
We’re not just talking about the ‘princess meets prince and they live happily ever after’ cliché, we mean true love stories packed with ups and downs, leave us with tears of both laughter and sadness and will make even the most cynical of cynics believe in love.
This ever-popular genre of books has expanded rapidly to spotlight stories told from LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC perspectives, meaning there’s something for everyone when it comes to romance novels.
Fans of the BBC’s Sally Rooney adaptations will love the honest and painful recount of first love in Normal People, whilst those after a cathartic weep will be left heartbroken after reading It Ends With Us (and given the recent goings-on, we recommend reading the novel as opposed to watching the film).
For a salacious read on your next holiday make sure you pack a copy of the cult-favourite A Court of Thorns and Roses or Fourth Wing, both guaranteed Romantasy page-turners. And, of course, no romance novel roundup is complete without the classics, so it’s time to re-read Pride and Prejudice and enjoy the scene where Mr Darcy emerged from a pond with that soaked-through white shirt that Colin Firth perfectly immortalised in our minds.
So, whether you love to get stuck into a Regency-era read or are after something hot-off-the-press that’s too steamy to read on your morning commute, we’ve got you sorted with our the best romance novels to add to your basket right now.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The historical blueprint for all contemporary reimaginings of Regency-era romance, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice offers a true glimpse into love and courtship during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Filled to the brim with acerbic wit, ebullient emotions and wonderfully full characters which you’ll struggle to leave behind, it’s a perennially popular novel by one of the world’s best-loved novelists worth ticking off your reading bucket list.
Buy now £5.99, Amazon
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Nothing is more suited to Valentine’s Day than a best-selling Romantasy yarn. Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing is the unexpected, highly addictive and fiery (quite literally, there are dragons involved) novel which follows Violet Sorrengail, a new cadet in Navarre’s brutal Basgiath War College.
Initially slated for the rather tame Scribe quadrant, where cadets are tasked with bookkeeping and writing historical records, Violet is thrust into the Rider’s Quadrant – Basgiath’s most brutal yet revered army sector which demands survival yet does everything possible to prevent it. Violet doesn’t know what’s worse – fighting for her life on a daily basis, or her undeniable attraction to the enemy.
Buy now £5.50, Amazon
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
In a nutshell: a young girl fending for herself on the outskirts of a village is accused of murdering a local boy, but the truth is far from straightforward.
If you’re after a book that’s all at once a story of first love, an ode to nature and a gripping murder mystery then this is an absolute must-read. Following the life of Kya Clark, also known as ‘Marsh Girl’ to the unwelcoming villagers, this is an emotional rollercoaster of a book that perfectly encapsulates the social and racial divides of 1950s America.
Having always taken care of herself, Kya is apprehensive to let someone else into her protected life, but as two boys offer her the companionship she craves, she lets her guard down. It’s this action that will have consequences far beyond what Kya could have ever imagined.
After you’ve read the book, the newly released film starring Daisy Edgar-Jones is well worth the watch.
Buy now £5.50, Amazon
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
In a nutshell: a seemingly perfect relationship begins to crack when protagonist Lily has a chance encounter with her childhood sweetheart.
Having grown up in a physically abusive family, successful business owner Lily has worked tirelessly to create a perfect life for herself. When she meets too-good-to-be-true neurosurgeon Ryle she thinks her life is finally complete. However, an encounter with her first love throws a spanner in the works for her new relationship, and Ryle’s hidden secrets from his past begin to torment their relationship.
An absolute compulsive read, make sure you have a box of tissues nearby as this heart-breaking and powerful novel will leave you in floods of tears.
Buy now £5.00, Amazon
Normal People by Sally Rooney
In a nutshell: a modern day love story between two polar opposite teens that form an unbreakable bond.
This is no fairytale novel where boy meets girl and the rest is history, instead it’s the real deal when it comes to love. Set in modern day Ireland, Connell and Marianne couldn’t be more different on paper, but a chance conversation at school leads to a powerful relationship that defines both of their lives for years to come.
Rooney’s writing is delicate and observant and her book portrays everything that comes with first love - infatuation, jealousy and devastation as well as discussions around class and ethics. Prepare to read this book in a day - you wont be able to put it down.
Buy now £6.00, Amazon
One Day by David Nicholls
After a one-night stand in 1988, a friendship is born between Emma and Dexter whose lives and relationships are revisited on the same day for 20 years.
No truly great love story is complete without a dose of tragedy and pain, and One Day delivers just that - a story of complicated love that spans two decades. Emma and Dexter promise to stay friends at the end of university, but this promise becomes increasingly complicated as both follow vastly different paths and deny their feelings for each other.
Each chapter is a year forward from the last, always on July 1, and runs from 1988 to 2008. In just these small snippets, readers acutely feel the hardships each character goes through, making the desire for them to admit their feelings to each other even stronger. The book will leave you feeling elation, sadness and everything in between.
Buy now £3.83, Amazon
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
A ferociously passionate fantasy tale which follows an enemies-to-lovers trope taking place within the mythical lands of Prythian, where faeries and humans live in violent opposition.
Whether you’ve come across A Court of Thorns and Roses via social media platforms such as TikTok, or are simply in the market for a new erotic fantasy series to devour, you’re in the right place. The first of Sarah J Maas’ five-book series, A Court of Thorns and Roses follows the plight of a huntress named Feyre who kills a wolf in an act of survival to feed her family. However, the wolf that Feyre killed was not what it appeared, and her violent act had untold consequences for the young huntress and her people.
For her actions, Feyre is kidnapped and taken away from her family. While held captive by the masked Tamlin, Feyre’s feelings become complex – turning from hatred to lust, as the two lovers attempt to navigate the bloody consequences of their relationship and fight to break an ancient curse.
Buy now £6.99, Waterstones
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In a nutshell: an infamous Hollywood actress chooses an unknown journalist to document and reveal her life story, all with a hidden motive.
Evelyn Hugo’s life has been scrutinised by the media for decades, but her reclusive and private nature has kept the press from ever knowing the real woman behind the glamorous and scandalous Hollywood movie actress facade. Until now. Hugo chooses an unknown New York writer to document her story as she tells it, covering everything from long kept secrets, poisonous love, and of course, her seven husbands.
This is an absolutely spell-binding novel that has dramatic consequences for both Evelyn Hugo and journalist Monique Grant. The perfect pool-side read, it’s glamorous, salacious and devastating.
Buy now £9.19, Amazon
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
In a nutshell: A WWII fighter comes back from war to discover the girl he loved is engaged to another man, so he embarks on a mission to win her back.
If there’s a film scene more iconic than Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ embrace in the pouring rain, we’re yet to see it. Long before this cult-classic film, came the book by Nicholas Sparks that tells the story of childhood lovers Noah and Allie who find a path back to each other despite Allie’s engagement and Noah’s enlistment to the army.
Prepare for your heart to break in this emotional rollercoaster of a book that wonderfully depicts the highs and lows of true love.
Buy now £9.21, Amazon
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Set against the backdrop of the 1980s Italian Riviera, a young 17-year-old boy sparks an unlikely relationship with a summer guest. The result? Intense desire, forbidden passion and an all-consuming obsession.
Call Me By Your Name is beautifully written; the emotional aspect of the relationship is just as touching and intense as the physical. When it comes to documenting first love, few authors do it as genuinely and heartwarmingly as Andre Aciman.
Buy now £6.11, Amazon
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
In a nutshell: the modern-day tale of star-crossed lovers who reunite in a flurry of passion after 15 years apart.
How can you trust someone who broke your heart 15 years ago? This is Eva Mercy, an award-winning erotica novelist and single mother’s dilemma when she meets her teenage love Shane Hall at a literary event. Across the next seven days, these two star-crossed lovers reconnect and the chemistry is as electric as you’d imagine.
This modern-day love story is as much about trust and complicated feelings as it is about physical connection and second chances. The hilariously sexy novel is an absolute page-turner with every chapter exuding more love, hope and desire as the last.
Buy now £6.00, Amazon
Bridgerton Books 1-9 Collection Set by Julia Quinn
In a nutshell: Gossip Girl meets Downton Abbey as England’s upper echelons of society mingle, romance and defend their honour.
Hitting our TV screens at some point during the hazy blur of lockdowns, Bridgerton fulfilled a desire we didn’t know existed - salacious Regency-era drama. Fans of the show will be pleased to know that there are eight books in the series that follow each one of the Bridgerton family siblings.
Similar to the show, the book features saucy encounters, witty commentary and heart-warming love stories. If you thought the series was too X-rated, be wary of the book as there’s an abundance of detailed sex scenes that can traverse many pages.
Buy now £55.99, Books2Door
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
In a nutshell: a successful woman with aspergers hires a male escort to teach her to win over men, but this business transaction turns into so much more.
If you’ve come anywhere near #BookTok, Tik Tok’s most literary hashtag, you’ll no doubt have seen The Kiss Quotient being raved about. Wealthy and successful Stella Lane is in need of dating experience so hires strapped-for-cash but oh-so charming Michael to provide her with just that. As they get to know one another, both start to fall for each other, hard.
Sure, it’s a predictable read but it’s witty, well written and we love the feminist angle - the protagonist is intelligent, likeable and doesn’t define her success through a man. Delve into Helen Hoang’s steamy world further with similarly written and equally as heart racing novels such as The Bride Test and The Heart Principle.
Buy now £4.31, Amazon
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A timeless classic, The Great Gatsby tells the story of a wealthy man and his pursuit for his childhood sweetheart, all set against the backdrop of the glamorous 20s. A masterful example of the American Dream in action, Fitzgerald’s novel goes far beyond romance and addresses themes of excessive wealth, human follies and the fragility of life.
This special edition includes a foreword by famed movie director, Francis Ford Coppola as well as exceptional artwork throughout that brings to life Gatsby’s lavish parties and frivolous lifestyle.
Buy now £49.95, Folio Society
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
A fantasy novel written with romantics and dark academia enthusiasts in mind, A Discovery of Witches is about a centuries-old vampire, a reluctant witch and a mysterious alchemical manuscript hidden in the depths of Oxford’s Bodleian library. An object desperate to be discovered, Diana Bishop unwittingly comes across the ancient, bewitched text during the course of her research – and it changes her existence forever.
Buy now £9.19, Amazon
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
Have you ever wondered what on earth happened to the middle sister of the five Bennet girls? Ranging from unlikable and precocious to delightfully demure, the famous sisters who take centre stage in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are married off in various ways – except poor Mary, who is roughly 18 at the beginning of the novel, and her younger sister Kitty. While Kitty is deemed intolerable, Mary is consistently and overtly described as ill-humoured and plain.
Janice Hadlow’s novel shows a different side to the misunderstood Mary, an introvert in a family filled with extroverted characters, who appear unloved and unlovable. But just as all hope is lost, could romance perchance be on the cards for our middling sister?
Buy now £10.11, Amazon
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
A captivating, fantastical romance, Stiefvater’s Shiver series, otherwise referred to as The Wolves of Mercy Falls, begins with Grace. She’s watched the wolves in the woods since she was a young child and has always been drawn to one particular beast with yellow eyes.
Sam lives two lives – one in the deep winter with his pack and the watchful eyes of a girl, and one in the blistering summer heat, on two legs for a few precious months.
Buy now £7.85, Amazon
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Many journalists and critics appear to leave Stephenie Meyer’s 2005 crowning achievement, and the very reason vampire fiction continues to enjoy such a prosperous contemporary resurgence, out of their supernatural fiction and romance round-ups – but not I.
I consider myself to be a veritable and unabashed Twilight apologist, and while Meyer’s writing and vampire lore don’t remotely compare to that of Stoker or Le Fanu, there’s a reason the series continues to capture our imaginations. An immortal love story for the ages in which the lion falls in love with the lamb, every vampire enthusiast should read Twilight and least once. Though you don’t get to the werewolves until the second book in the series, New Moon, it’s certainly worth the wait.
Buy now £7.99, Amazon
