If you’re looking for some of the greatest romance stories to jump-start your next romance binge, you’ve come to the right place. We have 40 of the best romance books of all time for you to get lost in.
Romance is a genre filled with love, drama, and heartbreak, and it’s been around for many years. Romance novels originated in the 18th and 19th centuries, laying the groundwork for the romance that we read today. Many books from back then have themes that we still see in modern romance, from forbidden love to enemies-to-lovers.
So whether you’re getting into a romance novel from the 1800s or a romance novel from 2022, they all have things to appreciate and enjoy.
Hopefully, the books on this list pique your interest and inspire you to get to reading. Let’s get into it!
The Best Romance Books of All Time
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux (1989)
At a time when she has been abandoned, Dougless Montgomery happens upon Nicholas Stafford, a man who supposedly died in 1564. They immediately form an undeniable connection, and Dougless loves that Nicholas finds her perfect and doesn’t want to change her.
But their past is more intertwined with their present than Dougless once thought, and they end up going on an unforgettable adventure.
You can read A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux here.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991)
It is 1945 and Claire Randall has just been reunited with her husband after she spent time as a combat nurse in the war. But when she walks through an ancient circle on their honeymoon, she is suddenly transported to 1743, where she is an outlander in Scotland during a war.
Claire is taken on an unexpected and wild journey filled with danger and passion. When she meets Jamie Fraser, Claire becomes torn between two men in two very different lives.
Simon Basset is the Duke of Hastings and doesn’t want to get married, but the town’s society mothers are all about marriage. So Simon pretends to be engaged to Daphne Bridgerton in hopes that it will satisfy people.
Daphne Bridgerton agrees to the arrangement because she knows that it will attract more suitors for herself. But as Daphne and Simon keep up with the fake relationship, it all starts to feel a bit too real.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017)
Evelyn Hugo is a famous Hollywood star who came from practically nothing. Over the years she had 7 different husbands, something that made her the center of gossip around town. Now that she is older, Evelyn is ready to tell her real life story, full of romance and betrayal.
Monique is an aspiring writer, and when she hears that Evelyn Hugo wants to meet her, Monique is baffled. She meets with Evelyn having no idea what to expect, and Evelyn gives her the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid can be read here.
Virgin River by Robyn Carr (2007)
Melinda Monroe is a recently widowed woman looking to escape her heartbreak. When she stumbles upon an ad for a nurse practitioner in a small town where she’d get a free cabin among the trees, Melinda knows it’s the perfect place to go.
But when she arrives it’s nothing like she expected. Melinda decides to leave, but is stopped in her tracks by an abandoned baby on her porch. And when she meets Jack Sheridan, a former marine, Melinda can’t help but want to stay after all.
Emma Woodhouse is happy with her own life and doesn’t seek out love or romance, knowing it’s for the best. However, that doesn’t stop her from messing with other people’s love lives. But when Emma tries to find a match for her protégée, Harriet Smith, Emma faces consequences she never expected.
You may know the famous movie The Princess Bride, and this is the book that came before it.
This story is set in 1941 and features everything you would want in a tale, from giants and pirates to princesses and love. This is a story of violence, passion, and romance, and it will take you on an unforgettable adventure.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman can be purchased here.
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb (1995)
Taking place in 2058, this story follows Eve Dallas, a New York detective. The senator’s daughter has just been murdered, and her life as a prostitute was then revealed. Eve is taking on the case and getting a lot more attention because of it.
Meanwhile, Eve is also falling for Roarke, a very rich and influential man who also happens to be the lead suspect in the case.
Desta has been avoiding Ethiopia ever since his father died there, but the place also holds a lot of happy and cherished memories from Desta’s life. When he has to go there for 12 weeks for work, Desta might get the closure that he’s been needing for so long.
Elias lives in Ethiopia and has the chance to pursue his doctoral studies in the US, but he’s been avoiding the opportunity for months. When he meets Desta, Elias learns things about who he wants to be and becomes more confident.
But when their future is threatened, the two men have to decide what they are willing to do for love.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1985)
Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza were in love when they were younger, but then Fermina left Florentino to marry a rich doctor. Florentino was devastated, but he never stopped loving Fermina.
Now, after 50 years, Fermina’s husband has died, and Florentino is going to attend the funeral. He’s been waiting for the day when he can finally profess his love for her again.
You can purchase Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez here.
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (2000)
Becky Bloomwood has an amazing flat in London and a closet full of the season’s most trendy clothing. But the problem is that her boring writing job doesn’t pay her enough, and Becky can’t afford any of it—in other words, she is in tremendous debt.
Becky decides to try to stop shopping so much, but it soon becomes clear that it’s an addiction she simply can’t shake. But when Becky gets a front-page article that she actually cares about, she doesn’t realize that it will change her life for good.
You can find Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella here.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)
Heathcliff is an orphan boy who was rejected by Catherine Earnshaw, a girl who chose a boy with a different background. Heathcliff wants revenge, so he tries everything to win over Catherine and tear down anyone who stands in his way.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë can be found here.
The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite (2019)
Lucy shows up at the home of Catherine, a countess who wants someone to translate a French document. Catherine is just expecting to give the woman the project and leave it alone after that, but something about Lucy intrigues her.
As Lucy stays with Catherine, the two find themselves growing more fond of each other every day. But their pasts are catching up with them, and they worry that they may not have the strength to be together.
You can read The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite here.
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (1996)
Noah Calhoun is 31 and back in North Carolina after fighting in World War II, and he can’t get the girl from his past out of his head.
Allie Nelson is 29 and about to marry a lawyer, but she can’t stop remembering her time with the boy that she loved so long ago.
This is the story of the two past lovers longing for a time that no longer exists, wondering how they can get back to what once was.
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks can be purchased here.
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters (1998)
Nan King is intrigued by Kitty Butler, a male impersonator in music halls. After seeing Kitty in shows for so long, Nan finally meets her and ends up becoming her dresser. Soon, the two women are performing together, singing and dancing, and they grow more attracted to each other every day.
You can find Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters here.
Tonight and Forever by Brenda Jackson (1995)
Lorren returns to her hometown in Texas after her marriage ends in divorce. She’s vowed to never fall in love with another man again, but when she meets Justin Madaris, a handsome physician and widow, she finds it hard to keep that promise.
Justin doesn’t think he’ll ever feel the way he did with his wife, and he doesn’t see how another woman could love him in the same way she did. But when he meets Lorren, his whole outlook shifts, and the two lovers are forced to reconcile with their pasts in order to move on and have a future.
You can purchase Tonight and Forever by Brenda Jackson here.
Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas (2001)
Amanda Briars is almost 30 and has never been with a man before, and she’s determined to find someone before her approaching birthday. When the irresistible Jack Delvin shows up, Amanda knows he is perfect for the job.
But Jack won’t do what Amanda wants right away, and fate has different plans for them.
Elizabeth Bennett is one of five sisters who are all very different but have the same goal of finding love and marriage. Elizabeth doesn’t like Mr. Darcy, who is rich and standoffish, and she knows that she isn’t interested in him.
As their paths continue to cross, their relationship becomes full of misunderstandings. The two are both very prideful people, but eventually, the relationship develops into one of mutual attraction.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen can be found here.
A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev (2014)
Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in years, but marriage has given her a freedom that many girls in her village don’t have. Mili wants to be the perfect wife, but it’s hard when her husband won’t come back.
When her husband’s older brother, Samir, comes to Mili’s village bearing divorce papers, he thinks it will be easy to get her to sign them. But Mili is smart, and she’s not just going to sign them that easily. Soon Samir is part of Mili’s life, cooking food and helping her with things, and he begins to question what he once thought.
You can find A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev here.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (2012)
Louisa takes a job working for Will Traynor, a man who is now in a wheelchair after a terrible accident. Will was always living grand with big deals and lots of travel, and he doesn’t see how life could be good again after something like this.
When Louisa realizes that Will has extreme plans, she goes on a quest to show him that life is still worth it.
Yue-Ying is fine with staying in the background while her mistress lives a life of luxury in the Lotus Palace. But when Yue-Ying runs into Bai Huang, things change in an instant.
Yue-Ying and Bai Huang are put together to solve a dangerous mystery. Though they are different from each other in many ways, the two start to dream of a life together even though it’s forbidden.
You can find The Lotus Palace by Jeannie Lin here.
Bared to You by Sylvia Day (2012)
When Gideon comes into Eva’s life, she is immediately drawn to him. Gideon makes her feel things that she never thought she would feel, bringing out her past, and she is intrigued by him.
But Gideon also has darkness in his past, and it’s up to them to see if they can put it all behind them for a chance together.
Spencer Harris is fifteen and transgender, and the people at his old school treated him horribly while he was transitioning. Now, Spencer is at a new private school, and things are looking up. He has new friends and a shot at getting on the soccer team.
But nobody at his new school knows that Spencer is trans, and when a law forces his soccer coach to bench him, Spencer has a decision to make. He can either stay silent or tell everyone—including the guy he’s falling for—that he’s trans, and fight for his right to play.
You can purchase The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons here.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (2021)
Shane and Eva are two writers who meet at a writing event, but nobody knows that they actually spent 1 week together 15 years ago, madly in love.
Now, over the next 7 days, Shane and Eva will have more time together. They can’t deny their chemistry and attraction to one another, but Eva is still mad at Shane for breaking her heart. Before he leaves, she has some things that she wants to get to the bottom of.
You can find Seven Days in June by Tia Williams here.
Vision in White by Nora Roberts (2009)
Mac is a wedding photographer who is very good at her job. She is on her way to an important wedding rehearsal when she runs into Carter, the brother of the bride, and is immediately attracted to him.
Carter is not Mac’s usual type, though she thinks he might be just what she needs. But something casual might turn into more when Mac least expects it, sweeping her off her feet and into the unknown.
You can find Vision in White by Nora Roberts here.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene (2012)
Hazel has known that she was terminal ever since her diagnosis, but a recent treatment has shrunk her tumor and bought her a few more years. When a new guy named Augustus shows up at the cancer kid support group Hazel attends, she doesn’t realize that he will change her life forever.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene can be read here.
The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Hayer (1934)
When the Earl of Rule wants to get married to Horatia’s sister, Horatia sacrifices herself to be married to him instead. Her sister is already in love with another man, and Horatia doesn’t want to see her suffer.
The Earl ends up very in love with Horatia, and he even gets rid of a man who was set out to ruin Horatia’s life, showing her that he cares about her wellbeing.
The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Hayer can be purchased here.
The Dangerous Marriage by Barbara Cartland (1989)
In order to prevent a revolution, a young British woman is hastily married to a Balkan Prince. The marriage is forced, and the woman already doesn’t like the groom because of how he’s uprooted her life.
But when the couple meets, that hate might just change to love after all.
You can read The Dangerous Marriage by Barbara Cartland here.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (2015)
Simon is 16 and nobody knows that he is gay. Simon’s been emailing with a boy his age who uses the pen name Blue, and their emails are getting increasingly flirty. But when an email gets into the wrong hands, Simon is suddenly being blackmailed by the most popular kid in school.
What he does will not only determine if the school finds out his secret, but it could affect Blue and his identity as well.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli can be found here.
Miss Darcy Falls in Love by Sharon Lathan (2011)
This book is a continuation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and it explores Georgiana Darcy’s life as she pursues her love for music. Miss Darcy ends up meeting two very different men who want to win her over, and they begin fighting for her heart.
You can purchase Miss Darcy Falls in Love by Sharon Lathan here.
The Perfect Bride by Sheila Walsh (1994)
Serena’s father has recently died and it’s left the family in a bad state, so she does the only thing she can think to do. Serena marries a duke who can restore what they lost.
Serena is happy when the duke turns out to be nice and caring, but things quickly change when Melissa Glenville and the Earl of Lynton show up, and their whole marriage is threatened at once.
The Perfect Bride by Sheila Walsh can be read here.
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen (2006)
Jacob is a poor orphan who is working toward becoming a veterinary, and he ends up in charge of caring for circus animals in the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. The circus is a blessing and a curse for Jacob, but when he meets the animal trainer, Marlina, things change.
Furthermore, when Jacob meets Rosie, an untrainable elephant who seems to be the only hope for the circus, he forms a bond that can’t be broken.
You can find Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen here.
Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer (1989)
Will Parker has been to prison for killing a prostitute, and it’s proven difficult to get a job now that he is out and everyone knows his reputation. Then he answers an ad from Eleanor Dinsmore, a pregnant widow who is looking for a husband.
Will is a dutiful and caring husband, trying his best to support the family and help care for the two boys. Soon, he finds that he is truly falling in love with Ellie and the life that they have built together.
Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer can be purchased here.
Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (1740)
It is late at night and a merchant is lost in the woods, hungry and exhausted. He finds a castle that seems to be deserted and stops to get some rest. But when he picks a rose from the garden for his daughter, a beast shows up saying that the merchant deserves to die for taking his property.
The merchant ends up making a deal with the beast that the merchant will give the rose to his daughter and then return to the castle without telling her of the deal.
But when the merchant arrives home, he can’t stop himself from telling his daughter, so she returns in his place. What happens from there is a story of magic, excitement, and love.
You can read Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve here.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (2018)
Ella Durran is 24 and has finally made her dream come true of studying at Oxford University. When Ella is offered the job opportunity of a lifetime, she can hardly believe it, but a local named Jamie ruins her shirt on her first day.
To make matters worse, Ella later learns that Jamie is going to be her English teacher, and she wonders if Oxford might not be all that she was expecting. But Ella ends up having a deep connection with Jamie, and when she finds out his secret, she is caught between choices.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan can be purchased here.
The Ladies’ Room by Carolyn Brown (2011)
When Trudy attends her great aunt Gertrude’s funeral, she hears a secret in the bathroom that changes her entire life.
Trudy is dealing with a lot: Her daughter is in her rebellious stage, her mother is in a nursing home, and her husband has been cheating on her for the entirety of their marriage.
Billy lived next to Trudy’s great aunt Gertrude, who left him the money to help Trudy remodel Gertrude’s house. Billy is excited to spend time with Trudy because he’s been in love with her for years, but Trudy isn’t as excited to have yet another thing on her plate. Still, as they spend more time together, things start to change and a bond starts to form.
You can find The Ladies’ Room by Carolyn Brown here.
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (1996)
Bridget is in her 30s and desperate to improve herself. Her goals are to lose some weight, become a responsible adult, and have a more graceful outlook on life, and she will document her journey in her diary.
This diary shows her hilarious and very self-aware look into how things are going, from relationships with others to her core relationship with herself.
You can read Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding here.
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
Nikol goes to a Dodgers game with her boyfriend of 5 months, and when he proposes in front of the entire stadium, it’s safe to say she is shocked. Her boyfriend isn’t exactly marriage material; he can’t even spell Nikol’s name right.
When Nikol turns him down, the crowd is angry, and a man named Carlos rescues her from the chaos. Carlos turns out to be a great rebound for Nikol, but soon things start getting more serious than they ever expected.
You can find The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory here.
Forever is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagán (2017)
When James meets Louisa, he is sure that she is his one true love. The only problem is that Louisa is engaged to Rob, James’ best friend, and James can’t go after her.
James passes the years trying to succeed in many things: Finishing his novel, having a good relationship with his father, and finding a solid romantic relationship. He is having trouble doing anything right, and when Louisa is betrayed by Rob, she turns to James for comfort.
When things change between Louisa and James, they are forced to experience all of the love and heartbreaking consequences that come out of the situation.
You can purchase Forever is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagán here.
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale (1992)
Christian Langland is the Duke of Jervaulx, and he is completely charming and reckless all at once. When a tragedy shocks him, Christian’s world turns upside down and he suddenly doesn’t want to participate in any of his old antics.
Maddy Timms is a Quaker girl whose cousin has an asylum. When Christian is admitted to the asylum, Maddy is drawn to him and finds that he isn’t mentally ill, only physically. So she forms a plan to get him out of the asylum, and throughout this time their bond and desire for each other only grow stronger.
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale can be read here.
FAQs
When was the first romance book written?
The first ever known romance book was Pamela or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson, which was published in 1740.
What are the bestselling romance books of all time?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813) Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847) Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991) The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (1996) Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez (1985) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (1811) The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller (1992) Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (2011) The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (2016) The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (2013) Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (2012) The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (1977) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003) The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (2000) It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (2016) The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2018) The Selection by Kiera Cass (2012) Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (2011)
Freya grew up in Portland Oregon and still resides there now. She has been reading for as long as she can remember, and loves that books allow you to escape into someone else’s reality for a little while. When she is not writing or reading she enjoys playing piano, baking, and going outside.
