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Are you a romance fan and wondering what books to read next? Here's a list of 50 bestselling books guaranteed to keep you busy at least for a year.
Not sure you're a romance fan, check my reasons as to why you should read Romance.
Wondering how to get all of them done soon? Here's my article on how to read more books and the benefits of reading.
I have created this list based on reader popularity, my wishlist and ratings available in Goodreads. I have also listed the number of ratings the book has received on Goodreads to give you an idea as to the popularity of the book.
The rating below the title is my own personal rating of the book. It may or may not match that given by Goodreads or Amazon.
To cater to the reader’s tastes I’ve divide the 50 into further 5 categories. Hope you enjoy all of them.
Best Classic Romance Books
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- First Published: 1813
- Goodreads 2934000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Elizabeth Bennet and Mr.Darcy
- Classic story of initial dislike and hasty judgements, turning to attraction and love.
- Pages : 279
- 20 million copies sold
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- First Published: 1847
- Goodreads 1,597,293+ ratings
- Main Characters : Jane and Edward Rochester
- Forbidden Love and dangerous secrets between a governess and her ward’s father.
- Pages : 532
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
- First Published: 1847
- Goodreads 1,316,837+ ratings
- Main Characters : Caroline and Heathcliff
- Has parallel love stories of more than one characters. Groundbreaking book due to its dark depiction of human nature.
- Pages : 464
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- First Published: 1991
- Goodreads 800000 ratings
- Main Characters : Nurse Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser
- Themes of historical (World War II) fiction, romance and adventure as Claire travels Scotland. The first book in a series of 8.
- Pages : 850
- 25 million copies sold
- Awards : RITA award, Puddle award for romance.
Gone with the Wind by Maragaret Mitchell
- First Published: 1936
- Goodreads 1060000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Coming of age story of Scarlett O’Hara
- Scarlett, a spoiled daughter of a well-to-do man, is ready to do anything to leave a life of poverty behind.
- Pages : 1037
- 30 million copies sold
- Awards : Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award
The Thorn Bird by Colleen McCollough
- First Published: 1977
- Goodreads 30000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Meggie and Ralph
- A family story of the Cleary’s set in Australia.
- Pages : 692
- 33 million copies sold
The Great Gatsby by F. Scot Fitzgerald
- First Published: 1925
- Goodreads 3700000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan
- Love story between a mysterious billionaire and his ex-lover, portraying affluent American lifestyle.
- Pages : 200
- 30 million copies sold
- Awards : Grammy Award Nominee
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- First Published: 1985
- Goodreads 400000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza
- A passionate story of true love. Portrayal of love in two different forms.
- Pages : 348
- 30 million copies sold
- The author won a Nobel Prize.
Audie Award, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
- First Published: 1995
- Goodreads 27000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Sebastian Ballister and Jessica Trent
- A British Regency romance between notorious, bad guy and tough-minded beauty.
- Pages : 375
- Awards :
RITA Award, Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Romance Readers Anonymous (RRA) Award
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
- First Published: 1995
- Goodreads 84000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Simon Basset and Daphne Bridgerton
- Falling in hopeless love story where the line between real and reel starts to disappear.
- Pages : 384
- Awards : RITA Award.
Best Young Adult Romance Novels
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- First Published: 2008
- Goodreads 6270000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Katniss Everdeen
- Dystopia fans are in for a treat. The Hunger Games is an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from the Panem nation in North America are selected by lottery to compete battle to the death. The novels are Hunger games, Catching Fire and MockingJay
- Pages : 374
- 29 million copies in the US alone
- The list of awards is so long, I decided to leave it out. In short it is a book with high accolades.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
- First Published: 2013
- Goodreads 800000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Park Sheridon, Eleanor Douglas
- Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations Eleanor and Park fall for each other. First-love story.
- Pages : 328
- Awards: All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Best Young Adult Romance (2014), Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award (2014), Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award (2014), Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction (2013), Lincoln Award (2015) , North Carolina Young Adult Book Award for High School (2016), Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction (2013), The Magnolia Award for 9-12 (2015)
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
- First Published: 2019
- Goodreads 12000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Rhiannon Hunter and Samson
- Explore Modern dating, online dating and dating apps. A women oriented theme.
- Pages : 387
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
- First Published: 2006
- Goodreads 60000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Sascha Duncan and Lucas HunterTo read a phenomenal story about the powers of the mind more than the heart, get this book.
- Pages : 334
Roller Girl by Vanessa North
- First Published: 2016
- Goodreads 500+ ratings
- Main Characters :Tina Durham and Joanne “Joe Mama” Delario
- Divorced lady looking for a shoulder to cry. Finds two good friends and a passion to thrive.
- Pages : 154
Best All Time Favorite Romance Novels
Me Before you by JoJo Moyes
- First Published: 2013
- Goodreads 1100000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Louisa Clark and Will Traynor
- A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars.
- Pages : 369
- Awards : Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction (2013)
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
- First Published: 2000
- Goodreads 1,316,000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Noah and Allie
- A moving story set in the beautiful coastal of North Carolina.
- Pages : 227
- For my full review click here.
Vision in White by Nora Roberts
- First Published: 2009
- Goodreads 126000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Mackensie Elliot and Carter Maguire
- Nora Roberts cordially invites you to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac—the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut's premier wedding planning companies.
- Pages : 325
- Awards : Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2009)
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
- First Published: 2000
- Goodreads 665000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan
- A Bible carrying girl quiet girl and a seventeen year old boy discover the depths of a human heart.
- Pages : 215
- Awards : Iowa High School Book Award (2004)
Love Story by Erich Segal
- First Published: 2002
- Goodreads 50000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Oliver Barrett IV, Jennifer Cavilleri
- A love story of opposites attract, working class vs. royalty.
- Pages : 224
Whitney my Love by Judith McNaught
- First Published: 2006
- Goodreads 30000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Clayton Westmoreland, Whitney Stone
- Story set in England and France about the British Royalty.
- Pages : 708
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
- First Published: 2006
- Goodreads 55000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Evangeline and Sebastian
- Four young ladies looking for the perfect husband in London.
- Pages : 368
- Awards : RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Nominee for Short Historical Romance (2007)
The Wedding date by Jasmine Guillory
- First Published: 2018
- Goodreads 70000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Alexa Monroe and Drew Nichols
- Fun, flirty and very contemporary this novel will leave you smiling.
- Pages : 320
Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
- First Published: 2003
- Goodreads 30000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Jaine Bright and Sam Donavan
- A Fun game to find Mr. perfect between four friends turns deadly serious with the murder of one. I love this one for the suspense twist.
- Pages : 405
- Awards : All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Favorite Romantic Suspense & Feistiest Heroine & Favorite Villain & Honorable Mentions for Favorite Funny & Favorite Contemporary Romance (2001)
Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines
- First Published: 2012
- Goodreads 500+ ratings
- Main Characters : Rush Finlay, Blaire Wynn
- Forbidden love story between step kids.
- Pages : 300
- Award : Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2013)
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
- First Published: 2011
- Goodreads 500000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Abby Abernathy and Travis Maddox
- Good girl bad boy story that turns into forever love. Love the cover of this one.
- Pages : 319
- Awards : Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction and for Goodreads Author (2011)
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- First Published: 2016
- Goodreads 200000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Ryle Kincaid, Atlas Corrigan, Lily Bloom
- White collar relationship story with love from the past as the twist in the tale.
- Pages : 385
- Awards : Goodreads Choice Award for Romance (2016) and Nominee for Best of the Best (2018)
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean
- First Published: 2010
- Goodreads 38000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Calpurnia Hartwell and Gabriel St. John
- A lady who has always lived her life by rules only to have failed in finding love looks for a willing partner to help her break them.
- Pages : 397
- Awards : RITA Award by Romance Writers of America, Nominee for Best Regency Historical (2011)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
- First Published: 2003
- Goodreads 770000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Buttercup, Westley.
- A novel about everything. Based on the author’s favorite childhood classic.
- Pages : 456
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
- First Published: 2003
- Goodreads 13000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Duke of Jervaulx and Maddy Timms
- Love between Sweet Girl and dangerous man, lost to the world but one.
- Pages : 533
- Awards : Romance Readers Anonymous (RRA) Award (1996)
- First Published: 2005
- Goodreads 15000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Harriet Pomeroy and Gideon Westbrook
- Regency romance story, beach read.
- Pages : 385
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
- First Published: 2009
- Goodreads 64000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Tatiana Metanova, Alexander Belov, Alexander Belov
- Wartime story between a victim of Hitler's war and a young officer of the RED ARMY. Such a beautiful book cover!
- Pages : 912
The Bride by Julie Garwood
- First Published: 1989
- Goodreads 54000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Alec Kincaid, Jamie Jamison
- A love story between a mismatched married young couple based in the splendid Scotland.
- Pages : 352
- Awards : RITA Award by Romance Writers of America for Best Single Title Historical Romance (1990)
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
- First Published: 2009
- Goodreads 28800+ ratings
- Main Characters : Beth Ackerley and Ian ‘Mad’ Mackenzie.
- A Historical romance between a mad lord and a widow who wants to be left alone.
- Pages : 320
- Awards :
All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Best Romance & Most Tortured Hero & Best Historical Set in the U.K. & Best Love Scenes & Honorable Mention for Best Romance Heroine (2010), Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (RT Award) for Most Innovative Historical Romance (2009), DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Historical Romance (2010), Readers' Crown Award by RomCon® (Romance Conventions Inc.) for Best Historical Romance (2010)
Best Romantic Time Travel Novels
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
- First Published: 2003
- Goodreads 1559000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Claire and Henry
- Boy meets girl story with a refreshing and original twist
- Pages : 500
- Awards : Arthur C. Clarke Award Nominee (2005), Orange Prize Nominee for Fiction Longlist (2004), British Book Award (2006), John W. Campbell Memorial Award Nominee for Best Science Fiction Novel (2005), Exclusive Books Boeke Prize (2005)
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
- First Published: 1989
- Goodreads 30000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Dougless Montgomery and Nicholas Stafford
- This story is the epic love story every woman would swoon over.
- Pages : 464
Best Erotic Romantic Novels
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L.James
- First Published: 2011
- Goodreads 1918000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Christian Grey and Anastasia Steel
- A story of singular erotic tastes, the story will stay with you not for the sex but for the emotional ride.
- Pages : 356
- Awards : All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Best Erotic Romance (tie) (2012), Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) for International Book (2013), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2011)
Bared to You by Sylvia Day
- First Published: 2014
- Goodreads 450000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Gideon Cross and Eva Tramell
- Based in New York City, this novel is every woman’s fantasy come true. A story of obsession and transformation.
- Pages : 334
- Awards : All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Best Erotic Romance AND Most Tortured Hero (2013), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance and for Goodreads Author (2012)
Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
- First Published: 2011
- Goodreads 142000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Gabriel Emerson and Julia Mitchell
- A story of forbidden love between a teacher and his student that will keep you intrigued throughout.
- Pages : 506
Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
- First Published: 2012
- Goodreads 174000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Caroline Reynolds and Simon Parker
- A never seen before neighbor and his nocturnal activities will keep you laughing throughout.
- Pages : 384
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
- First Published: 2013
- Goodreads 150000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Chloe Mills, Bennett Ryan
- Office Romance story between an executive and his intern.
- Pages : 320
Best New Releases in Romance Novels
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- First Published: 2019
- Goodreads 150000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Alex and Henry
- Royal young blood of two powerful countries decides to create history.
- Pages : 464
- Awards : Goodreads Choice Award for Romance and for Debut Novel (2019), Alex Award (2020)
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
- First Published: 2016
- Goodreads 136000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman
- A book that starts with hate between rivals in office who work 40 hours together. Very modern, very real.
- Pages : 387
- Awards : Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (RT Award) for Mainstream Fiction (2016)
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
- First Published: 1997
- Goodreads 1700000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Sayuri Nitta, Mr. Bekku, Ichiro Tanaka, Dr. Crab, Hatsumono, Mameha, Ken Iwamura
- A very unique, very captivating story set in beautiful Japan about the celebrated Geisha.
- Pages : 503
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- First Published: 2018
- Goodreads 131000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Stella Lane and Michael Larsen
- A very different story of a unique girl with a unique problem and even more unique solution.
- Pages : 323
- Awards : Goodreads Choice Award for Romance and Nominee for Debut Author (2018)
- First Published: 2013
- Goodreads 105000+ ratings
- Main Characters :Drew Evans and Katherine Brooks
- Read the story for the wit and the passion, it will catch you like the flu.
- Pages : 254
- Awards : All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Funniest Romance (2014), Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Author and Nominee for Romance (2013)
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
- First Published: 2013
- Goodreads 440000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Rosie Jarman and Don Tillman
- The quest of a man to find his wife, will leave you bemused and feeling good. Help him to the finale of his Project.
- Pages : 295
- Awards : All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements (2014), Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Unpublished Manuscript (2012), Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) for General Fiction and for Book of the Year (2014), UC Book of the Year (2015)
Best Paranormal Romance Novels
The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer
- First Published: 2005
- Goodreads 4900000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Bella Swan and Edward Cullen
- A story of love between vampires, a bestselling book in the YA genre
- Pages : 501
- Awards : A very Huge list, longer than this list :).
- First Published: 2005
- Goodreads 285000+ ratings
- Main Characters : Wrath and Beth Randall
- Pure-bred Vampire love that is dangerous, passionate and igniting.
- Pages : 356
- Awards : All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll for Best Alt Reality/Paranormal (2006), RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Nominee for Paranormal Romance (2006), HOLT Medallion by Virginia Romance Writers Nominee for Paranormal/Time Travel/Futuristic/Fantasy (2006), DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Paranormal: Vampires, Werewolves, and the Supernatural (2006)
Dark Fever by Karen Marie Moning
- First Published: 2006
- Goodreads 151000+ ratings
- Main Characters : MacKayla and V'lane
- A quest for revenge for her sister’s murder leads Mac to an addiction for women.
- Pages : 356
I hope you loved the list. Tell me what you think.
If you are a romance fan make sure you’ve read at least a few of them. Comment with those you’ve read and loved.
Happy Reading!
