26 Best Romance Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 26 best romance books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Romance books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best romance books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
26 Best Romance Books
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Pride and Prejudice
Also recommended by
2 people
Hillary Clinton recommended this bookHillary Clinton
One of Hillary Clinton's 3 answers to "Is there one book you wish all students would read?"
Hillary Clinton's recommendation of this book 
Tim O’Reilly recommended this bookTim O’Reilly
"In terms of classics, you can’t do better than [this author] for understanding the human soul." - Tim O’Reilly
Tim O’Reilly's recommendation of this book
Red, White & Royal Blue
A Novel
Also recommended by
2 people
Debra Akins recommended this bookDebra Akins
"" - Debra Akins
Debra Akins's recommendation of this book 
Jack Edwards recommended this bookJack Edwards
"A really heartwarming love story." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
The Notebook
Calhoun Family / Notebook, Book 1
Outlander
Outlander, Book 1
Also recommended by
1 person
George R. R. Martin recommended this bookGeorge R. R. Martin
"A wonderful blend of historical drama, science fiction, fantasy, and romance." - George R. R. Martin
George R. R. Martin's recommendation of this book
Me Before You
Me Before You, Book 1
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Time Traveler's Wife, Book 1
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Book 1
Vision In White
Bride Quartet, Book 1
The Song of Achilles
A Novel
Also recommended by
4 people
J.K. Rowling recommended this bookJ.K. Rowling
“I loved it.” - J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling's recommendation of this book 
Serena Izzo recommended this bookSerena Izzo
"" - Serena Izzo
Serena Izzo's recommendation of this book 
Joe Hill recommended this bookJoe Hill
"A great book." - Joe Hill
Joe Hill's recommendation of this book - Jack Edwards recommended this book
Jack Edwards
"A greek mythology retelling." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
Call Me by Your Name
A Novel
Also recommended by
3 people
Sam Altman recommended this bookSam Altman
This book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf.
Sam Altman's recommendation of this book 
Tavi Gevinson recommended this bookTavi Gevinson
"Makes you feel as lost in the characters as they are in each other." - Tavi Gevinson
Tavi Gevinson's recommendation of this book - Jack Edwards recommended this book
Jack Edwards
"Will fill [you] with love and then break [your] heart into tiny pieces." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
Jane Eyre
Also recommended by
3 people
Gretchen Rubin recommended this bookGretchen Rubin
"Has started drifting into YA." - Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin's recommendation of this book 
Alice Walker recommended this bookAlice Walker
"My feeling of kinship with [this book] has never waned." - Alice Walker
Alice Walker's recommendation of this book 
Shonda Rhimes recommended this bookShonda Rhimes
"One of those that when you read it, kinda changes you." - Shonda Rhimes
Shonda Rhimes's recommendation of this book
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades, Book 1
Also recommended by
1 person
Aubrey Marcus recommended this bookAubrey Marcus
"I was sitting on a plane and EVERY FEMALE in an adjacent row to mine was reading this book while rubbing their legs together like a grasshopper in song." - Aubrey Marcus
Aubrey Marcus's recommendation of this book
Gone With the Wind
Also recommended by
1 person
Winston Churchill recommended this bookWinston Churchill
One of Winston Churchill's favorite books.
Winston Churchill's recommendation of this book
Indigo
Also recommended by
1 person
Courtney Milan recommended this bookCourtney Milan
"This book is warmth and joy and love, so much of it." - Courtney Milan
Courtney Milan's recommendation of this book
Anna and the French Kiss
Anna and the French Kiss, Book 1
Eleanor & Park
Lord of Scoundrels
Scoundrels, Book 4
Something Borrowed
A Novel
The Hating Game
The Kiss Quotient
The Kiss Quotient, Book 1
The Princess Bride
The Royal We
The Selection
Selection, Book 3
The Thorn Birds
Twilight
Twilight, Book 1
When Katie Met Cassidy
Sources
- 1
The Best Romantic Novels of All Time - Beyond the Bookends
beyondthebookends.com
- 2
The 60 Best Romance Novels of All Time | Reedsy Discovery
reedsy.com
- 3
The 21 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now | Glamour
glamour.com
- 4
Best Romance Novels of All Time - Epic Love Stories
oprahdaily.com
- 5
Best Romance Novels of All Time: Top 60+ Love Story Books
prowritingaid.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts