The Greatest Romance Books Since 2018

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This list represents a comprehensive and trusted collection of the greatest books. Developed through a specialized algorithm, it brings together 759 'best of' book lists to form a definitive guide to the world's most acclaimed books. For those interested in how these books are chosen, additional details can be found on the rankings page.

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Genres

Romance

The Romance category of books typically involves stories that revolve around romantic relationships between two or more characters. These stories often explore themes of love, passion, and intimacy, and may include elements of drama, suspense, or humor. Romance novels can range from sweet and innocent to steamy and erotic, and may be set in a variety of time periods and locations. Overall, the Romance genre offers readers a chance to escape into a world of love and romance, where anything is possible.

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  1. 126. Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau

    After eating dumplings at a night market, workaholic Noelle Tom begins reliving the same Friday over and over: the same alarm, the same Wordle, and a proposal that never sticks. During the loop she keeps encountering Cam, a man who doesn’t seem to remember her, and must choose to step away from her routine and take risks to try to get unstuck. A gentle, romantic time-loop story about connection, change, and learning to live in the moment.

    The 12711th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  2. 127. The Princess And The P.I. by Nikki Payne

    Fiona Addai — a popular online sleuth known as @Princess_PI — tries to reclaim her late brother’s invention from a tech company and instead finds herself accused of murder. She hires Maurice Bennett, a jaded private investigator, to help clear her name and teach her real-world detective work. As they dig into a shady start-up, their partnership intensifies and they must learn to trust each other to uncover the truth.

    The 12717th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  3. 128. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

    The graphic novel centers around a high school student named Freddy who is grappling with her tumultuous relationship with the charismatic Laura Dean. Despite Laura's repeated infidelities and breakups, Freddy finds herself drawn back to Laura time and again. As Freddy navigates the complexities of love, friendship, and self-discovery, she begins to understand the importance of healthy relationships and self-respect. With the help of her friends, particularly her best friend Doodle, Freddy learns to set boundaries and recognize her own worth, ultimately confronting the cycle of toxic behavior and seeking a path toward personal growth and fulfillment.

    The 12742nd Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  4. 129. A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell

    Elfreda Marsden, an aspiring archaeologist, thinks she’s found proof of Viking activity on her family’s estate until the amulet is lost after a collision with Georgie Redmayne, her charming childhood enemy recently returned from London. Needing new evidence and cash, the two reluctantly team up to hunt for a hidden hoard of Viking gold, and the quest draws them into unexpected adventures that awaken feelings neither expected. This queer historical romance follows their slow-burn shift from rivalry to something more, with high stakes tied to the treasure they seek.

    The 12750th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  5. 130. The Last Guy On Earth by Sarina Bowen

    When veteran goalie Jethro Hale is traded to a team coached by Clay Powers — his former lover and the youngest coach in the league — their past affair and unresolved feelings resurface. As the team pursues a big season, they must navigate awkwardness, parenthood and a rekindled attraction that could cause a scandal if it comes to light.

    The 12791st Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  6. 131. The Trouble With Anna by Rachel Griffiths

    Anna must marry to inherit after her grandfather’s will threatens her independence. To protect her future she enters a high‑stakes horse race and a betting ring, clashing with and gradually falling for the arrogant Lord Julian Ramsay in a slow‑burn frenemies-to-lovers romance.

    The 12792nd Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  7. 132. Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan

    Max is thirty and restless, carrying years of dysphoria and dissatisfaction. After a New Year’s Eve fall she tries pursuing a conventional relationship with Vincent, but his family expectations and a resurfacing past force both of them to confront identity, forgiveness, and how much the past shapes who we become. The novel explores trans identity, family pressure, race, and the work of making — or remaking — a life together.

    The 12811th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  8. 133. Intemperance by Sonora Jha

    At 55, a renowned intellectual and twice-married woman stages a modern swayamvar—inviting men to compete for her attention—which ignites gossip and scandal in her American town. The novel follows her fierce desire, the realities of aging and disability, and her defiance of social expectations as she navigates public scrutiny and personal longing.

    The 12815th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  9. 134. Silver Elite by Dani Francis

    Wren Darlington, a powerful psychic Mod hiding from those who would kill her kind, is captured and forced into Silver Block, an elite enemy training program. Forced to conceal her abilities while plotting from within, she must navigate deadly training, shifting loyalties, and a fraught relationship with her commanding officer, Cross Redden. As tensions escalate, Wren has to decide how far she’ll go to survive and what she’s willing to sacrifice to protect others.

    The 12830th Greatest Book of All Time
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  10. 135. Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun

    Thirty-five-year-old Sadie Wells leaves her predictable life to join a Camino de Santiago tour in Portugal, where a chance meeting with fellow traveler Mal sparks a deep connection. As they walk together through the landscape and through personal challenges—Sadie exploring newly awakened feelings, Mal facing loss and change—their bond grows and both must decide what kind of life they want after the pilgrimage. A tender, character-driven romance about identity, grief, and the courage to start over.

    The 12834th Greatest Book of All Time
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  11. 136. A Gentleman's Gentleman by T.J. Alexander

    Lord Christopher Eden, a reclusive trans gentleman who prefers the company of his cook and butler, must find a wife by the end of the Season to keep his inheritance. He moves to London and hires a traditional valet, James Harding; what begins as a prickly working relationship gradually deepens into a slow-burn, complicated attraction as both men guard secrets. Set in the Regency era, the novel combines dry wit, social maneuvering, and a thoughtful exploration of identity and relationships.

    The 12866th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  12. 137. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

    Beth has built a quiet life with her husband Frank, but when Gabriel—the first love she never forgot—returns to their village with his young son, old feelings and buried secrets resurface. A violent incident involving Gabriel’s dog pulls Beth back into a past she thought she’d left behind, and as tensions rise in the community she must face choices that put her marriage and future at risk. The novel shifts between past and present to explore love, loss, and the consequences of long-hidden truths.

    The 12904th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  13. 138. Six Weeks By The Sea by Paula Byrne

    During a six-week seaside holiday after her family’s move to Bath, Jane Austen savors sea bathing and the company of her sister Cassandra and friend Martha while new arrivals stir curiosity and unrest. As her brother Frank returns from naval service and figures like Captain Parker and the reserved lawyer Samuel Rose appear, Jane becomes drawn into questions about love, loyalty and her own feelings while also assisting Reverend Swete with his granddaughter’s arrival from the West Indies.

    The 12932nd Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  14. 139. Some Bright Nowhere by Ann Packer

    Eliot and Claire have been married for nearly forty years. After years of Claire’s cancer, as her life nears its end she makes an unexpected request that forces Eliot to reevaluate their marriage, his role as caregiver, and who they are apart and together. The novel follows his emotional reckoning with love, identity, and the difficult choices that surface at the end of life.

    The 12933rd Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  15. 140. Sky Daddy by Kate Folk

    Linda leads a quiet life moderating comments and renting a small garage in the Bay Area, but each month she takes a round‑trip flight to indulge a deep, private obsession with airplanes. Convinced one of them is her soulmate, she guards the secret until an opportunity appears that could bring her dream within reach — forcing her to choose between maintaining a semblance of normalcy and pursuing the unconventional love she longs for.

    The 12965th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  16. 141. Moderation by Elaine Castillo

    Content moderator Girlie Delmundo earns a promotion when her employer acquires a leading virtual reality company, moving her into an elite VR moderation role. The job’s perks help her family but deepen her isolation, and when she begins a tentative relationship with the company’s reserved co‑founder William Cheung she must reckon with the limits of controlling narratives and the persistence of the past. A character-driven novel about work, intimacy, and how technology reshapes human connection.

    The 12956th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  17. 142. Crush by Ada Calhoun

    A woman with a full, settled life is prompted by her husband to rethink what their marriage leaves out, setting off a tumult of desire, heartbreak, and rekindled connections. Crush follows her journey through temptation and consequence toward a clearer sense of who she is and what she wants, while navigating family, friendships, and intimacy.

    The 12998th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  18. 143. Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola

    Three years after their breakup, Kiki is trying to rebuild her life when her ex, Malakai, reappears as the best man at her best friend’s wedding. As she juggles a new job, her family’s struggling restaurant, and wedding preparations, their unresolved chemistry forces her to confront the past while trying to keep everything from falling apart.

    The 13015th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  19. 144. Unloved by Peyton Corinne

    Ro Shariff is hired to tutor Matt “Freddy” Fredderic, a star hockey player who masks academic struggles and learning differences behind a confident persona. As late-night study sessions turn into friendship, both confront vulnerabilities and quiet longing, learning what real connection looks like without losing themselves.

    The 13053rd Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  20. 145. Gaysians by Mike Curato

    In early-2000s Seattle, AJ moves across the country to explore his identity and finds an unexpected chosen family: a tight-knit group of gay Asian friends whose personalities and lives collide in funny, tender, and complicated ways. The novel follows their friendships, romances, and struggles as they navigate belonging, desire, and community against the backdrop of a changing city.

    The 13054th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  21. 146. Chaos by Constance Fay

    Engineer and space mercenary Caro Ogunyemi infiltrates a prison planet run by the ruthless Pierce family and discovers Leviathan, a super soldier controlled by a brain chip. A single touch frees him, setting off a dangerous scramble to restore his autonomy, protect Caro’s crew, and stage an escape — all while they navigate the unexpected bond forming between them.

    The 13056th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  22. 147. Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia

    Joonie, a devoted romance-reader, is obsessed with Ryke, the merman hero from her favorite series. When she discovers he’s modeled on a real person, she sets off on a road trip to find him—bringing her brother’s irritating but attractive best friend along—and discovers that turning fantasy into reality comes with unexpected complications. A playful, steamy romantic comedy that also explores fandom and the tropes of the genre.

    The 13060th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  23. 148. It Had To Be Him by Adib Khorram

    After a public breakup, Ramin impulsively travels to Italy to reinvent himself. There he unexpectedly reunites with Noah, a former classmate now navigating divorce and a reluctant family trip. Old crushes resurface and the two begin a passionate, second‑chance relationship, but both must reckon with insecurities and whether what they’ve found will survive beyond their holiday.

    The 13064th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  24. 149. The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy

    Years after ending her engagement for her family’s sake, Naila Darwish returns to England and unexpectedly reunites with Basil Trevelyn, who has since inherited an earldom. Old regrets and pride keep them at odds even as their attraction rekindles, forcing both to confront past mistakes and decide whether to risk love again.

    The 13070th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  25. 150. Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan

    Hendrix Barry has a successful life and big ambitions, but caring for an aging parent and past disappointments have left her wary of romance. At a high‑profile party she meets Maverick Bell, a charismatic tech mogul who sees and pursues her in a way no one has before. Their chemistry forces Hendrix to confront her boundaries and decide whether to risk her carefully planned path for a relationship that feels both irresistible and complicated.

    The 13075th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org

Reading Statistics

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