The best YA romance books give you butterflies, ugly-cry moments, and characters you think about for weeks after you turn the last page.
In this list, you’ll find:
- The 25 best YA romance books across every subgenre — contemporary, fantasy, LGBTQ+, and more
- New 2026 releases alongside beloved classics
- A quick comparison table so you can pick your next read in seconds
Let’s get into the books that deserve a spot on your shelf.
1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han — The Ultimate Summer Romance
Best for: Readers who want a beach-setting love triangle with deep emotional stakes
Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty is arguably the book that defined modern YA romance. Belly has spent every summer at Cousins Beach with the Fisher family, and this is the summer everything changes.
The love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah feels authentic because Han writes it without making anyone the villain. You understand why Belly is torn, and that emotional honesty is what makes it hit so hard.
If you haven’t read this one yet, start here. The Amazon Prime adaptation brought millions of new readers to the trilogy, and the books are even better than the show.
Series: 3 books | Tropes: Love triangle, summer romance, friends to lovers
2. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman — The Sweetest LGBTQ+ Love Story
Best for: Readers who want a wholesome, heartwarming queer romance
Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson sit next to each other in class. Charlie is already out. Nick is still figuring things out. What starts as an unlikely friendship turns into something deeper and more beautiful than either of them expected.
Heartstopper began as a webcomic before becoming a bestselling graphic novel series and a hit Netflix show. Oseman handles the coming-out journey with tenderness, humor, and zero melodrama.
The graphic novel format makes this an easy entry point for reluctant readers too. Each volume takes about an hour to read, but the feelings stay with you much longer.
Series: 5 volumes | Tropes: Friends to lovers, coming out, slow burn
3. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han — The Fake Dating Gold Standard
Best for: Readers who love rom-com setups with genuine emotional depth
Lara Jean Song Covey writes secret love letters to every boy she’s ever crushed on — then her little sister mails them. The fake-dating arrangement with Peter Kavinsky that follows is one of the most beloved setups in YA romance history.
Han writes family dynamics (particularly between sisters) as well as anyone in the genre. Lara Jean’s relationship with her dad and sisters is just as compelling as the romance itself.
The Netflix films are iconic, but the books give you access to Lara Jean’s inner voice, which is where the real magic lives.
Series: 3 books | Tropes: Fake dating, letters, family drama
4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green — The One That Made Everyone Cry
Best for: Readers who want a romance that hits you where it hurts
Hazel Grace Lancaster meets Augustus Waters at a cancer support group. What follows is funny, philosophical, devastating, and ultimately hopeful. Green never exploits the illness for cheap emotion — he lets these two brilliant, sarcastic teenagers be fully alive on the page.
This book sold over 23 million copies for a reason. It doesn’t just make you cry. It makes you think about what it means to love someone when time is finite.
Standalone | Tropes: Illness romance, philosophical, bittersweet ending
5. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black — For the Fantasy Romance Lovers
Best for: Readers who want political intrigue, morally gray characters, and enemies to lovers
Jude Duarte is a mortal girl raised in the High Court of Faerie. Prince Cardan is cruel, beautiful, and absolutely infuriating. Their dynamic is electric — every scene they share practically crackles off the page.
Holly Black builds a fae world with real political stakes, not just a pretty backdrop for a love story. Jude is a protagonist who fights for power on her own terms, and the romance is all the more satisfying because of it.
If you’re into the “romantasy” trend that’s dominating BookTok right now, this is where it started for YA readers.
Series: 3 books (The Folk of the Air) | Tropes: Enemies to lovers, fae court, morally gray hero
6. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera — The Romance That Breaks the Rules
Best for: Readers who appreciate knowing the ending and still choosing to feel everything
The title tells you exactly what happens. Mateo and Rufus have one day to live, and they spend it together. Silvera makes you fall in love with both characters knowing the outcome — and it still wrecks you.
This book asks a bold question: if you knew someone’s last day, would you still open your heart? The answer, according to every reader who’s finished it, is yes.
Standalone (with prequel The First to Die at the End) | Tropes: Found connection, ticking clock, bittersweet
7. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins — The Abroad Romance
Best for: Readers who want a charming, escapist romance set in Paris
Anna is shipped off to a boarding school in Paris against her will. Then she meets Etienne St. Clair — smart, funny, British-American, and unfortunately taken. The will-they-won’t-they tension is exquisite.
Perkins makes Paris feel like a character in itself. Every cafe, every rainy street, every Metro ride adds to the romantic atmosphere. This is pure comfort reading with a satisfying payoff.
Standalone (companion novels available) | Tropes: Slow burn, study abroad, will-they-won’t-they
8. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — The Political Romance
Best for: Readers who want a swoony, smart LGBTQ+ romance with humor and heart
The First Son of the United States and the Prince of Wales fall in love. It’s a political scandal in the making, and it’s also one of the funniest, most joyful romances published in the last decade.
While technically published as adult fiction, this book is widely read by YA audiences and regularly appears on YA recommendation lists. The characters are in their early twenties, and the tone fits right alongside YA favorites.
McQuiston writes banter that actually lands — every text exchange and email chain feels real.
Standalone | Tropes: Rivals to lovers, forbidden romance, political setting
9. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon — The One-Day Love Story
Best for: Readers who love the idea of destiny, fate, and connection across difference
Natasha is practical and science-minded. Daniel is a dreamer and poet. They meet in New York City on the day Natasha’s family is being deported. They have 24 hours to fall in love — or realize it was never going to work.
Yoon structures the book with alternating perspectives and short chapters that make it fly. The ticking-clock format creates urgency without feeling forced.
Standalone | Tropes: Insta-connection, cultural clash, ticking clock
10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer — The One That Started It All
Best for: Readers who want the original paranormal romance that launched a genre
Love it or debate it, Twilight is the most influential YA romance of the 21st century. Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington, and falls for Edward Cullen, a vampire who’s been seventeen for a very long time.
The book sold over 160 million copies worldwide and essentially created the modern YA paranormal romance market. Whether you’re reading it for the first time or revisiting after the Midnight Sun release, it’s a cultural touchstone.
Series: 4 books + Midnight Sun | Tropes: Forbidden love, supernatural, protective hero
11. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Best for: Readers who want a quiet, literary romance about self-discovery
Ari and Dante are two Mexican-American teenagers who form an unlikely friendship one summer at a swimming pool. What unfolds is a tender, beautifully written story about identity, family, masculinity, and first love.
Saenz’s prose is spare and poetic. This isn’t a romance with dramatic gestures — it’s about the slow, scary, wonderful process of understanding who you are and who you love.
Series: 2 books | Tropes: Friends to lovers, self-discovery, literary fiction
12. Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter — The Rom-Com Queen of YA
Best for: Readers who want a laugh-out-loud rom-com with ’90s movie references
Liz Buxbaum is obsessed with romantic comedies. When her childhood crush moves back to town, she enlists her annoying neighbor Wes to help her land the guy. You can probably guess who she actually falls for.
Painter is the undisputed queen of YA rom-coms right now. Her books are fast, funny, and packed with pop culture references that make you feel like you’re texting with your wittiest friend.
Standalone | Tropes: Neighbors, fake dating, rom-com homage
13. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch — The Travel Romance
Best for: Readers who want a romance that doubles as an armchair trip to Italy
Lina travels to Florence after her mother’s death and discovers her mom’s journal from decades ago. As she follows the journal’s trail through Tuscany, she uncovers secrets about her mother’s past and falls for a charming local named Ren.
The Italy setting is gorgeous and immersive. This is the book you read on a beach vacation and immediately start googling flights to Rome.
Standalone (companion novels set in Ireland and Hawaii) | Tropes: Travel romance, mystery, self-discovery
14. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli — The Email Romance
Best for: Readers who want a heartfelt coming-out story with a mystery element
Simon is gay but hasn’t told anyone yet. He’s been emailing anonymously with another closeted student at his school, and when those emails get into the wrong hands, everything changes.
Albertalli captures the anxiety and excitement of first love with perfect pitch. The mystery of Blue’s identity keeps pages turning, and the resolution is deeply satisfying.
Adapted into the film Love, Simon and the series Love, Victor.
Standalone (expanded universe) | Tropes: Secret identity, coming out, epistolary elements
15. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon — The Forbidden First Love
Best for: Readers who want a high-concept romance with a twist
Madeline is allergic to the world — literally. She hasn’t left her house in seventeen years. Then Olly moves in next door, and suddenly the outside world feels worth the risk.
Yoon packs an enormous amount of emotion into a compact book. The format is inventive (texts, illustrations, dictionary entries woven into the narrative), and the twist reframes everything.
Standalone | Tropes: Forbidden love, illness, neighbors
16. Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald — The Mythological Retelling
Best for: Readers who want a feminist retelling of Hades and Persephone
Persephone isn’t kidnapped — she strikes a deal. Tired of being controlled by her mother, she marries Hades to gain her freedom. But the Underworld is darker and more complicated than she expected, and Hades is not the monster the myths describe.
Fitzgerald gives Persephone real agency, and the slow-burn romance between her and Hades is satisfying because both characters have to grow.
Standalone | Tropes: Arranged marriage, mythology retelling, slow burn
17. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen — The Quiet Night Romance
Best for: Readers who want a slow, atmospheric romance about reinvention
Auden doesn’t sleep. Eli doesn’t sleep either. They find each other in a sleepy beach town during the summer before college, and over a series of late-night adventures, they help each other confront the things they’ve been avoiding.
Dessen is a master of the summer YA romance. This one is quieter and more introspective than most of her books, which makes the emotional payoff even stronger.
Standalone | Tropes: Slow burn, summer romance, insomnia bond
18. Evamar by Margarita Engle — The 2026 Debut to Watch
Best for: Readers who want a sweeping first-love story set in Cuba
Evamar travels to Cuba searching for answers about her grandmother’s past and meets Rio, a drummer whose music changes everything. Engle’s prose is lyrical and immersive, blending romance with cultural exploration and family history.
This is one of the most anticipated YA romances of 2026 — the kind of book that transports you completely.
Standalone | Tropes: Travel romance, cultural discovery, first love
19. Immortal Game by Allison Saft — The Romantasy Chess Match
Best for: Readers who love fantasy romance with high stakes and gorgeous prose
Shea Fury enters a fae chess tournament to rescue her kidnapped sister. Her reluctant ally? Ciara, the princess of Bri Leith, who has her own dangerous agenda.
Saft is known for lush, atmospheric romantasy, and Immortal Game delivers the same swoony tension her fans love — this time with a sapphic pairing and a chess-as-warfare premise that’s genuinely clever.
Standalone | Tropes: Rivals to allies, fae court, sapphic romance
20. The Davenports by Krystal Marquis — The Historical YA Romance
Best for: Readers who love period settings with underrepresented perspectives
Set in early 1900s Chicago, this follows the wealthy Black Davenport family as the eldest daughters navigate love, ambition, and societal expectations. Think Bridgerton meets Gilded Age with a YA lens.
Marquis fills a gap in historical romance by centering Black characters in a period typically dominated by white narratives.
Series: 2 books | Tropes: Class differences, forbidden romance, historical setting
Quick Comparison Table
| Book | Author | Subgenre | Tropes | Series? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Summer I Turned Pretty | Jenny Han | Contemporary | Love triangle, summer | Yes (3) |
| Heartstopper | Alice Oseman | LGBTQ+ Contemporary | Friends to lovers | Yes (5) |
| To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before | Jenny Han | Contemporary | Fake dating | Yes (3) |
| The Fault in Our Stars | John Green | Contemporary | Illness romance | No |
| The Cruel Prince | Holly Black | Fantasy | Enemies to lovers | Yes (3) |
| They Both Die at the End | Adam Silvera | Contemporary | Ticking clock | No |
| Anna and the French Kiss | Stephanie Perkins | Contemporary | Slow burn | No |
| Red, White & Royal Blue | Casey McQuiston | LGBTQ+ Political | Rivals to lovers | No |
| The Sun Is Also a Star | Nicola Yoon | Contemporary | Insta-connection | No |
| Twilight | Stephenie Meyer | Paranormal | Forbidden love | Yes (4+) |
| Aristotle and Dante | Benjamin Alire Saenz | LGBTQ+ Literary | Friends to lovers | Yes (2) |
| Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter | Rom-com | Fake dating | No |
| Love & Gelato | Jenna Evans Welch | Travel Romance | Mystery, self-discovery | No |
| Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | Becky Albertalli | LGBTQ+ Contemporary | Secret identity | No |
| Everything, Everything | Nicola Yoon | Contemporary | Forbidden love | No |
| Girl, Goddess, Queen | Bea Fitzgerald | Mythology Retelling | Slow burn | No |
| Along for the Ride | Sarah Dessen | Contemporary | Summer romance | No |
| Evamar | Margarita Engle | Cultural Romance | Travel, first love | No |
| Immortal Game | Allison Saft | Fantasy | Sapphic, rivals | No |
| The Davenports | Krystal Marquis | Historical | Class differences | Yes (2) |
How to Pick Your Next YA Romance
Not sure where to start? Here’s a quick guide based on what you’re in the mood for:
- Want to cry? Start with The Fault in Our Stars or They Both Die at the End
- Want to laugh? Better Than the Movies or Red, White & Royal Blue
- Want fantasy and romance? The Cruel Prince or Immortal Game
- Want a quick read? Heartstopper (graphic novel) or The Sun Is Also a Star
- Want LGBTQ+ representation? Heartstopper, Simon vs., Aristotle and Dante, or Red, White & Royal Blue
- Want to travel somewhere? Anna and the French Kiss (Paris), Love & Gelato (Italy), or Evamar (Cuba)
- Want a 2026 release? Evamar or Immortal Game
What Makes a Great YA Romance Book?
The best YA romance books share a few qualities that set them apart from forgettable love stories:
Authentic voice. YA readers can spot a fake teen voice instantly. The books on this list sound like real teenagers — messy, hopeful, uncertain, and sometimes annoyingly insightful.
Stakes beyond the romance. The strongest YA romances layer identity, family, loss, or ambition underneath the love story. The romance amplifies those themes instead of replacing them.
Emotional honesty. These books don’t shy away from the awkward, painful parts of first love. That vulnerability is what makes them resonate with readers of all ages — not just teens.
The BookTok Effect on YA Romance
BookTok has completely reshaped which YA romance books people discover and buy. Several titles on this list — The Summer I Turned Pretty, Heartstopper, They Both Die at the End — saw massive sales spikes years after publication thanks to viral TikTok recommendations.
The “romantasy” subgenre (romantic fantasy) has exploded in popularity, with Gen Z reading more romance than any other generation. LGBTQ+ romance sales doubled between 2020 and 2022, and that growth continues into 2026.
If you’re looking for your next obsession, BookTok’s #YARomance hashtag is a goldmine. But you don’t need the algorithm — this list has you covered.
Want to Write Your Own YA Romance?
If reading these books makes you want to write one, you’re not alone. YA romance is one of the most popular genres for aspiring authors, and the barriers to entry have never been lower.
Our Pick — Chapter
Chapter is an AI-powered writing tool built specifically for fiction authors. It helps you develop characters, plot arcs, and full drafts — then refine them into publishable prose. Over 2,147 authors have used Chapter to create more than 5,000 books.
Best for: Aspiring YA romance authors who want to go from idea to finished manuscript
Why it works for YA romance: Chapter’s AI understands genre conventions, tropes, and pacing. You can outline a friends-to-lovers arc, build your characters with realistic teen voices, and draft chapters that capture the emotional beats YA readers expect.
If you have a story idea but don’t know where to start, check out our romance writing prompts for inspiration, or explore the best AI tools for writing romance to find the right workflow.
Are YA Romance Books Appropriate for Teens?
YA romance books are written specifically for teen readers ages 14-18, though adults make up a significant portion of the readership. Content stays within age-appropriate boundaries — you’ll find kissing, emotional intensity, and relationship development, but explicit sexual content is reserved for adult (NA or adult romance) categories.
If you’re a parent choosing books for a younger teen, start with titles like Heartstopper, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, or Better Than the Movies. These are on the lighter, sweeter end of the spectrum.
What Is the Difference Between YA Romance and New Adult Romance?
YA romance features protagonists aged 14-18 and keeps content appropriate for teen readers. The focus is on first experiences — first love, first heartbreak, identity discovery. New Adult (NA) romance features characters aged 18-25 and includes more explicit content and mature themes like college life, career struggles, and adult relationships.
The line between them has blurred in recent years, especially with crossover titles like Red, White & Royal Blue. When in doubt, check the publisher’s age recommendation or look for content warnings.
FAQ
What are the best YA romance books of all time?
The best YA romance books of all time include The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. These titles have sold millions of copies and defined the genre for generations of readers.
What are the best YA romance books of 2026?
The best YA romance books of 2026 include Evamar by Margarita Engle, Immortal Game by Allison Saft, and new releases from Sarah Dessen and other bestselling authors. The romantasy subgenre continues to dominate, with fantasy-romance hybrids leading YA bestseller lists.
Are YA romance books only for teenagers?
No — YA romance books are enjoyed by readers of all ages. While written for a teen audience (ages 14-18), adults make up a significant share of YA book buyers. The emotional authenticity, fast pacing, and relatable themes of identity and first love appeal to anyone who enjoys character-driven romance.
What YA romance tropes are most popular?
The most popular YA romance tropes include enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, fake dating, slow burn, forced proximity, and second chance romance. BookTok has accelerated the popularity of trope-based reading, with readers specifically seeking books that feature their favorite tropes.
What is romantasy in YA?
Romantasy is a genre that blends romantic storylines with fantasy world-building. In YA, romantasy typically features teen protagonists navigating magical settings while falling in love. Popular YA romantasy titles include The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and Immortal Game by Allison Saft. The subgenre has seen explosive growth since 2023, driven by BookTok recommendations and crossover adult fantasy-romance bestsellers.
