How We Chose the 50 Best Romance Novels

As a seasoned bibliophile with a soft spot for the romantic genre, I can attest to the undeniable charm that permeates these tales of love and longing. Having traversed the annals of literature, I’ve come to appreciate the comforting predictability of the “happily ever after” ending, especially in these trying times when uncertainty reigns supreme.

In the realm of romantic literature, the idea of “happily ever after” serves as a core concept. Despite the challenges faced along the way, in romance stories, the main characters will find themselves united by the story’s conclusion. This is one reason why many readers repeatedly pick up these books—in an unpredictable world, romantic novels provide a sense of certainty and fulfillment.

Over the past few years, they’ve never felt more valued or experienced wider public acclaim. The sales of romance novels soared as COVID-19 brought the world to a halt in 2020; people craved comfort and humor during these challenging times, which led to an increased demand for this genre. Moreover, TikTok emerged around the same time as a popular platform for word-of-mouth book recommendations, causing both old and new romance novels to trend, catapulting several authors into the elite group of frequent New York Times bestsellers. Last year saw an even greater surge in sales, with approximately 40 million copies sold, according to market research company Circana. Additionally, the number of romance-focused bookstores in the U.S., such as Tropes & Trifles in Minneapolis and The Ripped Bodice in New York City and Los Angeles, has expanded from just two in 2020 to over 20 today.

If you’ve never delved into the realm of romance novels, it’s possible that their charm hasn’t yet captured your attention. Reading romance can offer an escape to a world that’s more tender and gentle compared to our everyday lives, or it could be a thrilling journey into uncharted territories. Romance novels come in various forms: contemporary, historical, paranormal, erotic. They weave tales of adversaries transformed into lovers, childhood sweethearts reconnected as adults, unlikely couples developing feelings, accidental partners, bloodthirsty vampires, secret witches, overworked physicians, and spouses with amnesia learning to love each other again. The settings for these stories range from grand mansions, corporate boardrooms, sports fields, small towns, and everywhere in between. There’s a subgenre, a theme, and a narrative structure suited for every reader—a tale tailored to meet any preference.

In early 2024, we embarked on compiling our top 50 Romance Novels You Should Read Now. We started by engaging with booksellers, editors, authors, and other industry professionals to grasp the intricacies and progression of romance literature. These discussions guided the selection criteria for this list, featuring only English-language books. Our TIME editors then carefully refined the choices, taking into account factors like originality, market performance, recognition, and influence. The goal was to assemble a list that acknowledges the growing diversity in the genre.

As a dedicated reader who has spent countless hours immersed in the pages of various romance novels over the years, I find it truly captivating to witness the evolution and expansion of this genre. The list under discussion presents a fascinating journey through time, beginning with Frances Burney’s 1782 masterpiece “Cecilia,” which left an indelible mark on the genre and ultimately influenced one of its most cherished works.

Which is why, as best-selling author Casey McQuiston argues in an essay for this project, anyone who dismisses romance as fluff or the stuff of guilty pleasure is missing the point. “If we expect a great novel to tell us about humanity, romance holds a mirror to our wants and needs,” McQuiston writes. “If we want to study works that sit within a greater literary tradition, romance has one of the richest.”

That history is as complex as societal attitudes about gender roles and sexuality. Tracing the evolution of the romance genre means contending with popular narratives that handle sex and consent in outdated and sometimes harmful ways. Many books that are considered foundational to the modern romance novel, from authors like Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Judith McNaught, feature rape and coercion narratives—and while we can acknowledge the ground they broke in helping to establish a wide readership of the genre, we elected not to recommend those books to today’s readers.

As a reader who appreciates heartwarming love stories, I must confess that classics like “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks (1996) and “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James (2011) are not included in my personal list. Although these novels might evoke memories of romance for many, they don’t quite fit the bill because their endings don’t follow the traditional “happily ever after” or even a “happily for now.”

Although there are some gaps due to their absence, TIME’s list still features numerous recognized authors such as Nora Roberts, Beverly Jenkins, Nalini Singh, Stephenie Meyer, Jasmine Guillory, and Emily Henry in the romance genre. Regardless of whether you’re an experienced romance reader, a newcomer to the genre, or somewhere in between, this list offers something for everyone that you might cherish.

See the full list

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Appreciation extended to Bolu Babalola, Eliza Berman, Clair Brett, Samantha Cooney, Helen Fielding, Erin Galloway, Katie Garaby, Melissa Gill, Jasmine Guillory, Jenny Han, Bea Hodges-Koch, Cindy Hwang, Jayashree Kamblé, Kevin Kwan, Leah Koch, Wes Lukes, Belinda Luscombe, Erin McMullen, Casey McQuiston, Caitlin O’Neil, Julia Quinn, Lauren Richards, Tessa Berenson Rogers, Simmone Shah, Emma Straub, Chelsea Stringfield, Becca Title, Tia Williams, and Rebecca Yarros for their valuable contributions.

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2024-08-01 16:06