The romance genre has expanded to include diverse perspectives, from LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC stories, ensuring there's something for every reader. Whether you prefer classic tales or modern page-turners, these 21 novels are ideal companions for a sun lounger.
Classic and Contemporary Favorites
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice remains a blueprint for Regency-era romance, following Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy's enemies-to-lovers story. For a steamy read, Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing is a bestselling romantasy with dragons, while Alice Winn's In Memoriam offers a historical romance set in World War One trenches.
For those seeking a literary love story, Lily King's Heart The Lover explores first love and heartbreak, and Sally Rooney's Normal People portrays the complexities of first love in modern Ireland. Delia Owens's Where the Crawdads Sing combines first love with a murder mystery, and Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry is a trending enemies-to-lovers sports romance.
Fantasy and Historical Romance
Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses is a passionate fantasy tale set in Prythian, while David Nicholls's One Day follows Dexter and Emma over 20 years. Janice Hadlow's The Other Bennet Sister gives a voice to Mary Bennet, and Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a glamorous, devastating read.
Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time is a sci-fi romantic comedy with a time-traveling Victorian explorer, and Nicholas Sparks's The Notebook is a classic tearjerker. Andre Aciman's Call Me By Your Name captures intense first love on the Italian Riviera, while Tia Williams's Seven Days in June is a modern second-chance romance.
More Must-Reads
Stephanie Sy-Quia's A Private Man is inspired by her grandparents' love story, and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton collection offers Regency-era drama. William Boyd's Any Human Heart follows a life across the 20th century, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a timeless classic with a special edition. Curtis Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy is a witty read about a TV writer, and Stephenie Meyer's Twilight is an immortal love story worth revisiting.
These romance novels offer true love in literary form, perfect for holiday reading.
