The most recommended romantic love books

Who picked these books? Meet our 989 experts.

989 authors created a book list connected to romantic love, and here are their favorite romantic love books.
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Book cover of Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love

Ian Kerner Author Of She Comes First: The Thinking Man's Guide to Pleasuring a Woman

From my list on stimulating your sexual brain.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up I never thought I would become a sex therapist. But I suffered terribly from sexual dysfunction as a young adult and I had no one to talk to. I felt alone and isolated, and disconnected from a vital part of being alive. I wrote about my personal experiences in She Comes First and how I eventually found my way out of the fog of sexual anxiety and despair. But that meant going against the grain of how I thought sex was supposed to go. Today I’m dedicated to having those real conversations with real people and helping people give their “sexual selves” a voice so they can connect with others.

Ian's book list on stimulating your sexual brain

Ian Kerner Why did Ian love this book?

Attraction. Chemistry. Infatuation. Whatever the word, falling in love is a roller-coaster of emotions and Helen explains why.

As a neuroscientist she has scanned the brains of thousands of people in a state of being in love and expertly describes the dynamics of love. Too often we say that love and attraction fade with time, but by understanding what drives these processes we can better nurture them for the long term.

By Helen Fisher,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Why We Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A groundbreaking exploration of our most complex and mysterious emotion

Elation, mood swings, sleeplessness, and obsession—these are the tell-tale signs of someone in the throes of romantic passion. In this revealing new book, renowned anthropologist Helen Fisher explains why this experience—which cuts across time, geography, and gender—is a force as powerful as the need for food or sleep.

Why We Love begins by presenting the results of a scientific study in which Fisher scanned the brains of people who had just fallen madly in love. She proves, at last, what researchers had only suspected: when you fall in love, primordial…


Book cover of Life Without You

Liz Flaherty Author Of A Soft Place to Fall

From my list on romance and women’s fiction on marriages resurrected.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion for this theme comes from my own long marriage and my passion for it. Having heard the phrase “I wouldn’t put up with that” so many times, it’s a relief to me to read that yes, many people do. Instead of giving up on something as important to them as a life partnership, they don’t give up until all hope is gone. Marriage resurrected is all about hope.

Liz's book list on romance and women’s fiction on marriages resurrected

Liz Flaherty Why did Liz love this book?

I recommend this because it’s hard.

Achieving happily-ever-after after betrayal isn’t for the faint of heart and this book addresses that. You get the feels and, frankly, you suffer a little bit.

The hero isn’t likable and the reader has to learn to see what she saw. His point of view gives a special “yes, this” quality to the story. 

By S.P. West,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Life Without You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Once upon a time in a land not so far away, a man and a woman fell in love. They were very happy. Until one day they weren’t – their happily ever after disappeared.This is their story.SummerHave you ever been in love?The kind of love that leaves you breathless and makes you feel like you can fly? I have…. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I let him become my everything; my sun, moon and stars but that wasn’t enough for him.What he did nearly destroyed me.My husband’s betrayal taught me the hard way that once trust is…


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Book cover of A Darling Handyman

A Darling Handyman By Lark Holiday,

She’s hiding from pain. He’s lost everything but his dog. When fresh air and second chances bring them together, can they rediscover true love?

If you enjoy kind-hearted heroes, small towns, and more humor than heat, you’ll adore this contemporary Alaskan romance! A Darling Handyman is the feel-good first book…

Book cover of Love with a Chance of Drowning

Liesbet Collaert Author Of Plunge: One Woman's Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary

From my list on sailing memoirs written by women.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always enjoyed reading memoirs that pull me in, take me on a unique journey, and entertain me with real-life drama. Nonfiction can be better than fiction, when the experiences and a compelling voice are present. I have been a writer and a nomad since 2003 and, during my thirties, sailed throughout the Caribbean and South Pacific for eight years with a partner and two dogs. When publishing my own account of this journey, I merged the present tense with enticing elements of fiction writing, like flashbacks, foreshadowing, and cliffhangers. Using correct grammar and eliminating typos are important to me as well, which is why I am a picky reader.

Liesbet's book list on sailing memoirs written by women

Liesbet Collaert Why did Liesbet love this book?

Love with a Chance of Drowning had been recommended to me for a while, but I only recently dove in.

One of the reasons was the high price for the eBook, undoubtedly because this is a traditionally published memoir. And, what can I say? I adored this well-crafted love story set on a small sailboat crossing the Pacific Ocean, sprinkled with fearful and heartfelt incidents.

Torre is a fabulous writer, who pulls you into the narrative. She is witty, sarcastic, smart, straightforward, and doesn’t shy away from sharing personal insights, flaws, and brutal honesty, a touted aspect of my book as well.

The author used the present tense to impart a sense of urgency (it’s a wonderful tool to keep you turning the pages) and focused on the connection, strength, and commitment that is needed to rescue her relationship. This is one of the most skillfully written and compelling…

By Torre DeRoche,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Love with a Chance of Drowning as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New love. Exotic destinations.

A once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

What could go wrong?

City girl Torre DeRoche isn't looking for love, but a chance encounter in a San Francisco bar sparks an instant connection with a soulful Argentinean man who unexpectedly sweeps her off her feet. The problem? He's just about to cast the dock lines and voyage around the world on his small sailboat, and Torre is terrified of deep water. However, lovesick Torre determines that to keep the man of her dreams, she must embark on the voyage of her nightmares, so she waves good-bye to dry land and braces…


Book cover of Dominicana

Jennifer De Leon Author Of Borderless

From my list on Latina latine authors I wish I had read as a teen.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am convinced that my life would be better if I had read more books by Latina/Latine authors while growing up. To be able to see oneself in a story is powerful. I didn’t have that for a long time. It made me feel invisible. It made me feel like being an author was as realistic as becoming an astronaut or a performer in Cirque du Soleil. Now, as a professor of Creative Writing and author of several books (and more on the way!), I dedicated my life to writing the books I needed as a young Latina. I hope others find something meaningful in my stories, too.

Jennifer's book list on Latina latine authors I wish I had read as a teen

Jennifer De Leon Why did Jennifer love this book?

All I can say is the pigeon scene. You will have to read the novel to find out what I am referencing, but oh my God, this novel is so good. Dominicans and Dominican-Americans in 1960s New York City? Fierce female protagonists? Writing that makes me stop and want to copy down sentences on a Post-It? Yes, please. I was cracking up, teary-eyed, and satisfied when reading this gem of a novel. I would read anything Angie Cruz writes.

By Angie Cruz,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Dominicana as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020

'A story for now, an important story . . . told with incredible freshness' Martha Lane Fox, Chair of Judges, Women's Prize 2020

'The harsh reality of immigration is balanced with a refreshing dose of humour' The Times

'This compassionate and ingenious novel has an endearing vibrancy in the storytelling that, page after page, makes it addictive reading' Irish Times

'Engrossing . . . the story itself and Ana, the protagonist, are terrifically interesting. Loved this' Roxane Gay

'This book is a valentine to my mom and all the unsung Dominicanas like…


Book cover of Marian's Christmas Wish

Elisabeth Fairchild Author Of The Holly and the Ivy

From my list on film worthy regency era Christmas.

Why am I passionate about this?

A Jane Austen devotee since third grade, inspired by subtlety, wit, and clever banter, neck deep in richly evocative Regency research and sensory detail, I've authored 17 Jane Austen-style novels, (3 Christmas) and 4 novellas (3 Christmas) published by NAL/Penguin. Fascinated by lyrical language, budding love matches, and honorable, moral, and ethical themes, I'm particularly fond of historically accurate warm-hearted Christmas novels. I'd love to see a Christmas Regency Classic added to the ranks of beloved Holiday films, so I was thrilled to come up with a list of favorites! Awards: Golden Quill, Holt Medallion, Bookseller’s Best, Waldensbook Bestseller of the Year, Romantic Times Top Pick, Reviewers Choice, Best Regency Novel, a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Elisabeth's book list on film worthy regency era Christmas

Elisabeth Fairchild Why did Elisabeth love this book?

A RITA Award winner, this sweet, character-driven Regency comes alive with playful Hepburn/Tracy style banter in a May/December romance. An impertinent younger sister, who takes in strays and the wounded, wins the attention of a scarred, slightly singed diplomat. She decides he must be reunited with his family for the holidays. With her rascal brother’s dubious assistance, the three embark on a surprisingly dangerous quest to fulfill heartfelt Christmas wishes.

By Carla Kelly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Marian's Christmas Wish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Miss Marian Wynswich is a rather unconventional young lady. She plays chess, reads Greek, and is as educated as any young man. And she’s certain falling in love is a ridiculous endeavor and vows never to do such a thing. But everything changes when she receives a Christmas visit from someone unexpected—a young and handsome English lord.


Book cover of A Bloom Of Bones

Craig Lancaster Author Of And It Will Be A Beautiful Life

From my list on Books featuring characters navigating the contemporary American West.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a son of the contemporary American West—born near the Pacific Coast, raised in Texas, and an inveterate traveler of its byways and odd corners. Through the duality of my upbringing, as the son of a well-traveled mother, a suburban sportswriter stepfather, and a father who worked in extractive industries, I’ve seen up close both harmony and dissonance. The work I’m drawn to, whether on the creation end or the consumptive end, goes deep into the lives that play out in these places.

Craig's book list on Books featuring characters navigating the contemporary American West

Craig Lancaster Why did Craig love this book?

Allen Morris Jones writes with such grace, humility, and empathy that I just knew, from the earliest paragraphs, that I’d follow him wherever he wanted to go with this one.

I like stories, whether on the page, on film, or in the oral tradition, in which the answers aren’t easy, and Jones obliges. This story of a hardscrabble Montana poet who witnessed something horrible as a child and searches for a way to live with it as an adult moved me in a deep and still way.

It’s one of those books I finished, set quietly down, and thought about for days afterward. The thinking about it persists years later.

By Allen Morris Jones,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Bloom Of Bones as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Eli Singer, a rancher and poet in remote Eastern Montana, sees his life upended when a long-buried corpse—which turns out to be a murder victim from Eli's childhood—erodes out of a hillside on his property. This discovery forces Eli to turn inward to revisit the tragic events in his past that led to a life-changing moment of violence, while at the same time he must reach outside himself toward Chloe, a literary agent from New York whom he is falling in love with. In the tradition of such classic western writers as Thomas McGuane, James Lee Burke, Ivan Doig and…


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Book cover of Love and War in the Jewish Quarter

Love and War in the Jewish Quarter By Dora Levy Mossanen,

A breathtaking journey across Iran where war and superstition, jealousy and betrayal, and passion and loyalty rage behind the impenetrable walls of mansions and the crumbling houses of the Jewish Quarter.

Against the tumultuous background of World War II, Dr. Yaran will find himself caught in the thrall of the…

Book cover of A Scot in the Dark

Jennifer Trethewey Author Of Saving the Scot

From my list on regency romances featuring hot highlanders.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about historical romance and romance readers. My favorite era in history is the Regency, the period during which the Prince of Wales was named Regent. It is also the time during which Jane Austen wrote. Austen readers are particular about details so it’s daunting to write Regency fiction. Still, I love to write it and read it. I’m also passionate about Scotland, its history, the land, the people, the customs, the folklore, the food, and the music. If you’ve never been, put Scotland on your bucket list. They say it’s the oldest rock on earth. There’s magic there, too. Really and truly. Magic.

Jennifer's book list on regency romances featuring hot highlanders

Jennifer Trethewey Why did Jennifer love this book?

I’ve never met a Sarah Maclean book I didn’t love and this one is quite possibly my absolute favorite of hers. She always comes through with a hooky yet believable feminist heroine protagonist who knows what she is about and refuses to fit into the narrow confines of a woman’s role drawn by society. Also appealing are her male protagonists, usually brooding, deeply flawed, and the only human powerful enough in character and intelligence to measure up to his female counterpart. You will love the scandalous siren and the Highland devil. They are unforgettable. 

By Sarah MacLean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Scot in the Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Smart, sexy, and always romantic' Julia Quinn, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series
'Fabulous' Eloisa James
'For a smart, witty and passionate historical romance, I recommend anything by Sarah MacLean' Lisa Kleypas

The second in Sarah MacLean's sensational new Scandal & Scoundrels series . . . all the fun and guilty pleasure of celebrity gossip, with a Regency twist!

Lonesome Lily turned Scandalous Siren

Miss Lillian Harwood has lived much of her life alone in a gilded cage, longing for love and companionship. When an artist offers her pretty promises and begs her to pose for a scandalous…


Book cover of How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia

Cecily Wong Author Of Kaleidoscope: A Novel

From Cecily's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Novelist Reader Frugal traveler International snacker Nap enthusiast

Cecily's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Cecily Wong Why did Cecily love this book?

I’ve been gradually making my way through Moshin Hamid’s books, and this one might be my favorite. Told in the second person, the novel is crafted like a self-help book—a sly nod to the business advice books instructing young people across contemporary Asia.

It tells the story of an unnamed narrator and his rise from a poor, rural kid to a successful entrepreneur. It’s an emotional wallop of a book, as the protagonist hustles and hustles, growing further from his past while still being haunted by it.

Hamid’s books always sneak up on me with their clever heft; he does this incredible blending of cultural commentary with enormous compassion and heart, and this book is a prime example.

By Mohsin Hamid,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Mohsin Hamid's How To Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, read by the author himself.

The astonishing and riveting tale of a man's journey from impoverished rural boy to corporate tycoon, 'How To Get Filthy Rich in Asia' steals its shape from the business self-help books devoured by youths all over 'rising Asia'. It follows its nameless hero to the sprawling metropolis where he begins to amass an empire built on the most fluid and increasingly scarce of goods: water. Yet his heart remains set on something else, on the pretty girl whose star…


Book cover of The Secret Wife

Caroline Lamond Author Of Well Behaved Women

From my list on inspired by the lives of real women.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a historical fiction writer, every time I learn about an amazing woman, I instinctively want to write about her, to understand her life and bring her – often forgotten – story to a wider audience. It’s a wonderful way to live vicariously, and it’s a privilege to spend time in these women’s worlds for a brief period. There’s a Sylvia Plath quote that strongly resonates with me, beginning: ‘I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want…’. Reading and writing historical fiction allows me a glimpse into the worlds of different people living different lives in different eras, and for that I’m extremely grateful.

Caroline's book list on inspired by the lives of real women

Caroline Lamond Why did Caroline love this book?

I struggled to pick just one Gill Paul novel as I’ve hugely enjoyed every one I’ve read.

Ultimately, I love to learn something new from a book and, whilst I’d heard of the Romanovs, I knew very little about Russian history and the Revolution. Obviously, with historical fiction, parts are invented – and the main plot twist with this is a theory that has been disproven – so you have to be discerning with what you take as fact.

But historical fiction is such a wonderful way to learn about different eras, and Gill Paul brings worlds and people to life so evocatively.

By Gill Paul,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Secret Wife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The USA Today bestseller

'A cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story... A triumph.' DINAH JEFFERIES

A Russian grand duchess and an English journalist. Linked by one of the world's greatest mysteries...

Love. Guilt. Heartbreak.

1914

Russia is on the brink of collapse, and the Romanov family faces a terrifyingly uncertain future. Grand Duchess Tatiana has fallen in love with cavalry officer Dmitri, but events take a catastrophic turn, placing their romance - and their lives - in danger . . .

2016

Kitty Fisher escapes to her great-grandfather's remote cabin in America, after a devastating revelation makes her flee…


Book cover of A Lady's Formula for Love

Rose Prendeville Author Of Mistress Mackintosh and the Shaw Wretch

From my list on smart, feisty heroines not cowed by social mores.

Why am I passionate about this?

When we were young and naughty, our parents only had to give my sister The Look, and she’d burst into tears. Me, I would stare right back at them and demand, “What?” Fiercely. In fact I often got in trouble for “arguing,” (when all I was really trying to do was make my case because I felt misunderstood). These days people describe me as someone who doesn’t care what other people think. I forge my own path, staunchly, proudly, and so I am drawn to heroines who do the same, who fly in the face of societal expectations to fight for truth and science and what is right.

Rose's book list on smart, feisty heroines not cowed by social mores

Rose Prendeville Why did Rose love this book?

I adore everything about the premise of this book—a secret society of lady scientists, working away in an old house in London, trying to invent solutions to the problems of the day. Yes please! I also love that Lady Violet is worldly. She's knowledgeable about physical relations between men and women, and she knows about her body, what she likes, and how to prevent pregnancy. She’s very down-to-earth, empowered, and sex-positive, and she brings our brooding hero Arthur to his knees. There’s something very special about historical fiction with a modern sentimentality. Add to that a swoon-worthy hero, a cast of colorful side characters, and dark forces working against our heroine, and you’ve got a recipe for the perfect start to a super fun series.

By Elizabeth Everett,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Lady's Formula for Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What is a Victorian lady's formula for love? Mix one brilliant noblewoman and her enigmatic protection officer. Add in a measure of danger and attraction. Heat over the warmth of humor and friendship, and the result is more than simple chemistry--it's elemental.

Lady Violet is keeping secrets. First, she founded a clandestine sanctuary for England's most brilliant female scientists. Second, she is using her genius on a confidential mission for the Crown. But the biggest secret of all? Her feelings for protection officer Arthur Kneland.

Solitary and reserved, Arthur learned the hard way to put duty first. But the more…


Book cover of Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love
Book cover of Life Without You
Book cover of Love with a Chance of Drowning

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