This blog post is about the best Valentine’s Day romance books to read.
I read my fair share of romance books in 2025 and found myself drawn to this genre more than any other.
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, there’s no better time to curl up with a good romance book and a book boyfriend.
Whether you’re into fantasy romance, dark romance, dramatic romance (looking at Colleen Hoover here) or cutesy sports romance, look no further.
Below is a list of the best Valentine’s Day romance books you should read this year.
And if you want to keep up with my reading in real time, make sure to follow me on Goodreads here!
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This blog post is all about the best Valentine’s Day romance books.
The 29 Best Valentine’s Day Romance Books to Read
If you’re single or in a relationship, it doesn’t matter. As long as you have a good book in your hand, you can still feel the love this Valentine’s Day.
Below is a list of my favourite Valentine’s Day romance books that make for the most perfect read this February 14th.
Whether it’s friends to lovers, enemies to lovers or something on the more fantasy side (looking at you Bride and Fourth Wing), you’ll find plenty of Valentine’s Day romance books to enjoy.
1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My Rating: ★★★★★
Even though this book is a work of fiction, I really wish it wasn’t. I wish this powerhouse Evelyn Hugo really did exist and I could delve further into the news articles and stories as well as her acting career. This is the most beautiful love story between two people amidst seven marriages and a very famous life in Hollywood. I hope this is turned into a movie or TV series because I’ll be right there on my sofa when it’s released on Netflix.
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2. Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings
My Rating: ★★★★★
If there’s a gaping Gossip Girl hole in your heart like there is in mine, this book might just fill the void. If Chuck and Blair were transported to London, they would be Magnolia and BJ. Think couture fashion, socialites and posh people problems. Magnolia Parks gives this and more and I couldn’t read the book fast enough.
RELATED blog post to read: Review Of the Magnolia Parks Book Series by Jessa Hastings
3. Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
My Rating: ★★★★★
Obsessed. That’s my review of this book. It may have took 100 pages before the two main characters finally kissed but oh my word I was hooked to this book. The ending had my smiling from ear to ear and wishing it didn’t have to end.
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4. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
My Rating: ★★★★★
I am not a fantasy reader and never really have been but I just had to see what the fuss was about with this book and oh my word, it did not disappoint. So, even if you’re not a fantasy reader like I thought I wasn’t, I think you’re going to love this.
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5. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
My Rating: ★★★★★
After reading Circe by the same author and low-key hating it, I couldn’t face another of Madeline Miller’s books on Greek Mythology. But boy am I glad that I finally picked this up. A beautiful and tragic love story, I couldn’t put this down. I may have also shed a tear or two (which if you know me, you’ll know is very unlike me).
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6. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
My Rating: ★★★★★
This was probably the book that broke the internet. It was the book that got the whole world reading again and delving into the world of Colleen Hoover. I really enjoyed It Ends With Us, but firstly, I think this is more young adult fiction than adult fiction and secondly, if you changed the characters in this to members of One Direction, it would just be like reading fan-fiction back when I was 13, so I can see why it’s very hyped on TikTok.
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7. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
My Rating: ★★★★★
I didn’t have high hopes for The Deal as it seemed like it was going to be a typical, cheesy rom-com. However, I was very surprised at the chemistry between the two main characters and how well the story was written. I loved it.
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8. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
My Rating: ★★★★★
I’d seen Abby Jimenez’s books a lot across BookTube and BookTok and finally got around to reading this one as my last summer read in 2024. I loved the dialogue between Justin and Emma. It was natural, sarcastic and had me chuckling to myself. Mostly, it felt real. I can’t wait to read more of Abby Jimenez’s work and already have a few waiting on my shelf.
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9. Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
My Rating: ★★★★★
I will read absolutely anything Caleb Azumah Nelson writes. This is only his second book, but it’s as good if not better than Open Water. He has such a poetic way of writing that evokes every emotion you can think of. Heartbreaking yet funny, but also deeply moving and intense. An incredibly story about immigration, loss, hopelessness and faith.
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10. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
My Rating: ★★★★★
This book was honestly heartbreaking. Tragedy after tragedy after tragedy. Is Hanya Yanagihara a modern day Shakespeare? This was a very harrowing read over the two weeks that it took me, so I have no idea how the author was feeling when she was writing this. There are a lot of sensitive themes in this book so if you find anything triggering, I would steer clear of this book. But if you want to feel incredibly emotionally involved with some characters and cry a lot, this is the book for you.
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11. In Memoriam by Alice Winn
My Rating: ★★★★★
Wow. I’m not usually one for historical fiction, but this was incredible. A raw, real story of love, loss and the horrors of war and its aftermath. This was so incredibly written and I can see this being made into a movie in the future. I’ll be first in line at the cinema if it does.
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12. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
My Rating: ★★★★★
So I think this may just be my favourite Colleen Hoover novel. I went in quite apprehensively as the blurb was showing a storyline/trope that I had never read before and that I didn’t have very high hopes for. However, the book evokes a lot of questions and discussion, as well as making me think what I would do if I was the main female character, or the love interest, or the family. How would I react if I was in any of their shoes? The story is told incredibly well and is one that I’ll remember for a long time.
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13. Mr Loverman by Bernadine Evaristo
My Rating: ★★★★★
I read Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo a few years ago and loved it, so when I saw another book by this author in the library I instantly picked it up. It definitely appeared to be one of her older books, but it was just as good as GWO. The main character Barrington is such a loveable character, but his eccentric daughters and wife make the story come to life, along with his soulmate Morris. A truly beautiful story that can make you both laugh and cry.
14. Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
My Rating: ★★★★★
This tells the story of a 25 year old British girl trying to stay in New York as her visa is running out (relatable) and marries a man in his forties to do so. Their love story unfolds and with it comes issues with alcohol, drugs, depression, grief, money, success (and lack of) and so much more. There are quite a lot of trigger warnings but this book felt so raw and real and I loved every page.
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15. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
My Rating: ★★★★★
I went into Giovanni’s Room not knowing much about the book or the author, but this book for me, definitely deserves the ‘classic’ title. I only rate books 5-stars if I would either be happy to read them again, or would recommend my best friend to read it. Giovanni’s Room ticks both of those boxes. A love triangle set in Paris in the 1950’s, this book was pushing ahead of its time and also one that I didn’t want to put down.
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16. Happy Place by Emily Henry
My Rating: ★★★★★
Happy Place has taken the top spot in my rankings of Emily Henry books. It seems that with each new book that Emily Henry publishes, the better they get. This one gripped my heart and had me so fully invested from the outset. I’m not usually a fan of the switching of past and present storytelling, but it really worked in this novel and I would almost go back and read it again.
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17. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
My Rating: ★★★★★
I’ve now realised small town romance is my favourite trope and this is exactly what this was. A book editor and book agent who aren’t very fond of each other just so happen to be staying in the same small town and well, I’m sure you can guess what happens. Emily Henry basically makes fun of every cliche from every romance book in Book Lovers and I loved it. Incredibly predictable, but still so good.
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18. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My Rating: ★★★★★
I’m not usually one for a soppy book, and I knew what to expect having already seen the movie, but I so loved this book. So much so I ordered the remaining two books in the series. It’s identical to the movie, like you’d expect, but it was funny, quirky, sad and heartwarming. A brilliant book.
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19. Normal People by Sally Rooney
My Rating: ★★★★★
So I read this book in the space of two days, maybe a little less. I had seen the TV show and heard the book was very similar, if not identical to the show, so wanted to read it for myself, and it was indeed that, if not better than the screen adaptation.
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20. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
My Rating: ★★★★
This was the perfect summer read, with a little bit of woo-woo thrown in for good measure, and it also reminded me of Ashley Poston’s style of writing. It’s definitely a book to pick up for the summer. Plus, it also made me wish I was drinking wine in Italy.
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21. Flawless by Elsie Silver
My Rating: ★★★★
So I’d seen this book quite a few times on BookTube and heard it was a cowboy romance. If you know about my love for Nashville, then you’ll know why I picked this up. It was a good romance novel and also made me interested to look into bull-riding as a sport. There are more books in the series that I’m looking forward to reading.
22. The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
My Rating: ★★★★
Yet another book I’d seen across BookTube, Lynn Painter is a popular rom-com author that I hadn’t yet gotten around to reading. Although this was a groundhog day type of book, I found it quite enjoyable. It was predictable towards the end, but the main character and love interest had great chemistry which made the book an easy to read romance.
23. If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin
My Rating: ★★★★
I’d seen this all over TikTok and Booktube last year and finally got around to reading it. This definitely read like a Young Adult novel, and I’m not sure I’m the right age to relate to tragic love stories where the main characters are still teenagers. Anyhow, the end of the book got me and so I think I might actually pick up the second in this series to read from Finn’s perspective.
24. Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
My Rating: ★★★★
There seems to be a new genre of romance that falls under hockey players, so I was very intrigued to see what all the fuss was about. I will say that I enjoyed this a lot more than I actually thought I would. The chemistry between Stassie and Nate was very realistic and you could sense it off the page – I may have also chuckled out loud at some parts. The only downside was the approach to some subjects that seemed a little insensitive/not dealt with properly. There are trigger-warnings in here for emotional abuse and disordered eating.
25. Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
My Rating: ★★★★
I saw this all over social media last year, and wanted to wait until peak summer time to read it. It was an enjoyable story, with both past and present chapters. But I definitely expected to love it more given the hype around it.
26. It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
My Rating: ★★★★
I had seen this book all over Instagram and Booktube so thought I was getting into a cosy romcom, but instead I got Fifty Shades of Grey. Just a word of warning, don’t let the cartoon cover fool you. That said, I also really enjoyed the story and couldn’t put the book down. I love small-town romances so this fit the bill perfectly.
27. A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
My Rating: ★★★
Ok, everyone is obsessed with this book online and if you search the title you’ll see fansites and more with images mocking up the characters and videos that have been made for the book. The cheese and corniness dripping from the book was too much for me and some of the lines had me cringing so hard, but I will admit I did shed a tear at one point. I got through it and thought it was ok and a little emotional, but way too intense for people so young.
28. Bride by Ali Hazelwood
My Rating: ★★★
So Bride felt like a retelling of Twilight in a way. It involved vampires and werewolves, but I guess it would be if this was a story about Bella and Jacob, not Edward. Quite raunchy in parts too, but I found the storyline an enjoyable read.
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29. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
My Rating: ★★★
I previously enjoyed The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, but Love on the Brain was incredibly predictable and also at times a little too corny for me. Plus there were also a few scenes that were NSFW (or for reading on the tube). I like the niche of Ali Hazelwood writing love stories around scientists and people that work in STEM, but this one was a bit farfetched for me and I could see the twist coming a mile away.
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RELATED Valentine’s Day Romance Books blog posts to read:
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By Orlagh Shanks
Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.
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