Whether you’re a fan of friends to lovers or the fake dating trope, if you’re looking for your next romance novel, look no further than our list of the 14 best rom-com books!
What is Rom-Com?
But what is the rom-com genre? What sets it apart from a romance novel?
Romantic comedy books are just like rom-com movies: they’re designed to be light, easy to read, and full of love.
The rom-com genre is a romance subgenre that is perfect for when you’re in need of pure happiness and laughter.
The best part about them is they’re guaranteed to have a happy ending, so no matter the conflict the love interests face, you know there’s a solution.
But what’s the difference between a romance novel and a rom-com? Ultimately, romcoms are full of comedy, and you might just find yourself laughing alongside the characters.
Romances tend to be more serious and are full of drama, while romcoms have a lighter take on conflicts.
Whether you need a break from fantasy novels or are just looking for a new book boyfriend/girlfriend, we’ve made it easy to find your next rom-com.
Our list of the best rom-com books is full of highly rated Goodreads novels and TikTok favorites. You can’t go wrong with any of the books on our list below.
Best Rom-Com Books
It’s time to dive into our list of the best rom-com books. We’ve included all the favorite tropes, such as enemies to lovers, close proximity, soul mates, and more. Every book is full of romance, comedy, and scenes guaranteed to make you swoon.
14. The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Starting off our list of the best rom-com books is The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren. With a 4.04 average rating across more than 133,000 Goodreads users, this rom-com is the perfect mix of funny and sweet.
Jess Davis is a data analyst and single mom. She has felt abandoned all her life and has given up on love.
Enter GeneticAlly, a matchmaking company that utilizes DNA to find someone romantically compatible with you. Jess is skeptical, but after a bit of convincing, she submits a DNA sample.
When her results come in, Jess discovers she has a 98% match with a man who infuriates her: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Peña. Jess ignores the match until the company offers to pay her to get to know him.
As the unlikely duo shows up to event after event, Jess realizes that there’s more to the scientist and soulmates than she imagined.
13. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert is the first book in The Brown Sisters trilogy. It has a 3.85 average rating across over 137,000 ratings on Goodreads.
After suffering from a chronic illness and nearly dying, Chloe Brown has created a plan to help her “Get a Life.” From partying to traveling, Chloe is determined to live her life to the fullest.
But stepping out of her comfort zone and being bad isn’t easy, even with detailed guidelines to follow. In need of a teacher, Chloe enlists Red Morgan’s help.
Red is covered in tattoos, owns a motorcycle, and is undeniably gorgeous. But there’s more to Red than meets the eye, and after years of spying on him, Chloe finally gets to know who he is behind his bad-boy exterior.
12. Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Hook, Line, and Sinker is the second novel in Tessa Bailey’s Bellinger Sisters duology, though you can read them in any order. It has a 4.06 average rating across over 142,000 Goodreads users.
Fisherman Fox Thornton is known as a flirt and a man who isn’t interested in settling down. But after meeting Hannah Bellinger, a woman who only seems to be platonically interested in him, just friends is the last thing he wants to be.
When Hannah comes to town for work, she crashes in Fox’s spare room and enlists his help in getting her work crush’s attention. But the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead.
Their close proximity has Hannah swooning, but she refuses to be another of his one-night stands. Meanwhile, Fox is falling madly in love with the Bellinger sister. But can he be the man she needs?
11. It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
The first book in the Bellinger Sisters duology is It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey. It has a 4.07 rating across over 242,000 readers on Goodreads.
Piper is the LA wild child of a wealthy family. But when the socialite lands in a jail cell after an out-of-control party, her stepfather decides it’s time to cut her off.
Piper and her sister Hannah find themselves in a tiny town in Washington, with the task of running their late father’s dive bar. Within the first few minutes of her arrival, Piper meets Brendan, a sea captain who only sees her as the spoiled party girl.
Piper begins work on the dive bar, determined to show her stepfather and the infuriating sea captain that there’s more to her than meets the eye. But it’s a small town, and everywhere she turns, she sees Brendan.
The more she gets to know Brendan and the town her father loved so much, Piper begins to wonder if the glamorous life she led in LA is truly what she wants. Or if it’s a sea captain with a heart of gold that holds her future.
10. The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Next on our list of the best rom-com books is The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. It has a 4.05 average across 273,000 ratings on Goodreads.
Tiffy is a woman who desperately needs a cheap flat, and Leon is a man who works nights and needs the cash.
Their friends think the arrangement is crazy, but for them, it works perfectly: Leon can enjoy the one-bed apartment while Tiffy works throughout the day. Then, she has the place to herself for the night.
The thing is, neither of them has met yet. Throw in wrongly imprisoned brothers, obsessive ex-boyfriends, and irritating clients at work, and their rulebook for sharing a flat is about to crumble.
9. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is next on our list of the best rom-com books. It has a 3.94 average rating across over 326,500 readers on Goodreads.
While Stella may have a stellar record when it comes to math, the dating scene is an entirely different story.
Stella has Asperger’s, and kissing is something that has never seemed appealing. If her calculations are correct, which they always are, she needs practice.
Stella hires Michael Phan, an escort who agrees to check off all Stella’s boxes. But as Stella crosses experiences off her list, she begins to appreciate everything Michael has to offer.
As far as Stella is concerned, the pattern suggests that love is the only conclusion.
8. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
If you’re a fan of rivals to lovers, then Book Lovers by Emily Henry is the rom-com for you. It has a 4.29 average rating on Goodreads across over 362,000 readers.
As a cutthroat literary agent, the only thing that Nora loves more than her job is her sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to join her sister on a month-long trip to Sunshine Falls, a beautiful small town from Libby’s favorite novel. But instead of romance novel wonder, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a brooding editor from the city.
Both know they’re nothing like the heroes in their favorite novels, but the more they’re thrown together, the more they realize there’s more to their stories than they’ve let themselves realize.
7. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
Next on our list of the best rom-com books is an Instagram favorite. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas has a 3.98 average rating and nearly 362,000 ratings on Goodreads.
Catalina desperately needs a date for her sister’s wedding after she lies to her family about having a boyfriend. With her ex and his fiancée attending the wedding, she knows she has to bring someone.
This person needs to be willing to fly to Spain with her, act totally in love, and fool her eagle-eyed family. And when Aaron Blackford, her irritating colleague, offers to step in, she’s in no position to say no.
But as their plan unfolds and the trip draws closer, Catalina realizes that Aaron may not be as horrible as she thought.
6. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren is known for writing some of the best rom-com books, and The Unhoneymooners is definitely one of them. It has a 3.98 average across over 514,000 ratings on Goodreads.
Olive is unlucky in all aspects of her life. Meanwhile, her twin sister is the luckiest of them all. Olive can only smile as plans the perfect wedding.
As the maid of honor, she’s expected to spend time with the best man, Ethan, a man who is Olive’s sworn enemy. But Olive’s luck turns when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, and Ethan and Olive are the only ones unaffected.
With an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs, Ethan and Olive put their hatred aside to enjoy a free vacation, vowing to avoid each other at all costs.
When Olive runs into her boss and tells a white lie, she and Ethan are stuck pretending to be newlyweds. As they play pretend, Olive thinks that this unlucky situation may actually be the best luck she’s ever had.
5. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Next on our list of the best rom-com books is The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. With a 3.99 average across nearly 530,000 ratings on Goodreads, it’s no wonder this rom-com is being turned into a film.
Lucy and Joshua are executive assistants to co-CEOs, and they hate each other. She finds him uptight, and her quirky personality irritates him.
When both of them are up for the same promotion, their hatred turns to battle as they vie for their dream job. But as tension grows, Lucy realizes she may not hate Joshua after all.
And maybe, Joshua doesn’t hate her so much either. Unless this is just another game, a tactic, to win the job.
4. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Another Emily Henry favorite has found its way onto our list of the best rom-com books. Beach Read has a 4.06 average rating across nearly 592,000 ratings on Goodreads.
Augustus and January couldn’t be more opposite. As a fiction writer, Augustus isn’t afraid to kill off characters, while January writes swoon-worthy romance.
The few things they currently have in common are that they both have writer’s block, are both broke, and are living in neighboring beach houses.
To get out of their ruts, they strike a deal. Augustus will write something happy, while January will write something dark. She’ll drag him to rom-com-worthy places while he has her interview death cult survivors.
Both will finish a book, and neither will fall in love. Or so they think.
Check out this list for more Emily Henry books.
3. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Another TikTok and Instagram favorite, Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston is one of our top three best rom-com books. It has a 4.16 average with nearly 599,000 ratings on Goodreads.
As the first son of President Ellen Claremont, Alex is the perfect marketing strategy for the White House until a series of photos showcasing a confrontation with his nemesis go viral.
Alex doesn’t get along with Prince Henry, but these photos could threaten American/British relations. To clean up their mess, the two stage a fake friendship.
But as his mother’s reelection campaign begins, Alex finds himself in a secret relationship with the Prince. This love could upend both nations. Is it worth the sacrifice?
2. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
If you’re a fan of best friends to lovers, Emily Henry has the book for you. It has a 3.97 average on Goodreads and over 641,000 ratings.
Poppy and Alex have nothing in common but are the best of friends. For most of the year, they live far apart, but every summer, they take a week-long vacation together.
Up until two years ago, when everything went wrong. Now they aren’t speaking.
Knowing she won’t be happy again until she makes it right with Alex, Poppy insists they take one more trip together. Clear the air, and make everything right again.
With only a week to fix what’s broken, can Poppy and Alex navigate the one thing they’ve never dared to speak about? And could it ruin the friendship they’re fighting so hard to repair?
1. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
At the top of our list of the best rom-com books is The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. It has a 4.30 average rating from nearly 700,000 readers on Goodreads.
To convince her best friend it’s okay to date her ex, third-year Ph.D. candidate Olive makes a drastic decision: she kisses Adam Carlson. Well known to be a brooding and difficult professor, Olive admits it was a poor calculation on her part.
Despite her reservations and his grumpy nature, Adam agrees to their fake dating ploy. To her surprise, he’s a kind man that offers immeasurable support as she strives for her dreams.
As their charade continues, Olive begins to realize that her hypothesis on love is much more complicated than she thought.
Check out this list for more Ali Hazelwood books.
Final thoughts on the best Rom-Com books
If you’re a rom-com lover, you can’t go wrong with any of the amazing novels on our list of the best rom-com books. All the classic tropes are featured, including enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, fake dating, and close proximity. We hope you’ve found a rom-com or two to add to your reading list!