Perfect Romance Books For Young Adults

My Life Next Door – Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. Abd every day from her balcony perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them. Until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Today Tonight Tomorrow – Rachel Lynn Solomon

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school. When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Benjamin Alire Saenz

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as they spend more time together, they discover that they share a special friendship.

The Henna Wars – Adiba Jaigirdar

Nishat doesn’t want to lose her family, but she also doesn’t want to hide who she is, and it only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life. Flávia is beautiful and charismatic, and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when students are invited to create their own businesses, both Flávia and Nishat decide to showcase their talent as henna artists.

I’ll Give You the Sun – Jandy Nelson

At first, Jude and her twin brother Noah are inseparable. Years later, they’re barely speaking. Something has happened to change the twins in different yet equally devastating ways. But then Jude meets an intriguing, irresistible boy and a mysterious new mentor.

What If It’s Us – Becky Albertalli

Arthur is only in New York for the summer. But if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a show stopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. But when the two of them meet at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

The Upside Of Falling – Alex Light

It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when Becca impulsively pretends that she’s been secretly seeing someone, Brett Wells decides to step in and be the mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution, but acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy.

Tweet Cute – Emma Lord

Pepper is the swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming. Mainly thanks to Pepper, who is secretly running the chain’s Twitter account. But when they steal Jack’s grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

A Thousand Boy Kisses – Tillie Cole

When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did she cut him off without a word of explanation? Rune’s heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.

When Dimple Met Rishi – Sandhya Menon

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family. Especially Mamma’s obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband”. Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him, he’s totally on board.

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green

Get your tissues ready! This book explores the funny, tragic and thrilling sides of being alive and in love. Hazel has terminal cancer, with not long left to live, but she meets Augustus Walters and her story is about to be rewritten.

The Selection – Kiera Cass

Prepare to be swept up into the fairy tale romance with swoon-worthy characters and beautiful, fancy dresses. For thirty-five girls, the Selection is a chance of escaping the system and marry the handsome Prince Maxon. But that’s not the life that America Singer wants and yet, now, she has no choice but to compete.

Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon

Maddy is allergic to the world – stepping outside the sterile rooms of her house could kill her. But then the new handsome neighbour, Olly, moves next door. And Maddy is ready to risk everything for a chance to fall in love.

‘Loved this book!’ – Zoella

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han

What happens when secret love letters you wrote for every boy you’ve ever been in love with gets mailed to them? Lara Jean is about to find out and her love life spins from imaginary to out of control.

Five Feet Apart – Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis

A love story between two teens who can’t get within six feet of each other without risking their lives. Stella needs a lung transplant, so she needs to avoid infections at all costs, but when she meets Will, six feet doesn’t feel like safety anymore. It feels like a punishment.

The Kissing Booth – Beth Reekles

When Elle decides to run a kissing booth for the school carnival, she doesn’t expect to be sitting in it. And she’s never even been kissed before. She also doesn’t expect bad boy Noah – who is also her best friend’s older brother – to be her first kiss. Suddenly, Elle’s life is turned upside down. Is their romance going to bring happiness or heartbreak?

Cinder – Marissa Meyer

A retelling of the classic Cinderella. Only Cinder is a gifted mechanic and a cyborg. She’s reviled by her step-mother and blamed for her sister’s illness. But when her life intertwines with Prince Kai’s, she finds herself caught in intergalactic struggles and a forbidden attraction. No one, not even Cinder, knows just how big of a part she needs to play to save Earth.

They Both Die at the End – Adam Silvera

Prepare some tissues – this one’s another sad one. Death-Cast calls them to tell them they are going to die today. Two complete strangers, Mateo and Rufus, meet through an app called Last Friend, where they plan to spend their final day together. Even though the ending is given away in the title, you can’t help but wish that Mateo and Rufus get their happily ever after.

All the Bright Places – Jennifer Niven

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, every day he thinks of ways he can kill himself, and Violet Markey is counting down the days until graduation so she can escape the town and the grief of her sister’s recent death. They meet on a ledge of the bell tower at school – six stories from the ground. It’s unclear who saves who, but they know that they need each other to finally be able to live.

Eleanor & Park – Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor is the new girl in town. With her mismatched clothes and messy red hair, she couldn’t stand out more if she tried. Then she sits next to Park on a bus. He’s quiet, cool and knows that to fly under the radar is how to get by. Slowly, over late-night conversations and mix-tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love.

Heartless – Marissa Meyer

In the world of Wonderland, the notorious Queen of Hearts is cold and evil. But before she was the Queen of Hearts, Catherine Pinkerton was a girl who just wanted to fall in love. She wanted to own a bakery – even though her mother tells her that the goal is unthinkable for a young woman. And she really doesn’t want to marry the King of Hearts. Then Cath meets Jest. Handsome and mysterious, Cath is ready to fall in love on her own terms.

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda – Becky Albertalli

Sixteen-years-old and not-so-openly gay Simon wants to keep drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, Simon’s secret is at risk. Now he has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone and not mess up his chance with the most adorable guy he’s met.

Holding Up the Universe – Jennifer Niven

Libby Strout, once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen”, is recovering after her mother’s death. She’s ready to start high school for a chance of love and new opportunities. When her paths cross with Jack Masselin, who cannot remember faces, they begin to spend more time together and they begin to feel less alone in the world.

Geekerella – Ashley Poston

Cinderella goes to con in this fandom-fueled retelling of the classic fairy tale. Geek girl Elle is obsessed with Starfield. When she sees a cosplay contest with a prize to meet the actor who played Prince Carmindor in the reboot, Elle is determined to go. So, with her money from working at the Magic Pumpkin food truck and her dad’s old costume, she is determined to enter to meet her prince charming.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating – Adiba Jaigirdar

Hani Khan is easy-going and well-liked, making her one of the most popular girls at school. When she comes out as bisexual to her friends, they don’t believe her – saying that she can’t be bi if she’s only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she’s in a relationship with a girl her friends can’t stand: Ishu Dey. Ishu is the polar opposite of Hani, but she wants to be head girl and that’s basically a popularity contest that she cannot win. So, pretending to date Hani might not be such a bad idea after all.

Our Chemical Hearts – Krystal Sutherland

A bittersweet story of friendship, first love and heartache. Henry Page is a hopeless romantic and he’s totally smitten when Grace Town walks into his classroom. And when they are both offered positions to work on the school newspaper, Henry uses the chance to get to know Grace and understand her.

When We Collided – Emery Lord

Vivi is in love with life. To Jonah, who is taking care of his family after his father’s death, Vivi seems like she’s from another planet. She transforms Jonah and his family, completely changing his life. But there are consequences when worlds collide.

My Heart & Other Black Holes – Jasmine Warga

Aysel and Roman are practically strangers when they make a pact to commit suicide together. Aysel knows why she wants to die – being the daughter of a murderer doesn’t exactly make life easy – but she cannot understand why the popular and handsome Roman wants to end it all. Then she begins to fall in love with Roman and finally has a reason to live, but has she gone too far to turn back?

The Upside of Unrequited – Becky Albertalli

Molly knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly is terrified of rejection. Then Cassie starts dating the new girl, who comes with a cute hipster boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, then she can get her first kiss. But Molly realises she may be falling for her nerdy co-worker, Reid.

The Sun is Also a Star – Nicola Yoon

Twelves hours away from her families’ deportation to Jamaica, Natasha meets Daniel. Its love at first sight for Natasha when she sees him on a busy street in New York. She doesn’t believe in fate or destiny, but every choice she’s ever made lead her to Daniel. And Daniel thinks that fate has something extraordinary in store for both of them.

Heartstopper – Alice Oseman

A graphic novel about love, life and everything in between. Charlie and Nick never spoke to each other before, but when they are made to sit next to each other, they quickly become friends. Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he knows he doesn’t have a chance. But love works in mysterious ways.

‘The queer graphic novel we wished we had at high school.’ – Gay Times

A Court of Thorns and Roses – Sarah J. Maas

Feyre is a huntress, but killing the wrong wolf changes her life forever. She’s taken away from her family by a man in a jewelled mask named Tamlin. As her feelings for Tamlin turn from hostility to passion, Fayre learns the land of the faerie are much more dangerous than she realized.

Tokyo Ever After – Emiko Jean

A hilarious and heart-felt novel about a girl discovering where she belongs. At home in America, Izumi never felt ‘American’ enough. When her father’s identity as the Crown Prince of Japan is discovered, Izumi is whisked away to Japan to meet her father for the first time. But being a princess isn’t how Izumi imagined. Now she needs to prove she’s ‘Japanese’ enough whilst balancing her feelings for her handsome bodyguard.

Meet Cute Diary – Emery Lee

A swoon-worthy, heartfelt story of a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about relationships. Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He runs a blog where he writes a collection of trans happily ever afters. But they’re all made up stories. When the blog is exposed as fiction, Noah begins to unravel. He needs to prove the stories are real, which is where Drew comes in. Drew is willing to fake date Noah to save his blog. But Noah begins to fall in love for real.

Opposite of Always – Justin Reynolds

Jack falls in love with Katie as soon as he meets her at a party. Then she dies. That should be the end of their story, but Jack is sent back to their first meeting. Now he has the chance to save her, but his actions are not without consequences.

‘Read this one, reread it, and then hug it to your chest.’ – Becky Albertalli

It Only Happens in the Movies – Holly Bourne

Audrey is done with love. With her parents’ divorce and break-up of her own, she has every reason to feel cynical. And then she meets Harry, her coworker at the local cinema.

“Audrey and Harry’s relationship sings with witty banter, electric heat, and feverish emotion, but Audrey’s journey to self-discovery reaps even more rewards.” – Kirkus Reviews

Twilight – Stephenie Meyer

Isabella Swan is the new girl at school. Her awkward manner seems to attract the attention of her classmates. But not the Cullen family, who prefer their own company. Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen hates her the most, then he saves her from an out-of-control car.

Throne of Glass – Sarah J. Maas

Celaena Sardothien is a beautiful but deadly assassin. When she gets caught in the act, Captain Westfall offers a proposition: represent the Prince in a to-the-death tournament in exchange for her freedom. What she doesn’t expect is to develop feelings for the two men protecting her.

Anna and the French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins

Anna is not happy about been sent to a boarding school in Paris and leaving a short-lived romance behind. Until she meets Étienne St. Clair. He has it all – he’s charming, handsome, smart and he’s in a relationship. But wishes sometimes have a way of coming true.

“Magical…really captures the feeling of being in love” – Cassandra Clare

Shatter Me – Tahereh Mafi

One touch is all it takes for Juliette Ferras to leave a grown man gasping for air. She always saw it as a curse, but the Reestablishment see it as a gift. It’s a weapon that can be used for good. Julliette never fought for herself before, but when she’s reunited with the one she cares about, she has a reason to fight.

“Fast-paced action scenes convey imminent danger vividly….Part cautionary tale, part juicy love story, this will appeal to action and adventure fans.”

City of Bones – Cassandra Clare

Clary was just a normal girl, until she witnessed a murder at a nightclub and suddenly she’s swept up into the world of Shadowhunters. It’s because of this that she meets Jace and Clary can’t stop herself from falling in love with him, despite the fact that he acts like a jerk.

“Prepare to be hooked” – Entertainment Weekly

Divergent – Veronica Roth

One choice changes your future. Beatrice Prior’s society is divided into five fractions. She can either choose to stay with her family or transfer. Her choice to transfer shocks her community and herself. But the new life she chooses has surprises in the form of the handsome man named Four.

This Lullaby – Sarah Dessen

Remy is cynical when it comes to love. Let down by her absent musician father and witness to her mother’s four failed marriages, Remy doesn’t ever intend on falling in love. So when Dexter crashes into her life, why is it so hard for Remy to follow her own rules? Especially when he’s everything that she hates.

Love & Gelato – Jenna Evans Welch

Its the dying wish of Lina’s mother for Lina to live in Tuscany with her father that she’s never met. Reluctantly, Lina leaves Seattle to live with her father. Lina receives her mother’s diary from when she was a photography student in France and it takes her on a journey through her mother’s life. And as an added bonus, Lina’s neighbour is super handsome!

By the Book – Amanda Sellet

Mary Porter-Malcom has prepared herself for high school in the only way she knows: an extensive review of classic literature on friendships, drama and romance. Mary knows the red flags, but she finds herself unable to listen to her own good advice and ends up falling for the guy she warned her friends about.