There are so many Romance Books out there and so many Romance Authors to choose from so sometimes it can be difficult to know where to begin! We have you covered because we have compiled this list of our 20 favorite Romance Authors. From saucy, steamy authors to swoon-worthy historical romance to contemporary and humorous romance we have everything! And if you would like to know even more about any of the Romance Authors in our Top 20 then we have provided links to our pages with more details about each author and their books. Check them all out below!
Nora Roberts
Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 225 novels with a career spanning over 40 years. She was the first ever author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame and as of 2011, her novels had spent a combined 861 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, including 176 weeks in the number-one spot. Many of her novels have been adapted to the screen and she has been the recipient of a plethora of awards so of course Nora Roberts makes this list. You have probably already heard of her but if you have been living under a rock then check out Nora’s works now!
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Our pick of Nora Robert’s Top 20 Best Novels
Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel is the best selling author alive! And the fourth bestselling fiction author of all time, with over 800 million copies sold. She has written around 185 books, with 146 novels. And the reason why she releases so many books? She can write up to five books at one time. Her books have been translated into 43 different languages and 22 of them have had TV adaptions. Two of which have even received Golden Globe nominations! On top of all this, Steel has also published children’s fiction and poetry. Is there anything she hasn’t done?
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Elin Hilderbrand
The blossoming romance against a backdrop of sand and sea – books by Elin Hilderbrand have everybody’s summer fantasies transcribed into words. Mainly set on the gorgeous Nantucket island where she actually lives, Elin Hilderbrand’s books are summer masterpieces. She’s truly worthy to be called the Queen of Summer Novels. With many standalones and amazing series like The Paradise Series and The Winter Series Elin is an author for all seasons!
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Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of 11 novels and 5 novellas, as well as many other titles. Her books usually come under the category of new adult and she has been nominated for plenty of awards. Her latest release Layla shows how versatile she can be and Verity was a complex and thrilling romance with plenty of twists and turns. If you haven’t discovered Co-Ho yet then we highly recommend that you do!
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Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah books are magical masterpieces. She has written many works, but her most well known works are The Great Alone and The Four Winds. Her novel Firefly Lane has been adapted into a Netflix series. Her bestselling novel is The Nightingale, which has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide and has been published in 45 languages. The Nightingale is also soon to be a movie as filming has started on the big screen adaption starring Dakota and Elle Fanning so if you haven’t already check out her masterpieces now!
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Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult books are about family, relationships, love and so much more. She has 24 amazing novels and her last 8 have debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. Approximately 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and they have been translated into 34 languages. With a new pandemic-based book Wish You Were Here coming out later this year catch up on Jodi now!
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Debbie Macomber
Debbie Macomber is the author of more than 150 books and a #1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. She’s sold more than 200 million copies of her books in print! Debbie Macomber brings to life beautiful relationships that embrace family and friendships. Her books bring hope, no matter how bad things seem to be going, they can get better. So don’t delay and discover this amazing author today!
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Sylvia Day
Sylvia Day is a Japanese-American author and she’s a number one bestselling author in 28 countries. She is best known for her exceptional Crossfire series, but that’s not her only steamy collection. So, if you like your romance on the steamy side then check out Sylvia Day!
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Lisa Kleypas
Lisa Kleypas books can sweep you off your feet and into her world of gorgeous romances and her books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller lists.. Lisa’s speciality is historical romance and she has many decadent series that will keep you occupied for a while! So if you like a bit of regency style romance then Lisa is the author for you!
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Susan Mallery
Susan Mallery is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list! Every one of Susan Mallery books tells us a wonderful story, often about starting over, the power of friendships and family. And of course, finding love. Mallery always writes a beautiful novel that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster – you’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll be inspired.
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Kristan Higgins
Kristan Higgins is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling American author. Her style of writing is humorous contemporary . She is a three-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award and a five-time nominee for the Kirkus Prize for Best Work of Fiction. With new works also coming out this year catch up on some of her past titles soon!
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Robyn Carr
Robyn Carr is the author of over 50 novels, many of which have made the New York Times bestsellers lists. She is most notably known for her Virgin River Series which has recently been adapted in to a Netflix TV show but there is much more from her than just Virgin River, she also has many other series and standalones so there is plenty to catch up on here!
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Julia Quinn
Julia Quinn is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and she is one of only sixteen members of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. She is most well known as the author of the Bridgerton series which has recently become a smash hit, due in part to the arrival of the amazing Netflix adaptation of the series. Julia’s books are steamy historical romances so if this is your thing and you haven’t discovered these books as yet then now is the time!
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Brenda Novak
Brenda Novak is an American author of historical romance, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense and she has authored over 50 books.
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Susan Wiggs
Susan Wiggs is an American author of historical and contemporary romance novels. Susan’s books are frequently named finalists for the RITA Award, the highest honor given in the genre. And there are a whole load of standalone and series written by this author so you will have plenty to choose from!
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Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a #1 New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today bestselling romance and women’s fiction novelist, whose books are published in over 30 different languages. Her books are mostly sports romance and has been called the “Queen of Romantic Comedy.” a title she thoroughly deserves so check her books out soon!
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Jayne Ann Krentz
The author of over 50 New York Times bestsellers, Jayne Ann Krentz writes romantic-suspense. There are over 35 million copies of her books in print. More than 120 of Krentz’s romance novels have been published, with 32 placing on the New York Times Bestseller List. In total, there are over 23 million copies of her books in print. Her novel The Waiting Game was adapted for the Harlequin Romance Series teleplay in 2001. Also, her books have won many awards, she has been nominated 22 times for Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards, winning in 1995 for Trust Me and in 2004 for Falling Awake She has also received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. So if you prefer your romance with a bit of suspense then this is the author for you!
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Jill Shalvis
Jill Shalvis is a best-selling American author of over 50 contemporary romance novels, including her award-winning Lucky Harbor series. She is a multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and she has also won a RITA award for Simply Irresistible. Definitely a must read author!
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Christina Dodd
Christina Dodd writes regency historical romance and her over 60 novels have been translated into twenty-five languages. She has also won the prestigious Golden Heart and RITA Awards, and been called the year’s best by Library Journal and Booklist. So if you want to read an award winning regency author then these may be the books for you!
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E L James
EL James is best known for her Fifty Shades series, which have sold over 125 million copies worldwide, over 35 million copies in the United States and set the record in the United Kingdom as the fastest selling paperback of all time. The Fifty Shades series actually started as Twilight fan fiction. James wrote The Master of the Universe – based on Twilight – under the pen name Snowqueens Icedragon, which gave her inspiration for her own series. But she hasn’t just wrote the Fifty Shades series. James published the bestselling series as told from the perspective of Christian Grey. And in 2018, she released The Mister, her first book that was not related in anyway to her previous series. So if you have been living under a rock and haven’t discovered EL James yet and steamy romance is your thing then check out her works now!
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