Romance novels for people who don't read romance

Romance is the best-selling fiction genre in the world, and yet so many readers say “it’s not for me” before they’ve really tried it. If that’s you, here are seven gateway books — sharp, funny, and well-written, with a love story at the center rather than the whole of it.

1. Beach Read — Emily Henry

Two rival writers, one summer, plenty of banter. Henry is the modern on-ramp for a reason: witty, warm, and a little wise.

2. The Hating Game — Sally Thorne

The definitive enemies-to-lovers office comedy. Fast, funny, and almost impossible to put down.

3. Red, White & Royal Blue — Casey McQuiston

A first son and a prince, a charming political rom-com with real heart. A gateway favorite for good reason.

4. The Kiss Quotient — Helen Hoang

Smart, steamy, and refreshingly specific, with a neurodivergent heroine. Proof of how much range the genre has.

5. Get a Life, Chloe Brown — Talia Hibbert

Funny, tender, and full of personality. The kind of book that makes you grin on the bus.

6. The Flatshare — Beth O’Leary

Two strangers share a bed (on opposite schedules) and fall for each other via sticky notes. Charming and original.

7. Pride and Prejudice — Jane Austen

The blueprint for two centuries of the genre — and still one of the sharpest, funniest of them all.

Give it a try

Romance is perfect for trading — readers move through it fast, so it’s cheap to sample widely. Browse our shelves, ask the Matchmaker for a pick in your comfort zone, and trade them back for the next.