February is the perfect month to pick up a popularromanceor romantasy novel in preparation for Valentine’s Day—whether celebrating with a loved one, hanging out with friends, or wanting to live vicariously through the heart-rending romantic lives of fictional characters. One of the best things about the genre is its promise of a happily-ever-after ending—but getting there can still bring readers on a tumultuous ride. However, thebest romance booksknow how to keep readers engaged, evoke intense emotional connections to their characters, and offer relatable stories.
Whether someone is in the mood for afriends-to-lovers romanceor wants something with a lot of spice, there’s a never-ending list of choices to pick from—with some highly anticipatedromance books releasing in Februaryas well. For those looking to celebrate the month of love engrossed in the world of fiction, these books offer the best variety of romantic stories, ranging from historical fiction dramas to modern sports romances.
15Love & Other Words
Written By Christina Lauren
Love & Other Words, is the first of many novels written by author duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, and tells the story ofa friend-to-lovers romance between childhood friends Macy and Elliot. Where they once were inseparable, a traumatic event forces them to spend more than a decade apart—and not until a chance encounter will the truth of their past begin to unfold.Love & Other Wordsis one of the authors' bestselling romances to this day, and its heartfelt narrative does a phenomenal job of depicting first love and relating to an audience that has struggled with similar emotional trauma.
14Pride And Prejudice
Written By Jane Austen
The epitome of a classic romance,Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austen, was first published in 1813. However, the romantic novel has stood the test of time and is still regarded to be one of the best romance novels ever written.Pride and Prejudiceremains so popular due to its witty prose and incredible cast of characters. Elizabeth Bennet, the novel’s main protagonist, is the second eldest of five daughters who have yet to be married off—a detail considered to be the single most important aspect of a woman’s life in regency England.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
–Pride & Prejudice
However, Austen’s Pride and Prejudice challenges the norms of English society at the time andprovides readers with a compelling love story between two of the most unlikely characters. While Austen’s main romance revolves around the lives of Elizabeth and Darcy, and their hasty judgments and prejudices against each other, the novel also closely follows Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley’s romance as well.
13Funny Story
Written By Emily Henry
Funny Storyby Emily Henry is considered to be one ofHenry’s best romance novels. The story follows the lives of Daphne and Miles as the two of them navigate their new reality as each other’s roommates—all because their long-term exes dumped the two of them to be together.Funny Story, as is typical for an Emily Henry novel, isincredibly endearing and full of witty banterthat keeps readers engaged from page to page.
Written By Ashley Poston
Ashley Poston’s contemporary romances are all known for their special touches of magical realism—likeThe Seven-Year Slip, andA Novel Love Story—andThe Dead Romanticsis no different. The novel follows Florence Day, a ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors, but with one caveat—she no longer believes in love.
The Dead Romanticsis an adorable read and adds a touch of whimsy to the contemporary romance genre.
After a horrible breakup, Florence struggles to write her next novel—but finds she’s slowly building a connection with her previous editor. The only problem is he’s passed away, andFlorence now finds herself falling in love with a ghost.The Dead Romanticsis an adorable read and adds a touch of whimsy to the contemporary romance genre.
11Jane Eyre
Written By Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyreis ahistorical romance novel, thathas helped to forge the romance genre into what it is today. Brontë’s novel follows the life of Jane Eyre, the title’s namesake, an orphan raised in an incredibly unloving home by her aunt. However, instead of letting her troubled childhood suppress her further, Jane finds her own independence and employment at Thornfield Hall as a governess for the brooding Mr. Rochester. Her new position gives her the life and freedom she always wanted, but just as she discovers her feelings for Mr. Rochester, Jane uncovers Thornfield Hall’s darkest secret.
10The Rose Bargain
Written By Sasha Peyton Smith
The Rose Bargain, expected to release on Jul 05, 2025, is the first in an upcoming romantasy duology—but with a unique twist. Set in regency-era England,The Rose Bargainblends historical fiction with more typical fantasy elements, such as magic, fae, and a set of trials. The story revolves around Ivy Benton, who, in her year of debuting in society, has the opportunity to compete for the crown prince’s hand in marriage.The Rose Bargainis a promising romantic fantasy and is sure to become a 2025 fan favorite.
9A Court Of Thorns And Roses
Written By Sarah J. Maas
TheA Court of Thorns and Rosesseries is one of many belovedfantasy series by author Sarah J. Maas—and isa must-read for those who love romance, spice, high stakes, and a unique magic system. The first novel centers around Feyre, a 19-year-old huntress, who, when she kills a wolf in the woods, alters the course of her life forever.
What Order To Read Sarah J. Maas' Books In
Sarah J. Maas has written three beloved fantasy series, and they all share connections with one another — so which order should they be read in?
The novels quickly take a turn, and bring readers to Prythian, a land of fae and magic—but also where Feyre will first encounter love and all the possibilities it can bring. The romance found in this series is one of the many reasons Sarah J. Maas' ACOTAR books are so well-loved.
8The Things We Leave Unfinished
Written By Rebecca Yarros
The Things We Leave Unfinished, by Rebecca Yarros—author of the bestsellingEmpyrean Seriesnovels—is a historical romance depicting the lives of Georgia Stanton and her great-grandmother, Scarlett, in both present-day and past timelines. After Georgia’s marriage falls apart, she moves back to her great-grandmother’s estate to find a popular romance writer, Noah Harrison, who intends to finish her grandmother’s unpublished novel.
After the success of Yarros’Fourth Wingnovels, many began discovering her contemporary romance works—andThe Things We Leave Unfinishedquickly became a fan-favorite.
As they begin to work together in the hopes that Scarlett’s story is told in a way that honors her legacy, the pair quickly discovers the novel is based on her own romantic past—which brings readers back to England during WWII. After the success of Yarros’Fourth Wingnovels, many began discovering her contemporary romance works—andThe Things We Leave Unfinishedquickly became a fan-favorite.The novel is tragically romantic and heartbreakingin all the best ways.
7Emma
Another classic Jane Austen novel,Emma, follows the life of Emma Woodhouse—a beautiful, spoilt, sometimes vain, but incredibly witty character who loves to play matchmaker with the inhabitants of her village. However, Emma’s machinations don’t always go to plan, and while she intends to set her best friend up with an eligible match, he falls for her instead. ButEmma’s true romance lies between the protagonist herself and Mr. Knightly—her tutor and long-time friend.Austen’s novel is the perfect definition of a friends-to-lovers romance.
6Just For The Summer
Written By Abby Jimenez
Just for the Summer, written by Abby Jimenez, was considered to be one of thebest romance books of 2024. The third novel in thePart of Your Worldseries (but can be read as a standalone) centers around Justin and Emma, who are both afflicted by a similar dating curse—one where their exes immediately move on to find their soul mate immediately after them.
“The love stories sold us the wrong thing. The best kind of love doesn’t happen on moonlit walks and romantic vacations. It happens in between the folds of everyday life."
—Just for the Summer
After discovering this,they agree to date each other just for the summer in the hopes of finding their forever partner once they break up. This novel is full of hilarious, tender, and emotional moments—and is perfect for those who want to read a real-life happily ever after.
