One of the biggest genre in reading is romance and that comes as no surprise. Many people enjoy a great love story and many authors have made a name for themselves over the years writing them. We decided to make a list of the best romance books of all time and see which books are beloved by readers!
Many readers gravitate towards romance novels for various reasons. Some people enjoy a good love story while others prefer their books to be easy to read. Fantasy and science fiction books have a lot of information thrown at the reader so they can understand the complexities of the world the protagonist inhabits. Sometimes a simple love story is all you are in the mood for.
The Best Romance Books of All Time
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- The Hating Game: A Novel by Sally Thorne
- The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
- Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
- Vision in White by Nora Roberts
- The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Gree
- Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
- Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Bared to You by Sylvia Day
- The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
- A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
- Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean
- The Princess Bride by William Goldman
- An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
- Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
- The Rebecca Notebook: and Other Memories by Daphne du Maurier
- Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
- Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Timeless Classics
There are several books by Jane Austen on the list such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is also a classic that has solidified its spot as one of the best romance books of all time. And who can forget Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë?
The great thing about the romance genre is that it is never stagnant. There are a few gems every decade and that has led to list growing over the years. Books like The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon show that the genre has many peaks.
Conclusion
That concludes our best romance books of all time list. What books should have made the list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!
FYI: a romance MUST have a happy ending. Thus, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman, The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, The Rebecca Notebook: and Other Memories by Daphne du Maurier, Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell are all NOT romances.
The best romance of all time is Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor.
I disagree with the happy ending requirement. Not all love stories have a happy ending in real life. Have you not heard of the unrequited love? I agree that Forever Amber should be on that list.
Doctor Zhivago
https://www.rwa.org/Online/Romance_Genre/About_Romance_Genre.aspx