Good news for those of us who enjoy getting swept up in a swoon-worthy love story: Romance remains one of the fastest-growing (and most lucrative) book genres, giving authors plenty of room to churn out love stories of all shapes and sizes. Modern romantic fiction has also taken on its own form, as it's no longer confined to the standard boy-meets-girl pattern or dominated by Fabio-laden paperbacks of the regency variety. It features romantic leads that look and act more like the readers themselves.
That’s especially true of this year’s batch of new additions to the genre, which have been some of the most highly-anticipated books of the year. The best romance books that 2024 has to offer so far feature protagonists of all races, genders, and sexual orientations and cross into so many other genres—while still playing into all of our favorite tropes, from friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers to fake-relationships and forbidden-love and beyond. Here, find 18 of the best romance novels published in the first half of 2024 that are sure to tug at your heartstrings and leave you giggling and kicking your feet.
'Bride' by Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood has made a name for herself writing steamy books that typically revolve around smart people working in a science lab of sorts. But she switched things up this year with Bride, a paranormal romance following the marriage of convenience between Misery, the daughter of a powerful Vampyre leader, and Lowe, the alpha of a werewolf pack. If you’d rather stick with Hazelwood’s usual style, the prolific writer put out yet another book this year, Not in Love, that returns to the science lab.
'Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend' by Emma R. Alban
The Venn diagram of Swifties and romance lovers is probably very close to a circle, and Alban’s books are very much for those situated firmly inside that circle. Both of her books have been named after Taylor Swift lyrics and the latest one also pulls in elements of Parent Trap and Bridgerton: It’s set in the mid-1800s and follows two debutantes who decide to matchmake their single parents rather than seek out husbands of their own and, oops, end up falling in love with each other along the way.
'Escaping Mr. Rochester' by L.L. McKinney
L.L. McKinney’s latest reimagines the classic Jane Eyre as a queer YA romance, in which both Jane and Bertha Mason are desperate to escape the controlling, vindictive Mr. Rochester. They’ll have to team up to do so and just might find even more than freedom in their newfound connection.
'Fangirl Down’' by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey is a go-to for smart, sexy, and fun romances, and luckily for us, 2024 marked the start of her latest series, Big Shots. This first entry follows increasingly washed-up golf star Wells Whitaker and his one remaining superfan, Josephine Doyle, who jumps at the chance to work as Wells’ caddy—a gig that comes with plenty of up-close-and-personal time with her celebrity crush.
'A Fragile Enchantment' by Allison Saft
Another romantasy option that’s heavy on romance, this YA novel combines a fantasy world with the classic Regency setting, following magical dressmaker Niamh as she starts to fall for Kit, the groom in an upcoming royal wedding. Bonus for lovers of all things Regency era: Their blossoming connection is made public by a very Bridgerton-esque anonymous gossip columnist.
'Funny Story' by Emily Henry
Emily Henry’s latest only further cements her status as the current queen of the rom-com genre. It’s got both “opposites attract” and “fake-dating” elements, as buttoned-up Daphne starts a new life after being dumped by her fiancé for his childhood best friend—complete with a new town, new job, and new roommate, who just so happens to be said childhood best friend’s ex. Things definitely won’t get complicated at all!
'Happily Never After' by Lynn Painter
This rom-com starts with a truly unique premise, as we meet Sophie and Max, both cynical about love, who hire themselves out to object to weddings at the allotted time in the ceremony. Surprise, surprise: As they go around breaking up other people’s relationships, they start to form one of their own.
'How to End a Love Story' by Yulin Kuang
Grant and Helen have a complicated, traumatic past (that we won’t spoil here) and have spent over a decade avoiding each other. That all changes when the two writers work together on the same show, and they start to remember what drew them together all those years ago, even as their shared history threatens to keep them apart.
'Just for the Summer' by Abby Jimenez
This one’s like Good Luck Chuck with a twist: Anyone who dates either Justin or Emma immediately finds their soulmate after the breakup. The two develop a plan to date each other and then call things off to break their respective curses—totally foolproof, as long as they don’t fall in love first.
'A Little Kissing Between Friends' by Chencia C. Higgins
Is the possibility of true love worth potentially ruining a friendship? That’s the question plaguing best friends Cyn and Jucee in this queer romance, as they suddenly start seeing one another in a very different light and are forced to decide if they’re truly ready to make the leap from friends to something more.
'A Love Song for Ricki Wilde' by Tia Williams
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde tells the sweeping love story of Ricki and Ezra, both of whom fled to Harlem to escape their stifling past lives—albeit, thanks to a sprinkle of magical realism, 100 years apart. For so many reasons that we won’t spoil here, the odds are stacked against these two, but you won’t be able to resist rooting for them to make it through despite it all.
'Not Here to Make Friends' by Jodi McAlister
The latest in McAlister’s reality TV-themed Marry Me, Juliet series, this novel focuses on the Bachelor franchise-inspired series’ showrunner, Murray. The season soon falls into chaos as its onscreen villain, Lily, has eyes only for Murray. That’s further complicated since Lily and Murray share a very tumultuous past that promises to make things even messier than they already are.
'The Paradise Problem' by Christina Lauren
Another twisty take on the “marriage of convenience” trope, this one sees college friends Anna and West, a free-spirited artist and serious professor, respectively, faking a years-long, loving marriage. It's all so West can claim his hefty inheritance—as long as it doesn’t ruin everything between them first.
'The Partner Plot' by Kristina Forest
Whatever happened to the “it” couple from your high school? In this novel, Violet and Xavier don’t stay together after graduation, but when they run into each other in Las Vegas as adults, sparks fly, and one thing leads to another—and then they wake up the next morning with wedding rings on. Things quickly go from one-night-stand to marriage-of-convenience vibes once they realize the pairing can help both their careers, and it’s of course only a matter of time before they’re all-in on the rekindled relationship.
'The Prospects' by KT Hoffman
It may come as a shock to learn that this is KT Hoffman’s debut novel since it captures all the perfectly frustrating magic of a great enemies-to-lovers romance. The one of two queer baseball-themed romances on this list, it tells the story of Gene, the first openly trans professional baseball player, and his longtime rival Luis, as the pair are suddenly forced into very close proximity after Luis is traded to Gene’s minor league team.
'The Takedown' by Lily Chu
Lily Chu’s latest will surely speak to anyone whose morning routine includes time to work through a handful of word games (guilty!). That’s protagonist Dee, and she’s even forged a rivalry with a fellow player, who just so happens to be a ridiculously attractive guy she’s soon forced to work alongside in a tricky workplace situation.
'Wild Life' by Opal Wei
The title of this novel is no joke: It’s the story of cancer researcher Zoey, who ends up on aspiring hermit Davy’s island estate for a week. They spend that time learning to rely on each other to survive the island’s wilderness—and might end up throwing out their long-held plans for their lives in the process.
'You Should Be So Lucky' by Cat Sebastian
Cat Sebastian is responsible for writing some of the best queer historical romances in recent memory, and her latest is yet another home run (pun very much intended). It follows baseball star Eddie and journalist Mark, who’s assigned against his will to profile Eddie throughout a particularly frustrating baseball season. On top of their initial shared dissatisfaction with the setup, any possibility of romance is further stifled by the fact that the story is set in the 1960s, making it even more difficult for the pair to be openly in love, even as sparks begin to fly between them.
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