The 100 Best Romantic Comedy Novels: A Delightful Journey Through Love and Laughter

In the vast world of literature, few genres can lift our spirits and warm our hearts quite like romantic comedies. These delightful tales combine the butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling of falling in love with the joy of laughter, creating stories that resonate with readers across generations. Whether you’re a die-hard rom-com fan or just dipping your toes into this charming genre, our list of the 100 best romantic comedy novels is sure to offer something for everyone.

Content Table

What Makes a Great Romantic Comedy Novel?

Before we dive into our list, let’s take a moment to appreciate what makes romantic comedy novels so special. The best rom-coms strike a perfect balance between heart and humor, featuring:

1. Lovable and relatable characters
2. Witty dialogue and humorous situations
3. A central love story that keeps readers rooting for the couple
4. Obstacles and misunderstandings that create tension and laughs
5. A satisfying and often heartwarming resolution

These elements combine to create stories that not only entertain but also offer a comforting escape from the everyday world, reminding us of the power of love and laughter.

How We Chose the Top 100

Compiling a list of the 100 best romantic comedy novels is no easy task. We considered a variety of factors, including:

• Critical acclaim and reader reviews
• Influence on the genre
• Diversity in authors, characters, and storylines
• Timelessness and ability to resonate with modern readers
• Unique premises or innovative approaches to the genre

Without further ado, let’s embark on this joyful journey through the world of romantic comedy literature!

The Top 100 Romantic Comedy Novels

1-10: Timeless Classics

1. “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen: The ultimate enemies-to-lovers story, featuring the witty Elizabeth Bennet and the proud Mr. Darcy.
2. “Bridget Jones’s Diary” by Helen Fielding: A hilarious and relatable tale of a thirty-something woman navigating love, career, and self-improvement.
3. “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion: A genetics professor’s quest for love turns into an unconventional and heartwarming journey.
4. “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare: A classic tale of witty banter and misunderstandings between Beatrice and Benedick.
5. “Bet Me” by Jennifer Crusie: A delightful story of a skeptical woman who enters into a bet about love and finds more than she bargained for.
6. “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne: Office rivals Lucy and Joshua engage in a hilarious battle of wits that turns into something more.
7. “Attachments” by Rainbow Rowell: An IT guy falls for a woman whose emails he’s supposed to be monitoring in this charming and unique rom-com.
8. “Can You Keep a Secret?” by Sophie Kinsella: A woman spills her secrets to a stranger on a plane, only to discover he’s her new boss.
9. “The Flatshare” by Beth O’Leary: Two cash-strapped Londoners share a flat and a bed – on different schedules – leading to an unconventional romance.
10. “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston: The First Son of the United States falls for a British prince in this modern, LGBTQ+ rom-com.

11-20: Contemporary Favorites

11. “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren: Sworn enemies are forced to pose as newlyweds on a free honeymoon, with predictably hilarious results.
12. “The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang: A brilliant woman with Asperger’s hires a male escort to teach her about relationships in this sweet and steamy rom-com.
13. “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han: A teen’s secret love letters are accidentally mailed out, leading to unexpected romance.
14. “The Wedding Date” by Jasmine Guillory: A chance meeting in an elevator leads to a fake relationship that becomes all too real.
15. “One Day in December” by Josie Silver: A woman spends years searching for the man she locked eyes with at a bus stop one snowy December day.
16. “Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating” by Christina Lauren: Two polar opposites become best friends and set each other up on disastrous double dates.
17. “The Chai Factor” by Farah Heron: An engineering grad student’s life is turned upside down when a barbershop quartet moves into her basement.
18. “The Bromance Book Club” by Lyssa Kay Adams: A group of alpha men secretly read romance novels to save their relationships.
19. “Beach Read” by Emily Henry: Two writers with opposing styles swap genres for a summer, leading to unexpected inspiration and romance.
20. “The Bookish Life of Nina Hill” by Abbi Waxman: An introverted bookworm’s carefully ordered life is disrupted by newfound family and potential love.

21-30: Laugh-Out-Loud Romances

21. “Crazy Rich Asians” by Kevin Kwan: A New Yorker gets swept into the opulent world of Singapore’s elite when she meets her boyfriend’s family.
22. “The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue” by Mackenzi Lee: A young bisexual British lord embarks on a grand tour of Europe, falling for his best friend along the way.
23. “Sh*gged, Married, Annoyed” by Chris and Rosie Ramsey: A hilarious and honest look at relationships based on the popular podcast.
24. “My Not So Perfect Life” by Sophie Kinsella: A woman’s carefully curated social media persona clashes with her messy reality in this witty tale.
25. “The Right Swipe” by Alisha Rai: Two dating app creators navigate love and business in the digital age.
26. “Ayesha at Last” by Uzma Jalaluddin: A modern retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” set in a Muslim community in Toronto.
27. “Unmarriageable” by Soniah Kamal: Another “Pride and Prejudice” retelling, this time set in modern-day Pakistan.
28. “Well Met” by Jen DeLuca: Renaissance Faire enthusiasts find love amidst jousting and turkey legs.
29. “The Soulmate Equation” by Christina Lauren: A single mom uses a DNA-based dating app and gets matched with its creator.
30. “Get a Life, Chloe Brown” by Talia Hibbert: A chronically ill woman creates a “get a life” list and enlists her handsome superintendent to help.

31-40: Rom-Coms with a Twist

31. “The Ex Talk” by Rachel Lynn Solomon: Two public radio co-hosts fake a relationship for a new show about exes.
32. “The Bride Test” by Helen Hoang: A Vietnamese woman is brought to America to seduce a man with autism in this heartwarming tale.
33. “The Worst Best Man” by Mia Sosa: A wedding planner must work with her ex-fiancé’s brother, who convinced him to leave her at the altar.
34. “The Friend Zone” by Abby Jimenez: A woman with fertility issues falls for her best friend’s fiancé’s best man.
35. “The Proposal” by Jasmine Guillory: A woman turns down a very public proposal and finds comfort in a handsome doctor who comes to her rescue.
36. “The Flatshare” by Beth O’Leary: Two cash-strapped Londoners share a flat and a bed – on different schedules – leading to an unconventional romance.
37. “The Honey-Don’t List” by Christina Lauren: Two assistants to a celebrity couple must keep their bosses’ crumbling marriage a secret.
38. “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren: Sworn enemies are forced to pose as newlyweds on a free honeymoon, with predictably hilarious results.
39. “The Roommate” by Rosie Danan: A socialite moves in with her college crush, only to discover he’s a male porn star.
40. “Take a Hint, Dani Brown” by Talia Hibbert: A fake relationship between a professor and a security guard goes viral after a workplace incident.

41-50: Historical Rom-Coms

41. “A Week to Be Wicked” by Tessa Dare: A bluestocking and a rake embark on a wild road trip across Regency England.
42. “The Duchess Deal” by Tessa Dare: A scarred duke makes an unconventional marriage proposal to a seamstress.
43. “Bringing Down the Duke” by Evie Dunmore: A suffragette clashes with a powerful duke in Victorian England.
44. “The Countess Conspiracy” by Courtney Milan: A brilliant female scientist and her male friend who’s been publishing her work under his name navigate love and societal expectations.
45. “A Rogue by Any Other Name” by Sarah MacLean: A disgraced marquess seeks revenge and finds love in Regency London.
46. “Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake” by Sarah MacLean: A spinster creates a list of forbidden activities and enlists a rake to help her complete them.
47. “Romancing Mister Bridgerton” by Julia Quinn: The story of Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington from the popular Bridgerton series.
48. “The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie” by Jennifer Ashley: A unconventional hero with what we’d now recognize as autism finds love in Victorian England.
49. “A Night to Surrender” by Tessa Dare: A spinster and a war hero clash in a small English town in need of militia.
50. “What I Did for a Duke” by Julie Anne Long: A young woman falls for an older duke while trying to win another man’s heart.

51-60: Rom-Coms in Unique Settings

51. “The Chocolate Touch” by Laura Florand: Romance blooms in a Parisian chocolate shop.
52. “Shipped” by Angie Hockman: Rival cruise line employees are forced to work together on a tropical island.
53. “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren: Enemies are forced to share a Hawaiian honeymoon meant for the bride’s sister.
54. “The Simple Wild” by K.A. Tucker: A city girl reconnects with her estranged father in rural Alaska and falls for a rugged pilot.
55. “The Flatshare” by Beth O’Leary: Two strangers share a London flat – and a bed – on opposite schedules.
56. “The Bride Test” by Helen Hoang: A young Vietnamese woman is brought to America as a potential bride for a man with autism.
57. “The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels” by India Holton: A fantastical tale of pirates, witches, and romance in Victorian England.
58. “Boyfriend Material” by Alexis Hall: Two British men fake a relationship for the paparazzi in this LGBTQ+ rom-com.
59. “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune: A case worker at an orphanage for magical children finds love and family in this heartwarming fantasy.
60. “Ayesha at Last” by Uzma Jalaluddin: A modern retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” set in a Muslim community in Toronto.

61-70: Rom-Coms with Diverse Representation

61. “Get a Life, Chloe Brown” by Talia Hibbert: A chronically ill Black British woman creates a “get a life” list with the help of her handsome superintendent.
62. “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston: The First Son of the United States falls for a British prince in this LGBTQ+ rom-com.
63. “The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang: A woman with autism hires a male escort to teach her about relationships and intimacy.
64. “Waiting for Tom Hanks” by Kerry Winfrey: A rom-com obsessed woman searches for her perfect leading man.
65. “The Bride Test” by Helen Hoang: A young Vietnamese woman is brought to America as a potential bride for a man with autism.
66. “The Right Swipe” by Alisha Rai: Two dating app creators navigate love and business in the digital age.
67. “Take a Hint, Dani Brown” by Talia Hibbert: A Black British academic and a security guard fake a relationship after a viral video.
68. “Real Men Knit” by Kwana Jackson: Four brothers try to save their adopted mother’s knitting shop in Harlem.
69. “The Chai Factor” by Farah Heron: An Indian-Canadian woman’s life is disrupted when a barbershop quartet moves into her basement.
70. “Conventionally Yours” by Annabeth Albert: Two rivals on a cross-country trip to a gaming convention discover unexpected feelings in this LGBTQ+ rom-com.

71-80: Rom-Coms for Book Lovers

71. “The Bookish Life of Nina Hill” by Abbi Waxman: An introverted bookworm’s carefully ordered life is disrupted by newfound family and potential love.
72. “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin: A bookstore owner’s life is transformed by an unexpected package and a new relationship.
73. “The Bookshop on the Corner” by Jenny Colgan: A librarian starts a mobile bookshop in rural Scotland and finds love along the way.
74. “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan: A clerk at a mysterious bookstore uncovers a literary conspiracy and finds romance.
75. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows: A writer corresponds with members of a book club in post-WWII Guernsey.
76. “The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend” by Katarina Bivald: A Swedish woman opens a bookstore in a small American town and finds community and love.
77. “The Little Paris Bookshop” by Nina George: A bookseller who prescribes novels for heartache embarks on a journey to heal his own broken heart.
78. “The Printed Letter Bookshop” by Katherine Reay: Three women find friendship and romance while trying to save a beloved bookshop.
79. “The Bookshop of Yesterdays” by Amy Meyerson: A woman inherits a bookstore and must solve the scavenger hunt her uncle left behind.
80. “Words in Deep Blue” by Cath Crowley: Two teens reconnect in a secondhand bookshop where people leave letters to loved ones in books.

81-90: Rom-Coms with a Side of Career Drama

81. “The Wedding Date” by Jasmine Guillory: A chance meeting in an elevator leads to a fake date and real feelings between two ambitious professionals.
82. “If I Never Met You” by Mhairi McFarlane: Two lawyers fake a relationship for mutual benefit in this witty office romance.
83. “Practice Makes Perfect” by Julie James: Two lawyers competing for the same partnership position find themselves falling for each other.
84. “The Idea of You” by Robinne Lee: A 39-year-old art gallery owner begins a passionate relationship with a younger boy band member.
85. “The Ex Talk” by Rachel Lynn Solomon: Two public radio co-hosts fake a relationship for a new show about exes.
86. “The Trouble with Hating You” by Sajni Patel: A biochemical engineer clashes with a lawyer hired to save her father’s company.
87. “The Right Swipe” by Alisha Rai: Two dating app creators navigate love and business in the digital age.
88. “The Prenup” by Lauren Layne: A marriage of convenience between a CEO and a kindergarten teacher turns complicated when real feelings develop.
89. “Ties That Tether” by Jane Igharo: A Nigerian-Canadian woman struggles between her family’s expectations and her own desires in both love and career.

91-100: Rom-Coms That Break the Mold

91. “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune: A case worker at an orphanage for magical children finds love and family in this heartwarming fantasy.
92. “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion: A genetics professor with undiagnosed Asperger’s creates a scientific survey to find the perfect wife.
93. “The Flatshare” by Beth O’Leary: Two strangers share a flat – and a bed – on opposite schedules, communicating through post-it notes.
94. “Spoiler Alert” by Olivia Dade: A plus-size fan fiction writer falls for the star of her favorite TV show, who’s secretly writing fan fiction too.
95. “The Love Study” by Kris Ripper: A nonbinary person agrees to go on a series of dates for a YouTube channel about queer dating.
96. “The Bromance Book Club” by Lyssa Kay Adams: A group of macho men secretly read romance novels to save their relationships.
97. “The Wayward Children” series by Seanan McGuire: While not strictly rom-coms, these novellas feature diverse characters and queer romances in fantastical settings.
98. “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston: The First Son of the United States falls for a British prince in this LGBTQ+ rom-com that blends politics and romance.
99. “The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang: A woman with autism hires a male escort to teach her about relationships and intimacy.
100. “One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston: A cynical 23-year-old falls for a mysterious woman who’s somehow displaced in time from the 1970s.

Conclusion: The Enduring Appeal of Romantic Comedy Novels

As we reach the end of our journey through the 100 best romantic comedy novels, it’s clear that this genre has something for everyone. From classic tales of misunderstandings and witty banter to modern stories that challenge conventions and celebrate diversity, rom-coms continue to captivate readers with their perfect blend of heart and humor.

These novels offer more than just entertainment; they provide comfort, hope, and a reminder that love can be found in the most unexpected places. They allow us to escape into worlds where happy endings are guaranteed, even if the path to get there is filled with hilarious mishaps and heartwarming moments.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of the genre or new to the world of romantic comedies, we hope this list has given you plenty of options for your next read. Remember, there’s no shame in enjoying a good rom-com – these stories have the power to lift our spirits, make us laugh, and remind us of the transformative power of love.

So, grab a cozy blanket, your beverage of choice, and dive into one of these delightful romantic comedies. Who knows? You might just find your new favorite book among these pages.

Happy reading, and may your life be filled with as much love and laughter as these wonderful novels!

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