There are few things better than curling up on the couch and putting on a classic movie rom-com. Except for maybe curling up on the couch with a rom-com book! I am absolutely in love with movie rom-coms (full disclosure, I’ve seen every movie on this list) so if you love them as much as I do, then these are the books for you!
The Perfect Book Recommendations for Fans of Movie Rom-Coms!
1. Bridget Jones’ Diary — Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
Honestly, if you love any movie rom-com you will love this book. But! Wes, Liz’s annoyingly-hot neighbor, gives off strong Mark Darcy vibes. So if you fell in love with Colin Firth after watching Bridget Jones’ Dairy, you will absolutely adore this book. Also the Liz’s awkward moments can definitely rival Bridget Jones’.
2. You’ve Got Mail — Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
In this delightfully charming teen spin on You’ve Got Mail, the one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.
3. The Wedding Singer — We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Quinn wasn’t left at the alter but she was ghosted by her crush after she confessed her feelings to him in an email. Now she’s been dreading seeing him again almost as much as she dreads another summer playing the harp for her parents’ weddings. When the two meet again, they clash immediately but Quinn can’t deny her feelings for him are still there.
4. Notting Hill — Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi
When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. Almost as absurd as a movie star falling in love with the owner of a travel book shop. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.
5. What a Girl Wants — A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey
What a Girl Wants had all the ingredients of a great movie rom-com: an American girl traveling to England, a cute British boy to show her around, and, once again, Colin Firth. This book might not have Colin Firth but it has everything else! Not to mention, food descriptions that will make your mouth water.
6. Can’t Buy Me Love — Of Princes and Promises by Sandhya Menon
This delightful, romantic twist on The Frog Prince is the perfect read for you if you loved Can’t Buy Me Love. Just like Patrick Dempsey’s character, Rahul grapples between his new-found social standing and his love for popular girl Catrina in this second installment in the Rosetta’s Academy series.
7. Dirty Dancing — Where Secrets Lie by Eva V. Gibson
Star-crossed attraction, secrets being revealed, and the heat of summer. Believe me, this is one book you don’t want to put in a corner.
8. She’s the Man — Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
Veronyka has always wanted to be a Phoenix Rider, so she disguises herself as a boy to join their ranks. If you loved She’s the Man, I promise you’ll love this book!
9. 10 Things I Hate about You — 10 Things I Hate about Pinky by Sandhya Menon
I mean, it’s in the name! This delightful follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi follows Ashish’s friends Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date in order to achieve their individual goals, to disastrous and hilarious results.
10. When in Rome — To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Sure, Lara Jean didn’t go picking up random coins from a lovers fountain in Rome that resulted in multiple people falling in love with her, but her love letters DID get sent to all her former crushes. The chaos of the first book, as Lara Jean tries to avoid Josh by pretending to date Peter K, will definitely give you some When in Rome vibes.
11. There’s Something about Mary — Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali
More like: There’s Something about Janna! Janna hopes her brother’s wedding will be the perfect start to her own summer of love, but attractive new arrivals have her more confused than ever. Her summer of love is turning out to be super crowded and painfully unpredictable.
12. About Time — For All Time by Shanna Miles
About Time might be one of the best movie rom-coms ever made, if not THE best! In the movie, after an unfortunate time-travel incident, Tim’s meet-cute with the girl of his dreams never happens. So he has to travel back in time multiple times to get their meet-cute right and win her heart all over again. For All Time isn’t about time-traveling but it is an epic romance about two teens who relive their tragic love story over and over until they uncover what they must do to change their fate. This book will make you believe in the power of love, just like the movie About Time will (seriously, go watch it).
13. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist — Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson
Taking place over the course of one night, two best friends, Kat and Stevie, are in for a hilarious adventure when they get lost in NYC. Both will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future. That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.
14. The Wedding Date — Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
Sure, there’s no way hiring a date to introduce to your parents will result in you falling in love with them. *Insert laughter here.* When Chloe starts to fall for the real Drew—who is unlike his fake persona she hired him to be—her carefully curated life begins to unravel. Can she figure out what she wants before she loses everything?
15. The Body Guard — Fall into Me by Mila Gray
Who can forget the movie that brought us Whitney’s version of I Will Always Love You? An unexpected and searing romance unfolds between a young recording artist and her ex-Marine bodyguard trying to outrun his difficult past in this wrenching novel from the author of Come Back to Me.
16. Love, Simon — The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch
Sky is already out in his small town in Michigan but having his promposal plans leaked in a deeply homophobic eblast is definitely a huge invasion of privacy. He’s fully prepared to drop out and skip town altogether—until his classmates give him a reason to fight back by turning his thirty-day promposal countdown into a school-wide hunt to expose the e-blast perpetrator. This witty, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful debut novel is perfect for fans of Love, Simon.
17. Crazy Rich Asians — My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong
Crazy Rich Asians meets Love & Gelato in this hilarious, quirky novel about a Chinese-American teen who is thrust into the decadent world of Beijing high society when she is sent away to spend the summer in China.
18. Under the Tuscan Sun — Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
If Under the Tuscan Sun made you fall in love with Italy and all its little quirks, then Love & Gelato is definitely the book for you! A summer in Italy turns into a road trip across Tuscany in this sweeping book filled with romance, mystery, and adventure.
19. John Tucker Must Die — Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Who doesn’t love a good revenge story? Girls coming together to help girls….seek vengeance, it’s perfect.
20. Love & Basketball — These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
I know what you’re thinking, “how can a book about basketball and a Romeo & Juliet retelling be paired together?” Well, I’ll tell you. Both of these stories deal with first loves, second chances, and careers getting in the way of being with the person you love. I know that Roma betrayed Juliette but there’s a part of me that can just hear him saying “double or nothing.”
21. The Wedding Planner — Save the Date by Morgan Matson
Mary Fiore, from The Wedding Planner, and Charlie Grant know that planning a wedding isn’t easy. If you like reading about chaotic families and disastrous weddings then you should definitely read this book.
22. When Harry Met Sally — Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Similar to When Harry Met Sally, opposites attract in this fantastic novel about two boys, Ari and Dante, as their friendship slowly develops into something more. Once you’ve finished this book, be sure to check out the sequel Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, which comes out October 12!