As a millennial who grew up during what I firmly believe was the golden age of romantic comedies, I have a particular soft spot for a good rom-com. Raised on 10 Things I Hate About You, Notting Hill, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Bridget Jones’s Diary, to name just a few, I think we were frankly spoilt. And while I still happily revisit those films, there are plenty of books that deliver that same combination of humour, romance and harmlessly complicated relationships. And did you know that one of the defining conventions of the romance genre is a happy ending? Technically, a happily-ever-after or at least a happy-for-now is part of the deal. So, if you’re after something that captures a little of that rom-com magic, we’ve rounded up some books worth reading.
10 books to read if you love a rom-com
Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It
Approaching her thirtieth birthday, Phoebe Berman is determined to finally lose her virginity after years of disastrous dating experiences. Armed with a chaotic checklist inspired by romance novels, she gives herself thirty days to find someone suitable. With several potential love interests, including her best friend and flatmate, Phoebe discovers that finding romance might require understanding herself first.
This Book Made Me Think of You
By
Five months after her husband Joe’s death, Tilly Nightingale discovers he has left her twelve carefully chosen books, one for each month of her first year without him. The unexpected gift takes her on a journey of travel and self-discovery, with the help of local bookseller Alfie, as she navigates grief and the possibility of finding love again.
Romantic Comedy
Sally Milz, a writer for a popular late-night comedy show, has given up on finding love. Frustrated by the double standards surrounding relationships, she writes a sketch about average men dating beautiful, successful women. But when she meets charming pop star Noah, Sally finds herself questioning whether the same romantic possibilities could exist for her.
Main Characters
By
Aspiring director Clara and uncertain actor Seb meet in London and begin an intense romance that seems obvious to everyone around them. But when Clara casts Seb in her career-defining film, a devastating betrayal threatens their relationship. Told through the perspectives of friends, flatmates, exes and strangers, their story explores how differently love can look from the outside.
Our Perfect Storm
After a devastating argument threatens their lifelong friendship, Frankie and George are barely speaking when Frankie’s fiancé unexpectedly calls off their wedding. Determined to help her recover, George suggests they take her planned honeymoon together to Tofino. Over one week on Canada’s wild west coast, unresolved tensions and long-buried feelings force them to reconsider what they mean to each other.
The Missed Connection
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Casting agent Sasha Cruz has little time for romance until a chance encounter with a handsome stranger on a flight to Paris leaves her convinced she’s met her perfect match. After accidentally emailing her entire company for help finding him, an international search begins. But hiring a detective from her past complicates matters when unexpected romantic feelings emerge.
American Fantasy
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Recently divorced and struggling at work, Annie boards a cruise featuring her favourite teenage boyband. There she meets Keith, a fifty-year-old band member questioning his marriage and career. An unexpected attraction develops between them, offering both a chance to escape their disappointments. But as the cruise draws to a close, they must confront whether their connection can survive ordinary life.
People Skills
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After her publishing career falls apart, Charlotte moves to a coastal town to work as a personal assistant to a media personality organising a writers festival. When her boss’s son Xavier, a bestselling author struggling with writer’s block, needs somewhere to stay, Charlotte offers him her spare room. As she helps him rebuild his life, their growing attraction complicates her fresh start.
People in Love
After ten happy years together, Nora unexpectedly finds herself engaged to her partner Robin. But when her childhood best friend Bren arrives at their engagement party, feelings she thought she’d buried twelve years ago resurface. Once inseparable, Nora and Bren never acted on their attraction, leaving her questioning the future she thought was certain.
Hollywood, Ending
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Rising actors Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo land career-changing roles in an Andy Warhol biopic, where an unexpected romance begins to develop. As the film attracts enormous attention, their careers take off and their private lives become increasingly public. Navigating Hollywood’s pressures together, they discover just how difficult it can be to maintain a relationship in the spotlight.

















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