The 2010s were a bit of a whirlwind for anyone who loves romance novels, with the decade giving us everything from a massive billionaire book boom to some of the most inclusive and funny love stories we’ve ever read. Looking back at the romance novels of the 2010s, it’s fun to see how many of these books became the ones we still talk about with friends or reach for when we need a guaranteed good read. We’ve put together a list of one favorite from each year of the decade—not necessarily the biggest chart-toppers, but the stories that really stuck with us and felt like they had something special to say.
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2010: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Sarah MacLean’s 2010 debut, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, is a beautiful “wallflower” romance focused on self-discovery. At twenty-eight, Lady Calpurnia “Callie” Hartwell has spent a decade being the dependable, overlooked spinster of the ton, but she finally hits her breaking point and drafts a list of nine scandalous activities she’s missed out on—things like fencing, drinking scotch, and gambling. To get started, she makes a desperate midnight visit to Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston, whose reputation as a heartbreaker makes him the perfect candidate to help her cross off “kissing a rake.” While Gabriel initially thinks she’s lost her mind, he finds himself drawn into her rebellion as an unlikely coach, attempting to protect her reputation while she systematically dismantles it. It’s a witty, high-energy Regency romp that trades the usual shrinking-violet tropes for a protagonist who realizes that the only person who can truly ruin—or save—her life is herself.
2011: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Deborah Harkness’s 2011 novel A Discovery of Witches is the go-to for academic-heavy urban fantasy. The heroine, Diana Bishop, is a Yale historian and reluctant witch who has spent her life rejecting magic in favor of logic and research. While working in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, she calls up a mysterious alchemical manuscript known as Ashmole 782, unintentionally breaking a centuries-old spell and alerting every vampire, witch, and daemon in the world to its presence. This brings her into the orbit of Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist who has been searching for the book for centuries. Their violation of an ancient law forbidding interspecies relationships forces them into an alliance to protect the manuscript and themselves from the Congregation (the shadowy council that governs creature life). This is a slow-burn, atmospheric read that manages to balance historical lore with the high-stakes tension of a forbidden romance.
2012: Bared to You by Sylvia Day
Published in 2012, Bared to You launched Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series. The story follows Eva Tramell, a twenty-four-year-old who has just moved from San Diego to Manhattan to start a job as an advertising assistant for an agency located in the Crossfire building. Her carefully structured new life is upended when she meets the building’s owner, Gideon Cross, a billionaire with a reputation for being as ruthless as he is inaccessible. The connection between Eva and Gideon is a volatile, high-stakes attraction fueled by the fact that both are survivors of childhood abuse. Their relationship is a complex tug-of-war over control and trust as they attempt to navigate trauma without letting their pasts dismantle their future. It’s a gritty, intensely paced read and a raw exploration of how trauma shapes intimacy.
2013: Tangled by Emma Chase
Emma Chase’s 2013 debut, Tangled, is a sharp dive into the chaotic brain of Drew Evans, a Manhattan investment banker who thinks he’s mastered the art of the no-strings-attached hookup. The story kicks off with Drew bedridden by a supposed “flu,” though his sister Alexandra knows it’s actually the fallout of meeting his match: Kate Brooks, the firm’s newest associate. Unlike the women Drew usually seduces and forgets, Kate is brilliant, unimpressed by his ego, and engaged. As they go head-to-head at work, their cutthroat competition masks a building attraction that Drew can’t outmaneuver. He finds himself in the unfamiliar position of having to actually win someone over, forced to choose between his pride and the only woman who’s ever made him feel vulnerable. This is a fast-paced and hilarious romance novel.
2014: Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
Mia Sheridan’s 2014 novel Archer’s Voice stands out for its raw, sensitive portrayal of two people rebuilding themselves from the wreckage of extreme violence. After surviving a violent home invasion, Bree Prescott leaves Ohio to find anonymity in Pelion, Maine. There, she meets Archer Hale, an outcast who hasn’t spoken since the traumatic incident that claimed the lives of his parents when he was a child. As Bree gets to know Archer and learns to communicate with him, she realizes he’s been isolated by his family’s painful history. This is an emotionally intense read that explores the weight of small-town secrets and the quiet courage it takes to trust someone after your world has been shattered.
2015: The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Elle Kennedy’s 2015 hit The Deal is a college sports romance that centers on Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham, two Briar University students from completely different social circles. Garrett, the cocky captain of the hockey team, is desperate to stay eligible for the NHL draft but is tanking his Ethics class. Meanwhile, Hannah is a talented music major who is tired of being overlooked by her football-player crush. The two strike a bargain: Hannah tutors Garrett so he can pass his makeup exam, and in return, he pretend-dates her to boost her social life. Told through alternating perspectives, the novel explores how these two navigate the unexpected chemistry between them, as well as family pressures and personal insecurities.
2016: The Obsession by Nora Roberts
If you’re in the mood for romantic suspense, Nora Roberts’s 2016 novel The Obsession is a standout. The plot centers on Naomi Bowes, a photographer trying to outrun the notoriety of her serial killer father. Seeking a fresh start, she buys a dilapidated house on a bluff in Sunrise Cove, Washington, and begins the messy, therapeutic process of restoring it. While she tries to keep her guard up, she eventually adopts a dog named Tag and finds herself drawn to Xander Keaton, a local mechanic and musician who refuses to be intimidated by her walls. Just as she starts feeling a sense of belonging, a series of local murders begins to mirror her father’s signature style, forcing her to realize that someone from her past has been watching her every move. This is an atmospheric, high-stakes story that focuses on the courage it takes to overcome the nightmares of the past in order to build a home and family.
2017: Roomies by Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren’s 2017 novel Roomies feels like a love letter to both New York City and the creative process. The story centers on Holland Bakker, an aspiring writer stuck in a creative rut whose only daily spark is watching a talented Irish musician, Calvin McLoughlin, play his guitar in the subway station. When a crisis at the Broadway theater where Holland’s uncle works as a musical director leaves a lead musician role vacant, Calvin’s undocumented status and expired visa come to light. In a desperate move to save the show and keep Calvin in the country, Holland proposes a marriage of convenience. What starts as a transactional arrangement quickly shifts into a slow-burn romance as they navigate the awkwardness of being roommates.
2018: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Published in 2018, The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is a refreshingly modern and intellectually sharp story following Stella Lane, a brilliant econometrician who can predict the market but is completely baffled by the social “algorithms” of dating. Because her Asperger’s makes physical intimacy feel like an overwhelming sensory puzzle, she decides to tackle the problem with data-driven logic. She hires Michael Phan—a gifted tailor who moonlights as an escort—to provide “lessons” in the bedroom. While Michael has a strict no-repeat-client policy, he finds himself intrigued by Stella and accepts her offer. With the help of Michael’s supportive cousin, Quan, and a lot of shared vulnerabilities, their transactional agreement develops into a deep emotional bond that logic simply can’t account for.
2019: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Talia Hibbert’s 2019 novel Get a Life, Chloe Brown manages to be incredibly funny while still taking its characters’ internal lives seriously. The story follows Chloe Brown, a web designer dealing with chronic illness who, after a near-death experience, decides to overhaul her carefully controlled existence. To “get a life,” she drafts a to-do list featuring goals like riding a motorcycle, going camping, and enjoying a drunken night out. She finds an unlikely partner-in-crime in her apartment building’s superintendent, Redford “Red” Morgan, a talented artist who hides his own traumatic past behind a gruff exterior. While they start off with plenty of friction and a transactional deal—Red helps with the list while Chloe builds him a professional website—their relationship quickly evolves into something far more vulnerable. This is a beautifully grounded, inclusive read that trades standard rom-com tropes for an authentic look at how two people learn to trust again when they’ve both been conditioned to play it safe.
This wraps up our list of beloved romance novels from the 2010s. It’s always interesting to see how a book you read years ago can still feel so vivid, and looking through this list definitely brings back all those “just one more chapter” memories. Hopefully, seeing some of these titles felt like a nice trip down memory lane, or maybe it even sparked an idea for something new (or old!) to pick up next.
Happy reading!
