What a year it’s been for YA romance! In 2025, we’ve seen stories that made us laugh, cry, and stay up way too late turning pages. From cozy small towns to competitive ice rinks, these books transported readers to worlds where first loves, family dynamics, and finding yourself intertwine in the most heartfelt ways.
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1. Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler
Everett (“Evie”) Riley arrives at the boarding school Camden Academy hoping for a fresh start after a painful betrayal—but her plans derail when she’s mistakenly placed in an all‑boys dorm. To survive the rumors and chaos, she strikes a deal with her brooding dormmate, Salem: he’ll teach her how to be “bad” if she helps him get his parents to take him seriously. As they navigate this pact, their bond deepens, and Evie must confront her heartache and learn to embrace who she truly is.
Read this if you’re looking for a character-driven romance that explores identity, self-discovery, and the power of finding love on your own terms.
2. Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
Fake Skating is a heartfelt, banter‑filled young adult rom‑com set in a hockey‑obsessed Minnesota town. It follows high school senior Dani, who returns home after her parents’ divorce and unexpectedly reunites with her childhood best friend Alec—now a revered hockey star. When circumstances force them into a fake‑dating arrangement, they start to rediscover their friendship, confront family tensions, and realize the depth of their feelings for each other.
Read this if you’re looking for a charming, heartwarming YA rom‑com filled with witty banter, small‑town vibes, and the slow‑burn magic of rediscovered friendship.
3. Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams
Audre Mercy‑Moore is a high‑achieving, anxiety‑prone teen whose plans for a summer escape to California fall apart, leaving her stuck in Brooklyn with family tensions and no space of her own. In need of inspiration for a self‑help book she hopes will strengthen her college application, she hires Bash Henry—a charismatic newcomer and “fun consultant”—to help her complete a series of daring challenges. As they navigate this summer of unexpected connection, the story blossoms into a warm, witty exploration of self‑acceptance, friendship, and the messy, exhilarating beginnings of young love.
Read this if you’re looking for a heartwarming, witty summer story about friendship, self-discovery, and the charming chaos of unexpected connections.
4. Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson
Ellis, a city‑raised teen, expects her senior fall to be all about preparing for Columbia’s journalism program—until her parents’ separation sends her from Manhattan to her aunt’s charming, autumn‑obsessed small town of Bramble Falls, Connecticut. While reluctantly immersed in the town’s festive Falling Leaves Festival, she keeps running into Cooper, her former best friend and first kiss, who’s determined to keep his distance. As Ellis finds herself increasingly drawn into the town’s cozy rhythms and quirky residents, her plans for the future—and her heart—begin to shift.
Read this if you’re drawn to cozy, autumn‑tinged teen romances that balance heartfelt emotional growth with small‑town charm.
5. Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon
River Langston‑Lee’s life spirals in a single day—he dumps his girlfriend, walks out on his SATs, and quits his job at his parents’ café—until his best friend helps him land a gig at a struggling Korean café, Bingsu for Two, where he meets the sharp‑tongued, goth co‑worker Sarang Cho. When a video he uploads of the café’s chaotic staff goes viral, fans begin shipping River and Sarang, prompting them to fake‑date to save the business. As the café gains attention, River must decide whether to follow others’ expectations or stand up for the place—and person—that are becoming home.
Read this if you enjoy charming YA rom‑coms with witty banter, slow‑burn fake‑dating vibes, and a cozy café setting that feels like home.
6. It’s a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson
High school junior Charlie Porter, a talented hockey player, finds herself suspended after a rinkside brawl derails her athletic dreams. When her skating rival Alexa Goldstein needs a new pairs partner, they strike a deal: Charlie will train with her, and in return Alexa’s Olympian mother will help Charlie get exposure with college scouts. As they navigate the challenges of a new sport and their icy first impressions thaw, a tender, slow-burn romance unfolds on and off the ice.
Read this if you’re looking for a sweet, slow-burn sapphic romance set against the backdrop of competitive skating and hockey, with strong character growth and a touch of athletic charm.
7. If We Were a Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal
High school senior Rochelle “The Shell” Coleman is laser‑focused on becoming valedictorian and getting into Wharton. When she reluctantly takes a summer job at Horizon Cinemas—a historic, Black‑owned movie theater—she finds herself working with her nemesis, Amira Rodriguez. As the theater faces financial peril, Rochelle and her coworkers band together to save it, and along the way Rochelle begins to see Amira in a new light, sparking a sweet, enemies‑to‑lovers romance.
Read this if you’re looking for a lighthearted sapphic romance set against the backdrop of a beloved movie theater—perfect for fans of charming, sweet stories with a touch of nostalgia.
8. Heart Check by Emily Charlotte
Heart Check is a feel‑good young adult rom‑com set in a hockey‑obsessed small town, where Luke Dawson—a star high school hockey player—and Harper Braedon—a jewelry‑making student and vocal critic of athletic favoritism—find themselves at odds when a scandal ends with Luke’s hockey coach getting fired. As the story unfolds, forced proximity helps the two overcome their mutual annoyance and find understanding and connection.
Read this if you enjoy charming, small‑town young adult rom‑coms with a touch of hockey and witty banter.
9. Love Points to You by Alice Lin
Love Points to You is a charming young adult romance centered on sixteen-year-old Lynda Fan, a practical and determined aspiring artist who dreams of attending the Rhode Island School of Design but lacks the funds. When her wealthy, seemingly arrogant classmate Angela Wu hires her to design characters for an otome game, Lynda eagerly accepts—only to find herself unexpectedly exploring both her creative potential and her own capacity for love.
Read this if you’re looking for a creative young adult story that blends ambition, artistry, and sapphic romance with ace/demi representation.
10. First Love Language by Stefany Valentine
Catie Carlson, a seventeen‑year‑old Taiwanese American adoptee raised in a white family, longs to reconnect with her roots and understand more about her heritage. When she meets Toby, they strike a deal: he’ll teach her Mandarin if she helps him navigate the dating world—despite having no dating experience herself. Armed with her late father’s annotated copy of The Five Love Languages, Catie steps into the role of a dating coach, only to discover that learning the language of love is far more complex than she imagined.
Read this if you’re looking for a heartfelt YA romantic dramedy that explores identity, family, and finding your cultural roots in a thoughtful, emotionally resonant way.
So there you have it—the ten YA romance novels that captured our hearts in 2025. Each brings something special to the table—whether it’s the perfect slow burn, witty banter, or moments that made us feel deeply. The best part about great books is sharing them—so happy reading, and here’s to all the wonderful YA romances still to come!
