What To Read Next If You Loved Any Of These Popular Romance Books

Reading a romance book is always a good idea. Sure, genres like fantasy, science fiction, and thriller have their own appeal, but there's something compelling about anticipating how the characters' love story will unfold as you turn each page. Plus, romance books are more relatable since there is a possibility some tales could happen in real life, making them an even more captivating read. It's probably why so many romance books get adapted into movies.

The high you're on after finishing a truly good book is unmatched. It's almost like a mental hangover from all of the emotions and adventures. And when you're back to reality, you may feel a bit blue about the monotony of daily life. That's why many readers will search for a book that can deliver the same emotional rush and escape. So let's help you find that perfect next read. Today, we were inspired by a #BookTok trend and want to recommend a book we think you'll like based on a book you've read.

If you're an avid romance book reader, there's no way you haven't heard of "The Love Hypothesis" by Ali Hazelwood. With an average of 4.12 stars on Goodreads by more than 1 million people, it was one of the most loved books in 2021. The novel centers around a Ph.D. student, Olive, trying to convince her best friend, Anh, that her love life is thriving. She dates her professor to try and pull it off, and she has to convince everyone around her it's true love. If you loved this lighthearted "fake-dating" trope read, we know you'll love "The Soulmate Equation" by Christina Lauren.

"The Soulmate Equation" revolves around a single mom barely making ends meet as a freelance data and statistics expert. She's been reluctant to jump back into the dating scene, but when she hears about a matchmaking company relying on science called GeneticAlly, she decides to give it a shot. Then, her test matches her with none other than the company's founder, Dr. River Peña, with a whopping 98% compatibility rate. This makes her all the more skeptical because she's well aware he's stubborn and sort of an elitist. But when GeneticAlly offers to pay her to get to know him, the single mom, in need of the extra money, can't turn it down. Will River turn out to be the haughty jerk Jess knows him to be, or will he completely surprise her?

Yulin Kuang's "How to End A Love Story" won her the Goodreads Choice Awards' Readers' Favorite Debut Novel in 2024. The story revolves around an author, Helen Zhang, experiencing imposter syndrome and writer's block, and Grant Shepard, a screenwriter looking to advance his career. The two find themselves working together on the set of the TV adaptation of Helen's novel, with Grant taking on the project in hopes of opening up more career opportunities, despite the tragic accident that bound them together thirteen years ago. If you loved reading about Helen and Grant's tumultuous and fiery reunion, you'll love "The Rom-Commers" by Katherine Center.

For more than a decade, Emma Wheeler has put aside her dreams to be a rom-com screenwriter so she can care for her ill father as his sole caretaker. But she chances upon an opportunity of a lifetime when she's offered to work and write a script for her one and only idol, renowned screenwriter, Charlie Yates. She leaves her father under the care of her sister and heads to LA, only to be disappointed by how much of a jerk her idol is in real life. Not only does he dismiss her as a failure, he doesn't even care about the script they're supposed to write and he thinks love is nothing but a ponzi scheme. How will Emma change Charlie's mind? You'll have to find out in "The Rom-Commers."

Author of "People We Meet on Vacation," Emily Henry wowed romance genre lovers again with "Funny Story." Life is perfect for Daphne after settling into her fiance's hometown, Waning Bay, Michigan, and she's ready to begin a new life together with him. Well, perfect until her fiance, Peter, leaves her for his childhood best friend, Petra. Daphne ends up alone in her ex-fiance's hometown, and the only thing she has is her dream job — a children's librarian that doesn't pay her enough. Desperate to make ends meet, Daphne proposes becoming roommates with Petra's ex, Miles Nowak. If you loved reading about this eclectic love story unfold, you'll absolutely love "Yours Truly" by Abby Jimenez.

The second book of Abby Jimenez's "Part of Your World" series, "Yours Truly" centers around Dr. Briana Ortiz, whose life is anything but good. In the midst of finalizing her divorce, her brother is in desperate need of a kidney, and her annoying colleague, Dr. Jacob Maddox, isn't making her life any easier. Well, until she reads the apology letter he wrote her, in which he admits he struggles with social anxiety. Briana is taken by surprise and writes back. Soon, they begin exchanging letters on the regular, and the next thing you know, they're lunch buddies in Briana's "sob closet." As their connection deepens, Dr. Maddox shocks Briana when he offers to donate his kidney to her brother. How could Dr. Ortiz possibly resist this amazing man who continues to take her by surprise?

Steven Rowley's "The Guncle" and "The Guncle Abroad" were absolutely refreshing. They had a good blend of humor and emotional depth and kept a positive tone throughout. "The Guncle Abroad" takes place in Europe, where Patrick's brother is to get married. On their journey to the wedding, Patrick will have to teach his niece and nephew about love, just as he helped them understand grief when their mother died five years before. If you loved reading this heartfelt story about the most amazing guncle and his European adventure, you'll love reading "The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston. 

Two childhood best friends turned bisexual lovers turned estranged exes end up on the same exact same food and wine tour in Europe, and they'll have to put up with each other for three brutal weeks. To prove there's nothing left between them, the two exes challenge each other to a hookup competition — who can sleep with the hot Italian tour guide first. But things spiral, and the competition quickly turns into who can have the most hookups throughout their tour. Read "The Pairing" to find out what happens to the two estranged lovers get caught up in a very raunchy game. 

Remember when we were required to read the classics for lit class? If you do, which novel was your favorite? Many will probably agree that Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is at least in the top five contenders for their first choice. Austen's portrayal of classism and the social expectations of the characters is both subtle and insightful. And if you loved this classic romance novel, you have to read the modern day retelling of it: "Pride and Protest" by Nikki Payne.

In this modern day retelling, the main heroine Liza B. is a dedicated D.J. on a mission — stopping her neighborhood from getting gentrified by a greedy property development company. When she mistakens the CEO, Dorsey Fitzgerald, for waitstaff at a protest, they clash over differing views, but there are also some sparks flying — even if neither of them wants to admit it. Dorsey, born Filipino and adopted into a wealthy white family, always felt out of place, and he knows how to spot a fraud. And he's sure Liza is one. But Liza leads a protest that becomes a viral meme, and maybe, just maybe, Dorsey was wrong about her, and she just might actually be the most genuine woman he's ever met.

If you didn't know it already, the romance genre is the highest-grossing fiction genre worldwide. So, just imagine how many romance books are published every year. We knew we had to search far and wide and get inspired by a variety of sources. We tapped into some popular Reddit forums for books and romance books — they're always such solid starting points as they provide genuine reviews and recommendations from readers all around the world.

Once we had a decent number of books we liked, we searched these titles on #BookTok and the internet to see if avid readers had blogged about them. #BookTok influencers and bloggers help us narrow the list as they usually do a deep dive of novels, highlight hidden gems, and help us gain insight. Finally, we'll take the narrowed list to Amazon and Goodreads reviews, because the last thing we'd want to do is recommend books with poor reviews.