If you’re anything like me, your go-to stress relief strategy involves a comfortable couch, some good food and a romantic comedy. From My Big Fat Greek Wedding and 10 Things I Hate About You to The Proposal and Crazy Rich Asians—I’ve seen them all. And recently I discovered the perfect new way to feed my obsession: romantic comedy novels.
Like their film counterparts, rom-com books feature two quirky yet lovable characters who inevitably fall madly in love, but not without plenty of entertaining misadventures along the way. Plus, because the books usually go into more depth than the movies, you tend to get to know the characters and their motivations much better.
Here are five of my favorite romantic comedy novels to get you started on your reading journey:
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
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The Hating Game is, hands down, the best contemporary romance novel I’ve ever read. The book follows polar opposites Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman, a pair of workplace enemies who find every opportunity to compete with each other. But when they begin competing for the same promotion and start spending more time together, they realize that the intense emotion they’re feeling may not be hatred after all.
The banter between Lucy and Josh in this book is immaculate and the tension is off the charts—trust me when I say that this book will give you butterflies. Make sure you read it before the film adaptation is released!
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
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If you’re looking for a fun read with fantastic representation, Red, White & Royal Blue is for you. The queer romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz—the biracial son of the female (!) United States President—and Britain’s Prince Henry is sweet, hilarious and uplifting. There’s no shortage of witty dialogue and lovable characters to keep you hooked. And while the book is sure to bring a goofy smile to your face, it also deals with some tough topics such as grief and homophobia.
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
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If you don’t believe in soulmates, you must not have read People We Meet on Vacation because there’s no better way to describe Alex and Poppy. The two are complete opposites but they were best friends until two years ago when something happened on one of their annual vacations. Now, Poppy has a chance to save their friendship on one last summer trip.
Throughout the book, we get to experience ten years’ worth of vacations—from budget road trips to luxury European holidays—and all of the accompanying adventures, inside jokes and mishaps. The friends-to-lovers storyline is heartwarming and I literally laughed out loud at some points.
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
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The Love Hypothesis is Ali Hazelwood’s debut novel and she absolutely knocked it out of the park. In the book, Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith enters into a fake relationship with Adam Carlsen, a young professor best known for his genius…and his rudeness. Throughout the novel, Olive and Adam have to work to convince others that their relationship is legitimate, so naturally, tons of cute (and awkward) moments ensue.
This book is the fake dating trope at its best and it was so refreshing to read a romance novel about a badass woman in STEM. It delves into many of the problems facing women in both STEM and academia. And, of course, you’ll totally fall in love with Adam. In other words, it’s a must-read.
- The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
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The Flatshare is probably the most unique rom-com I’ve ever read. The two main characters, Tiffy and Leon, share an apartment (and a bed), but they’ve never met. Tiffy gets the apartment at night and Leon gets it during the day, so they never actually see each other. But soon they begin to write each other notes—first about household chores that need to get done and later about life updates and personal stories. A strong friendship develops and then starts to turn into something more, especially after Tiffy and Leon finally meet face-to-face.
Beth O’Leary gives her characters such unique voices, which makes The Flatshare really fun to read. The book is also set in England and it makes sense considering the writing style and plot points all seem super British. It’s truly an adorable story and it’s the perfect cozy fall read.
These are just a few of the countless novels that truly capture the spirit of the rom-com. I hope they bring as much joy to your days as they have to mine!