If you’re looking to get into the Valentine’s Day spirit with some cute romance books, but don’t want a lot of heavy romantic action, I’ve compiled a list of young adult romance and romantic comedy books that are low on spice and overflowing with cuteness! With rivalries-turned-romances, friends to lovers, and first love, these are all sweet novels with all the feels, and are sure to make you happy. They’re also easy to read at the end of a school day; often, the last thing any of us wants to do after a long day of homework is settle in with more reading, but these may be the exception. Read on for a list of young adult romances perfect for February!
- Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey
This is a book I’ve recommended before (a few of these are), but it’s perfect for the readers who daydream about their own rom com story. When a chain bookstore moves into the empty space across the street from Madeline’s family-run, independent bookstore, she starts seeing more and more customers line the competitor’s shelves— along with the son of that location’s owners. With parent drama, anxieties about college and the future, and of course a teen romance unfolding on the page, this is a quick read for the bookworms and the hopeless romantics. There’s a few low-level romantic scenes in this one, but nothing wild, and nothing that isn’t age-appropriate for the characters or a YA audience of 15-18!
- Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
This is a young adult book with no romance exceeding a high school crush and a few kisses; when Mia travels to Paris for the summer for a ballet program, she meets Louis- a French teenager who she can’t seem to stay away from. As he shows her around the city, she starts to wonder where her priorities really lay, and if ballet is what she truly wants. This one is appropriate for middle schoolers and older, and is a lovely page turner with French scenery and a little insight into the ballet world as well!
- We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
This novel features a second-chance trope, with two teens reuniting after a falling out due to both of their families working in the wedding planning industry. With an important focus on mental health, no severely explicit romantic scenes, and sweet, funny characters, Rachel Lynn Solomon is a talented author who has written a cute, teen-appropriate romance for those who want a story with depth and plot, but without a lot of heavy romantic action. Plus: the humor is fantastic, and it’s a quick read! Despite the important themes that arise in this book, you won’t be drained after setting it down, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get interested. If you’re uncertain around books that deal with mental health conditions, check the content warnings before reading.
- Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
This is a YA enemies-to-lovers where Pepper and Jack (yes, the obvious pun you’re thinking of is relevant) are the children of rival restaurant owners. When a social media rivalry breaks out between the two restaurants, and a grilled cheese recipe’s integrity is compromised, Pepper and Jack find themselves fighting over whose restaurant is better- until they aren’t really fighting with all of their energy anymore, and actually begin to enjoy each other’s company. There’s little to no explicit romance, the plot is hilarious, and it’s a unique take on the rivals trope that tends to be relatively common in the romantic comedy genre.
- Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch
This one is perfect if you’ve been wanting to travel; set in Greece, Olive hops on a plane to meet her father, and ends up meeting Theo, a teen who works with her father on his theories about Atlantis. With a beautiful setting that feels as though you’re seeing Greece through your own eyes, relatable characters, and the perfect balance between humor and seriousness, watching Olive and Theo figure out their relationship is equal in importance to Olive and her father figuring out how to interact after not really knowing each other for much of Olive’s life. This is a fluffy and cute young adult romance, and if you want more of the same vibe, check out Love & Gelato and Love & Luck by the same author; both were published prior to Love & Olives, and while you don’t need to read all three to understand the plot, they are connected in the sense that some of the characters know each other and pop up in other books!
- House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig
This one is for the fans of creepier, more haunting stories; it’s a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and is still YA but a bit darker than your typical romance. The romance, in fact, takes a backseat to the mystery plot line— which is incredibly interesting, and makes the book impossible to put down. With a cliffside kingdom setting, a princess trying to figure out why her and her family appears to be cursed, and a mysterious young man named Cassius, who’s just as intriguing as the main plot, this book is a short read for mystery and thriller readers who want a little romance for February.