It’s finally the season of love, and what better way to celebrate than to cuddle up with a book!
Since the beginning of TikTok’s reading community, aptly named BookTok, there’s been a largely unanimous list of popular authors, books, and genres that users on BookTok read and recommend. As someone who’s read hundreds of books and a former resident of BookTok myself (who has time to read during the semester? Because I sure don’t), I have compiled a list of my favorite romance BookTok authors that I will be rereading this February.
10. Lynn Painter – Painter is primarily known for her YA enemies-to-lovers books and is great for a fun, feel-good story. Her most popular book is Better Than the Movies, the first book in a duology which follows neighbors Liz and Wes, who go from pranksters to friends to maybe something more!
9. Katherine Center – Center’s romance novels range from women’s fiction to comedy romance, and are great if you want a bit more sentimentality with your love story. My favorite is The Bodyguard, a gender-swapped bodyguard romance that was a nominee for Goodreads’ Readers’ Favorite Romance (2022).
8. Christina Lauren – This writing duo, comprised of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, is a classic in BookTok history for their fun comedy and bittersweet romance stories. The first time I read Love and Other Words, a second-chance childhood friends-to-lovers romance, was when I realized how impactful and beautiful a love story could be.
7. Sarah Adams – There is no sweeter romance writer than Sarah Adams, whose short and sweet novels are perfect for readers who don’t have much time this Valentine’s Day. Although The Cheat Sheet is her most popular series, When in Rome, the first book in the series, is my all-time favorite. The series follows dynamic siblings as they find unexpected love in Rome, Kentucky, while pursuing their dreams and aspirations in the process.
6. Liz Tomforde – Tomforde is the go-to for dual POV sports romance, and my all-time favorite when I want to get lost in a 450+ page story. Her Windy City series follows a group of professional athletes in Chicago, with each novel featuring a new sport. The fourth book, Play Along, is a masterclass in sports romance and was a nominee for Goodreads’ Readers’ Favorite Romance (2024)!
5. Ali Hazelwood – Hazelwood is perfect for anyone who wants a grumpy sunshine academia romance that is both inspiring and super cute! While her most popular book, The Love Hypothesis, is currently in production for a film adaptation, Love, Theoretically, is my favorite Hazelwood enemies-to-lovers novel to get lost in.
4. Mariana Zapata – Another BookTok alum, Zapata is the best slow-burn author whose 450+ page novels are sure to keep you invested. My favorite and personal recommendation is From Lukov with Love, an enemies-to-lovers figure skating romance that lives in my mind even years after my first read.
3. Abby Jimenez – Jimenez is the author of the Part of Your World and The Friend Zone series, both heartfelt women’s romances that are sure to make you swoon. My all-time favorite Jimenez story is Just for the Summer, which was nominated for multiple Goodreads Choice Awards, although I love all of her books and love to brag that I started reading her novels before she gained a big readership.
2. Emily Henry – I truly don’t think there’s a more famous romance author than Emily Henry, and rightfully so. Henry’s stories are heartfelt, sometimes bittersweet, and always sure to impact you. Her most popular book, People We Meet on Vacation, got adapted to a Netflix movie featuring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader this past January, and would be the perfect reading and watching experience for Valentine’s Day, although my favorite Henry romance right now is Funny Story (though my opinion always changes—they’re all just so good!).
1. Jane Austen – You can’t describe BookTok and romance without mentioning Jane Austen, most notably the ever-popular Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Although Austen’s novels are a lot more than simply romance, you can never go wrong with a classic love story to keep company this February. The proper way to fully enjoy an Austen romance is to follow any reading with a film/television adaptation and many TikTok edits (I don’t make the rules; that’s just the way it’s done).
Honorable mentions who aren’t exactly my cup of tea, but generally beloved by BookTok: Hannah Grace, Elle Kennedy, and Lauren Asher.
If you don’t have plans this Valentine’s Day, the season of love is the perfect time to cuddle up and read a popular romance book. Whether you read a BookTok staple or not, I hope everybody has a great February 14th!