Book Riot | 11.02.2026 17:00
Narrowing down the romance novels that have defined this century so far was no easy feat. This bestselling genre has experienced seismic shifts in the last decade, let alone since the year 2000, and we wanted to capture the full breadth of that evolution. From sweeping historical romances and gothic tales to several flavors of romantasy, and from the sweet and tender to the most steamy, these selections aren’t just personal favorites: these are books that have reshaped the landscape of romance. Some were bestsellers, others sleeper hits. Some diversified existing traditions with voices and perspectives long left out of the conversation, and others blurred genre lines with their HEAs. The common thread here is impact: cultural, emotional, and in some of the best cases, both. Here’s a look at the romance novels of the century so far that we can’t stop thinking about.
