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Don’t Write Alone | Writing Life

Reading Recommendations for Aspiring Romance Writers

The Editors

Feb 15, 2023

Don’t miss this list of reading recommendations (crowdsourced from Twitter!) for our Romance Week series.

Have you ever read a novel that was so meticulously written, so ingeniously put together, so gosh darn good at being A Book, that you had to recommend it to a fellow reader so they could learn from it and hone their writing craft? Well, in honor of Don’t Write Alone’s Romance Week, we asked romance readers to do just that.

We asked folks on Twitter for their best recommendations—specifically for books that they recommend to aspiring romance writers because they exemplify what they love most about the romance genre. And many people answered! That’s one great thing about reading romance: When you find a book you love, you can’t help but feel deeply about it and gush. People gave recs for sub-genre staples like Regency or contemporary; others recommended books for the fizzy dialogue or the swooning chemistry between characters. Whatever you’re working on as a romance writer, there’s sure to be something on this list that’ll sharpen your pen.

Since there are so many fantastic romance novels to learn from, we had to handpick just a few to feature in this list, books where the recommenders explained what an aspiring romance writer might learn from reading it. See the selections below. To get more recommendations (and/or even add your own), read the complete Twitter thread here.

The League of Extraordinary Women series by Evie Dunmore

“Evie Dunmore’s The League of Extraordinary Women series (the 4th, and I believe final, book is supposed to release this year)—combines historical fiction with romance. Strong female protagonists. Set in England. All the good things.”

— @daliahsinger

Book one of the A League of Extraordinary Women/Bookcover via Berkley

*The Flatshare* by Beth O’Leary

“beth o’ leary (the flat share) is missing from these responses! the way she writes characters and builds them up outside of the romance in question is great. she makes the reader care about the characters as individuals, which only helps express their chemistry with others.”

— @zainabmsheikh

Bookcover via Flatiron Books

*A Lady for a Duke* by Alexis Hall

“A Lady for a Duke is a masterclass in combining the feel of a classic regency romance while also being progressive on gender”

— @happystuyear

Bookcover via Forever

*The Magpie Lord* by K. J. Charles

“First chapter of @kj_charles’ Magpie Lord is a *clinic* in establishing character, setting, and backstory through dialog and action vs exposition, this is relevant to the genre bc I love romance for the emotional hit and this technique connects me immediately with who I’m caring about and why”

— @MelissaZD

Bookcover via KJC Books

*Before I Let Go* by Kennedy Ryan

“When it comes to contemporary romance there is no better than Kennedy Ryan. The realistic storyline, characters that you understand on a human level, and dash of romance to give you hope. Reel, Before I Let Go, Long Shot, Grip, to name a few of her books.

— @ant0nela_d

Bookcover via Forever

*The Time Traveler’s Wife* by Audrey Niffenegger

“I’m not sure if most people consider it romance, but definitely the time traveler’s wife—I think it bends the genre in all kinds of fantastic ways!”

— @katiecarterking

Bookcover via Harcourt

*You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty* by Akwaeke Emezi

“I also love a messy love story that’s reminiscent of the mess of real life, so Akwaeke Emezi’s You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is one of my fave romances of all time!!”

— @Ameemabackwards

Bookcover via Atria Books

*The Break* by Marian Keyes

“The Break by Marian Keyes. It felt wonderfully original because the characters felt snatched out of real life. The tropes of the genre were there in terms of story, but because it was about middle aged people, marriage, kids, and career, I didn’t mind some formulaic action.”

— @elisbaaron

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

“Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren for how stories can pack such a punch with simple words”

— @DuaaZahra

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

“Hana Khan Carries on by Uzma Jalaluddin for how fan favourite tropes can be written in such a realistic way while keeping their charm + representation done right”

— @DuaaZahra

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

“Lisa Kleypas! Her main characters have so much chemistry, both with each other and the background characters that you can’t help but want to read their stories, too”

— @notzeahaa

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

“Alyssa Cole, especially A PRINCESS IN THEORY and the trilogy it kicks off. Such smart main characters, good chemistry, well written sex scenes”

— @AndBookish

The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan

“Courtney Milan’s The Duke Who Didn’t embraces & enhances the genre. Unconventional heroine, love as romance and community, emotional mystery. Wedgeford (her fictionalized town of Asians in England) has so much potential to continue. ft. graphic description of literal dumplings”

— @onetwo_zee

Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer

“Georgette Heyer is such a classic. Alas, not spicy at all, but the characters are so human and hilarious. I think Frederica is my favorite, or The Grand Sophy or Arabella—all great. Arabella and Regency Buck really do what modern writers wish they were doing—deeply researched, excellently crafted, and oh so charming.”

— Greta Hayer

Beach Read by Emily Henry

“beach read and people you meet on vacation—the way emily henry draws out yearning, even if you know they’re going to end up together, is soooo good”

— @bettinamak

“yes it feels so obvious to say, but Emily Henry does this soooo very well! she also draws fully developed, funny, complicated characters while keeping things tonally very light, towing a line that I don’t see very often in romance”

— @katiecarterking

“I love ones that requires growth and change with both parties in order to come together, and it’s not a ‘miscommunication’ issue, I think Emily Henry nails that”

— @sabriel27