Romance novels, while wildly popular, are often “loathed by literary critics” and denounced as formulaic “hackwork” (Crusie). However, popular romance novels cannot be ignored; these books make up the largest market share of genre fiction, earning a total of $1.44 billion in 2022 (Curcic). In spite of this popularity, most university libraries have few romance novels or related nonfiction scholarly and non-scholarly sources about romance novels on their shelves.
At UD, lecturer Amy Krug and her English composition students set out to change that. In the fall of 2023, they collaborated with University Libraries Director of Collections Strategies & Services Tina Beis to curate a list of novels and nonfiction resources about the genre and build a circulating collection. Browse them here and use the links provided to view them in the library catalog.
This project was supported by a grant from the Experiential Learning Innovation Fund. Logo design by Shahd Salem.
Sources:
Crusie, Jenny. “Defeating the Critics: What We Can Do About the Anti-Romance Bias.” JennyCrusie.com. Accessed May 15, 2023.
Curcic, Dimitrije. “Romance Novel Sales Statistics.” Wordsrated.com. October 9, 2022. Accessed May 10, 2023.
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Love and Other Disasters
Anita Kelly
Love & Other Disasters explores the “enemies-to-lovers” trope in romance, and it will leave you starving for more by the end. The story follows London, a quiet nonbinary person who loves making desserts, and their inevitable falling for Delilah, their competitor on a cooking show. This novel explores themes of desire, competition, and loyalty while also educating the audience on nonbinary and queer experiences without making it center stage.
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Love at First Sighting
Mallory Marlowe
Love at First Sighting follows two strangers whose unexpected encounter sparks an immediate and undeniable connection, pushing them to navigate the excitement and uncertainty of sudden attraction while confronting past fears and personal expectations. As their bond deepens, they learn how vulnerability and trust shape the way love grows. Blending contemporary romance with emotional warmth, the story explores themes of timing, openness, and the courage to embrace unexpected beginnings, representing a modern romantic tale about how meaningful connection can emerge in the most surprising moments.
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Love from A to Z
S. K. Ali
Love from A to Z is about two characters named Adam and Zyneb, Muslim teens who met in Qatar. They bond over shared experiences of love, faith, and discrimination. Adam and Zyneb write journal entries that help them find strength over their struggles and connect. The book focuses on racism and identity in a story of love and friendship.
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Love Letters for Joy
Melissa See
Joy wants to be the first disabled valedictorian at Caldwell Prep, and her only competition is Nathaniel, her academic rival. Everyone starts to pair up, and Joy wonders if she is missing out. Joy is asexual, but that isn’t a reason for her not to have a first love. She gets in touch with Caldwell Cupid and finds herself liking the person behind the letters. This book shows that having a disability doesn’t prevent experiencing the same things as everyone else, and it illustrates that sexuality doesn’t define a person.
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Love Me Tinder
Nicola May
Throughout the past 12 years of her life, Cali Summers has been living a good life with her boyfriend, whom she married. However, after a year of marriage, he decided to give up on her for his trainer. This leaves Cali to settle with online dating, something she is unfamiliar with. Will she continue to deal with her broken relationship or decide to move on with something out of her comfort zone?
We chose this book because the plot gives a complete look at online dating. It shows a character who has had a traditional relationship for a little over a decade but has to learn how to use online dating apps. Throughout this unique book, readers see the confusion that can go into using these apps and how they connect with romance.
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Madelon
Valentina Luellen
Madelon is a historical romance set in medieval Spain. The main character, Madelon del Rivas y Montevides, was desired by many men; however, she falls in love with Valentin Maratin, who rescued her from being sold into slavery. However, Madelon comes to find out that Valentin is the mortal enemy of her brother. She is stuck between loyalty to her family and choosing to be with the love of her life. This book was chosen because it is a historical romance marketed as a woman being saved by a strong hero, but in reality, the heroine is the strong one. It is a great representation of the romance novels that were written during the mid-20th century.
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Me Before You
Jojo Moyes
This book follows the story of Louisa Clark, a typical girl with a typical life. She has a boyfriend and a close family in a small town. That all changes when Louisa needs a job. The job she finds is working for Will Traynor, Master of the Universe. Will uses a wheelchair after an accident and is unsure what to do with his life since he was very active before the accident. Louisa and Will are stuck with each other, and she finds out that he has an alternative plan for his life. She is on a mission to show him that life is still worth living.
Me Before You is a great addition to the Popular Romance Collection because it shows the reality of coping with devastating news. It shows the reality of how some characters may handle grief. Both characters, who are complete opposites, try to help each other find what is missing in their lives. This book is known for the controversy around the ending, especially among disability advocates. This is important to add because the ending may not be a traditional romance “happily ever after.”
Note: This book belongs to the "Is it a romance?" section. It's up to the reader to decide!
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Not Here to Be Liked
Michelle Quach
Not Here to Be Liked tells the story of a high school girl named Eliza, who, after years of hard work, is finally ready to take her position as editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper. But when her last-minute opponent, a totally unqualified ex-jock, is given the position, Eliza pours her anger into an essay. She claims the situation is a classic example of sexism, cheating women out of well-deserved leadership roles. As Eliza becomes the face of a feminist movement, she must grapple with the misogyny faced by women who do not conform to societal expectations, all while falling in love with the boy who started it all.
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November 9
Colleen Hoover
November 9, by Colleen Hoover, follows Fallon, an aspiring actress, and Ben, an ambitious writer, who meet by chance on November 9—Fallon’s last day in Los Angeles before moving across the country. Drawn to each other, they agree to meet only once a year on the same date, with no contact in between, allowing their lives to unfold independently while their connection deepens over time. As the years pass, Fallon learns that Ben’s intentions may be tied to a past tragedy involving her, forcing both of them to confront painful truths. The story explores healing, forgiveness, and the blurred lines between love and destiny.
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One Last Stop
Casey McQuiston
One Last Stop, by Casey McQuiston, is a heartfelt queer rom-com that blends romance, mystery, and a touch of magical realism as it follows August, a guarded newcomer to New York City, whose life is transformed when she meets Jane, an effortlessly cool lesbian who also happens to be displaced in time. Through found family, late night diners, and the electric city, McQuiston crafted a story about love that defines logic and the courage it takes to open your heart. As August works to uncover Jane’s past and bring her home, she discovers her own place in the world. This novel is a joyful read that discovers the connection and magic between the two characters.
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One True Loves
Taylor Jenkins Reid
One True Loves focuses on Emma, a woman whose life is split in two by an impossible choice. After her husband, Jesse, goes missing in a helicopter crash on their anniversary, Emma is devastated but rebuilds her life and a new relationship. Emma finds comfort in Sam, and he proposes to her, but everything changes when Jesse is found alive years later. Emma becomes stuck between the love she thought she lost and the love that brought her comfort. She must make a decision. This book is a twist of events always keeping you curious as it explores grief, self-discovery, and the complexity of choosing between two great loves.
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Only When It's Us
Chloe Liese
This book features an enemies-to-lovers trope. Willa, a star soccer player, hates Ryder, a quiet, burly deaf man, for unknown reasons. When they are paired together for a group project, they quickly become friendly through competitive pranks and practical jokes and then eventually fall for each other. This book is important to include in the collection as it is relatable to young adults but features a protagonist with a disability.
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On Rotation
Shirlene Obuobi
On Rotation gives readers a twist that challenges a popular culture stereotype. Through reading this book, you will learn how the protagonist, an immigrant medical student, does not follow the typical beliefs of how she should act. After reading this book, a reader may have a new perspective on immigrant stereotypes and realize the uniqueness of each person in the world.
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Phantom Waltz
Catherine Anderson
Phantom Waltz tells the story of Ryan Kendrick, a wealthy rancher, and Bethany Coulter, a champion barrel racer who became paraplegic after a rodeo incident. Ryan is instantly drawn to Bethany’s strength and independence but must win her trust after she closed her heart off from romance after the accident. The novel incorporates themes of disability, resilience, and acceptance into heartfelt romance. By highlighting accessibility and autonomy, this novel offers acceptance into heartfelt romance. By highlighting accessibility and autonomy, this novel offers readers a deeper understanding of how disabilities can shape romantic relationships.
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Planet Zero
Lydia Hope
Planet Zero is a romance novel that features sci-fi elements while also shining a light on disability representation. The book examines trust between a wild nomad, Zoark, who suffers from postwar injuries, and Addie, who arrives on the primitive planet after a spaceship crash. Planet Zero would be of great value to add to the popular romance collection and be an intriguing option for readers.
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Playing with Matches
Hannah Orenstein
Sasha wants to be a writer but ends up taking a job as a matchmaker for New York’s elite. While her matchmaking skills work for others, her own relationship implodes when her boyfriend, Jonathan, cheats on her. Can she find her own perfect match with one of her clients?
We chose this book because it represents online dating sites in modern romance novels. This book gives an interesting perspective on dating in the modern world with a fun and engaging storyline. This is a great book to read if you're interested in how dating apps function in modern relationships.
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Population
Elizabeth Stephens
Abel lives in a post-apocalyptic world with bloodthirsty aliens and violent human scavengers. The last of her family is taken, and she is prepared to fight to get them back. When she loots a dying alien and then puts him in a secret place to allow him to die in peace, she doesn’t expect him to come back from the dead and save her. This will add to the collection because it contains an atypical pairing of a strong, independent heroine and an alien alpha as well, adding more diverse characters.
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Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice is a classic enemies-to-lovers story following the heroine Elizabeth Bennet and her family in Regency England. We chose this book because it has been a widely popular book since its publication and continues to be a beloved romance choice, inspiring multiple retellings and adaptations as well as the popular romance genre in general.
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Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard
Envelop yourself in the complexities and twists and turns shown in this tale of betrayal, power, and resistance. Red Queen offers an intriguing plot, full of surprises; you won’t be able to put this book down. Red Queen belongs in the romance collection because it contains elements of teen rebellion, love triangles, and representation of the disabled.
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Red, White and Royal Blue
Casey McQuiston
This novel explores the relationship between two men who are looked on heavily by society — a British prince and the son of the president of the United States. This novel is an example of what it is like to navigate a romantic relationship in public society and how opinions of family and society impact a relationship. This novel is a great addition to this collection because of its inclusivity of romantic relationships. The novel allows for other mainstream novels that include LGBTQ+ elements within the romance genre.
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Remember Me Tomorrow
Farah Heron
Mystery, romance, and time warps—this book has it all. Aleeza Kassam, a freshman in college, moves into the East House, the oldest dorm on campus, where Jay Hoque, the mysterious student who disappeared months ago, used to live. When Aleeza starts receiving texts from Jay, who is living in a timeline five months behind, she realizes he has to tell Jay what happens to him. They begin down a journey of discovering what happened in Aleeza’s timeline in order to save Jay in his, while also slowly falling for one another, knowing there could be no future between them.
Author Farah Heron does an amazing job of taking romance and mystery elements and blending them to create the perfect YA story. This book allows people who typically enjoy mystery novels to discover romance as well, bringing more to the readers to the genre.
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Reminders of Him
Colleen Hoover
Reminders of Him, by Colleen Hoover, is about Kenna, recently released from prison for a tragic drunken driving accident that kills her boyfriend. The town she returns to still blames her, making it difficult for her to reunite with her daughter, who was born in prison and is being raised by Kenna's late boyfriend's parents. The only person willing to hear her story is Ledger, a local bar owner, who has helped raise Kenna’s daughter. This novel explores Kenna and Ledger's relationship and emotional journeys. They endure highs and lows together and experience struggles. This novel contains strong themes of forgiveness, guilt, and second chances.
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Serving Pleasure
Alisha Rai
Romance books do not often make best-seller reading lists because they are often thought of as “less than” compared to other genres. The fact that this book made The Washington Post’s Best of the Year list is significant in itself, but more significant is the fact that this book was the first self-published book to make the list.
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Shanna
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Shanna was the first official adult romance novel I read. I found it under my mom’s bed on a summer day when I was 12, and I was hooked. Woodiwiss was one of the most popular romance authors in the 1970s and '80s, but rereading her novels is difficult. Coercion, rape, and forced marriage are all themes in her stories, and looking at them through a 2023 lens is very problematic. I included this book to contextualize the evolution of the romance novel and show how far the genre has come with its depiction of women and gender roles. Dedicated to my mom, Sue Krisko.
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She Gets the Girl
Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
Alex Blackwood is an undeniably courageous flirt. Molly Parker is a socially awkward compassionate soul. The duo strikes a deal that helps Molly explore her flirtatious nature and helps Alex prove to her ex that she is not self-centered. The question is: Do Molly and Alex want other people or each other? Author Alyson Derrick, a No. 1 New York Times best-selling author, depicts a beautiful dichotomy between wants and needs in romance.
