British Romance Novels

The Royal Treatment

Author: M.J. Summers

Year: 2017

Genre: Romance

More info: Crown Jewels #1

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Tessa Sharpe is the Royal Watchdog and hates everything about the Prince. Now, in order to save his reputation and his thrown, Prince Albert must invite Tessa to live at the castle with him for two months.

Why Kirsten loves it

This royal read and funny and entertaining. It was the perfect light read to indulge in before the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This hilarious royal read will leave you smiling.

Find this book in: British Romance Novels / Royal Romance Books

Boyfriend Material

Author: Alexis Hall

Year: 2020

Genre: Romance

More info: Book 1 of 3

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This is the second fake dating book I read this month, but this one hit all the right notes. This was such an adorable LGBTQ romance.

When Luc, the son of two rock stars, needs a boyfriend who is respectable in order to keep his job, he is willing to fake a relationship. Oliver Blackwood is a barrister who needs a boyfriend to bring home to his family. The two could not be any more different.

It is a perfect situation until the fake starts to feel real. Even though the two men could not be more different, they just might be the perfect Ying and Yang.

Why Jackie loves it

This LGBTQ book is one of the enemies-to-lovers books that helped to take my mind off reality and it made me smile throughout the whole book. This is also a great fake dating book. I am always shocked by how many books are enemies-to-lovers and fake-dating…who knew?

Find this book in: Fake Dating Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books/ British Romance Novels

Red, White & Royal Blue

Author: Casey McQuiston

Year: 2019

Genre: Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!

This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)

Trigger Warnings

Homophobia

Why Kirsten loves it

The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and I am all in.

Why Jackie loves it

Not only is the relationship between these two charming but a female president and a royal angle as well makes this a must-read!

Find this book in: Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels/ Books With a Color in the Title /Best YA Romance Books

The Rose Bargain

Author: Sasha Peyton Smith

Year: 2025

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

More info: The Rose Bargain #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Think of this book as The Selection but with Fae! The queen has ruled for hundreds of years after she ended a war. Now, every citizen in England is granted one wish from the fae queen. Girls bargain for a gift to help them make a good match and men bargain for wealth and status. However, with each gift comes a price (like the tip of a pinky finger or a few teeth). This year the stakes are the highest because the fae prince is looking for a wife.

Ivy needs that match more than ever. Her sister made a bargain she cannot remember, and it has nearly destroyed her family. To save her family from ruin, Ivy will compete with other women to win the prince’s heart.

Why Jackie loves it

I immediately wanted to read this when I heard “The Selection”, but this book is sooo good with its unique storyline. I love the alternate English history rather than a dystopian setting. The characters in the book are fun to read and I could not put this book down. There were some unpredictable elements in the story that made it even more fun and I am already dying to read the next one.

Why Kirsten loves it

This is everything my ballgown-loving heart wanted it to be. I swooned over the romance, hated the main villian, and was utterly gobsmacked by the ending. I can’t wait for the sequel!!

Find this book in: Books Like The Selection / Adult and YA Fae Books / The Ultimate List of YA Fantasy Books / Books With Flowers in the Title / Best Beach Reads 2025 / Best Fantasy Books of 2025 / Books Like The Night Circus / Fantasy Book Series for Young Adults

Modern British Romance Novels

My Oxford Year

Author: Julia Whelan

Year: 2018

Genre: Fiction

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Ella has moved to Oxford to study for one year before heading back to America to work on a political campaign, fulfilling a lifelong dream to study in the famed English school. But then she falls for her professor and must decide what she wants from the future.

Trigger Warnings

Cancer

Why Kirsten loves it

I picked up this contemporary fiction book to help combat my Royal Wedding withdrawal. I assumed it was going to be a light and fluffy romance — I had no idea I was going to be sobbing my eyes out with what is essentially the newest JoJo Moyes.

Adaptation Information

Sophie Carson, Corey Mylchreest, Dougray Scott, and Catherine McCormack star in the Netflix adaptation of this book.

Find this book in: Books Set in College / Best Contemporary Fiction / British Romance Novels / British Books

Magnolia Parks

Author: Jessa Hastings

Year: 2023

Genre: Romance

More info: Book 1 of 5

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This book is basically Gossip Girl set in London High Society featuring a bunch of 20-somethings as they party, date, and globe-trot. Magnolia Parks and BJ Balletine’s relationship is at the heart of this toxic romance book, but there are tons of secondary characters with equally dramatic lives. It’s the first in what will be a 7-book series – they are the perfect summer reads!

Trigger Warnings

toxic relationships

Why Kirsten loves it

This #booktok sensation is full of toxic relationships, high fashion, and DRAMA. Is it the best-written book? No. Did I read all 430+ pages in one day? Hell yeah.

Find this book in: Books With Flowers in the Title / Ultimate Beach Reads 2023 / Billionaire Romance Books

Bridget Jones’s Diary

Author: Helen Fielding

Year: 1999

Genre: Romance

More info: #1 Bestselling Book

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

I remember reading this contemporary fiction book shortly before it was turned into a hit movie starring Colin Firth and Renee Zellweger. This modern Pride and Prejudice retelling is told in diary form over the course of one year.

Hysterical and silly, Bridget’s antics are quite something. Mark and Daniel are deliciously brought to life via Bridget’s inner monologue. If you love the movie, try the book.

Bridget starts her diary on New Year’s Day which makes it a perfect pick for books about New Year’s!

Why Kirsten loves it

I love Pride and Prejudice retellings and this is one of the best ones I have ever read. Even though it just had its 25th anniversary, it is still relevant and funny. The fact that it is written as a year of diary entries is icing on the cake!

Find this book in: Epistolary Novels / Best British Books / New Year’s Eve Books / Books Like Pride and Prejudice / British Romance Novels

Always, in December

Author: Emily Stone

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This tear-jerking story blew me away. It was a romance story for the first 30% of the book, but then it became something much deeper.

Josie mails a letter to her deceased parents every Christmas, but this Christmas she accidentally hits a stranger named Max with her bike on the way to the post box.

As she explores the holiday season with Max her feelings start to grow, but when he leaves unexpectedly, she’s left to deal with the aftermath of the impact he had on her heart. But fate isn’t done with their story yet as they bump into each other throughout the year.

Why Kirsten loves it

Probably my favorite Christmas romance book of 2021, this one is a tear-jerker for sure. I sobbed for the entire last 10% of the book and it will most likely, emotionally wreck you. This book is a testament to the healing power of love and the kind of impact each of us can make on each other.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you are looking for a Christmas book that ends with a bow and smile, you may want to look elsewhere. Despite this, we needed to include this on our list of best holiday books. #gifted by

Find this book in: Books That Will Emotionally Wreck You / Best British Books / Best Holiday Books / Best Christmas Books Of All Time / Best Christmas Romance Books / Christmas Book Club Books / Christmas Novels for 2021 / Emily Stone Books Ranked

From Notting Hill with Love Actually

Author: Ali McNamara

Year: 2012

Genre: Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Scarlett lives her life like she is in a movie. When she has a chance to housesit in Notting Hill, she jumps at the chance. She leaves behind her friends, family, and fiancé to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

As soon as she arrives in London, life becomes as crazy as any movie. Scarlett is left with choices that will change her life.

Why Jackie loves it

Light and fun, this book provides the perfect getaway from reality.

A Cottage by the Sea

Author: Ciji Ware

Year: 1996

Genre: Romance

More info: Time Slip #1

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This romance is part historical fiction, part contemporary romance as Blythe Barton retreats to an estate in Cornwall after her high-profile divorce. Suddenly she can get glimpses into her ancestor’s past and the mystery of her disappearance.

Why Kirsten loves it

The winner for me is the vivid descriptions of the Cornish coastline and the creaky old manor house. It’s reread this a few times, but I’ve always loved Cornwall so this will be my last.

Find this book in: Books Set in Cornwall/ British Romance Novels

Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles

Author: Beth Reekles

Year: 2022

Genre: Romance

More info: USA Today’s February Rom-Com to Read

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This story is so adorable! It’s Love Actually, Quarantine edition. It’s not a scary pandemic read AT ALL. Instead, it’s an interwoven tale of various couples stuck together for a week-long lockdown.

There is a group of bachelorettes, a new couple who have only shown their good sides to each other, an established couple struggling, a man separated from his girlfriend, and my personal favorite – a one-night stand turned week-long visit.

Trigger Warnings

Pandemic

Why Kirsten loves it

Charming and hysterical, this contemporary fiction book lifted my spirits and had me laughing out loud which is amazing for a quarantine fiction.

Find this book in: forced proximity trope / British Romance Novels

All That Life Can Afford

Author: Emily Everett

Genre: Fiction

Release Date: April 1, 2025

More info: April 2025 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating: 💋💋
Age Range: 16+

Plot

Anna arrives in London after years of relocating there, but instead of the London in her Austen novels, she’s met with an expensive city she can barely afford to live in. Until she meets the wealthy Wilders, who show her the side of London that only money can access.

While traipsing around St. Tropez as their live-in tutor, she meets two boys from the same social set and is soon caught up in a love triangle. But as she starts to ignore her own friends and spend money she doesn’t have to keep up with her whirlwind social life, she needs to come to terms with how much it is costing her to star in her own Austen-style adventure.

Why Kirsten likes it

I enjoyed the romp around aristocratic London, the many Austen and other bookish references, and the look down the rabbit hole of Anna’s adventure. The story lacked the emotional depth to really bring it to an excellent rating for me, but if you are looking for a book like Magnolia Parks or Gossip Girl, this one certainly fits the bill.

Find this book in: Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2025 / British Romance Novels

Me Before You

Author: Jojo Moyes

Year: 2012

Genre: Romance

More info: Me Before You #1, New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

When a young man becomes paralyzed his parents hire a young woman to be his companion. As love blooms, and she tries to convince him that life is still worth living, the reader questions what they would sacrifice to make a loved one happy. This novel about grief deals with grieving before the person has passed.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide

Why Jackie loves it

Me Before You has quickly become a classic story – and a movie to boot. But beware! This is one of the grumpy sunshine romance books that will emotionally wreck you that you don’t want to read in public!

Find this book in: Grumpy Sunshine Trope Books / Novels About Grief / Books That Will Emotionally Wreck You

British Historical Romances

The Duke and I

Author: Julia Quinn

Year: 2000

Genre: Romance

More info: Bridgerton #1

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

There is something about Daphne and Simon that I adore. This book is a perfect historical romance. The Netflix book adaption smashed records and caused a boom in book sales.

Daphne Bridgerton is the fourth of eight children and is beginning her first season in the ton. As young women of marrying age search for a husband, Daphne is not quite like other girls.

When the eligible Simon Bassett suggests they begin fake dating to allow them both a chance to breathe. However, things do not always go as planned. To make matters more complicated, Lady Whistledown always seems to know the truth and the information ready for everyone to read. This is one of our fake dating books of all time.

Why Jackie loves it

I watched the show and LOVED it so much. I previously read some of the others in the series but I really wanted to read this first book in the Bridgerton book series and I have to say, it was my favorite.

Why Kirsten loves it

I love a great historical romance and this one had everything I was looking for – great characters, a steamy romance, and a happy ending.

Find this book in: Fake Dating Books / Bridgerton Books in Order / Best Netflix Adaptations of 2023 / Best British Books / Best Historical Romance Novels

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

Author: Susanna Kearsley

Year: 2011

Genre: Magical Realism

Age Range: 16+

Plot

After Eva’s sister dies, she heads back to Cornwall England to find peace and rest. What she discovers is more than she expects when she finds herself inexplicably back in time. She finds herself falling in love with Daniel Butler, a man who lived in the eighteenth century.

As her heart begins to feel again, can she find a way to heal her broken heart and find love? Can she live between two times? This is a wonderful time travel romance book that you will want to read again and again.

Why Kirsten loves it

I read this book set in Cornwall in only a few days because I loved it so much. This is another book that I read this month that is the perfect pick for books like Outlander.

Why Jackie loves it

This historical romance book was such a quick read for me because I loved the plot and characters. I felt invested in Eva’s story and wanted her to get a happy ending.

Find this book in: Books Like Outlander / Books Like A Discovery of Witches / Time Travel Romance Books / The Best Historical Romance Novels / Books With Flowers in the Title / Historical Fantasy Books / Fiction Books About Gardens and Gardening

Bringing Down the Duke

Author: Evie Dunmore

Year: 2019

Genre: Political Romance

More info: Book 1 of 4 from A League of Extraordinary Women

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Evie Dunmore’s debut novel spanned a series of badass women during the Suffragette era. While the story is a romance, don’t let that fool you! You’ll get a history lesson on the suffrage movement in English History as well as a lesson on Estate and Inheritance laws — which were still of utmost importance a few decades later when Downton Abbey takes place.

Annabelle Archer has the scholarship to be one of the first women to study at Oxford. In order to keep it, she must spy on the Duke of Montgomery and try to persuade him to the suffragette’s cause.

Why Kirsten loves it

The chemistry between these two crackled off the page in this romance. If books are up your alley, this book is perfect for you. I loved Dunmore’s portrayal of strong women who stuck to their guns.

Find this book in: Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Historical Romance Novels / Books like Bridgerton / Fiction Books About Women in Politics

Author: Daphne Du Maurier

Year: 1941

Genre: Romance

More info: Kirsten’s Favorite Book

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This tale of Lady Dona St Columb has escaped to Cornwall in search of adventure and a change of scenery. There, she meets a band of thieving pirates and quickly falls for the captain. Will she give up everything to be with him and live a life of adventure, or will she let the calls of motherhood bring her back home?

Trigger Warnings

Infidelity

Why Kirsten loves it

This book is my favorite book of all time. After reading Du Maurier’s Rebecca, I was eager to read more of her novels. At the time, my grandparents had a home in a Florida enclave by the same name, so I picked it up and read it. Only after I fell in love with this tale did I learn that it was the namesake for their Florida home. It captured my imagination in the best way.

Find this book in: Kirsten’s Favorites, Books set in Cornwall, Pirate Books, Classic Romance Novels / British Romance Novels

Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Year: 1813

Genre: Classic Romance

Spice Rating:💋
More: December 2025 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

Age Range: 12+

Plot

We love this classic love story. This love story has everything you could want. Elizabeth Bennet is a smart and stubborn woman who was ahead of her time. With five Bennet girls, one of them must marry well to support the other sisters.

Why Kirsten loves it

There are so many new and wonderful adaptations of this novel, that we did an entire post on it. And you don’t want to miss the other Jane Austen adaptations in the post as well. Austen is a master of romances, and this book is the original enemies-to-lovers novel! It’s my favorite of all the Jane Austen books.

Adaptations

If you are a fan of the book, you probably have very strong feelings about which adaptation you like more – the 2005 Keira Knightley version or the 1995 version with Colin Firth. In 2025, filming started on the latest adaptation, which will become a series for Netflix. The cast includes Emma Corrin (Elizabeth Bennet), Jack Lowden (Mr. Darcy), and Olivia Colman (Mrs. Bennet). Rufus Sewell, Freya Mavor, Jamie Demetriou, Daryl McCormack, Rhea Norwood, Siena Kelly, and Louis Partridge are in the supporting cast.

Find this book in: Books About Sisters / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Jane Austen Books in Order / Grumpy Sunshine Books / Classic Romance Novels / Books Like Bridgerton / Books Becoming Movies / Read with Jenna Book Club List 2025