Cover Story: Romance

Here are our librarians' picks of the best teen reads in the romance genre.

Northern Soul

Phil Earle

Marv is in love; one glance at his new neighbour Carly, and his world has been turned upside-down. After an evening of listening to love songs and begging the universe for help, he is astounded to be visited by the King of Soul himself, Otis Redding. Otis offers to guide this love-struck teen in the ways of wooing, with advice straight from the 1960s and a suspiciously northern accent... What follows is a hilarious and charming tale of first loves, first kisses, and first heartbreaks all in less than one-hundred pages.

9781800902039 Barrington Stoke: 2024

Ryan and Avery

David Levithan

Ryan and Avery meet at queer prom, and we follow their relationship out of sequence, jumping backwards and forwards through time, in this unique love story told across their first ten dates. Whilst Avery’s parents are supportive of him and his boyfriend, Ryan’s parents are doing everything they can to keep the two boys apart. A lovely LGBTQ+ romance, perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Simon James Green.

9780008655686 Electric Monkey: 2023

I Hope This Doesn't Find You

Ann Liang

Sadie, school captain and top of her class, has a secret to being the perfect student; she writes angry, scathing emails to anyone who annoys her, but leaves them in her drafts, never to be sent. But when all her emails are suddenly shared, everyone learns what she really thinks of them, and they aren’t pleased. Now, to fix the school’s reputation, she’s being forced to spend more time with her co-captain Julius, the target of her angriest emails and the most infuriating person she’s ever met…

9780702324321 Scholastic: 2024

Instant Karma

Marissa Meyer

When over-achiever Prudence discovers that she has the ability to wield karmic justice against those around her, she utilises her newfound power to right all the wrongs she sees in her coastal town. But the person who frustrates her the most, Quint, is seemingly immune to her karmic interventions. He’s also cute and cares about animals, spending most of his time volunteering at a marine animal rescue centre, and Pru begins to realise he might not be as irritating as she first thought...

9780571386543 Faber: 2024

Yours from the Tower

Sally Nicholls

Living far apart after their years together at boarding school, best friends Tirzah, Polly, and Sophia are each faced with unique challenges and difficult choices as they navigate the adult world and their potential futures. Love, marriage, friendship, family, and the politics of 1896 are all explored in this funny yet moving collection of letters between the three teenage girls. With plenty of gossip, intrigue, and Victorian-era romance, this is a coming-of-age tale with plenty of costume drama, as well as a celebration of female friendship.

9781839134814 Anderson Press: 2024

The No-Girlfriend Rule

Christen Randall

Hollis is determined to play Secrets & Sorcery after being rejected from her boyfriend’s game due to the ‘no-girlfriends’ rule his friends have imposed. After finding an all-female crew to game with, her weekly adventures in the Second Realm soon have her embracing her inner adventurer, as well as blurring the lines between role-play and reality thanks to a certain charming bard and the teammate who plays him. Grab your D20 and roll for adorable with this delightful queer romcom set in the world of table-top roleplaying games.

9781782694465 Pushkin Children’s: 2024

Taylor Blake Is a Legend

Laura Jane Williams

Taylor is convinced that France is the coolest country in the world, so she is beyond excited about the imminent French exchange, especially when her partner turns out to be an actual, very handsome, boy! The French are the world experts in kissing, aren’t they? So will she finally get the first kiss of her dreams? This funny story about first love, first kisses and the importance of friendship is ideal for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Holly Smale.

9781526668059 Bloomsbury: 2024