Trying to find a good romance novel to become your next Roman Empire? Well, my friend, you're in luck because if there's anyone who loves a good love story, it's me.

This fall, as the air gets cooler and the days shorter, you might find yourself craving the warmth of summer romance again, especially after spending the whole summer surrounded all things The Summer I Turned Pretty. One in every three videos on my FYP was about the series and the constant battle between "Team Conrad" and "Team Jeremiah", I swear I'm not exaggerating!

So instead of letting that summer feeling fade away, why not hold onto it a little longer? In order to help you with that, I've rounded up my top 5 recommendations so my fellow love addicts can enjoy a bit of sunshine and nostalgia to add to their cozy fall days—with Amazon links included under each photo for easy access.

Image credit: Ravi Kant from Pexels

#5: Beach Read by Emily Henry

If you’re looking for a romance that’s both witty and heartfelt, Beach Read is definitely for you. January Andrews is a romance writer who no longer believes in happily-ever-afters. After the death of her father and the discovery of his secrets, she’s struggling with writer’s block and questioning everything she once stood for.

She retreats to her dad’s old beach house to try and get her life back on track, but her new neighbor turns out to be Gus Everett, a serious literary fiction writer who doesn’t believe in happy endings. It’s not long before the two challenge each other and make a deal: January will spend the summer writing a serious, “tragic” novel, and Gus will try his hand at writing a romance. Whoever fails has to help the other with their book.

As the summer goes on, their banter and competitiveness grow into something deeper. Between late-night writing sessions, research trips, and learning to see life from the other’s perspective, January and Gus start to discover that they might not be so different after all.

What I really loved about this book is that, behind the fun rivalry and clever humor, it dives into much heavier themes such as grief, heartbreak, forgiveness, and learning to move forward when life doesn’t go as planned. It shows how love doesn’t always appear when everything is perfect, but sometimes when things feel the most broken.

Image credit: Amazon.com

#4: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Next on the list is Sally Thorne’s first novel: The Hating Game. If you’re looking for a good old “enemies to lovers", this is the book for you. Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman are coworkers at a publishing company, and it’s not long before they develop a mutual hate for each other.

They’re complete opposites: Joshua is rigid and serious, and Lucy is joyful and likable. When the company announces the new promotion, they’re going to have to go up against each other, for their tension seems to grow thicker, and Lucy refuses to back down and be the loser in another one of their games. As the story continues, we slowly discover the fine line that exists between hate and love. So fine, Lucy might not hate Joshua. And Joshua just might not hate her either.

What I really love about this book is that beneath the bickering and tension, it’s a story about vulnerability and getting to know someone despite the walls they might place around themselves. It shows you how love can be found even in the most unexpected places, and how, somehow, opposites can end up attracting each other.

Image credit: Amazon.com

#3: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover has a vast collection of amazing romance novels, and Ugly Love is nothing short of them. Tate and Miles don’t exactly get off on the right foot, but the sexual tension between them can’t be ignored. So, instead of ignoring it, they agree on a casual, no-strings-attached set-up.

Miles sets two simple rules: don’t ask about the past and don’t expect a future. At first, Tate convinces herself she’s fine with the arrangement, but as things go on, she’s not so sure anymore. After she learns Miles hasn’t had any relationships in 6 years, not even sexually, she can’t help but wonder why. But every time she tries to get something, anything, out of him, he shuts her down immediately.

How can she get him to open up? How does she tell him she wants something more?

The chapters of this book alternated between Tate’s view of the present moment and Miles’s past. Although, even though in every other chapter you get to know something more about his past, the puzzle pieces really don’t fall into place until the end, meaning you’re on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Image credit: Amazon.com

#2: Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

This book is another amazing “enemies to lovers” that made it impossible to put down throughout the whole book.

Liz is a hopeless romantic; rom-coms are her everything. It’s the same passion she used to share with her late mother. She’s determined to live her own perfect love story, and everything starts looking up when her childhood crush, Michael, moves back into town during their senior year of high school, meaning prom is just around the corner.

So, she decides to make it her life’s mission to get Michael to be her prom date, even if it means she has to go through Wes Bennett, her annoying next-door neighbor. Though they’re always bickering, especially over a certain parking spot, Wes is friends with Michael, and Liz sees an opportunity. After the deal is settled, they start becoming more partners than rivals. Maybe Wes isn’t what Liz always thought him out to be.

This book isn’t solely based on romance; it also focuses on Liz’s grief over losing her mother and how she struggles to adjust to her stepmother, Helena. This can be relatable for some people, and it honestly made the book feel more down-to-earth and authentic for me.

Liz experiences personal growth and starts to realize that not all love has to be like what you see in the movies. And even though real love can have unexpected turns, sometimes real love might even be better than the movies.

Image credit: Amazon.com

#1: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

I’m glad to end this list with another incredible novel by Colleen Hoover: November 9. This isn’t your typical romance trope. Fallon and Ben meet the day before Fallon is set to move to New York.

They instantly click, which leads them to spend their last day in LA together. Ben is a writer and is seeking inspiration for a book, and this just might be it. They make an arrangement, and they’ll continue to meet on the same date every year.

As they continue to meet through the years, each one living their o@wn life simultaneously, it grows harder and harder not to fall in love with each other, but for the sake of the book, they keep it up. Even throughout the twists and turns they experience, the story moves on until one day Fallon learns something that might break them apart forever.

Even though the idea might seem a little cliché at first, this book absolutely captivated me from the first page. It reflects how there can be bonds so strong that even seeing each other once a year can’t break them. This story never failed to surprise me; it felt like being on a roller coaster with a blindfold on. It’s a novel that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading the last page, making you think about love, fate, and life’s unpredictability.

Image credit: Amazon.com

Wrapping it up…

I hope this list has helped you discover a few new books to add to your “to be read” list. Each of these books captivated me in different ways and kept me more than busy throughout the summer. I love it when people recommend books, and it’s why I decided to do the same on a platform that can be reached by all teens who are looking for their next great read.

Dive in!