I'll start off by saying I actually don't love romance novels. In fact, I normally don't even read them. They are usually just too repetitive, cliché, or fairy-tale-like for me.
However, once in a while, I will find a romance novel that I truly enjoy. And in 2025, I found quite a lot of these books! This year, I challenged myself to read more romance novels than I normally would, and I was pleasantly surprised!
Whether it was the endearing characters or unique subplots, the YA romances below made me question my preexisting judgments about the genre. These books bring all the feels without being too clichéd or glamorized. So, in no particular order, here are my 5 favorite teen romance novels of the year.
1) Love Radio - Ebony LaDelle
Page Count: 320 Pages
Spice Level: 2.5/5
My Stars: ★★★★★
Some books you find yourself smiling at for nearly the entire story. Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle was one of those stories.
The book follows two teenagers in Detroit—Prince Jones and Dani Ford. While Prince is a self-professed love doctor with his own relationship-advice radio show, Dani has no interest in romance. However, when the two meet, there's no denying their connection. Still, Dani—unwilling to be derailed from her senior-year plan—only gives Prince three dates for her to fall for him.
Despite only three dates, the book does a wonderful job of crafting their relationship and showing their natural progression. What I loved most about this book were the characters. Written in a dual POV, both Dani and Prince are incredibly realistic and nuanced, with distinct goals and motivations. Similarly, their date scenes are so cute and feature unique settings you likely haven't read about before.
Overall, Love Radio is a great read! Described as "mega swoonworthy, effortlessly cool, and full of heart," this book delivers on its promise. Trust me—the characters will have you biting back a smile the entire time!
2) Call Your Boyfriend - Olivia A. Cole & Ashley Woodfolk
Page Count: 336 Pages
Spice Level: 2.5/5
My Stars: ★★★★★
I had gone into Call Your Boyfriend by Olivia A. Cole and Ashley Woodfolk thinking it would be your average romcom read; however, it was so much more than that. In fact, if I had to describe the book in one word, it would likely be "smart." The story is incredibly layered with multiple characters, each with their own wants and storylines.
Despite this complexity, the authors do a great job of ensuring each character shines. So much so that I couldn't pick a favorite character if I wanted to!
The story follows two teen girls, Beau Carl and Charm Montgomery, who are both heartbroken after being led on by the popular girl, Maia Moon. Upset, they team up with a revenge plot for Beau to "tutor" Charm on how to win Maia's heart, only for Charm to then dump Maia. Yet, as their plan progresses, Beau and Charm begin growing closer to each other, forcing them to decide if they should abandon their scheme altogether.
Complex and fun, this book is a super engaging read! It's smart, funny, and full of tender scenes.
3) The Atlas of Us - Kristin Dwyer
Page Count: 336 Pages
Spice Level: 4/5
My Stars: ★★★★★
The premise itself is partly what makes The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dwyer so interesting. The story is about Atlas James, a teenage girl, who feels lost after her father's death. In a final attempt to pull her life together, she joins a community service program rehabbing trails in the Western Sierras.
Forbidden from using their real names, she and her team of four strangers—Books, Sugar, Junior, and King—work together to rehab the trail. Along the way, she begins to shed the lies she's built, all while growing close with teammate King. But the program has to end, and with that, Atlas (trail name "Maps") must decide what she’s willing to carry back into the real world.
Along with its engaging premise, the beauty of The Atlas of Us also lies in its characters. Each character is unique with interesting fears, secrets, and lies. It's this character work that kept me eager to keep flipping the pages!
Maps and King's relationship was flirty, while still containing many deeper emotional moments. Overall, The Atlas of Us is an immersive romance that's not just fluff and fun. Both King's and Maps' secrets and grief come together in a way that's heartfelt and realistic.
4) Breathless - Jennifer Niven
Page Count: 414 Pages
Spice Level: 5/5
My Stars: ★★★★★
You've likely heard of Jennifer Niven or her work before. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she's written a ton of YA novels that have become classics for Gen Z. Her book Breathless does not disappoint!
Breathless follows budding teenage writer Claudine Henry, who is whisked away with her mother to an island off the coast of Georgia after her dad reveals he's leaving her mother. Claude is devastated, yet finds distraction in Jeremiah Crew, a local trail guide and photographer. Yet this distraction deepens into something much more electric.
What I loved most about Breathless was Claude's character. From her intrusive thoughts to her worries, she's written with so much realism that I often found myself thinking she's a living teen. The story is long and somewhat of an emotional roller coaster—the ending especially!—yet it's written with such care and depth.
This story perfectly tackles the process of figuring out who you are when your entire world shifts!
5) Sunrise Nights - Brittany Cavallaro & Jeff Zentner
Page Count: 400 Pages
Spice Level: 1.5/5
My Stars: ★★★★★
Sunrise Nights by Brittany Cavallaro and Jeff Zentner totally surprised me! I hadn't really known what to expect from the book, but I am so glad I picked it up. This dual POV novel follows teenage creatives Jude and Florence.
Jude is a passionate photographer, reeling from his parents' divorce, while Florence is a dancer whose career will soon be cut short due to a degenerative eye disease. The two meet on Sunrise Night—the last night—at their sleepaway arts camp. While they spend the whole night together, they ultimately agree on one rule: No contact for a year after the sun has risen. Over three years/Sunrise Nights, Florence and Jude form a bond and have to decide who they are together.
Apart from the dual POVs, what I enjoyed most about Sunrise Nights is that it's written in verse. As a fan of in-verse novels, I loved how each line felt intentional, guiding the story and characters forward. Their voices felt teen-like and almost unfiltered! This autheniticity drew me in and I finished the book in just a day or two.
If you need a soft yet character-driven read packed with relatable themes, then Sunrise Nights is a must-read! (Also, isn't the cover so pretty?)
The books on this list showed me that not all romance novels are predictable cliches. These stories truly engaged me and reminded me that YA romance is a powerful genre when written with honesty and realism.
So even if you're someone who typically avoids romcom novels (like me!), I seriously hope you give these books a try! Who knows, you may even find a book you fall in love with yourself? Happy reading! 📚
