Recs if you like A Caribbean Heiress in Paris...

Every year we pick 10 books that we think rise above the rest. These are the 70 we've picked since 2019.

Updated to include our Best of 2025 picks.

Romance reads across genres with childfree characters/storylines. This shows up in different ways. Its either a given, not a part of the plot or a conclusion. That said, it doesn't necessarily mean there aren't any child characters in the story. If you need details I'll dig into my memory to verify. I'm open to recs, but I want to be really clear about the nature of their childfree status, so any explanation you can provide would be great.

from swooning over prolonged eye contact at a ball with the ton, to intense yearning between two really good friends in 1960s New York, here are some historical romances to get you hooked on the best subgenre

Sixty-nine (that’s right, 69, by pure unplanned luck!) recommendations for you — everything from bonkers to bloody to blazing hot…naughty bits that we believe deliver the whole banana (and sometimes no banana at all, if you know what we mean). If you're looking for something specific (or trying to avoid it), you can find this list with subcategories on our site.

AMOR❤️ A collection of romance books by Latinx authors. Includes all types of romance (fantasy, gothic, YA, adult, contemporary, lgbtq+, etc.).

I chose not to display multiple books from the same author and also picked the first in the "series" (if applicable) only. This is to introduce you to the author and the series, that way you can look into each further if you'd like! 🥰

These are more of the popular ones I found from my research so I am always open to suggestions!

For people who love watching Bridgerton for its diversity and want to read more historical romances that are genuinely diverse

Bartenders, sommeliers, and distillers in love. Recommendations enthusiastically accepted, especially for queer romance!

Melanated historical romances that need to be centered in the genre immediately

A silly goofy little list of incredible historical romances for people who want to learn while also giggling and kicking their feet in the air.

Historical romance books that showcase people of marginalized and diverse communities by people of marginalized and diverse communities.

Historical romcom books that subvert the genre beyond two cis straight white able bodied people of a similar class. Think the Bridgerton TV Show but even more!

Let me know if you have any recs to add!!

I love historical fiction, but it's too easy to get stuck in WWII Europe or the US Civil War. These are just a few of my favorites set in different areas of the globe. I usually use the Historical Novel Society 's definition of a historical novel as my guide (events 50 years old or did not happen in the author's lifetime). I also include ones that cross genres.

These books include couples that do not plan to have children ever. I've also added a few books where they don't even talk about kids and there's no baby in the epilogue.

A list of the Top 100 Romances of the past 50 years as voted on by the Magnificent Firebird community.

Still refining the name, obviously. Going for M/F romance that feels non-heternormative. I want genuine emotional connection. A FMC who isn't just crabby and emotionally unavailable or "not like other girls". A MMC who is a soul-reviving study in non-toxic masculinity but also a fully formed complex human, not someone who lives only to ‘worship’ the FMC. And a HEA that isn't doubling down on gender stereotypes. Also looking for characters who live in bodies with normal human softness, not six packs. Authenticity or bust! Recommendations welcome!

because unfortunately there is still a painful dearth of happy endings that don’t default to marriage and reproduction, especially in hetero romance. 🫠

Books set in France

Open to recs!

Historical romances with modern storylines. Heroines who are smart, talented, and driven. A happy ever after means being able to continue her work; maybe he’ll even join her cause...

There are 3 questions an author must address for each character in order to make the fake dating plot work:

• Why is this happening/why is a fake relationship the only option?
• Why this person and not some other person?
• What happens if it all goes south?