“What are the best romantic comedy books to read right now?”

Great question! Before I tailor recs, quick preferences help a ton:

• Heat level: closed-door, mild, or open-door?
• Favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, second chance, workplace, etc.?
• Contemporary vs. historical rom-coms?

A few excellent, recent rom-com picks you can read right now

• Unlikely Story by Ali Rosen (2025) — a Nora Ephron–style, swoony, genuinely funny writer-meets-writer romance. (kirkusreviews.com)
• Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia (2025) — playful, meta, and fizzy; a love letter to HEAs with big rom-com energy. (kirkusreviews.com)
• It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram (2025) — heartfelt, sincerely funny second-chance romance with major rom-com vibes. (kirkusreviews.com)

If you want closed-door/cute over spicy

• The New York Times recently highlighted “closed-door” romance recs and called out rom-com favorites like Lynn Painter; great if you prefer swoon without on-page steam. (monorepo-sample1.nyt.net)

Want to browse by trope and mood right now

• The NYT Book Review’s “Romance to Read Right Now” hub lets you jump straight to fake-dating, classic rom-com vibes, grumpy–sunshine, and more—handy if you want a trope-specific pick today. (monorepo-sample2.nyt.net)

Looking for the very newest releases this fall (Oct–Dec 2026)

• Penguin Random House’s Fall 2026 romance slate highlights a wave of brand-new swoony titles you’ll start seeing on shelves now; it’s a solid place to spot fresh rom-coms hitting this season. (penguinrandomhouse.com)

If you share your preferred tropes and spice level, I’ll narrow this to a short, perfect-for-you TBR (and include audiobooks if you’d like).

Here's a great mix of currently buzzed-about and beloved romantic comedy books worth picking up right now:

New & Trending Releases (2026)

• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune and The Project by Annie Lord are among the most talked-about

new contemporary romance and rom-com picks right now, alongside titles like On Thin Ice by Emily Rath in sports romance .

• Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter is a fresh Cinderella-style romp:

when a professional cleaner is caught sleeping in her client's penthouse and assumed to be his mysterious girlfriend, he proposes a mutually beneficial solution — an entertaining Cinderella-esque romantic comedy.

• Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee offers a sapphic historical twist:

the paths of two women collide when they compete for the same duke's hand in marriage, and as they vie for his favor they realize their true hearts' desires may lie elsewhere — a laugh-out-loud, sapphic historical romance.

• And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison just landed too —

the second book in the Heartstrings series is a When Harry Met Sally–inspired rom-com perfect for fans of cozy, banter-driven romance.

Modern Classics Everyone's Still Reading

• Funny Story by Emily Henry —

follows Daphne and Miles, two strangers who wind up as roommates when their respective partners break up with them for each other, leading to humorous fake dating as they try to move on from heartbreak.

• The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood — currently sitting at

the top of best rom-com lists with a 4.30 average rating from nearly 700,000 readers on Goodreads.

• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne —

a sharp, witty enemies-to-lovers story set in a bustling publishing office, where two coworkers spend every day exchanging verbal jabs while a simmering attraction grows beneath their competitive banter.

• Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola — a campus fake-dating story where

Babalola brings friendship, coming-of-age, female empowerment, family and love all with a dash of humour and a ton of sass.

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — a beloved

TikTok and Instagram favorite enemies-to-lovers political romance.

• Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella —

a delightful rom-com filled with laughter, mishaps, and heartfelt moments, where a young woman confesses all her secrets to a stranger on a plane, only to find he's her company's secretive CEO.

For Something a Little Different

• The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center — about

a woman who gets hired to help rewrite a screenplay with her screenwriter idol.

• If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel —

a rom-com of high-stakes espionage and unresolved emotional baggage between two secret agents forced to team up.

• A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston —

a delightful mix of contemporary romance and magical realism that bends the rules of time and space.

Whether you want something brand new off the shelves or a fan-favorite classic, there's plenty of laughter-and-love reading to dive into!

Here are some of the best, most widely acclaimed romantic comedy books to pick up, broken down by the specific vibe or trope you might be in the mood for:

The Laugh-Out-Loud, Banter-Filled Standouts

• Funny Story by Emily Henry
• The Trope: Fake dating, opposites attract, forced proximity.
• The Vibe: When Daphne’s fiancé dumps her for his childhood best friend, she ends up having to temporarily room with the ex of that same best friend (Miles, a scruffy, easygoing chaos agent). To save face at an upcoming wedding, they pretend to date. Emily Henry’s signature whip-smart dialogue and emotional depth make this one of her sharpest and funniest books.
• *(Also check out Henry's Book Lovers if you want a love letter to city workaholics and romance genre tropes.)*

• The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
• The Trope: Fake marriage, grumpy/sunshine, ultra-rich family drama.
• The Vibe: Anna, a quirky artist struggling to make ends meet, agrees to keep up a secret paper-marriage to her stoic former college friend, Liam, so he can inherit his family’s fortune. She has to survive a week at a lavish family wedding on a private island without their cover being blown. It has classic late-90s rom-com energy, laugh-out-loud moments, and incredible chemistry.

For High Emotion Mixed With Laughs

• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
• The Trope: Cursed lovers, summer fling, emotional depth.
• The Vibe: Justin and Emma both suffer from the same bizarre curse: everyone they date ends up finding their soulmate immediately after breaking up with them. They decide to date each other for the summer and break up, hoping it cancels out the curse. Jimenez balances genuine hilarity with heavy, realistic themes (family trauma, mental health) in a way few other authors can.

• A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
• The Trope: Artistic soulmates, modern Harlem Renaissance, destiny.
• The Vibe: While it leans a bit more into lush drama and contemporary fairy tale than pure slapstick comedy, Williams’s sharp wit, vibrant style, and magnetic dialogue make this an irresistible, romantic modern love story.

Nerdy, Academic & STEMinist Romances

• The Love Hypothesis (or Love, Theoretically) by Ali Hazelwood
• The Trope: Fake dating, grump/sunshine, academic rivals/allies.
• The Vibe: If you love science puns, fiercely smart heroines, and towering, brooding men who are secretly head-over-heels in love, Ali Hazelwood is the gold standard. The Love Hypothesis kickstarted the trend, but Love, Theoretically (which explores people-pleasing and cutthroat physics faculty dynamics) is arguably her sharpest work.

British Charm & Wholesome Chaos

• Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
• The Trope: Opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, bucket list.
• The Vibe: Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek who creates a "Get a Life" list to push herself out of her comfort zone—and enlists her tattooed, motorcycle-riding building superintendent, Redford, to help her complete it. It’s spicy, riotously funny, and deeply tender.

• The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
• The Trope: Roommates who have never met, Post-it note romance.
• The Vibe: Tiffy and Leon share an apartment and a single bed, but they’ve never seen each other because of their opposing work shifts (she gets it by night, he gets it by day). Their relationship blossoms entirely through sticky notes left around the flat. It’s quirky, British, and impossibly sweet.

With a Touch of Magic

• A Novel Love Story (or The Dead Romantics) by Ashley Poston
• The Trope: Book lover gets trapped in a romance novel, small-town magic.
• The Vibe: Eileen is obsessed with romance novels and unexpectedly finds herself stranded in a small town that seems pulled straight from the pages of an unfinished book series by an author who disappeared years ago. It’s cozy, clever, and an absolute delight for avid readers.

Quick Recommendation Guide:

• If you want sharp banter and coastal summer energy: Start with Funny Story.
• If you want unhinged family antics and fake marriage: Pick up The Paradise Problem.
• If you want to laugh and then cry your eyes out: Choose Just for the Summer.

If you want the best romantic comedy books right now, the strongest current picks are The Love Hypothesis, Book Lovers, The Unhoneymooners, Beach Read, and Funny Story. These titles show up repeatedly in 2026 best-of and bestseller-style lists, suggesting they’re the most visible rom-com reads at the moment.¹²⁴⁷¹³

Here’s a quick shortlist, grouped by the kind of rom-com vibe each one gives:

• The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood — a hugely popular STEM romance and currently a bestseller on romance lists.¹⁴⁷¹³
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry — one of the most consistently recommended modern rom-coms, especially for sharp banter and witty dialogue.²⁹¹³
• Beach Read by Emily Henry — regularly recommended as a top contemporary rom-com with emotional depth and humor.²²¹
• The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren — a longtime favorite in “best rom-com” roundups and one of the most shelved romantic-comedy books on Goodreads.²¹⁸
• Funny Story by Emily Henry — a newer standout that appears on current rom-com and contemporary romance lists.¹³
• Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella — a classic funny, workplace-awkward rom-com that still gets recommended often.⁹
• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne — a modern enemies-to-lovers benchmark that continues to appear on best-rom-com lists.¹³¹⁶
• The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary — a charming, high-concept romance with humor and slow-burn chemistry.⁹
• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center — a popular recent rom-com pick for readers who want banter and feel-good energy.⁹
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld — a smart, meta take on celebrity romance and gender dynamics.¹⁴

If you want the safest “start here” choices, I’d pick Book Lovers for witty dialogue, The Love Hypothesis for a hugely popular contemporary romance, and The Unhoneymooners for a classic, easy-to-love rom-com.¹²⁴¹³

If you want, I can also narrow this to:

• the funniest rom-com books
• the most swoony enemies-to-lovers books
• clean/closed-door rom-coms
• new rom-com books from 2025–2026

Best Romantic Comedy Books to Read Right Now

Based on reader shelving and ratings data from goodreads.com, plus curated lists from hpb.com and penguinrandomhouse.com, here's a breakdown of the rom-coms readers are loving most.

The Freshest Releases (2023–2024)

• Funny Story by Emily Henry (2024) — avg rating 4.18 with over 1.45 million ratings. One of Henry's highest-rated books and a current favorite.
• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (2024) — avg rating 4.33, the highest-rated title on this list, with 1.2 million+ ratings.
• The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center (2024) — avg rating 4.04.
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (2023) — a New York Times bestseller and Reese's Book Club pick. A meta-romance about a sketch writer for a late-night comedy show who hits it off with a pop star host. The New York Times Book Review called it a "fizzy ride," and The Guardian praised its "faultless" command of structure, pace, and dialogue.

Modern Fan Favorites

These are the titles most frequently shelved as "romantic-comedy" on Goodreads:

• The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (2021) — avg rating 4.09, a staggering 2.17 million ratings. Arguably the defining rom-com of the last few years.
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry (2022) — avg rating 4.08, 1.7 million ratings.
• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez (2023) — avg rating 4.29.
• Beach Read by Emily Henry (2020) — avg rating 3.95.
• The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (2019) — avg rating 3.89, 1.19 million ratings.
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (2019) — avg rating 4.04.
• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (2016) — avg rating 3.85, an enemies-to-lovers staple with 861K ratings.
• The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (2019) — avg rating 3.97.
• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2018) — avg rating 3.86.
• Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (2023) and Love on the Brain (2022) — both 4.08 and 3.90 respectively.

Beloved Classics & Backlist Gems

If you want the foundations of the genre:

• Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (1996) — avg rating 3.81, over 1 million ratings. The ur-text of modern rom-com.
• Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (2000) — avg rating 3.72.
• Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella (2003) — avg rating 3.82.
• Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie (2004) — avg rating 3.94.
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (2013) — avg rating 4.01.
• It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (2021) — avg rating 3.88.
• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center (2022) — avg rating 3.93.

Quick Picks by Mood

Bottom line: If you only pick one, Just for the Summer (4.33) and Funny Story (4.18) are the highest-rated recent releases, while The Love Hypothesis remains the most-read modern rom-com. For a literary, self-aware take, Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld is a standout pick.

Here are some of the strongest romantic comedies (and very close cousins) getting the most love right now, drawn from 2025 best-of lists and reader buzz.

Pure rom-com energy

• First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

A modern Sleepless in Seattle riff: a jaded Baltimore radio host who has fallen out of love with love meets a hopeful single-mom mechanic after her daughter calls into his show. Slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine, found family, and genuinely funny. Frequently named a favorite of the year. [¹](elle.com/culture/books/g65464988/best-romanc...) [²](culturefly.co.uk/book-review-first-time-call...)

• It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

A former child-star-turned-producer lets a small lie snowball and ends up stuck for a week in Long Island with her old crush (and current work nemesis). Awkward, warm, and full of the kind of banter that makes you grin. Amazon editors singled it out as a perfect summer rom-com. [³](amazon.com/amazonbookreview/read/B0FXHLPZ34) [¹](elle.com/culture/books/g65464988/best-romanc...)

• Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola

A witty sequel to Honey & Spice. Kiki is now a romance-podcast authority whose own love life is a mess—until her handsome ex shows up as best man at a wedding where she’s maid of honor. Sharp, warm, and grounded in real young-Londoner messiness. [⁴](theguardian.com/books/2025/dec/04/five-best-...) [⁵](marieclaire.com/culture/books/best-romance-b...)

• The Love Haters by Katherine Center

A video producer on the edge of a layoff gets sent to Key West to profile a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. Center (of The Rom-Commers) delivers her usual mix of humor, heart, and “this feels like a hug” vibes. [³](amazon.com/amazonbookreview/read/B0FXHLPZ34)

Strong rom-com vibes with a little extra

• One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Photographer Alice and a reformed golden boy end up running a rundown boat-rental kiosk together at the lake (same setting world as Every Summer After). More tender than zany, but the second-chance hijinks deliver real laughs. [⁶](vergemagazine.co.uk/top-romcom-books-of-2025...) [⁷](stylist.co.uk/books/best-romcom-novels/77716...)

• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Two journalists compete to write the biography of a reclusive heiress on a Georgia island. It’s more ambitious than a straight rom-com (there’s a historical mystery woven through), but it still has Henry’s signature banter, enemies-to-lovers spark, and wit. Reese’s Book Club pick and a major 2025 romance hit. [⁸](bookshop.org/lists/best-of-the-best-romance-...) [⁹](bookreporter.com/reviews/great-big-beautiful...)

• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

Stanford diver recovering from injury + Olympic-level swimmer + a secret arrangement that gets complicated. Instant #1 New York Times bestseller and Amazon’s top romance of 2025. Heavy on banter and chemistry, but it’s steamier (and kinkier) than a classic light rom-com. [³](amazon.com/amazonbookreview/read/B0FXHLPZ34) [¹⁰](publishersweekly.com/9780593550441)

If you want something still fresh but slightly older

Emily Henry’s Funny Story (2024) and Katherine Center’s The Rom-Commers (2024) remain comfort re-reads that hold up perfectly if you haven’t gotten to them yet.

Quick guide by mood:

• Want classic movie-rom-com feelings → First-Time Caller or It’s a Love Story
• Want witty + a bit of heat → Sweet Heat or Deep End
• Want lake/summer escape → One Golden Summer
• Want Emily Henry’s voice → Great Big Beautiful Life

If you tell me your preferred heat level, tropes (fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, sports, small town, etc.), or whether you want closed-door vs. open-door, I can narrow this further.

I'll search for the latest romantic comedy bestsellers and recommendations.

I found some strong leads — now I'll dig into the details on these titles.

That football rom-com looks promising — I'll gather a few more top picks to round out the list.

I've got enough for a solid shortlist — let me verify one last bestseller before I put it together.

Here are the best romantic-comedy books to pick up right now — a mix of huge 2026 new releases and recent staples that are still dominating bestseller and BookTok shelves:

1. Hottest 2026 Releases

*1. The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez The #1 most-read romance of 2026 right now. It is the second installment in Jimenez's Say You'll Remember Me series, published in March of 2026 as an instant New York Times* No. 1 bestseller.

Goodreads ranked it its “Most Read Romance Books of 2026”, with over 285,000 ratings since publication.

It follows Larissa, a waitress who must pick between two different guys for a ride home from a concert. She ends up with the outgoing Mike, but his reserved best friend Chris grows in his feelings for her — even though he's just not the type to step on anyone's toes. Slow-burn, forbidden, pining-filled — perfect for summer getaway reading.

Start with book 1 first: Say You'll Remember Me was named one of Barnes & Noble's Best Romance Books of 2025.

*2. First and Forever by Lynn Painter AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER from #1 New York Times* bestselling author Lynn Painter.

Described as an utterly irresistible romantic comedy about a football star and his team’s die-hard fan who find themselves entangled in a PR stunt that only one of them knows is fake.

Duffy Distefano becomes the internet’s villain after an awful encounter with the team’s beloved mascot, then ends up in a highly amusing verbal sparring match on live TV with MVP Connor Cunningham. The interview goes viral and the public is obsessed with them.

*3. Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick* Listed as Contemporary Romantic Comedy / Romantic Comedy, a New York Times Bestseller and one of Barnes & Noble's Best Romance Books of 2026.

Premise: Who needs love when you’ve got romance novels? At least, that’s what Phoebe Berman believes, but with one month until she turns thirty, she’s determined to gain some actual life and love experience. Funny, heartwarming classic rom-com with mental-health representation.

*4. Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian* Cat Sebastian’s long-awaited foray into contemporary romance: a witty, emotional, and deliciously slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between two costars on a popular sci-fi television series.

BookPage describes it as two actors on a popular sci-fi TV show who agree to stage a public friendship and discover they might not actually hate each other. Available 03/24/2026.

*5. And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison* Two competing meteorologists are forced to find common ground in this opposites attract, When Harry Met Sally inspired romance, from New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison.

*6. Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey* From #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey with an all-new marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers sports romance about a baseball catcher and the burlesque club owner he can’t get out of his head.

*7. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK ∙ AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES* BESTSELLER.

Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve. More sweeping / emotional than pure slapstick Henry, but full of her signature banter.

2. Recent Favorites Still Worth Reading Right Now

These continue to dominate rom-com charts:

• Funny Story by Emily Henry and Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez consistently rank in the Amazon Top 20.
• Books like ‘Beach Read’ by Emily Henry, ‘The Flatshare’ by Beth O’Leary, and ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston have gained immense popularity and have been praised for their fresh takes on the romantic comedy genre.
• The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren is about Olive and Ethan, who are forced to take a honeymoon trip to Hawaii together after everyone else at a wedding falls ill except for them.

If you want just 3 to start with tonight:

• 1.For ugly-cry + laugh — The Night We Met
• 2.For light, flirty, fake-dating fun — First and Forever
• 3.For book-club depth + romance — Great Big Beautiful Life

Want me to narrow it by trope — enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating, sports romance, LGBTQ+, or clean / closed-door?