I have been asked to rank my favorite romance series approximately five thousand times. I have resisted. Ranking feels reductive—how do you compare a Regency romp to a contemporary slow burn? How do you weigh sparkling dialogue against emotional devastation? Every ranking is an argument, and I hate leaving beloved series off lists.
But I'm finally doing it. After years of reading, cataloguing, and obsessing over romance series, I'm committing to a top ten. These aren't necessarily the "best" in any objective sense—they're the series I love most, recommend most often, and return to when I need reading that I know will work.
Prepare to disagree. That's half the fun.
The Official Top 10
1. The Bridgertons by Julia Quinn
I resisted putting Bridgertons at number one because it feels obvious. Everyone recommends Bridgertons. The Netflix show made them inescapable. But the reason everyone recommends them is because they work. Julia Quinn balances humor and heart with remarkable consistency across eight books. The family dynamics are wonderful. The dialogue sparkles. And each sibling gets a romance that feels tailored to their specific personality and needs.
If you haven't read them: start with The Duke and I. If you have read them: you understand why they're here.
2. The Wallflowers by Lisa Kleypas
Lisa Kleypas is a master, and the Wallflowers series showcases everything she does brilliantly. Four young women who can't seem to attract suitors form a friendship while sitting out dances. They make a pact to help each other find husbands, and over four books, each gets her happily ever after.
What makes this series special is how much it values female friendship. These women genuinely love and support each other, and that bond matters as much as the romantic relationships. Plus, Kleypas writes swoon-worthy romance better than almost anyone.
3. Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Twenty-plus books set in a tiny Northern California town. If you want small-town romance done right, this is the standard. Carr has built something special here: a community that feels real, characters who develop across books, and reliable emotional satisfaction.
The Netflix show brought Virgin River to a wider audience, but the books have been beloved for years for good reason. Start with the first book and let yourself settle into the town.
4. Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis
Pacific Northwest coastal charm in series form. Shalvis writes with warmth and humor, creating a Lucky Harbor that feels like a place you'd want to live. The romances are consistently satisfying, the community develops beautifully across books, and the pacing is perfect for comfort reading.
5. Winston Brothers by Penny Reid
If you want romance about smart people being smart, Penny Reid is your author. The Winston Brothers series features heroes who are mechanics, scientists, and artists—men with depth and unusual interests. Reid's heroines are equally interesting, often in STEM fields or creative professions.
The humor is witty rather than slapstick. The characters have genuine intellectual lives. And the small-town Tennessee setting provides the community warmth that makes series romance work.
6. The Hathaways by Lisa Kleypas
Yes, another Kleypas series. She's that good. The Hathaways follows five siblings navigating Victorian society while being decidedly unconventional. The family is half-Romani, their interests are eclectic, and none of them quite fit expected molds.
This series contains my favorite Kleypas hero (Cam Rohan in Mine Till Midnight) and some of her most emotionally complex storylines. The sibling dynamics are fantastic.
7. Briar U by Elle Kennedy
New adult sports romance at its best. The Briar U series follows college hockey players and the women in their orbit. Kennedy writes great banter, genuine heat, and characters who feel like real college students navigating real emotions.
This series is connected to Kennedy's Off-Campus series, so there's plenty of content if you get hooked. Which you will.
8. Brothers Sinister by Courtney Milan
Historical romance with modern sensibility. Courtney Milan writes characters who challenge the constraints of their historical moment—characters with disabilities, characters questioning gender norms, characters fighting for justice within unjust systems.
The research is impeccable. The characters feel like real people. And the romances balance intellectual engagement with genuine emotion.
9. Cavendish Brothers by Christi Caldwell
Emotional historical romance with real stakes. Caldwell doesn't shy away from putting her characters through difficulty, which makes their happily ever afters feel earned. The Cavendish family is compelling, and each book adds depth to their world.
10. The Scholomance by Naomi Novik
Okay, this one might be controversial. The Scholomance is technically fantasy, and the romance is slow burn across three books rather than central from the start. But the relationship between El and Orion is one of the most satisfying romantic arcs I've read in years, and I'm including it because I refuse to separate great romance from genre boundaries.
If you love fantasy and want romance that develops organically across a larger story, this is for you.
Honorable Mentions
Ten spots isn't enough. Also deserving of recognition: everything Emily Henry has written, the Ravenels by Lisa Kleypas (another Kleypas series, yes), anything by Tessa Dare, the Sinners of Saint series by L.J. Shen, and at least a dozen others I'm feeling guilty about leaving off.
Every series on this list has a complete reading order guide in our database. Start at book one. Trust the authors. Enjoy the journey.
— mrod