Love Is in the Air:
11 Teen Romance Books
by Janssen Bradshaw
There’s nothing quite so exciting – or quite so dramatic – as young love. Whether you’re a teen in the middle of (or dreaming about) your first romance, or an adult remembering your teen romances from a decade or two (or more!) ago, these eleven books are guaranteed to make you fall in love – at least for a few hours.
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Field Notes on Love
Available from:Hugo and his girlfriend were planning a cross-country train trip for the summer before college. Mae was planning on pursuing her dreams at USC film school. But then Hugo’s girlfriend dumps him, and Mae gets rejected from USC and finds Hugo’s ad for a traveling companion (must have: the same name as ex-girlfriend, to match the non-transferrable ticket). In this touching and introspective story, Hugo and Mae embark on the journey of a lifetime.
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19 Love Songs
David Levithan’s stories of teen romance are widely beloved, particularly Two Boys Kissing and the Every Day series. In this unmissable collection, readers are treated to a whopping nineteen heartening pieces, including appearances from familiar characters, brand new tales of unrequited (and very requited) love, and even nonfiction and a story in verse. It’s truly a mixtape for the books.
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Anna and the French Kiss
Available from:Anna is not delighted about being sent to boarding school in Paris and missing her senior year in Atlanta. But then she meets Etienne St. Clair and she thinks maybe France isn’t so bad after all. Except that Etienne isn’t single. And maybe she isn’t either, if her almost-boyfriend from home turns into an actual boyfriend.
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Audrey, Wait!
No breakup is fun, but when your ex-boyfriend writes a song about it and it skyrockets to #1? Well, that’s even less fun, especially when you’re trying to move on with your life and catch the eye of your cute coworker.
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If I Stay
Mia is torn between wanting to attend Juilliard to play cello and staying home with her beloved family and boyfriend. But after a terrible car accident, those choices seem minimal compared to the real decision Mia now has to face. Check out the recently released movie version too.
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Hot Dog Girl
Available from:Some of us spend the summer on a train, others of us spend it dressed as a hot dog. But for Eloise (Lou) Parker, the costume’s not enough to keep her down. Lou’s determined to turn her crush’s head this summer, and also to save Magic Castle Playland from shuttering for good. Hysterical, full of heart, and with an equally important queer romance in the mix, Hot Dog Girl hits all the right notes.
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Lovely War
Available from:If you prefer your romance with a historical backdrop (and a divine storyteller to boot), don’t miss Lovely War. The coming-of-age stories of Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette are layered with the tragedies of World Wars I and II, the passions of first love, and the stuff of myths, as their story is recounted by none other than the goddess Aphrodite.
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Wildfire
Available from:As if realizing that you’re developing feelings for your lifelong best friend isn’t stressful enough, try managing those emotions with a forest fire on your trail. Annie and Pete are on a backpacking trip across Washington State when a climbing accident halts their progress, and deadly wildfires start closing in. There’s more than enough heat to go around in this tale of love and survival.
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American Royals
Available from:Katharine McGee’s addictive romp reimagines an America in which George Washington accepted a crown rather than a presidency, and his descendants still sit on the throne. There’s Princess Beatrice, bucking against her impending duties as queen regnant; the “spare,” Princess Samantha, in love with the last person she should be; and Samantha’s twin, Prince Jefferson, with opposing suitors after his heart. Turns out, love and royalty are as entwined as ever.
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Her Royal Highness
Available from:Millie Quint flees from Texas to a Scottish boarding school when her girlfriend falls in love with someone else. But it’s not all fun and heart-eye-emojis in the highlands: to Millie’s displeasure, she’s paired with a royal pain of a roommate — literally. Flora’s a Scottish princess and a pain in the you-know-what. But there’s something quite Elizabeth Bennett–Fitzwilliam Darcy about their relationship, and we all know how that story ended.
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Odd One Out
Available from:Bestselling author Nic Stone treats this love triangle with all the tenderness and realness it deserves. Coop and Jupiter have been friends forever, but Coop starts to realize deeper feelings for Jupiter, even though Jupiter’s always liked girls. When Rae Chin moves to town, she catches feels for both Coop and Jupiter, but it’s Coop she starts dating — and Jupiter’s both jealous and surprised at her reaction: she always thought Coop would end up with her. A romance full of self-discovery and the refusal of stereotypes, Odd One Out is a must-read.
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