10 of the best romance books

Brief plot summary

Book Lovers follows Nora Stephens, a sharp, big‑city literary agent who reluctantly agrees to spend a month in a small town at her sister’s urging.

What starts as a chance to slow down quickly gets complicated when she keeps running into Charlie Lastra, a brooding editor who also happens to be her long-time work nemesis.

As the two cross paths far more often than either of them expects, the familiar friction between them starts to shift into something entirely different.

Why it’s a must-read

Honestly, part of the reason Book Lovers deserves a spot on this list is simply because I adore Emily Henry and love everything she’s written so far.

But this one feels especially fun and refreshing, a real treat for us book lovers. Nora and Charlie aren’t your typical romantic leads – they’re both sharp, guarded and completely career driven.

Watching their hard edges soften is such a joy, and Henry makes it almost impossible not to fall in love with both of them.

Awards and recognition

• Goodreads Choice Award for Romance (2022)
• Henry was named by Time magazine on its Time100 Next list of emerging leaders (2023)
• New York Times bestselling author

Publication year: 2022

Availability: Browse Book Lovers on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

Normal People follows the complicated on-again, off-again relationship between Marianne and Connell as they move from school into university.

It’s not your typical romance – in fact, it’s often deeply unromantic in the most honest of ways. The story leans into emotional intimacy, miscommunication, and the lasting impact two people can have on each other, even when they can’t quite make things work.

Why it’s a must-read

I’ll admit, I hesitated before adding Normal People to this list, as it doesn’t fit the mould of a traditional romance novel.

But that’s exactly why it belongs here. It isn’t a clean, tidy love story. Rooney captures love the way it often is – messy, complicated and deeply human. There’s something strangely personal about the story, and it’s easy to recognise parts of yourself in Marianne, Connell, or both.

Awards and recognition

• 2019 British Book Award for Book of the Year
• Longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize
• Winner of the 2018 Costa Book Award for Best Novel
• Royal Society of Literature Encore Awards for best second novel of the year (2019)

Publication year: 2018

Availability: Browse Normal People on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

The Flatshare follows Tiffy Moore, who urgently needs somewhere new (and cheap!) to live, and Leon Twomey, a night‑shift nurse who needs the extra money.

Their solution is a little unusual – they share the same one‑bed flat, and even the same bed, but never at the same time. What begins as sticky notes left around the flat, slowly grows into a warm, unexpectedly intimate connection that neither of them sees coming.

Why it’s a must-read

I adore The Flatshare because it already feels like a modern classic. It’s so wonderfully, unmistakably British, from the dry humour to the small everyday details.

Tiffy and Leon’s slow, gentle connection feels incredibly genuine, and watching it grow is heart-warming. It’s tender, charming, and full of quiet magic. It's the kind of book that leaves you missing the characters long after you’ve read the last page.

Awards and recognition

• Sold over one million copies and adapted for television by Paramount+
• RUSA CODES Reading List Award for Romance (2020)
• Nominated for the Comedy Women in Print Prize (2020)
• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2019)

Publication year: 2019

Availability: Browse The Flatshare on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

The Seven Year Slip follows Clementine, an overworked book publicist still finding her footing after a tough year.

When she moves into her late aunt’s quirky New York apartment, she’s stunned to find a stranger in the kitchen, a man with kind eyes, a love of lemon pie, and the small complication of living seven years in the past.

What begins as an impossible situation soon becomes something quietly hopeful, as the two form an undeniable connection.

Why it’s a must-read

What I loved most about The Seven Year Slip is that it felt like nothing I’d ever read before. The magical twist doesn’t feel cheesy or over the top, and it slips into the story so naturally that you just go with it.

And while the romance is genuinely beautiful, the book is just as much about grief, healing, and finding your way back to yourself. It’s packed with charm and warmth, the kind of story you sink into completely. Honestly, it’s just one of those books you don’t want to finish because you’re not quite ready to let go of the world.

Awards and recognition

• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2023)
• New York Times bestseller
• A New York Public Library Best Book (2023)

Publication year: 2023

Availability: Browse The Seven Year Slip on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

Red, White & Royal Blue follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States, whose longstanding feud with Prince Henry of the United Kingdom, accidentally turns into an international PR disaster.

To fix it, they’re forced into a fake friendship, which very quickly stops feeling fake at all. What starts as reluctant public smiles soon slips into secret messages, late-night conversations, and a romance that neither of them expected.

Why it’s a must-read

Red, White & Royal Blue is the ultimate comfort read for me. The forbidden romance is swoon-worthy and Alex and Henry are both so lovable that you root for them instantly. Their chemistry is electric and somehow the politics becomes this fun twist on top of everything else.

How McQuiston manages to keep such a heavy topic feeling light and entertaining is honestly beyond me, but it works beautifully. There are also moments of heartbreak that make you pause and feel everything right along with them. It’s joyful, romantic and dramatic in the best way.

Awards and recognition

• Goodreads Choice Award for Best Debut Novel (2019)
• Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance (2019)
• New York Times bestseller
• Widely acclaimed for its LGBTQ+ representation

Publication year: 2019

Availability: Browse Red, White & Royal Blue on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

The Kiss Quotient follows Stella Lane, a brilliant econometrician who loves numbers but finds dating and intimacy tricky, especially because she’s autistic and processes relationships differently.

Hoping to build her confidence, Stella hires Michael Phan, a kind, patient and very good-looking escort, to guide her. What starts as a simple arrangement soon becomes something much deeper.

Why it’s a must-read

I went into The Kiss Quotient with some hesitation, as stories that open with a paid arrangement aren’t usually my favourites. And while Stella's career revolves around maths (which I am very much not a maths person), this one completely won me over.

It felt like such a breath of fresh air, unique and surprisingly tender. Stella and Michael’s romance is both beautiful and thought-provoking, while still delivering that sizzling chemistry you want from a great love story.

Awards and recognition

• Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance (2018)
• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Debut Author (2018)
• Named one of The Washington Post’s 50 Notable Works of Fiction (2018)

Publication year: 2018

Availability: Browse The Kiss Quotient on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

Better Than the Movies follows Liz Buxbaum, a hopeless romantic who grew up bonding with her late mum over classic romcoms.

Liz is determined to create her own love story with her childhood crush, Michael. The only catch? She has to team up with Wes Bennett, her annoyingly smug next-door neighbour. But as they scheme and fake their way toward Liz’s romcom dreams, she starts to realise that real love doesn’t always follow the script.

Why it’s a must-read

This is a true romcom in book form, it’s just adorable. The romcom references sprinkled throughout are so much fun, especially if you grew up loving those films.

Although this is technically a YA novel and I’m very much older than its intended audience, I loved it anyway. It captures that teenage, butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling that makes falling in love so exciting. It’s a dream of a story, and it’ll leave you smiling long after you’ve finished it.

Awards and recognition

• Selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection (2021)
• Spent 40 months on the New York Times YA Paperback Bestseller List
• Massive BookTok success

Publication year: 2021

Availability: Browse Better Than The Movies on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

Seven Days in June follows Eva Mercy, a bestselling erotica writer and single mum, who unexpectedly reunites with Shane Hall, a reclusive, award-winning author she once shared a tumultuous week over 20 years ago.

They’ve been tied together for decades without truly realising it, secretly writing about each other in their books ever since. When they meet again, it’s instantly clear there’s still something between them.

Why it’s a must-read

The yearning in this book is unreal. After all these years, Eva and Shane are still trying to figure out what to do with the connection between them, even though their past is filled with some genuinely harsh memories.

Tia Williams’ writing is so charming, balancing heavy themes with real heart, as Eva’s chronic pain is written with such authenticity and care. It’s the kind of grown-up, unexpectedly deep romance that makes you fall in love with the genre all over again.

Awards and recognition

• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Romance (2021)
• New York Times bestseller
• Reese’s Book Club pick

Publication year: 2021

Availability: Browse Seven Days in June on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

Seven Summers follows Liv, who fell deeply for Finn after they met working on the Cornish coast. After a night together ends in devastating tragedy, they are bound together. But with Finn’s life in LA and Liv’s in Cornwall, they make a pact to reunite every summer if they’re both single.

This year, though, Liv meets Tom, a quiet, intriguing newcomer who makes her imagine a different kind of future. As summer unfolds, Liv finds herself torn between a long-held promise and a new, unexpected connection.

Why it’s a must-read

Of every author on this list, I think I’ve read the most Paige Toon books. She’s a true British romance icon. Her writing has this effortless emotional pull, and somehow her books just keep getting better.

Seven Summers is one of her most beautiful and heartfelt stories yet and full of that signature Paige Toon warmth. If you love romances that blend gorgeous settings and unforgettable characters, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your shelf.

Awards and recognition

• Toon's books have sold over 2 million copies worldwide.
• Widely praised by major authors including Milly Johnson, Giovanna Fletcher, Beth O’Leary and Carley Fortune.

Publication year: 2024

Availability: Browse Seven Summers on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Brief plot summary

Get a Life, Chloe Brown follows Chloe, a sharp and funny chronically ill woman who decides it’s time to finally ‘get a life.’

To tick off the items on her new list, she teams up with Red, her building’s handsome, unexpectedly gentle handyman. What starts as a practical arrangement slowly turns into a tender, slow-burn romance that helps them both step into something bigger than they expected.

Why it’s a must-read

This is such a brilliantly inclusive romance, it’s witty, sexy and full of heart. Chloe is a chronically ill heroine you can’t help but root for, and Talia Hibbert writes her with such effortless, natural representation that it never feels forced.

The whole story just feels so real and full of charm. Chloe and Red’s chemistry is genuinely joyful to read, and the book has that rare magic of making everyone feel seen.

Awards and recognition

• Ripped Bodice Award for Excellence in Romance Fiction (2019)
• Appeared on USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists

Published: 2019

Availability: Browse Get a Life, Chloe Brown on the Oxfam Online Shop. If it’s unavailable, check your local Oxfam shop.

Buying second hand romance books from Oxfam isn’t just good for the planet or a meaningful way to help fight poverty (although it’s definitely that too!), it’s also one of the best ways to find brilliant books at unbeatable prices.

Our shops get an incredible variety of donations, from recent bestsellers to older favourites you can never seem to find. Whether it's the book you meant to read ages ago, the one everyone’s talking about right now, or the hidden gem you didn’t even know existed until it practically fell off the shelf and into your hands, you never quite know what you’ll stumble across.

The books available at any Oxfam Shop are constantly changing, so it’s worth popping in regularly if you can. We’re incredibly lucky that new donations arrive all the time, especially popular contemporary romances.

You’ll be glad to know that we already have a dedicated Romance section on the Oxfam Online Shop, making it easier than ever to find your next great read, whether you’re after a specific book or just fancy a browse.