Even defining what is a romance novel is difficult…even though I know romance novels must include a happy ending. So many lists about the most influential romance novels are full of Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, and (ugh) Nicholas Sparks. While many of these have romance, and even happy endings, I still don’t think of them as romance novels. I wanted to focus more specifically on the books published specifically by romance publishers for romance readers. I went down a bit of a deep research rabbit hole, and I agonized over who to include. I’m sure I missed a few of your favorites, because I cut many of my favorites too. But enough of my angst! Here is a list of 20 influential romance novels from the last century. They include trope defining trendsetters, important firsts within the genre, and popular writers who brought new readers into romance.
I want to note that even though all of these novels were certainly influential, that doesn’t mean they are without flaws. Especially, some of the older books on the list contain sexist tropes, racist stereotypes, fatphobia, and violence on the page. I’ve tried to list the problematic or potentially triggering elements for each book.
For more information on influential romance novel and romance history, I suggest checking out the podcasts Fated Mates and Black Romance Podcast, The Romance Novel in English: A Survey in Rare Books 1769–1999 by Rebecca Romney, and the books Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance edited by Jayne Ann Krentz and A Natural History of the Romance Novel by Pamela Regis. These were all amazing sources for making this list.
And for romance recommendations, check out the romance/erotica archives here at Book Riot.
