List Challenges
Travel Movies Books Food Other
Sign In
Trending
New
Popular
Sign In
 Make a List Browse Lists Search Lists Leaders Help / Contact Newsletter

Romantic Books for People Who Hate Romance Novels

Here’s the thing: sometimes, you just want to read a good love story. Or at least, something with a little sex, a little passion, a few dramatic swoons. But a romance novel, per se? Nothing so gaudy or slapdash for you! You need real literature. Well, person who I’ve just made up (though I know you’re out there), here’s the answer: a selection of romantic books that will rev your motor (emotional or otherwise) but don’t fall into that taboo category of cheap paper and cheaper storylines. After the jump, 50 romantic novels for people who hate romance novels
1,047 users · 7,962 views
 
made by Weaponxgirl
avg. score: 6 of 50 (12%)
required scores: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 
type to search

How many have you read?

Page 1 of 2
1
Call Me by Your Name (André Aciman)
Call Me by Your Name
André Aciman
2
The Sorrows of Young Werther (Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe)
The Sorrows of Young Werther
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
3
Doctor Zhivago (Boris Pasternak)
Doctor Zhivago
Boris Pasternak
4
The Chrysalids (John Wyndham)
The Chrysalids
John Wyndham
5
Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin)
Giovanni's Room
James Baldwin
6
Ada or Ardor (Vladimir Nabokov)
Ada or Ardor
Vladimir Nabokov
7
Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel García Márquez)
Love in the Time of Cholera
Gabriel García Márquez
8
History of a Pleasure Seeker
History of a Pleasure Seeker
9
The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. (Adelle Waldman)
The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.
Adelle Waldman
10
Americanah (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
Americanah
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
11
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston)
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston
12
Tipping the Velvet (Sarah Waters)
Tipping the Velvet
Sarah Waters
13
A Visit From the Goon Squad (Jennifer Egan)
A Visit From the Goon Squad
Jennifer Egan
14
To the Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf)
To the Lighthouse
Virginia Woolf
15
Lord of Misrule
Lord of Misrule
16
Nightwood (Djuna Barnes)
Nightwood
Djuna Barnes
17
The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)
The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern
18
Madame Bovary (Gustave Flaubert)
Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert
19
Lucky Jim (Kingsley Amis)
Lucky Jim
Kingsley Amis
20
Atmospheric Disturbances
Atmospheric Disturbances
21
The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway)
The Sun Also Rises
Ernest Hemingway
22
Super Sad True Love Story (Gary Shteyngart)
Super Sad True Love Story
Gary Shteyngart
23
The Lover's Dictionary
The Lover's Dictionary
24
All Is Forgotten Nothing Is Lost
All Is Forgotten Nothing Is Lost
25
Schematics a Love Story
Schematics a Love Story
26
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Sir Orfeo
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Sir Orfeo
27
Griffin and Sabine
Griffin and Sabine
28
Brideshead Revisited (Evelyn Waugh)
Brideshead Revisited
Evelyn Waugh
29
We
We
30
High Fidelity (Nick Hornby)
High Fidelity
Nick Hornby
31
Mr. Fox (Helen Oyeyemi)
Mr. Fox
Helen Oyeyemi
32
Swamplandia (Karen Russell)
Swamplandia
Karen Russell
33
The Virgin Suicides (Jeffrey Eugenides)
The Virgin Suicides
Jeffrey Eugenides
34
Geek Love (Katherine Dunn)
Geek Love
Katherine Dunn
35
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
36
If on a Winters Night a Traveller (Italo Calvino)
If on a Winters Night a Traveller
Italo Calvino
37
The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton)
The Age of Innocence
Edith Wharton
38
The Lover (Marguerite Duras)
The Lover
Marguerite Duras
39
The Virgins
The Virgins
40
Dune (Frank Herbert)
Dune
Frank Herbert
Page 1 of 2
Click books you've read
Lists Similar to 'Romantic Books for People Who Hate Romance Novels'
Flavorwire's 50 Romantic Novels for People Who Hate Romance Novels
Flavorwire's 50 Romantic Novels for People Who Hate Romance Novels
876
50
Esquire's 38 Best Romantic Comedies (For People Who Hate Romantic Comedies)
Esquire's 38 Best Romantic Comedies (For People Who Hate Romantic Comedies)
160
38
10 Paranormal Romance Books to Read If You Hate Paranormal Romance
10 Paranormal Romance Books to Read If You Hate Paranormal Romance
186
10
1 Star Books (Tubcat1313 Hated, Hated, Hated These Books!)
1 Star Books (Tubcat1313 Hated, Hated, Hated These Books!)
211
11
Romance Novels (Mostly Historical Romance)
Romance Novels (Mostly Historical Romance)
758
150
Naini Singh's Best and Top Selling Romance and Paranormal Romance Novels
Naini Singh's Best and Top Selling Romance and Paranormal Romance Novels
11
10
Powell's Books Best Books of 2021: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Romance & Graphic Novels
Powell's Books Best Books of 2021: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Romance & Graphic Novels
157
14
The Most Hated Books by Most People
The Most Hated Books by Most People
23,222
50
Books You Hated That Most People Loved
Books You Hated That Most People Loved
1,064
33
The Big Ol' List of Romance Novels / Books
The Big Ol' List of Romance Novels / Books
454
377
The Bibliophile's Best Books of Each Genre: Romance Novels
The Bibliophile's Best Books of Each Genre: Romance Novels
264
40
10 Romantic Comedies Critics Hated but Audiences Loved
10 Romantic Comedies Critics Hated but Audiences Loved
250
10
10 Best Romantic Crime Movies Like True Romance
10 Best Romantic Crime Movies Like True Romance
115
10
Korean Romance/Romantic-Comedy Movie Bucket List
Korean Romance/Romantic-Comedy Movie Bucket List
113
20
Top Romantic/Romance-Drama Movies
Top Romantic/Romance-Drama Movies
97
60
28 Enemies to Lovers Romances We Definitely Don't Hate to Love
28 Enemies to Lovers Romances We Definitely Don't Hate to Love
163
28
Best of the Best Romance Books of All Time (Romancing the Data)
Best of the Best Romance Books of All Time (Romancing the Data)
164
70
Movies People Hate With a Fiery Passion
Movies People Hate With a Fiery Passion
23,444
200
50 Foods People Love... or Hate
50 Foods People Love... or Hate
20,415
50
50 Movies That Critics Really Hate but Normal People Love
50 Movies That Critics Really Hate but Normal People Love
8,245
50
Foods People Hate
Foods People Hate
4,616
52
Business Insider: 50 Movies That Critics Hate but Normal People Love
Business Insider: 50 Movies That Critics Hate but Normal People Love
1,724
50
50 Movies This Guy Hated That Most People Like
50 Movies This Guy Hated That Most People Like
1,404
50
50 Common Foods People HATE
50 Common Foods People HATE
898
50
35 Movies That Are Hated by People but Are "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes
35 Movies That Are Hated by People but Are "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes
803
35
Why Do People Hate These Movies?
Why Do People Hate These Movies?
459
100
Scary Literary Fiction for People Who Hate Horror
Scary Literary Fiction for People Who Hate Horror
440
26
Movies That People Really Hate
Movies That People Really Hate
435
57
50 Romantic Novels
50 Romantic Novels
398
50
10 Classic Horror Movies for People Who Think They Hate Classic Horror Movies
10 Classic Horror Movies for People Who Think They Hate Classic Horror Movies
426
10
All Similar Lists
Newsletter · Help/Contact · Privacy · Copyright Claim   © 2025 App Spring, Inc. · This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb.
Seen It - Movies & TV 
Android & iOS
Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Learn more at SEENIT.FUN