Best Romance Books for Beginners: Where to Start

Threshing Day is a novella following thirteen cadets at Basgiath War College as they compete for dragon bonds in a deadly trial. Each chapter follows its own character, so it works as a quick, focused read.

Buyers mention full-color dragon illustrations and say some chapters moved them to tears. The product details note that it is best read after Onyx Storm because of contained spoilers, so save it for later.

This is the seventh book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. It follows the Night Court as its alliances crumble and the threat of Koschei the Deathless grows across Prythian.

There is little reader feedback in our data for this title, so judge it on the story it tells. It depends heavily on events from earlier books, which makes it a poor starting point for anyone new to the series.

This is the opening book of the Crescent City series, following Bryce Quinlan, a half-Fae woman seeking revenge after a demon kills her closest friends. Hunt Athalar, a Fallen angel forced to serve the Archangels, enters the story when a deal offers him a chance at freedom.

Buyers describe it as engaging and heart-wrenching, with a plot full of surprising twists and strong female leads. Some readers mention a slow start and middle, so give it a few chapters before deciding.

Bad in Bed is a contemporary romance by Ali Hazelwood, written to be enjoyed as audio. Billie, a doctoral student, sets out to become more confident in intimacy with help from Max, a medical fellow she has long bickered with.

The book is performed by a full cast of narrators, which many listeners find easier to follow than a dense print page. Its setting is everyday life rather than a fantasy world, so it asks less of a new reader.

Mist and Fury is the second book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre, now granted the powers of the High Fae, struggles with nightmares and a split sense of self as she navigates politics and a looming greater evil.

Buyers find it captivating and heartwarming, and several say they read it in a single day. One reviewer describes it as a fresh twist on a fairy tale. It assumes you know what happened in the first book.

House of Sky and Breath continues Bryce and Hunt's story as rebels challenge the Asteri and their friends are drawn into the fight. It is the second book in the Crescent City series.

Buyers say it is stronger than the first book and that it made them feel closer to the characters. Many describe it as an emotional ride, and it ends on a cliffhanger that leaves readers eager for the next installment.

Wings and Ruin is the third book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre returns to the Spring Court to gather information while playing a dangerous game of deceit as war approaches.

Buyers describe it as one of their all-time favorites and an emotional roller-coaster that left some crying. Several praise the writing and say it draws them in quickly. It works best after the first two books.