Best Young Adult Romance Novels
Young Adult Romance Novels
Scroll down to find the list of books. These books are all classified as Young Adult Romance Novels. They are appropriate for teens but also provide awesome reading for adults seeking romance novels that deal with real issues but shut the door on the most intimate of scenes.
A couple weeks ago, my I found myself trying to respond to a very interesting email. It was from a woman who came across my post Best New Adult Romance Novels and she was wondering if I could recommend any romance novels that would be appropriate for her 15 year old daughter.
This lead to a lot of thought on my part. The teenage years are such an interesting and exciting time. I remember all the questions, the exploration and experimentation, the colossal mistakes I still hope my mom never finds out about. I’m sure we can all think back to at least a few teenage blunders. It’s during those years that role models and healthy expectations become so important.
That first taste of freedom, starting to form an identity outside of your family of origin. Independence, being able to experience life on your own terms and not wanting to ask for help or seek guidance. Those years are about thinking you know everything, and being young enough to recover when you realize you don’t.
Time and time again I have mentioned my belief that authors have a responsibility to depict healthy relationships, safe behaviors and realistic expectations. Never is this more important than when they are writing for a young adult reader.
Let’s not kid ourselves, young people are learning about adult relationships from their peers and the internet. There is a lot of misinformation out ther. So if a young person wants to delve into the world of romance novels, I think it should certainly be encouraged. Especially if those books promote safe, healthy and realistic expectations in relationships.
Expectations
What do I mean when I talk about safe, healthy and realistic expectations?
Well, for starters, I’m not going to give you a list of books that avoid important issues. Teenagers are faced with questions of consent, protection, abuse, eating disorders, depression, and body image issues, the threat of school shootings every single day. No doubt those issues impact the relationships a person of any age pursues and the behaviours they are willing to put up with.
If a book can take the scary and upsetting issues young people face every day and encourage healthy coping mechanisms I am all for it. If it can wrap everything up with a happily ever after, and throw a love story in the mix, it’s absolutely a winner in my world.
So I’ve looked high and low, searching Goodreads, taking into account the recommendations of other trusted reviewers and have have compiled list of romance novels that are appropriate for teenagers. When I say appropriate I mean the intimate scenes won’t make anyone blush. These books do still deal with uncomfortable and unpleasant topics.
What I’m trying to say is if I had teenagers I would encourage them to read these book. But, I would also suggest encouraging them to talk about the things they’re reading.
Best Young Adult Books
A VERY LARGE EXPANSE OF SEA (Bright Lights #1)
by Tahereh Mafi
320 pages | HarperTeen | October 16, 2018
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Racism | YA Contemporary Romance
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It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.
Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. Read More
Related: Best Contemporary Romance Novels
ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES
by Jennifer Niven
378 Pages | Knopf | January 6, 2015
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Suicide | Depression | Grief
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Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. Read More
BOY SHATTERED
by Eli Easton
352 Pages | October 16, 2018
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School Shooting | PTSD | LGBT
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Brian
You’ll make it out of here, Brian. I swear.
I had everything—school quarterback, popular with girls, and my dad was proud of me. I told myself it didn’t matter no one knew the real me. And then I nearly died. Landon saved my life. He’s the bravest guy I know. He came out a few years ago, proud and fierce, and he ran into gunfire to help others. Me, I’m a mess. Can’t even stand to be in a room with the curtains open.
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BEAUTIFUL BROKEN HEARTS
by Kami Garcia
407 Pages | Imprint | February 6, 2018
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Abuse | Sports Romance
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Her heart has to break before it can open.
When star soccer player Peyton Rios receives an offer from her first-choice college, senior year starts off exactly as planned. But when Peyton uncovers her boyfriend’s dark secret, she confronts him―and finds herself falling down a flight of stairs. Peyton’s knee―and maybe her dream of going pro―is shattered. Everyone is talking: Was she pushed, or did she fall? Peyton knows the truth, even if no one believes her. Read More
ELEANOR & PARK
by Rainbow Rowell
328 Pages | St. Martin’s Press | February 26, 2013
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First Love | Set in 1986
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Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.
Eleanor… Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough…Eleanor.
Park… He knows she’ll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. Read More
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FIVE FEET APART
by Rachel Lippincott
288 Pages | Simon Schuster Books | November 20, 2018
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Chronic Illness | Death
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Can you love someone you can never touch?
Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.
The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. Read More
Related: Books for Reluctant Readers
GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE
by Natasha Ngan
400 Pages | Jimmy Patterson Books | November 6, 2018
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Sexual Abuse | LGBT
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Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honor they could hope for…and the most cruel.
But this year, there’s a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire.
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Read More
I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN (Naughty Nerds)
by Jandy Nelson
371 Pages | Dial Book | September 16, 2004
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Death | LGBT
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At first, Jude and her twin brother Noah, are inseparable. Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude wears red-red lipstick, cliff-dives, and does all the talking for both of them. Years later, they are barely speaking. Something has happened to change the twins in different yet equally devastating ways . . . but then Jude meets an intriguing, irresistible boy and a mysterious new mentor. Read More
RYAN’S BED
by Tijan
343 Pages | October 21, 2016
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Bullying | Suicide
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I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident.
I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed—her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should’ve left…
I didn’t.
I didn’t jump out.
I didn’t get embarrassed.
I relaxed. Read More
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (Hoops #2)
by John Green
444 Pages | September 10, 2018
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Death | Self Esteem
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Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.Read More
Let’s Talk
What are your thoughts on romance and tough subject in Young Adult Romance Novels and Young Adult books in general?
As always,
Beat the Midday Slump
One Comment
Empress DJ
I don’t YA but enjoyed these covers