Best Rom Com Books for 16 Year Olds (2026): 5 Compared

Sixteen is prime rom-com age, and the best rom com books for 16 year olds run from high-school crushes to college fake dating. We compared five books by listed reading age, grade level, page count and trope, so you can match the book to the reader.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Only Happens by Bourne	9.7/10	Buy
2	The Romance Rivalry by Lee	9.7/10	Buy
3	Never Always by Alsaid	9.6/10	Buy
4	Epic Fail by LaZebnik	9.6/10	Buy
5	Single Dad by Evergreen	9.4/10	Buy

1

Only Happens by Bourne

Holly Bourne·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A feminist YA rom-com about Audrey, who is over romance until she meets Harry.

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Pros

• Reading age 14 years and up and grade level 9 to 12 stated
• 368 pages of feminist YA rom-com
• Published in 2022, a recent edition

Cons

• Deals with divorce and a breakup alongside the romance
• Cynical take may not suit readers wanting pure fluff
• No series to continue stated

2

The Romance Rivalry by Lee

Susan Lee·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

An enemies-to-lovers college rom-com between rival online book reviewers.

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Pros

• 368 pages, the longest regular pick here
• Published May 13, 2025, the newest book here
• Reading age 13 to 18 years stated

Cons

• College setting may feel older than high-school stories
• Grade level 7 to 9 sits below a 16-year-old's level
• Fake-dating trope is a specific taste

3

Never Always by Alsaid

Adi Alsaid·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Best friends Dave and Julia tackle their high-school Never List as graduation approaches.

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Pros

• Reading age 13 to 17 years and grade level 10 to 12 stated
• High-school best-friends story, a direct genre match
• First edition from 2016

Cons

• No page count is stated
• Published in 2016, the oldest regular pick here
• The characters' list includes skinny dipping

4

Epic Fail by LaZebnik

Claire LaZebnik·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Pride and Prejudice-inspired teen rom-com set at a Los Angeles prep school.

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Pros

• Pride and Prejudice retelling for Austen fans
• 304 pages, a moderate length
• Reading age 13 years and up stated

Cons

• Published in 2011
• Grade level 8 to 9 sits below a 16-year-old's level
• Celebrity-culture setting is a specific taste

5

Single Dad by Evergreen

Camilla Evergreen·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A closed-door marriage-of-convenience rom-com between a woman and her single-dad neighbor.

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Pros

• 312 pages of closed-door romantic comedy
• Book 2 of 7, with more series entries to continue
• Published in 2022

Cons

• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Adult main characters, not teens
• Book 2 of a series, so new readers start mid-series

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More picks to compare

• The First to Know by JohnsonYA romance about family secrets, ages 13 to 17.Check on Amazon
• Least Likely by LoutzenhiserYA rom-com about a teen stand-up comic, ages 13 and up.Check on Amazon
• Lola at Last by PetersonModern Lydia Bennet rom-com, 400 pages, ages 13 and up.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for a 16-year-old reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. Four of the five state a reading age and grade level; the Single Dad Neighbor states neither. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best rom com books for 16 year olds

Check the reading age first

Reading ages here run 13 to 18 years. It Only Happens in the Movies at 14 and up with grade 9 to 12 is the most age-matched, while How to Marry Your Single Dad Neighbor states no reading age at all and stars adult characters. For more teen reading, browse the young adult books shelf.

Pick the trope

Enemies-to-lovers and fake dating drive The Romance Rivalry; best-friends-to-lovers drives Never Always Sometimes; Epic Fail riffs on Pride and Prejudice. The closed-door Single Dad Neighbor keeps things sweet with no explicit scenes, per the listing. For YA without the romance focus, see the YA books for 16 year olds list.

High school or college

Three are set in high school; The Romance Rivalry starts freshman year of college. A 16-year-old may relate more to the high-school settings, but the college tropes are the same ones YA readers already know.

Before you buy

• Match the reading age and grade level to the reader.
• Note the setting: high school, college or adult.
• The Single Dad Neighbor is Book 2 of 7; start with Book 1 for a new reader.
• Closed-door does not mean teen: check the ages of the main characters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good rom com books for 16 year olds?

The five here cover best-friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating and Austen retellings, with reading ages from 13 to 18 years.

Is How to Marry Your Single Dad Neighbor appropriate for teens?

The listing states no reading age and the main characters are adults. It is closed-door with no explicit scenes, but families may want to preview it.

Which book is the newest?

The Romance Rivalry was published May 13, 2025, the newest here.

Still deciding? Our top pickOnly Happens by Bourne

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Related lists

See every Young Adult list and all Kids and Teens lists.

More lists: browse YA books for 16 year olds, thriller books for 16 year olds and horror books for 16 year olds.