Best YA Romance Novels (2026): 6 Swoony Picks for Teens

A teen reader who just finished one swoony series and wants the next one will find plenty to choose from among the best ya romance novels below. We compared the YA romance listings on what each one states: the premise, the author, the publication date, the page count, and the stated reading age or grade level. Every pick says who it fits and who should skip it, so you can match the book to the reader.

ShelfAnswers earns a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Fake Skating by Painter	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Liang	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Rebel with a Donut by Martin	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	The Fault in Our Stars	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
5	The Wrong Bachelor by Moody	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Fake Skating by Painter

Lynn Painter·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

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 448-page YA rom-com about childhood sweethearts who fake a relationship, suited to older teens who like banter-filled romance; skip it for younger readers, since the listing gives a reading age of 16+ years, marked as from customers.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Current edition: the listing gives a September 1, 2026 publication date and a Reprint edition from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
• 448 pages, more than any other pick here.
• Both a reading age and a grade level are stated: 16+ years, marked as from customers, and grade level 9 - 12.

Cons

• The reading age is marked as from customers, not given by the publisher.
• Grade level 9 - 12 reaches younger than the 16+ reading age, so check the fit for the reader.
• The description mentions a parents' divorce and family secrets; a parent may want to preview the themes.

2

I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Liang

Ann Liang·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

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 336-page YA romance about a model student whose unsent hate emails get sent, suited to teens who like rivals-to-romance banter; skip it for younger readers, since the reading age is 15+ years.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• January 7, 2025 publication date from Scholastic Press, a current edition.
• 336 pages with both a reading age and a grade level stated.
• Rivals-to-romance premise between school co-captains for readers who like snarky banter.

Cons

• The reading age of 15+ years is marked as from customers.
• Grade level 7 - 9 sits below the 15+ reading age, so check which one fits the reader.
• Leaked emails upend the heroine's school life; a parent may want to preview the themes.

3

Rebel with a Donut by Martin

Chrissy Q Martin·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

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 369-page sweet summer rom-com about five teens and four grandmothers in a retirement community, suited to readers who want a clean, funny YA romance; the listing calls it perfect for all ages.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Book 1 of 4 in the Running on Love and Donuts series, a clean series start.
• 369 pages with a stated reading age of 13 - 18 years.
• The description calls it perfect for all ages and a fit for multigenerational book clubs.

Cons

• February 10, 2021 publication date; check the listing for a newer edition.
• No grade level is stated, so match the 13 - 18 reading age to the reader yourself.
• A summer fling and rule-breaking frame the plot; preview for younger readers.

4

The Fault in Our Stars

John Green·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

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 beloved romance about Hazel and Augustus, ages 14 to 17.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Widely loved by teen readers
• Ages 14 to 17 with grade 9 to 12
• 352 pages, a solid single sitting span

Cons

• No explicit clean-content claim
• Cancer theme is heavy for some
• 2014, the oldest here

5

The Wrong Bachelor by Moody

Alexandra Moody·9.6/10 Shelf Score

i

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 274-page high school enemies-to-lovers rom-com about a dating contest, suited to teens who want a clean romance with a happy ending, as the description promises; skip it for readers past high-school stories.

Check price on Amazon

Pros

• Book 1 of 3 in The Wrong Match series, a clear starting point.
• The description promises a clean romance with a happy ending.
• Reading age 13 - 18 years is stated with no from-customers mark.

Cons

• July 14, 2018 publication date makes this the oldest edition here; check for a newer one.
• 274 pages, fewer than the other picks in this list.
• No grade level is stated, so match the 13 - 18 reading age to the reader yourself.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

More picks to compare

• The Music of Us by AlexandreaA 336-page summer romance with a cat cafe, for readers 13 and up.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 23 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. Four of the five picks state a reading age, and two of them also state a grade level. 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 ya romance novels

Match the reading age to the reader

Start with the stated reading age or grade level and compare it with the reader. Fake Skating by Painter lists a reading age of 16+ years, marked as from customers, with grade level 9 – 12, while The Wrong Bachelor by Moody lists 13 – 18 years with no grade level. If the reader is at the young end of a stated range, preview the description’s themes first.

Start at book one of a series

Two of these picks open a series: The Wrong Bachelor by Moody is Book 1 of 3 in The Wrong Match, and Rebel with a Donut by Martin is Book 1 of 4 in Running on Love and Donuts. Buying book one first avoids starting mid-story. For more series, see our best YA book series list.

Check the edition and page count

Publication dates here run from July 14, 2018 to September 1, 2026, so check the listing for the newest edition before buying. Page counts run from 274 to 448 pages; a longer book suits a confident reader, a shorter one suits a reluctant one. For romance beyond YA, see our best contemporary romance novels list.

Before you buy

• Confirm the edition and publication date on the listing; the oldest pick here dates to July 14, 2018.
• For a series, buy Book 1 first and confirm the series number on the listing.
• Compare the stated reading age or grade level with the reader, and read the description for mature themes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should a reader start with a YA romance series?

Start with Book 1. The Wrong Bachelor is Book 1 of 3 in The Wrong Match, and Rebel with a Donut is Book 1 of 4 in Running on Love and Donuts, so either one begins its series cleanly.

What age are these YA romance novels for?

Stated reading ages run from 13 – 18 years to 16+ years, and two listings also give grade levels from 7 – 9 to 9 – 12. Match the stated range to the reader, and note that two reading ages are marked as from customers.

Which edition should I buy?

Buy the edition the listing shows as current: Fake Skating lists a September 1, 2026 Reprint edition, and I Hope This Doesn’t Find You lists January 7, 2025. For the 2018 and 2021 picks, check whether the listing points to a newer edition.

Still deciding? Our top pickFake Skating by Painter

Check price on Amazon

Related lists

See every young adult list and all kids and teens lists.

More lists: YA book series, contemporary romance novels, book series with romance and middle grade romance books.