As used in this list, it does not necessarily mean “bestselling.” While many of the authors including in this list are bestselling authors, I didn’t compile these 22 authors based on their all-time sales. “Best,” for simplicity’s sake, means the best collection of authors for newbie romance readers to get started on and for seasoned romance readers to branch out with; a subjective judgment, I’m aware. If you’ve been reading romance for some time, the names on this list will probably be familiar to you, and if you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to read at least one book by each of them. I’ve also included the one book you should definitely check out by each author; some obvious choices, others less conventional. Essentially, if I was still a bookseller, this is the list I would be working from if you approached me with “I know my friend likes romance but I have no clue what to buy for them,” or “I really like romantic comedies and I want to read something like that.” Furthermore, some of you may will end up disagreeing with me and my list. That’s okay. Not all of these authors, or must-read books, are pure romance. Some are more women’s fiction, fantasy, or erotica. Some are more mystery or thriller. Some of you will be incensed I didn’t include Jane Austen. To these complaints I say: I don’t abide by hard genre rules. Sorry, not sorry. Also, I didn’t include anything considered “classic.” There are more than enough lists recommending Austen to you. If you really feel like I missed one of “the best” drop your choice in the comments. Having more great books to choose from is never a bad thing! Now, without further ado, and in no particular order, the best romance authors (& their must-read book):
Alisha Rai
Rai got her start writing Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys fanfic and if that doesn’t make you love her, I’m not sure I can help you. Seriously, Rai is not only a standout author of some very steamy romances, but she is also doing huge work toward addressing the lack of diversity in Romance publishing and the larger industry. Also, and not that this should matter, but I think Rai has some of the best covers in all of Romance.
Nora Roberts
The indisputable queen of the romance genre. She was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame and now has the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award named after her. Roberts is the pen name of Eleanor Marie Robertson, but it’s not her only one. She writes under a few different pseudonyms, including J.D. Robb.
Beverly Jenkins
Jenkins is another queen of romance. Once thing I love about Jenkins’s bibliography is that she’s got something for everyone. If you like series, she’s got you. If you like stand-alones, she’s got you. If you like historical, western, contemporary, or suspense, she’s got you!
Kim Harrison
Harrison is probably a surprising addition to this round up, but I stand by it. Maybe it’s because I like my erotic romance to be heavily supernatural, but anytime anyone asks for sexy books, I start with The Hollows series featuring Rachel Morgan, the sexiest witch and bounty hunter ever written.
Eric Jerome Dickey
Dickey writes some steamy smut and I love it all. His focus has always been on contemporary African American stories. He writes women well, he writes sex well, he writes life well.
Lorraine Heath
Heath is one of the dominant names in historical romance these days. I’m partial to her England-set series, but she has some great, salacious American West–set series also. When I think of pure romance, Heath’s repertoire is what comes to mind first.
Madison Faye
Definitely not your grandma’s romance, unless your grandma is was far more open-minded than mine ever was. Extra-steamy, and often featuring threesomes (and foursomes) and daddies, Faye’s books will definitely get your blood pumping.
Piper Vaughn
Vaughn has carved out a niche for themselves in the queer romance community and for good reason. Their novels are sultry, smutty, and play into some great M/M fantasies. The diversity in Vaughn’s books make my heart extremely happy and the variety of sub-genres means that there’s something for everyone.
Sarah MacLean
MacLean is another oft-seen name on romance shelves these days. Her historical romance novels are perfection and MacLean herself is a leading advocate for the romance community and genre. You’ll often find her talking about romance’s intersection with gender studies.
Lauren Willig
For some reason Willig’s books always end up firmly in historical fiction instead of in romance, which is absurd because oh my! the romance is real. Whether set in France, New York, Kenya or England, Willig manages to transport the reader. She’s tackled contemporary, but her strength lies in her Regency-era and Roaring ’20s tales.
Sonali Dev
Dev writes modern Indian romance novels. She writes them well. Always a mix of romance and cultural examination, these books are transportive.
Robyn Carr
Carr writes contemporary romances, with the occasional foray into historical. Her novels are so popular that they have actually been studied by academics in an attempt to understand their success. The answer seems to lie in Carr’s knack for making us all feel so good with her utopian-worthy settings that feature communal, I’ve-got-your-back neighborhoods.
Alyssa Cole
Cole is another author who writes in more than one sub-genre. Historical (check out “That Could Be Enough” in Hamilton’s Battalion, and 2017’s award-winning An Extraordinary Union) makes up the bulk of her writing, but she also dabbles in contemporary and SFF romance.
Courtney Milan
Milan is another primarily historical romance author who’s been known to dabble in contemporary. She has five series under her belt plus a handful of stand-alone novels.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
First off, Phillips’s website has the tagline “Because life’s too short to read depressing books” and if that doesn’t sum up what makes romance so beloved, I don’t know what does. Her wheelhouse is contemporary romance, with her sports-centric Chicago Stars series reigning supreme.
Nalini Singh
Singh writes paranormal romance and I really wish more people would latch onto this genre. Her world-building is superb. Her characters are complex. Her sex is salacious.
Nicholas Sparks
If you don’t know Sparks’s name, that’s a mighty big rock you’ve been living under. When it comes to big screen adaptations of romantic novels, no one has Sparks beat except for maybe Jane Austen, but Sparks has had 11 novels translated to screen and Austen only published 7 novels (even if they have had multiple screen adaptations each). If you’re looking for sappy, feel-good romance, Sparks is your man.
Kim Dare
Dare is another standout of the queer romance genre. She has written over 100 erotic tales, ranging from short stories to full novels, in her relatively short career. If you’re in the mood for kinky or queer or fantastical or any combination thereof, Dare is the author for you.
Lauren Dane
Dane has written more than 60 novels. Six-zero! Prolific doesn’t begin to cover it. She really has something for every taste: contemporary, science fiction, urban fantasy, traditional romance, erotic romance.
Zane
For years Zane, pen name of Kristina Laferne Roberts, has been considered the queen of erotica. (I also once confused her with Zane Grey much to great embarrassment on my and the gentleman seeking a classic western tale’s behalf.) Her erotic romance titles were extra steamy and her novel Addicted was adapted into an equally steamy feature film in 2014. Unfortunately she ran into some tax trouble in 2014, too, but she’s published at least two books since, and her penchant for steam remains.
Tessa Dare
Classic bodice rippers are Dare’s modus operandi and she does them well. The sexual tensions simmers in her historical romance series until you feel like you could burst. These are fun romps with debonair dukes, lusty lords, and, er, engorged earls.
Gail Carriger
Carriger writes some of the best supernatural/steampunk/romance novels out there. I fell in love with her Parasol Protectorate series originally, and then happily branched out into her companion novellas, the Finishing School series, and the Custard Protocol series. Her writing is original, her love of tea renowned, and the romance will entice without making you feel overly excited, like the long burn of two television series protagonist keeping you tuning in eight seasons later. If you want more romance, check out these resources: Our podcast When In Romance & our Romance/Erotica archives!
