The best love stories all start with the same ingredients—two people and an undeniable connection. The best romances turn this simple recipe into swoon-worthy narratives that melt your heart, soothe your soul, and make you fall in love. Our top romances this year did that and so much more. From fresh listens written by perennial favorites to immersive rom-coms narrated by full casts, we witnessed enemies become lovers, fake relationships turn into real love, and incredible romances bloom from the darkest tragedies. Full of heart, humor, and a healthy amount of spice, there's a lot to love on our list of the best romances of 2024. You can find our top romantasy listens of the year here.
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Emily Henry’s knack for writing relatable characters who are balancing romantic love with relationships between friends and siblings adds even more joy to this beautiful story. Set in a dreamy locale, this heartfelt romance features an unlikely pair. Daphne’s fiancé dumps her for his childhood best friend, Petra. Daphne decides to move in with Petra’s jilted ex, Miles, fake dating each other to make the new couple jealous—but it quickly turns into something more. Henry’s go-to narrator Julia Whelan delivers another flawless performance, bringing the unforgettable cast of Funny Story to life. I think this one might be Henry’s best yet. —Margaret H.
Lily Chu blends the sharp edges of rivalry with the soft sweetness of romance for a uniquely entertaining enemies-to-lovers romp that you won’t want to hit pause on. Sparked by a prematurely published obituary for a not-dead-yet local author, rival Toronto journalists reluctantly team up to investigate a scandal that challenges both their personal and professional ambitions. Chu’s longtime narrator Phillipa Soo is joined by actor John Cho for this dual-narrated novel full of intrigue and humor that provides the perfect balance of bitter and sweet. —MH
I’m constantly in awe of Cara Bastone’s talent in combining humor and romance with a dash of whimsy to give us a story that I fall in love with every single time. In Maybe This Time, a solar flare causes a high school English teacher to fall through a wormhole. She lands 85 years in the future with no idea how to get home, and only her arch nemesis to help her. Zoë Chao and Noah Reid’s performances were perfection, enhanced by a stellar full cast that left me so captivated I pressed play again once the listen was over. —Patty K.R.
Romance blooms from tragedy in this contemporary romance debut from screenwriter and director Yulin Kuang. Thirteen years before the start of the story, Helen’s sister takes her own life by jumping in front of a car driven by Helen’s classmate Grant. Now a successful YA author, Helen’s popular series is being adapted for television and—surprise!—Grant is leading the writing team. How to End a Love Story embraces the messiness of real-life relationships in a uniquely heart-wrenching enemies-to-lovers storyline that will break your heart with its anti-meet-cute, and then jigsaw it back together in a real and satisfying way. To hear more from Yulin Kuang, listen in to our interview. —Katie O.
So many of my favorite listens this year have a light speculative element to them, and The Love of My Afterlife fits the bill perfectly. The concept hooked me from the word go: Delphie has died (in the most embarrassing way possible) but when she discovers immediate chemistry with someone in the afterlife’s waiting room, her luck in love—and life!—may just be turning around. Narrator Sofia Oxenham delivers the perfect amount of humorous, exasperated snark you might expect from someone who only has a week to locate the actual man of her dreams (come on people, move!), and the delightful side characters she voices will come to feel like your own friends too. This book is a beautiful pick-me-up for whenever things are feeling bleak. —Emily C.
Carley Fortune writes a vacation romance like no other. In This Summer Will Be Different, Fortune transports us to Prince Edward Island, the beautiful backdrop to a forbidden love story between Lucy and her best friend’s brother, Felix. AJ Bridel’s warm performance perfectly complements this heartfelt story, alternating between present day and flashbacks to the summers the couple clandestinely spent together beneath the soaring red cliffs of PEI. I was not only invested in their sexy romance, but also the special relationship Lucy has with her friend Bridget. And I didn’t even have to leave my couch to experience this charming escape. To hear more from Carley Fortune, listen in to our interview. —MH
As a midsize woman, it’s always a special treat to discover a romance featuring a full-figured female lead. In Curvy Girl Summer, Aaliyah is fueled by her opinionated uncle’s fatphobic remarks about why she’s single and turns to online dating to find a boyfriend in time for her 30th birthday. What follows is a series of disastrous first dates and an unlikely spark with the bartender at the bar where she meets her matches. Danielle Allen makes this body-positive romance shine with laugh-out-loud banter and some seriously sexy spice. Wesleigh Siobhan’s sizzling performance will hook you from the eye-opening first chapter until the truly satisfying happily ever after. —MH
From the moment I saw the cast of Know Your Newlywed by Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum, produced by New York Times bestselling author Elena Armas, I just knew it was going to be a great experience—and I was NOT wrong! Cleo, a Boston researcher, and Javi, a Chicago marketing manager, meet on a dating app and bond over their love of the retro game show Know Your Newlywed. When the show announces a reboot, they pretend to be newlyweds—and quickly become fan favorites. From the moment they meet, their chemistry is electric, even if they’re the last to realize it. Mary Mouser as Cleo and Tyler Posey as Javi are perfectly cast (this whole cast is perfect), and the immersive sound effects make you feel like you’re right there watching Cleo and Javi fall in love. I know it wont be long until I give Know Your Newlywed another listen, just so I can experience this gem all over again. —PKR
I don’t know if I should confess how many times I’ve listened to this (or if I even have an accurate count). This delightful novella was 100 percent my comfort listen of 2024. Not sure what to listen to next? I fire up some CLo. State of the world got me down? I just put this one on. It’s kept me going, let me tell you. It may be bite-sized, but this listen was the perfect morsel and my favorite romance of the year. It’s a dual-narration epistolary story—one of my favorite tropes—performed by Marli Watson and Andrew Gibson. A high schooler accidentally emails another student instead of a teacher and begins a correspondence tradition that unfolds on Valentine’s Day over 12 years. So not only does it deliver on the meet-cute/immediate chemistry it promises, but there’s a coming-of-age arc to the narrative that allows you to really connect with the main characters. And I just love the magical hand of fate element that brings them together in the end.—EC
As a devout Swiftie, I must admit that I was first drawn to Emma R. Alban’s debut novel because of its title. But then I learned that the queer Victorian romance was being touted as a cross between Bridgerton and The Parent Trap. A millennial’s dream, TBH. Veteran historical romance narrators Mary Jane Wells and Morag Sims give voice to debutantes Gwen and Beth, who hatch a plot to set up their widowed parents as they avoid being matched with husbands of their own. It was witty and swoony (and the start of a series!), and I had a marvelous time listening. —KO
