Kirkus Best Books of the Year - Romance (Awarded by Kirkus)

Awards List

2025

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke
(*)
Adriana Herrera

Unloved
(*)
Peyton Corinne

Chaos
(*)
Constance Fay

Unlikely Story
(*)
Ali Rosen

Can't Get Enough
(*)
Kennedy Ryan

Rules for Ruin
(*)
Mimi Matthews

It Had To Be Him
(*)
Adib Khorram

Ladies in Hating
(*)
Alexandra Vasti

The Earl That Got Away
(*)
Diana Quincy

Female Fantasy
(*)
Iman Hariri-Kia

2024

Last Call at the Local
(*)
Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Pride and Preston Lin
(*)
Christina Hwang Dudley

Late Bloomer
(*)
Mazey Eddings

The Other Side of Disappearing
(*)
Kate Clayborn

You Should Be So Lucky
(*)
Cat Sebastian

Isabel and the Rogue
(*)
Liana De la Rosa

The Mistress Experience
(*)
Scarlett Peckham

Let the Games Begin
(*)
Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Take Me Home
(*)
Melanie Sweeney

I'll Have What He's Having
(*)
Adib Khorram

The Beast Takes a Bride
(*)
Julie Anne Long

2023

Georgie, All Along
(*)
Kate Clayborn

Ana Maria and the Fox
(*)
Liana De la Rosa

Jana Goes Wild
(*)
Farah Heron

An Island Princess Starts a Scandal
(*)
Adriana Herrera

Mortal Follies
(*)
Alexis Hall

Business or Pleasure
(*)
Rachel Lynn Solomon

How to Tame a Wild Rogue
(*)
Julie Anne Long

Knockout
(*)
Sarah MacLean

Marry Me by Midnight
(*)
Felicia Grossman

2022

The Marquess Makes His Move
(*)
Diana Quincy

Book Lovers
(*)
Emily Henry

The Bride Goes Rogue
(*)
Joanna Shupe

From Bad to Cursed
(*)
Lana Harper

A Caribbean Heiress in Paris
(*)
Adriana Herrera

Heartbreaker
(*)
Sarah MacLean

The Hookup Plan
(*)
Farrah Rochon

Ruby Fever
(*)
Ilona Andrews

Where We End & Begin
(*)
Jane Igharo

2021

Battle Royal
(*)
Lucy Parker

Act Your Age, Eve Brown
(*)
Talia Hibbert

People We Meet On Vacation
(*)
Emily Henry

The Soulmate Equation
(*)
Christina Lauren

One Last Stop
(*)
Casey McQuiston

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb
(*)
Cat Sebastian

Seven Days in June
(*)
Tia Williams

Bombshell
(*)
Sarah MacLean

The Dating Playbook
(*)
Farrah Rochon

A Lot Like Adios
(*)
Alexis Daria

2020

Love Lettering
(*)
Kate Clayborn

A Heart of Blood and Ashes
(*)
Milla Vane

Something to Talk About
(*)
Meryl Wilsner

Take a Hint, Dani Brown
(*)
Talia Hibbert

Daring and the Duke
(*)
Sarah MacLean

The Devil of Downtown
(*)
Joanna Shupe

Like Lovers Do
(*)
Tracey Livesay

You Had Me at Hola
(*)
Alexis Daria

The Roommate
(*)
Rosie Danan

Season of the Wolf
(*)
Maria Vale

Award Categories

Affirming Picture Books

Bedtime Books

Beginning Readers

Board Books

Book Club Fiction

Books for Beginning Readers

Debut Fiction

Dystopian Fiction

Empowering Picture Books

Environmental Fiction

Fiction

Fiction in Translation

Fictional Families

Fictional Voices

Funniest Picture Books

Historical Fiction

Informational Picture Books

Joyous Picture Books

Middle Grade Exploring Social Themes

Middle-Grade About Speaking Up

Middle-Grade Activist

Middle-Grade Adventures

Middle-Grade Family Stories

Middle-Grade Fantasy and SF

Middle-Grade Fiction

Award Years

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019