Is the endless catalog of recommendations on Kindle Unlimited giving you a headache too? Do you wish to know what some of the most well-read romance books on the platform are, without having to scroll down and read review after review to make a choice? In that case, we’ve got just the list you need.
From mysterious libraries that hold the secret of the universe to the world of faeries and even modern Oakland, California, here are the best romance novels on Kindle Unlimited.
The Lost Bookshop
While the romance in The Lost Bookshop is ever subtle and never takes up the spotlight, Evie Woods’ acclaimed novel wouldn’t have worked without it. This is a story of magical realism, historical fiction, and the bonds of love and understanding between human beings, tied together with a self-conscious string that goes back to the so-called lost bookshop, where rare literary items can change the lives of the people who pick them up. The story is set in two timelines; one after World War I and featuring Opaline, who runs away to France and starts working in a bookshop and meets famous real-life writers like Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce, and the other in the modern day and featuring two characters, Henry and Martha, whom fate brings to the city of Dublin, where Opaline ultimately ended up.
The Serpent & the Wings of Night
The story follows Oraya, who is the adopted human daughter of a vampire king. Since her early years, Oraya has learned to survive in a harsh world that sees her as only prey. She is cunning and strong, but for all of her steadfastness, Oraya needs to prove herself by being more than just a trophy princess. That’s why she decides to enter a deadly tournament called the Kenari, organized by the goddess of death herself, Nyaxia.
In a literary scene filled with generic, cliche garbage that seems to perpetually repeat itself with no daring strides towards anything resembling novelty, a book like The Serpent & the Wings of Night should be cherished. For while this may have the premise of your typical “romantasy,” the characters go through a compelling arc, and the steamy scenes are tastefully written.
Icebreaker
One of the most popular BookToks in the last few years, Icebreaker centers around Anastasia Allen, who has worked her entire life to become a famous figure skater. She finally experiences a measure of breakthrough by getting a scholarship at the University of California, but things start to go awry when she meets the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins. Icebreaker is a very, very, very slow burn when it comes to romance, and the book is on the lengthy side, but if you find that premise compelling enough and want to see what the fuss is really about, then reading this sensational debut by Hannah Grace is a must.
Bounded by Thorns
A romantasy parody of the timeless Beauty and the Beast tale, Bounded by Thorns follows the tale of Rosalina as she wanders into the realm of the fae in search of his father and ends up getting imprisoned in a palace occupied by several princes who turn into beasts at night. The romance is a slow burn, there are love triangles abound, and the dark themes remind readers of grim fairy tales. If you’ve always wondered what Beauty and the Beast with a bit of steam would look like — or as the kids these days call it, “spice” — then Bounded by Thorns will be able to scratch that particular itch.
One Dark Window (The Shepherd King)
Elspeth Sindle needs a monster to survive in the harsh, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder. One Dark Window, being the first book in The Shepherd King series by Rachel Gillig, blends magic, romance, and political intrigue in a book that will have you sitting at the edge of your seat from the first few chapters to the end. Elspeth meets a highwayman who happens to be the king’s own nephew, accused of high treason and in command of the most nefarious men in Blunder, but as they journey together to save the realm from the treacherous magic that besets it, their personal lives intertwine in a most unexpected way.
The Cruel Prince
If you’re looking for a proper and compelling romantasy book that isn’t just a cheap excuse to write spicy content, then you should definitely pick up The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. In the first book in a trilogy called The Folk of the Air, you follow Jude and her two sisters, human girls who get taken to the world of the faerie when their parents are killed. Jude was 7 years old when it happened, and now, 10 years later, she wants nothing more than to fit into this new world of magic and intrigue despite her mortality. Complex characters, unexpected twists, and themes of identity and character have all turned The Cruel Prince into a classic of the burgeoning romantasy genre.
Things We Never Got Over
Now the story of this next novel on the list is a bit of a strange pitch. Things We Never Got Over tells the story of Naomi, who runs away from her own wedding to the rescue of her estranged twin living in Virginia. And that’s not even the strangest bit. Naomi’s twin, who is a bit of a jerk in all the right ways, steals her sister’s car and leaves her in that middle-of-nowhere town with a surprise… a surprise niece. Now, Naomi is stuck in a town with no car, no home, and an 11-year-old to take care of, and to complicate things even further we have Knox, who has to help Naomi out of this situation despite his better judgment.
Things We Never Got Over is one of the most-read books on Kindle Unlimited, so give it a go if you’re into modern urban romance books.
Fourth Wing
The reputation of Fourth Wing precedes its name. “That TikTok book” is probably all any of us need to recognize the speaker is talking about Rebecca Yarros’ 2023 best-seller. While many serious readers might be on the fence about giving this one a go, let’s make a case for why you shouldn’t simply disregard Fourth Wing as a book that for one reason or another simply managed to crash the center stage.
The inundated romantasy genre is filled with novels that are an exact replica of what came before them. Just swap the character names, use a different element for your magic system, come up with a generic name for a generic fictional world where your story takes place, and voilà! You’ve got yourself the next romantasy hit. Fourth Wing, on the other hand, features a world of dragon riders and a military school and hardly falls in the same category.
This is the story of Violet, a girl who has grown up working to be a clerk, but is suddenly thrust into a military wing of the Basgiath War College. What makes Violet unique and perhaps iconic is the fact that suffers from a disease approximating the Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, which makes her trials all the more difficult to bear and overcome.
Spark of the Everflame
While this list is full of powerful heroines who undergo journeys of self-discovery, Spark of the Everflame is a book series that takes the concept to its zenith. We follow Diem Bellator, whose mother suddenly disappears, compelling her to seek the Descended, the rulers of the world, and learn the truth about her existence. The four-book series is a slow-burn romance that fans of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash will find particularly captivating.
Heart of the Fae
Now I’ll admit, I only picked up this book because I loved the cover art, but Heart of the Fae ended up being a pleasant surprise in terms of narrative and characters, blending elements from Beauty and the Beast with Irish mythology to give you a depiction of the world of the fae and will-o’-the-wisps in a vivid and relatable manner. Frankly, we couldn’t move on from faeries and this tired, worn trope any sooner, but I was willing to make an exception for Heart of the Fae and you should too.
Published: Sep 29, 2024 10:17 am