10 best science fiction romance books to read this year

Science fiction and romance may not seem like the simplest combo of book genres, but they work surprisingly better than they arguably should. Whether it’s love on Earth with a sci-fi twist or a relationship burgeoning deep in space, the best science fiction romance books should there’s more to romance than meets the eye.

Anyone intrigued by this genre combo should check out these 10 best science fiction romance books, with a preference for more recent titles.

10. Rules of Redemption

Rules of Redemption features an atypical romance star: an elite survivor and fighter with a sassy personality. Her fascinating character makes her eventual romance with a rival alien race’s member all the more alluring and forbidden. This story feels just sci-fi enough to appeal to fans of that without alienating (no pun intended) those looking for just the romance.

9. The Last Hour of Gann

This is a pretty steamy sci-fi romance that will certainly be hard to put down. If you like the enemies-to-lovers trope but enjoy the idea of it happening in space, this is the book for you. Amber wishes for nothing more than a second chance at life, only to crash-land on an unknown planet. Her only hope is to stick with the hostile warrior Meoraq.

8. Xora

Most of the books in this Vrisha Warriors series are pretty standalone, but they come together to offer a ton of sci-fi romance for those who want it. This particular entry follows a woman who encounters an alien named Xora on a mission. Xora wants nothing more than to leave the planet but as they work together, he begins to find his thoughts drifting to her. Their slower build is worth a look in this particular novel.

7. Transcendence

This is about as bizarre as it gets for a sci-fi romance novel. The leading woman finds herself traveling through time to end up in the prehistoric era. She befriends and eventually falls for a caveman. It is strange but it somehow works with the in-depth look at how the two communicate with one another, despite the barriers between them.

6. Moonstruck: A Tale of the Borderlands

This novel is a bit cheesy but it knows what it’s going for and doesn’t shy away from this fact. If you like a little enemies-to-lovers at the forefront with a ton of fight sequences and the like, this is for you. It follows a starship commander in a cat-and-mouse chase with a renowned space pirate. As you might expect, they steal each other’s heart in the process. And, sadly, no, it doesn’t have any relation to the Borderlands game series.

5. The Champion of Barésh

Susan Grant has two solid perspectives in this romantic sci-fi book about a girl who is a secret genius at the game bajha on the planet Barésh. She wants nothing more than to save up money from her winnings to leave the horrid world until she stumbles upon the prince of the planet who wishes to use her to excel at bajha. Their dueling personalities make this worth a look.

4. Ascending

There are some sci-fi romance fans who might want a book a bit lighter on the romance and heavier on the science fiction. This is the book to read for you if that is the case. Ascending is right with lore, dealing with a girl who learns the language of the Vardeshi alien race. As the only person to know it, she is picked for a crucial mission to learn their culture. In the process, of course, there is a bit of lovely courting to enjoy.

3. Freedom’s Landing

Freedom’s Landing feels more ripe for a viral teen drama adaptation than any other book on this list. It centers around an alien invasion that leaves the lead girl, Kristin, as a slave on an unfamiliar planet. The harsh, dark, and often emotional tale of her survival does eventually lead to a classic love interest, but all the while wrapping the reader in some of the best writing in the genre from the highly talented Anne McCaffrey.

2. Bright Shards

Meg Pechenick is back on this list after already having her book Ascending featured further above. This is because she strikes the right place of focusing more on the sci-fi angle as a vehicle for the inevitable romance down the line. This next entry in the Vardeshi Saga goes far deeper into the alien race and explores its intricate culture from every face in such rich ways, and honestly better than even the first book does. It is a must-read for those who enjoyed Ascending.

1. Polaris Rising

If you like the classic relationship in Star Wars between Princess Leia and Han Solo, this is the novel for you. Its core duo is a space princess on the run from her family and the charming outlaw she stumbles across. While you can guess the spicy end result between the two, the dynamic energy between them is palpable and it carries this story from start to finish.