The Best Romance Book Adaptations, Ranked

⚓ Books    📅 2026-01-13    👤 surdeus    👁️ 1      

surdeus

After her restless artist mother moves again, June White lands in Laguna Beach for her senior year, facing yet another unwanted fresh start. Shy, introverted, and more comfortable with true crime than parties, June struggles to fit in—until she meets James Hunter. Handsome, reckless, and infamous for his dark past, James is everything she should avoid, yet impossible to resist. As their connection grows, June is pulled toward a dangerous attraction that could change everything.

Just like a good romance novel, a good romance adaptation is worth its weight in gold. It’s not easy to create and pace a love story just right, so well that it feels inevitable that these two (or three, or more) characters fall in love and build a life together. But when it hits that sweet spot? Oh boy, it’s a pleasure to watch. Whether you’ve been disillusioned with adaptations in the past or are simply looking for the best romance adaptations to swoon over, all eight adaptations I have ranked here will fill you with butterflies and make you sigh. Loudly.

All of these adaptations are good, mind you. Hence the title. From hockey romances to teenage love, they all show good to great writing and intense chemistry: in other words, everything you want from an adaptation of a beloved book or series (or, in one case, a plan). Not all of them adhere strictly to the stories that inspired them, but they all capture their spirit and purpose, so the changes make sense within that world.

Furthermore, this is by no means an objective ranking. This is only my personal opinion; your mileage may vary. If so, I’d love to know where each of these stands on your own personal ranking!

8. Red, White & Royal Blue

Red White and Royal Blue promo image
cover image for Red White and Royal Blue

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

What happens when the son of the President of the United States and a British prince fall in love? Why, chaos, of course, as Alex Claremont-Díaz and Prince Henry will soon find out. Young romance is complicated enough when you’re not the political symbols of a generation.

Based on the novel by Casey McQuiston, this movie does a great job at capturing the yearning and confusion of falling for a close friend.

Watch on: Netflix.

7. Business Proposal

Business Proposal promo image
A Business Proposal, Vol. 1 cover

A Business Proposal, Vol. 1 by Haehwa and NARAK, adapted by Perilla

This adaptation of HaeHwa’s web novel-turned-graphic novel follows Shin Ha-ri, a woman who agrees to go on a blind date in her friend’s stead with the express goal of being rejected… only to find out that the date in question is her boss, Kang Tae-moo. Oops! And now he wants to marry her?

This is a hilarious and very sweet comedy of errors, one that pokes fun at romance tropes without diminishing them.

Watch on: Netflix

6. A Nice Indian Boy

A Nice Indian Boy promo image

A Nice Indian Boy by Madhuri Shekar

Based on the eponymous play by Madhuri Shekar, the movie is centered on Jay Kurundkar, a white man raised by Indian parents, and Dr. Naveen Gavaskar, whose parents fervently hope he’ll settle down with “a nice Indian boy. They figure out whether they’re compatible and how they can face the obstacles in the path to happily ever after. A great story about commitment and love.

Watch on: Hulu

5. Heartstopper

Heartstopper promo image
heartstopper book cover

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Based on the eponymous graphic novels and webcomics by Alice Oseman, this TV show is focused on Charlie Spring, a gay teen boy, and his relationship with classmate Nick Nelson. It starts with Charlie bonding with Nick and quickly developing a crush on him, and it only grows stronger from there. It gives you all that delicious, lovely yearning of youth.

Watch on: Netflix

4. Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell promo image
Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy cover

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy

Savvy Sheldon feels good as hell… eventually. Right now, after her boyfriend made it clear that he doesn’t consider her good enough, she feels very much the opposite. But, well, what can she do but move on? With the help of her friends, Savvy finds herself… and maybe much more.

Although it makes some minor changes from the book, this movie is so adorable and feel-good that putting it in the fourth spot feels like a no-brainer.

Watch on: Prime Video

3. What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim promo image
What's Wrong With Secretary Kim Vol 1 cover

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?, Vol. 1 by GyeongYun Jeong, art by MyeongMi Kim

Beware, kids: don’t rely on an employee to the point that you feel you’ll be lost if they quit. Or do… but keep in mind that you might find yourself in the midst of a love story. That’s what happens to Lee Young-joon when his secretary of nine years, Kim Mi-so, suddenly announces her resignation. This adaptation of Jung Kyung-yoon’s novel of the same title is, frankly, delightful, and well worthy of spot three. It’s also been adapted into a graphic novel series!

Watch on: Rakuten Viki

2. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before promo image
To All the Boys I've Loved Before cover

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Lara Jean Covey has written letters to all her crushes in the past. When someone mails them out without her knowledge, she makes a deal with former crush Peter Kavinsky: they will pretend to date to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, and to make Laura Jean’s current crush (her sister’s ex-boyfriend) think she’s over him.

Who among us doesn’t love fake dating? I certainly do, so this movie and its sequels rank high on my list. The second movie differs significantly from the book, but for someone who stopped liking the love interest altogether in the second book, that worked very well for me.

Watch on: Netflix

(Shout-out to The Summer I Turned Pretty, from the same author, on Prime Video.)

1. Heated Rivalry

 Heated Rivalry promo image
Heated Rivalry cover

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

You knew this was coming, unless you’ve spent the last month living under a rock. This TV adaptation of Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series has made more than a splash – it’s made a shockwave. Although it’s titled after the second book of the series, characters and relationships from several books make an appearance. It follows several hockey players, primarily Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, as they find love on and off the ice.

Excellent chemistry, superior writing, and a growing sense of hope underlay the series from beginning to end, and easily grant it the top spot on this ranking.

Watch it on: HBO Max.

You might also enjoy the best and the worst of book adaptations, or you can check out YA summer romance adaptations to stream right now.

🏷️ Books_feed