15 essential romance novels to read

Romantic stories never go out of style at any point in history. It is one of the most requested genres. And not only for women, men also like to enjoy a great love story. Never throughout history have they stopped writing romance novels, some essential to read.

From true classics to more current stories, there is a wide variety of stories that make you sigh. What makes some more special than others is the mastery with which they are narrated, as well as the accuracy of the descriptions to make you feel that you are there.

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The 15 best romance novels you can read

Some of the best love novels are highly acclaimed and have moved from books to the big screen. Although the story is the same, the truth is that reading the original book is a completely different experience.

Below is a list of romance novels for all tastes. Youthful, funny or sad stories, which can be set in war, in times gone by or in exotic cultures. Be that as it may, a good romance novel grabs you from beginning to end.

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1. Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights is a novel written in 1847. Her author was Emily Brontë, and although it was the only published book of hers, she is already a classic writer for her work. In it Catherine falls in love with someone "forbidden" for her, so she decides to marry someone else. However, love and passion come to the fore giving a very intense love story.

2. Pride and prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is one of the best romance novels ever. So much so that it has been adapted for film on multiple occasions. Elisabeth is the protagonist of this story, a woman ahead of her time who does not allow herself to be dominated by the customs of 19th century England, the place where this passionate story is set.

3. Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary is another timeless classic. Gustave Flaubert is the author of this romantic novel that tells the story of Emma Bovary, a girl whose greatest desire is to reach a loving marriage. All in all, she is met with great disappointment when nothing is as she expected when she gets married. Her adventures to fill that void are the common thread of this great masterpiece.

4. Ana Karenina

Anna Karenina de Tolstoy is a story of love and passion that must be read. This romantic novel is a classic of universal literature. It tells the story of a married woman with a child who, unexpectedly, meets the great love of her life. Despite their circumstances, they struggle to be together, sparking a steamy love story.

5. gone With the Wind

Gone with the Wind is undoubtedly a great romance novel. Scarlett O'Hara is the protagonist of this novel and the love story that is told. The writer of this book was Margaret Mitchell, and anyone who has not read the book or seen the movie is missing great phrases and love scenes that leave you sighing.

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6. The bridges of Madison

The Bridges of Madison is a captivating story of intense love. The novel was written by Robert James Waller, who portrays how intense meeting true love can be, even if it has only appeared in for a few days. The protagonists face their own lives and everything changes when they meet and fall in love.

7. Memories of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha tells the life of a famous geisha since her retirement. In addition to the interesting narrative that a life like this can provide, the writer Arthur Golden also manages to convey intense emotions and true love. All this in a profession where it is forbidden to love.

8. Lady Chatterley's Lover

Lady Chatterley's lover caused a stir after her publication. It was even banned at the time (1928), so it finally saw the light of day in 1960 when it was finally printed. In this work by D.H. Lawrence tells the story of a woman and her lover. The degree of clarity in the description of intimate relationships is what caused such a scandal.

9. Eat Pray Love

Eat, pray, love is a contemporary romance novel. It was written by Elizabeth Gilbert and published in 2006. In it the author tells her own story about the trips she made after her divorce. It is a story of love and heartbreak and of encounter and spirituality. It was also made into a movie with great success and acceptance.

10. Love in the time of cholera

Love in the time of cholera is one of the great works of Gabriel García Márquez. This representative work of Latin American literature and magical realism, tells a beautiful story of special love. A man decides to wait for the woman he loves and who has married someone else. Her marriage lasts 50 years, and what happens during that time must be known by reading the novel.

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11. Under the same star

Under the Same Star is a recent youth romance novel. This 2012 book quickly became a best-seller, which also became a movie. The tragic but romantic story of two teenagers with cancer captured the hearts of all its readers. It is already one of the most memorable contemporary love stories.

12. Postcript I love you

Postscript: I love you will make you laugh and cry on each of its pages. Love not only crosses borders, also time and even to death. This book written by Cecelia Ahern tells the story of a woman's life after the love of her life dies, and how the letters he left her make her regain her sense of living.

13. Twilight

Twilight is the first in a four-book saga. It is a story that takes place in a fantastic world of vampires and werewolves, but with a very romantic touch that caused a sensation and euphoria. The four books were taken to the movies, and although they were a resounding success, the truth is that the best is the original work. Do not miss the opportunity to read the original romance novels.

14. The engaged princess

The Princess Bride is a romance novel published in 1973. Its writer is William Goldman, who declared that The Princess Bride was the work that most impacted the lives of him and those of the readers. It is a beautiful story that combines fantasy, love, fairy tales and humor with Buttercup and Westely as the protagonists.

15. Noah's notebook

Noah's notebook talks about the most romantic love possible. Whoever has read the book can confirm it, and it is a great love story. This novel is set in the United States in 1946. Noah Calhoun and Allie are the young protagonists of this story full of passion, intensity, drama and true love.

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Bibliographic references

• Becker, C. and Cabanès, J.L. (2001). Le roman au xixe siècle: l'explosion du genre. Paris: Bréal.