Elise Bryant’s debut romance novel Happily Ever Afters was released in 2021 and received multiple starred reviews. In Bryant’s 2021 “Debut You” feature on our blog, she said, “I’ve loved love stories for as long as I can remember….But I could rarely find ones with main characters that looked like me…I hope Happily Ever Afters makes readers feel seen and brings them joy.” Bryant is back this year with another YA romance novel, One True Loves—just in time for a good Valentine’s Day read or any time of the year.
This booklist includes 15 young adult romance novels. And Valentine’s Day: 18 YA Novels about Finding Love has more; that’s 33 titles! Look out later this year for Ebony LaDelle’s Love Radio (Simon & Schuster BYR, May 31, 2022) and Debbie Rigaud’s A Girl’s Guide to Love & Magic (Scholastic Press, Aug 2, 2022). Happy Valentine’s Day!
1. One True Loves
Elise Bryant | Balzer + Bray | January 4, 2022 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
2. The Kindred
Alechia Dow | Inkyard Press | January 4, 2022 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
3. For All Time
Shanna Miles | Simon & Schuster BYR | September 28, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
4. Things We Couldn’t Say
Jay Coles | Scholastic Press | September 21, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
5. The Problem with the Other Side
Kwame Ivery | Soho Teen | September 7, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
6. The Right Side of Reckless
Whitney D. Grandison | Inkyard Press | July 13, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
7. Rise to the Sun
Leah Johnson | Scholastic Press | July 6, 2021 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
8. Blackout
Dhonielle Clayton | Tiffany D Jackson | Nic Stone | Angie Thomas | Ashley Woodfolk | Nicola Yoon | HarperCollins | June 22, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
9. Don’t Hate the Player
Alexis Nedd | Bloomsbury YA | June 15, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
10. Simone Breaks All the Rules (Simone Breaks All the Rules #1)
Debbie Rigaud | Scholastic | June 1, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
11. Instructions for Dancing
Nicola Yoon | Delacorte Press | June 1, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
12. Where the Rhythm Takes You
Sarah Dass | Balzer + Bray | May 11, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
13. Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry
Joya Goffney | HarperTeen | May 4, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
14. Meet Cute Diary
Emery Lee | HarperCollins | May 4, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
15. Some Other Now
Sarah Everett | HMH Books for Young Readers | February 23, 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
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