RomCom Books (romantic comedy) experienced a massive 2019-2023 boom as readers sought feel-good escapism, making authors like Emily Henry and Christina Lauren household names.
The RomCom Renaissance
Key titles driving the trend:
- Beach Read (2020): Emily Henry, 1M+ copies
- People We Meet on Vacation (2021): Emily Henry
- The Unhoneymooners (2019): Christina Lauren
- Red, White & Royal Blue (2019): Casey McQuiston, queer romcom
- The Love Hypothesis (2021): Ali Hazel, #StemRomance
Formula Elements
Successful romcoms feature:
- Witty banter and sexual tension
- Emotional vulnerability + humor
- “Forced proximity” or “enemies to lovers” tropes
- Career-driven protagonists
- Happy endings (always)
- Smart, funny heroines
BookTok Explosion
#RomComBooks has 2+ billion TikTok views:
- “Books that made me smile” compilations
- Comfort read recommendations
- Beach/summer reading lists
Publishing Boom
The genre’s success:
- Made Emily Henry a bestselling phenomenon
- Launched #BookstagramRomance careers
- Proved romance could be critically respected and commercially dominant
Sources:
- NPR: https://www.npr.org/
- Publishers Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/