Books like I believe in a thing called love

A laugh-out-loud, swoony romp about trying to choreograph romance like a television script, only to discover the joy of going off-book. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with I believe in a thing called love.

cheerful
swoony
lighthearted
warm

01
Frankly in love
David Yoon
A sun-drenched California coming-of-age story where a fake-dating scheme opens the door to real questions about identity, family, and first love.
Shares:
- warm
- earnest
- first love
02
The fill-in boyfriend
Kasie West
A sweet, trope-driven high school romance where a desperate prom-night lie blossoms into a genuine, swoon-worthy connection.
Shares:
- swoony
- lighthearted
- earnest
03
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Jenny Han
A cozy, pastel-tinted daydream about the terrifying thrill of letting your real feelings out into the world.
Shares:
- humorous
- earnest
- first love
04
When Dimple Met Rishi
Sandhya Menon
A sun-drenched, joyful romantic comedy that feels like a warm hug on a summer afternoon.
Shares:
- lighthearted
- warm
- humorous
- earnest
05
P.S. I like you
Kasie West
A sweet, banter-filled exploration of falling in love with someone's words before you know their face.
Shares:
- swoony
- lighthearted
- warm
- earnest
06
Emergency contact
Mary H. K. Choi
A witty, tender exploration of the profound intimacy that can bloom in the safe, glowing space of a late-night text thread.
Shares:
- earnest
07
Always and Forever, Lara Jean
Jenny Han
A warm, bittersweet embrace of a story that captures the terrifying, beautiful precipice between childhood and whatever comes next.
Shares:
- warm
- earnest
- first love
08
Eleanor & Park
Rainbow Rowell
A tender, mixtape-fueled exploration of first love that feels as visceral and fragile as a bruised heart.
Shares:
- earnest
- first love
09
Love, hate & other filters
Samira Ahmed (Fiction writer)
A cinematic coming-of-age story that balances the sweet warmth of first love with the harsh realities of navigating prejudice.
Shares:
- warm
- earnest
- first love
10
The Sun is Also a Star
Nicola Yoon
A ticking-clock romance that explores the vast, interconnected universe through the intimate lens of a single serendipitous day in New York City.
Shares:
- earnest
11
Once and for all
Sarah Dessen
A sun-drenched, bittersweet summer romance that explores the messy collision of wedding-day perfection and real-world grief.
Shares:
- earnest
12
Anna and the French Kiss
Stephanie Perkins
A cinematic, banter-filled love letter to Paris and the dizzying, agonizing thrill of an all-consuming crush.
Shares:
- swoony
- earnest

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