The Best Romance & Horror Books of 2024

As the year comes to a close, we've put together a collection of the best books of the year (according to us). Our collection of 130+ titles span the full range of genres and categories. Over the past few weeks, we've been taking a closer look at some of these books with a focus on specific genres. This edition features 2024's best in romance & horror.   

Romance (listed in approximate order, from sweet to spicy)

Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks
Raised by his grandparents, Tanner Hughes has followed in his grandfather's military footsteps. Happiest when off on his next adventure, he has zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are, "find where you belong," sending him on an unexpected path.

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella
Based on the author's own experience, this is the story of Eve, a successful novelist who wakes up in the hospital with no memory of why she's there. Her husband explains that she is recovering from the removal of a large, malignant brain tumor. During her slow recovery, she learns to live and love anew.

Joy by Danielle Steel
Amidst a childhood marked by abandonment, Allegra finds solace in books. Her life takes a turn when she meets Shep, a dashing West Point cadet. After college, Allegra becomes a book editor and Shep is rising through the ranks of the military. But when he's sent to Afghanistan, it takes its toll on them both.

Funny Story by Emily Henry
Daphne's new life with her fiancé, Peter, in his lakeside hometown was perfect. That is, until Peter left her for his childhood bestie, Petra. Now Daphne needs a roommate and (coincidence!) so does Petra's ex, Miles. This NYT #1 Best Seller was also included on the publication's list of 100 Notable Books of 2024.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Thanks to a viral Reddit thread, everyone knows about Justin's curse. Every woman he dates meets their soulmate after they break up. When Emma slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a crazy idea. Date each other and then break up to cancel out each other's curses.

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
Ultra-organized Soledad always has everything under control. But when the life she planned for goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion, she's left scrambling to keep a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of keeping them all afloat, Soledad rediscovers herself.

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore
When a trail of clues start appearing within the volumes in her bookstore, Hazel sets about trying to follow them. Gorgeous fisherman Noah, is delighted when the cute bookseller asks for his help. Following up on the TikTok phenomenon The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, it's another sweet (and spicy) romantic cozy mystery.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Misery, the only daughter of a powerful Vampyre leader reluctantly agrees to marry Lowe, an Alpha Werewolf as part of a historic alliance between Vampyres, and their mortal enemies, The Weres. This paranormal departure for the bestselling romcom author delivers a scintillating outcome.

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
Gus has a lot on his plate: managing his family's 8,000-acre ranch and parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter. When his workload starts to overwhelm him, he realizes he needs help. His little sister's chaotic best friend, Teddy, isn't his first choice for a nanny, but when no one else can step in, she's all he's got.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, Ricki is the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. So she jumps at the chance to leave her family behind to open a flower shop in Harlem. One evening in February, as the heady scent of jasmine fills the air, Ricki meets a mysterious stranger.

Wild Love by Elsie Silver
Ford Grant may have been named the World's Hottest Billionaire by Forbes, but things get complicated when he opens his door to a young girl who claims to be his daughter. Things get even more fraught when Rosie, his longtime crush (and best friend's sister), turns up needing a job.

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey
Josephine was always his biggest fan, but when Wells quits golf, she wonders if her faith was misplaced. Then he shows up at her door with a proposal: be his caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine's own life is in shambles, she could really use the cash.

King of Sloth by Ana Huang
Charming, easygoing, and rich beyond belief, Xavier Castillo has the world at his fingertips. Sloane Kensington is his high-powered publicist, intelligent, ambitious, and used to dealing with difficult clients like Xavier. Book #4 in the Kings of Sin series charts their unlikely—and spicy—romance.

Dark Restraint by Katee Roberts
Ariadne has no choice but to agree to a sham marriage with Dionysus, even if there's only one man she's ever wanted. Regardless, the Minotaur intends to have her, no matter the cost. This installment of the Dark Olympus series offers a scorchingly hot modern retelling of Ariadne and her Minotaur.

Madness by Shantel Tessier
Barrington University is home to the Lords, a secret society of powerful men. The sixth installment of this darkly erotic series centers on Haidyn Jameson Reeves. Charlotte has been assigned to him. It's her job to find out his secrets. But instead, he finds out hers, and takes her for his own.

Horror

You Like It Darker: Stories by Stephen King
"You like it darker? Fine, so do I," writes the King of Horror in the afterword to his newest collection of stories that delve into dark places. Exploring themes of fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, each of these iconic stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak
Frank is shocked when his estranged daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years to invite him to her wedding. Frank is ecstatic and determined to make things right. But when he arrives at the luxurious estate where the event is being held, he finds the scene to be mystifying and a bit sinister.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, they find themself at their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country and it's clear, something's not quite right.

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. While going through their parents' belongings, the siblings stumble upon a home video revealing a long-ago night that none of them remember. Now they must decide whether to uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
It's 1989 in a small west Texas town where everyone knows everyone else's business. So it goes for Tolly Driver, a good kid with more potential than application, seventeen, and about to be cursed to kill for revenge. Find yourself rooting for a killer in this summer teen movie of a novel.

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
In 1993, a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks making a disturbing, art-house horror flick. The weird part? Only three scenes were ever released. Now, decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big-budget reboot of the cult classic. And the only surviving cast member is back too.

The Forest of Lost Souls by Dean Koontz
Raised in the wilderness by her great-uncle, Vida is an indomitable young woman with an unshakeable bond to nature and the wolves who share her forested mountain home. When a group of powerful men come for her, prepared to do anything to see their evil plans through, Vida is no less prepared for them.

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
Thirty years after his best friend disappeared in the middle of the night during a summer sleepover in his backyard, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by insomnia, Ethan begins noticing strange nighttime incidents and decides he must try and find out what really happened that night. 

The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart
Heading north to evade capture, serial killer Jeremy Rose remains focused on unfinished business with forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Miller, the one target who got away. As Jeremy's trail of victims grows, Wren, still recovering from the harrowing encounter, realizes that the best way to heal is to stop him.

Anathema by Keri Lake
Maevyth is a shunned woman. Forced into a mystical forest, she reckons with a world as dangerous as it is alluring. This gothic dark fantasy, the first book in The Eating Woods duology, is perfect for readers who enjoy an atmospheric story with a unique magic system, a slow-burn romance, and a touch of horror.

Be sure to check out our recent posts featuring the year's best in literary fiction & nonfiction, kids & YA, and mystery & sci-fi/fantasy.

Let your fellow readers know if we missed any of your favorite 2024 reads in the comments below. And be sure to check out our full collection for additional categories like memoir, cookbooks, and book-to-screen. 

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon