Who doesn’t love a good romance? Whether you enjoy reading a love story in the pages of a book or watching it on the big screen, you can get the best of both worlds when you watch these romance movies based on books.
Each of these films brings beloved love stories from the pages to the screen, giving you a chance to see your favorite couples come to life. Whether you’re in the mood for a tearjerker or a feel-good comedy, there’s no shortage of romantic films waiting for you.
From classic novels to contemporary bestsellers, there’s nothing better than a romance book turned into a movie!
Not only do these movies give us a chance to see our favorite book characters on the big screen, but they also allow us to revisit our favorite stories from new perspectives.
Romance Movies Based on Books
From classic novels to contemporary bestsellers, there’s nothing better than a romance book turned into a movie! Not only do these movies give us a chance to see our favorite book characters on the big screen, but they also allow us to revisit our favorite stories from new perspectives.
Whether you’re looking for a passionate period drama or a modern-day love story, these adaptations have something for everyone. The next time you’re ready for some romance, check out one of these amazing book adaptations.
The Notebook
Rated PG-13
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner
In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah and rich girl Allie are desperately in love. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, their love affair comes to an end. But when Noah returns years later, on the eve of Allie’s wedding, it becomes clear that their romance isn’t through.
Pride & Prejudice
Rated PG
Starring: Kiera Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Carey Mulligan
Elizabeth Bennet lives with her family in the English countryside. As the eldest daughter, she faces pressure from her parents to marry. And when the outspoken Elizabeth is introduced to the handsome and upper-class Mr. Darcy, sparks begin to fly.
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Rated R
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant
When the new year starts, Bridget Jones decides to start writing a diary. In order to make the pages of her journal a little more interesting, she sparks up two relationships with a pair of eligible bachelors.
Crazy Rich Asians
Rated PG-13
Starring: Constance Wu, Awkafina, Henry Golding
While on a trip to Singapore with her fiancé, a woman’s life is turned upside down when she discovers that the man she’s dating belongs to one of the wealthiest families in Asia.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Rated PG-13
Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Ana Cathcart
To help work out her feelings, Lara Jean writes secret, soul-baring letters to her five crushes. And while she never meant to send them, they somehow get out and begin to wreak havoc on her life.
Me Before You
Rated PG-13
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Matthew Lewis
When she becomes a caregiver for a wealthy young banker left paralyzed from an accident, a young woman’s cheerfulness is put to the test. But his cynical attitude starts to change when the pair’s bond begins to deepens.
Little Women
Rated PG
Starring: Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Bale
Faced with financial shortages, family tragedies, and romantic rivalries in mid-19th-century Massachusetts, a group of sisters cling to each other during hard times.
Gone with the Wind
Not rated
Starring: Vivian Leigh, Clark Gable, Hattie McDaniel
This epic Civil War drama focuses on the life of Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara, beginning with her life on a sprawling plantation through the tragic history of the South during the Civil War and Reconstruction, along with her tangled love affairs with Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler.
Jane Eyre
Rated PG-13
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell
After suffering cruel abuse by her aunt, Jane Eyre is cast out and sent to a charity school. When she takes a job as a governess at the estate of Edward Rochester years later, the two begin to bond until Jane uncovers the terrible secret Rochester has been hiding,
The Princess Bride
Rated PG
Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Billy Crystal
A beautiful young woman and her one true love must find each other after a long separation. But the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin threaten to stop the lovers from being reunited with each other.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Rated PG-13
Starring: Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Raoul Bova
When Frances finds out that her husband is cheating on her, her best friend encourages her to take a tour of Italy to get over the breakup. During the trip, the new divorcée impulsively decides to purchase a rural Tuscan villa and begins to start a new life.
Twilight
Rated PG-13
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner
When high-school student Bella Swan moves from sunny Arizona to rainy Washington State, she doesn’t expect to fit in. Then she meets Edward Cullen, a handsome but mysterious teen and enters into a dangerous romance.
Emma
Rated PG
Starring: Anna Taylor-Joy, Mia Goth, Johnny Flynn
Emma occupies herself with matchmaking while living in Georgian- and Regency-era England. But her sometimes misguided efforts often result in her meddling in the lives of her friends and family.
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Rated PG
Starring: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter
Rebecca Bloomwood loves to shop — so much that she is drowning in debt. So, while she would love to work at the city’s top fashion magazine, she instead lands a job as an advice columnist for a financial magazine. When her column becomes an overnight success, her secret shopping habit threatens to ruin her love life and career.
Something Borrowed
Rated PG-13
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, John Krasinski
After one too many drinks at her 30th-birthday party, Rachel unexpectedly falls into bed with her longtime crush, Dex — who happens to be engaged to her best friend. And the affair threatens to destroy the women’s lifelong friendship.
The Lucky One
Rated PG-13
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner
One thing kept U.S. Marine Sgt. Logan Thibault alive during his tour of duty in Iraq – a photograph of a woman he doesn’t even know. After learning who the woman is, he goes to meet her and eventually a romance blooms.
Safe Haven
Rated PG-13
Starring: Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough, Cobie Smothers
To escape her dark past, Katie moves to a small town on the North Carolina coast and is won over by the warmth and caring of the close-knit community. With the help of widower Alex and his children, Katie learns to love and trust again until a mysterious stranger arrives and starts asking questions.
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Rated PG-13
Starring: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Hailey McCann
Suffering from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to drift uncontrollably through time, a Chicago librarian meets the love of his while time traveling. But he soon finds that he and his love are constantly out of sync thanks to his inability to remain in one time and place.
Message in a Bottle
Rated PG-13
Starring: Kevin Costner, Robin Wright, Paul Newman
While running on the beach, a journalist discovers a bottle in the sand with a heartbreaking love letter inside. After her paper publishes the letter, she tracks down the author and soon finds herself falling hopelessly in love with him.
A Walk to Remember
Rated PG
Starring: Mandy Moore, Shane West, Lauren German
An aimless high school senior falls in love with a young woman who he and his friends once scorned in this Nicholas Sparks book made into movie.
Dear John
Rated PG-13
Starring: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Scott Porter
A relationship between a soldier and a college student turns rocky when the soldier leaves on dangerous deployments. In spite of it all, the lovers stay in touch through their letters to keep their relationship alive.
The Fault in Our Stars
Rated PG-13
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern
When a 16-year-old cancer patient falls in love with a teen from her cancer support group, they bond over their shared love of books. So when Gus scores an invitation to meet her favorite author, he and Hazel embark on the adventure of their lives.
P.S. I Love You
Rated PG-13
Starring: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Knowing how hard his wife will take his death, a dying husband plans ahead and sends a series of letters written by him to help ease her grief and encourage her to move forward.
We hope this list of best movies adapted from romance books inspires you for your next movie night!
If you love this list of best romantic films, you may also like:
- Romance Movies Like The Notebook
- Great Black Romantic Movies
- Romance Dance Movies
- Romantic Movie Date Night Ideas for Couples
We’d love to know your handful of favorite romantic movies and books about young love, kindred spirit, and the occasional dark secret.
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