14 Non-Romance Books with a Romantic SubPlot

Finding Love in Unexpected Places

In the spirit of February and Valentine’s Day, we thought we would compile a list of books with a romantic subplot.

There are romance novels, and then there are non-romance novels. Some people enjoy both and some enjoy one or the other. Personally, I prefer books that have just a little bit of romance mixed in with the rest of the story.

In light of that, here are 14 Non-Romance books with a romantic subplot. I’d love to know if you’ve read them, what you thought, and if you have any to add to the list.

1. Harry Potter Series: Lupin and Tonks

A wonderful and complicated war-romance that happened mainly off the page. It is no surprise that we, here at Quill and Tome, love Harry Potter. We just had to include one (or two, see #12) in our list.

2. Cold Mountain: Inman and Ada

Another war-complicated romance to add to our list. However Cold Mountain isn’t just a love story. It is about a woman who learns to fend for herself when there are no other options. It is a story about a man fighting in a war when he doesn’t really want to be there. But it is their love for one another that keeps them going.

3. Uglies: Tally and David

This dystopian science fiction series focuses more on the human connection. However, the romance between Tally and David is a sweet part of the story.

4. 11.22.63: Jake and Sadie

What would happen if JFK was never assassinated? Jake finds a way to see this for himself, and he just happens to meet a girl that he can’t get out of his head.

5. The Mortal Instruments Series: Clary and Jace

I haven’t read the whole series yet, but the romantic subplot in The Mortal Instruments between Clary and Jace is predictable, but appreciated. It may be a trope, but the romance in a YA fantasy is a nice trope.

6. The Witching Hour: Michael and Rowan

The Witching Hour is a great example of horror meets romance. The book follows the story of thirteen witches over the course of 300 years, the thirteenth being the main character Rowan.

7. Ready Player One: Art3mis and Wade

This book was interesting. It was full of pop-culture and gaming references any nerd/gamer would appreciate. The romantic subplot was predictable, but definitely not in a bad way.

8. Divergent: Tris and Four

As many YA Dystopian Fantasy novels do, Divergent would not be complete without the romantic subplot between Tris and Four.

9. Anne of Green Gables: Anne and Gilbert

The story of an awkward and lovable teenage orphan, adopted by a loving brother and sister. While the couple don’t actually get together until the end of the third book, their relationship builds from teenage rivalry to friendship to love.

10. Brokeback Mountain: Jack and Ennis

While the romance is the baseline of this one, it is also a story about coming to terms with one’s own feelings and battling societal norms.

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11. The Night Circus: Celia and Marco

I fell in love with this book from the get go. The magic of the circus really came through in the writing, with just a twinge of romance that really tied in the whole story.

12. Harry Potter Series: Ron and Hermione

We may get some backlash one this one, since Harry and Hermione seem to be a very popular romantic choice for many readers. However, Ron and Hermione were made for each other. The books mostly focus on Harry, but the bond between Ron and Hermione is strong.

13. The Princess Bride: Wesley and Buttercup

This one is arguably a romance from the get-go, but there are so many other plot lines that it fits nicely on this list. “Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles”

14. The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn and Arwen

This epic fantasy that spans four very popular books, a complex world, and several additional stories has only the tiniest bit of romance in it. Yet, Aragorn and Arwen are one of our favorite couples on this list.

Over To You

Hopefully, you found this helpful.

Have any to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

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