10 best age gap romance books, ranked

Granted, age-gap romance stories aren’t for everyone. The controversial subgenre has its loyal fans, and those who wouldn’t be caught dead picking them up. Nonetheless, they remain one of the most popular subgenres of romance.

Just as the name implies, these stories feature an older character with a younger one, and as you can expect, sometimes there are power plays involved.  But not all age-gap romance books are the same. Here are 10 that range from steamy to wholesome, covering a plethora of other subgenres, from comedy to thriller. 

10. Love Hacked by Penny Reid

Love Hacked is a hilarious romantic comedy about Sandra, a psychotherapist who struggles to separate her work and personal life. After dozens of dates that end with men dumping their feelings on her, Sarah is ready to give up, until she starts a conversation with a young waiter at her favorite restaurant. 

9. All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

All Rhodes Lead Here is the perfect read for fans of Grumpy/Sunshine stories. It follows Aurora, who moves back to the small town she grew up in to start anew. She rents a garage apartment from Tobias Rhodes, and the two build a slow friendship and begin to open up to each other. 

8. Don’t Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole

Don’t Kiss the Bride follows the 18-year-old Skyler and the 34-year-old Jude Lucketti, as they enter a marriage of convenience to suit their own needs. Skyler has only one condition: Lucky cannot kiss her on the wedding day. A controversial read due to the incredible age gap, Don’t Kiss the Bride is evidently not everyone’s cup of tea. 

7. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

Part of Your World is a much-needed departure from typical age-gap romances, as it follows 37-year-old Alexis as she begins to date Daniel, who is ten years younger. The two couldn’t be any more different, but as they spend time together, they soon realize that they have more in common than otherwise. 

6. Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

Penelope Douglas is an age-gap veteran, and Birthday Girl is one of her most adored works. It follows the 19-year-old Jordan as she and her boyfriend move into his father’s house. While she’s immensely grateful to Pike for taking them in, she can’t deny the tension between herself and the 38-year-old. Fighting their mutual attraction to each other only gets harder by the day and it’s only a matter of time before one of them breaks. 

5. Heartless by Elsie Silver

One book that has been on many TBR lists is Heartless. This age-gap romance book features a fan-favorite trope; the nanny and single dad trope. Willa is an outspoken and fiery character, while Cade’s grumpy exterior makes the reader eager to see what he’s hiding underneath. Despite their 13-year age gap, the chemistry between these characters is palpable, making Heartless a great read. 

4. Sweet Spot by Rebecca Jenshak

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Sweet Spot is the perfect mix of sports romance and age-gap tropes. It’s a college romance novel following college golfer, Kiera, as she begins to work with legendary coach Lincoln to up her game. While she finds him infuriating at first, their fights soon blossom into a searing sexual tension that neither of them can avoid. 

3. Everything for You by Chloe Liese

Another sports and age-gap hybrid romance is Everything for You. This time, the sport in question is soccer, and the main characters are co-captains on their soccer team. Oliver is an upcoming soccer star beloved by fans worldwide, while Gavin is a legend, 10 years older than Oliver, and a strict captain. When Oliver is promoted to co-captain, the two men are forced to make things work, or lose their positions and sparks begin to fly. 

2. The Worst Kept Secret by Q.B. Tyler

It’s impossible to talk about age-gap romances and not mention Q.B. Tyler. In his novel, The Worst Kept Secret, Avery has had a crush on the sexy older man who lived next door since she was a teenager. The only problem is that Theo is her best friend’s father, and said best friend has been in love with her for years. When Avery finally makes a move on Theo, they both quickly realize that this is more than just lust, and they can’t resist each other. 

1. The Doctor by Nikki Sloane

Falling for an ex’s dad is a popular age-gap trope in novels. In The Doctor, Cassidy finds herself falling for her ex-boyfriend’s father, Dr. Gregory Lowe. What begins as just sexual tension, soon develops into an emotional bond between the two. This book, for many,  is the right amount of steam, coupled with charismatic characters, and slightly awkward scenarios to satisfy all the needs of an age-gap romance lover.