Looking Back at New York Times Bestselling Romances

Historically speaking, the New York Times (NYT) has not given much attention to romance novels, focusing instead on literary fiction. But things are starting to change. In 2020, novelist Olivia Waite started as a romance columnist for the publication and even published a Best Romance Novel list for 2022, the first of its kind. (You can peruse the list for free on Book Riot).

We decided to take a retrospective look at the romance novels that have topped the NYT Best Seller lists since its beginning in 1931, as well as a few other groundbreaking titles along the way. Obviously this eliminates some of the all-time bestselling romance books published earlier—like Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Jane Eyre, and North and South, just to name a few. But we still celebrate them!

1930s

We're crediting Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell as the first romance to top the NYT Best Seller List. It was published in 1936 and spent more than 30 consecutive weeks at the #1 spot. Although not technically classified as a romance, this book went on to have a huge influence on the genre.

A few years later in 1938 Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca nabbed the top spot, reinvigorating interest in gothic romances.

1940s

Best-selling romances from this decade include 1941s Saratoga Trunk by Edna Ferber. Set in New Orleans, it is the story of Clio Dulaine, an ambitious Creole beauty who meets her match in Clint Maroon, a handsome Texas gambler.  

Another standout is Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor, published in 1944. This historical romance drew favorable comparisons to Gone With the Wind and was banned in Boston for its sheer sexiness.

1950s

In 1952, Patricia Highsmith made history with her novel The Price of Salt, later republished under the name Carol. The book chronicles a romance between two women. Although not a NYT bestseller at the time, the book went on to be a sleeper hit and was the basis for a celebrated 2015 film starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

For more than three decades Georgette Heyer was a powerhouse of Regency romance literature, citing Jane Austen as a major influence. One of our favorites is 1958's Venetia about an intelligent, spirited young woman navigating love with a notorious rake.

1960s

Published in 1966,  Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls was the top selling novel of the year. The sexy pulpy story features three young women trying to make their way in New York City. Susann's second novel, The Love Machine, followed suit in 1969.

1970s

The seventies marked the rise of romance as a more legitimate genre as books that had previously been published as dime-store novels began to gain a larger readership. Here is a list of some of the bestsellers from this decade:

• Love Story by Erich Segal (1970): This tragic tale about a young couple facing terminal illness spent a whopping 41 weeks at the top spot on NYT's list. Coming out that same year, the film starred Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal.
• The Lord Won't Mind by Gordon Merrick (1970): This story about two men who fall in love at an Ivy League college made a mark as the first best-selling gay romance.
• Shanna by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (1978): Woodiwiss is credited as the pioneer of the "bodice ripper" subgenre.
• Scruples by Judith Krantz (1978): This NYT bestseller about the proprietress of a chic Beverly Hills boutique heralded the beginning the "bonkbuster" subgenre featuring glamorous, financially independent protagonists and salacious storylines.

1980s

The contemporary romance genre hit its stride in this decade with the success of serial bestsellers like Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins. Here are some standouts.

• An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough (1982): This historical romance from the author of The Thorn Birds features a doomed romance between a nurse and a wounded soldier in WWII.
• Full Circle by Danielle Steel (1984): Steel had been publishing popular titles since the early 1970s, but this is her first novel to gain the top spot. She did it again the following year with Family Album.
• Lucky by Jackie Collins (1985): The second in a series following 1981's Chances, this #1 bestseller follows the saga of Lucky Santangelo, a hot-blooded beauty in love with power and hungry for pleasure.
• The India Fan by Victoria Holt (nee Eleanor Burford) (1988): Burford produced multiple books each year over the course of six decades. She used a variety of pen names including Jean Plaidy and Philippa Carr. By the time she died in 1993, she had written more than 200 books, selling more than 100 million copies.

1990s

Danielle Steel continued to rack up #1 bestsellers (sometimes more than one each year) throughout the nineties. Other authors who hit this mark include:

• Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley (1991): Written as a sequel to Gone With the Wind, this juicy novel spent 16 weeks atop the list.
• The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller (1993): Adapted into a celebrated 1995 film starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, this novel was the top seller for more than thirty weeks.
• How Stella Got her Groove Back by Terry McMillan (1996): This sexy bestseller about a middle-aged woman bouncing back after divorce was the basis for a 1998 movie starring Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs.
• The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (1996): This debut historical romance was a NYT bestseller for over a year when it came out and inspired a hit 2004 film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Sparks went on to write many more #1 bestsellers.

2000s

Moving into the aughts, the top sellers of the growing genre began to see an influx of paranormal romances and cultural diversity with regular appearances from industry stars like Nicholas Sparks, Danielle Steel, and Nora Roberts.

• Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher (2000): This Christmas-themed Scottish romance notched top sales for several weeks.
• Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts (2001): This southern paranormal romance may have notched the author's first #1 bestseller, but it certainly wasn't her last.
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003): This unusual romance about a man genetically predisposed to reflexive jumps through time became a book club staple.
• A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (2005): The Outlander series had been gaining a huge following since the 1991 publication of the first book, but #6 was the first one to hit #1.
• Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon (2009): This bestseller is a part of the paranormal Dark-Hunter romances about immortal warriors.

2010s and beyond

In our current era, social media influencers have become major drivers in product placement, including book sales, further diversifying the field and promoting lesser-known authors. Here are some of the top titles of the last decade plus:

• Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James (2011): The erotic exploits of Anastasia and Christian lit a pop culture firestorm, ruling the #1 spot for 28 weeks.
• Reflected in You by Sylvia Day (2012): Day's addictive erotica series has been called "wickedly entertaining." This is the first of many #1 bestsellers for her.
• Lover at Last by J. R. Ward (2013): The 11th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series continues the paranormal passion project.
• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (2016): Though it came out in 2012, this charming romance was boosted to the #1 spot by the release of the film version.
• Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (2018): A hilarious heartwarming rom-com that also got a winning film adaptation.
• The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (2018): A groomsman and his last-minute guest discover whether their fake relationship could turn real.
• Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand (2019): The first of many #1 titles for Hilderbrand.
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (2019): What happens when America's first son falls for the Prince of Wales?
• The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (2021): Another already popular title that got propelled to the top of the heap by its adaptation.
• It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (2022): A BookTok darling!
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry (2022): Clever repartee and literary minded characters dominate the pages of Henry's charming romances.

It's interesting to see the way that the NYT Best Seller Lists have been a sort of harbinger of trends over the years. The evolution of the romance genre plays out in the titles that rose to the top and the field is clearly thriving! Celebrate Valentine's Day by revisiting some of your favorite romances.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon