Looking for an irresistible collection of books you’d devour if you liked A Court of Thorns & Roses series? As an award-winning author and longtime blogger about issue-driven YA fiction, I know that love triangles are the popular trope that people love—whether between two humans or between otherworldly creatures.
You’ll find detailed reviews of my favorites in the roundup below. Discover your next great romantic read for Valentine’s Day in this list. I’m confident you’ll find something new to love here, especially if you enjoyed the romantic aspect of this series.
Hollow Beauty by Khristina Chess
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of self-discovery & identity
What it’s about
Prom should be magic, but when her date tells her to lose weight, Olivia’s quest for perfection pulls her into a toxic spiral of extreme dieting and exercising - until one boy helps her see herself clearly again.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“I wondered what it would feel like if he rolled over and kissed me. Would I feel that panicked need to escape that I always felt when Brody kissed me? When I thought about kissing Ross, I felt nothing but excitement.” ― Khristina Chess from Hollow Beauty
A romantic love triangle that will appeal to fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before—this compelling novel explores insecurity and the power of words to hurt and to heal.
The story starts with a casual criticism from a cute boy: maybe you could use the next two months before prom to lose some weight.
That’s right. When tall, gorgeous Brody asks Olivia to prom, she’s ecstatic—until he suggests that she go on a diet!
But how thin is thin enough?
What starts as a few skipped meals spirals into a dangerous obsession—hours spent scrolling pro-ana and thinspo forums, tracking calories like a lifeline, and watching the number on the scale plummet. The more weight she sheds, the more she disappears. Ross, the new prep cook at the diner, sees her differently, and the only time Olivia feels like herself is when she’s riding dirt bikes and cave-hunting with him. But with Brody, romance feels more like devour or be devoured.
She’s almost perfect for prom. Almost thin enough.
Until the unthinkable happens.
This dreamy YA novel with an unexpected love triangle also explores the slippery slope of pro-ana culture and the brutal consequences of chasing perfection. What makes Hollow Beauty special is the realistic portrayal of how Olivia falls into the self-esteem trap of trying to change herself for someone else. I loved seeing her journey and choices as the events escalated toward the story’s climax. This one is worth the read!
In fact, Khristina Chess has written more than a dozen awesome YA books, and she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she writes such romantic stories.
Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer (Box Set)
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of jealousy & rivalry among supernatural beings
What it’s about
A classic, unforgettable series about first love between characters of very different worlds—human and vampire—with a werewolf thrown into the love triangle mix.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him-and I didn’t know how potent that part might be-that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.” ― Stephanie Meyer from Twilight
Oh. My. Gosh.
Twilight was my introduction to YA as an adult reader, and I remember plowing through these novels at a breakneck pace. They’re part love stories, part vampire and werewolf fantasy world, and just full of all the great emotions. At one point I contacted my friend who’d recommended the series and asked, “When do they finally have sex?!” By this point I felt as frustrated about the situation with Edward as Bella.
“It’s young adult,” she said. “Remember?”
Right.
For readers who have never read them or even those who read them a decade ago, these books are highly addicting, binge-worthy, can’t-put-down, and worth another look. There’s a reason millions of people loved them, watched all the movies, and bought posters.
If you are looking for dreaming YA books about love triangles, you have found the right place. The passion between Bella and Edward (and Jacob) sizzles on the pages of this series.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of friendship vs. romance in a dystopian world
What it’s about
A teenage girl takes her sister's place to participate in the a life-or-death TV show, and in this journey, she must choose between the boy who saves her life and the boy waiting for her to return.
Why I Love It - Book Review
There’s a reason that The Hunger Games always appears at the top of lists for apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and dystopian YA science fiction books. This series has everything: a relatable and flawed heroine in Katniss, a love triangle, life-and-death adventure, good and evil, a stark world of intense poverty contrasted against ridiculous gluttony, and deeper themes about society at large.
This series is amazing. I could read it multiple times and still find new things to love. I have seen the movies multiple times, but there are things in the books that are just wonderful.
Don’t miss these lovely books and the heartbreaking love triangle.
Coywood Creek by Khristina Chess
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of conflict & tension in a dystopian world
What it’s about
A lighthearted dystopian thriller about teen battling anxiety and binge eating disorder, forced to adopt new coping strategies as society crumbles around her, and torn between the boy she traveled with and the boy who’s waiting in the valley.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“With an unremarkable click, like a period at the end of a sentence, the world ended.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from Coywood Creek
This hilariously smart YA novel will wreck you—in the best way possible!
For readers drawn to the slow unraveling of society in dystopian fiction, Coywood Creek delivers a comical journey through the eyes of a teenager with binge eating disorder.
At first, Zoey brushes off the blackout, the dead cell service, and the eerie northern lights. But as reality sets in, she knows one thing: she can’t stay in her parents’ condo alone with no power. So she packs her snacks and sets out for Coywood Creek, hoping to find safety with her uncle and grandmother. Instead, she finds something else entirely.
What makes this novel so engrossing is Zoey’s sharp, relatable, and often humorous response to navigating the collapse of civilization with her signature sarcasm (and a bag of OREO cookies). Her delicious banter with Kent made me laugh out loud, even as the novel’s deeper themes—resilience, uncertainty, and survival—kept me hooked.
But more than anything, Coywood Creek forces you to ask: How fragile are we without our technology?
I highly recommend this YA novel about the end of the world. You have to meet the sassiest survivor since Katniss—and don’t forget to bring snacks.
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of forbidden love
What it’s about
A beautiful novel about a grieving girl who falls in love with two boys: the cute new kid in school and her dead sister’s boyfriend.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“What kind of girl wants to kiss every boy at a funeral, wants to maul a guy in a tree after making out with her sister’s boyfriend the previous night? Speaking of which, what kind of girl makes out with her sister’s boyfriend, period?” ― Jandy Nelson from The Sky Is Everywhere
I love, love, loved this book! The writing is so lyrical, and the story is incredibly sad. It begins with protagonist Lennie, who is grieving the sudden death of her sister. Although Bailey is dead, the relationship between these siblings is very much alive on the pages of this novel. Lennie writes beautiful poems, and she spends time in their room and shares so many memories that I feel I know Bailey.
A charismatic new boy shows up at school, and Lennie ends up entering into 2 romances at the same time. This is the love triangle. One romance is with the new boy at school, and the other is with her dead sister’s grieving boyfriend. Sooner or later, she has to decide which one of these guys is the one she’s going to stick with. Oh, boy.
All of the characters are vivid, and the story is captivating. The creative visual aspect of the novel is also a nice touch; Lennie writes her poems on scraps and scatters them everywhere, and these appear at the beginning of chapters.
My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of jealousy & rivalry
Love Triangle themes
Jealousy & rivalry
What it’s about
After the sudden death of her parents, a girl relocates from east coast to mountains, where she finds herself surrounded by beautiful boys.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Love takes more than a couple days and a secret, shotgun marriage to develop into something worth dying for.” ― Ali Novak from My Life with the Walter Boys
Jackie is an orphan who finds herself transported from a life of privilege and private school in New York City to a rural ranch in Colorado, where she shares a very crowded home with 11 boys and one tomboy. There were plenty of opportunities for this story to explore the themes of grief, sisterhood, and being an orphan more deeply, but instead, the book focuses on the love triangle that develops between Jackie and two of the brothers.
That’s just fine. The pages turned quickly. I thought I’d be too disoriented by all those gorgeous and talented brothers, but Novak does a good job of introducing them and making them unique as Jackie gets to know them. I felt her sense of being overwhelmed by the family initially, and then one by one, the boys (and sister) became individuals. The parents are kind.
I liked the ending. This is nice debut book and a sweet romance for readers who like love triangles.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of self-discovery & identity
What it’s about
A teenage girl's secret love letters are accidentally mailed to the boys, forcing her to confront her past crushes and navigate unexpected romance.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“I want to say yes, but I don't want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody else's first choice.” ― Jenny Han from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Lara Jean is a super sweet adorable character, and even though the story seems like a common love triangle, there are enough twists to keep the pages turning. Plus, Lara Jean herself is such a star. She’s naive and on her own for the first time, and she’s making all kinds of mistakes. She’s basically a train wreck. I love her immensely. Two plot points surprised me, and I thought I had those wrapped up early on.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, but I finished it in two sittings. Now I see why everyone’s been reading it! :-)
If you’re the last person on the planet to miss this one, you must go and read this YA book with love triangles in unexpected places.
The Initial Insult / The Last Laugh by Mindy McGinnis
Why It’s Like A Court of Thorns & Roses
Love-triangle themes of complex relationships & secrets
What it’s about
A young girl becomes marginalized in a small community, where she lives with her grandfather at the "White Trash Zoo."
Why I Love It - Book Review
“You can’t get people to like you, but you can get revenge.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from The Last Laugh
In this thrilling duology (which I read back-to-back), you will find socioeconomic and class difference at the center or a mystery. The first book, The Initial Insult, introduces the conflict. Tress and Felicity were best friends as children, but something went wrong. Now, in the present, Tress has Felicity chained in the basement of an old house that will soon be torn down, and she is laying down a wall, brick by brick, as she tries to get Felicity to tell her what happened the night that her parents disappeared.
The story, told in alternating points of view between the girls, alternates between present and past, increasing in tension as the wall rises, as the party raging upstairs gets more wild, and the situation goes out of control.
I love Mindy McGinnis. Her books are tight-paced and unexpected, and this one is more of the same. If I had any complaint about this one, it would be the small-town genealogy complexity, which is apparently central to the mystery, was hard for me to follow and keep track of.
In The Last Laugh, the pace picks up a lot. The POV character changes, and in this novel, everyone is looking for Felicity, who went missing after the party in book one. Tress is suffering from an infection following her encounter with the panther, and there are so many twists and turns in the plot. I loved this book better than the first one, but they definitely go together.
The love triangle in these is subtle and unexpected.
Other YA Books You’ll Enjoy If You Liked A Court of Thorns & Roses Series
If you are looking for other YA books that have love triangles in unexpected places, check out the Readers Who Enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses listson Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books by type.
Author Bio
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.
In a recent interview from her alma mater, she described how her experience in the creative writing program prepared her for success.
