Looking for a dreamy collection of books like Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover? As an award-winning author and veteran blogger, I’ve spent over a decade analyzing and recommending great romantic stories that keep the pages turning.
You’ll find reviews of more than fifteen of my favorites in the roundup below. In this list, you will find an eclectic mix of sweet love stories and steamy romance that will sweep you away.
Drive to June by Khristina Chess
why it’s like heart bones
Dreamy romance & relatable characters
What it’s about
A girl drowning in grief and addiction is thrown a lifeline by an unexpected and romantic stranger—if she’s brave enough to take it.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“You do realize that a car is a mobile make-out location, right?” Ian said. ― Khristina Chess from Drive to June.
What kind of girl drinks after a drunk driver kills her mom?
Sixteen months ago, Adrianna lost her mother. Since then, she’s been drowning her grief—one bottle at a time. With her father always away and her sister off at college, no one notices she’s slowly draining the wine collection and numbing herself to an awful secret she can’t face.
Now, she can’t quit.
Then one evening, a pizza delivery boy finds her crying on the roof of her house and offers to teach her how to drive—and somehow, that changes everything.
Wow—what a ride! Drive to June grabs you from the start and never lets go. It’s more than a story about alcohol abuse—it’s funny, romantic, and deeply emotional, unraveling the truth of grief, healing, and unexpected love. Adrianna and Ian’s chemistry is undeniable, and their growing connection makes this novel dreamy, raw, and unforgettable.
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
why it’s like heart bones
Emotional storytelling & relatable characters
What it’s about
A woman on the spectrum who prefers solitude falls in love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” ― Tracey Garvis Graves from The Girl He Used to Know
I loved this book!
I picked it up randomly on vacation because I was out of reading material, and the cover caught my eye. I started reading, and BAM! I was hooked. Really, really hooked. Like, I could not stop reading this book. This is the kind of novel that makes me want to ignore my friends and stay up all night until it's done.
The Girl He Used to Know is a love story about two people who fell in love in college, but a tragedy caused them to separate. Ten years later, they reconnect, and they discover that the love is still there. The timeline alternates between past and present, and the point of view alternates between Annika Rose and Jonathan Hoffman as they tell the story of their romance.
And what a story they have to tell!
This is a sweet, sweet book. After finishing it, I bought everything by Tracey Garvis Graves to see what other delights she has to offer. If you enjoyed all the romance in Heart Bones, you will devour this one.
On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
why it’s like heart bones
Emotional storytelling & relatable characters
What it’s about
A plane crashes on an island, and a teacher and her student survive and fall in love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“You named the chicken, Chicken?"
She looked embarrassed. "When we decided not to kill it, I got attached.” ― Tracey Garvis Graves from On the Island
Going in, I was skeptical about this one. A 30-something teacher and her 16-year-old student are stranded on a tropical island and fall in love. How can this go well?
Surprisingly, well.
The story of Anna and TJ is compelling from the moment their plane crashes. For years, they survive alone and face numerous near-death experiences. Falling in love seemed natural because after a while, all hope of rescue seemed lost and all they had was one another. Their age difference wasn't a problem on the island. It was only a problem if they ever returned to the "real world."
This was a fast, light read, and I really enjoyed it.
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
why it’s like heart bones
Fun & witty romance
What it’s about
A sweet and heartbreaking story of first love that won’t disappoint.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“I just can’t believe that life would give us to each other,” he said, “and then take it back.”
“I can,” she said. “Life’s a bastard.” ― Rainbow Rowell from Eleanor and Park
It's been a long time since I've encountered a novel that I literally couldn't put down. Eleanor & Park was one of those books. I loved every minute. I sat on the porch, on the couch, on the floor by the window... and devoured this book. It was a wonderful reading experience about first love. Sweet and heartbreaking and everything I wanted. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, romantic young love story.
The story unfolds from alternating points of view, both Eleanor and Park, as they fall in love over the course of one year. The dialog is witty, snappy, and fun.
As a super-dreamy YA book about about dating and intimacy, it will give you all the feels. If you liked Heart Bones, you will love this one.
Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer (Box Set)
why it’s like heart bones
Relatable characters & emotional depth
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.
You’ll devour this series if you liked Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover. The passion between Bella and Edward sizzles on the pages of every book. Even more, there is a love triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob in the middle books that turns up the heat.
The Art of Floating by Kristin Bair O'Keeffe
why it’s like heart bones
Healing & resilience
What it’s about
A year after her husband disappears, a woman meets a mysterious, silent man on the beach who might hold the answers to her lost husband.
Why I Love It - Book Review
This wonderful novel captured my imagination and heart. Sia lost her husband, and then one year, one month, and six days later, she finds a man on the beach. Not her husband. A mysterious Silent Man.
Sia feels so much compassion for this man and imagines the woman who must be missing him, just as she is missing her own lost man. She does everything she can to help him and find out who he is. She takes care of him. She protects him.
I loved the way the story unfolds. It floats back and forth in time to show her life with her missing husband and now her life with the Silent Man. Sometimes this structure made me question what was real about the book and its characters; Sia is a writer after all. Grief can do crazy things to a person, right?
Except if the Silent Man is a hallucination, the whole world is involved because they're sending letters in every language, reporters, and people to her house to collect him.
I loved this book.
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
why it’s like heart bones
Another Colleen Hoover! Relatable characters & redemption.
What it’s about
A woman spends five years in jail and then returns to the town to reunite with her daughter, and in the process, she finds love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“A good person who had one bad night. It happens to the best of us. The worst of us. All of us. Some of us are just luckier than others, and our bad moments have fewer casualties.” ― Colleen Hoover from Reminders of Him
What a lovely novel! In this story, Colleen Hoover has created a conflict-ridden scenario in which it seems like there is no good resolution. Someone is going to lose. My empathy for everyone in the tragedy was so high, and tears ran down my cheeks for the last 20 pages. So, so good! If you loved Heart Bones, you will love this novel by the same author.
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
why it’s like heart bones
Fun & witty romance
What it’s about
A girl falls in love with the boy next door in this highly romantic summer love story.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“His bed’s really comfortable. And he never pees in it.” ― Huntley Fitzpatrick from My Life Next Door
This adorable YA love story is compelling and has an unexpected ending. Everything about the messy Garrett house draws Samantha into it, but especially the good-looking son, Jase. He’s one of several children in the house. His little brother, George, has some of the best lines. I laughed out loud. The sneaking around teen love stuff was pretty wonderful. Samantha’s best friend is a jerk, and her sister is too. No wonder she’s so drawn to the loving family next door.
Samantha is keeping this relationship with Jase a secret from her mom and everyone else in her life, but eventually that blows up in her face. In the process, she learns some lessons about who she is and who she wants to be.
This dreamy YA book will leave you smiling for days. It evokes all those light feelings of happiness, joy, and romantic love. You just can’t help sighing about that first kiss. You can’t wait for Samantha and Jase to take their relationship to the next level, and your heart breaks when things get rocky. This is such a sweet story. So cute! Fans of Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover will be up all night reading it.
Hollow Beauty by Khristina Chess
why it’s like heart bones
Relatable characters & emotional depth
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
If you’ve ever suffered the pain of unkind criticism, Hollow Beauty is for you. This authentic YA novel 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.
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!
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.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
why it’s like heart bones
Fun & witty romance
What it’s about
A “fake dating” situation between a grad student and faculty member turns into true love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Everyone likes tall, broody, sullen hunks with genius IQs.” ― Ali Hazelwood, quote from The Love Hypothesis
Eleven stars! I laughed out loud, so many times, reading this STEM romance book. (In fact, I’ve read it twice.) The voice of the main character, Olive Smith, was so much fun. The scenarios that she finds herself in during her fake-dating relationship are hilarious.
I loved Adam, too, and how he was bemused by the situation and played along with all the shenanigans.
In the end, there is real depth here. Olive faces serious professional issues in the academic workplace, including sexual harassment. Adam is articulate and direct about what it means to be a good professional mentor and why he strives to do so.
If you loved Lessons in Chemistry and are interested in another novel with smart, witty women protagonists, you will love this one. I promise! Ali Hazelwood inspires women in the technology field.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
why it’s like heart bones
Relatable characters & emotional depth
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 book. Fans of Heart Bones will love this one (and it’s a series).
Breathless by Jennifer Niven
why it’s like heart bones
Emotional storytelling & relatable characters
What it’s about
The story of Claude's summer trip to a remote island off the coast of Georgia after graduation with her mom following the sudden separation of her parents, where she finds unexpected love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“All these words and stories. My mom calls them the color of a human life: those little moments that are so uniquely ours.” ― Jennifer Niven from Breathless
I might love this book even more than Niven’s All the Bright Places—and that's saying a lot!
Breathless is the story of Claude's trip to a remote island off the coast of Georgia after graduation with her mom following the sudden separation of her parents. She meets a boy and falls in love. So simple. Yet Jennifer Niven beautifully captures that lovely, breathless feeling of first love. Passionate kisses. Romantic trysts. Mosquito bites on sunburned skin.
There is so much growing up packed into this brief summer for Claude. She learns that parents have secrets and tell lies. She and her lifelong best friend grow apart even as they prepare to truly separate for fall college classes. And she has this deep relationship with Miah on the island that changes her in fundamental ways.
Breathless is the perfect beach read for your summer reading list.
Every Time I Think of You by Tracy Garvis Graves
why it’s like heart bones
Emotional storytelling & relatable characters
What it’s about
After the murder of her grandmother, a woman falls in love with the investigative reporter working the case.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Wine is essential after a visit to Chuck E. Cheese’s. They should really give you a bottle on your way out.” ― Tracey Garvis Graves from Every Time I Think of You
This novel started with a bang, then sputtered for awhile, then picked up steam again for a strong finish. Every Time I Think of You is part romance (mostly romance) and part murder mystery. The who-done-it is obvious, but you still want to know how and why. The characters, Brooks and Daisy, are sweet and relatable. I became a little tired of the toddler voice of Elliot, though.
I've read several novels by Tracey Garvis Graves now. They make great vacation reads! If you loved Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover, I think you will like this author too.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
why it’s like heart bones
Healing & resilience
What it’s about
A boy and a girl with terminal illnesses fall in love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“But it is the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he has Cassius note, ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.” ― John Green from The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the ultimate YA book about star-crossed lovers. Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace are two teens with cancer, and they fall in love during a sweet time of remission. They talk about literature and philosophy, and they go on a wonderful journey to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite novel. This person is not at all what she expected—a huge disappointment, as a matter of fact—but then, life happens that way.
When the inevitable plot turn comes and twists the knife in your heart, it doesn’t matter that you’re expecting it. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to be together, so every bittersweet moment of their parting is a gasp. Every breath counts. Every syllable.
If you’re looking for the sweetest, most dreamy and romantic book, pick up this classic. If you read it a long time ago, it’s just as good the second time around. Trust me.
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Why it’s like Heart Bones
Fun & witty romance
What it’s about
A theoretical physicist moonlights as a “fake girlfriend” for a side hustle that lands her in trouble with a professional rival.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Physics is like sex: it may yield practical results, but often that’s not why we do it.” ― Ali Hazelwood from Love, Theoretically
Love, Theoretically isn't the delightful gold standard that The Love Hypothesis is, but this book definitely answers my question: do I love this author?
Yes, yes I do!
I didn't love her second book, Love on the Brain at all, so this was a real question. However, this third return, Love, Theoretically brings two characters with great chemistry, great banter, a great science problem, a solid conflict, and a great overall story.
Elsie and Jack are fun couple to watch, especially as Elsie grows as a character and discovers what she really wants... honestly.
More, please. :-)
Other Books You’ll Devour If You Liked Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover
If you are looking for other books like Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover, Goodreads also offers a great book list: Readers Who Enjoyed Heart Bones.
You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of book reviews.
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.
