Our 10 Favorite Romantic Movies Based on Books

Based on the novel by Rachel Lippincott, Five Feet Apart follows the blossoming love story between two teenagers with one catch—they can’t get within a few feet of each other without risking their lives.

Stella Grant enjoys having control over everything, but her cystic fibrosis has kept her out of control of her hospital visits over the years. She finds comfort in being able to control who she sees as to not risk infection and risk her spot on the lung transplant list.

Will Newman is her complete opposite. He only wants to get out of the hospital and go see the world before he loses his battle to CF. However, when Stella and Will meet, their six feet separation rule feels more like a punishment than protection. Would you have the willpower to distance yourself from the one you love?

A modern film adapted from the classic novel by Jane Austen, Emma. stars Anya Taylor-Joy as the wealthy and elegant young woman in regency-era England who enjoys meddling in the love lives of her peers.

When Emma befriends a girl named Harriet, she promises not to get involved in Harriet’s proposed engagement to Mr. Robert Martin, but ends up persuading her to decline in favor of another man.

Throughout the film, Emma learns to maneuver through this life of high society, complicated friendships, the challenges of growing up, and mismatched relationships to find her “happily ever after.”

Related: 10 Historical Romance Movies to Sweep You Off Your Feet

Starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding, Crazy Rich Asians has been one of the most exciting and successful book-to-movie adaptations of the past few years.

Rachel Chu is an accomplished economics professor at NYU, and her boyfriend Nick is totally sexy and smart—how could life get any better? The couple heads to Singapore for the wedding of Nick’s best friend, however, upon arriving, Rachel is surprised to learn that Nick’s family is one of the wealthiest in Singapore.

His mother disapproves of Rachel from the start, feeling that Nick must marry someone of a higher status to match the family’s. Throughout the trip, the women are at odds and Rachel starts to believe she cannot become a part of Nick’s family. How long is she willing to fight for love against a disapproving family?

Related: 13 Highly-Anticipated 2021 Romance Books by Authors of Color

The seventh adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel is just as good, if not better, than all of its predecessors. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig and featuring a star-studded cast, Little Women is one of the best coming-of-age movies out there.

Following the lives of the March sisters, the film explores the challenges each of them face as they learn to grow up from childhood to womanhood. Meg, the eldest, looks after her sisters as a second motherly figure and helps raise them. Jo, a professor in New York City, dreams of becoming an author and fights to get her first novel published. Beth and Amy are the youngest and enjoy the arts of playing piano and painting.

The four sisters experience the highs and lows of discovering who they truly are, falling in love, and growing up.

Following the story of Patrick “Pat” Solitano Jr., Silver Linings Playbook takes us to Ridley Park, PA after Pat is released from a psychiatric hospital for his bipolar disorder, and he moves back in with his parents. Pat is determined to win back his estranged wife. When he meets Tiffany Maxwell, a young widow, she offers her help with his relationship in exchange for entering a dance competition with her.

As the two train together, they start to grow closer and learn from each other. Their growing friendship pushes both out of their comfort zones and forces them to reevaluate their relationships with their families and themselves.

Sarah Gruen’s Water for Elephants was adapted into the blockbuster romantic drama in which Jacob Jankowski, played by Robert Pattinson, flashes back to his life working for the Benzini Bros. circus. After the death of his parents, Jacob leaves Cornell veterinary school and hops onto a train in the night. In the morning he discovers where he is, and the circus’s ringmaster August hires Jacob as the circus vet.

Jacob meets Marlena, who is married to August and is one of the top acts in the Benzini Bros. circus. The two begin working together as a new elephant named Rosie is brought in. Jacob trains Rosie and works on Marlena’s act with the elephant.

The couple begins to fall in love, but August’s abusive and controlling behaviors cause turmoil, danger, and even death to those around them. As trouble ensues and the circus begins to lose control, Jacob recounts the explosive events that occurred.

Related: The Best 8 Meet Cute Moments in Romance Movies

Jojo Moyes’s book-turned-film brings us Will Traynor, a successful and active banker. But when he gets hit by a motorcyclist on his way to work one morning, Will is paralyzed from the neck down and must permanently use a wheelchair.

Two years later, Louisa “Lou” Clark begins working with Will’s family as a companion for Will. While she has no experience—and Will has no interest—his mom believes Lou’s happy and optimistic personality will be good for Will in the long run.

At first, Will is extremely bitter and reluctant to get to know Lou. But as time goes on, the pair begin to learn more about each other’s lives and their friendship grows deeper than they ever imagined. But with Will in denial of his life in his wheelchair, pressure is put on their relationship in a number of ways.

A classic romantic movie based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember is a must-see for any lover of romance stories. Landon is a popular high school senior, but when he and his friends prank a new kid and accidentally injure him in the process, he is punished with after school services and extracurriculars that he otherwise had no previous interest in.

However, while working on the play he meets Jamie, the daughter of the local Baptist minister. The two begin working on the play together under the condition that Landon doesn’t fall in love with Jamie.

Landon and Jamie’s relationship grows even though his friends disapprove of her. Upon finding out Jamie is sick, Landon and her decide to admit their feelings to each other and accept the path they are on.

Related: Nicholas Sparks Movies, Ranked from Worst to Best

Both The Princess Bride film and the book are told in the form of a grandfather reading the story to his sick grandson. The story follows a farmhand named Westley who is in love with the Princess Buttercup. She realizes their feelings are mutual, and Westley leaves the farm to find fortune overseas so that the two can marry.

When word comes that Westley’s ship was attacked by pirates, Buttercup believes he is dead, and she is arranged to marry the intolerable Prince Humperdinck. Westley must fight his way back home and attempt to save his one true love from marrying someone else and leaving him forever.

This box office success based on the bestselling novel by John Green is one of our favorites, but be sure you have the tissues handy. 

Hazel Grace Lancaster has thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. While attending a cancer support group she meets Gus, who lost a leg to bone cancer, but is now in remission. The two quickly fall for each other and exchange their favorite books.

Gus surprises Hazel with a trip to visit the author of her favorite book, and while the meeting is initially disastrous, the two finally reveal the feelings they share and fight to hold onto each other for as long as they have.

Related: 13 YA Books for Fans of John Green