Our Favorite Romance Novel Covers of All Time

There are tons of great covers to choose from when it come to Scottish romance novels, but this one has everything we're looking for: swoon-worthy scenery, a gorgeous-but-completely-impractical-gown, and a hunky, shirtless Highlander. What more could you want, really?

Some people might look at this classic romance novel cover from 1989 and think it needs an update, but those people would be dead wrong. Watercolor scenery, a bodice falling off our heroine's shoulders and the horse in the background all combine into something totally '80s and totally magical.

We love a good Regency romance novel, especially when it has a cover as alluring as this one. An opulent, undone gown revealing a whole lot of back is definitely a trope of romance novel covers, and it's put to especially good use here.

Okay—one more gorgeous gown cover. We just can't help imagining ourselves walking up a set of stairs in a full-length ball gown...and then meeting a dashing duke to help take it off.

"Lovers under the covers" is another popular avenue for romance novel covers, but we especially love this take for its holiday flare–and for staying mostly demure. We do enjoy using our imaginations, after all!

Then again, who needs imagination? This erotic romance novel takes a very bold, very bare approach with its cover...and it is definitely working for us.

There are definitely some lackluster romance novel covers out there, and this is definitely not one of them. We're not sure who Adrian is, where he got those tattoos, or how he stays in such excellent physical condition...but we are more than willing to read this novel in order to find out.

This novel was published in 2013, but it's leaning on a lot of early 90's design, and we are into it. Fans of romantic suspense books know these tropes well—a city in the distance, a slinky party dress, an early '90s title font and an overall Fatal Attraction vibe...color us intrigued.

No list of romance novel covers would be complete without a paranormal romance. Foggy moonlight and ghostly complexions are key in creating a spooky, spine-tingling cover.

While we've chosen a lot of vintage romance novel covers, we wanted to end the list with something modern—and this redesigned cover for the 1966 classic Thérèse and Isabelle, a French romance that was censored for 50 years for its vivid depictions of two young women in love, is just right. 

The graphically striking cover feels steamy, sexy and a little forbidden, just like the novella's plot.