Our Favorite Romance Novel Covers of All Time

Featuring lots of ripped bodices and ripped bods.

romance novel covers

We all know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. But when it comes to romance novels, we can't help ourselves! From the wonderfully campy covers of the 80s and 90s to some seriously steamy covers from recent years, staring at romance novel covers is almost as much of a guilty pleasure as reading the books themselves.

Below are a bunch of our favorite covers, featuring everything from gorgeous gowns to awe-inspiring abs. You're definitely going to want to download some of these for later.

The Highlander Who Protected Me

The Highlander Who Protected Me

By Vanessa Kelly

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?

The Highlander Who Protected Me
Wild Texas Rose

Wild Texas Rose

By Martha Hix

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.

Wild Texas Rose
A Woman Made For Sin

A Woman Made For Sin

By Michele Sinclair

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.

A Woman Made For Sin
Season For Desire

Season For Desire

By Theresa Romain

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.

Season For Desire
The Christmas Heiress

The Christmas Heiress

By Adrienne Basso

"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!

The Christmas Heiress
Raine

Raine

By Elizabeth Amber

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.

Raine
Adrian

Adrian

By Heather Grothaus

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.

Adrian
Betrayal

Betrayal

By Naomi Chase

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.

Betrayal
Bound by Night

Bound by Night

By Amanda Ashley

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.

Bound by Night
Thérèse and Isabelle

Thérèse and Isabelle

By Violette Leduc

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. 

Thérèse and Isabelle

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