23 Romance Books Becoming Movies & TV Series: ‘Beach Read,’ ‘It Ends With Us’ & More
Romance lovers are feeling some major big screen energy these days. As romance novels continue to have their moment in the spotlight—thanks BookTok!—Hollywood is taking notice.
TV and film adaptations of popular romance novels like Colleen Hoover‘s It Ends With Us, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Emily Henry‘s Beach Read (and recently Happy Place), and more are in the works following the recent successful adaptations of romance novels, including Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue and Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You.
Since there are more TV and movies to watch and books to read than ever before, TV Insider has compiled a guide to all the upcoming romance book adaptations that are headed to the big and small screens. This is shelf indulgence of the highest order, and we’re more than happy to help you take your reading era to the next level.
A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea & Tomorrow
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School star Maia Reficco and Heartstopper’s Kit Connor lead the movie adaptation of Laura Taylor Namey’s Latinx YA romance. A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea & Tomorrow has already completed filming, but a release date has not been announced yet.
An Echo in the Bone
Part 2 of Outlander Season 7 is set to premiere on November 22. It is expected to cover more of Diana Gabaldon’s An Echo in the Bone, the seventh book in her series of novels. Buckle up, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) fans, their journey is about to take a turn, if the show follows the events of the book!
Beach Read
Following the success of Emily Henry’s 2020 novel, Beach Read got the film adaptation green light in 2023. Gus and January’s epic romance has captivated millions of readers, and now we’re going to see it on the big screen. How to End a Love Story author Yulin Kuang is adapting and directing the Beach Read film adaptation.
Let’s keep manifesting Ayo Edebiri and Paul Mescal as January and Gus until it comes true.
Before I Let Go
Kennedy Ryan’s bestseller is now in development at Peacock. The Best Man and Girls Trip director Malcolm D. Lee is set to direct and executive produce the Before I Let Go adaptation. The book follows a divorced couple who find themselves drawn to each other again and again.
Book Lovers
Book Lovers is one of many books from the Emily Henry Universe getting the movie treatment. Girls writer Sarah Heyward is penning the script, based on Henry’s 2022 hit that centers around the romance between a literary agent and editor. Keep those Nora and Charlie fan casts coming!
China Rich Girlfriend
The long-awaited Crazy Rich Asians sequel is reportedly in the works. According to World of Reel, the highly anticipated follow-up, based on Kevin Kwan’s China Rich Girlfriend, will begin filming in 2025, with Constance Wu and Henry Golding expected to return.
Cleat Cute
Soccer legends Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, through their A Touch More production banner, are developing the adaptation of Meryl Wilsner’s bestseller. Cleat Cute is a contemporary queer romance revolving around a rising soccer star’s love story with her team captain.
Hana Khan Carries On
In 2021, Variety reported that Mindy Kaling and Amazon Studios were teaming up to adapt Uzma Jalaluddin’s novel. It’s been quiet for a few years, but the project hasn’t been shelved. Hana Khan Carries On explores the romantic connection between Hana and Aydin as they deal with the complications of competing Halal shops in Toronto.
Happy Place
Henry’s fourth novel, Happy Place, is headed to Netflix. Deadline reported in June 2024 that the streamer has optioned the romance book for Jennifer Lopez’s production company, Nuyorican Productions, and plans to adapt it into a series. Lopez is expected to executive produce.
Happy Place centers around the relationship between Harriet and Wyn, who have yet to tell their friends they broke up months ago. When they have to share a bedroom at a Maine cottage, Harriet and Wyn are forced to confront why their relationship ended.
Heartstopper Series Volume 1-4
Nick (Joe Locke) and Charlie’s (Kit Connor) blossoming love story will continue in Heartstopper Season 3. The upcoming season, premiering in October 2024, is expected to revolve around the events of the fourth volume in Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper graphic novel series. Locke and Connor will be joined by new cast members Jonathan Bailey, Eddie Marsan, and Hayley Atwell.
It Ends With Us
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, along with 1923 breakout Brandon Sklenar, star in Colleen Hoover’s film adaptation of her 2016 bestseller. The story follows Lily Bloom, her complicated relationship with Ryle Kincaid, and a past love. It Ends With Us hits theaters on August 9.
It Happened One Summer
A movie adaptation of Tessa Bailey’s BookTok sensation was confirmed in 2022 by Deadline. The romantic comedy novel was inspired by the hit series Schitt’s Creek. It Happened One Summer follows a Hollywood “It girl” as she moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest and strikes up a connection with a grumpy (but very handsome) local.
Malibu Rising
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six became a hit for Prime Video, so fans have been waiting with bated breath for news about the Malibu Rising TV series. There haven’t been many updates since the adaptation was first announced in 2021. At the time, Reid was expected to executive produce along with Little Fires Everywhere boss Liz Tigelaar. Give us the Riva family saga sooner rather than later, Hulu!
Meet Me at the Lake
Carley Fortune published her second novel, Meet Me at the Lake, in 2023. The book centers around a missed connection between two strangers and how they reenter each other’s lives years later. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to adapt Fortune’s novel for Netflix through their Archewell Productions hub.
“It was very surreal. I was deeply touched because the book was very difficult for me to write,” Fortune told TV Insider about her reaction to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex adapting her novel.
My Oxford Year
Sofia Carson and Queen Charlotte alum Corey Mylchreest are teaming up for a new Netflix romance. They’ll star in My Oxford Year, based on Julia Whelan’s 2018 novel, about a young woman who falls for a handsome man while studying abroad at Oxford. A release date has not been announced yet.
People We Meet on Vacation
People We Meet on Vacation was Henry’s first novel to be recognized by Hollywood. Brett Haley will direct Henry’s 2021 novel, and Kuang will write the screenplay. The book follows Poppy and Alex on their annual summer vacation after a years-long hiatus. People We Meet on Vacation is a fun and flirty friends-to-lovers romance we’ll eat up as we watch on the big screen.
Ransom Canyon
Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly will star in the Netflix show based on Jodi Thomas’ book series. Ransom Canyon will give you Yellowstone vibes as the Western series mixes romance and family drama within three ranching families. The cast also includes James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, and Marianly Tejada.
Roomies
Combine a marriage of convenience, a rising Broadway star, and crackling roommate tension, and you’ve got a recipe for a romantic hit. A year after Roomies was released in 2017, Variety announced that Andy Fickman would direct and produce the adaptation, with Jenna Dewan producing through her Everheart Productions company. When TV Insider spoke with Christina Lauren about the latest Roomies update, Christina Hobbs (of Christina Lauren) revealed, “We have our lead, we have our director, we have the money, we have the script that we wrote.”
The Love Hypothesis
Bisous Pictures got the rights to Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis in 2022. The popular novel, which was originally published as Star Wars (specifically, Reylo) fan fiction, was on The New York Times bestsellers list for months. Olive and Adam are two scientists trying to convince everyone around them that they’re in love while in a fake relationship. But eventually, those fake feelings turn very real.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
TJR fans have been waiting with bated breath for any information about Netflix’s adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. While many fans believe The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo should be a limited series, it’s getting a film adaptation. The actors playing the roles of Evelyn, Celia, and Evelyn’s seven husbands have yet to be cast (or announced publicly), so we’ll just keep on fan-casting the film version of the 2017 bestseller until we get answers.
The Spanish Love Deception
A film adaptation of Elena Armas’ New York Times bestseller was announced in 2022 with The Hating Game director Peter Hutchings writing the screenplay. In The Spanish Love Deception, sparks fly when Catalina Martín has her very handsome colleague be her fake date to her sister’s wedding in Spain.
The Unhoneymooners
Christina Lauren’s 2019 New York Times bestseller chronicles the enemies-to-lovers romance between Olive and Ethan as they find themselves on an unforgettable (and free) vacation. TV Insider spoke with the authors about the latest on the movie adaptation of The Unhoneymooners. “We have a director, we have a studio, they have the money,” Christina Hobbs (of Christina Lauren) said. “Unfortunately, the pandemic slowed things down and strikes slowed things down, so things are starting again. They’re casting it right now.”
Verity
On the heels of It Ends With Us hitting the big screen, Hoover’s Verity is now in development at Amazon MGM Studios. Verity has a major mystery element mixed in with its romance. Struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh is tasked with finishing Verity Crawford’s successful book series when Verity is unable to do so. As Lowen’s feelings for Verity’s husband, Jeremy, begin to deepen, she begins to uncover shocking secrets about James and Verity.
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