There’s just something so appealing about books set on college campuses. Maybe it’s the long study sessions in the library, the raging college parties, the competitive sports scene, or the thought that everything in your life is about to change.
And then there’s the romance.
College campuses are perfect backdrops for rom-coms. Two people who can’t stand each other getting paired up for a project. A hockey player getting a tutor and falling for the girl of his dreams. The quiet, nerdy girl is getting the crush of a lifetime on a guy who is totally out of her league. The storylines are endless, and the rom-com potential is perfect when combined with everything else happening in the average college student’s life.
I’ve put together 20 college romance books that are a perfect addition to your TBR this semester and include everything from hot hockey romances to sweet college romance books to intense and emotional new adult books.
- Fake dating
- Hockey romance
- Opposites attract
- Friends to lovers
If there is one book that deserves a place on every college romance reading list, it is The Deal by Elle Kennedy.
Hannah Wells is a talented college student who has a crush on someone she can’t seem to get noticed by. Garrett Graham, on the other hand, is the university’s hockey star. He needs to improve his grades to remain eligible to play, and Hannah happens to be the person who can help him.
They strike a deal: Hannah will tutor Garrett, and he will help her get the attention of her crush.
Simple enough, right?
Except spending time together has a habit of changing things. What begins as a convenient arrangement gradually turns into a relationship neither of them expected.
Note: Here’s some exciting news for fans! Elle Kennedy’s beloved Off-Campus series has officially made its way to the screen with a television adaptation on Amazon Prime Video. Titled Off Campus, the first season is already streaming, bringing Hannah and Garrett’s romance to life.
- Hockey romance
- Figure skater
- Forced proximity
- He falls first
College sports romance and romantic tension? Icebreaker brings both together.
Anastasia Allen has spent years working towards her dream of becoming a professional figure skater. Her training schedule, competitions and ambitions leave very little room for distractions.
Nate Hawkins is the captain of the university hockey team. When an unexpected scheduling issue forces the figure skating and hockey teams to share an ice rink, Anastasia and Nate find themselves spending more time together than either anticipated.
Anastasia isn’t exactly thrilled about the situation, especially when Nate’s easygoing personality clashes with her focused approach to life. But their initial friction gradually develops into attraction.
- Fake dating
- Friends with benefits
- Opposites attract
Danika Brown is a hard-working PhD student who has absolutely no time for romantic distractions.
Zafir Ansari is a former rugby player working as a university security guard.
When an unexpected incident brings them into the spotlight, they agree to fake a relationship.
But pretending to be in love can become surprisingly complicated when real feelings enter the picture.
- Hockey romance
- Opposites attract
- Unexpected connection
Dean Di Laurentis is the kind of guy who appears to have everything figured out. He’s attractive, popular and one of the university’s most recognisable hockey players.
Allie Hayes is trying to work out what she wants from her life and relationships. After a difficult romantic situation, she isn’t particularly interested in another distraction.
But an unexpected encounter with Dean turns into something neither of them anticipated.
What makes The Score entertaining is the contrast between Dean’s confident personality and Allie’s changing priorities. Their relationship has plenty of playful moments, but there is also a more emotional side to their story.
- Complicated relationships
- Friendship
- Romantic entanglements
Frances is a 21-year-old university student in Dublin who performs spoken-word poetry with her best friend, Bobbi.
Their lives become increasingly complicated when they meet an older married couple.
As friendships and romantic feelings begin to overlap, Frances finds herself navigating relationships that are far from straightforward.
This is a more literary take on university romance, with complicated emotions rather than conventional romance tropes.
- Slow burn
- Protective hero
- Emotional healing
Avery Morgansten moves away to college, hoping to escape a painful past and start over.
She wants to keep her head down, focus on her studies and avoid unnecessary attention.
Then she meets Cameron Hamilton, a charming and persistent student who seems determined to get to know her.
As their connection grows, Avery must confront the past she has been trying so hard to leave behind.
- Rival hockey teams
- Forbidden romance
- Enemies to lovers
What happens when you fall for someone who is supposed to be your rival?
In The Risk, Brenna Jensen finds herself attracted to Jake Connelly, the captain of a rival hockey team.
Their connection is complicated by the rivalry between their universities and the expectations surrounding their respective teams.
Neither of them is particularly interested in making things easy.
The attraction is undeniable, but their relationship comes with plenty of obstacles. Their different loyalties and the competitive sports environment make every interaction more interesting.
- Football player
- Opposites attract
- Bad boy romance
Molly Shakespeare arrives at the University of Alabama with a passion for philosophy and a determination to focus on her studies.
Romeo Prince is the university’s star quarterback, wealthy, popular and carrying more than a few personal complications.
Their worlds couldn’t be more different, but their connection becomes impossible to ignore.
This is an emotional, dramatic campus romance with plenty of tension.
- Swimming
- Fake arrangement
- Emotional connection
Scarlett Vandermeer is a Stanford student and competitive diver working towards her Olympic dreams.
Lukas Blomqvist is the university’s accomplished swimming team captain.
Their connection begins with an arrangement that neither expects to turn into something emotionally complicated.
With competitive sports, university life and plenty of romantic tension, this is a strong addition to your list.
- Bad boy romance
- Opposites attract
- College parties
Abby Abernathy arrives at college hoping to leave her past behind. She wants a fresh start, a quieter life and absolutely no unnecessary drama.
Unfortunately, Travis Maddox is not exactly the kind of person who makes that possible.
Travis is a confident, tattooed fighter who seems to attract attention wherever he goes. He and Abby develop an unusual friendship, and their connection gradually becomes much more complicated.
Their relationship is full of attraction, arguments, jealousy and emotional intensity.
Note: And if you prefer watching the romance unfold on screen, there’s a movie adaptation too! Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster was adapted into a romantic comedy-drama film directed by Roger Kumble and released in 2023. Starring Dylan Sprouse as Travis Maddox and Virginia Gardner as Abby Abernathy.
- Slow burn
- Healing
- Protective hero
Some college romances are about fun, parties and the excitement of new relationships. Others explore the more difficult experiences that can shape someone during their university years.
Easy by Tammara Webber follows Jacqueline Wallace, a college student whose life changes after a traumatic experience.
As she tries to regain control of her life, she finds unexpected support in Lucas, a mysterious fellow student who seems to understand more than he initially reveals.
Their relationship develops gradually, with the romance becoming part of a larger story about healing, independence and personal strength.
- Hockey romance
- Neighbours
- Slow burn
College life is supposed to be about new opportunities, friendships and discovering what comes next. But for Corey Callahan, starting university comes with unexpected challenges.
After an accident changes her life, Corey has to adjust to a new reality while trying to make the most of her college experience.
Her neighbour, Adam Hartley, is also dealing with an injury that has changed his sporting future. Their shared circumstances create an unexpected friendship that gradually develops into something more.
Sarina Bowen handles the emotional side of the story with care, making this a particularly appealing choice for readers who want more than just romantic banter.
- College football
- Opposites attract
- Casual relationship
Anna Jones isn’t particularly interested in becoming another girl fascinated by the university’s star football player.
Drew Baylor is used to attention. As a talented college quarterback, he’s accustomed to people wanting something from him.
Their connection begins with an attraction neither expected to take seriously. But what starts as a casual arrangement becomes increasingly difficult to keep uncomplicated.
The tension between Anna and Drew gives the story its appeal, while the college. football setting adds to the atmosphere
Willa Sutter is a determined college student and soccer player who has little patience for people who get in her way.
Ryder Bergman is her quiet, brooding classmate. Their personalities couldn’t be more different, and their first interactions don’t exactly suggest a promising romance.
But sometimes, the people who frustrate us the most are the ones who challenge our assumptions.
As Willa and Ryder get to know each other, their relationship develops into something more meaningful.
- Introvert romance
- First-year college experience
- Slow burn
Starting college can be intimidating, especially when you’re someone who has spent years finding comfort in fictional worlds.
Cath Avery is a passionate fanfiction writer who would much rather stay in her familiar online world than navigate the complicated social landscape of university life.
Her twin sister, Wren, is ready to embrace the college experience. Cath, however, struggles with the changes around her.
Between classes, new friendships, family complications and an unexpected connection with Levi, Cath begins to discover who she is outside the world she has always known.
The romance is sweet and gradual, but the bigger appeal of Fangirl lies in its portrayal of growing up and finding your place.
- Fake dating
- Enemies to lovers
- Campus radio
Kiki Banjo has built a reputation on her university radio show, where she offers advice about relationships and warns fellow students about romantic trouble.
She has no intention of becoming involved with someone who contradicts everything she tells her listeners.
Then she meets Malakai Korede.
Malakai has a reputation of his own, and Kiki isn’t particularly impressed by his romantic history.
But circumstances bring them together, leading to a fake relationship that becomes increasingly difficult to keep pretending.
- Opposites attract
- College basketball
- Bookworm romance
What could a college library possibly have in common with a popular basketball player?
Quite a lot, apparently.
Kendall Holiday is an introverted bookworm who spends her time working at the library. Vincent Knight is a college basketball star whose life seems to be the complete opposite of hers.
Their paths cross during a late-night library shift, and their interactions gradually develop into something more.
- Fake dating
- Academic setting
- Unexpected connection
Murphy is just one class away from graduating from community college. Unfortunately, passing that class is proving harder than expected.
Her situation becomes even more interesting when she discovers that Ellie Meyers, a former classmate, is connected to the professor whose course she needs to complete.
The two women decide to help each other, and a fake-dating arrangement enters the picture.
This is a refreshing pick for readers who want a college romance that doesn’t revolve around the usual hockey-team or campus-celebrity formula.
- Fake dating
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Academic setting
Olive Smith is a PhD student who doesn’t have much time for complicated romantic situations.
But when she finds herself in an awkward position, she makes an impulsive decision and ends up pretending to date Adam Carlsen, a famously intimidating professor.
Adam is not exactly the warm and approachable type. Olive, meanwhile, is determined to make the fake relationship believable.
Their arrangement becomes increasingly complicated as they spend more time together and discover that their feelings might not be entirely pretend.
Note: Here’s some exciting news for fans of the book! The Love Hypothesis has officially made its way to the big screen. The movie adaptation, starring Lili Reinhart as Olive Smith and Tom Bateman as Adam Carlsen, premiered on September 23, 2026, and is now streaming on Prime Video.
- First love
- University life
- Intellectual connection
Not every college love story needs a dramatic fake relationship or a star athlete.
Sometimes, the romance is quieter, more confusing and much closer to the reality of figuring out adulthood.
The Idiot follows Selin, a freshman at Harvard University in the 1990s. As she navigates university life, friendships, language, identity and intellectual curiosity, she also experiences the uncertainty of romantic feelings.
This is not a conventional genre romance with a neatly packaged happily-ever-after.
Instead, it offers a thoughtful look at the awkwardness of first love and the strange, exciting experience of becoming an adult.
Conclusion
There’s just something so addicting about college rom-coms.
Their conversations about the game turn into deals they probably shouldn’t make. Relationships that are fake turn real, and friendships turn into something more. Sometimes they discover that the person that they least expect can turn out to be the person they needed all along.
Which of these college romance books is going straight onto your TBR? Have you read any of them already? Tell us your favourite campus romance in the comments!
And if you’re looking for more romance recommendations, explore my Top 10 BookTok Romance Books list for even more books to add to your reading pile.
FAQs
Are college romance books and new adult romance the same thing?
College romance books and new adult romance books aren’t the same thing, but there is some crossover. College romance books cover storylines set in college, and new adult books cover stories set in the transition to adulthood. Many college romances cross over with new adult romances.
Are college romances books spicy?
It depends on the author and the focus of the story. Some college romances focus more on the coming-of-age element or on friendship rather than on the romance. Others focus more on the breakup and less on the getting-together. The college romances have a broad range.
Do I have to read the books in the Briar U and Off-Campus series in order?
You can read the books in order, but books in the series cover different couples, so you can jump in and read any one of them first. For the Off-Campus series, you can start with The Deal.
