These YA Bad Boy Romance Novels Will Steal Your Heart

November 3, 2023

Let’s face it, bad boys are in, and they will always be in. There’s something about a guy with a leather jacket, a chip on his shoulder, and a devilish spark in his eye that makes a red-blooded girl’s heart beat just a little faster.

Bad boy romance books have taken all the danger of dating the troublemaker and put it in their easily-turned pages. When I’m looking for a good bad boy to read, these are the things I’m looking for:

He’s got to be a little mysterious. The harder we have to work to get to know him, the more fascinating he becomes.

He’s misunderstood. No one wants to read about a bad guy that’s actually bad at his core. That would be like falling in love with Voldemort. (Gross.) No, we need him to have a heart of gold and a past that’s led him astray.

He’s scrappy. Bad boys always know how to come out on top no matter how disadvantaged they may be. They’re the kind of guy who always knows their way out of a bind and can do it with flair.

He’s a daredevil. There always has to be a part in a bad boy romance novel where he dares the heroine to take a chance. Think of Aladdin reaching out to Jasmine and saying, “Do you trust me?” (Is it weird to get butterflies for an animated character? Asking for a friend.)

He wants to be better. Now, here’s where we get into somewhat rocky territory. We all know a man never changes, BUT, if he wants to fully embrace his wonderful qualities and let go of some of the survival techniques that aren’t working anymore, all the better.

Each of these YA bad boy romance novels are part of the YA romance genre, but you’ll find a broad range in this list! They range from sweet to spicy, featuring the stereotypical perfect heroine or incredible women of color.