Romance
Read Romance Classics in English
2,361 romance books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best romance classics to read in English as a learner?
The best romance classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Zoraida: A Romance of the Harem and the Great Sahara, Zibeline — Complete and Young Earnest: The Romance of a Bad Start in Life. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
- 2,361
- books
Level C1RomanceSir Gawayne and the Green Knight: An Alliterative Romance-Poem (c. 1360 A.D.)At King Arthur’s Christmas feast, a towering Green Knight arrives unannounced, challenging the greatest of knights to a strange and perilous game.
Level C1RomanceSir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-English Arthurian Romance Retold in Modern ProseWhen Sir Gawain accepts a mysterious beheading challenge, he embarks on a quest that tests his honor, courage, and chastity amid enchantments and temptations, revealing the true na…
Level C1RomanceSir Christopher: A Romance of a Maryland Manor in 1644In 1644 Maryland, amid feuds of faith and loyalty, young Cecil and his mother Elinor Calvert face hardship and hope on their new frontier manor, Robin Hood's Barn, where love and s…
Level B2RomanceSilver and Gold: A Story of Luck and Love in a Western Mining CampIn a rugged Western mining camp shadowed by a mysterious prophecy, a grizzled miner wrestles with fate, fortune, and a captivating artist’s love, as silver and gold symbolize choic…
Level C1MysterySilent guestsA young lawyer’s quest to uncover the fate of a missing English heir leads him deep into the Canadian wilderness, where eerie warnings and a sinister estate named Craighead Hall hi…
Level B2MysteryShuddering castleIn a secluded Long Island castle, a reclusive family’s quiet life shatters when a scientist’s quest to contact Mars via radio sparks eerie phenomena and a mysterious visitor from t…
Level C1RomanceShrewsbury: A RomanceAmid whispers of scandal and political intrigue, a devoted confidant seeks to clear the name of the Duke of Shrewsbury, revealing a tale of loyalty, suspicion, and the high stakes…
Level B2RomanceSheilah McLeod: A Heroine of the Back BlocksIn a remote South Pacific island, a rugged overseer clashes with a bold new missionary determined to impose his will, igniting a fierce battle of wills amid stunning tropical beaut…
Level B2RomanceSheavesIn a whimsical tale where the dead trader Hugh Grainger playfully haunts his Indian companions, children Jim and Daisy, bedtime stories unfold with humor and mystery, blending ghos…
Level C2RomanceShe and I, Volume 2: A Love Story. A Life History.Caught between dreams and reality, a man grapples with love and longing as he envisions a haunting ascent of the Alpine peaks, where a chasm bars his path to the woman he adores, t…
Level C1RomanceShe and I, Volume 1: A Love Story. A Life History.In a charming, forgotten corner of London, a chance encounter in an ancient church sparks a deep, enchanting romance.
Level C1FantasySheA strikingly handsome young man and his peculiar guardian embark on an extraordinary African adventure, uncovering mysteries that challenge belief and promise profound discoveries…
Level C1RomanceShaming the Speed LimitA romantic young woman escapes her strict household to indulge in forbidden love stories, only to encounter a mysterious stranger who both intrigues and unsettles her—setting the s…
Level C1RomanceShameless Wayne: A Romance of the last Feud of Wayne and RatcliffeAmidst a fierce moorland feud, a resolute young Wayne faces loss and loyalty as storms rage around Marsh House, where old grudges and new love collide beneath the tolling death bel…
Level B2RomanceSet in SilverTorn between her American roots and European sophistication, Audrie navigates friendship, ambition, and unexpected nerves during a summer in Switzerland.
Level C1RomanceSestrina: A romance of the South SeasIn the lush Marquesas Isles, young Englishman Royal Clensy navigates a world of tropical beauty, native customs, and unexpected companionship with a disreputable sailor, all while…
Level C1RomanceServants of Sin: A RomanceIn snowy Paris, a brooding nobleman wrestles with bitter family betrayals and a complicated romance as letters from a hopeful lover stir memories of a future that may never come to…
Level C1RomanceSelf-Raised; Or, From the DepthsAmid heartbreak and unspoken devotion, Bee nurtures Ishmael with unwavering love while he grapples with past sorrows and uncertain futures.
Level C1RomanceSecret History Revealed By Lady Peggy O'MalleyWhen a young girl’s simple wish for a white frock intertwines with high-stakes secrets and a looming crisis between the United States and Mexico, she finds herself at the heart of…
Level C1RomanceSecond to None: A Military Romance, Volume 3 (of 3)Amidst the clashing regiments and shifting alliances of 18th-century Europe, a resolute British cavalry officer leads his fearless Scots Greys into battle against the formidable Du…
Level C1RomanceSecond to None: A Military Romance, Volume 2 (of 3)Amidst the siege of St.
Level C1RomanceSecond to None: A Military Romance, Volume 1 (of 3)A young heir, disinherited and penniless, faces a bleak future beneath the shadow of his family's harsh legacy.
Level C1RomanceScotch marriages, vol. 1Two childhood friends, a young laird and his tenant, grow up side by side in rural Scotland, their lives intertwined by shared games, local traditions, and the rhythms of country l…
Level C1RomanceScheherazade: a London night's entertainmentThree young officers debate love and passion on a London night, their banter interrupted by the imposing Colonel Lord Florencecourt, whose sharp gaze and commanding presence hint a…
Level C1RomanceScaramouche: A Romance of the French RevolutionIn revolutionary France, the sharp-witted Andre-Louis Moreau navigates social injustice and political turmoil, challenging tyranny with his biting intellect and fearless spirit.
Level B2RomanceScandalIn a dazzling New York summer, Beatrix Vanderdyke, society's brightest debutante, defies expectations by secretly consorting with Sutherland York, a charming yet controversial port…
Level C1RomanceSay and Seal, Volume IIAmid a sparkling Christmas in Pattaquasset, Faith Derrick unwraps a mysterious red leather portfolio filled with exquisite photographs from an Italian journey, sparking her imagina…
Level C1RomanceSawn Off: A Tale of a Family TreeA determined doctor clashes with nobility over a coveted estate, while his daughter faces the challenges of love and loyalty between English tradition and South American roots.
Level C1MysterySaved from herselfA neglected daughter escapes her cold, scheming mother’s shadow to explore the vibrant streets of London, risking exposure and scandal as she seeks freedom and her own place in a w…
Level C1RomanceSaronia: A Romance of Ancient EphesusIn ancient Ephesus, a dignified slave named Saronia harbors a fierce spirit beneath her quiet exterior, caught between the splendor of her mistress’s home and the yearning for free…
Level C1RomanceSarita, the CarlistCaught in a tangled web of family ambition and romantic preference, a reluctant man is sent to Madrid as a diplomatic attaché while a wealthy widow’s heart defies his brother’s cal…
Level C1RomanceSarah of the Sahara: A Romance of Nomads LandA chance encounter on a Cannes pier sparks a thrilling chase across desert sands, where fierce nomads and untamed passions collide.
Level C1RomanceSant' IlarioAnastase Gouache, a painter turned soldier, grapples with the transformation from youthful idealism to hardened duty as he patrols Rome's streets in his Zouave uniform, haunted by…
Level C1RomanceSandra Belloni — Volume 4In a midnight conversation fraught with tension, Emilia reveals her secret love for Wilfrid, who is promised to another.
Level C1RomanceSamuel Brohl and CompanyFate brings together Count Abel Larinski, a struggling inventor, and Mlle.
Level C1MysterySalomy JaneIn a tense frontier standoff, two captured outlaws face a grim fate while Salomy Jane, a bold and enigmatic local beauty, defies expectations by forging a daring connection with on…
Level C1RomanceSally of MissouriA disillusioned young man leaves his restless New York life to seek fortune and purpose in the untamed wilderness of Missouri's rugged hills, where isolation and the raw landscape…
Level C1RomanceSally BishopIn foggy London evenings, clerks trudge through weary office routines, their vitality drained by monotonous days.
Level C1RomanceSaint Michael: A RomanceAmid the awakening stir of spring, a noble family faces loss and the weight of inheritance in a secluded mountain castle, where secrets and legacies linger in the shadows of ancien…
Level C1RomanceSaga of Halfred the Sigskald: A Northern Tale of the Tenth CenturyIn a land where elves and legends mingle, Halfred, a fierce Viking and unmatched skald, sets sail on his enchanted ship, the Singing Swan, to win glory through battles and song acr…
Level B2Science FictionRuth's Marriage in Mars: A Scientific NovelIn a mystical hilltop sanctuary blending ancient faiths and psychic visions, a mysterious princess finds healing and spiritual awakening among a royal family dedicated to soul deve…
Level B2RomanceRustlers beware!A young cattleman joins a notorious gang led by hardened killers on a secretive and dangerous mission across Wyoming, unsure if the cause is noble or sinister.
Level C1RomanceRowena & Harold: A Romance in Rhyme of an Olden Time, of Hastyngs and NormanhurstIn a land of fierce feuds and forbidden love, a proud maiden defies her Norman father's will to follow her heart for a noble Saxon knight.
Level B2RomanceRound Anvil Rock: A RomanceIn the shadow of ancient cottonwoods along the wide, peaceful river bends of 1811 Kentucky, a tender romance unfolds amid the whispers of the wilderness and the echoes of vanished…
Level C1RomanceRose of the WorldIn the exotic heat of colonial India, Major Raymond Bethune, a loyal Englishman devoted to duty, encounters a spirited young English girl whose presence stirs a longing for home an…
Level B2RomanceRose of Old HarpethIn a charming rural setting, Rose Mary’s spirited hospitality and sharp wit meet Everett, an earnest man on a quest for oil in the Sweetbriar Valley.
Level B2RomanceRose o' the RiverA river-bound community stirs to life as Stephen Waterman, a true child of the Saco, embraces the river’s beauty and the promise of a new day—where nature’s charms mingle with the…
Level C2RomanceRosalynde; or, Euphues' Golden LegacyIn a pastoral setting where love and wit intertwine, a noble heroine navigates the trials of romance and loyalty.