Romantic Movies and Books To Add to Your Next Date Night Agenda
If you’re anything like me you love a good romance movie! Action movies are fun and all, and I do love documentaries, but romances just hit sometimes. The best is when I convince my husband to watch a romance movie with me. That doesn’t happen very often because he’s not a big movie guy, but when it does, it’s a party. This may sound sappy but it’s fun to watch other people fall in love while cuddling with your love. For this blog I made a list of 60 romantic movies and books you could watch and read with your significant other. Let’s get into this and see what movie or book you could put on your next date night agenda!
Romantic Movies
Classics, Before 1980:
My mom is a lover of classic movies. Consequently, I grew up watching black and white movies with actors like Cary Grant and Gene Kelly. Thanks to her influence, I grew to develop a love for this era of movies. If you’ve never seen any on this list, I would highly recommend getting started, pronto. These movies are a great option if you want to get a little nostalgic for date night!
- The Sound of Music
- My Fair Lady
- An Affair to Remember
- Singing in The Rain
- White Christmas
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
- My Favorite Wife
- It’s A Wonderful Life
1980-1999
As I was making this list, there were so many that called to my soul because they were staples in my house growing up. We would watch The Princess Bride, While You Were Sleeping and One Fine Day, many times a year. I showed my husband While You Were Sleeping when we were dating, and he loved it. I’d say that’s a win! Here are some movies from the 1980s through the 1990s.
- The Princess Bride
- Notting Hill
- You’ve Got Mail
- Sleepless in Seattle
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- One Fine Day
- Runaway Bride
- While You Were Sleeping
2000-2009
I’ve personally watched all of this list and there are some good ones. I’ve been raving about Hitch to my husband for over a year now. We’ve been meaning to watch it but just haven’t made the time. Looks like I know what we’ll be doing for our next date night! These are the eight beset movies at the turn of the century, from 2000 through 2009. Hopefully, you’ve already seen one or two of these and of not, start making that popcorn!
- How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
- The Holiday
- The Proposal
- Pride and Prejudice
- Hitch
- The Notebook
- The Princess Diaries
- Confessions of a Shopaholic
2010 –2019
I haven’t seen all of these, but there are a few on here that my husband and I enjoyed watching together. I will warn you, there are some tear jerkers in this batch. If you watch Five Feet Apart or Me Before You, have your tissues ready. I’ve never seen them but that’s what I’ve heard. You’re welcome for the warning. Here are some of the best romantic, tear-jerking, heart-wrenching romance movies from 2010 through 2019.
- The Vow
- La La Land
- Crazy, Stupid, Love
- Me Before You
- The Longest Ride
- Age of Adeline
- Five Feet Apart
- The Other Woman
2020-2024
This list has some pretty solid choices. My husband and I really enjoyed watching, The Lost City and The Fall Guy. Those two are more action than romance but it still incorporates a love story. If you are action lovers but still want a little dusting of romance, those would be great options! This list will probably chance once the decade is over, but for the first five years, here are my picks!
- Emma
- The Last Letter from Your Lover
- Queen Bees
- Love at First Sight
- Look Both Ways
- The Valet
- The Lost City
- The Fall Guy
Romantic Books
Reading a book with your spouse may not be as easy as watching a movie with them. At least, if your dynamic is anything like ours. We both enjoy reading but we have different styles and that can make reading a book together hard. We started Dracula, but I was too intrigued so I read ahead. My bad! Since that incident, we haven’t read a book together. However, I am determined to have it happen one day. If you two are more readers than movie watchers, here are some fun romantic books you could read together!
- Pride and Prejudice
- Edenbrooke
- My True Love Gave To Me
- Jane Eyre
- It Ends With Us
- Anne Of Green Gables
- Beach Read
- The Rosie Project
- Crown Duel
- Where the Crawdads Sing
- Little Women
- North and South
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
- The Goose Girl
- The Blue Castle
- A Gentleman In Moscow
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- A Walk to Remember
- Rumi: The Book of Love
- The Kiss of a Stranger
Incorporating romantic movies and books into your date night agenda can truly be a delightful experience. It gives you an opportunity to cuddle in close, feel all warm and fuzzy inside and eat some popcorn. I love popcorn so that’s a major win for me! There is such a range of romance and styles in the movies and books listed above. Whether you prefer the nostalgia of classic films, the charm of the late '90s, or the literary love stories, there’s something for every couple to enjoy. Find one that fits your relationship and have a fantastic date night!
Related Resources
Love Boost: Strengthening Connections
100 Hobbies To Try As a Couple To Help Build Connection
Nurturing Love: 10 Key Habits for a Thriving Relationship
Justin Fague reviewed this article. To reach out, please email healthyrelationships@usu.edu.