Do you love love stories? Then you’re in the right place. The 25 romance short story collections in this epic list feature big-name authors, familiar tropes, and enticing themes. From Daddy Dom to paranormal passions, from festive and flirty fiction to queer love, these anthologies have all the romance short stories you need for a quick hit of love.
This article is my sixth in my series of the best short story collections. You might also want to check out Broke by Books’ list of the best mystery, science fiction, fantasy, middle grade, and YA short story anthologies.
Romance Short Story Collections by One Author
A Beverly Jenkins Romance Collection by Beverly Jenkins
Legendary romance author Beverly Jenkins here gifts us five steamy novellas that show off her range. From holiday romance to sports romance to contemporary romance, it’s all here and all good from Jenkins.
How to read it: Purchase A Beverly Jenkins Romance Collection on Amazon
The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn
If you’re a fan of romance, chances are you’ve devoured the hot and heavy Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn’s historical Regency romance Bridgertons series. If you’ve gobbled up all the episodes and marathon read the books, this collection is for you. In The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After, Quinn includes a novella featuring life “after the happily ever after” for heroine Violet Bridgerton. Plus, Quinn also compiles alternate endings for eight of the Bridgerton novels in short stories.
How to read it: Purchase The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After on Amazon
A Novella Collection by Courtney Milan
Surrender to these four sexy novellas from big deal romance author Courtney Milan. One of the reigning queens of historical romance, Milan is not to be missed. If you’re not sure how to get started with her prolific catalog of romance novels, jump right in with this novella collection.
How to read it: Purchase A Novella Collection on Amazon
Paris for One by Jojo Moyes
I’ve been a big fan of British author Jojo Moyes since I devoured her most famous work, Me Before You. In Paris for One and Other Stories, Moyes sets romance short stories in the City of Love, Paris. Flirty, breezy, and sweet, this collection has definite binge-reading potential.
How to read it: Purchase Paris for One and Other Stories on Amazon
Some Like It Hot by Brenda Jackson
The five lush love short stories in this collection by epic romance author Brenda Jackson are absolutely dirty delights. For toe-curling, is-it-hot-in-here-or-is-it-just-me love stories, check out this erotica short fiction anthology.
How to read it: Purchase Some Like It Hot on Amazon
The Ultimate Protector Pack by Khloe Summers
If you crave your men burly, alpha, and over-protective, check out Khloe Summers’ The Ultimate Protector Pack. This collection of ten romance short stories featuring possessive mountain men is a required reading for anyone who loves this spicy subgenre.
How to read it: Purchase The Ultimate Protector Pack on Amazon
Romance Short Story Collections by Multiple Authors
Dark and Stormy Knights – edited by P. N. Elrod
Who hasn’t craved a knight in shining armor? If that’s you, the nine romance short stories in Dark and Stormy Knights have you covered. The “knights” you’ll read about are modern-day knights who do deals with deep darkness and love even deeper. With nine of the most popular paranormal romance writers contributing—headlined by Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, and Vicki Pettersson—you won’t want to miss this unique collection of love stories.
How to read it: Purchase Dark and Stormy Knights on Amazon
Dead After Dark
Just because you die doesn’t mean your love does, too. And that’s the theme in this paranormal romance short story anthology. Explore the magical landscapes of love with a paranormal twist in this four-part collection that includes Sherrilyn Kenyon, J. R. War, Susan Squires, and Dianna Love.
How to read it: Purchase Dead After Dark on Amazon
Finding Ms. Write – edited by Jae and Jove Belle
This romance short story compilation has a fun inspiration: each of the contributions from twelve lesbian romance book authors feature stories about ladies in literature. That’s right; you’ve got tales about authors, editors, a bookstore owner, and more. It’s impossible to walk away from this queer love short story collection and all its happily ever afters without a smile on your face.
How to read it: Purchase Finding Ms. Write on Amazon
Fools In Love: Fresh Twists on Romantic Tales – edited by Ashley Herring Blake and Rebecca Podos
If you’re a YA reader who loves love stories, you’ll definitely want to put Fools In Love on your radar. Across a diverse slate of genres, the 15 short stories in this romance short story anthology explore all the genre’s tropes, like enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, love triangles, and relationships of convenience.
How to read it: Purchase Fools In Love on Amazon
Four Weddings and a Sixpence
This amusing historical romance short story anthology harnesses the power of its tried-and-true authors—Julia Quinn, Elizabeth Boyle, Laura Lee Guhrke, and Stefanie Sloane—to deliver a delightful set of four connected stories. In this anthology, four female friends study together in Mrs. Rochambeaux’s Gentle School for Girls. When each young woman finds a sixpence in her bedchamber, the gal pals decide the coin will be lucky charms for their marriages. Romantic antics ensue.
How to read it: Purchase Four Weddings and a Sixpence on Amazon
The Friends to Lovers: Volume 1
Who doesn’t love the friends to lovers trope in romance? I definitely do! And if this version of romance is a favorite, you won’t want to miss out on the flirty fun in Friends to Lovers: Volume 1. The 13 spiced stories in this collection are for anyone who can’t get enough of friends to lovers kissing books.
How to read it: Purchase Friends to Lovers: Volume 1 on Amazon
Heart2Heart: A Charity Anthology
Here’s a cause to get behind: assemble 15 stories by 15 auto-buy queer romance authors and give the proceeds to LGBTQ+ charities. And that’s exactly what you get in this raunchy romance short story anthology.
How to read it: Purchase Heart2Heart: A Charity Anthology on Amazon
How the Dukes Stole Christmas
I have this one on my shelf at home. I’m a sucker for Christmas romance, as you may have noticed. And How the Dukes Stole Christmas is definitely one of the best holiday romance short story collections. How can you go wrong with Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Shupe contributing a hot-and-heavy holiday love story about dashing Dukes. Easy answer: you can’t!
How to read it: Purchase How the Dukes Stole Christmas on Amazon
Hunger
If you love your romance on the paranormal side, you won’t want to miss Hunger. Hot and furry alphas and their hungry humans collide in this sizzling celebration of carnal affection with stories by all-star authors Eve Langlais, Kate Douglas, and A. C. Arthur.
How to read it: Purchase Hunger on Amazon
In Bloom
Like your love stories to be heartwarming? Definitely add In Bloom to your to-be-read list. From epic romance authors Fern Michaels, Carolyn Brown, and Lori Foster, the three selections you’ll find here are uplifting, feel-good, and cozy.
How to read it: Purchase In Bloom on Amazon
International Daddies
Dashing, daring, and devilish… these are among the dads featured in this multicultural collection of romance short stories. For fans of fiery fathers, International Daddies is the Daddy Dom fix you crave.
How to read it: Purchase International Daddies on Amazon
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance – edited by Trisha Telep
Fan of vampire love stories? You’ve got to check out the paranormal romance anthology The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance. Take a bite out of the more than 30 contributions that explore the combination of love and vampires in all its forms.
How to read it: Purchase The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance on Amazon
Meet Cute
One of the best YA romance short story collections, Meet Cute collects 14 stories about “meet cutes,” the rom-com genre trope that describes an unexpected or quirky first encounter between the protagonists. With authors like Nina LaCour, Emery Lord, Julie Murphy, and Nicola Yoon, this anthology has sweet stories for everyone, whether you’re a young adult or not.
How to read it: Purchase Meet Cute on Amazon
Mistletoe Christmas
Another historical holiday romance anthology, Mistletoe Christmas collects festive fiction from Eloisa Jame, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley. What ties the four tales together is a (fictional) Christmas party —the Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry—that sparks scandal as well as lusty love among the four heroes/heroines who pair up among the festivities.
How to read it: Purchase Mistletoe Christmas on Amazon
My True Love Gave to Me – edited by Stephanie Perkins
One more great YA romance short story collection is My True Love Gave to Me, which is themed as love stories for the holiday season. I adore so many authors who have contributed short stories to this anthology, like Rainbow Rowell, David Levithan, and editor Stephanie Perkins, that this is a treasured collection I return to again and again.
How to read it: Purchase My True Love Gave to Me on Amazon
On the Prowl
Big-time authors Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance, and Sunny deliver thrilling paranormal romance in this must-read for anyone who loves steamy romance short story collections. Wild passions and carnal cravings drive the narratives in these four tales of temptation, both animal and human.
How to read it: Purchase On the Prowl on Amazon
Something Blue
The 18 romance short stories in Something Blue are all rom-coms related to weddings. Second chances, magical love, and enemies-to-lovers are just some of the tropes you’ll get in this blockbuster romance novella anthology.
How to read it: Purchase Something Blue on Amazon
The Unquiet
Do you devour romantic suspense? If so, I prescribe The Unquiet. The five stories collected in this anthology (anchored with J. D. Robb) of thrilling romance will leave you breathless, and not just because they’re pulsing with passion.
How to read it: Purchase The Unquiet on Amazon
Used and Bound: A Dark Romance Anthology
Dark romance fan? It doesn’t get much darker than Used and Bound, a dark romance short story anthology. Featuring menacing men and helpless heroines, the scorching stories in this collection are deep, dark, and delicious reads that feed your need for a quick hit of dark love.
