Who doesn’t like a swoon-worthy love story that makes one daydream about their happily ever after? While romance has largely moved from multiplex to streaming services, no streamer has cashed more in on the genre than Netflix. While studios like Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount started to pull their material from Netflix in favor of their own streaming service, Netflix started to invest in romance films and television series to boost up their library as they were relatively cheap to produce. Combine this with the fact that audiences were starting to see romances as less worthy of big-screen viewing and something they would rather wait to watch at home; this benefited Netflix greatly.

With 2018 releases like To All the Boys I Loved Before and Set It Up, they kicked off a new era for Netflix. Some of the streamer's biggest hits have been romance movies and shows. Looking for something romantic to watch? Here are ten of the best romances on Netflix you can watch now.

Update February 12, 2024: In honor of Valentine's Day, this article has been updated by Soniya Hinduja with more heartwarming and satisfying romance TV shows and movies on Netflix that are worth watching.

10 A Perfect Pairing (2022)

Victoria Justice and Adam Demos in A Perfect Pairing
Netflix

Directed by Stuart McDonald, A Perfect Pairing tells the tale of Lola Alvarez, played by Victoria Justice, who is an extremely hardworking executive at a wine firm in Los Angeles. Her life takes a series of turns, as she ends up being at a farm in order to woo a huge client. While she has everything planned, destiny has its own plan, as she starts falling for an Australian country boy, who works at a sheep farm.

Why You Should Watch It

Not only do the two have outstanding chemistry, which makes the audience root for them, but also it's difficult not to get attached to the entire cast. With beautiful cinematography and music (yes, Victoria Justice blesses the audience with her vocals), A Perfect Pairing keeps the audience hooked till the end. For those searching for a warm rom-com with a touch of Australian glaze, A Perfect Pairing is a must-watch.

9 Emily in Paris (2020 - Present)

Emily in Paris
Emily in Paris
Release Date
October 2, 2020
Cast
Lily Collins , Ashley Park , Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
4

For fans of Hallmark movies, Emily in Paris is a multi-season-long treat. Following Chicago marketing executive Emily Cooper who lands her dream job in Paris, we see the titular character moving to a new city, hoping to share her American perspective with the French luxury marketing firm. Eager and overjoyed, Emily fully plunges into her new surroundings and even embarks on new romantic adventures. Across three seasons and counting, Emily finds herself caught up in work and her growing affection for someone.

Why You Should Watch It

This Netflix romantic comedy series was received with both praise and criticism. However, one thing is undeniable – it takes you to the very source of all the romance in the world. Paris. Lily Collins embodies Emily in a way that is relatable to young women who are strong, ambitious, and willing to embrace new phases of life. The show finds a savvy and adorable BFF in Ashley Park, who plays Mindy. What’s more, creator Darren Stars nails the portrayal of foreign cultures. We agree that Emily in Paris is not high art, and it is sometimes overly dramatic, but for anyone looking for a romance-laden travel-fantasy getaway, it’s perfect.

8 Love at First Sight (2023)

Love at First Sight
Love At First Sight
PG-13
Release Date
September 15, 2023
Director
Vanessa Caswill
Main Genre
Drama

Adapted from Jennifer E. Smith’s 2011 novel titled The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, this recent Netflix romantic comedy tells the story of Hadley and Oliver. The former is a 20-something American student rushing to the airport to catch a flight from New York to London to attend her father’s second wedding. And Oliver is a Yale student returning home. They end up connecting deeply during the flight only to be separated at customs. Will true love find a way to risk it all and bring them together?

Why You Should Watch It

Love at First Sight arrives as a beacon of hope for the rom-com genre, proving there are more genuinely appealing stories to tell. Starring Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy as Hadley and Oliver, and with Jameela Jamil popping up on the screen at short intervals to deliver some statistics, the movie mainly focuses on its protagonists. Their complex inner lives are seen through creative passions, which makes the audiences invested in their stories. The movie is directed by Vanessa Caswill, who imbues tender charm and impactful dialogue to elevate the romance and please any love-worn heart.

7 Virgin River (2019 - Present)

virgin river
Virgin River
Cast
Alexandra Breckenridge , Martin Henderson , Colin Lawrence , Tim Matheson , Ben Hollingsworth , Marco Grazzini
Main Genre
Documentary

An unexpected hit for the streaming service, Virgin River centers around nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe who decides to leave her painful memories of Los Angeles behind her and moves to the titular remote town in Northern California. Still devastated by the loss of her husband, she embraces this new environment, even with its failure and flaws, with a positive attitude. In the meantime, Mel is also drawn to a former U.S. Marine turned local bar owner, Jack Sheridan.

Why You Should Watch It

The very first thing that makes Virgin River so excellent is its breathless scenic backdrops. The visuals and genuine vibe of a community alone is enough to provide you with comfort and warmth. Secondly, the show excels at showcasing the emotional complexity of its characters. Mel is played by Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson plays Jack. Their chemistry champions maturity, compassion, and feel-good energy instead of drama. Overall, Virgin River is a refreshing romance TV show that imparts life lessons about a healthy love that nurtures the spirit and soul.

6 Set It Up (2018)

Set It Up features Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch as two overworked assistants who try to set up their demanding bosses, played by Tay Diggs and Lucy Liu, on dates. While the two are orchestrating their boss's lives behind the scenes, they also start to fall for one another in a classic romantic comedy setup (pun intended). This movie was released in 2018 and has become a romantic comedy classic.

Why You Should Watch It

Deutch has always been one of the most underrated stars working today with a mix of great comedic and dramatic work, and here, she makes for a great romantic lead. Meanwhile, Powell has become a major star and is clearly made for romantic comedies, as seen with Anyone but You. Set It Up is funny and sweet and is a movie that helped kick off Netflix as the king of romantic comedies in the modern era.

Related: 15 Modern Romance Movies Deserve a Second Chance

5 Look Both Ways (2022)

Look Both Ways
Screen Arcade/CatchLight Studios

It’s only humane to wonder what would have happened in life if one had chosen a different path. Well, that is exactly what Look Both Ways does by portraying two parallel realities of Natalie, a young illustrator played by Lili Reinhart, in such a captivating manner. Wanuri Kahiu’s romantic comedy-drama has its share of downright sentimental scenes, which beautifully illuminate the movie's message – life has its own plan.

Why You Should Watch It

Lili Reinhart does an amazing job of juggling Natalie’s dual lives, not to mention her through-the-roof chemistry with both male leads, which confuses the audience as to who to ship her with. This is certainly an underrated romance and just an overall good movie, as director Wanuri Kahiu is masterfully able to weave both timeline storylines together in a way that never drags while also creating two drastically different narratives that manage to paint neither choice as positive or negative, but just life. The movie also features a great cast of supporting characters, including Top Gun: Maverick and one of the stars in the upcoming film Captain America: Brave New World, Danny Ramirez, and future Superman actor David Corenswet as Reinhart's two romantic pairings across the two timelines. If you are searching for a well-acted, impressively directed, and overall good romantic movie that makes you wonder about your life journey, hop on to Netflix and watch Look Both Ways right away.

4 Never Have I Ever (2020 - 2023)

Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
4
Cast
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan , Poorna Jagannathan , Richa Moorjani , Jaren Lewison , Darren Barnet , Ramona Young

Growing up as an Indian-American teenager isn’t a walk in the park, and who could know it better than Devi Vishwakumar, played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan? Never Have I Ever ran for four successful seasons and follows a high school student dealing with the sudden death of her father and the bumpy journey through her last three years of high school, and of course, that means romance is in the air. The series is one of many created by Mindy Kaling focusing on highlighting a female perspective, like Max's The Secret Life of College Girls or the Fox/Hulu series, The Mindy Project.

Why You Should Watch It?

Maitreyi does a phenomenal job of capturing a messy teenager who is figuring herself and her emotions out. It tackles a wide array of topics, from teenagers deciding they are boyfriend and girlfriend to the act of losing one's virginity. The audience will laugh off their seats in one scene yet get teary and emotional in another. Never Have I Ever is a coming-of-age and light comedy series that centers around finding love, friendships, and family, making it the perfect series to binge!

3 To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

To All The Boys Ive Loved Before
To All The Boys Ive Loved Before
Release Date
August 16, 2018
Director
Susan Johnson
Cast
Lana Condor , Noah Centineo , Janel Parrish , Anna Cathcart , Andrew Bachelor , Oliver Mahoro Smith
Main Genre
Drama

The first film in a trilogy based on a teen romance novel written by Jenny Han, To All the Boys I've Loved Before follows shy high schooler Lara Jean Song-Covey, who has a habit of writing a love letter whenever she has an intense crush on a boy. When her secret writings are mailed out to the respective crushes and her social reputation is at risk, she’s forced to pretend-date the popular heartthrob Peter Kavinsky. Eventually, their fake relationship transforms into something more. So, Lara Jean must navigate her messy emotions and make a choice.

Why You Should Watch It

To All the Boys I've Loved Before was a breakthrough for stars Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. Their charming and relatable personas make this YA novel adaptation a refreshing coming-of-age romance. The film also has some deeper introspections like finding one’s voice and learning that relationships involve trust. Moreover, it also advocates vulnerability as courage and not weakness, which is an important reminder for young adults. Director Susan Johnson makes sure to lay equal focus on each supporting character as well, be it Kitty, Lara Jean’s younger sister, or Lucas, a former crush-turned-best-friend. The movie also has two sequels and a spin-off series for you to indulge in.

2 Heartstopper (2022 - Present)

Heartstopper
Heartstopper
Release Date
April 22, 2022
Cast
Joe Locke , Kit Connor , Yasmin Finney , William Gao , Cormac Hyde-Corrin
Main Genre
Drama
Seasons
1

Based on a globally-cherished graphic novel and web comic by Alice Oseman, Heartstopper revolves around Charlie, played by Joe Locke, who not only meets but also falls deeply in love with his classmate Nick Nelson, played by Kit Conner. While it all sounds like the perfect romance from the get-go, it really isn't, as Charlie doesn't know how Nick feels about him, or even if he’s into boys, to begin with. Heartstopper is the most wholesome and relatable show out there for any teenager who is discovering their identity and coming to terms with it. The best part of it all is how it responsibly represents a diverse spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community without stereotyping, as is usually seen in movies and series.

Why You Should Watch It

With its cute doodles and experimental camera angles in between, Heartstopper captures the elements and tone of the web-comic in such an appalling manner that it feels dreamy but, at the same time, depicts the very real feeling of discovering one’s self as a teen. The show strikes some chords in the audience’s hearts with its deeply emotional and realistic character arcs. Heartstopper has the audience melting entirely from its very first episode. For those who enjoy beautifully shot, composed, acted, and written coming-of-age series with well-fleshed-out young characters, start watching Heartstopper right away!

Related: 20 of the Most Highly Rewatchable Romance Movies

1 Bridgerton (2020 - Present)

Bridgerton
Bridgerton
Release Date
December 25, 2020
Cast
Rege-Jean Page , Julie Andrews , Jonathan Bailey , Ruth Gemmell , Polly Walker , Golda Rosheuvel
Main Genre
Romance
Seasons
2

Fans of sensual and sexy romances will without a doubt enjoy the Bridgerton series. Adapted from the novel series of the same name, it tells a tale of eight siblings of the Bridgerton family searching for love. While season one focuses on the eldest daughter, Daphne Bridgerton, season two focuses more on their eldest son, Anthony Bridgerton, starring Jonathan Bailey, who is in search of a submissive wife who fits his list of perfection. However, his plans all go awry when he meets Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley. Since their first encounter, the audience finds their chemistry is extremely electric.

Why You Should Watch It

Bridgerton is one of the biggest shows in Netflix history, so there is a chance you've already seen it. But if you haven't, it is a good chance to get in on what has been a cultural phenomenon and one of the biggest romantic series currently airing. If you have already seen it, there is nothing wrong with giving it a second watch, particularly now that two seasons have been released so you can see the difference between the first two seasons.

Stream all of these titles on Netflix.