Looking for an unforgettable collection of dreamy tragic YA books about star-crossed lovers? As an award-winning author and longtime blogger about issue-driven YA fiction, I know the range of themes in romantic novels for teens, ranging from forbidden love to insurmountable circumstances.
You’ll find detailed reviews of more than a dozen of my favorites in the roundup below. Discover your next great romantic read for Valentine’s Day in this list. I’m confident you’ll enjoy this wonderful mix of compelling love stories about heartbreak.
Junior Missing by Khristina Chess
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Forbidden love (age difference)
What it’s about
A seductive and chilling thriller about a runaway teen, drawn into an intoxicating relationship with an older man who takes her in—and won’t let her go!
Why I Love It - Book Review
“He kissed me again and again, and I began bargaining once more with the wind. I vowed to do better and try harder to keep this Quentin who loved me and kept me safe. The Quentin who I loved. Who loved me. Who didn’t treat me badly. Sex was the one place where he was always himself. His very best self. “― Khristina Chess, quote from Junior Missing
Wow! Readers who love the intense chemistry and unsettling seduction of a dark romance won’t be able to put Junior Missing down. What makes Junior Missing so special is the slow-boil depiction of how Grace’s forbidden attraction turns into a trap set by an older man who takes her in—and won’t let her go!
The story starts as sixteen-year-old Grace Keegan, darling of the child pageant world with a bright future, is missing. At first, police assume she ran away. But when they find her abandoned phone along the highway, the truth becomes far more terrifying.
No one knows about Quentin Brock—the musician she met online. He’s charming, funny, and perfect.
Until he isn’t. Until she’s trapped in another state with no way out.
She doesn’t even have shoes.
I highly recommend this mesmerizing, authentic novel that depicts how someone can so easily be manipulated and hurt in an inappropriate relationship. Junior Missing will stay with you after the final page. Worth the read!
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Forbidden love (no touching)
What it’s about
A girl with an illness that keeps her locked indoors falls in love with the boy next door, who transforms her life.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Maybe growing up means disappointing the people we love.” ― Nicola Yoon, quote from Everything, Everything
This lovely YA book is an all-the-feels love story about a girl locked in a tower and the prince who cannot reach her.
Actually, they are two ordinary teenagers. Well, Maddie is not ordinary. She has a rare immunodeficiency disease that makes her allergic to the whole world, so she lives inside a bubble. It’s not a literal plastic bubble, but she can’t go outside. She has an airtight, clean, totally isolated life in an allergen-free environment.
Until a boy moves in next door.
They meet electronically, and their relationship develops with all that emotional falling-in-love-for-the-first-time wonderfulness. Nicola Yoon writes it beautifully. The story is unique, and the sweet love story gives all the feels.
But, there’s more. Much more. Because teenagers press boundaries. They must kiss, even if physical intimacy could be deadly.
You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Love with a ghost
What it’s about
A girl with an illness that keeps her locked indoors falls in love with the boy next door, who transforms her life.
Why I Love It - Book Review
This book has a great premise: what if you had a second chance at saying goodbye?
However for a lot of reasons, the main character didn't seem all that likeable to me, so I wasn't able to connect with her grief at a gut level. The flashbacks to the romance between Julie and Sam didn't help me to fall in love with this couple and their relationship, and instead, I found myself skimming over passages to finish. There were some engaging plot points to drive the narrative forward, but they often lost momentum. I'm glad I pushed to the ending because it was a good resolution.
The cover on this novel is fabulous, though, isn't it? It's the reason I picked up the book, and if you’re looking for heartbreaking YA books about star-crossed lovers, this one fits the bill!
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Growth & discovery
What it’s about
A boy and a girl prepare to separate their lives and head off to college in a night for star-crossed lovers.
Why I Love It - Book Review
"We keep thinking there are only these two choices: We either grow apart or grow together. But maybe we can just kind of each grow on our own, and see how it goes. And then later, if it's right, we'll come back to each other and start again." ― Jennifer E. Smith, quote from Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between
In another “novel in one night” book, Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between explores the relationship of Clare and Aiden as they prepare to separate before heading off to college. Along the way, they spend time with a cast of friends and visit places where they enjoyed some of their most memorable moments. I didn’t love-love the story and characters the same way that I did some of the other novels here, but there were sweet and romantic moments that kept me invested.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Tragic love
What it’s about
A boy and a girl with terminal illnesses fall in love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“But it is the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he has Cassius note, ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.” ― John Green, quote from The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the ultimate YA book about star-crossed lovers. Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace are two teens with cancer, and they fall in love during a sweet time of remission. They talk about literature and philosophy, and they go on a wonderful journey to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite novel. This person is not at all what she expected—a huge disappointment, as a matter of fact—but then, life happens that way.
When the inevitable plot turn comes and twists the knife in your heart, it doesn’t matter that you’re expecting it. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to be together, so every bittersweet moment of their parting is a gasp. Every breath counts. Every syllable.
If you’re looking for the sweetest and most heart-wrenching star-crossed love story, pick up this classic. If you read it a long time ago, it’s just as good the second time around. Trust me.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Tragic love
What it’s about
A boy and a girl form an unlikely relationship that ends badly.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“What a terrible feeling to love someone and not be able to help them.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from All the Bright Places
Theodore Finch has more than a touch of the blues.
Violet Markey wants to escape the grief that lives in her hometown where her sister recently died.
Violet and Theodore are an unlikely couple, paired together on a school project to explore the natural wonders of their state. At first, Theodore seems to be the one helping Violet with her sadness, but Violet doesn’t have any understanding about the depth of Theodore’s despair. Along their journey, they make several unexpected discoveries about one another.
After re-reading this book a second time, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the the first. I liked the writing, the dual character viewpoints, the story, the language, and the symbolism.
Blue is a primary color.
This is a tragic YA book about star-crossed lovers that stayed with me for a long time. All the Bright Places is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, Jennifer Niven is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippencort
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Forbidden love (no touching)
What it’s about
A boy and a girl with terminal illnesses fall in love.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“If I’m going to die, I’d like to actually live first.” ― Rachael Lippincott, quote from Five Feet Apart
Stella and Will are two kids with cystic fibrosis who literally have to stay away from one another to survive. Infections are bad, possibly deadly, and Will is like kryptonite to Stella, who doesn’t want to lose her place on the transplant list.
But the heart wants what the heart wants—even when the lungs are failing.
Stella and Will disobey all kinds of orders in their love pursuits and put their lives at risk. They have so much positive energy that you want them to beat the odds. Tragedy won’t touch them.
Don’t miss this popular YA book about star-crossed lovers. You will love Stella and Will’s story. The movie was pretty great, too!
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Insurmountable circumstances
What it’s about
A sweet and heartbreaking story of first love that won’t disappoint.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“I just can’t believe that life would give us to each other,” he said, “and then take it back.”
“I can,” she said. “Life’s a bastard.” ― Rainbow Rowell, quote from Eleanor and Park
It's been a long time since I've encountered a novel that I literally couldn't put down. Eleanor & Park was one of those books. I loved every minute. I sat on the porch, on the couch, on the floor by the window... and devoured this book. It was a wonderful reading experience about first love. Sweet and heartbreaking and everything I wanted. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, romantic young love story.
The story unfolds from alternating points of view, both Eleanor and Park, as they fall in love over the course of one year. The dialog is witty, snappy, and fun.
As a super-dreamy YA book about star-crossed lovers, it will give you all the feels about falling in love.
The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Insurmountable circumstances
What it’s about
A sweet and heartbreaking story of first love that won’t disappoint.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“The trouble with getting your hopes too far up is: it's a long way down.” ― Nicola Yoon, quote from The Sun Is Also a Star
I loved Nicola Yoon’s Everything Everything, so when The Sun Is Also A Star released, I couldn’t wait to read it. This novel is a star-crossed love story between two teens of different backgrounds: Daniel Jae Ho Bae (a middle-class US citizen of South Korean descent) and Natasha Kingsley (a Jamaican girl who is being deported at the end of the day).
The timeline of the novel is 12 hours, and in that time, the characters fall in love. With every page, I kept hoping that something would change and something would stop the inevitable from happening. Because it wasn’t fair. Daniel and Natasha just found each other.
You won’t want to miss this heartbreaking YA book about doomed love.
Other YA Books about Star-Crossed Lovers
If you are looking other YA books about star-crossed lovers, check out the Star Crossed Lovers list and YA Star-Crossed/Forbidden/Enemy Loves on Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which lists other reviews of YA contemporary books about tough topics for teens.
Bonus Round: My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Themes in Star-Crossed Lover Stories
Forbidden love (age difference)
What it’s about
A 15-year-old girl in a private boarding school is groomed into a multi-year sexual relationship with a middle-aged teacher, who she believes she is in love with.
Why I Love It - Book Review
“To be groomed is to be loved and handled like a precious, delicate thing.” ― Kate Elizabeth Russell from My Dark Vanessa
What a deeply disturbing book. I wondered what made 15-year-old Vanessa so malleable to Strane's grooming and manipulation. It seemed like more than just being a lonely kid in search of approval. Her confusion about what was happening in the early days of the relationship was clear. Did she imagine that? Was it real? And then, the first sexual encounter with them was so horrible. Even in that moment of being raped, she was confused and tried to explain what was happening to her.
It was sad that the adult Vanessa was so messed up. She couldn't break free of him and what he did to her. She even seemed bent on repeating the cycle with another teacher, and I'm not sure I really believe the hopeful notes at the end of the story. I'm not sure Vanessa will ever recover from Strane.
Also, I was confused about what actually happened with the other girls. Did they also have intimate relationships with Strane, or was Vanessa the only one?
I know this review is all over the place, but it's a fitting reflection of this book. I’ve included it because Vanessa really did believe this was a love relationship, and like all star-crossed lovers, it was ultimately doomed for many obvious reasons, and the ending was tragic and sad.
Author Bio
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.
In a recent interview from her alma mater, she described how her experience in the creative writing program prepared her for success.
