Netflix has a questionable track record with adapting YA rom-coms. Sometimes they really hit the mark, like when they made To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before an instant classic. Sometimes, they totally flop, like when they turned Love & Gelato into another cookie cutter travel romance (Gag me). Despite their dicey past, Netflix still reigns as the supreme king of YA adaptations. They have cranked out more than any other streaming service, and the terrible ones can’t cancel out the good ones. But there are still so many excellent YA rom-coms out there just waiting to be adapted. Come on, Netflix, what are you waiting for?
Hot Dutch Daydream by Kristy Boyce
Escapist travel romances make great adaptations. This could be Netflix’s opportunity to redeem themselves after the abomination that was Love & Gelato. I would love to watch a movie set in picturesque Amsterdam—it’s a nice change of scenery, as most travel romances take place in Paris or somewhere in Italy. Sage is the perfect rom-com hero, driven and zeroed in on her goals, but ultimately distracted by a cute boy. Ryland is an artist and good with kids… can you say, swoon? I couldn’t put this book down. It deserves to be up on the big screen!
Read more: Hot Dutch Daydream review
Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
I’m a sucker for high school drama, on and off stage. Megan loves to be swept off her feet, but every single relationship ends the same way—with him falling for someone else. So she tries to focus on her passion, directing. When she gets cast as Juliet in her high school production of Romeo and Juliet, she doesn’t know how to take it. But then she meets Owen, and she starts to believe in love again. Emily and Austin are masters of the YA rom-com, and I think this story, full of Shakespeare shenanigans, would translate best to the screen.
The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher
I would love to watch a movie that completely takes place at a Renaissance Faire. That’s my main reasoning, but I’d also love a rom-com that centers a plus-sized heroine. Madeline and Art have the most precious relationship, and I would love to watch their relationship grow.
Read more: The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway review
Lola at Last by J. C. Peterson
Lydia Bennet is an icon of classic literature, and in this age of new Austen adaptations, I’m shocked we haven’t seen a new version of Pride & Prejudice that focuses solely on Lydia’s side of the story. Thankfully, J. C. Peterson blessed us with an amazing modern retelling alllll about Lydia and how she turns her life around. Lola is different from our typical sweet, bookish rom-com heroine. She has more of a Blair Waldorf energy, which I’d love to see in a movie.
Love & Other Expectations by Becky Dean
Speaking of travel romances… this would be a great one. It’s not just a story about visiting another country and falling in love; it involves a giant scavenger hunt! A bookish boy shows a sporty girl all the literary sights of England? Isn’t that every bookworm’s dream? The English cities and countryside burst with magic and stunning scenery. I want to see Britt and Luke’s deep conversations about literature and life as much as I want to see them traipsing through England on their epic quest.
Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli
This rom-com takes on the world of high school theater and the intense crushes that come with it. It focuses on theater besties Kate and Anderson, who have always been practically glued together, but now find themselves crushing on the same guy. We also follow Kate’s emotional journey as she learns to step out into the spotlight and be a leading lady, on stage and in her own life.
When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord
You’ll notice that theater shenanigans are a running theme for me. I love any novel that centers a drama kid—bonus points if they’re actively taking part in a production. Any Emma Lord book would make an amazing movie, but I think When You Get the Chance is the best choice. It takes place in the heart of New York City, always a great setting. The plot takes its inspiration from Mamma Mia, with a spunky, loveable heroine who’s obsessed with Broadway. How has no one picked this up already?
Featured image courtesy of Balzar + Bray/Wednesday Books/Delacorte/Harperteen
Abby Costello has been writing for about books professionally for the past three years, but she’s been overanalyzing everything she reads and watches since day one. Seriously, don’t even bring up Beauty and the Beast. Outside of this website, she teaches 7th grade English in Northern California and works as a freelance writer on the side.
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