10 Best Romance Shows Streaming On Netflix Right Now

If all we need is love, as the Beatles famously crooned, then Netflix certainly has got audiences covered in that department. From salacious sensual thrillers to wholesome romantic comedies, the premium streaming service definitely isn’t starved for amorous programming. This ranges from Netflix originals to a plethora of licensed television <a href="https://comicvibe.com/15-best-sci-fi-shows-of-the-90s-ranked/” title=”15 Best Sci-Fi Shows Of The '90s, Ranked”>shows all delving into different aspects of love. With this article, we’re looking at the best Netflix series currently available to stream that revolve around romance.

While it’s a given that a wide range of shows feature their own love interests, we’re focusing on the series that place romance front and center. Even with that caveat in mind, that still leaves an enormous and varied selection of shows to choose from. After all, some of the best Netflix original series of all time happen to be romance stories, letting us live out our own amorous fantasies vicariously. These are the 10 best romance shows streaming on Netflix right now, each with their own memorable love stories and electric chemistry between their respective couples.

Outlander

Easily the most intense show on this list, “Outlander” adapts the romantic fantasy novel series by Diana Gabaldon. The story opens with 1940s nurse Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe) being magically transported back to 18th-century Scotland. Despite being married back in her own time, Claire is swept off her feet by highlander Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). This coupling is threatened by both sadistic enemies facing the couple and the complications that come with their time-displaced romance.

“Outlander” certainly isn’t a lightweight love story, but rather a show that doesn’t avoid the brutal realities of its era. There is harrowing sexual violence, fiery conflicts, and bloody betrayal that keep the series’ stakes high across its eight-season run. But through all the warfare and fearsome foes that the story throws at its main characters, Claire and Jamie’s love for each other remains steadfast and true. A series about love persevering over all, “Outlander” certainly doesn’t pull its punches and is all the better for it.

Virgin River

When it comes to cozy, small-town love stories, “Virgin River” has been delivering comfort romance on Netflix since 2019. Based on the novel series by Robyn Carr, the show opens with nurse Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) moving to the titular Northern California community. As Mel overcomes her painful past, she finds solace and romance with the town’s local barkeep, Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), who has his own traumatic backstory. Together, this budding couple help each other finally heal from their respective emotional wounds while building a shared fresh start.

“Virgin River” really takes advantage of its gorgeous rustic setting while expanding upon the close-knit community that provides much of its drama and personality. But for all the shocking deaths and convenient twists in “Virgin River,” the core appeal is the relationship between Mel and Jack. These two certainly don’t have it easy, but the pair weathers each unpredictable storm as a unified front with their love prevailing. One of the most consistently cozy romantic dramas on Netflix, “Virgin River” revels in its well-staged bucolic charm.

Crash Landing on You

So many of the best K-dramas ever made revolve around romance, with South Korean television excelling at weaving a memorable love story. Among the standouts is “Crash Landing on You,” which offers its own variation on a cross-town romance through Korea’s unique geopolitical situation. The 2019 series begins with South Korean corporate heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) inadvertently landing in North Korea after a paragliding accident. Se-ri is discovered by North Korean soldier Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), with a mutual attraction quickly forming as he escorts her back to the border.

“Crash Landing on You” does so much with its premise while keeping sight of the show’s central romance. There is corporate intrigue with Se-ri’s business interests back in Seoul, and also military thriller elements even after she makes it back home. But there is also a heavy sense of yearning that fuels much of the series and the forbidden love story at its core. “Crash Landing on You” is all about complication rather than offering its characters the easy way forward, with that nuanced distinction earning it a place here.

Emily in Paris

There’s usually a bit of wish fulfillment when it comes to a memorable romantic story, and “Emily in Paris” takes that sensibility to heart. The show’s title character, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), is an American marketing specialist who relocates to Paris at the start of the series. As her career takes off and she acclimates to living in France, she enjoys the local dating scene. Among Emily’s biggest and recurring prospective suitors is her neighbor, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), who weaves in and out of her life.

With its picturesque settings, fabulous fashion sense, and plenty of handsome hunks, “Emily in Paris” certainly takes advantage of its premise. But more than just France, the show explores other breathtakingly romantic locales around Europe, including Rome and Monaco, as part of its whirlwind tour of the continent. Understanding full and well what audiences tune in for, the show leans into its lavish possibilities and is all better for it. And with “Emily in Paris” ending with its sixth season, it looks like the Netflix original has saved its amorous best for last.

Bridgerton

One of Netflix’s most consistently popular original series is the period piece romantic drama “Bridgerton,” based on the novels by Julia Quinn. Set during the British Regency era in the early 19th century, the show is named for a family of English aristocrats. Each season revolves around a different coupling involving the Bridgerton family, often marked with plenty of high society intrigue. However, this is no staid and stuffy period piece drama, but rather one informed by modern storytelling and, of course, plenty of unmistakable sexual tension.

On the surface, “Bridgerton” is a bodice-ripping, steamy good time, but if it was just about the show’s sensuality, we wouldn’t keep coming back for more. The ensemble are all turning in uniformly top-notch work, with Jonathan Bailey and Nicola Coughlan being among the series’ standouts so far. It’s this cast that gets us invested in the viability of these couples, more than just waiting to see if that smoldering tension finally pays off. Immediately becoming one of Netflix’s best romantic originals, “Bridgerton” changes things up just enough each season to keep its family saga fresh.

Business Proposal

One last K-drama to include on this list, “Business Proposal” has a narrative premise perfect for a screwball romantic comedy. Protagonist Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) discovers that her blind date is her CEO, Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop), who is unaware of their professional connection. Tae-moo offers to have Ha-ri pose as his fiancée to appease his grandfather, an arrangement which Ha-ri agrees to. Naturally, the two characters actually fall in love with each other, but not without some bumps along the way, fueling both the laughs and the dramatic moments.

“Business Proposal” is one of the best K-dramas streaming on Netflix right now and well worth checking out. The show’s gags are largely cross-cultural in their appeal, while the chemistry between its lead characters is positively electric. And like many K-dramas, the series keeps its episode count to 12 chapters, knowing when to wrap things up expertly rather than overstaying its welcome. An essential K-drama for beginners to South Korean television, “Business Proposal” is a feel-good show paced to binge over a single weekend.

Heartstopper

Among the more heartwarming coming-of-age love stories available on Netflix is the 2022 British series “Heartstopper,” based on the comic book series by Alice Oseman. The story centers on teenagers Nick Nelson (Joe Locke) and Charlie Spring (Kit Connor), classmates who develop a friendship at the start of the series. As the pair grow closer, Nick begins to come to terms with his sexual identity and his true feelings for Charlie. This, of course, grows into a full-blown romance while the story expands to showcase the self-discovery of their classmates.

While Nick and Charlie certainly face discerning attention around their burgeoning love story, “Heartstopper” isn’t an overtly melodramatic tale. Instead, the show is a feel-good narrative with themes about emotional honesty and empowerment in the face of self-acceptance. The story continues in the Netflix movie “Heartstopper Forever,” as it puts Nick and Charlie’s relationship to the ultimate test before the couple can enjoy their happily ever after. A refreshing change of pace compared to its over-the-top contemporaries, “Heartstopper” celebrates the joy in its main characters’ unabashed queer identities.

Sullivan’s Crossing

Of course, “Virgin River” is far from the only rustic romance show that’s recently been proven popular with audiences on Netflix. Like “Virgin River,” “Sullivan’s Crossing” is also based on a line of romantic novels by Robyn Carr, albeit set in Nova Scotia rather than rural California. The 2023 series follows Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan) as she returns to her hometown after experiencing some trouble with her medical career in Boston. As Maggie reconciles with her estranged father, Sully (Scott Patterson), she finds herself enamored with local handyman Cal Jones (Chad Michael Murray).

“Sullivan’s Crossing” makes for another small-town television comfort watch, embracing the thoroughly cozy possibilities of its picturesque premise. At the center of these bucolic sights nestled deep in Canada’s natural beauty is the chemistry between the main characters. Murray, in particular, has been a seasoned television heartthrob pro ever since his days starring in “One Tree Hill,” and he’s still in masterful form here. Bringing the easygoing romantic drama for four seasons and counting, “Sullivan’s Crossing” revels in its quaint small-town setting and reconnected roots.

One Day

One more British romantic drama to include here is “One Day,” a limited series that debuted on Netflix in 2024. Adapting the 2009 novel of the same name by David Nicholls, the story traces the relationship between Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) and Emma Morley (Ambika Mod). Meeting in 1988 as they finish college in Scotland, the couple’s dynamic grows and evolves over the next 14 years that they share together. Even as the pair grow older, that romantic spark between them continues to burn brightly, informing much of the story.

“One Day” is far and away the biggest tearjerker of any show on this list, but we never said that all these series have happy endings. Admittedly, the “One Day” Netflix series also has noticeable differences from the book, but many of the broad strokes remain intact. Most importantly, the chemistry between Woodall and Mod remains an enduring highlight, really instilling a sense of pathos that makes the whole premise work. With each episode spanning a single snapshot in each year of its characters’ time together, “One Day” makes the most of its format with a surprising amount of depth.

Nobody Wants This

Any millennial who watched network television teen dramas in the 2000s likely saw Kristen Bell and Adam Brody expertly leading their own shows, “Veronica Mars” and “The O.C.,” respectively. The 2024 romantic comedy “Nobody Wants This” brings the two actors together, with their natural charisma pairing very well together on screen. Bell stars as love advice podcaster Joanne Elizabeth Williams, who falls hard for rabbi Noah Roklov (Brody) when they meet, which he reciprocates. This burgeoning romance comes under the consternation of those in Joanne and Noah’s respective friend groups as the couple grows more serious.

“Nobody Wants This” wisely eschews the will-they/won’t-they approach to its love story, with the coupling between its main characters occurring relatively early on. The show also recognizes just how magnetic its two lead actors are and lets that electric chemistry between them flow front and center. With those sensibilities in hand, the show is an incredibly entertaining Netflix original and genuinely funny thanks to its strong writing and the cast’s sharpened comedic talents. Using an interfaith culture shock as the backdrop for its likable love story, “Nobody Wants This” leans into its strengths and is all the better for it.