7 Funny Romance Books for Millennials Who Miss Early 2000s Rom-Coms
If your sense of humor was shaped by early 2000s Saturday Night Live, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, and movies like Bridesmaids and Baby Mama… these romance books are for you.
I love an emotional, swoony romance as much as the next person. Give me the yearning, the angst, the devastating declaration of love—I am here for it.
But sometimes?
I don't want to cry.
I don't want to suffer.
I don't want to spend 400 pages emotionally unraveling alongside fictional characters.
Sometimes I just want a romance that makes me laugh out loud.
And I'm not talking about a book with one or two mildly amusing moments. I'm talking about witty banter, ridiculous situations, petty behavior, chaotic characters, and the kind of humor that makes you stop reading for a second because you need to process what you just read.
So if you miss the humor of the rom-coms we grew up watching on repeat, here are seven romance books that delivered.
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1. Honestly, I'm Totally Faking It by Amanda Gambill
Witty. Chaotic. Comforting.
If you're looking for the perfect palate cleanser, I'm Totally Faking It is such a fun place to start.
This book is witty, funny, sweet, and incredibly easy to fall into. Amanda Gambill has quickly become one of those authors whose books I know I'm going to have a good time with, and this one was an absolute standout for me.
Sometimes you don't need a book to emotionally destroy you.
Sometimes you just need a fun romance that reminds you why reading is supposed to be enjoyable.
Read this if you want: witty banter, a comfort read, and a romance that doesn't take itself too seriously.
2. Wait With Me by Amy Daws
Quick. Funny. Addictive.
Honestly, I could probably put almost any Amy Daws book on this list because her sense of humor just works for me.
But Wait With Me was such a fun surprise.
At around 300 pages, it's also the perfect choice when you're looking for something you can fly through in a day or two. It's cute, funny, and easy to read—the kind of book you pick up when you're in a reading slump and suddenly realize you've read half of it without meaning to.
And my favorite part? The heroine performs the grand gesture.
Read this if you want: a quick read, witty humor, and something you can devour in a weekend.
3. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Petty. Chaotic. Hilarious.
This book might be the closest thing on this list to an early 2000s rom-com.
The premise alone is incredible: an engaged couple has both decided they want out of their relationship.
The problem?
Neither one wants to be the person who actually calls off the wedding.
So instead, they try to make the other person break up with them.
What follows is sabotage, pettiness, ridiculous behavior, and absolutely hilarious hijinks.
If your favorite part of a rom-com is watching two people make increasingly terrible decisions while somehow falling more in love along the way, You Deserve Each Other needs to be on your TBR.
Read this if you want: petty relationship warfare, ridiculous antics, and peak rom-com chaos.
4. Bridesmaid for Hire by Meghan Quinn
Chaotic. Hilarious. Unforgettable.
If you love a romance that feels completely over-the-top in the best possible way, Bridesmaid for Hire needs to be on your list.
Meghan Quinn is one of those authors who consistently makes me laugh out loud, and this book delivers the kind of ridiculous situations, banter, and chaos that make her books so much fun to read.
It's quirky, unapologetically over-the-top, and exactly the kind of romance I reach for when I want to escape into something fun and not take life—or my reading—too seriously.
This is the kind of book that embraces the absurdity of a rom-com and just goes for it.
Read this if you want: laugh-out-loud humor, chaotic situations, over-the-top characters, and pure rom-com entertainment.
5. Mrs. Nash's Ashes by Sarah Adler
Grumpy. Quirky. Charming.
I love a quirky heroine and a grumpy hero, and Mrs. Nash's Ashes delivers exactly that.
This is a sweet, funny, charming road-trip romance with a grumpy MMC and a quirky, fun, slightly weird FMC—and I mean that in the absolute best way possible.
It's one of those romances that feels like it would have been made into a movie starring Sandra Bullock or Kate Hudson in the early 2000s.
There's humor, heart, a road trip, and just enough chaos to keep things entertaining.
Read this if you want: grumpy/sunshine vibes, quirky characters, road trips, and a charming rom-com feel.
6. Good at Being Alive by Elizabeth O'Roark
Unhinged. Witty. Annotated.
Elizabeth O'Roark genuinely makes me laugh, and I had a hard time choosing just one of her books for this list.
But Good at Being Alive had to make the cut.
I mean… the annotations alone say it all.
I was highlighting lines, laughing out loud, and generally having the best time reading this book. Elizabeth O'Roark has such a sharp sense of humor, and her characters consistently feel like actual people—even when they're making questionable decisions.
If you're someone who loves highlighting funny lines because you already know you're going to want to revisit them later, this is your sign.
Read this if you want: sharp humor, memorable characters, and a book that will have you reaching for your highlighter.
7. The Devil Gets His Due by Elizabeth O'Roark
Chaotic. Flighty. Unforgettable.
I read the entire Grumpy Devils series, and while they're all fun, cute, easy reads, The Devil Gets His Due absolutely stole my heart.
This was a five-star read for me, and I genuinely wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters.
But what really made this book stand out was Keeley.
She's funny, chaotic, flighty, and completely type B—which isn't normally the type of heroine I gravitate toward.
And yet?
I absolutely loved her.
She completely won me over and made me laugh so hard along the way.
Sometimes the best characters are the ones you'd assume aren't for you.
Read this if you want: a chaotic heroine, laugh-out-loud moments, and characters you'll genuinely be sad to leave behind.
Which Funny Romance Book Should You Read First?
If you want the most early-2000s rom-com energy, start with You Deserve Each Other.
If you're looking for something quick and easy to devour, pick up Wait With Me.
If you want pure chaos and laugh-out-loud ridiculousness, go for Bridesmaid for Hire.
If quirky characters and a charming road trip are more your thing, Mrs. Nash's Ashes is the one.
And if you want a heroine who might not sound like your usual type but will completely win you over, The Devil Gets His Due was a five-star favorite for me.
Honestly, though? You really can't go wrong with any of these.
Because sometimes you don't need another devastating book hangover.
Sometimes you just need a romance that makes you laugh.
