Summary
- Reading the book behind The Idea of You offers a deeper, more immersive experience in the whirlwind love stories of the romance genre.
- Red, White & Royal Blue explores fame and LGBTQ+ identities, offering a refreshing take on romance tropes with globetrotting adventures and exciting locations.
- The Love Hypothesis, based on Star Wars fan writing, provides a fun and tension-filled fake dating story, appealing to a wide audience with popular contemporary romance tropes.
The Idea of You has taken the world by storm, and most audience members are aware that the movie is based on a novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, and there is an abundance of books of the same genre available. Many of these books have already gotten screen adaptations because the romance genre is one of the most popular, incentivizing film and TV projects. However, going to the source and reading the books firsthand is a great way to be immersed in the narrative and experience the whirlwind love stories these books make their name on.
The protagonist, Solène (Anne Hathaway), falls head over heels for the frontman of a popular boy band, Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine).
The Idea of You movie makes big changes to the book but ultimately keeps most of the integrity of the novel, making it such a captivating tale. The protagonist, Solène (Anne Hathaway), falls head over heels for the frontman of a popular boy band, Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). However, the pressures of fame and their age difference quickly get in the way. Though The Idea of You book ends much differently than the movie, both share core elements of the romance genre and explore the pitfalls of being a celebrity, which draws comparisons to similarly effective books.
The Idea of You is available to stream on Prime Video.
10 Red, White & Royal Blue (2019)
Written by Casey McQuiston
Red, White & Royal Blue is an obvious follow-up read after The Idea of You, and it works out that the recent film adaptation also stars Galitzine as one of the central love interests. Fame is also a key part of the story as it revolves around the affair between the President of the United States' son and the Prince of England. This differs from The Idea of You, as both parties are famous and they're exploring their LGBTQ+ identities, but much of the conflict stems from their family's expectations and unwanted comments from the press.
Additionally, since the main characters are living in separate countries in the novel, there are just as many globetrotting and clandestine meetings in exciting locations in Red, White, & Royal Blue as there are in The Idea of You.
Many of the best Red, White, & Royal Blue quotes featured in the movie are drawn from the text, and author Casey McQuiston has written several other books. Their interest in telling diverse stories within the romance genre makes them an author to watch. Additionally, since the main characters are living in separate countries in the novel, there are just as many globetrotting and clandestine meetings in exciting locations in Red, White, & Royal Blue as there are in The Idea of You. Though the movie is solid, the book should be the first stop after watching The Idea of You.
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Anne Hathaway's new movie has recently found its way onto Amazon Prime, and the romantic comedy has a lot in common with a classic from 1999.
9 Part Of Your World
Written by Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez writes the kind of books that wrap the reader up in a warm embrace and encourage them to spend as much time as possible in the brilliantly imagined settings she places her characters in. Part of YourWorld takes its protagonist, Alexis, out of her comfort zone in the city and helps her discover that the small town where she's staying might be a better fit than she thought. It turns out that the slow pace and comfort of small-town living aren't all she likes.
A younger man, Daniel Grant, continues to turn her head no matter how hard she tries to stop it. This is quite similar to how Solène feels about Hayes, and neither couple can stop their chemistry from boiling to the surface. Alexis is torn between choosing the life she knows and her family, or throwing caution to the wind and committing to Daniel. The Idea of You has a larger age gap and complicates things with Hayes' fame. Due to this, Part of Your World is an easier and more comforting read for fans looking for a happily ever after.
8 To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2014)
Written by Jenny Han
Though Solène and Hayes have a more mature relationship, To All The Boys provides just as much romantic tension for a younger audience.
Romance novels that focus on teenage and high school love can easily tread familiar territory, or be disregarded by adults who feel they've grown out of this part of the genre. However, the author, Jenny Han proves that reliving the first pangs of young love transcends generations and that small twists on classic tropes can create amazing results. Many of Han's novels have been adapted for the screen, with To All The Boys I've Loved Before getting a whole slate of movies based on the book series.
Though the film is a few years old, the books remain just as fresh today. In the first book of the collection, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Lara Jean grapples with multiple love interests when all the boys she's ever had a crush on suddenly find out. While this is her worst nightmare at first, she soon starts a fake relationship with her old crush, Peter, but real feelings develop along the way. Though Solène and Hayes have a more mature relationship, To All The Boys provides just as much romantic tension for a younger audience.
7 Meant To Be: A Novel (2022)
Written by Emily Giffin
The Idea of You is loosely inspired by Harry Styles, but Hayes and Solène's love story came from the mind of the author, Lee. Drawing inspiration from real people and events is common in literary fiction, especially since so many high-profile love stories are so well-known and received by the public. For Meant To Be, Emily Giffin explored loose elements of the romance between JKF Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, creating juicy story details at the intersection of fame and political life.
The main characters aren't meant to be direct stand-ins for the Kennedys, but knowing that they serve as the muse for the story makes it more exciting to read. Meant To Be is as much a love story as it is a look at what being American royalty means, and that it takes place in the 1990s is nostalgic for anyone who remembers that time. Cate and Joe, the main characters, face the same kind of scrutiny as Hayes and Solène, but they have more than familial ties that bind them, as Joe's family is threaded through American history.