13 Clean Middle School Romance Books for Young Teens

It’s more difficult than you might think to find middle school romance books for young teens. But when your daughter (or student) is going through that awkward transition phase, it’s important to find age-appropriate books that will interest them.

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As my daughters get older and start getting crushes of their own, I’ve realized just how much we need age-appropriate romance novels for middle schoolers.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Twilight and I’m all for romance novels, but young adult romances deal with more “grown-up” stuff than I want my eleven-year-old daughter reading about.

Because I’m a big fan of age-appropriate books and clean content, I went on the hunt for good middle school romance books. I found contemporary rom-coms, fairy tales, and fantasy books with a strong romantic plot and collected them into this book list.

Books on this reading list have younger teens and pre-teens as protagonists, so they’re perfect for kids ages 10 and up. These romance stories for middle school girls are about crushes, first kisses, and friendship drama.

If you’re like me, then you’ll love these clean middle school romance books. Hopefully, your daughter will too!

*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my link, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

13 Clean Middle School Romance Books

Never Evers by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

A ballet school drop-out, a ski trip to France, and plenty of awkward moments make this an adorable middle school romance novel. Girls that like stories of wealthy kids, exotic destinations, and first love will adore this cute rom-com.

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Peppermint Cocoa Crushes by Laney Nielsen

Friends, cocoa, crushes, and catastrophe combine into a charming and romantic read for middle school girls. This is just one book out of the many middle school romance books that Swirl Novels has published.

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Misfits by Jen Calonita

Jen Calonita is one of my favorite authors for pre-teens. Misfits is the first book in a spin-off series from her popular Fairytale Reform School series. It’s about an unorthodox princess who finds herself at a royal academy for princes and princesses. There, she has adventures, mishaps, and meets the prince of everyone else’s dreams.

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Crushing It by Joanne Levy

This book reminds me of the Netflix movie Sierra Burgess is a Loser. When her gorgeous friend Olivia falls for her super-cute neighbor, Kat is tasked with getting them together. Using her insider knowledge about Tyler due to their life-long friendship, Kat might just succeed. The only problem is that Kat is secretly harboring feelings for Tyler herself.

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Donut Go Breaking My Heart by Suzanne Nelson

A shy girl, a doughnut shop, a celebrity heartthrob, and a surprise role in an upcoming film combine into a charming tale of first love. This is just one of the many middle school romance books Suzanne Nelson wrote in the Wish series. If your daughter likes this one, you can find the rest of the books on the author’s Amazon page.

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Drama by Raina Telgemeier

The ultimate juvenile romance book out there is this graphic novel from the author of Smile and Sisters. Middle school plays, friendship, and of course, crushes and relationships abound in the brightly illustrated pages.

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I’m With Cupid (Switched at First Kiss) by Anna Staniszewski

On a dare, Marcus and Lena pucker up at a party. It isn’t until later that they realize they’ve switched powers! Now, Lena is gifted with a touch that can make you fall in love. And sweet Marcus is tasked with collecting souls. If your daughter likes this series, check out the author’s other books for middle school girls including The Dirt Diary series and My Very Unfairy Tale Life.

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Playing the Field by Janette Rallison

This book is a different kind of middle school romance book. It’s about a boy and girl that feel peer pressure to exclusively date each other. But dating at a young age brings unwanted drama and complications for both of them. Sweet yet realistic, this little romance novel is perfect for kids that aren’t quite ready to dive into serious dating.

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Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

You can’t go wrong with Gail Carson Levine. She writes magical and positive fairy tale retellings for girls ages 10-14. Fairest is one of my favorites. It’s a unique retelling of Snow White that girls will love reading. I would also recommend listening to the audiobook. It has sound effects and music and is really well performed.

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Rapunzel: The One with All the Hair by Wendy Mass

Wendy Mass is another author that writes a lot of fairy tale retellings for girls this age. This is a unique spin on the story of Rapunzel, her experiences in the tower, and meeting a prince. If your daughter likes this one, check out the author’s other fairy tales!

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The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

This six-book series is a favorite for girls this age. It’s about books, family, friendship, and crushes. A group of girls reads the classic novel Little Women in a mom-imposed book club. At first, they resist, but soon find the book helps them navigate the tricky waters of middle school.

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The (Almost) Perfect Guide to Imperfect Boys by Barbara Dee

Frogs and first crushes make this adorkable romance book perfect for middle school girls. Finley and her BFF Maya rank all the boys at school based on their maturity—and compare them to frogs. When the list gets out, it’s an all-out war between boys and girls!

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Operation Pucker Up by Rachele Alpine

When she gets cast as the lead in her middle school play, Grace realizes she’s going to have to kiss the most popular boy in school—on stage. Since Grace has never kissed anyone before, she decides to kiss someone before the opening night.

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Has your daughter read and loved any other middle school romance books? Leave me a comment!