The best sci-fi romcoms that combine ideas, jokes, and feels

This is the first romance book I ever read.

It’s possible this is the reason behind my deep-seated belief that all romances should include comedy and science fiction, because Douglas Adams is the master of both.

But it’s not just hilarious and full of great SF ideas (like dolphins saving humanity by retrieving a replacement Earth from a parallel universe) – the romance between Arthur and Fenchurch is genuinely swoonworthy, to the point where I picked a passage from the book as a reading at my wedding.

This book made me laugh out loud from the first page.

But the way it puts the com in romcom isn't the only special thing about it. The worldbuilding is surprisingly deep and sharply observed, offering a glimpse of a scarily plausible near future – protagonist Trinity works as a remote Uber driver, masquerading as self-driving AI because the real technology isn’t reliable enough.

And the characters are beautifully drawn: Trinity’s journey out of trauma to reclaiming her identity is heartwarming, and biosynthetic humanoid love interest Li Wei is equal parts hot, quirky, and adorable.

When I heard the words "Regency romance in space," I was already sold, but A Civil Campaign exceeded my expectations to become one of my favorite books of all time.

It’s hard to overstate the joy I experienced watching Miles Vorkosigan, military strategist and genius, fall flat on his face as he tries to woo quiet, intense widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson.

Navigating the complex social dynamics of the feudal colony planet of Barrayar, Miles’s romantic quest culminates in a proposal that rivals Darcy’s first attempt in its fist-in-mouth awfulness, and a love confession via letter that’s learn-by-heart-worthy.

This book is bonkers in the best way.

Beryl is accidentally abducted by Zylar, an alien from the planet Barath, and the two end up competing in a series of deadly trials to win the right to be together.

If you’d told me how invested I would become in the romance between Zylar, a chitin-armored extraterrestrial who’s sweet but a little lacking in confidence, and Beryl, a no-nonsense former childcare worker from Missouri, I wouldn’t have believed you. 

Their journey is both funny (Zylar calls Beryl "Terrible One" after misreading her smile as a threat display) and touching, as they work with each other to explore their differences and find compromises.

Oh, and did I mention there’s a talking dog?

This book is like nothing I’ve ever read.

Fraimow combines a con-job storyline, a space diaspora setting, a 1920s aesthetic, and an unexpected sapphic romance, and somehow, it all works. I found myself totally immersed in the fragile glitz of New Monte, a kind of Monaco-in-space clinging to a satellite, where debutantes wear breathers as fashion accessories and extravagance masks the threat of scarcity.

And I fell in love with the characters: Ruthi, the cool, competent protagonist with a gift for wisecracks and a tender underside, and Sol, the chivalrous, sharp-suited, hoverbike-riding love interest, who develops from an intriguing antagonist into a fully-rounded human being who is Ruthi’s perfect match.