Disclaimer: Streaming rankings and IMDb scores change over time as more viewers rate a title figures in this article reflect data available as of publication. Results and personal enjoyment vary by viewer; consult IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes directly for the most current scores before making your final watch decision.
Scrolling through Netflix on a Friday night and landing on nothing but crime dramas and true-crime docuseries gets old fast. If you’re after something warmer a slow-burn, a will-they-won’t-they, a full-blown Regency ball gown romance 2026 has actually been one of the strongest years for the genre in a while. Between a divisive new Bridgerton season, the emotional send-off of XO, Kitty, and a fresh wave of K-dramas and rom-coms landing on the platform, there’s a lot to sort through.
This guide breaks down the top 10 Netflix series 2026 romance IMDb audiences are actually rating and rewatching, based on real IMDb scores, Netflix’s own viewership data, and critic consensus pulled from Rotten Tomatoes. No filler picks, no outdated “best of” lists recycled from 2023 just what’s genuinely worth your time on the platform right now, plus the context behind each score so you know exactly what you’re getting into before you hit play.
Quick answer: The best-rated Netflix romance series of 2026 include Nobody Wants This, Bridgerton Season 4, XO, Kitty, Virgin River, and Crew Girl spanning rom-com, Regency drama, and coming-of-age love stories, with IMDb user scores generally ranging from the mid-6s to high-8s depending on the title and season.
Key Takeaways
- Nobody Wants This remains one of Netflix’s highest-rated original rom-coms, with individual episodes scoring in the 7.5–8.0 range on IMDb.
- Bridgerton Season 4 split critics and audiences — a strong 80% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes but a rockier reception from fans, partly due to review-bombing in the days after release.
- XO, Kitty wrapped its story with Season 3 in April 2026, holding a solid ~8.1 average across its full 26-episode run.
- Newer entries like Crew Girl and Boyfriend on Demand show Netflix is leaning harder into sports-romance hybrids and K-drama crossovers this year.
- IMDb scores shift constantly as more people rate a show, so treat any single number as a snapshot, not gospel — always check the current rating before committing to a full binge.
Why Romance Is Having Such a Strong Year on Netflix
It’s worth pausing on why this genre is getting so much attention from Netflix’s programming team right now. According to Netflix’s own What We Watched report, romance-driven titles were among the platform’s most-streamed content in the first half of 2026, representing a meaningful slice of the 97 billion hours watched globally in that period. That’s not a niche audience it’s a signal that Netflix is actively investing in the genre across multiple formats: prestige period drama (Bridgerton), teen coming-of-age (XO, Kitty, Crew Girl), grounded small-town drama (Virgin River), and lighter rom-com fare (Nobody Wants This, People We Meet on Vacation, Office Romance). Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
What’s interesting is how differently these shows are being received.
Some, like Nobody Wants This, have built loyal followings almost entirely on writing and chemistry rather than spectacle. Others, like Bridgerton, generate huge viewership numbers but increasingly polarized reactions as the franchise ages and expectations shift with each new central couple.
Understanding that difference — between a show that’s popular and a show that’s well-reviewed — is actually the key to using this list well. A few titles here score high because critics love the writing; others score high mostly because audiences are emotionally invested in long-running characters.
READ MORE: Top 10 Romantic Series on Netflix Worth Your Watchlist
Both are valid reasons to watch, but they tell you different things about what you’re signing up for.
How We Ranked This List
Ratings on IMDb move constantly, especially in the weeks right after a premiere, so this list blends a few different signals rather than relying on a single number. We looked at current IMDb user scores where available, critic reception on Rotten Tomatoes, and how much genuine cultural buzz a series has generated in 2026 based on Netflix’s own reporting and entertainment press coverage. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
A show with a slightly lower average score but a passionate, growing fanbase is treated differently here than one riding an early-hype spike that tends to fade a few weeks after launch. We also tried to flag where a rating might be skewed — for example, where review-bombing or a small early sample size makes a number look more dramatic than it really is. That context matters more than the raw digit, especially for shows that premiered only recently and haven’t had time to build a stable rating. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Top 10 Netflix Romance Series of 2026
| Rank | Series | Genre Blend | IMDb Snapshot | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nobody Wants This | Rom-com | High 7s–low 8s per episode | Witty, adult banter-driven romance |
| 2 | XO, Kitty | Teen romance/comedy | ~8.1 average | K-drama-inspired coming-of-age love |
| 3 | Bridgerton (S4) | Period drama/romance | 80% critic score (RT) | Regency-era slow burns |
| 4 | Virgin River | Small-town drama/romance | Consistently strong fan following | Cozy, long-running romance |
| 5 | Crew Girl | Sports/teen romance | New in 2026, fast-rising | Competitive-rowing love story |
| 6 | Boyfriend on Demand | K-drama romance | Praised in March 2026 K-drama roundups | Fantasy-tinged Korean romance |
| 7 | People We Meet on Vacation | Rom-com | Among H1 2026’s most-watched | Friends-to-lovers travel romance |
| 8 | Office Romance | Workplace rom-com | Among H1 2026’s most-watched | Workplace chemistry |
| 9 | Voicemails for Isabelle | Romantic drama | Among H1 2026’s most-watched | Emotional, mystery-tinged love story |
| 10 | FOREVER | Coming-of-age romance | 97% critic score (RT) | First-love nostalgia |
1. Nobody Wants This
Nobody Wants This debuted to strong reviews in September 2024, starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, and Netflix renewed it for a second season within weeks of its debut — a fast turnaround that signaled just how confident the streamer was in the show’s staying power. That confidence paid off: Season 2 kept the momentum going, landing an impressive 89% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, a rare feat for a sophomore season, which often struggle to match a debut’s freshness. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Individual episodes hold consistently strong IMDb marks, generally sitting between 7.5 and 8.0 out of 10 based on thousands of user ratings across the run.
The series follows Joanne, an agnostic podcast host, and Noah, a rabbi navigating an unexpected relationship that forces both of them to confront questions of identity, family expectations, and compromise.
What keeps pulling viewers back isn’t the premise itself — mismatched-faith rom-coms aren’t new — but the execution. Reviewers repeatedly single out the “quick, smart dialogue” and the genuine chemistry between the two leads as the show’s biggest strengths.
User reviews echo that sentiment almost unanimously, with many viewers specifically praising how natural the banter feels compared to more formulaic streaming rom-coms.
It isn’t without its critics, though. Some viewers feel the second season loses a bit of the spontaneity that made the first season feel so fresh, and a recurring complaint in user reviews centers on how the show handles Joanne’s relationship to faith and identity — several reviewers note that a plot thread they expected to be central to her arc gets sidelined rather than resolved. Still, as far as modern streaming rom-coms go, it remains one of the most consistently well-reviewed entries on Netflix, and it’s a reasonable starting point if you’re newer to the genre and want something character-driven rather than plot-heavy. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
2. XO, Kitty
Jenny Han’s Kitty Song Covey spin-off — a continuation of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before universe — wrapped its story in April 2026 with its third and final season, bringing the total run to 26 episodes across three seasons. Across its full run, the series has held an average IMDb rating around 8.1 out of 10, making it one of the best-reviewed teen romances currently available on the platform, and notably higher-rated than several more heavily marketed teen dramas from the same period. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
The premise gives it a distinct identity within the genre: an American teenager follows her long-distance boyfriend to a prestigious boarding school in Seoul, hoping to also connect with the South Korean heritage of her late mother. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb. That dual thread — romantic pursuit paired with a personal identity journey — gives the show more emotional texture than a typical “will they, won’t they” teen romance, and it’s part of why fans and critics alike have responded so warmly across all three seasons. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Comparisons to other well-loved teen romance titles are common in fan discussion spaces, where XO, Kitty is frequently mentioned alongside shows like Heartstopper and Never Have I Ever — both of which carry similarly strong reputations in the genre.
What sets XO, Kitty apart is its setting: the South Korean boarding school backdrop gives it a K-drama sensibility that most American teen shows don’t attempt, blending familiar coming-of-age tropes with a genuinely different visual and cultural texture.
If you’re looking for a complete, self-contained romance story now that the series has ended, this is one of the safer bets on this entire list — you get a beginning, middle, and end without the risk of an unresolved cliffhanger.
3. Bridgerton — Season 4
Bridgerton’s fourth season centers on Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, and his slow-burn romance with Sophie, played by Yerin Ha — a character based on the Cinderella-inspired heroine of Julia Quinn’s novel An Offer from a Gentleman. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb. Despite being the third book in the original series, it’s the fourth season of the show, and it’s been Netflix’s single biggest romance story of the year by sheer viewership. The season pulled in 100.2 million views according to Netflix’s own What We Watched report, a number that dwarfs almost every other title on this list combined. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
But the reception tells a more complicated story than the viewership number alone suggests.
Critics gave the season a strong 80% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience score sat noticeably lower at around 68% — the lowest audience score of any season in the franchise’s history, even below Season 1’s initial reception before it climbed over time.
Entertainment outlets covering the discrepancy have largely attributed the gap to review-bombing rather than an actual quality drop, noting that the audience score jumped from an even lower initial figure in the days immediately following release — a pattern more consistent with coordinated negative reviewing than organic audience reaction.
Press reviews have generally been warmer than the raw audience number implies. Variety called the season a success “despite Benedict and Sophie’s lackluster romance,” which is a fairly common critique — some viewers feel this particular central couple lacks the spark of previous seasons’ pairings. The Independent took a gentler stance, describing the season as “reliably pleasant to watch” despite its predictability, while acknowledging the formula is starting to show its age after four seasons. The Guardian, meanwhile, leaned into the show’s inherent campiness, calling it “utterly bananas” in an otherwise positive review. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
If you’re brand new to the franchise, this probably isn’t the ideal entry point — the show rewards familiarity with the extended Bridgerton family and its recurring side characters. But if you’ve followed the series from the start, there’s still plenty here worth watching, even if this particular season doesn’t quite hit the emotional highs of Season 2 or Season 3.
4. Virgin River
Now well into its run, Virgin River remains one of Netflix’s most dependable small-town romance franchises, and it’s a useful contrast to almost everything else on this list. The series follows nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe as she relocates to the remote Californian town of Virgin River in search of a fresh start, only to discover that small-town life comes with its own complications — romantic, professional, and otherwise. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
It’s comfort viewing rather than prestige television, and that’s precisely the appeal. The show doesn’t chase viral moments or shocking twists the way some of the higher-profile titles on this list do; instead, it leans into scenic backdrops, low-stakes conflict, and slow-building romantic tension that rewards patient, long-term viewers rather than casual binge-watchers looking for something flashy. Its consistency is arguably its biggest strength — while it may not top critics’ year-end lists, it has maintained a steady, loyal fanbase across multiple seasons, which is no small feat in a streaming landscape where shows are often canceled after one or two seasons if they don’t generate immediate buzz.
If you gravitate toward cozy, character-driven romance over high-drama plotting — think a warm cup of tea rather than a fireworks show — this is one of the more reliable picks on the platform, and its longevity is itself a kind of endorsement. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
5. Crew Girl
One of 2026’s newer additions, Crew Girl blends competitive rowing with teen romance, following students at the fictional Easton Prep as they navigate both athletic rivalry and romantic entanglement. It’s part of a broader trend Netflix has clearly leaned into this year — pairing sports drama with romantic storylines, a formula that’s paying off if early audience response is any indication. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
The show follows a familiar but effective structure: high-stakes competition creates the pressure cooker, and romance develops in the margins between practices, races, and rivalries. What’s notable is how quickly it built an audience relative to other new releases in the same window, suggesting Netflix’s algorithm-driven marketing found the right audience fast. It’s also part of a small but growing wave of “sports and romance” content Netflix has been promoting together, alongside coverage that’s grouped it with shows centered on figure skating and basketball as part of the same emotional formula: competition plus connection. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
For readers who enjoyed the interpersonal dynamics of shows like Friday Night Lights but wanted a more romance-forward focus, or who liked XO, Kitty’s teen energy but want something with more physical stakes, Crew Girl fills a genuinely underserved niche on the platform right now. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
6. Boyfriend on Demand
This Korean drama landed on multiple “best new K-dramas” lists in early 2026, standing out in what has been a genuinely crowded field of new K-drama releases arriving on Netflix this year. It was specifically highlighted among the best new K-dramas to watch in March 2026, in roundups covering the broader wave of Korean content the platform released that month. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Its premise — centered on a boyfriend who can essentially be summoned on demand — gives it a lighter, more playful, fantasy-adjacent tone than the melodrama-heavy K-romance that’s traditionally dominated the genre internationally. That tonal shift appears to be a deliberate part of its appeal: rather than leaning into the tragic, slow-burn heartbreak that defines many classic K-dramas, it embraces a breezier, more comedic register, which seems to be resonating particularly well with English-speaking audiences discovering Korean romance content through Netflix’s recommendation algorithm rather than through dedicated K-drama fan communities. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
If you’ve dipped a toe into K-drama romance before and found the emotional intensity of more traditional entries overwhelming, this is a gentler on-ramp — familiar enough in its romantic beats to feel accessible, but different enough in tone to feel fresh. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
7. People We Meet on Vacation
This adaptation ranked among the most-watched Netflix romance titles in the first half of 2026, based on the bestselling novel by Emily Henry — one of the most commercially successful romance novelists working today, whose books have become a reliable source of adaptation material across streaming platforms. The friends-to-lovers, will-they-won’t-they format is a well-worn genre staple at this point, but the source material’s existing popularity gave this adaptation a built-in, highly engaged audience eager to see the story translated faithfully to screen. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Part of what makes this adaptation notable isn’t just the finished product but the pressure it was under: book-to-screen adaptations of beloved romance novels tend to face intense scrutiny from existing fans, who often arrive with very specific expectations about pacing, chemistry, and tone. That this title performed well enough to land among Netflix’s most-watched romance content for the entire first half of the year suggests it largely cleared that bar, even if it won’t necessarily win over viewers who haven’t read the book. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
8. Office Romance
Another entry from Netflix’s most-watched romance list for the first half of 2026, Office Romance leans into workplace chemistry — a subgenre that’s proven durable for Netflix and for the romance genre more broadly, echoing decades of successful workplace rom-coms across film and television. There’s a reason this particular setup keeps getting remade: forced proximity, professional stakes, and slow-burn tension are a nearly foolproof recipe for romantic comedy, and Office Romance leans into that formula rather than trying to reinvent it. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
It won’t reinvent the genre, and it’s not attempting to — this is comfort-food television in the best sense, delivering exactly what the title promises without unnecessary complication. For viewers who want a lower-commitment romance watch that doesn’t require tracking multiple seasons of continuity or backstory, this is one of the more approachable entries on the list. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
9. Voicemails for Isabelle
A more emotionally driven entry on this list, Voicemails for Isabelle also placed among the platform’s most-watched romance titles in early 2026, distinguishing itself from the lighter comedic entries elsewhere on this list. Its central structure — following a series of voicemails left for a woman named Isabelle — builds a mystery-meets-romance narrative that gives it a noticeably different texture than the straightforward rom-coms dominating much of this list.
That structural choice appears to be a deliberate differentiator. Rather than following a conventional linear romance arc, the show uses its voicemail framing device to slowly reveal backstory and emotional context, which appeals to viewers who want their romance paired with genuine narrative intrigue rather than pure comfort viewing. It’s a reminder that “romance” as a genre label covers a wide range of tones — from the breezy playfulness of Boyfriend on Demand to the more contemplative, mystery-adjacent approach here. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
10. FOREVER
Based on Judy Blume’s classic novel and reimagined by Mara Brock Akil, FOREVER has quietly become one of the best-reviewed titles in this entire category, and arguably the most critically acclaimed entry on this list. It holds a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes — among the highest scores of any romance-adjacent Netflix title referenced across recent review roundups, putting it ahead of several higher-profile, more heavily marketed titles. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Unlike most of the other entries here, FOREVER isn’t an adult rom-com or a Regency period drama — it’s a first-love, coming-of-age story, adapted from source material that’s been a touchstone in young adult literature for decades. That grounding in a genuinely beloved, decades-old novel likely contributes to the strength of the reviews: critics and audiences alike have responded to the emotional honesty of the adaptation, which resists some of the more sanitized or overly polished tendencies that can weaken screen versions of beloved books. If you want a romance series that prioritizes authenticity and emotional nuance over spectacle, this is the strongest recommendation on the entire list.
READ MORE: Top 10 Netflix Series 2026 Romance List Best Shows to Binge Right Now
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing What to Watch
- Trusting a single rating snapshot. IMDb scores can swing significantly in the days right after a premiere before settling into a more stable number as more viewers weigh in. Checking a show’s rating a week or two after launch usually gives a truer picture than checking on release day, when early reviewers — often the most passionate fans or most vocal critics — can skew the average in either direction. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
- Ignoring the critic/audience score gap. Bridgerton Season 4 is the clearest example on this list: a strong critic score paired with a much lower audience score, driven partly by review-bombing rather than an actual quality problem. When you see a big gap between critic and audience numbers, it’s worth reading a few actual reviews from both camps rather than trusting either number in isolation. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
- Judging a whole series by one season. Long-running shows like Virgin River and XO, Kitty vary in quality from season to season, sometimes significantly. A slow episode, a weaker arc, or a divisive new character doesn’t necessarily reflect the overall quality of the show — and dismissing a series based on one disappointing season can mean missing out on stronger seasons before or after it. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
- Skipping the source material context. Adaptations like People We Meet on Vacation and FOREVER benefit enormously from knowing the book or original story going in. Expectations shift the entire viewing experience — a viewer who’s read the novel will notice different things (and have different reactions to changes) than someone coming in fresh. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
- Overlooking newer, less-rated shows. Freshly released titles like Crew Girl haven’t accumulated enough votes yet for their IMDb score to fully stabilize, which means their current rating might not reflect where it eventually settles. Don’t dismiss a new show just because its vote count still looks thin — give it a few weeks before treating its early score as definitive. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
- Assuming higher viewership means higher quality. Bridgerton’s 100.2 million views make it Netflix’s biggest romance hit of the year by raw numbers, but that popularity doesn’t automatically translate to critical acclaim or universal audience satisfaction, as the season’s mixed reception shows. Viewership and quality are related but distinct metrics, and conflating them can lead to mismatched expectations. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Conclusion
2026 has given Netflix romance fans a genuinely varied lineup — from Regency ballrooms to Korean boarding schools to workplace flirtations to voicemail-driven mysteries. Ratings help narrow the field and give you a useful starting point, but they’re not the final word on what you’ll personally enjoy: a show that lands as a 7.5 for one viewer might be a 9 for another, depending entirely on what kind of love story you’re in the mood for that night. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
READ MORE: Best Netflix Romance Series 2026 The Complete Watch Guide
Whether you want a slow burn with genuine emotional depth (FOREVER), a full-blown ensemble drama with prestige production values (Bridgerton), or something light enough to half-watch while you unwind on a Friday night (Office Romance, Virgin River), this list should cover the range. As always with streaming content, results and personal taste vary — treat this as a well-researched starting point rather than a definitive ranking carved in stone, and don’t be afraid to bail on a show early if it’s not clicking, even if the numbers say you should love it. Top 10 Netflix series 2026 romance IMDb.
FAQs
What is the highest-rated Netflix romance series on IMDb in 2026?
Nobody Wants This and XO, Kitty are consistently among the highest-rated, with strong user scores in the high 7s to low 8s across their episodes and seasons. FOREVER also stands out for its critic scores specifically, holding a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Is Bridgerton Season 4 worth watching based on its ratings?
Critically, yes — it holds an 80% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience scores were lower, but that’s been linked largely to review-bombing in the days immediately following release rather than a genuine drop in quality, and the season remains Netflix’s most-watched romance title of the year by viewership.
Did XO, Kitty end in 2026?
Yes. The show wrapped its story with its third and final season, which premiered in April 2026, bringing the series to 26 total episodes across all three seasons. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Are IMDb ratings a reliable way to choose what to watch?
They’re a useful starting signal, especially once a show has accumulated a meaningful number of votes, but they’re not definitive. Critic scores, audience sentiment, and your own genre preferences all matter too — and newer shows in particular can have ratings that shift significantly as more people watch and rate them. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
What’s a good pick if I want a K-drama-style romance?
XO, Kitty and Boyfriend on Demand both lean into Korean romance conventions, with XO, Kitty blending it with an American teen-comedy sensibility and Boyfriend on Demand offering a lighter, more fantasy-tinged take on the genre.
Which show on this list is best for a lighter, comfort watch?
Virgin River and Office Romance are both low-stakes, easy-to-follow options — ideal for background watching or unwinding after a long day, rather than emotionally intense, appointment-viewing television. Top 10 netflix series 2026 romance imdb.
Is there a good option for viewers who want something more emotionally complex than a typical rom-com?
Voicemails for Isabelle and FOREVER both offer more emotional depth than the lighter comedies on this list — the former through its mystery-driven structure, and the latter through its grounded, coming-of-age honesty.
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