Credit: Netflix

Teen romance movies have been making us swoon for decades, and frankly, who is complaining? One awkward crush turns into a disaster, and suddenly it feels embarrassing as an adult to sob over someone else’s feelings getting crushed, but the heart wants what it wants.

The late 2010s gave the genre one hell of a second wind when Netflix started turning YA romances into films everybody seemed to be talking about.

But come on, Netflix doesn’t get the credit for inventing the teenage swoon. The late ’90s had already given us films packed with first loves that went horribly off-script, and some of those romances still hit just as hard now

So yes, we have picked four teen romances worth falling for all over again. All of them bring a kaleidoscope of butterflies and feelings, so be ready to chime in.

Four best teen romances on Netflix to watch right now

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Susan Johnson, 2018)

Oh, to be Lara Jean Covey and have Peter Kavinsky pretend to be your boyfriend! Honestly, the number of times we’ve watched this film and wished we could trade places with her is getting a bit embarrassing at this point. Lara Jean (Lana Condor) is a hopeless romantic who writes secret love letters to all five of her crushes, with absolutely no intention of sending them, until her meddling little sister Kitty posts them. Mortifying doesn’t even begin to cover it, because imagine having your entire romantic history announced straight to the boys you have spent years trying to practically be hidden from.

Enter Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), the charming school heartthrob who agrees to a fake relationship with Lara Jean for reasons of his own. And good lord, the way this boy looks at her could make anyone go weak at the knees! Their little arrangement is supposed to be pure business, but then we witness a Netflix classic taking shape through those stares.

The Kissing Booth (Vince Marcello, 2018)

Falling for your best friend’s older brother is technically not unethical; in fact, it’s pretty convenient since they are right there and most of the time can be avoided, but when that brother happens to be Noah Flynn (Jacob Elordi), self-control can kiss us all goodbye.

Elle Evans (Joey King) and Lee Flynn (Joel Courtney) have been inseparable since birth, with a sacred friendship rulebook that forbids dating each other’s relatives. Bit of a pickle, considering Elle has fancied Noah for yonks, and little does she know that school’s kissing booth is going to start something she never intended on. One kiss, and the poor girl’s love life goes from nonexistent to an absolute nightmare.

And don’t get us started on Noah, because that lad has more red flags than a football match, but oof, the chemistry between him and Elle is enough to make us forget everything. Their secret snogging sessions are one thing, but watching Elle sneak behind Lee’s back while trying to keep her friendship intact is a whole different kettle of fish. Looking for butterflies, the first part of this film series is your way to go.

The Perfect Date (Chris Nelson, 2019)

Another Noah Centineo film is on the list because, goodness gracious, the bloke was practically Netflix’s resident heartthrob back in the day, and we had no complaints whatsoever, and The Perfect Date has him doing exactly what his fanbase demanded him to. He plays Brooks Rattigan, a high school student desperate to get into Yale but with nowhere near the money to pull it off, so what does he do?

He builds an app where girls can hire him to be their ideal date. One booking wants charming boyfriend material, another wants something else, and Brooks is out there customising himself.

And then comes Celia Lieberman and we finally see somebody immune to all that Centineo charm. While Brooks chases Shelby Pace, you watch him miss what is right in front of him. Adorable, yes, but infuriating: oh, very much!

10 Things I Hate About You (Gil Junger, 1999)

Heath Ledger singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” on the school bleachers has got to be one of the greatest romantic gestures in rom-com history, and we’d give anything to experience that moment for the first time again. In 10 Things I Hate About You, Julia Stiles plays Kat Stratford, a sharp-tongued teenager who has no patience for the boys at her school, while her younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is desperate to start dating. Their overprotective dad has one condition: Bianca can date when Kat does. Enter Patrick Verona (Ledger), the school’s resident bad boy, who gets paid to charm Kat into going out with him

Oh, and the way Patrick charms Kat, gosh! Their sarcastic exchanges are absolute gold, and watching Kat fall for a guy she wouldn’t have looked at is what makes your day every time. However, when the truth about Patrick’s little arrangement comes out, it absolutely breaks your heart. But what’s a good rom-com if it doesn’t make you sob?