9 Must-Read Books That Started Out as Fanfiction—From Harry Styles to Harry Potter!
Filled with top-tier tension and swoony characters, these fanfiction novels enchant!
Bestselling romance authors like Ali Hazelwood and Christina Lauren know how to craft a truly swoon-worthy story that provides an emotional escape for romance readers. But what all fans might not realize is that some of today’s biggest romance books—penned by these authors and others—actually started as “secret” or anonymous stories shared by fans online. Fanfiction, which is defined as “fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series [or] movie,” serves as the basis for thousands of stories, novels, comic books, book-to-screen adaptations and beyond.
From the moody musician angst of Harry Styles to the magical world of Harry Potter, authors are forever inspired by a litany of classic characters. And readers on BookTok, fanfiction platforms, Reddit and beyond simply can’t get enough of these stories.
If you’re interested in learning more or you’re looking for must-read fanfiction books to add to your TBR, you’re in the right place! Here, we gather up details about the origin of this fanfiction phenomenon and all of our favorite books that you won’t believe started as fanfiction favorites!
But first, what is fanfiction? From AO3 to BookTok!
Long before BookTok made stars out of lesser-known authors, passionate fans and readers were privately writing and sharing their own alternate endings, love stories and “what if?” adventures starring their favorite characters from literature, film and TV. Think characters from Harry Potter, Twilight or Buffy The Vampire Slayer. This tradition—known as fanfiction—dates back decades. In fact, its origin can be traced back to when sci-fi enthusiasts traded homemade Star Trek stories at conventions and through mailed zines. Over the years, this creative outlet for superfans blossomed online with storytelling platforms like Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Wattpad.
The fanfiction phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down and even more recently, we’ve seen several viral fanfictions hop from online forums to bestseller lists and the big screen. In the romance community, some popular examples include E.L. James’ 50 Shades of Grey—which started out as Twilight fanfiction. Other fanfiction film adaptations include the After series and The Idea Of You—starring Anne Hathaway—oth of which were inspired by singer Harry Styles fanfiction.
9 bestselling books that started as fanfiction!
‘Beautiful Bastard’ by Christina Lauren
Bestselling author duo Christina Lauren—lovingly known as CLo by their fans—started their career in the world of fanfiction. In 2009, they met while writing Twilight fanfiction online. One of their first stories—The Office by tby789—garnered millions of reads online and eventually turned into their debut novel turned New York Times bestseller, Beautiful Bastard. The story follows ambitious and hardworking intern Chloe Mills and her infuriatingly arrogant boss Bennett Ryan. When Bennett returns home from France to take over his family’s massive media firm, he’s shocked to discover Chloe is the assistant who’s been helping him abroad. What starts as heated spars turns to steamy sparks. As their chemistry and connection deepens, they must decide what they’re willing to lose in order to win each other’s hearts.
What readers are saying: “I love Christina Lauren and have been wanting to read all of their books. I decided to start at the beginning with this! Apparently it’s Twilight fanfic? I had no idea! Anyways, I found this in the erotica section at my used bookstore and thought to myself ‘Christina Lauren? Erotica? No way.’ Yup. It sure is.”
‘After’ by Anna Todd
Originally a viral fanfic phenomenon inspired by Styles with over a billion reads, After became the internet’s most addictive love story—and it certainly changed author Anna Todd’s life. In this novel, which is the first installment of the After series, readers meet Tessa, who is the definition of a good girl. She has a loyal boyfriend back home, big plans for the future and a mom who likes it that way. Then she gets to college and meets Hardin—a tattooed British boy who is absolutely not boyfriend material. What follows is a turbulent series of events that bring Tessa and Hardin closer together before ripping them apart. Can they make it work?
What readers are saying: “I want to start off by saying that this was a Harry Styles fanfiction on Wattpad that received so many views that it got published. Anna Todd has never written anything else and it’s a fanfiction, so I had to take that on board when I started reading it, but I was genuinely surprised. This was addicting! I raced through the almost-600 pages in less than three days. I grew to really care for these characters and want the best for them.”
‘The Love Hypothesis’ by Ali Hazelwood
Before it became a STEMinist (women who work in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) rom-com hit on BookTok, The Love Hypothesis had a secret origin story. Ali Hazelwood first published it on AO3 as a Reylo fanfiction called Head Over Feet, inspired directly by the Star Wars pairing of Rey and Kylo Ren. Writing under the pen name “ever-so-reylo,” Hazelwood crafted it as an Alternate Universe (AU) tale that built a devoted following. Millions of readers later, Hazelwood reworked the story before it was traditionally published as The Love Hypothesis. The story follows a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith and professor Adam Carlsen who embark on a fake dating charade only to discover very real feelings.
What readers are saying: “From what I know, The Love Hypothesis is a published Reylo fanfic (and I’m not going to deny that this made me nervous because I don’t always trust fanfics), but you don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to read and enjoy it, since the references are very few and subtle enough. I liked how their relationship evolved step by step and loved their interactions when they were alone and more relaxed, being themselves. Adam always had too much faith in Olive, was supportive of her and was concerned about not doing anything that made her uncomfortable or that he felt was taking advantage of his position. I really loved that.”
‘One Foot in the Grave’ by Jeaniene Frost
We’re bending the rules a little to include Jeaniene Frost’s One Foot in The Grave. This novel didn’t explicitly start as fanfiction, but since its release in 2008, it’s earned a serious cult following from Buffy The Vampire Slayer fans. Well, specifically “Spuffy” fans—the fandom couple name for everyone’s favorite lovable vampire, Spike, and the legendary vampire slayer, Buffy. So Frost’s novel—the second in her Night Huntress series—isn’t officially fanfic, but the couple is not-so-discreetly inspired by the TV duo.
The story follows half-vampire Cat Crawfield, who is now a government agent, who spends her evenings hunting rogue undead with the lethal skills her dangerously sexy ex, Bones, taught her. But when a bounty marks her “dead or half-alive,” the only one who can save her is the vampire she left behind. For Cat and Bones, battling side by side reignites both the heat and the heartbreak. With enemies closing in, they need one another to survive. And this time, he’s not letting her walk away without a fight.
What readers are saying: “Frost’s Night Huntress books are fun reads that don’t take themselves too seriously. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer in paperback form. Entertaining, vampire-slaying good time—and a little drama without a bunch of angst!”
‘The Idea of You’ by Robinne Lee
Inspired by none other than One Direction’s Styles, Robinne Lee’s buzzy romance turns a fantasy into something far more complicated—and real. Solène Marchand is a 39-year-old L.A. gallery owner, newly divorced and trying to stay close to her teenage daughter. Chaperoning a meet-and-greet with mega-boy band August Moon feels harmless—until she connects with Hayes Campbell, the band’s magnetic 20-year-old frontman. An angsty, heart-melting love story that defies the classic confines of the romance genre!
What readers are saying: “I admit when I heard this Harry Styles fanfiction, I picked it up for a good time. But I was surprised by how emotionally and beautifully written it was. You’ll empathize with both Solène and Hayes at different times and your heartstrings will definitely be tugged! As soon as I finished reading this, I watched the movie adaptation starring Anne Hathaway and I have to say… that didn’t disappoint either!”
‘50 Shades of Gray’ by E.L. James
It started as Twilight fanfiction—then E.L. James changed the romance genre forever. When college senior Anastasia Steele lands an interview with billionaire Christian Grey, she expects awkward small talk. But what she gets is a charged moment that leaves her breathless. As their unexpected attraction sparks to a fiery blaze, their relationship quickly turns physical and emotional. A provocative, addictive story that truly launched a phenomenon—described as a ‘romance renaissance’ for many readers—and a series of big-screen blockbusters starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
What readers are saying: “I have so many thoughts after reading this book. I do see the comparisons to Twilight (not everyone’s favorite, but it is one of mine). There was something eerie about Christian, the way he was so beautiful, rich, controlling, jealous, he almost seemed like he was from a different time because of how formal he was; even the copper highlights and Audi cars reminded me of Edward. Though Christian wasn’t a bloodsucker, he did have some dark, peculiar tendencies in the bedroom. I loved the texting sequences between Christian and Ana; you really got to see their personalities and it lightened the story a lot.”
‘Outlander’ by Diana Gabaldon
We’re taking slight liberties by including this one in the roundup, but hear us out: When Diana Gabaldon first began outlining Outlander, she drew inspiration from Doctor Who. So while it didn’t technically begin as fanfiction, it’s well-known among superfans that Jamie Fraser was inspired by the Second Doctor’s companion, Jamie McCrimmon. (According to Collider, Gabaldon even gave Frazer Hines, who played Jamie on Doctor Who, a copy of the first book in 1991.)
In this acclaimed novel set in 1945 Scotland, former British combat nurse Claire Randall embarks on a second honeymoon with her husband. While there, she stumbles upon a standing stone in one of the ancient circles, and suddenly turns into a Sassenach—an “outlander” in the year 1743. Now, her only chance at survival is a handsome young Scots warrior named Jamie Fraser. An epic, time-travel romance for the ages!
What readers are saying: “Yes, this is a great historical fiction novel but Jamie and Claire… their love, their devotion to each other is what makes this story epic. You just can’t get around that fact. This is a love story. And so much more. I was so conflicted from the position that both Claire and Jaime were put in. What is right and wrong here? Claire loves her husband. But here she is, in this impossible situation, of which she can confide in no one. Not a single person. And so she goes first with her gut. Then with her head, and finally, finally with her heart.”
‘His Majesty’s Dragon’ by Naomi Novik
When Patrick O’Brian launched his 20-book Aubrey-Maturin series with Master and Commander, he introduced readers to the dynamic duo of bold naval captain Jack Aubrey and intellectual surgeon Stephen Maturin, set against the high-stakes backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. This beloved historical saga was adapted for the big screen in 2003, with Russell Crowe as Jack and Paul Bettany as Maturin. But beyond the books and film, the characters’ devoted, perfectly balanced partnership has fueled a passionate online fandom—one that often compares their chemistry to Star Trek’s Kirk and Spock’s “perfect duet” dynamic.
Enter Author Naomi Novik’s His Majesty’s Dragon! Novik’s story reimagines the Napoleonic Wars with a fantastical twist. When British naval captain Will Laurence seizes a French vessel, he’s stunned to discover a rare dragon egg hidden aboard. Once it hatches, the dragon—named Temeraire—bonds to him for life, abruptly ending Laurence’s naval career and thrusting him into Britain’s Aerial Corps. As man and dragon train side by side, they become an unlikely but formidable defense against Napoleon’s forces.
What readers are saying: “Naomi Novik began writing her Temeraire series intending it to be Master and Commander fanfic. I don’t believe she ever officially uploaded any of it online as fanfic, but she talks openly about that being the origin and she’s a very prolific fic writer who helped found AO3, so I count it!”
‘Alchemised’ by SenLinYu
Before it was a highly anticipated fantasy debut, Alchemised began online as viral Harry Potter fanfiction—specifically a “Dramione” fic entitled Manacled, which centered around beloved characters Hemione Granger and Draco Malfoy. With millions of reads and BookTok superstardom, SenLinYu reimagined the entire world, rebuilt the mythology from the ground up and transformed it into an original novel for traditional publication. The result is Alchemized.
Set in a war-scarred world where alchemy is both weapon and currency, the story follows two brilliant rivals bound by ambition, betrayal and a dangerous pull toward each other. As political intrigue tightens and old loyalties fracture, they’re forced to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice for power—and for love. For fans of dark, slow-burn fantasy charged with enemies-to-lovers tension!
What readers are saying: “How do I give this six stars? I know this began as a ‘What if’ Dramione Fanfiction, but SenLinYu grew it into a dark and enthralling world of alchemy. It stands strong on its own and the book is roughly 1000 pages. Act one is slow but it takes off like a rocket after that. I poured through it in three days over my holiday break. (How? I’m a madwoman and this book is gold.) The character arcs were satisfying, the world was rich with magical systems and terminology. I loved the themes of war and how history is written by the victors. And I was completely taken with the development of Helena and Kaine!”
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