Last Updated on November 28, 2023 by Louisa
What I loved about Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas was that it had a very different take on teenage romance. It was dark and smutty, everything I love in a romance story.
It has passion, temptation, spice, and a dark twist ending I didn’t see coming.
Although Punk 57 is not everyone’s cup of tea, those who love it might be looking for some other books like Punk 57 that take dark romance to new levels.
If you were rooting for Ryen and Misha and are looking for a teen romance book, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, I’ve listed some similar books to Punk 57 that you may want to pick up next.
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Quick Answer: Top 3 Picks!
Are you looking for a book but don’t have much time? Then check out my top three favorites!
Our Favourites!
#1 Best Highly Acclaimed Novel
The Deal by Elle Kennedy
- A book about a good girl and bad boy who fall in love in college
- 2016 RITA Winner
- International Bestseller
#2 Best in Romance
After by Anna Todd
- About a good girl who has a nice boyfriend back home, but finds a bad boy in college she can’t resist
- A five-part series
- Now a major motion picture!
Summary of Punk 57
Before I get into the best similar books to Punk 57, let’s quickly recap the story. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the ending for you if you haven’t finished reading yet.
This story begins in the 5th grade when a young boy, Misha, decides to participate in a pen pal program.
Ryen and Misha were pen pals by mistake. Over the years, they become not only the best pen pals but the best of friends, always looking forward to a new letter from each other.
Throughout the years, they remained in contact through their letters.
They could talk to each other about anything but vowed not to meet in person or look each other up on social media because it could ruin everything.
Three rules are set, no pictures, no phone calls, and no social media.
Everything was perfect about this friendship/relationship. That was until Misha got the opportunity to meet Ryen. This was when he realized that his dream girl was really everything he hated.
Punk 57 has themes of anti-bullying, prejudice, revenge, grief. It’s a non-traditional friends to lovers romance novel with hints of enemies to lovers too. Although it has teenage characters, this is a young adult to new adult read with some smutty scenes.
Books Like Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
Punk 57 had me hooked on every page and feeling all sorts of emotions at the end. If you’re looking for a similar type of story, you should check out some of the titles below.
1. The Deal – Elle Kennedy
Punk 57 features love interests who are complete opposites of one another. If you’re interested in reading another book about opposites attracting, you should get a copy of The Deal by Elle Kennedy.
This story follows college student Hannah, who’s great at everything except romance. She has no idea how to get her crush to notice her.
When she meets the confident athlete Garrett, he proposes a deal she can’t ignore. If Hannah helps Garret improve his grades, he will help her break out of her shell and get her crush’s attention.
The deal seems like the perfect setup until Hannah realizes she has her sights on the wrong man.
What makes The Deal the perfect read for after Punk 57 is that it also has this enemies to lovers theme where it starts off as playful hate and then turns into something passionate and smutty.
It was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance in 2015. If you’ve already read The Deal, then you might like some of these similar books.
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Read my complete review of The Deal by Elle Kennedy here.
2. RoomHate – Penelope Ward
Ryen and Misha have a hate-love connection in Punk 57. If you want to read another story where hatred turns into love, you should consider reading RoomHate by Penelope Ward.
After Amelia’s grandmother passes away, she inherits her beach house. There’s one condition to this house, though.
Amelia only gets half of it, the other half goes to a young man her grandmother helped raise.
This doesn’t sound so bad until Amelia discovers the man is her ex, Justin. On top of this, he still hadn’t gotten over how she broke his heart when they were teenagers.
Do you think Amelia and Justin can mend fences and rekindle their love? Or will his new girlfriend stand in their way?
The author’s writing style is engaging and evocative, drawing readers into the story and immersing them in the world of the characters.
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3. November 9 – Colleen Hoover
Do you want to read more books like Punk 57 where the main characters have a long-distance relationship? If so, you might enjoy November 9 by Colleen Hoover.
The story follows Ben who is an aspiring writer who’s lacking creative inspiration. Fallon is getting ready to move across the country.
The two meet on Fallon’s last day in LA and spend the day together.
In turn, they begin to meet up every year on the same date. However, lines are drawn when Fallon begins to suspect that Ben’s only maintaining the relationship to use her for the plot of his story.
Are Ben’s feelings real or is Fallon just a muse for his project?
Colleen Hoover is a master of writing romance and suspenseful fiction. She has created a truly memorable and believable cast of characters, each with their own unique set of motivations and flaws that only make them more endearing.
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4. The Sweetest Oblivion – Danielle Lori
In Punk 57, Misha hated everything Ryen stood for. At the same time, he couldn’t deny his attraction to her.
If you want to read a story with a similar vibe, you should add The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori to your list.
Elena’s sister is set to marry Nicholas. He has a dark reputation and is the exact type of man Elena despises.
Except, there’s also something irresistible about this man. With him always being so close, it’s hard for Elena not to fall for his charm.
Elena knows this temptation is trouble, but it’s hard for her not to get involved in a scandal. Will she betray her sister for a man who stands for everything she hates?
This book is a testament to the power of emotions, showing how love can be found in the most unexpected places.
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5. P.S. I Like You – Kasie West
There’s something about pen pals falling for each other that always makes a good story. If you enjoy these mysterious types of novels, you should read P.S. I Like You by Kasie West.
This story starts off on a sweet note as Lily jots some of her favorite lyrics on her desk. To her surprise, the next day, the lyrics have been continued, and there’s a note on her desk.
This is the start of a pen-pal relationship that has both parties completely opening up. The only thing is Lily has no idea who she’s communicating with.
Lily is determined to find out to who she’s telling her deepest thoughts and secrets. However, what she doesn’t realize is that love isn’t as simple as it seems.
With its themes of redemption, forgiveness, and self-awareness, this novel offers a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to fall in love with someone you barely know…
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6. Dear Aaron – Mariana Zapata
Do you want to read more pen pal romance books like Punk 57 that have an unlikely pairing? Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata is an excellent choice.
This story centers around Ruby Santos. She joins a Help a Soldier Program where she gets assigned a soldier to be a pen pal to.
Ruby thinks this will be a great way to brighten a soldier’s week. What she didn’t expect was for the soldier to be the one to brighten up her spirits.
As these two pen pals continue to write to each other, they begin to open up in ways they next could with other people. Will their blossoming romance be able to survive the long distance?
The plot is full of delicious twists and turns, making for an engaging and memorable read.
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7. If We Were Villians – M.L. Rio
Misha and Ryen related as pen pals because they felt like outcasts to society. All of the main characters in If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio can relate to that feeling.
This story centers around a tight-knit group of thespians who have their own secret society.
These characters are known to go over the top with the roles they take on for their plays, often having their fictional life cross lines into real life. Everything changes when one of them is found dead.
While this novel doesn’t fall directly into the romance genre, there is a strong connection between two lovers in the story that will have romance fans glued to the pages.
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8. Birthday Girl – Penelope Douglas
Did you enjoy Penelope Douglas’s writing in Punk 57? If so, you should read another one of her books that couldn’t put down – Birthday Girl.
This story features two characters with strong chemistry. However, this is one relationship that should be completely forbidden.
Not only is Jordan 19, but she’s also dating Pike’s son Cole. Yet, her chemistry with Pike is much more tempting.
If you love age gap romance novels with hints of forbidden romance, especially those filled with heat and spice, then you’re going to want to put the kids to bed before opening this novel…
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9. Unfixable – Tessa Bailey
Do you want to read more opposites attract novels like Punk 57? Unfixable by Tessa Bailey is a great one to add to your list.
Willa has had enough heartbreak in her life. She’s ready to head to Dublin and reconnects with her old no-nonsense self.
Shane is ready to leave Dublin after his father’s death so he can focus on racing. When the two meet, he finds her unbearably sarcastic, and she can’t stand his grumpy attitude.
However, the two also find themselves undeniably drawn to one another.
The chemistry between the two leads is palpable, with their initial animosity slowly turning into intense and undeniable attraction, making it a wonderful grumpy sunshine romance publication.
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10. The Best Laid Plans – Cameron Lund
Misha and Ryen are proof that you can’t help who you fall in love with. If your fascinated by romances that feature unlikely pairings, then you should read The Best Laid Plans by Cameron Lund.
Keely is a high school senior in a small town. She’s known every guy in her grade since they were in kindergarten, that’s why she’s never found herself attracted to any of them.
Her lack of interest has led her to be the last virgin left in the senior class.
When she asks her friend Andrew for help to impress a new guy in town, she realizes that she might have had feelings for something that’s always been in front of her.
With its fast-paced plot and intense romance, this is a small town romance book that is a true page-turner.
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11. The Summer I Turned Pretty – Jenny Han
Punk 57 is a story of first love. If you’re interested in reading another YA book about first loves, then you might enjoy The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han.
Isabel (nicknamed Belly) and her family spend every summer at the beach house with family and friends.
Growing up, she always looked forward to this summer house because she had a crush on Conrad. This summer, feelings start to develop between her and Jerimiah as well.
Will the love triangle between the two brothers ruin summer vacation for Belly?
From the fiery confrontations to the steamy encounters, this book will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.
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12. Corrupt – Penelope Douglas
Do you want to read more books like Punk 57 that show both the male and female leads’ perspectives? If so, you might enjoy Corrupt by Penelope Douglas.
Erika’s ex-boyfriend’s older brother has always been kind of scary to her, especially since she got his friends arrested.
Years later, when he finds her in the city, he sets plans for revenge. The last thing he expected was to fall for her.
This book will have readers hooked by the tension and chemistry between the characters, as they navigate their way from enemies to passionate lovers. If you love dual POV romance books, this is one to add to your TBR.
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13. The Bookworm Crush – Lisa Brown Roberts
Unexpected romances are always fun to read. That is why fans of Punk 57 should give The Bookworm Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts a shot.
The story follows Amy who is excited about the chance to compete to interview her favorite author.
The only thing is, she needs to work on her confidence. That’s why she hires Toff as a confidence coach. However, it’s hard to resist his charm.
Is Toff the real deal for Amy or is he just another lesson on why she needs to be confident?
The author has done an excellent job developing both characters, giving them depth and nuance that makes their romance all the more satisfying.
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14. The Upside Of Falling – Alex Light
The Upside of Falling by Alex Light is a fun tale of unexpected love. This heartwarming YA novel should be added to your to-read list if you love heartwarming fake relationship books.
Becca Hart hasn’t had a boyfriend in years. When her friend teases her for it, she pretends she’s already seeing someone.
Brett overhears this conversation and proposes to be her fake boyfriend. After all, he’s been busy his entire high school career with football and never had time to pursue a girlfriend.
This deal was supposed to have no strings attached, but the two have more in common than they thought.
As the characters’ relationship deepens, readers will be swept away by the emotional intensity of their romance, rooting for them until the very end.
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15. After – Anna Todd
Punk 57 features a girl next door type falling for the bad boy. If you enjoy these romance stories, you will love After by Anna Todd.
College freshman Tessa is instantly intrigued by Hardin. His dark side has her curious to learn more about who he really is.
Hardin knows he’s wrong for a sweet girl like Tessa, but he can’t resist her. To make things even more complicated, Tessa already has a boyfriend who truly cares for her.
Will Tessa risk her seemingly perfect relationship for what seems wrong but feels right?
The author’s writing is vivid and immersive, bringing the characters and their world to life in vivid detail. This is a refreshing college romance novel you won’t want to put down.
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Related Reading: Books Like After and Book Review of After by Anna Todd
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Final Words on Best Books Like Punk 57
If you’ve recently finished Punk 57 but you’re not ready to let your heart stop falling in love, then you’re going to enjoy the romance books on this list.
Whether you’re looking for something sizzling and erotic or tender and sweet, there’s something for everyone on my list.
Did I miss a novel that you love? Let me know about it in the comments below.
