Romance

Dream Girl Drama

Tessa Bailey’s ultra-steamy rom-coms don’t shy away from kink or complicated relationship dynamics, but Dream Girl Drama is a first for her: a love story between two step-siblings. And since Sig Gauthie and Chloe Clifford are 1) full-blown adults and 2) very aware of the other’s feelings before they even learn their parents are dating, it sure sounds like Bailey is going to offer readers all of the taboo fun with none of the guilt.

Rebel in the Deep

By Katee Robert

And now it’s time to check in with Katee Robert’s other big series. The Crimson Sails romances take place in Threshold, a high-seas fantasy world full of pirates, witches and other magical beings. Nox has been working for the rebellion against the cruel rulers of Threshold for years, and successfully avoiding his ex-boyfriend, fellow rebel Bastian, for nearly as long. But when Bastian is captured, Nox and Siobhan, the rebellion’s leader, set off to rescue him, and all three find themselves growing closer together as they go on the run.

Hardly a Gentleman

By Eloisa James

One of the grand dames of historical romance, Eloisa James writes romantic romps with a light touch, sparkling with wit worthy of a writer who moonlights (daylights?) as a professor of English literature. Her latest follows a society debutante who runs away to Scotland after a disastrous season, and ends up having to save her reputation by marrying a Scottish lord.

The Gilded Heiress

By Joanna Shupe

A new series from Joanna Shupe, queen of the Gilded Age romance, is always cause for celebration, and her latest is especially intriguing. The first book, inspired by legend of the Russian princess Anastasia, follows aspiring singer Josie Smith as she gets embroiled in a plot to con the wealthy Pendleton family thanks to her striking resemblance to its matriarch, whose child was infamously kidnapped and never found. So will the rest of the series be inspired by beloved animated movies? Or will they be tales of imposters and/or con artists? Both? Only time will tell.

Swordheart

By T. Kingfisher

T. Kingfisher’s fantasies often having charming romantic subplots, so it’s a thrill to see Swordheart, a previously self-published cozy fantasy, get a traditional release. The novel follows Halla, a woman who unexpectedly inherits an estate and accidentally frees an immortal warrior when she unsheathes an old sword that was hanging on the wall of her new home.

T. Kingfisher’s fantasies often having charming romantic subplots, so it's a thrill to see Swordheart, a previously self-published cozy fantasy, get a traditional release. The novel follows Halla, a woman who unexpectedly inherits an estate and accidentally frees an immortal warrior when she unsheathes an…

Sweet Obsession

By Katee Robert

There are many, many Greek god-inspired romances out there (and yes, most of them are Hades and Persephone), but Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus books are both some of the most successful and surprising. Her latest galaxy-brain pairing in a series that has seen such highlights as Achilles, Patroclus and Helen? Icarus and Poseidon. Long may she reign.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com

By Kimberly Lemming

Of the many, many self-published romance series that have gone viral on BookTok, Kimberly Lemming’s fantasy romances easily have the most incredible titles. See: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon or That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf. Now, with I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com, Lemming is hopping subgenres to science fiction romance, following a biologist who, yes, gets abducted by aliens alongside an honest-to-god lion, then crash-lands with said lion on a mysterious planet full of dinosaurs where she also meets not one, but two dreamy alien love interests. Take a look back at that sentence. Magnificent.

The Enchanted Greenhouse

By Sarah Beth Durst

Yes, Sarah Beth Durst’s new fantasy romance is set in the world of her bestselling The Spellshop and yes, it seems like a cottagecore fantasy come to life, but the real question is this: Is that a kitten with wings on the cover?! A kitten cherub, if you will? We’ll take 12, please.

Swept Away

By Beth O'Leary

The author of The Flatshare, The Road Trip and other acclaimed romances returns with a more adventurous, dramatic spin on her character-driven love stories. Swept Away will follow Zeke and Lexi, who hook up on a houseboat, fall asleep and, as you would expect from the title, get literally swept away out to open sea.

Say You’ll Remember Me

By Abby Jimenez

Quick sidebar: Is Say You’ll Remember Me one of the best Taylor Swift lyric-turned-book titles yet? Emma R. Alban’s Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend might still be the champion, but Say You’ll Remember Me is definitely a top-tier TSwift reference. (“Wildest Dreams” is the best song on 1989: Fight me.) Anyhoo, Abby Jimenez’s latest rom-com follows Xavier and Samantha, two people who have an incredible first date, but decide nevertheless to go their separate ways since Samantha’s family is in crisis. But of course, it proves highly difficult to forget each other.

The Love Haters

By Katherine Center

Fake-dating, Key West-style: Katherine Center’s latest rom-com sounds like a totally perfect treat for the summer, following Janie Vaugh, a news producer who pretends to date her coworker in order to profile his brother, Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson. Of course, soon Janie and Hutch discover they have feelings for each other, and poor Hutch is consumed with guilt over wanting to date the woman he thinks is his brother’s girlfriend.

Flirting Lessons

By Jasmine Guillory

One of the authors whose mainstream success heralded the current romance boom, Jasmine Guillory will return this spring with a sequel to Drunk on Love and her first sapphic romance. Avery Jensen is approaching 30 and newly single, but thanks to her relative lack of relationship experience, she feels awkward and insecure at the prospect of entering the Napa Valley dating pool. But luckily for her, the valley’s flirtiest woman-about-town, Taylor Cameron, just made a bet with a friend that she wouldn’t sleep with anyone for two months. Taylor needs to burn off some energy and Avery needs lessons, so voila! Taylor will tutor Avery in flirting. (We all know exactly where this is going.)

Dream On, Ramona Riley

By Ashley Herring Blake

The author of the beloved, critically acclaimed Bright Falls romances will return (and possibly start a whole new series?) with Dream On, Ramona Riley, a small-town love story set in New Hampshire. Aspiring costume designer Ramona is thrilled when a Hollywood production starts filming in town, but her dream of somehow getting her foot in the door hits a snag when she learns that the film’s star is Dylan Monroe—who just so happens to be Ramona’s first kiss.

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