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Read this list of the best new romance book releases in 2026 to get tons of good book recommendations to add to your list!
The growing list of amazing romance books releasing this year for us to read is looking unbelievably exciting and definitely making me think we’re going to have too many books to read with too little time!
If you’re a fan of the romance genre, you’re going to absolutely LOVE this list of the best new romance books coming in 2026 that includes a huge variety of our favorite romance authors releasing new books, debut romance books that I’m SO excited to support, and extremely anticipated new romance book series installments that will allow us to continue following our favorite characters!
In this list of dozens of new romance book releases for 2026 you’ll find lots of seasonal romance books, new romance book series installments, new romance beach reads, the ever favorite small town romance books, romantic comedy books, and some exciting cozy romance books to dive into and enjoy! Happy reading!
I’ll keep this list updated as the year goes on and new books are announced and released.
Read this list of the best new Romance book releases coming in 2026
January 2026 Romance new book releases
Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent
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Release date: January 6 2026
Sparks fly when an up-and-coming team principle and her new hot-shot driver—and former childhood crush—are forced to work together to save their careers and team in this deliciously winning Formula 1 romance.
The Odds of You by Kate Dramis
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Release date: January 6 2026
Once is chance. Twice is fate. Sage Collins knows a thing or two about odds. A year ago, she was a data analyst until she burned it all down to pursue her dream of becoming an author. One whirlwind bestseller and a struggling second book later, and Sage isn’t sure she’ll ever write a novel again.
Our Ex’s Wedding by Taleen Voskuni
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Release date: January 20 2026
Two people who can’t stand each other must come together to plan their mutual ex’s wedding in this new romantic comedy by Taleen Voskuni, author of Lavash at First Sight.
The Re-Do List by Denise Williams
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Release date: January 27 2026
What would you do with a second chance at your first time? Following a bad breakup, Willow Lewis tackles a re-do list with the help of her brother’s best friend in this sweet and sexy new romance from USA Today bestselling author Denise Williams.
Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen
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Release date: January 27 2026
A second chance at love sets sail when a couple on the verge of divorce pretends they’re still together for one last family trip, from the author of Wedding Dashers.
February 2026 Romance new book releases
Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm
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Release date: February 3 2026
An academic-rivals-to-lovers rom-com set at a New York conference about two neuroscientists who are forced to pretend they’re dating, leading to unexpected chemistry and a heartfelt journey of self-discovery.
Books & Bewitchment by Isla Jewell
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Release date: February 3 2026
In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist.
Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn
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Release date: February 3 2026
From New York Times bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a sizzling sports romance full of flamingo feathers, slow-burn heat, and one grump-meets-sunshine love story that’s anything but fake. They’re faking it for the cameras. But what if the sparks are real?
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
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Release date: February 3 2026
A woman receives an unexpected gift from the man she loved and lost—a year of books, one for every month—launching a reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again in this glimmering and heart-stopping novel.
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
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Release date: February 10 2026
An enemies-to-lovers spicy novella set in the world of video gaming from the New York Times bestselling author of Problematic Summer Romance—now in print and ebook!
Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan
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Release date: February 10 2026
From the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan, comes a small-town, opposites-attract romance about two people who end up with more feelings than they bargained for after pursuing a summer fling.
It’s All in Your Head by Sabina Nordqvist
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Release date: February 10 2026
A “poignant and swoony” romance about a woman with a rare neurological condition who agrees to fake-date the hot guy in her chronic pain support group—only to discover he’s an Olympic snowboarder whose career-ending injury is as infamous as his dating history (Gigi Griffis, author of The Empress).
The Halifax Hellions by Alexandra Vasti
Release date: February 17 2026
From USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti comes The Halifax Hellions: a pair of sexy, hilarious romps in which the most scandalous ladies in London finally meet their match.
If Only You Knew by Ellie K. Wilde
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Release date: February 17 2026
In the highly anticipated final installment of the Oakwood Bay series—“packed with sizzling tension, heat, and sweet, swoon-worthy moments” (Peyton Corinne, USA TODAY bestselling author)—childhood best friends Parker and Summer agree to matchmake each other, to disastrous results, all while fighting the fact that they’ve been each other’s soulmate all along.
And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison
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Release date: February 24 2026
Two competing meteorologists are forced to find common ground in this opposites attract, When Harry Met Sally inspired romance, from New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison.
March 2026 Romance new book releases
It Seemed Like a Good Idea by Lauren Blakely
Release date: March 3 2026
He ghosted me once, now he’s supposed to protect me?
I don’t need a bodyguard―I run a small town lavender farm, for bee’s sake. But when my identical twin sister lands the movie role of a lifetime and the production rolls into my hometown, I get one anyway. And guess who the studio sends to keep the paparazzi off my porch?
The broody, tattooed protector who slipped out before our one night stand even got started.
No Matter What by Cara Bastone
Release date: March 3 2026
After a traumatic accident threatens the foundations of their happy marriage, a couple tries to rebuild and find their way back to each other—and themselves—in this tender, slow-burn romance by the bestselling author of Ready or Not and Promise Me Sunshine.
Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles
Release date: March 3 2026
A heart-stopping small town romance from New York Times bestselling author Catherine Cowles, the first in a brand-new series.
He spent a lifetime trying to escape his dark past…but to save her, he’ll wade back into the shadows.
In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde
Release date: March 3 2026
As the first female team owner in Major League Baseball, Reese Remington has spent her entire life preparing for this role. With a sharp mind and years of experience working behind the scenes, she’s more than qualified. But the public only sees a woman in a man’s world―not the person who’s earned their place on the field. Under constant scrutiny and pressure to prove herself, Reese can’t afford distractions.
The Book Tour by Emily Ohanjanians
Release date: March 3 2026
Sparks fly between a lively debut author and her grumpy publicist on book tour in this sizzling rom-com from a fresh new voice in contemporary romance.
Mistakes Were Made by Lucy Score
Release date: March 10 2026
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lucy Score, whose smash hit Things We Never Got Over captured millions of hearts, invites you back to Story Lake for a swoon-worthy new small town romantic comedy.
He’s looking for the perfect wife. She’s looking for the perfect one-night stand.
Once and Again by Rebecca Serle
Release date: March 10 2026
New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Serle, the author behind “heartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) modern classic In Five Years, returns with an unforgettable tale of a family of women with an astonishing gift: the ability to redo one moment in their lives.
The women of the Novak family were each born with a gift: they can, just once, turn back time.
How to Write a Love Story by Catherine Walsh
Release date: March 10 2026
One writer, one editor, one hot summer . . . Will this be a romance for the books?
Ciara Sheridan’s father has left her with three things: a sprawling and distinctly ramshackle estate on the Irish coast, the outline for the finale to his bestselling epic fantasy series that he wanted her to finish—and writer’s block.
Enter Sam Avery: Frank Sheridan fanboy and hotshot editor, sent from the New York publishing house direct to Ciara’s doorstep–against Ciara’s wishes and red pen at the ready.
Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard
Release date: March 10 2026
It takes two to tango.
Allegra Hart has been working her whole life to achieve one goal: become a principal ballerina. When her director starts holding auditions for the lead role in the company’s latest production, Allegra sees this as her chance—maybe her last chance.
Second Chance Duet by Ana Holguin
Release date: March 10 2026
A swoony, slow burn romance about a struggling composer whose big break comes at a cost—working side-by-side with her college nemesis.
The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa
Release date: March 10 2026
The best worst girlfriend finally meets her match . . .
Vanessa Cordero used to run a profitable side gig: For a reasonable fee, she’d date your crush . . . and make his life miserable. Too clingy? Check. Jealous? Check. A parent’s worst nightmare? Triple check. By the time Vanessa was done with him, your guy was practically begging for you.
Love Song by Elle Kennedy
Release date: March 17 2026
After a brutal breakup, college junior Blake Logan escapes to her family’s lake house in Tahoe, determined to shut out the world. Her plan is simple: no men, no drama. Until Wyatt Graham shows up. Four years older and far too good at getting under her skin, Wyatt is the living embodiment of a “bad idea,” and the guy who shattered her pride when she confessed her crush at sixteen.
A Latte Like Love by Michelle C. Harris
Release date: March 17 2026
Audrey Adams knows the exact routine for all her regular customers. That’s what happens when you work at the same Brooklyn coffee shop for years. So it’s completely normal that she notices Theo Sullivan, a shy new patron who comes in at exactly 8:17 a.m., right? And that this incredibly tall (and cute) man never drinks his coffee, always leaves a generous tip, only stays long enough to scribble in a notebook, and wears the same KN95 mask. Call it barista instincts or a reasonable reaction to Theo’s undeniable sweetness, but Audrey is crushing hard.
The Fortune Flip by Lauren Kung Jessen
Release date: March 17 2026
A stroke of luck.
Hazel Yen would love to be that person who doesn’t believe in bad luck. But having lost her job, her mom, her optimism, and even her dim-sum leftovers, she’s sitting in a fortune teller’s booth, desperate for a sign—any sign—that her luck might change. Which is when fate crashes into her, disguised as Logan Wells and his utterly chaotic cat. Except after one spontaneous and mind-melting kiss, Hazel’s terrible misfortune starts taking a turn for the miraculous. Money problems vanish. A new job lands in her lap. And she’s crushing—hard—on the guy who started it all.
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
Release date: March 24 2026
In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything …
For Larissa, it came when choosing who to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great friends, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, things finally feel easy.
The Bridge Back to You by Riss M. Neilson
Release date: March 31 2026
Exes discover they’ve both inherited the restaurant they love in this sparkling, emotional new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of A Love Like the Sun.
April 2026 Romance book releases
The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn
Release date: April 7 2026
A woman tests the limits of her so-called amicable divorce when she flies to Paris for the destination wedding of her former sister-in-law, only to butt heads with the deliciously gruff best man, in a poignant and romantic novel from Kate Clayborn.
The Summer I Found You by Jennifer O’Brien
Release date: April 7 2026
A recently divorced single mom returns to her family’s fixer-upper beach house and finds romance amidst the heartbreak—and truths buried under generations of lies—in this summertime romance, perfect for fans of The Beach House and Nora Goes Off Script.
Ryder by Jessica Peterson
Release date: April 7 2026
One hard fall in the rodeo ring.
One maddeningly gorgeous cowboy.
One chance at love she swore she’d never take.
Pieces of the Night by Jennifer Hartmann
Release date: April 7 2026
I already had a life. A future. A man I’d promised forever to.
But the night I found Chase Rhodes―bleeding, broken, and more lost than I was―everything changed.
I wasn’t supposed to let him in. Wasn’t supposed to write music with him in secret beneath the moon.
Start at the End by Emma Grey
Release date: April 7 2026
This is a love story . . . but not the one you’re expecting.
Start at the End is a powerful, soul-stirring, sliding-doors novel from the bestselling author of The Last Love Note and Pictures of You that explores second chances and unwritten endings.
Unbound by Peyton Corinne
Release date: April 7 2026
A new “angsty, sexy, emotional” (Farrah Rochon, New York Times bestselling author) lyrical romance by Peyton Corinne that follows a college couple through first love, heartbreak, and the struggle to come together again.
Happy Ending by Chloe Liese
Release date: April 14 2026
Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.
Don’t Tell Me How It Ends by Adrienne Thurman
Release date: April 14 2026
A floundering twenty-something who’s sworn off romance finds herself roped into her meddling sister’s matchmaking business in this sparkling debut romcom that asks: Can we protect ourselves while falling in love?
While You Were Seething by Charlotte Stein
Release date: April 14 2026
Daisy Emmett has been enemies with famous romance author Caleb Miller since they were in college together, and time hasn’t lessened their mutual loathing. So when she agrees to manoeuvre him through a PR disaster of his own making, she knows it’s not going to be easy. She just doesn’t realise how not easy until they somehow end up trapped in the same truck, on an endless road trip from one book tour stop to another, bantering and butting heads along the way.
Don’t Fall in Love With Me by Paige Toon
Release date: April 14 2026
Sometimes the heart wants what the heart can’t have.
Grace has loved Jackson since she was fifteen. Spending every summer together exploring his grandfather’s chateau and the tumbling rivers of the gorgeous Ardèche region of France, they were best friends. Until he married someone else.
Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
Release date: April 14 2026
Sutton knows she needs therapy. After all, she’s managing her newly opened restaurant remotely while taking care of her ungrateful sick mother. Plus, her boyfriend of two years just dumped her over the phone. But does therapy with a handsome stranger, who she has to pretend to be engaged to, in order to help her friend’s struggling relationship count? Probably not. Then why did she just agree to go? Because she’s had a few too many drinks? Because this stranger, Elijah, is smug and annoying and really, really handsome? Because she feels guilty that she abandoned her best friend, Tara, after high school and this might just make up for it? Whatever the reason, she has committed to this unhinged plan.
Love Overboard by Kandi Steiner
Release date: April 21 2026
Ember Reed is finally living her dream: chief stew on a Mediterranean superyacht, sun-kissed days at sea, and the star of Close Quarters, the hottest new reality TV show. But just as she finds her stride, the producers throw her a curveball—by hiring the one man who nearly sank her.
Finn Pearson was the one that got away. The boy who kissed her like they had forever, then left without a word. But now he’s the chef in her new crew, and the cameras are watching their every move, innocent, or not.
Boots Beneath Her Bed by Taylor Esposito
Release date: April 21 2026
A mysterious horse trainer with a dark past ropes the heart of a guarded ranch foreman in this steamy cowboy romance by debut author Taylor Esposito.
King of Gluttony by Ana Huang
Release date: April 28 2026
The sixth book in the deliciously steamy Kings of Sin series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ana Huang, where bad boy billionaires must atone for their sins in order to earn their love stories.
She’s his greatest rival…and his greatest weakness.
May 2026 Romance book releases
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
Release date: May 5 2026
Frankie and George have been best friends since they were eight years old. Both passionate, impulsive, and headstrong—they’ve always clashed . . . and come back together. Until now. It’s the eve of Frankie’s wedding weekend, and she doesn’t know where they stand or even if George will show up as her best man.
First and Forever by Lynn Painter
Release date: May 12 2026
Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyote football. So after she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain following an awful encounter with the team’s beloved mascot, she is disgruntled, to put it mildly. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.
The Last Page by Katie Holt
Release date: May 12 2026
Ella has grown up at The Last Page, a charming local bookstore in New York City where she now works. Her first kiss was in the women’s health section. A boyfriend dumped her in comedy. The owner is like a second father to her and has begun training her to take over the store. So when he unexpectedly dies and his estranged grandson is left everything in the will, Ella is devastated.
The Shippers by Katherine Center
Release date: May 19 2026
After a lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton vows to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. Armed with pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest). Determined to woo him for closure, she ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, as her wingman. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but showed up anyway. Cooper: who moved to London without a word four years ago. Cooper: who was her greatest heartbreak.
Fever Dream by Elsie Silver
Release date: May 19 2026
Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he’s already decided it’s all one big performance.
Forty Love by Jane Costello
Release date: May 19 2026
Jules has lived next door to the local tennis club for years without picking up a racket. As a full-time buyer for a chain of lifestyle stores and a single, widowed mother of a teenager, she doesn’t have time for a hobby–or for a potential run-in with her old school crush, Sam, whose killer forehand is now in direct view of her bedroom window.
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Release date: May 26 2026
If they start by pretending, can they end with something real?
Dolly Brick has never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Not when her mom left when she was twelve, and not at thirty-nine when she moves with her son back to Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to keep her dad and brother from losing the family home.
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