The 35 Best New Romance Novels That'll Make You Swoon

Two hikers hope to extend their relationship beyond the trail in Anita Kelly's "Something Wild & Wonderful." Both Lex and Ben find themselves trekking across the Pacific Crest Trail on solo hiking trips. Lex starts to think it's fate when he keeps running into the cute hiker, and they begin developing feelings for one another as they brave the outdoors together. But while Ben and Lex are perfect for each other out in the wild and away from the distractions and troubles they left behind in the real world, when Ben gets an opportunity that would require him to leave the cocoon of their nature trip, the pair wonder if their blossoming relationship can survive the lives they must return to.

Release date: March 7

Gwenda Bond's "Mr. & Mrs. Witch" puts a magical spin on the film Mr. and Mrs. Smith. On the day of powerful witch Savannah Wilde's wedding, love quickly turns to bad blood when she learns Griffin Carter, the man she's promised to wed, is part of the organization charged with hunting supernaturals just like her and her coven. Tasked with taking out the other, Savannah and Griffin start a hunt for their formerly betrothed, but when they find a common enemy big enough to destroy both of their organizations, they put their differences aside to save their factions and maybe even rekindle the spark of their ill-fated arrangement.

Release date: March 7

"A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon'' is a paranormal romance debut starring a witch, a demon, and a bargain neither of them wants to make. Mariel Spark is a witch who prefers baking recipes to brewing potions, but when she accidentally summons Ozroth the Ruthless — a demon with a fearsome reputation — she knows that the only thing he wants is to strike a deal that could cost her everything. For Ozroth, bargaining with Mariel for her soul is the only thing that will fix his bruised reputation after a previously botched deal and will wait her out as long as he needs to, even if he has to pretend to be her boyfriend to avoid the growing suspicions of her family. Between a witch and a demon, sparks are bound to fly, but the romantic kind, neither of them expects. Suddenly, gaining Mariel's soul doesn't sound as appealing if it means losing her capability to love anyone, including Ozroth, for good.

Release date: March 7

"The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen" is KJ Charles's Regency-era romance starring a newly minted head of house and a smuggler reuniting after a steamy rendezvous. London clerk Gareth struggles with feelings of loneliness ever since his father abandoned him. One night with a handsome stranger briefly cures those feelings before the stranger disappears, leaving him lonely once more. News of his father's death forces Gareth to become the new heir of his father's estate and caretaker of his new house in the dangerous Marsh, where he comes upon a familiar face. Joss Doomsday is a smuggler and the stranger from that night long ago, and Gareth's arrival to the Marsh seems like fate, but placing his trust in anyone in the Marsh becomes a challenge, and both of their hearts might be at risk of breaking.

Release date: March 7

Trish Doller's road-trip romp "Off the Map" is filled with unexpected chemistry for a nomadic traveler and an aimless cartographer. Carla Black takes life one mile at a time as a woman who has no intentions of settling down in one place. When she arrives in Dublin for a friend's wedding, she plans to celebrate with loved ones and hit the road once again. But her plans may change when Eamon, a recently dumped cartographer, picks her up for the drive to the venue. What should be a short trip to see their friends becomes a journey unveiling their past hurts, and when the wedding is over, Carla must choose if staying on the go is really what she wants.

Release date: March 7

Denise Williams, author of "How to Fail at Flirting" and "The Fastest Way to Fall," develops three charming novellas set in the hustle and bustle of an airport in "Love and Other Flight Delays." In "The Love Connection," an airport pet groomer winds up in a fake relationship with a professional risk assessor on the day she finally approaches her frequent-flier crush. "The Missed Connection" follows two strangers on a secret rendezvous and their surprising reunion as professional rivals. Finally, in "The Sweetest Connection," best friends try to reveal how they feel about each other while trying to return a letter from the airport candy store.

Release date: March 14

In Lynn Painter's "The Love Wager," it's winner takes all — hearts included. Bartender Hallie Piper has made many mistakes, but hooking up with a stranger while working a wedding is going straight to the top of the list. For Jack, hooking up with Hallie is a part of playing the role of perpetual bachelor, but it's finally kicking in that maybe it's time to grow up. Both decidedly ready to make a change, Hallie and Jack start wing-manning each other's dates, and when they still can't find a perfect match, they motivate themselves with a wager: the first one to fall in love wins. When another wedding appears on Hallie's calendar, Jack attends as her fake boyfriend, and they start to blur the lines between friends or something more.

Release date: March 14

"Not That Kind of Ever After" by Luci Adams follows a romance hopeful named Bella Marble, whose life is nowhere near a fairy tale. Instead of becoming a successful writer, she's a receptionist at a press. Her best friend Ellie is getting married while she's grown weary of love after attending a series of uninspired dates. Off the advice of Ellie's frustratingly attractive brother Marty, Bella stops looking for her happily ever after and instead uses dating for fun and liberation. When she distorts a particularly terrible date in a story, suddenly she's gone viral, and people are craving more perfect date-night stories, but to tell them, Bella will have to find a way to actually have them first.

Release date: March 14

Lex Croucher's "Infamous" is a delightfully sapphic retelling of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." Eddie Miller and Rose have been best friends (and maybe something more) their whole lives. So when Rose is entertaining the prospect of marriage, Eddie starts questioning what life could look like without her. A new friendship with poet Nash Nicholson allows her to escape into the countryside to focus on her work. Still, she finds herself more focused on Nash than anything else, though Nash comes with his own drama as a desired socialite. With her feelings for Rose and Nash conflicting, Eddie will have to figure out who is really the person she wants to spend forever with.

Release date: March 21

A 19th-century Viennese hotel and a ball season that turns fatal set the stage for "Hotel of Secrets," Diana Biller's dazzling historical romance. The Hotel Wallner is Maria Wallner's sole priority. When it's selected as the exclusive Hotelkeepers' Ball venue, she hopes this will be her chance to restore the hotel's reputation and get their financial situation back on track. Handsome secret service agent Eli Whittaker is only at the Hotel Wallner to get more information about the American selling national secrets, who once sent a damning piece of evidence from the hotel. But when near-fatal coincidences keep putting Maria in danger, Eli's mission to get in and out is disrupted, and the only way to get his answers and keep her safe is to see this dramatic ball season through to its end.

Release date: March 28

In Sariah Wilson's "The Chemistry of Love," a cosmetic chemist with a hopeless crush on her boss is convinced to fake date his brother for mutually beneficial reasons. Anna Ellis can't interact with her boss, Craig, without her crush on him getting in the way. A run-in with Craig's brother, Marco, the company's CEO, leads to an interesting revelation: Marco wants to break up Craig's impending wedding, and the best way to do that would be to make him jealous by fake dating Anna. Anna and Marco strike a deal to get what they both want, but Anna finds her interests shifting further and further away from Craig and onto the understanding and compassionate Marco.

Release date: Feb. 1

Ann Liang's YA romance "This Time It's Real" delivers a heartwarming fake-dating plot set at an elite boarding school in Beijing. The Westbridge International School is Eliza Lin's latest challenge to conquer. Considering she and her family rarely stay long enough at any place to make friends, lying on a homework assignment about a relationship doesn't seem like too big of a deal. But then her essay goes viral, and all eyes are on her for #relationshipgoals inspiration. With a dream magazine internship and her reputation on the line, Eliza enlists classmate and actor Caz Song into a "strategic, mutually beneficial, and romantically oriented alliance" to further their respective careers. Their scheme goes swimmingly until Eliza realizes faking it isn't so easy when her partner is frustratingly wonderful. Getting real when she's always afraid of being left behind may be Eliza's greatest challenge yet.

Release date: Feb. 7

Romance readers awaiting Tessa Bailey's next will savor her playful secret-admirer romance "Secretly Yours." Hallie Welch's return to the Vos estate comes with plenty of memories of Julian Vos, her childhood crush. Helping take care of the estate's unruly garden, Hallie is surprised to find that the Julian she was once so fond of has turned into a decidedly grouchy professor, confirmed by the fact their personalities only clash now when they used to meld so well. But perhaps Hallie's feelings run deeper than she thought, because after a night out with the girls, she leaves Julian a letter anonymously revealing her long-held feelings for him. Julian is surprised someone has taken the time to confess their feelings but cannot focus on anyone else's feelings besides Hallie's. Their reunion seems destined, and despite his mission to finish a novel, Hallie proves to be a welcome distraction that he's not sure he can let go of.

Release date: Feb. 7

In "Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year," Rochelle Bilow whisks readers to Scotland for a warming romance between a former New York City food writer and a town handyman. When Ruby Spencer quits her job, she decides to throw a dart at a map, go anywhere it lands for a whole year, and finally write her own cookbook. Fate sends her to Thistletown, Scotland, where she is immediately charmed by the local pub and Brochan, the handyman who continues to come around to fix her rental. Bonding over their shared love of whisky, Ruby begins to see Thistletown less as a one-year stop and more as a possible fresh start for her life. When the beloved pub is threatened to be turned into a chain restaurant, Ruby turns to Brochan with hopes of keeping the pub and their blossoming love alive.

Release date: Feb. 14

Alexis Daria's tantalizing romance "Take the Lead" will seduce readers with its showmance-turned-real-romance saga. While working on the reality TV show "The Dance Off," dancer Gina Morales has never won or even made it to the finals. She's surprised when her new partner, the stoic star of a wilderness show, Stone, turns out to have moves that might take them to the end. And even though Stone is only here to help his family, he can't deny a sizzle between him and Gina both on and off the dance floor. As Gina and Stone develop real feelings off screen, the producers play up their chemistry on screen, leading to a social media frenzy that throws their secrets into the limelight and puts their careers on the line. Going for gold might have cost the pair everything, including their shot at true love.

Release date: Feb. 14

Is love a risk worth taking if you know how it will end? That's the question at the center of Kylie Scott's slightly fantastical romance "End of Story." Social media manager Susie is nursing a broken heart after a breakup, and she's grieving the death of her aunt Susan, who left her a house in desperate need of remodeling. Placing all her attention on transforming the house, Susie reluctantly calls on the help of her ex-boyfriend's best friend and contractor, Lars, for assistance. While breaking down a wall, the pair discover a divorce certificate dated 10 years into the future with their names on it. Susie and Lars work together to figure out what this piece of paper could mean for them, struggling when they realize it could hint at their potential future, but only if Susie is willing to give love another chance.

Release date: Feb. 14

Edward Underhill promises and delivers joy in YA romance "Always the Almost." Recently out trans student Miles Jacobson has hopes to beat a longtime rival at a piano competition and win back his ex-boyfriend, who broke up with him following his disclosure about his identity. His perspective changes when he meets a proudly out new student named Eric Mendez, whose confidence in himself draws Miles closer, despite his wish to rekindle things with his ex. With the biggest competition of his life looming and conflicting feelings for two different boys, Miles must hold onto his sense of self if he plans to win the show and the true object of his affection.

Release date: Feb. 14

YA author Amy Spalding pivots to adult romance with "For Her Consideration," a hopeful romance. A devastating breakup from years ago has left Hollywood agent and writing hopeful Nina Rice in a slump. The core of her job focuses on managing celebrity emails. Her latest client, Ari Fox, is a rising acting starlet who takes a hands-on approach to control her image, leading to some very interesting run-ins with Nina. Discovering her dreams of becoming a screenwriter, Ari pushes Nina to shoot for her dreams once more, and slowly but surely, the two grow more fond of each other — more than Nina is sure she's prepared for. Grappling with the scars of her past, Nina strives to find herself in time to save the first relationship that's made her believe in love.

Release date: Feb. 21

Falon Ballard's "Just My Type" pits relationship monogamist and writer Lana Parker against her ex-boyfriend in a writing competition that upends their usual beats. As the relationship columnist at her magazine, Lana's always had a partner at her side, until her boyfriend dumps her, leaving her heartbroken and without any material for her next column. When her boss suggests that Lana pivot to writing about being single, the challenge is upped when freelance writer and Lana's ex-boyfriend Seth enters the equation with a similar offer from her boss to write about finding a serious relationship after years of writing about the bachelor life. On the line is the opportunity for a dream job, but only one can win. As these unlikely coworkers slowly develop into something more, Lana and Seth's professional aspirations may take a backseat to love.

Release date: Feb. 7

Anonymous pen pals unknowingly become neighbors in Kristina Forest's "The Neighbor Favor." Lily Greene had finally found someone she could be herself with through her email exchanges with her favorite author, though she never really knew his identity because of his pen name. But when he ghosts her, Lila grows frustrated with her romantic failures and is determined to find a date for her sister's upcoming wedding. Her new neighbor, Nick, seems like the perfect candidate to help her in the romance department, considering he's smart, beautiful, and charming. Nick agrees to find Lila a date, but when he puts together that she was the email partner he had fallen for before going radio silent, he realizes setting her up with someone else could mean losing her for good. Forest dazzles in this sweet friends-to-lovers story with a twist.

Release date: Feb. 28

The fourth book in Katee Robert's "Dark Olympus" series, "Radiant Sin" follows retells the Greek myth of Apollo and Cassandra with a modern twist. It follows Cassandra Gataki, who is asked by the god Apollo to go undercover and attend a party with him as his plus-one. Their fake relationship escalates — and so does the heat.

Release date: Feb. 7

In Kristina Forest's "The Neighbor Favor," a shy book lover named Lily asks her neighbor to help her out with getting a date to her sister's wedding. What she doesn't know is that her neighbor, Nick, is actually the mysterious fantasy author she's been corresponding with via email for months — who recently ghosted her for reasons she can't understand. Meanwhile, Lily dreams of becoming a children's book editor, while Nick struggles with his own reasons for staying isolated, and inevitably, romance ensues.

Release date: Feb. 28

Breakout author Ali Hazelwood offers readers the ultimate deep dive into her successful STEM-inist novellas with her collection "Loathe to Love You." The three-in-one collection includes Hazelwood's 2022 digital releases brought to print for the first time, which all share the beloved enemies-to-lovers theme. The collection consists of the roommates-to-lovers romance "Under One Roof"; "Stuck With You," a fun play on the "locked in a room together" trope; and a wintery romance called "Below Zero." The collection also boasts a new exclusive chapter for readers craving more of Hazelwood's signature witty and charming novels. This collection will delight Hazelwood fans, new and old.

Release date: Jan. 3

Hitch a broomstick ride back to the magical universe of The Witches of Thistle Grove with Harper's third installment to the series, "Back in a Spell." Pansexual witch Nineve Blackmoore is over being heartbroken after her fiancée abandoned her at the altar, so she takes to every modern witch's go-to mode of finding love: dating apps. Her venture leads her to nonbinary Morty Gutierrez and a date Nineve looks forward to forgetting. Fate has other plans for the mismatched duo, though, as Morty soon develops their own powers and Nineve awakens to her own powers growing powerful beyond her control. The only explanation would be a magical connection the equivalent of marriage. Still, Nineve is convinced that's not what's happening — even if Morty seems to be the only person who truly sees her. Instead, they might be the first person to help her move on from the pressure of being a Blackmoore witch.

Release date: Jan. 3

"Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute" marks Talia Hibbert's side-splittingly hilarious rom-com YA debut. Celine Bangura has two goals: (1) gain an internship under the tutelage of her lawyer idol so she can flex on her absentee father and (2) avoid her former best friend Bradley Graeme after he dumped her to focus on being their school's new hotshot soccer star. When Celine lands the internship, the last person she expects to see there, Bradley, has gained entrance too. During their internship experience set out in the wild, the pair stop making jabs at each other long enough to realize how much they've missed their friendship. Easing back into a friendship and potentially something more, Celine will have to overcome the insecurities left by her father to make space in her life for bigger, better things.

Release date: Jan. 3

Playfully using the tried and true methods of rom-com classics, Jayne Denker's referential "The Rom-Com Agenda" is for anyone who's ever wished their life could be a rom-com. Willow Cove, New York, has nothing left for Leah Keegan to stay for, and raising funds to get out of town is her main priority. When she encounters Eli, a man attempting to bounce back from a proposal rejection, she convinces herself the sparks she feels between them are all in her head and uses the guidance of her favorite rom-coms to transform Eli into a perfect leading man for his would-be fiancee. But going from dud to stud only further fuels the attraction between Leah and Eli, and wedding bells may be around the corner, but the question is who will be the couple that makes it to the altar. Release date: Jan. 10

Lauren Kung Jessen's "Lunar Love" delivers a rivals-to-lovers tale for astrology fans. Olivia Huang Christensen is convinced she can find love in the stars for anyone except herself, even as the new owner of her family's Chinese zodiac–based matchmaking business. When she encounters Bennett O'Brien, the owner of ZodiaCupid, which takes her family's business concept online, Olivia must prove her family's tried and true methods beat Bennett's digital ones. So, Olivia and Bennett make a deal: they'll each find a match for each other, and whoever begins to catch real feelings loses. Upon meeting her match, Olivia is convinced she can win this deal; all she has to do is never admit that her business rival is the one who makes her feel like their love was written in the stars.

Release date: Jan. 10

No one loves a second chance romance more than bookstagrammer Tara Li Chen, the protagonist of Amy Lea's second Influencer book, "Exes and O's." Convinced the trope will lead her to the true love of her life, Tara decides to give her exes a second chance, rekindling old relationships to see what new sparks may arise. Her roommate, Trevor, doesn't see eye to eye with Tara when it comes to romance, but nonetheless becomes an ally in the ups and downs of revisiting former flames. During a livestream, audiences start to ship Trevor and Tara, forcing Tara to either continue down her beaten path toward her exes or give something brand new a chance.

Release date: Jan. 10

Kayla Olson's "The Reunion" begs the question: can former co-stars coming back together for a 20-year reunion resist the flame they lit as young starlets? Liv Latimer and Ransom Joel were beloved for their undeniable chemistry on screen as stars of the hit teen drama "Verge," but many don't know that the chemistry on screen was hard to resist IRL. Liv, never one for the spotlight, kept her feelings to herself, so the pair remained friends until a sudden fallout left their friendship fractured. Back on set together, Ransom is a movie star with the same old charm that makes falling into old routines feel too easy. But with social media chiming in with opinions on their dynamic and new castmates competing for their moment in the limelight, Liv and Ransom must decide between leaving what they had in the past or turning it into their new future.

Release date: Jan. 17

"A Guide to Being Just Friends" by Sophie Sullivan makes friendship a surprising hurdle. For Hailey, the hardworking owner of Get By the Cup salad shop, and Wes, a son of a recent divorce who's tired of dating, friendship should be easy. After a contentious first meeting, Wes makes an apology to Hailey. He soon discovers that despite his mantra of staying away from relationships, there's something about Hailey he can't help but want more of. And for Hailey, Wes provides warmth, but he's also a distraction from working on her business. Staying just friends is more complicated than it looks.

Release date: Jan. 17

Author of "Meet Cute" Helena Hunting brings charm, wit, and second chance romance in "Make a Wish." The most memorable experience Harley Spark has of her time as a nanny was with widower Gavin Rhodes and his daughter Peyton, until she almost kissed him. When Gavin quickly packed up his things and moved soon after their embarrassing moment, she took it as a sign and moved on to a new career. Nine years later, Gavin and Peyton walk back into her life, but this time it's Gavin who sees Harley in a new light, especially around her new boyfriend. Getting their connection back on track hits a standstill when wounds of the past come back to bite, and their wish for a new chance at love may go down in flames. Release date: Jan. 24

In Emma Lord's sweet YA romance "Begin Again," a first-year college student with a perfect plan must navigate her college experience when her plans fall through, and she finds her confidence shaken. Andie was disappointed when she received her rejection letter from Blue Ridge State, her dream school. When she gets the chance to transfer from her community college to Blue Ridge, it's her chance to get her life plan back on track. Her seemingly grumpy RA Milo is the only person who seems to know the right things to say when she needs it, and as Andie grapples with huge life changes, she'll learn there's beauty in starting over.

Release date: Jan. 24

"Behind the Scenes" by Karelia Stetz-Waters delivers a hopeful, romantic tale of two women unsure of what love has in store for them. Rose Josten enjoys her life as a business consultant, even though she can sense the crash of a midlife crisis wave coming her way. Upon meeting filmmaker Ash, however, the once beloved safety of her predictable life is traded in for a heartstopping romance she only wants more and more of. Ash can't deny how Rose makes her feel, but she isn't over a romantic disaster in her past that left her feeling wary of falling head over heels for anyone else. As they work together to get Ash's film financed, what's happening off-screen is what to watch.

Release date: Jan. 31

From the author that brought readers "Happily Ever Afters" and "One True Loves," Elise Bryant's YA novel "Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling" tackles the struggle of being one's true self. Becoming the star of a band is a new venture for 16-year-old Delilah, and she struggles with being at the forefront when she'd rather lay low in the background. Reggie loves everything nerd culture, especially D&D, but hides his passion from his family due to their judgment. Meeting on New Year's Eve, Reggie and Delilah find a kindred spirit with one another, and fate continues to draw them together with each holiday. As their connection deepens, they begin to confront the masks they've put on in their real lives while hoping that they can be their authentic selves with one another.

Release date: Jan. 31

Crackling with warmth and humor, Taleen Voskuni's debut, "Sorry, Bro," is an unmissable romance. Armenian American Nar just realized that, based on his proposal, she and her longtime boyfriend are not a match. With her mother's list of new Armenian candidates in her pocket, Nar heads to Explore Armenia, a series of Armenian events fostering a love of her culture. Amid the tempting food and delightful experiences, Nar can't seem to focus on any of the perfect men her mother picked out for her, finding herself focused on her beautiful new friend Erebuni instead. Their chemistry is undeniable, and Nar finally understands what it feels like to be loved and seen for who she is, but no one in her family knows she's bisexual. Erebuni is all she's ever wanted, but is Nar willing to risk upsetting her family's expectations? Or will the only person who she lets down be herself?

Release date: Jan. 31