Top New Romance Book Releases for 2026 (May - December)

One thing that you can always count on as a reader is that there will always be more book releases to look forward to. Rain or shine they continue to come, and honestly my list of must-reads for the rest of the year is already growing faster than me or my TBR can keep up with. Let me begin by saying that I am so beyond excited for the titles on this list, as these are the ones I'm personally counting down the days for as we slowly make our way into the second half of 2026. From sports romances to moody, atmospheric reads for the fall season, these are the stories I can't wait to get my hands on.

Hart's Landing by Melanie Harlow

Ten years ago, Mila Ferguson left Hart's Landing under a cloud of secrets and a devastating fire. Now, a crisis has brought her back to the one place she never wanted to see again, and right into the path of her former crush Everett McKean. Everette is now the town's charming mayor, and he's not about to let Mila slip away a second time. But as they start to rebuild what was broken, the truth about the night Mila left begins to surface. Will the secrets of the past burn down their chance at a future, or is coming home exactly what Mila needs to move forward?

Having read some of Melanie Harlow's other books, I am so excited to see her starting a brand new series! I'm always a sucker for the cozy small-town vibes she creates, but the plot of this one is almost giving romantic suspense, which has me completely intrigued. I can't wait to see how she balances the tension with that signature heart she brings to all her stories.

Get Hart's Landing May 12th by Clicking Here

First and Forever by Lynn Painter

Duffy Distefano is a die-hard football fan, but after a disastrous run-in with the team's mascot goes viral, she's suddenly the internet's favorite villain. To clear her name, she agrees to a live TV interview...only to be blindsided by the team's star tight end, Connor Cunningham. Their televised sparring match is so electric that the public quickly becomes obsessed, forcing the teams PR crew to stage a "fake" romance between them both to save face. But as the cameras stop rolling, Conner may come to realize that being with Duffy feels more real than any game he's ever played.

I was so lucky to be blessed with an ARC from the publisher, so I've actually already finished this one and really enjoyed it! It's such a cute, closed-door romance that fits perfectly into the cutesy sports romance genre. If you loved the book The Cheat Sheet, then I think you are going to adore this one. Click here to read my full spoiler-free thoughts!

Get First and Forever May 15th by Clicking Here

Fever Dream by Elsie Silver

Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is on a mission to save his family's farm, even if it means starring as the lead on a hit reality dating show, Romance Ranch. He's ready to give the performance of a lifetime, that is until he meets Julia Silva. She's the show's location consultant, his rival's little sister, and completely off-limits. As the cameras roll for the contestants, the real sparks are flying behind the scenes. Emmett will have to choose between the show that can save his legacy, or the woman who actually has captured his heart along the way.

I am beyond excited for this one! As a huge fan of Elsie Silver's cowboy romances, I'm always looking for that next fix of rugged charm and high stakes. I absolutely love the twist with the reality TV show plot, as it sounds like such a fun and chaotic backdrop for a romance. I can't wait to see how the sparks fly when the cameras aren't watching.

Get Fever Dream May 19th by Clicking Here

The Shippers by Katherine Center

JoJo Burton is officially done being "bad at love." After running out on her own disastrous wedding she comes up with a plan. Use her sister's destination wedding cruise to finally get closure with her first childhood crush. She even convinces her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wingman. The only problem? Cooper is the same guy who moved to London without a word four years ago, and the one who secretly broke her heart. Between shared cabins and fake flirting, JoJo is about to find out something that could change everything between them.

I actually couldn't wait to dive into this one, so I've already started reading my ARC from NetGalley! So far, it's proving to be a really fun read. Katherine Center always has a way of making her characters feel real, and I'm enjoying the chemistry as well as the cruise ship setting. I should be posting the full spoiler-free review soon, but if you are looking for a sign to add this to your TBR, then this is it!

Get The Shippers Here May 19th

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

Sophie Drear heads to Maine for a summer job restoring the grounds of a historic estate, but she may get way more than she bargained for. Between a hedge maze that seems to have a mind of it's own and a mysterious door that leads to a secret garden, complete with a very grumpy man trapped inside, Sophie's summer is going to be anything but quiet. With the estate's future at stake and the owner's inconveniently attractive nephew in the mix, Sophie will have to figure out how to make Lilymoor House bloom again before it's too late.

I am such a fan of the cozy, whimsical nature of Ashley Poston's books, and The Someday Garden sounds like it's going to fit that vibe perfectly. There's just something special about a magical atmospheric setting that makes a story feel so different. I'm especially intrigued by the secret garden aspect, and think this adds such a fun, mysterious layer to a summer romance. I have a feeling this one is going to make it onto my summer TBR.

Get The Someday Garden Here June 16th

The Final Score by Lana Ferguson

Jack Baker has finally made it back to the ice, only for a fresh injury to threaten his entire hockey career. While he begins to question who he is without the sport, his best friend's sister, Abby, moves into his spare room. Abby is currently dealing with her own massive fallout from a massive family scandal and is the last person who wants to fall for a "flightly" hockey player. But during their time living together, it becomes easier to open up, and they both realize they both are just trying to find their footing in the world. Who knows, maybe a temporary fling might be exactly what they both need.

I've loved the books I've read from this author in the past, so I have high hopes for this one! Lana Ferguson always delivers on the chemistry, and I just know this story is going to have all the spice I yearn for in a sports romance. Between the hockey setting and the roommates to lovers set-up, I'm expecting lots of tension and some seriously steamy moments. I can't wait to see if Jack and Abby's off the ice connection is as electric as it sounds!

Get The Final Score Here July 7th

Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Ramona Wilder is ready to trade stadium tours for textbooks. After a lifetime of being a child star and pop icon, she's quitting the industry at twenty-six to try a normal life as a college student. Her first challenge? Her professor, Nick Navarro. He's recently divorced, and determined to treat her like any other student. But Ramona finds making her easygoing professor lose his cool is her definition of fun, and as they get closer she may realize that normal life for her might just include a complicated off-limits romance.

I remember loving Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon when I read it a few years ago, so I'm excited to see what she brings us with this new story. The premise definitely has caught my attention with a burnt out pop-star trying to find herself in a college classroom, and is exactly the kind of "fresh start" story I love to read. Plus, i'm intrigued by the taboo relationship between a student and a professor, as I think this will make the romantic tension even more intense.

Get Extracurricular Here July 14th

Embrace by Bal Khabra

Kian Ishida is headed for the NHL, but he has one last goal to hit before he goes: finishing his degree to honor his late father's wishes. In order to do this, he joins a study group and immediately hits it off with the brilliant (and beautiful) Scarlett Kilner. The only problem? He has no idea that she's the coach's daughter. Scarlett is determined to keep her senior year drama-free to protect her father's reputation with the school, but Kian makes staying professional nearly impossible.

I recently finished Collide and am slowly making my way through the series in order to be ready for this newest release in August. Let's be real, who doesn't love a good hockey romance? This one is sure to have all the intense hockey moments we long for, as well as the fun element of the taboo nature of dating the coach's daughter. Plus we can't forget that forced proximity element with the study group. 

Get Embrace Here August 4th

Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison

Darcy Moore is a Grim Reaper who is officially tired of death. Instead of dragging her next soul to the underworld, she decides to save him, but her plan hits a major snag in the form of Gabriel Aetos. He's a Guardian Angel who runs a bar, and doesn't exactly welcome Reapers into his space. As Gabriel comes to realize Darcy isn't the villain he expected, they must both decide whether they can trust each other before the Department of Hauntings & Spirits comes looking for their missing Reaper.

The first book in this series Good Spirits was the book that completely turned around my reading year in 2025. After months of searching for a new favorite, that book was my only five-star read of the year, literally only having read it days before the new year! Because of this, I am so beyond excited for Grim Tidings. The premise sounds so spooky and exactly like the kind of atmospheric, high-stakes, magical story that I'll want to be curled up with heading into spooky season.

Get Grim Tidings Here September 15th

Prey For Me by Allie Oleander

Caine and Margot have a tradition: every year they place a wager to see if Caine can build a haunt scary enough to actually rattle her. This year, the stakes are even higher than ever before, because Caine doesn't just want to win the wager, he also wants Margo. But while Caine is busy trying to haunt her for fun, a dangerous shadow from Margot's past is stalking her for real. Now Caine must show everyone that if anyone is going to hunt Margot, it's going to be him.

This book is for my dark romance girlies! I really enjoyed the first installment in this series, and am excited to see what happens next. If you are looking for a story on the grittier side of romance with a spooky atmosphere, then you'll definitely want to add this series to your TBR.

Get Prey For Me Here September 22nd

Conclusion

Whether you're in the mood for a protective hockey hero, a whimsical secret garden, or a dark romance with a spooky setting, it's clear that 2026 is shaping up to be an incredible year for books. I'm looking forward to every single one of these releases and can't wait to share my full reviews with you all once they land on my shelves. 

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg of books coming out! There are so many other titles on my radar that didn't quite make the list, including my absolute top anticipated releases of the year: acotar books 6 and 7. These newest editions to the series are officially coming out in October and November, and I've of course already pre-ordered my copies! I decided not to include them in my list since we don't have official titles or those beautiful cover reveals just yet, but the hype is very real.

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