The most recommended new romance books

Who picked these books? Meet our 168 experts.

168 authors created a book list with a new romance book, and here are their favorites. 

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What type of new romance book?

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Book cover of One Moment

Cressida McLaughlin Author Of The Happy Hour

From my list on romance books where time is important.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a voracious reader of romantic fiction, and Iā€™m always drawn in by books where time plays an important role. I love it when the characters have limited time and are on a countdown, or time is stretched out between their interactions, or when one single moment changes the course of their lives so completely. It always adds so much conflict and drama to a plot, as if time is a character in itself: itā€™s such a big thing in all our lives, but itā€™s also, in some respects, completely arbitrary. I love all these books because time and timing have such a big impact on the characters. 

Cressida's book list on romance books where time is important

Cressida McLaughlin Why did Cressida love this book?

I found this book so emotional: a book that deals with such difficult subjects and has heartbreak in it but is so uplifting, too.

Scarlet is killed in an accident and has to watch the people she loves deal with the aftermath. I thought Evieā€™s grief was so real, and I was desperate for her to find happiness again after losing her best friend. I am always drawn to a love story that seems impossible, and this one had me on the edge of my seat as Nate is drawn to Evie, but their happy ever after seems so out of reach.

I cried a lot but finished it full of joy and with a renewed desire to live life to the fullest. 

By Becky Hunter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked One Moment as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This heart-wrenching read about friendship, love, and loss tells the story of a woman grieving the death of her best friend and learning to embrace a future she never imaginedā€”perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Josie Silver. 

One moment in time can change everything...

The day Scarlett dies, her hopes and dreams for the future die with herā€¦or so she thinks. Because sheā€™s still hereā€”wherever here isā€”watching the ripple effect of her death on the lives of those she loved the most. Sheā€™d do anything to go back and join the living, especially Evie, her best friend who needsā€¦


Book cover of The Sweetest Revenge

Beth Morrey Author Of Clover Hendry's Day Off

From my list on books set in the world of television.

Why am I passionate about this?

I worked in television as a development producer for twenty years, designing game shows, reality shows, formatted documentaries, all sorts of programming. One of the prerequisites of working in telly is to watch a lot of it, and that has always been a joy for me, as I love the medium. Even after I left the profession to become an author, Iā€™ve retained my passion for the small screen and write a regular blog on what Iā€™m watching. So, for me, a combination of books and television is something to be savored and celebrated. 

Beth's book list on books set in the world of television

Beth Morrey Why did Beth love this book?

Lizzy Dentā€™s books nail that winning combination of funny and heartfelt. I loved Lizzyā€™s debut, The Summer Job, as itā€™s such a great mix of witty and audacious, but full of warmth too.

This book, her latest, has the same ingredients: an outrageous opening, a luscious romance, and a thorny workplace situation. Her prose is sharp, the jokes keep coming, and her characters are people you want to hang out with. Plus, the revenge really is sweetā€¦

By Lizzy Dent,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sweetest Revenge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

ā€œI love, love, love Lizzy Dent.ā€ā€”Emily Henry, author of People We Meet on Vacation and Happy Place

Bridesmaids meets Emily in Parisā€”in Londonā€”in this hilarious and heartfelt story of one handsome neighbor, one no-good ex, and the summer Amy Duffy makes the comeback of her life.

Her past is a mess. But her present is about to get delicious.

Amy is more than one disastrous night of drunken revenge on her boss/ex-boyfriendā€™s Audiā€”the night that tanked her rising TV producer career and led to a hasty move to London for a fresh start. She is thirty years of awesomeness. Atā€¦


Book cover of The Sinner's Penance

Sophia Soames Author Of White Noise

From Sophia's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Obsessive fangirl Wannabe professional baker Can play the violin Pretends to be artistic Professional traveller

Sophia's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

KC Carmine has a certain European flair to all of her stories, a quality I appreciate as a reader. I also love how she pushed boundaries and elegantly mixes love and attraction with a heady dose of light-hearted kink.

As the title suggests here, this book features a man disguised as a priest, a besotted parishioner in need of a good seeing to, and no romance would be complete without a mafia backstory and some villains to throw in the mix.

I really, really enjoyed this steamy romp of a M/M romance, and itā€™s one of the books that stood out the most for me this year because it was different, quirky, and kept me on my toes.

Book cover of The Wrath

Laura Hunsaker Author Of Dark Past

From my list on books where the hero falls in love first.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a reader, and with Irish and Scottish families, Iā€™ve grown up hearing beautiful stories of magic and the fair folk. When I discovered romance novels, I was able to combine my love of happily ever afters and the myth and legend of my childhood. I even took classes on the Mythology of Ireland and Britain while I was obtaining my degrees. With a specialty in British Literature, I have been able to ensure my stories, while full of myth and magic, are also steeped in historical accuracy. The lush and vivid descriptions in my stories are paired with magic and time travel, with every story leaving the reader satisfied with the happily ever after the characters have earned.

Laura's book list on books where the hero falls in love first

Laura Hunsaker Why did Laura love this book?

I am recommending this book as one of the best books where the hero falls in love first because itā€™s not your typical love at first sight, or the hero falls first trope.

When Rathbone realizes heā€™s in love with Neeka, itā€™s a turning point in the book. So many things fall into place for him with that realization. And in that moment, he knows he needs her to love him back. 

By Gena Showalter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Wrath as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a new book in the tantalizing Rise of the Warlords series, featuring a brutal Hell king and the irresistible beauty who upends his world.


For centuries, Rathbone the Only, King of Agonies, has existed for one purpose: recovering the enchanted bones of his slain wife to bring her back to life. He's never been closer to success. But a new enemy has risen. A band of deadly war gods who have thirty days to destroy her or suffer the consequences. With time running out, Rathbone hires a maddening harpy-oracle, unaware sheā€¦


Book cover of The Calling

Lydia Ruanna Author Of The Goddess Binding

From my list on fantasy set in divided worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

My reading habits came from my mom, a voracious reader. Every book she enjoyed she would leave on my bedside table. Iā€™d read them after school until I fell asleep and finish them up in the morning before breakfast. All of that reading allowed me to hone in on my preferred genre. If you havenā€™t guessed by my list, itā€™s dystopian. No matter the story, it will never get old because it will always have three things: Self-discovery, hope, and an intriguing world to explore. In the rare lull between books, when I canā€™t find a world I like, I write one for myself.

Lydia's book list on fantasy set in divided worlds

Lydia Ruanna Why did Lydia love this book?

I loved reading this book for the same reason that I loved reading Divergent; the idea of splitting a society up into factions makes this story ripe for dystopian themes.

Iā€™ve always been drawn to this genre for its common themes of self-discovery and hope, and this does an amazing job of checking off those boxes for me.

By L.C. Pye,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Calling as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Answering the calling may be the last thing she does.

For thirty years, the people of Landore have been segregated by the five callings, living in disunity and isolation.

But for 18-year-old Talia Caffrey choosing one of the five is her hope at finding a place in a society that has rejected her. When her best friend, Jules, is kidnapped on the eve of her calling ceremony, everything changes. She walks away from her chance at belonging, becoming a fugitive who must hide her true self.

Taliaā€™s life becomes even more complicated when she encounters seven strangers who challenge everythingā€¦


Book cover of The Trio

Freddie Gillies Author Of Because All Fades

From my list on love and friendship set in Europe.

Why am I passionate about this?

The best fiction explores complex relationships between friends and lovers. Iā€™ve been fascinated by this for as long as I can remember because love and friendship are the cornerstones of human existence. As concepts, they give life meaning yet can also take it away. They bring us together but can also leave us estranged. The sun-soaked cities of Europe have for so long been playgrounds for young lovers and friends, enjoying both the best of life and the most melancholy. I love traveling Europeā€“the grandeur, the romance, the happy-sad sentiment of it all. It embodies the topic and makes for the most beautiful setting.

Freddie's book list on love and friendship set in Europe

Freddie Gillies Why did Freddie love this book?

The Trio captures the essence of friendship and love and the coexisting yet diametrically opposed social anxieties that can accompany them. This is why I love this bookā€“love is presented as complex, challenging, and fraught with more that is unsaid than actually expressed.

I also love this book because it expresses love as a real feeling, something that is experienced but not always easy to explain (or get along with). The characters are relatable, honest, and flawed, yet likable. The book is also set in beautiful locationsā€“Stockholm, Paris, Londonā€“which makes it beautiful to read.

By Johanna Hedman, Kira Josefsson (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Trio as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BERNARD SHAW PRIZE 2023

Elegant, mature and richly atmospheric, a bittersweet love story glimpsed through the veil of memory

'The love child of Normal People and Brideshead Revisited... Sublime and elegiac' Francesca Reece

'[A] heady mix of hope and nostalgia, of desire and regret, of new love and lost love' Sunday Times

Thora, August and Hugo come from different worlds. One is an art school dreamer, one a wealthy scion of the old-world elite, and one an ordinary boy from out of town. But over the course of two sky-blue summers in Stockholm, they are drawn togetherā€¦


Book cover of Mighty Millie Novak

VP Anderson Author Of Blood City Rollers

From my list on team spirit for the girls, gays, and theys.

Why am I passionate about this?

For as long as I can remember, Iā€™ve yearned to be part of a BFF-ship, like Anne Shirley-Cuthbert searching for her Diana Barry or Nancy Drew seeking her crewmates Bess and George. As I grew, I realized what I really wanted was to be part of something bigger than myself, working toward a common goal and solving problems bravely and creatively. In any given role, Iā€™ve sought to find the best possible team for the job. Now that Iā€™m a full-time creator, Iā€™ve continued to prioritize people and collaborative practice over any given outcome. Sometimes, we win, sometimes we learn. But the important thing is that we try/learn together.

VP's book list on team spirit for the girls, gays, and theys

VP Anderson Why did VP love this book?

Though this fabulous new addition to the roller derby kidlit genre doesnā€™t come out until August, I was lucky enough (by nature of my derby community membership) to get a sneak peek, and am proud to say that Holden has taken a ā€œnovelā€ approach to enthusiastically recruiting the next generation of great roller derby players with relatable and nuanced skill.

IMO, tackling timely and relevant topics like social anxiety and family dysfunction along with team dynamics means taking a brave, 360 degree approach to the complex lives of todayā€™s teens, however they roll. 

By Elizabeth Holden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mighty Millie Novak as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Social anxiety, her parentsā€™ divorce, and messy friendships wonā€™t stop Millieā€™s pursuit of what she wantsā€”in roller derby or in love. But her own lies might . . .

Sixteen-year-old Millie Novak is stuck in an ā€œif onlyā€ rut. If only she were stronger and faster, maybe her roller derby teammates would take her seriously. If only she had the guts to go back to in-person learning, maybe sheā€™d have a social life. If only she weren't such an awkward mess, maybe she could get the attention of that cute girl on the all-star derby team. And donā€™t get herā€¦


Book cover of Into the Tide

Stella Holt Author Of Battle of Hearts

From my list on romance with siblings, strong women, & sweet heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been reading romance since I was a teenager; historical, modern, fantasy, you name it, I devoured it. Give me all the books with epic love stories, will they or wonā€™t they, and happily ever afters. Although I didnā€™t tell anyone besides my mom about my writing for years, I canā€™t remember a time when I wasn't crafting my own love stories. In my books, I like to keep my readers guessing and challenge assumptions about people and what love can accomplish. The best romance stories include heartbreak and misunderstandings along the way, but that makes the endings that much sweeter. Happy Reading XO

Stella's book list on romance with siblings, strong women, & sweet heroes

Stella Holt Why did Stella love this book?

I am a sucker for a brotherā€™s best friend romance, maybe because I have an older brother and I was always crushing on one of his friends.

A forbidden romance with a good guy gives us that added element ofā€¦ will they get caught. If youā€™re like me, you canā€™t wait for that scene when our Hero and Heroine do get caught and hold your breath while we read how everyone reacts! Enjoy this one.

By Laura Pavlov,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Into the Tide as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

**AN AMAZON TOP 20 BESTSELLER**


She's my best friend's little sister. Completely off-limits. But every man has his breaking point.


Lila James is my best friend's little sister and I've always looked out for her.

She's five years younger than me, and when she left for college, she was just a kid.

But now she's home for the summer-and she's definitely not a kid anymore.

She's beautiful and smart and everything I didn't know I needed.

Dark eyes. Long wavy hair. And legs that are meant to be wrapped around me.

I'm the guy who likes to have a goodā€¦


Book cover of The Soldier's Refuge

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy Author Of At Face Value

From my list on the lessons learned by triumphant heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m the daughter of an Army drill sergeant, widow of an Air Force veteran, granddaughter, niece, and cousin to veterans who served during both World Wars, in Vietnam, and beyond. I am a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. One of my grandfathers suffered from PTSD and Iā€™ll never forget a moment in my childhood when during a family picnic to welcome home my cousin from Vietnam, a car backfired in the street, and he dived under a picnic table for cover since days earlier heā€™d been in a war zone. Iā€™ve visited VA hospitals where bitter veterans taunted each other for being a ā€œcrippleā€ and broke my heart.

Lee Ann's book list on the lessons learned by triumphant heroes

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy Why did Lee Ann love this book?

This is the most recent of the books Iā€™ve picked, just released in May 2023. When I read the jacket blurb, I knew Iā€™d have to read it since it was another story about a troubled veteran suffering from PTSD and a woman forced by circumstances to return to her hometown.

I like second-chance romance stories and thatā€™s an element here, along with Jaxā€™s PTSD issues. Heā€™s isolated himself from most people except a few family members, but some old sparks ignite when Natalie returns home. Jax needs to find some forgiveness and redemption before he can move forward and thatā€™s where Natalie comes in.

By Sabrina York,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Soldier's Refuge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When two friends rediscover one anotherā€¦

It might be for keeps.

Natalie Tuttle fled her hometownā€”and its humiliationsā€”for big-city life. When she must return after her mother falls ill, the last person she wants to see is Jaxon Stringfellow, the onetime friend who shattered her heart. But military veteran Jax is so much more than the boy he once was. And heā€™s coming to terms with his own demons. Can Nat grant him the forgiveness he seeksā€¦and so much more?

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

The Tuttle Sisters of Coho Cove

Book 1: Theā€¦


Book cover of Battle Song

Matthew Harffy Author Of A Day of Reckoning

From Matthew's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Rock star Writer Cowboy Viking Podcaster

Matthew's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Matthew Harffy Why did Matthew love this book?

I loved how this book captured the feeling of what life must have been like in the Middle Ages.

What separates mediocre historical fiction from great historical fiction is a true sense of authenticity, and Battle Song has that in spades. The characters are deep and engaging, but their outlook on the world is not modern.

Surrounded by casual violence, and pervasive religious and racial bigotry, the hero, Adam de Norton has to navigate his way along a dangerous path from lowly squire at tournaments across Europe to a knight in battle in a bloody uprising on British soil in the bookā€™s epic conclusion. I canā€™t wait for the sequel!

By Ian Ross,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Battle Song as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A very promising historical adventure' - THE TIMES

'A terrific novel' - HISTORIA MAGAZINE

***

'There is a fury in England that none shall suppress - and when it breaks forth it will shake the throne'

1264

Storm clouds are gathering as Simon de Montfort and the barons of the realm challenge the power of Henry III. The barons demand reform; the crown demands obedience. England is on the brink of civil war.

Adam de Norton, a young squire devoted to the virtues of chivalry, longs only to be knighted, and to win back his father's lands. Then a bloodyā€¦


Book cover of One Moment
Book cover of The Sweetest Revenge
Book cover of The Sinner's Penance

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