Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from 13 Little Love Stories: An Anthology Inspired By Taylor Swift Songs, which releases on June 30th 2026.

If you could live inside one Taylor Swift song for a day, which would you pick? In this shimmering anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors do just that, reimagining some of Taylor’s most iconic songs as love stories. 

Whether you’re in an era of fairy lights and folktales or diss tracks and dance floors, here’s a playlist that features all the hits: The soaring high note of first love. The minor key of heartbreak. And the steady rhythm of true friendship and self-discovery.

As clever and unforgettable as the songs that inspired them, these stories are sure to play on repeat in your head and your heart. 

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The post Read An Excerpt From ’13 Little Love Stories: An Anthology Inspired By Taylor Swift Songs’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and first chapter from First and Forever by Lynn Painter, which releases on May 12th 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.

When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of a PR nightmare, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, a strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. But he quickly discovers being with Duffy is much easier than he anticipated, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. This secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.

Oozing with chemistry that feels like fireworks and banter that makes you swoon, Lynn Painter delivers her signature blend of heart and humor in this love story that you won’t soon forget.

1
Duffy

“Are you ready, Ms. Distefano?”

Was I ready? I kind of wanted to throw up and my entire body was shaking, so yes—I was as ready as I’d ever be. For someone who hated public speaking and avoided it at all costs— my career choice is tax accounting, hello—it was surreal that I was about to willingly go onto a stage and be interviewed in front of an audience.

My entire life had become surreal as of late.

“Yes,” I said, nodding and getting out of the green room chair, ready to follow the intern to my idea of hell on earth. “I’m ready.”

“Wait!” my dad said in a rushed panic, stopping his nervous pacing to hold up a hand and speak like he was trying to convince a hit man to spare his life. He’d insisted on accompanying me because he was certain without his guidance I would “sink us even deeper,” and his face was so serious it was almost comical when he leaned in close and said, “Duffy Distefano, this moment is of the utmost importance. I don’t care how much it hurts, you gotta dig deep and conjure up sweet. Pin on a smile and pretend to be freaking perky, you got me? You know I love you, kid, but don’t be yourself this time—there’s too much at stake.”

“Oh, that’s really nice, Dad,” I said, my heart beating out of my chest as the studio audience applauded about something on the other side of the curtain. My father was the only reason I was doing this. If it were just me, I’d accept my fate as a pariah and go underground forever, but being excluded from Sundays was killing him.

Minneapolis Coyote football—and being a season ticket holder—was part of his identity.

The man had proposed to my mother at a Coyote game while buzzed and wearing face paint, for God’s sake.

So when someone from the Kel and Kell in the Morning show called the house a few days ago and offered me the chance to tell my side of the story, my dad called them back (without asking me first) and accepted on my behalf.

“‘Don’t be yourself’ is exactly what every child wants to hear from a parent during a stressful moment,” I said, trying to take deep breaths through my nose. “Very reassuring. Thank you so much.”

“Come on, you know you suck at people,” he said with a smirk.

He wasn’t wrong, so I just kissed his cheek and said, “Get out of my way so I can do this, old man.”

I went around him and followed the intern, shaking out my numb fingers while desperately hoping I wouldn’t fall down or pass out or get struck in the face with another hot dog because that shit was getting old.

And yes, the word “another” was actually applicable in this instance. I’d been pelted with so many concession snacks over the past two weeks that I could probably nail a blindfolded test where I had to name which treat was bouncing off my forehead or which beverage was being thrown on me.

That’s a corn dog. That’s popcorn. That slime is the butter from a superpretzel.

Not only is that beer, but it’s the fall seasonal IPA that they serve only at the north end concession stand.

We stopped at the edge of the curtain and waited, and as soon as Kel said the words “Please welcome Duffy Distefano,” the intern gestured for me to move and I was walking out onto the stage.

Surprisingly, I didn’t hear a single boo as I went straight for one of the two stools sitting beside the sports talk show duo; I’d gotten used to being booed everywhere I went, so this applause was refreshing (but still terrifying). So far I’d been booed on the bus, booed at my cousin’s high school football game, and I’d even been booed by some rando at Sunday Mass, although my dad gave the entire congregation his slow-searching I will find and destroy you scowl which made the booer go radio silent.

The guy probably started praying my father—and my three brothers—wouldn’t find him.

So why does the general population of the Twin Cities hate me, you ask?

Because they’d witnessed me “brutally attacking” Coyote Carl, the NFL team’s beloved mascot, on national TV.

It was such bullshit.

Had I knocked him down? Yes.

Had I meant to? Also yes. Had he deserved it? Hell, yes.

The oversized furball had stopped right in front of my seat to dance when the season opener was in overtime. It was third and one while his costumed ass did the Macarena and blocked my view, and when I tapped him and asked him to move—three times, for the record—instead of moving, he hugged me.

Which did nothing to improve my visibility of the field.

And as I struggled to break free of Carl’s suffocating clinch, one of his gloved hands grabbed my ass.

Hard. As in, not an accident.

So I pushed that mangy pervert, which was a completely ap- propriate response.

Unfortunately, he lost his balance and toppled over backward, tumbling down quite a few of the steep stadium stairs. Like, a lot of stairs.

And he took out a popcorn vendor on his way down (which later led to the crazy-viral meme of his barrel roll set to “Rollin’” by Limp Bizkit).

Yes, the jumbotron cameras captured my “violent outburst” just as it happened (though they missed the ass grab), so I was now the villain, public enemy number one—God help me— Football Karen.

Especially because we went on to lose that game.

Our star tight end who never made mistakes dropped a perfectly thrown pass just before time expired, but instead of blaming him for the loss, the entire city of Minneapolis was blaming me for giving the team “bad mojo.”

Apparently, I’d cursed the Coyotes.

It was absurd and ridiculous, but I was slightly terrified to think what could happen if Minnesota had a shitty season.

We might have to move states.

“Welcome, Duffy,” Kel said with a blindingly white grin, crossing her legs as I sat down. “You’ve had an interesting couple of weeks, yes?”

“You could say that,” I said, and of course the microphone screeched in a way that made everyone cringe and cover their ears.

Fabulous. The way to Minneapolis’s forgiveness is definitely to damage their eardrums.

“Well, we want to hear all about it,” Kell said, his bright smile matching that of his cohost wife’s. “But first, we’re going to bring out another guest so we can discuss it together.”

Oh, God. Were they going to bring out Carl? I’d memorized all the nicey-nice things my dad wanted me to say in hopes of making us marginally less hated, but I had no idea how to play a conversation with the pervy mascot who’d ruined my life.

“Who is it?” I asked a little too intensely, wondering if I’d be able to deny the urge to push him again if he dared show his snout in front of me. “Who’s here?”

Kel shot me a weird look, as if she hadn’t expected me to respond like someone on the edge.

Am I sweating?

“You’re about to find out,” Kell interjected through his cheesy smile, his eyes slightly widened like he was worried—or excited—that I was about to have a meltdown. “Friends, can we give it up for Coyotes tight end Connor Cunningham?”

My mouth dropped wide open—I caught a glimpse of it on one of the many monitors mounted around the studio—as the crowd went wild and Connor Freaking Cunningham walked out onto the stage. Kel and Kell stood, so I stood, too, and I watched in disbelief as the man who’d single-handedly delivered my fantasy football championship last year grinned and shook Kel’s hand.

Connor Cunningham was a massive human. Six five, 260 pounds, with size 15 feet and a hand size of 9.63 inches. I’d seen him on the field at every single home game, and on our TV for every away game, yet still he somehow looked even more enormous as he stood there within point-blank range of my eyeballs. He was wearing a red Coyotes pullover and dark jeans, very casual compared to his usual suited-up high-fashion pregame fit, yet he still appeared wildly stylish compared to my Amazon Basics black cardigan, long black skirt that I borrowed from my neighbor because my dad thought all my pants looked too “dodgy,” and three-year-old black flats that I’d Sharpied on the way to the studio to cover all the scuffs.

My dad and I had loved him since he’d been drafted by the Coyotes—the guy was a beast of a tight end—but we’d become superfans after he’d been the only person to sort of defend my actions.

At the press conference after the loss, when they showed him a clip of my “attack” on Coyote Carl and asked him about it, he laughed his ass off.

But when he stopped laughing, he said the most amazing thing.

Kind of makes you wonder what ol’ Carl did to deserve it, though, right? I didn’t see him ask for consent before the hug, so he might’ve deserved to get laid out.

I would never forget those words, because it felt like there was at least someone in the city who didn’t want to murder me for pushing down an oversized man-dog.

My breath caught in my throat when Connor looked at me, when he moved to shake my hand. Dear Lord, that is a handsome man. His blue eyes were all I could see as his big hand wrapped around my sweaty palm, and my breath was coming too fast as I attempted to speak but instead just moved my gaping mouth like a fish gasping for air . . . or water . . . How did fish breathe again?

The noise of the studio suddenly sounded far away, like I was in a bubble, and I felt light-headed and dizzy as Connor released my hand.

“I can’t believe your hands actually are nine-point-six-three inches—” I breathed out, unsure why I was saying it out loud— Is the audience laughing?—but unable to stop my words because his hand was ginormous.

“Hey, are you okay?” he interrupted in that deep voice of his, his dark eyebrows furrowing together as he looked down at my face.

“—yet you still managed to drop that pass against the Raiders,” I continued, wondering why I sounded like I was slurring. “How is that even possible?”

His face froze in a look of surprise, and then he disappeared as everything went dark.

Excerpted from FIRST AND FOREVER by Lynn Painter, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2026

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘First and Forever’ by Lynn Painter appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If your romance-loving heart needs a good dose of swoon, then you’re in luck because 2026 holds many delightful new romance reads for you! Releasing between the months of January and June, you’ll see new releases from Julian Winters, Tessa Bailey, B.K. Borison, Ashley Herring Blake, Meghan Quinn, Falon Ballard, TJ Alexander, Abby Jimenez, Rainbow Rowell, Chloe Liese, Carley Fortune, Eloisa James, Katherine Center, Mazey Eddings, Ashley Poston, and many more, plus spectacular debuts too!

You’ll be sure to find quite a few exciting new reads within this list and be sure to check out our other 2026 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Anticipated YA Books and Anticipated Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books lists!

JANUARY 2026 ROMANCE BOOK RELEASES

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Sparks fly in this second chance m/m rom com when an unlucky-in-love event planner realizes the man-of-honor at the high profile wedding he’s planning is the same man who broke his heart.

Our Ex’s Wedding by Taleen Voskuni

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

Definitely Maybe Not A Detective by Sarah Fox

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide.

Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back with an all-new marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers sports romance about a baseball catcher and the burlesque club owner he can’t get out of his head.

Most Eligible by Isabelle Engel

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Miss Congeniality meets The Bachelor in this action-packed rom-com debut about an investigative journalist who sneaks onto reality TV only to fall for the wrong guy.

We’ve Hit Turbulence by Jessica L. Cozzi

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In this swoony young adult rom-com, things get bumpy when a girl gets stuck on a cross-country flight with her ex—as if flying couldn’t get any worse. . . .

Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

A Killer Kind of Romance by Letizia Lorini

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In this new romance from USA TODAY bestselling author Letizia Lorini, a crime podcast host must solve a chilling serial killer case while navigating an unexpected romance with her mysterious next-door neighbor.

Like In Love With You by Emma R. Alban

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Mean Girls meets Northanger Abbey in this brand new, sapphic, rivals-to-lovers Regency Romance by USA Today bestselling author Emma R. Alban!

Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Stephanie Burgis delivers another irreverent, sparkling, and sexy installment in the Queens of Villainy series, where a seductive fae queen meets her unexpected match in the enemy empire’s valiant general.

For Our Next Song by Jessica James

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The decade-long friendship between two rock goddesses is thrust into the spotlight after their mutual desire strikes a perfect—and very public—chord.

FEBRUARY 2026 ROMANCE BOOK RELEASES

Still Into You by Erin Connor

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Two exes reunite for a make-or-break interview that will either bring them back together … or drive them apart forever.

Game, Set, Match by Jennifer Iacopelli

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
She’s a tennis superstar on the rise. He’s the bad boy champ who broke her heart. When they meet on the court, their competition is hot—but their chemistry is even hotter.

Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

And Now, Back to You by B. K. Borison

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A small-town, opposites-attract romance about two people who end up with more feelings than they bargained for after pursuing a summer fling.

Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A summer job at a lake-town resort brings together two women with an unlikely connection in this new contemporary romance by USA Today bestselling author Ashley Herring Blake.

Skate It Till You Make It by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The weather might be icy, but the tension is red-hot in this fake―dating hockey rom―com from the author of Let the Games Begin.

Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

One & Only by Maurene Goo

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In Five Years meets a millennial The Joy Luck Club in the adult debut from the author of YA Reese Pick Throwback— a funny and fresh love story of a woman thrown a curveball by fate, and the family secret that will make her question everything.

Over and Over by Becky Hunter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A sweeping speculative romance following two soulmates who have met in past lives—but are still searching for their HEA—in this angsty novel, perfect for fans of Josie Silver and One Day.

Hunter’s Treasure by Olivia Jackson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A brand new spicy forced proximity action adventure romcom set on a desert island, perfect for fans of Christina Lauren, Jo Segura and Meghan Quinn.

How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl.

MARCH 2026 ROMANCE BOOK RELEASES

How to Write a Love Story by Catherine Walsh

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The newest book from bestselling author and Kindle Unlimited sensation Catherine Walsh, in which an ambitious editor travels to Ireland to help the daughter of a fantasy author legend complete her father’s final book, only to fall in love with her in the process.

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Cat Sebastian’s long-awaited foray into contemporary romance! A witty, emotional, and deliciously slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between two costars on a popular sci-fi television series.

Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Allegra Hart’s dream of becoming a principal ballerina is in doubt when a director doubts her allure. Seeking help from dancer Cord Donovan, she enters a dangerous partnership. As chemistry ignites and loyalties are tested, Allegra must choose between ambition, desire, and the life she’s built.

The Fortune Flip by Lauren Kung Jessen

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
This charming rom-com is filled with Chinese traditions, second chances, and a luck-changing love story that will appeal to readers of Helen Hoang, Jasmine Guillory, and Sarah Adams.  

The Bridge Back To You by Riss M. Neilson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

No Place Like You by Jillian Meadows

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Childhood friends turned high school rivals fall into a small-town fake dating scheme in this sweet, spicy, and utterly irresistible romance from the author of Give Me Butterflies.

To Cage A Wild Bird by Brooke Fast

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Enter the brutal world of Endlock, a prison where the wealthy hunt the inmates for sport. The first novel in an electrifying dystopian romance series, this high-octane debut about forbidden love, found family, and a fight for survival will leave you breathless.

A Lady for All Seasons by TJ Alexander

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the acclaimed author of Chef’s Kiss and A Gentleman’s Gentleman comes a riotous Regency romp, featuring a charming and unforgettable genderfluid lead.

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Things heat up on and off the court for two tennis rivals in this steamy debut gay sports rom-com, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Casey McQuiston.

Anderson In Bloom by Jennifer Dugan

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the author of Love at First Set, a hilariously sexy enemies-to-lovers, second-chance rom-com about a reclusive former child star turned florist whose quiet life is turned upside down when her annoyingly hot ex (and former costar) shows up in town, with plans to write a tell-all memoir.

The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the #1New York Times bestselling author of Say You’ll Remember Me comes a beautiful, compelling novel that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way.

In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Reese Remington, baseball’s first female owner, battles scrutiny while proving her worth. Focused and guarded, she clashes with Emmett Montgomery, a former star turned manager. Forced together, rivalry ignites chemistry. With careers and the team at stake, they struggle to resist feelings that could jeopardise everything during a high-stakes season.

APRIL 2026 ROMANCE BOOK RELEASES

Unbound by Peyton Corinne

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
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.

Fast Lane by C.S. Quill

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Flatshare meets Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series in this opposites-attract campus romance where a brooding bad boy and a heartbroken girl become reluctant roommates amid fast cars and faster chemistry.

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Can fake dating lead to real love? In Kasie West’s next sexy adult romcom two people must decide where the lie ends and the chemistry begins.

How to Fake It in Society by KJ Charles

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Bridgerton meets The Goldfinch in How to Fake It in Society, a stunning queer romance by rising genre star KJ Charles.

The Auction by Sadie Kincaid

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The queen of dark mafia romance, Sadie Kincaid, begins her new explosively sexy Wages of Sin series with The Auction. Beauty and the Beast meets organized crime in this tense slow-burn romance with scorching spice, thrilling suspense, and life-altering secrets. 

The Name Game by Beth O’Leary

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A man and a woman with the same name are looking for a fresh start only to discover they have landed the same job in this charming new romance by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
#1 New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell returns with a breathtakingly honest novel about a woman who lost everything — and isn’t sure she wants it back.

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From USA TODAY bestselling author Chloe Liese, a clever and heartwarming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Annabel Monaghan about two best friends who must fake a relationship for their exes.

Enemies to Lovers by Alisha Rai

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the author of Partners in Crime, comes a sparkling new adventure rom-com where a con woman and a lawman team up on an epic cross-country road trip to save their families…and each other. 

We Become Darkness by Grace Morrow

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A human and a Vampyr forge an unsteady alliance in this marriage-of-convenience romantic fantasy, perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and One Dark Window.

Our Rogue Fates by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
On the hunt for hidden treasure, two former best friends turned adversaries must put the past behind them if they hope to make it home. This childhood friends-to-lovers male/male romantic fantasy for fans of Tusk Love and Sara Raasch crackles with tension and heat.

Don’t Tell Me How It Ends by Adrienne Thurman

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A floundering twenty-something, who’s sworn off romance finds herself roped into her meddling sister’s matchmaking business—in this sparkling debut rom-com that asks: can we protect ourselves while falling in love?

MAY 2026 ROMANCE BOOK RELEASES

Broken Dove by Dani Francis

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In the heart-pounding sequel to the New York Times bestselling dystopian romance Silver Elite, lines will be crossed, loyalties will be tested, and the fight for the Continent is only just beginning as Wren Darlington finds herself caught in the middle of two wars: one for the fate of her home and another for the fate of her heart.

Soon by You by Dahlia Adler

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
27 Dresses meets The Intimacy Experiment in this sexy, emotional, opposites-attract rom-com set in New York City’s Modern Orthodox community.

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Best friends have one week in paradise to fix their friendship or fall apart in this heart-stopping, utterly romantic new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and One Golden Summer.

The Last Lady B by Eloisa James

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Lady B may have married Bluebeard; she may have fallen in love with a gorgeous, grumpy solicitor; she may have met a ghost and survived to tell the tale! New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Eloisa James delights with witty historical romance with a gothic twist.

Bromantasy by Máire Roche

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
BROMANTASY is a cozy, queer fantasy about the mortifying ordeal of being known by your totally platonic best friend and the epic quest that might force you to confront the truth.

By The Bootstraps by Alexa Martin

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A cowboy romance enthusiast discovers that everything’s bigger in Texas—even love—in this swoony novel from beloved author Alexa Martin.

The Shippers by Katherine Center

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.

First and Forever by Lynn Painter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A football star and his team’s die-hard fan find themselves entangled in a PR stunt—that only one side knows is fake—but it might just be the right play…

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A hardworking single mom returns to her seaside hometown and stumbles into a fake dating situationship with a wealthy, workaholic scion, from the New York Times bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script.

It Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Only Murders in the Building gets a rom-com twist in a laugh-out-loud mystery-romance following one woman who will have to pair up with an unlikely ally to solve a murder in their quaint New Jersey beach town.

Take Me with You by Steven Rowley

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In Take Me With You, Steven Rowley brings his resonant wit and emotional insight to an epic love story – an exploration of the forces that draw two people into the same orbit and the gravity that threatens to pull them apart.

The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
When two misfits discover they’ve inherited the same beach house, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways, in this hilarious and heartfelt rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.

JUNE 2026 ROMANCE BOOK RELEASES

Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A not-so-evil villain strikes a deal with a not-quite-perfect hero to fake a feud, boost their reputations . . . and try not to fall in love in the process—in this hilarious, tender, sexy, and outrageously fun romp that blends the humor of Assistant to the Villain with the unforgettable romance of Red, White, & Royal Blue and the cozy fantasy vibes of Legends & Lattes.

White Lights by Lauren Kate

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Kate, whose Fallen series has over 10 million copies in print and has sold over 11 million copies of her novels around the world, is returning to the romantasy world of angels that’s perfect for Fallen fans and new audiences alike.

You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings

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Cubby Clark is spiralling—her band is broken, her ex is famous, and inspiration is gone. As tabloids spin a love triangle and a summer tour amplifies tensions, Cubby and her best friend Darcy must confront buried feelings or risk losing each other and the music they love.

The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit

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Bridgerton meets Emily Henry in this fresh take on regency romance about a wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang who arranges her own marriage to the ultimate instructor: the town rake.

The Shrouded Queen by Ashley Tropea

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In the first book in this romantasy duology inspired by ancient Egyptian mythology, a slave and a princess switch places during an enemy attack, igniting parallel journeys of love and survival.

Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti

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A desperate debutante meets a ragtag smuggler in this sexy Regency romp by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti.

Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver comes the second book in the devilishly steamy Seasons of Carnage trilogy where dark romantic comedy meets thrilling suspense—and where love is ripe for ruin.

Witch Season by Julia Bianco

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Exhilarating, dangerous, and seductive, Witch Season is an action-packed and fiercely romantic contemporary fantasy from debut author and screenwriter Julia Bianco.

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

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The new head gardener at the enchanting Lilymoor House stumbles upon a secret garden . . . with a mysterious man trapped inside, in the next magical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Sounds Like Love and The Seven Year Slip.

The Missed Connection by Tia Williams

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New York Times bestselling author Tia Williams returns with an intensely romantic, deliciously sexy tale about a woman searching for her handsome seatmate on a European flight—and the unexpected places her hunt for love leads her.

The Open Era by Edward Schmit

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Austin Hardy’s Grand Slam debut makes history and headlines as the first openly gay competitor. With anxiety mounting and a complicated bond forming with rival Diego Cruz, Austin must fight pressure, expectations, and his own heart at the US Open.

Tropesick by Lauren Okie

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In this lush, slow-burning romance, two childhood neighbors, connected by a shared tragedy, unexpectedly reunite to ghostwrite a love story for a reclusive author. Spending the summer at her secluded Hamptons estate, they soon discover that dozens of classic romance tropes, including the ones they’re crafting on page, are mysteriously playing out in real life.

Will you be picking up any of these romance reads? Are there any others you’re looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below! Plus be sure to check back later in the year for our July to December picks!

The post Swoonworthy 2026 Romance Book Releases You Need appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Lynn! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I’m Lynn Painter and I lovelovelove reading, writing, and watching rom-coms.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I’ve always loved reading, and I spent my entire childhood daydreaming, weaving stories in my over-romantic brain, usually when it was supposed to be doing other things. I didn’t actually lock-in on the idea of writing, however, until after I was married with a houseful of kids! It took me a while to figure it all out, but I’m so glad it finally hit!

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Charlotte’s Web
• The one that made you want to become an author: Looking For Alaska
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Great Gatsby

Your latest novel, Fake Skating, is out September 30^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

I am not good at word economy, you guys! It’s snowy, fake-datey, he-is-so-into-her-even-though-he-doesn’t-want-to-be……see? SO TOO MANY WORDS!

What can readers expect?

It’s sports romance, but sandwiched-between childhood-friends-to-not-friends-anymore and a found-family vibe that centers around an entire town (that is obsessed with hockey).

Where did the inspiration for Fake Skating come from?

It started as me just wanting to write a YA hockey romcom, but when I went to MN to visit my cousins and do hockey research, I fell head-over-heels in love with the town where they live, the hockey culture, and the beautiful sense of place and community I felt while visiting.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Grandpa Mick is my favorite for sure!!!!!

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I had to learn a LOT about hockey, because it’s easy to know the “facts” and “rules” about a sport, but trickier to try and figure out the verbiage and way of thinking an actual player has about the sport.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on my next YA book, which is set in New York (in the fall because OF COURSE IT MUST BE, RIGHT?), so that’s something absolutely new for me. So exciting!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

I loved FALLING LIKE LEAVES by Misty Wilson and RULES FOR FAKE GIRLFRIENDS by Raegan Revord, and I just received a copy of JUST FRIENDS by Haley Pham that I am SO EXCITED to tear into!!

Will you be picking up Fake Skating? Tell  us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Lynn Painter, Author of ‘Fake Skating’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Maid for Each Other is a low-spice adult contemporary romance perfect for fans of authors like Sarah Adams, Christina Lauren, K.L. Walther, and B.K. Borison. This book deals with themes and topics like truth and lies, appearance versus reality, wealth and power, working class struggles, love and heartbreak, family, loss, societal norms, loneliness and isolation, and asthma.

I heard about Maid for Each Other when I was at a Lynn Painter signing event last year and it has been on by TBR list ever since; I loved the concept of a maid being mistaken for a millionaire’s girlfriend and being whisked into a weekend of luxury, it was super fun and very Maid in Manhattan! As always, Painter’s writing style is super easy to follow and flows really nicely, which I appreciate. Maid for Each Other also dove right into the action with almost no preamble at the beginning, which was great as it allowed me to get engaged in the story really quick. There were some super swoony moments, like the bookish gift that Declan buys for Abi, as well as some laugh out loud moments, such as Abi’s hysterical backstories for how her and Declan met. I thought that it was so cool that Abi decided to use the once-in-a-lifetime ritzy experiences that she was having with Declan as inspiration for her writing, plus not to mention the references to Taylor Swift and Gilmore Girls throughout!

One downside for me was that there was a lot of miscommunication in Declan and Abi’s story, which can be frustrating. The action and conflict wrapped up really quickly at the end and there was an expectation of a big reveal where Declan’s parents and coworkers inevitably found out about the fake dating ruse. The fact that we didn’t get to see this on-page felt like a missed opportunity.

Overall, Maid for Each Other was a very unique, fast-paced, and entertaining read that I would highly recommend adding it to your summer TBR lists!

Maid for Each Other is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 15th 2025.

Will you be picking up Maid for Each Other? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis 

A millionaire and a house cleaner are a match maid in heaven in this sparkling new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happily Never After.

As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great…until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.

Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right?

The post Review: Maid For Each Other by Lynn Painter appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Lynn Painter’s Accidentally Amy, which is out January 14th!

Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person. But when she’s running late for her first day at her dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” three times with no answer, she does the unthinkable.

Izzy takes that PSL.

It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only way further ahead in the queue—and she’ll take whatever bad karma is coming for her; she’s desperate and very late. But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his made-for-GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Karma who? Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising, until he says to her: “See you tomorrow, Amy.”

Izzy reasons she can just straighten things out the next day, no biggie. Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips—the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who does not find her explanation funny at all. But day by day, an attraction simmers between them and they’ll have to find a way to work together without ripping each other’s heads—or clothes—off.

I hitched the tote bag over my shoulder and headed for the elevators, feeling downright giddy over the way my first day was going so far. I’d spent all morning with my team, shadowing the HR generalist whose position I was filling, and it’d been—no joke—fun.

Seriously.

Everyone in the department seemed to get along, the work appeared to be challenging but not too stressful, and I actually had an (incredibly small) office with my name on the door.

And yes, I had already taken multiple photos.

In addition to that little nugget of fantasticality, Incite Fitness—the city’s hottest health club—was located on the twelfth floor of the building next door, and Ellis employees were able to use it for free. For. Free. So I’d just run three miles on the treadmill, showered, and brushed my teeth, which left me more than ready for part two of my amazing day.

As I walked down the hall, the elevator doors started to close. “Wait!” I yelled, just in case someone was listening and wanted to be nice. I expected nothing, so when a hand reached out and stopped the doors, I very nearly squealed with delight.

Could the day get any better?

“Thank you,” I sang as I ran over and hopped into the elevator.

“No problem,” the person inside said. “What fl—”

“Oh. My. God.” I stared at the guy and couldn’t believe my eyes. It was Mr. Chest from Scooter’s. In my elevator. I think my mouth was once again hanging open in his presence as I breathlessly managed to form the words “It’s you.”

He was still wearing his fancy suit, but the tips of his hair were wet, like he’d just showered, and I could smell his soap. He looked just as surprised to see me as I was to see him, but then his mouth turned up into one of those toe-curling, genuinely happy smiles that always bumped an exceptionally handsome man right up to a work of art. He said in that ridiculously deep voice, “Talk about your small world.”

The elevator doors slid closed, and he gestured with his thumb to the floor buttons.

“Oh. Yeah. Lobby, please,” I said, even though I was so shocked I could barely remember how to language. All morning, I’d been forcing myself not to think about Mr. Chest, be- cause not only did I need to focus on the new job, but also there was no way in hell a Scooter’s meet-cute would ever pan out into something real.

But now, here he was.

Dun-dun-duuuun.

“So, um,” he said. “Do you work around here, or do you belong to this gym?”

“I was working out because—” I started, but then he nodded and cut me off.

“Okay, I don’t normally do this sort of thing, but someone’s going to get on this elevator any minute now, so I have to talk fast.”

His expression was purposeful and intense, but his mouth was relaxed, like he was enjoying our encounter. I watched the numbers light up on the display over the doors as we descended.

Eleven, ten, nine . . .

Please don’t stop, please don’t stop.

“I know we’re strangers,” he said, his eyes so focused on me that I fought the urge to fix my hair or fidget with my lip gloss. “But—”

Eight, seven, six . . .

Talk faster before someone gets on! “I can’t stop thinking about—” Five, four, three . . .

I reached out and hit the emergency button behind him.

The elevator car jolted to a halt, which made Mr. Chest stop talking as I stumbled closer to him. Did I really just do that? I watched his eyes narrow a fraction, and a wrinkle appeared be- tween his brows.

“No, no—I’m not stopping for creepy reasons,” I said quickly, shaking my head and putting up my hands. “This isn’t a bunny- boiling, Silence of the Lambs situation, where I’m trying to have my way with you in an elevator or something. It’s just that I—”

“Fatal Attraction,” he interrupted.

“What?”

“The bunny boiling was in Fatal Attraction,” he repeated, and the wrinkle of concern disappeared as his mouth twitched. “Oh, right,” I agreed with a nod. “Well, this isn’t that situation, either. I just really want to hear what you have to say with- out reaching the ground floor first. That’s all this little stoppage

is about, I promise.”

“What I have to say . . .” He stepped a little closer, but not in an intimidating way. It was more . . . intimate. It reminded me of the way Darcy said, Mr. Wickham? and stepped closer to Elizabeth during his rain proposal in the hand-flex version of Pride and Prejudice. I kind of wondered if I was going to faint dead away for the first time in my life as he put his hands in the pockets of his suit pants and said, “Is— I have meetings all afternoon, but can I please call you later?”

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

“On the telephone?” I said. “Like a psycho?”

“Well, I’m shit with emojis,” he said, looking half-serious and a little boyish.

“Send a lot of accidental eggplants?” “No,” he said with a laugh.

“Use the same tired cry-laughing smiley for everything, like a total wank?”

“Is that a wank thing to do?” “Absolutely, it is.”

“Well, then, um, yes.” His eyes were on mine as he said, “But honestly, all wankiness aside—”

“Wankitude,” I corrected. “Or is it wankery? Wanktasticality?”

“Wankiness,” he repeated, shutting down my babbles. “All wankiness aside, I rather like hearing the voice of the person I’m talking to.”

Excerpted from ACCIDENTALLY AMY by Lynn Painter, published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2025

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Accidentally Amy’ by Lynn Painter appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and let us know in the comments if you’ll be picking any!

Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen

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In this charming rom-com filled with Chinese traditions and a family curse, an herbalist fake dates a star musician–perfect for fans of Helen Hoang and Jasmine Guillory.

Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese

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Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows

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A swoony, steamy, STEM romance in which two curators at a science museum—a handsome but grumpy astronomer and an anxious but sunshine-y entomologist—realize they are the perfect match. 

The Lodge by Kayla Olson

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From the author of The Reunion, a cozy rom-com about a writer who decamps to a Vermont lodge for work but finds herself distracted by the charming ski instructor next door.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

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Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this new rivals-to-lovers romance set in Rome, Kentucky—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.

Single Player by Tara Tai

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Two video game creators go head-to-head in this delightful, queer enemies-to-lovers workplace romance debut, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Helen Hoang.

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters

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With his funny, big-hearted adult rom com debut, bestselling, award-winning YA author Julian Winters shows sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.

Work In Progress by Kat Mackenzie

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A warm, sexy, laugh-out-loud rom-com about a woman who, desperate for a fresh start, books a literary bus tour across the UK that consists of a lively group of elderly ladies plus one infuriatingly handsome Scottish driver.

The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

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In this Latinx adult romance debut from National Book Award Finalist Sonora Reyes, two friends enter into a marriage of convenience to save one from deportation—but everything changes when they unexpectedly fall in love.

Unromance by Erin Connor

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A recently dumped TV heartthrob enlists a jaded romance novelist to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet again . . .

For One Night Only by Jessica James

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When two former bandmates—and bedmates—are thrust back into each other’s lives in a fake dating scheme for publicity, they’ll be forced to face the music.

Let’s Call A Truce by Amy Buchanan

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Let’s Call A Truce is a sexy contemporary romance about second chances at life and love, bursting with humor and a touch of angst from debut author, Amy Buchanan.

Only In Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde

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A spicy small-town, brother’s best friend, sports romance “packed with sizzling tension, heat, and sweet, swoon-worthy moments” (Peyton Corinne, author of TikTok sensation Unsteady) between a college football coach and the one that got away that you’ll want to devour in one sitting.

Zoe Brennan, First Crush by Laura Piper Lee

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A struggling vineyard owner gets a second taste of her first crush in this romantic comedy that sparkles with humor and heat.

Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura

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Archaeologist Miriam and journalist Rafael are destined to be rivals and must journey together to find the Lost City of the Moon. As they navigate treacherous paths and rival crews, their hearts become entangled in a thrilling adventure where love and duty collide in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel

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The game is on for two nerds who love to outplay each other . . . even when their hearts are on the line, in this charming and geeky romantic comedy perfect for fans of Olivia Dade and Jen DeLuca.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

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USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti returns with another hot, hilarious Regency romp about a reclusive earl and the wallflower-turned-radical-pamphleteer who turns his life upside down.

Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen

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After a case of mistaken identity and an almost one-night stand, two stranded wedding guests have to find their way to their final destination together, in this riotously fun debut romance.

A Lady Would Know Better by Emma Theriault

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Get ready to swoon for this dreamy, forget-me-not romance that’s filled with the delightful tartness of Jane Austen and the sweeping, unputdownable drama of Bridgerton.

Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar

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She needs a divorce from her husband—but a hurricane threatens to dredge up their stormy, passionate past in this sizzling romance from the bestselling author of Say You’ll Be Mine.

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young

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A married couple joins a week-long wilderness expedition to help them reconnect in this heartfelt companion novel to the viral TikTok sensation Out on a Limb.

Into the Woods by Jenny Holiday

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Summer camp heats up for a grumpy rockstar and a cynical dance instructor in this funny and heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke

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With a colorful cast of characters and a cellar full of wine, anything can happen―from murder to a second chance at love―in Jenny Elder Moke’s half mystery, half romance adult debut set at a lavish destination wedding.

The Relationship Mechanic by Karmen Lee

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There’s more than one way to love and more than one place to call home in this rousing small-town romantic comedy that’s sure to charm fans of Hannah Bonam-Young’s Next to You and Ashley Herring Blake’s Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date

Book People by Jackie Ashenden

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When a fledgling bookseller opens a shop and café celebrating popular genre fiction across the street from a well-established upscale bookshop, she incurs the wrath and disdain of its highbrow owner, until a long-held family secret that connects their pasts comes to light during a literary festival . . .

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter

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A stolen latte results in a meet-cute for the ages in this brand-new edition, with bonus content, of New York Times bestselling author Lynn Painter’s rom-com Accidentally Amy.

All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles

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Sometimes the last thing you expect is exactly what you need, the final missing piece. And sometimes it comes in the form of a towering, broody sheriff, determined to get in your way at every step.

The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns

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A heart-warming friends-to-lovers romance about the magic and mayhem of weddings – and what happens when everything you thought you knew about love is turned upside down.

What January releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 28 New Romance Reads Hitting Bookshelves In January 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Your TBR better watch out because there are so many spectacular YA books hitting shelves over the next few months! With new releases from Amie Kaufman, Lexi Ryan, Karen M. McManus, Maureen Johnson, Sarah Henning, Lynn Painter, Danielle Paige, Kalyn Josephson, and Courtney Gould, along with a few debut novels, there’s something for every reader to pick up and enjoy between July and December!

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and also be sure to check out our Most Anticipated and Swoonworthy Romance lists for more releases!

JULY 2024

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

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Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to THE ISLES OF THE GODS, which Stephanie Garber called “deliciously diabolical and full of heart.” (Now publishes in September 2024)

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith

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A teen girl’s attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass

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A swoony contemporary romance from Adam Sass following a boy who is cursed to doom any romantic relationship—and the summer that changes everything.

A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman

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The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other — a boarding school thriller about a queer teen from Mississippi who finds himself swept into a world of old money, privilege, and the secret society at the heart of it all.

A Magic Fierce and Bright by Hemant Nayak

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A young technomancer teams up with a handsome thief to save her sister in this propulsive, magic-filled young adult fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gearbreakers and Iron Widow.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

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A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan comes a romantic fantasy in which a human princess armed with death’s kiss and a fae shifter on the run become unlikely allies when a mission to assassinate an evil king collides with a fatal prophecy.

Ready or Not by Andi Porretta

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An anxious teen hopes that a summer of adventure and offbeat dares will keep her friend group together after graduation in this luminous coming-of-age graphic novel with the feel-good vibes of Booksmart and Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.

Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus

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The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

Break to You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden

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Bestselling author of Scythe and Challenger Deep Neal Shusterman, here with coauthors Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden, tells an intense yet tender story of two teens, trapped in impossible circumstances and unjust systems, willing to risk everything for love—no matter the consequences.

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky

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A queer, feminist spin on Stephen King’s The Mist, this ode to female-rage is a perfect pick for fans of She Is a Haunting, and a reminder that if “boys will be boys”, girls will fight back.

Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean

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Set sail with this banter-filled rivals-to-lovers romance between a STEM-loving girl and a jock guy that will fill you with wanderlust…and have you rooting for love in the great outdoors!

AUGUST 2024

Ami by S. Jae-Jones

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Filled with adventure, romance and a race against time, Guardians of Dawn: Ami is the next book in the richly imagined Guardians of Dawn series.

The Dark We Know by Wen-yi Lee

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From Gillian Flynn Books, a lyrical young adult horror by debut author Wen-yi Lee that’s perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting, Stephen King’s IT, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

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From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

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The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life―and death waits in the dark.

A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen

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In this sweet sapphic romance about two foodies in love, Vivi meets Lan while studying abroad in Vietnam and they spend the semester unraveling their families’ histories―and eating all the street food in Sài Gòn.

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay

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From the author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing comes an emotionally charged, moving novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.

The Empire Wars by Akana Phenix

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The Empire Wars is a powerful new YA fantasy in which magic may be a young woman’s only hope for survival.

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace delivers a sensational conclusion to the deathly and decadent Belladonna trilogy, with dramatic twists and a seductive new romance that will set readers’ hearts ablaze.

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker

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A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

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The must-read suspense novel of the summer about a mysterious sister’s disappearance, her biggest betrayal and a deadly truth screaming to come out.  

Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham

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From the New York Times bestselling author of My Dearest Darkest comes a sapphic fantasy adventure about a teen witch who must complete her magical training by breaking a powerful family’s curse. But her own affliction—to never find true love—gets in the way when she falls for the girl she’s trying to save.

Under The Surface by Diana Urban

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An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber

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This laugh-out-loud debut romance introduces perfectly imperfect Payal Mehta, whose plan to get her long-time crush to finally notice her is destined for success, but only if she ignores her budding feelings for her archnemesis…

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

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A queer Appalachian thriller that pulls no punches—following a trans autistic teen who’s drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them.

The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning

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Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games with magic in this standalone supernatural thriller by Sarah Henning: thirteen witches, a locked-room murder, and two non-magical sisters trapped in a deadly whodunit.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

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From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

Everything Glittered by Robin Talley

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In this queer historical thriller from a New York Times bestselling author, society girls try to find a murderer in a city filled with secrets and stunted by shame. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club.

When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

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From the New York Times bestselling author Dustin Thao, We Are Okay meets Wandavision in this novel about loss, and learning to let go.

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic

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An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf

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An all-girls school is struck with mysterious cases of screaming hysteria in this chilling dark academia thriller haunted by a deeply buried history clawing to the light.

Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter

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In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

To The Bone by Alena Bruzas

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This moving and tragic love story is also a starkly honest look at Colonial America, set during the “Starving Time” in Jamestown.

Spells To Forget Us by Aislinn Brophy

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A witch and a non-magical girl get stuck in an endless cycle of meet-cutes and breakups in this heart-stopping romantic young adult fantasy.

Faeries Never Lie, Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

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Faeries Never Lie, the next young adult collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, is filled with fourteen short stories to revel in, that center faeries of varying genders and cultures!

OCTOBER 2024

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams

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In this debut novel, chosen by booksellers as an Indies Introduce selection, a girl must face hard truths about blood and family, history and mystery.

Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

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House of Roots and Ruin meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut steeped in Norse mythology that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.

Spell of the Sinister by Danielle Paige

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In New York Times bestselling author Danielle Paige’s wickedly fresh take on beloved tales, the fairy godmothers make the rules. Be careful what you wish for . . .

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

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‘Tis the season for holiday hijinks in the newest sapphic rom-com about a rising star and a small town girl going on twelve fake holidates from the New York Times bestselling authors of She Gets the Girl, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick!

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

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Dive into a lush, standalone fantasy, set in the same world as The Drowned Woods and The Bone Houses, about a deadly competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

Eleven Houses by Colleen Oakes

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Midnight Mass meets The Vampire Diaries in this epic romantic tale of a mysterious island and the houses who have stood for centuries to guard against the dreaded nightmare of beings waiting to strike from the ocean’s depths.

For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga

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A sweeping, Pakistani romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, where one girl seeks revenge against those who betrayed her—including the boy she used to love.

The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew

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Serpent & Dove meets Arcane in this dystopian romance debut that follows a cunning memory merchant who deals a little extra happiness on the side and the handsome rookie officer on her tail!

Fledgling: The Keeper’s Records of Revolution by S. K. Ali

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The first book in a gripping duology from acclaimed author S.K. Ali introduces a fractured world on the brink of either enlightenment or war.

Inferno’s Heir by Tiffany Wang

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Fearing for her life, an outcast princess joins the rebellion against her own kingdom and family. . . but when playing with fire, someone always gets burned. 

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley

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Jessica Goodman meets The Agathas in this taut, twisty YA thriller set in the glittering world of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where secrets–and bodies–never stay buried.

NOVEMBER 2024

Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis

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The new Gambit takes Ross and her crew into the intoxicating casinos of Monte Carlo and across treacherous snow-covered slopes in Antarctica as Ross competes against Devroe in a fight for her life. Loyalties will be tested, backs stabbed, hearts broken. May the best thief win.

Darkly by Marisha Pessl

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A seemingly ordinary high school student. A mysterious summer internship. And a legendary game designer, now dead, leaving a dark legacy. The New York Times bestselling author of Night Film spins a twisted web in this masterful YA psychological thriller.

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

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Jamison Shea’s sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the “relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific” (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me.

The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard

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The forest is more dangerous than ever in this highly-anticipated, pulse-pounding, and swoon-worthy conclusion to the bestselling Luminaries trilogy.

Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar

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In this sapphic dual POV Young Adult romance by Adiba Jaigirdar, Meghna and Rani (ex-best-friends-turned-rivals) realize they’re dating the same guy, so they team up to beat and expose him at a big science competition!

When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar

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The splintered relationship between two Indian American cousins is at the center of this dark, twisty YA mystery—perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Karen McManus, and Angeline Boulley.

Midnights With You by Clare Osongco

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Fans of Susan Lee and Dustin Thao will be enchanted by this soulful YA romance about how we love, how we heal, and how we find the strength to go on.

Our Deadly Designs by Kalyn Josephson

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The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races in the epic conclusion to NYT bestselling Kalyn Josephson’s This Dark Descent, called “a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride” by acclaimed author Ava Reid.

Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart

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Jessa has been raised to be the “perfect girl”, but things go south. A killer looking for the perfect girl has targeted Jessa, and she’ll have to reject everything she’s been taught if she wants to keep herself―and her friends―alive until sunrise.

If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner

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The twisty, intricate mystery of I Killed Zoe Spanos meets the whip-smart sleuthing of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in the newest novel from acclaimed author Faith Gardner, in which a club of misfits must come together to solve a dangerous mystery—and learn to lean on each other all the while.

Dead Girls Don’t Dream by Nino Cipri

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There are rules for Voynich Woods: Always carry a whistle. Never go alone. Always come home before dark. And if anyone calls your name, don’t answer. Because everyone who wanders from the path is never seen again.

Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June

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Sparks are flying in Winter Wonderland this Christmas in this LGBTQ+ young adult rom-com from Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue, Jay’s Gay Agenda, and Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball!

DECEMBER 2024

A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

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A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment–to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

Dust by Alison Stine

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In this haunting, speculative coming-of-age novel about finding your place in an unforgiving environment, a partially deaf teen questions everything she knows about family, love, and her future.

Keep It in the Dark by Justin Arnold

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In this unashamedly queer, supernatural romance, Justin Arnold, author of Wicked Little Things, challenges the institutions that have sidelined queer love to the shadows, and brings it into the light.

We Are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis

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Deaths and disappearances pile up as a mysterious beast stalks the French countryside and two girls seize an unlikely opportunity that just might save them all—or serve them up on a platter.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

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Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted when a group of troubled teens in a wilderness therapy program find themselves stranded in a forest full of monsters eager to take their place.

You’re Dead to Me by Amy Christine Parker

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Gossip Girl meets Happy Death Day in this YA horror novel following high school outcast and anonymous social media gossip Ruby, who comes face-to-face with her own ghost dressed in a blood-splattered prom dress. With less than a week until the dance, Ruby must unmask her killer—or die trying.

What YA books are you looking forward to hitting shelves between July and December? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 66 YA Books Hitting Bookshelves Between July and December 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Lynn Painter’s Happily Never After, which releases on March 12th 2024.

When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”

During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.

The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.

And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.

Sophie

The music stopped and the pastor started speaking. Everything he said sounded just as flat and ridiculous as the words my pastor had uttered at my wedding. Join together these two in love blahblahblah. My breath caught in my throat as I waited for the passage.

“If any—”

“I do!” I yelled.

“Too early,” Max muttered from my right.

“Miss?” the pastor said, his eyebrows crinkled together. “I’m sorry . . . ?”

“You said if anyone here knows any reason—well, I do,” I said, heat flooding my cheeks. “These two should absolutely not get married.”

A loud murmur rolled through the crowd, and I trained my eyes on the preacher’s face. I didn’t dare look at the bride or her black-hatted backups. “Callie has been having an affair with Ronnie for years, and everyone but TJ knows it. He deserves better.”

I heard multiple gasps, and the bride said, “What the hell? She’s a liar!”

“Nope,” I said, my stomach knotting as the woman seated in front of me whipped around and pinned me with a lethal glare.

“Are you done, liar?” the bride yelled at me, her eyes scary mean. “I don’t even know who the hell—”

“Is it true?” TJ interrupted. Thank you, TJ.

“No, it’s not true,” Callie said, looking downright pissed as she waved a hand in my direction. “I’ve never seen that knockoff Barbie chick in my life.”

“Still true, though,” I said, getting pissed in my own right. Knockoff Barbie? What the hell. “You don’t know me, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t cheat.”

“Listen, Skipper—”

“Callie,” TJ interrupted, sounding a little angry, too. “Did you or did you not continue with Ronnie? Answer me.”

For the first time, she looked caught. Callie opened her mouth but just made a few stammering noises and said no multiple times.

Max nudged my side and I turned, ready to make our breakaway.

“I did not, TJ,” the bride said, “I would never.”

“Then show him your phone or the Ring doorbell footage of when Ronnie came over every day.” I channeled the calm facade Max had brought to my wedding. “If you’re innocent, hand it over.”

“How dare you—”

“Give me your phone, Cal,” TJ said in a booming voice, and that was our cue to leave. I stepped out of our row, with Max beside me, and we headed for the back of the church as Callie and TJ argued.

My job was done.

And it’d gone perfectly.

“Holy shit, I did it,” I whispered, looking over at Max, feeling like a damn superhero. I saved TJ, saved the world from another bout of heartbroken lovesickness. I was like the Marie Curie of lovelornitis or something.

“You did it,” he replied with a smile, but then he looked behind me and his face changed. “Soph!”

I started to turn around, but there wasn’t time before a body hit mine from behind, a palm over my face as someone yelled, “You bitch!”

I was pretty sure it was the bride.

On my back like I was her fucking pony.

Shocked, I stumbled a little before pure rage shot through me.

Oh, hell no.

I was good at conflict avoidance—it was a big part of my job, in fact—but I’d be damned if I’d let some Miranda Lambert wannabe take me down in front of hundreds of people like she had the upper hand.

Oh, hell no.

Max

Shit, shit, shit.

I promised Sophie that everything would be okay.

I stepped forward to break it up, but Sophie straightened to her full height, threw back her elbows, and knocked the bride off her back. Callie stumbled backward in her boots as Sophie turned around and held out a hand.

“Just stop,” she said calmly, sounding like this was a normal occurrence and not at all something out of a reality TV episode. “This is between you and TJ, not me.”

“The hell it is!” the bride yelled, lunging for Sophie.

I stepped in front of her, causing Callie to stumble into me instead of Soph.

But then Sophie pushed me out of the way. Sophie pushed me out of the way, and as Callie came at her again, Sophie grabbed an arm and managed to turn the bride around and get her into a headlock.

A fucking perfect headlock.

“Settle down,” Sophie said through gritted teeth, looking like an undercover cop on a TV show. “And leave me alone.”

“Fucking bitch!” Callie squealed as her face turned very red and she squirmed to get free.

“You are in a church, for God’s sake,” Sophie said, sounding remarkably relaxed. “Watch your language.”

The bridal party was frozen and looked unsure if they should assist the bride or back down.

The pastor appeared to be crossing himself.

“Listen, ah, we’re going to take off,” I said, hoping a little calm sarcasm might defuse the situation, “and let Callie and TJ work this out. Can someone please assist in the bridal handoff here?”

Everyone looked shell-shocked and unable to move—rightly so—but then the bride’s father stood. I watched him walk toward us in his cowboy hat and boots with spurs—oh, shit—and wondered if he was going to help me or murder me; his tough, weathered face made it hard to tell.

My worldview narrowed to the ominous jingle of those ridiculous spurs.

“Cut the shit, Cal,” he said in a low Clint Eastwood kind of voice as he approached his daughter. “No fighting in church.”

Thank God.

The man gave Sophie a nod and she released the bride, who was now a bit purple faced. She didn’t try to physically attack Sophie again, but that was probably because TJ came over immediately, still demanding answers.

As we exited the chapel, though, she did manage to yell, “That’s right, get the hell out of here!”

We damn near sprinted to my truck when we got outside, neither of us talking as we focused on getting the hell out of there. But once we were buckled and the engine was running, I looked over at her.

The back of her hair was sticking up, and without thinking, I reached over and patted it down.

Which made her laugh, eyes crinkled at the corners, which made me laugh, too. A second later we were both cackling at the absurdity of what’d just happened, the kind of full-on belly laughing that put tears in both of our eyes.

When she finally got herself together, Sophie said, “Let’s never do a redneck wedding again.”

I wiped at my eyes and put the truck in drive. “Agreed.”

Excerpted from Happily Never After by Lynn Painter. Copyright © 2024 by Lynn Painter. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Happily Never After’ by Lynn Painter appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Prepare your romance-loving heart as there are some stellar romance books releasing in the first half of 2024! Between the months of January and June, you’ll see new releases from Katee Robert, Christina Lauren, Anita Kelly, Olivia Dade, Tessa Bailey, Lynn Painter, Alison Cochrun, Kevin Kwan, Carley Fortune, and so many more, plus those making their exciting debut!

You’ll be sure to find quite a few exciting new reads within this list and be sure to check out our other 2024 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated list and Anticipated YA list.

JANUARY 2024 BOOK RELEASES

Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker

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Opposites attract in this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy of feuding neighbors and dueling hearts from Jayne Denker, the author of The Rom-Com Agenda.

Love, Me by Jessica Saunders

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Reminiscent of novels by Sophie Kinsella and Rebecca Serle, Love, Me is a sweet, honest foray into love, marriage, and the fantasy of a second-chance romance with the one that got away. Readers will find this lively debut romance book easy to devour and hard to put down.

Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan

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A charming opposites-attract romance, Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan is for anyone who ever stepped outside their comfort zone and found that all the best things can happen when you take a chance.

Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar

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In this utterly charming debut romance, a teacher with big dreams joins forces with a no-nonsense engineer to survive an ex’s wedding and escape matchmaking pressure from their Indian families. Their plan? Faking an engagement, of course.

Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert

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Orpheus lost everything when he lost Eurydice’s love…but now he’s ready to brave the Underworld to take her back, even if that means going toe-to-toe (and heart-to-heart) with the right-hand man of Hades himself.

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell by Allison Winn Scotch

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Hollywood’s biggest rom-com star tries to recover from her damaged reputation by staging her own rom-com and following a lead on a lost love in the new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch. (Update: This title now releases on 5 March 2024)

Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise

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In this delightfully witty Victorian romance, a governess spy running away from her past falls for an ex-soldier turned railroad magnate—perfect for fans of Manda Collins and Bridgerton!

Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

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After a day of unrivaled disappointments, a promising young chef finds every bite of food suddenly tastes bitter. To save her career, she travels to the Pacific Northwest to reconnect with her estranged mom, and discovers a family legacy she never suspected in this delicious novel from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.

Principles of (E)motion by Sara Read

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Lessons in Chemistry meets advanced mathematics in Sara Read’s heartwarming, STEMinist novel, PRINCIPLES OF (E)MOTION follows a female genius who solves a famously elusive math problem only to struggle with anxiety and prejudice when challenged to prove that the work is her own.

Not Bad for a Girl by Anastasia Ryan

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From hilariously awkward lunch breaks to cringe-worthy Zoom calls, this workplace comedy of errors is sure to put a smile on your face.

Last Call At The Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

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Opposites attract when a free-spirited American singer-songwriter with ADHD teams up with a charming Irishman to revitalize his family’s pub in the next heartfelt romance from the author of Luck and Last Resorts.

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

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A rising-star musician has a second chance at love with an old flame she remembers all too well in this swoony romance from the acclaimed authors of The Roughest Draft.

FEBRUARY 2024 BOOK RELEASES

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

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A steamy, opposites-attract romance with undeniable chemistry between a grumpy retired footballer and his fabulous and very sunshine-y ghostwriter.

Fish Out of Water by Katie Ruggle

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A romcom perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s Something Wilder and Sarah Morgenthaler’s Moose Springs, Alaska, about a city girl lost in the wilderness with only a grouchy mountain man to guide her…and there’s only one sleeping bag.

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher

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In April Asher’s new Supernatural Singles novel, a witch takes a stroll on the wild-ish side, sparking an alert that saddles her with her very own Guardian Angel…who happens to be her secret crush―and new roommate.

Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee

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A new mom repairs her broken dreams in this hilarious rom-com about starting over that sparkles with intelligence, wit, and compassion.

Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff

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Set both in the chaos of fame and the high stakes world of New York City restaurants, this novel sprinkles in a second chance at love and a dollop of celebrity drama to create a romantic romp that will make even the most jaded reader smile.

How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly

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Chemistry sizzles in this workplace rom-com set in the world of high school basketball as the author of Love & Other Disasters delivers a sapphic romance full of humor and heart.

At First Spite by Olivia Dade

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Bestselling author Olivia Dade welcomes you to Harlot’s Bay in this delightfully sexy rom-com about a woman who buys the town’s famous Spite House, only to realize the infuriating man she can’t stand lives right next door—and their unwilling proximity might spark something neither can ignore.

Right on Cue by Falon Ballard

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From the beloved author of Just My Type and Lease on Love comes a new romantic comedy in which a former actress-turned-screenwriter finds herself back in the spotlight, only for her romantic lead to be the one man she can’t stand.

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

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A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this heartfelt, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance of found family and unexpected love.

The Catch by Amy Lea

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A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy sports romance duology with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan…

Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne

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Two sisters roll up their sleeves to run a dilapidated inn but must learn to work with the locals in this deliciously spicy novel inspired by Sense and Sensibility.

MARCH 2024 BOOK RELEASES

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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What should have been a family celebration of Chinese New Year descends into chaos when longtime foes crash the party in this hilariously entertaining novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

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Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.

In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati-Alexander

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The author of Love Buzz follows her acclaimed first novel with a delightful Caribbean-set romp about an ambitious designer of apocalyptic video games with a strategy for (almost) everything who discovers what happens when her best-laid plans go off course . . .

Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley

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Travel consultant Addie Macrae discovers more than just the countryside when she’s sent to help a struggling tour company in Alexandra Kiley’s debut Kilt Trip. Set against the vibrant Scottish countryside, this enchanting romcom features a spicy enemies-to-lovers tale full of clever banter and relatable family dynamics.

Trouble by Lex Croucher

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A Regency-era romantic comedy with a deliciously feminist and queer twist, from the New York Times bestselling author of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

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A humorous and unique rom-com that sees two wedding crashers fall for each other. This intriguing premise delivers on its promise with so much feeling and so much fun.

The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett

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When a Victorian apothecary hires a stoic private investigator to protect her business, they learn there’s only one way to treat true love—with a happily ever after.

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

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For fans of Tia Williams and Colleen Hoover comes a deeply moving and personal novel about sacrifice, self-reliance, and finding true happiness from “one of the finest romance writers of our age.”

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage

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From the author of the BookTok sensation Done and Dusted comes the next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring opposites attract and forced proximity.

Maya’s Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja

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A bride-to-be convinced she’s cursed in romance finds her luck changing—at exactly the wrong time.

Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe

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You’ve Got Mail meets Abbott Elementary in this sweet, sexy romantic comedy for fans of Lynn Painter and Lyssa Kay Adams. 

A Governess’s Guide to Passion and Peril by Manda Collins

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Bestselling author Manda Collins continues the Ladies Most Scandalous series with this delightful, witty historical romance in which two friends reunite —and discover hidden feelings—perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore and Netflix’s  Bridgerton!

APRIL 2024 BOOK RELEASES

Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings

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A sexy, sapphic, opposites-attract romance with Mazey Eddings’ signature sparkling voice!

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle

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A steamy, riotous second-chance romance about a magical florist’s unexpected reunion with her high school sweetheart . . . while she fake dates his soon-to-be stepbrother.

Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez

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A sharp and scintillating summer novel that will make readers laugh out loud and cry happy tears from the New York Times bestselling author of Yours Truly.

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

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The author of the “sexy, insightful, and utterly charming” (BuzzFeed) Kiss Her Once for Me returns with a new queer rom-com following once childhood best friends forced together to drive their former teacher across the country.

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

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The brilliant contemporary romance novel debut from Yulin Kuang, the acclaimed screenwriter of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation and director of the forthcoming Beach Read feature film.

When I Think of You by Myah Ariel

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In this sweeping second chance romance from debut author Myah Ariel, the unexpected spark of two former flames may force them to choose between their dreams and each other.

The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

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College exes break all the rules when they reunite years later in this enemies to lovers, second-chance romance, the highly anticipated companion novel to the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet—from the New York Times bestselling author of Practice Makes Perfect.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

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An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler

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A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property’s resident real-life ghost if she’s to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes.

Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner

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“A story of love, healing, and second chances ” (Emily Henry) following a down on his luck country musician who, in the throes of grief after a shocking loss, moves back home and rekindles a relationship with his high school sweetheart, from award-winning author Jeff Zentner.

Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur

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Sparks fly when a lovelorn romance novelist and a divorce lawyer who has sworn off relationships agree to cohost a podcast series offering dating advice to viewers, in Truly, Madly, Deeply, the next steamy queer rom-com from Lambda Literary Award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur.

Only and Forever by Chloe Liese

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It’s a room-mance for the books in this tender, steamy story about unexpectedly finding love and being brave enough to let it revise life’s narrative in the final book in the beloved Bergman Brothers series.

MAY 2024 BOOK RELEASES

This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

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This Summer Will Be Different offers an idyllic coastal setting, enticing vacation descriptions, and a story that is equal parts sexy romance and female friendship.

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

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From the iconic internationally bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy: A forbidden affair erupts volcanically amid a decadent tropical wedding in this outrageous comedy of manners from the iconic author of Crazy Rich Asians.

Savor It by Tarah Dewitt

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Filled with spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and Big Feelings, this highly anticipated romcom is Tarah DeWitt’s best yet.

Lovers and Liars by Amanda Eyre Ward

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Three wildly different sisters reunite for a destination wedding at an English castle in this heartfelt and rollicking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

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A time travel romance, a speculative spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingeniously constructed exploration of the nature of truth and power and the potential for love to change it all: Welcome to The Ministry of Time, the exhilarating debut novel by Kaliane Bradley.

One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette

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From the creator of viral TikTok account Betty’s Book List, a debut romance about a supermodel and a photographer with a past marriage pact who meet again ten years later on a photoshoot in Cinque Terre, Italy.

Mistakes We Never Made by Hannah Brown

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From The Bachelorette star and New York Times bestselling author Hannah Brown comes an irrepressibly funny romantic comedy about two frenemies on the verge of making the biggest mistake of all . . .

Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni

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Sparks fly between two women pitted against each other in this delectable new romantic comedy by Taleen Voskuni, author of Sorry, Bro.

Second Night Stand by Karelia Stetz-Waters and Fay Stetz-Waters

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One hook-up is about to become one seriously hilarious situationship in this vibrant and lively romantic comedy about taking chances . . . and breaking the rules.

Love, Lies and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau

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The author of the “full of heart” (Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author) The Stand-Up Groomsman returns with a charming and clever rom-com about a young woman’s desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother…only to find that maybe mother does know best.

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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Christina Lauren, the instant New York Times bestselling and “reigning romance queens” (PopSugar), returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

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When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.

JUNE 2024 BOOK RELEASES

One Last Summer by Kate Spencer

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From the cohost of the award-winning and uber-popular Forever35 podcast comes a dreamy, laugh-out-loud summer romance that asks: What do you do when the life you’ve planned isn’t what you’ve dreamed? 

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

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A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science—from New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

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New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center’s latest laugh out loud, feel good rom-com about writing your own story, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren.

Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren

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A witty and deeply romantic modern reimagining of Disney’s Tangled, by the New York Times bestselling author duo Christina Lauren, part of the acclaimed and bestselling Meant to Be collection.

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb

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A divorcee embarks on her “year of yes” and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birdwatcher who changes her life in this charming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood.

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

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A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for in the next swoony romance by USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

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A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction…literally, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Year Slip and The Dead Romantics.

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle

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For fans of Emily Henry, a debut about a rom-com screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love and a divorce attorney who does, forced together at their high school reunion fifteen years after their breakup

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

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A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin.

Match Me If You Can by Swati Hegde

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A young magazine writer in Mumbai must prove her matchmaking skills—and contend with growing feelings for her close family friend—in this debut desi romance.

Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De la Rosa

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When a Mexican heiress defies Victorian society to protect her country a British war hero makes it his new mission to protect her…

Barely Even Friends by Mae Bennett

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A grumpy, rich recluse meets his match in this steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling—with a Succession twist. Fans of fairy tale adaptations, and readers of Julie Murphy and Falon Ballard, will adore Mae Bennett’s debut romance.

What 2024 romance releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Swoonworthy 2024 Romance Book Releases You Need appeared first on The Nerd Daily.