Romance books are a balm to my weary soul, offering an escape from the tedious and stressful reality of my day-to-day life. The idea of love is just comforting. Moments of tender wholesomeness and vulnerability are cathartic, in a way, and nothing gets me out of a reading slump (or a bad day) faster than a good romance book and quality time with my cats. The truth is, happiness can be hard to come by, and sometimes, getting lost in the pages of a book, whether they be filled with romance, or fantasy, or whatever it is you enjoy, can be a great way to escape reality and reset mentally.
Tropes abound (and are never-ending), which makes romance an incredibly versatile genre. Friends, strangers, enemies, co-workers – anyone can embark on a new journey or indulge in a second chance. Forced proximity, single beds, fake dating – anything goes! Whether you’re looking for a coming-of-age exploration of first love, or a slow-burn, sizzling second chance between rivals, romance is a genre filled with unlimited possibilities, so long as you give it a chance.
Romance has never been shy. It’s raw and real and relatable. It’s a form of self-discovery and escape. I’ve learned more about myself through romance novels – that I’m demi/grey ace (thanks, every book I’ve ever read that was insta-love or immediately jumps into a sex scene!); that I’m neurodivergent (you’ll never know how much your books mean to me, Helen Hoang); and that I am most definitely queer (thanks to the ever increasing number of queer YA books that explore sexuality and identity!) – than any other genre. Romance may not be your thing, but it has endless possibilities.
Contemporary. Rom-com. Historical. Romantasy. Sub-genre knows no bounds. Whether you’re looking for a sweet, coming-of-age romance, or something a bit spicier and more risqué, you won’t be disappointed with this month’s romance roundup.
King of Greed, Ana Huang
Powerful, brilliant, and ambitious, Dominic Davenport clawed his way up from nothing to become the King of Wall Street.
He has everything—a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, and more money than he could spend in a lifetime. But no matter how much he accumulates, he’s never satisfied.
In his endless quest for more, he drives away the only person who saw him as enough.
It isn’t until she’s gone that he realizes there may be more to life than riches and glory…but by then, it may be too late.
***
Kind, intelligent, and thoughtful, Alessandra Davenport has played the role of trophy wife for years.
She stood by her husband while he built an empire, but now that they’ve reached the top, she realizes he’s no longer the man she fell for.
When it becomes clear that she’ll always come second to his work, she finally takes charge of her life and puts herself first—even if it means leaving the only man she’s ever loved.
But what she didn’t count on was his refusal to let her go…or for him to fight for their marriage, no matter what it takes.
Publisher: Bloom Books
Pub Date: October 24
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Bright Heart, Kate Chenli
Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.
As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.
Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.
But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined.
She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love?
Publisher: Union Square
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch, Melinda Taub
In this exuberant reimagining of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet puts pen to paper to relate the real events and aftermath of the classic story from her own perspective. Some facts are well known: Mrs. Bennet suffers from her nerves; Mr. Bennet suffers from Mrs. Bennet, and all five daughters suffer from an estate that is entailed only to male heirs.
But Lydia also suffers from entirely different concerns: her best-loved sister Kitty is really a barn cat, and Wickham is every bit as wicked as the world believes him to be, but what else would you expect from a demon? And if you think Mr. Darcy was uptight about dancing etiquette, wait till you see how he reacts to witchcraft. Most of all, Lydia has yet to learn that when you’re a witch, promises have power . . .
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young
In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.
It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.
After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Meet Your Matcha, Nanxi Wen
“It’s my life to ruin!”
Pippa Fleming is a woman who always has a plan… until she finally secures a coveted promotion and her dream job suddenly feels worse than getting caught under the sun as a redhead with no sunscreen. Exhausted and confused, Pippa seeks an escape by signing up for a reality dating show. Everyone is allowed one identity crisis, right? And where better to recharge than on a beach sipping cocktails with little umbrellas?
As long as she remembers she’s only here to have fun, not lose her heart…
“She was a walking red flag, so far out of my league that I couldn’t even see what league she was in.”
August Weather is laid back and content with his quiet life. But when his sister nominates him for a reality dating show, he sees it as a chance to experience the world outside of his small town. What he didn’t expect was to fall for someone like Pippa. She’s his complete opposite – prickly, vivacious, full of adventure and big dreams… and despises him on sight.
Except, he can’t stop thinking about her and finding out what lies beneath her guarded surface…
When the whirlwind of the show throws them together, Pippa and August discover how wrong first impressions can be. But, can their newfound connection survive the real world? Or will their differences sweep their love match out to sea?
Publisher: Smartypants Romance
Pub Date: October 5
Goodreads | Bookshop |B&N | Amazon
The Marquis Who Mustn’t, Courtney Milan
One good fraud deserves another…
Miss Naomi Kwan has long wanted to take ambulance classes so that she can save lives. But when she tries to register, she’s told she needs permission from the man in charge of her. It would be incredibly wrong to claim that the tall, taciturn Chinese nobleman she just met is her fiancé, but Naomi is desperate, and desperate times call for fake engagements. To her unending surprise, Liu Ji Kai goes along with her ruse.
It’s not that Kai is nice. He’s in Wedgeford to practice his family business, and there’s no room for “nice” when you’re out to steal a fortune. It’s not that the engagement is convenient; a fake fiancée winding herself into his life and his heart is suboptimal when he plans to commit fraud and flee the country.
His reason is simple: Kai and Naomi were betrothed as children. He may have disappeared for twenty years, but their engagement isn’t actually fake. It’s the only truth he’s telling.
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | B&N | Amazon
The Hurricane Wars, Thea Guanzon
All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire’s shadows.
Prince Alaric, the emperor’s only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire’s rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.
Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion–one that could save their world…or destroy it.
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Throne of the Fallen, Kerri Maniscalco
Sinner. Villain. Wicked.
The Prince of Envy has never claimed to be a saint. But when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows it will take more than a hint of sin to win and save his falling demon court. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin like no other…
Virtuous. Darling. Liar.
The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows Waverly Green’s most notorious rake to blackmail her. To avoid a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Envy, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .
Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Underworld—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm and beyond—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.
Publisher: Little, Brown
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Bloom, Delilah S. Dawson
Rosemary meets Ash at the farmers’ market. Ash—precise, pretty, and practically perfect—sells bars of soap in delicate pastel colors, sprinkle-spackled cupcakes stacked on scalloped stands, beeswax candles, jelly jars of honey, and glossy green plants. Ro has never felt this way about another woman; with Ash, she wants to be her and have her in equal measure. But as her obsession with Ash consumes her, she may find she’s not the one doing the devouring…
Publisher: Titan Books
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Curse for True Love, Stephanie Garber
Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.
Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.
Publisher: Flatiron
Pub Date: October 24
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Fire in the Flesh, Jennifer L. Armentrout
After a startling betrayal ends with both Sera and the dangerously seductive ruler of the Shadowlands she has fallen madly in love with being held captive by the false King of the Gods, there is only one thing that can free Nyktos and prevent the forces of the Shadowlands from invading Dalos and igniting a War of Primals.
Convincing Kolis won’t be easy, though – not even with a lifetime of training. While his most favored Revenant is insistent that she is nothing more than a lie, Kolis’s erratic nature and twisted sense of honor leave her shaken to the core, and nothing could’ve prepared her for the cruelty of his Court or the shocking truths revealed. The revelations not only upend what she has understood about her duty and the very creation of the realms but also draw into question exactly what the true threat is. However, surviving Kolis is only one part of the battle. The Ascension is upon her, and Sera is out of time.
But Nyktos will do anything to keep Sera alive and give her the life she deserves. He’ll even risk the utter destruction of the realms, and that’s exactly what will happen if he doesn’t Ascend as the Primal of Life. Yet despite his desperate determination, their destinies may be out of their hands.
But there is that foreseen unexpected thread—the unpredictable, unknown, and unwritten. The only thing more powerful than the Fates…
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 31
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Dawn of Onyx, Kate Golden
Captured by a king of darkness. Forced to find the light within.
Arwen Valondale never expected to be the brave one, offering her life to save her brother’s. Now she’s been taken prisoner by the most dangerous kingdom on the continent, and made to use her rare magical abilities to heal the soldiers of the vicious Onyx King.
Arwen knows better than to face the ancient, wicked woods that surround the castle on her own, which means working with a fellow prisoner might be her only path to freedom. Unfortunately, he’s as infuriating as he is cunning—and seems to take twisted pleasure in playing on Arwen’s deepest fears.
But here in Onyx Kingdom, trust is a luxury she can’t afford.
To make it out of enemy territory, she’ll have to navigate back-stabbing royals, dark magic, and dangerous beasts. But untold power lies inside Arwen, dormant and waiting for a spark. If she can harness it, she just might be able to escape with her life—and hopefully, her heart.
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: October 10
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Spells We Cast, Jason June
Nigel Barrett has spent his whole life preparing for the Culling, a spell-casting competition that determines which of the world’s teenage magicians will be stripped of their powers to preserve magical balance. But nothing could have prepared him to face Ori Olson, a broody rival whose caustic wit cloaks a painful past.
From the moment Nigel and Ori meet, sparks fly. Their powers are stronger, more thrilling, the closer they get–not that they can risk becoming attached. Because as the field narrows and the Culling grows more dangerous, Nigel and Ori realize there’s more at stake than just their powers. The greatest threat to magic, their future, and all of humanity might be the connection growing between them. . . .
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Stars in Your Eyes, Kacen Callender
Logan Gray is Hollywood’s bad boy—a talented but troubled actor who the public loves to hate. Mattie Cole is an up‑and‑coming golden boy, adored by all but plagued by insecurities.
When Logan and Mattie are cast as leads in a new romantic film, Logan claims that Matt has “zero talent,” sending the film’s publicity into a nosedive. To create positive buzz, the two are persuaded into a fake‑dating scheme—but as the two actors get to know their new characters, real feelings start to develop.
As public scrutiny intensifies and old wounds resurface, the two must fight for their relationship and their love.
Publisher: Forever
Pub Date: October 10
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Forever Crushed, Amber Paige
Gwen Roman has spent most of her life being overlooked. It never really bothered her all that much. Until she sees Ash Waylen, the guy she’s had a crush on since the tenth grade. The moment he acknowledges her presence and says her name, that damn crush weaves its way back into her heart. So much for a stellar GPA this semester.
After his girlfriend shattered his trust and broke his heart, Ash Waylen plans to spend his junior year of college nursing his wounds and avoiding the opposite sex. The last thing he expects is to run into Gwen Roman and have her tugging on heartstrings he thought his ex-girlfriend took when he broke up with her.
Gwen was always the shy girl who followed Chrissy and Zack Willows around in high school, her head always buried in a book. She never caught his attention before, but this time, it’s different.
In an act of self-preservation, Ash averts his gaze knowing only trouble will follow him if he pursues the one thing he wants. While Ash tries to resist temptation, Gwen might just throw caution to the wind and go after what she wants for the first time in her life.
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Better Hate Than Never, Chloe Liese
Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.
Despite their friends’ and families’ pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.
When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize “peace” is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: October 10
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Dish Best Served Hot, Natalie Caña
Santiago “Saint” Vega gets a second shot at love with Lola León, but when duty to his family forces him to do something she’ll never forgive, will everything he’s built come crumbling down?
Years ago, Saint walked away from the girl he loved to fulfill his duty. Now he’s struggling to build bridges between his drifting family, take on more responsibilities at his uncle’s construction company, figure out why his daughter refuses to talk at school and curtail his mischievous abuelo’s escalating pranks. Then she walks back into his life.
Social justice advocate Lola León has returned to Humboldt Park for two to help care for her dear abuelo and to serve the community center she loved, particularly the shelter for unhoused LGBTQIA+ youths. When she finds out that the Vegas are responsible for endangering both, she is more than ready to go to war—even if the boy she never forgot is standing at the front of the battlefield.
Neither of them expects to become allies in saving the shelter, helping Saint’s daughter or ending the decades-long feud between their grandfathers. They definitely don’t expect all of their old feelings to come rushing back. As Saint and Lola enter combat, they can’t help but wonder where the other’s true allegiance lies, and whether they’ll win these battles only to lose each other.
Publisher: Mira
Pub Date: October 31
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Holly Jolly Ever After, Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel.
Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?
With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself.
They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?
Publisher: Avon
Pub Date: October 10
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Snowed in for Christmas, Jaqueline Snowe
Sorority mom Becca Fairfield is used to guys not taking her seriously. She’s too blond, too quirky, or Just. Too. Much. So she’s ditched dating to focus on her job and a house filled with drama and plenty of tea. Now with the holidays and a major blizzard on her doorstep, Becca has everything she needs to survive the next two weeks on her own. Hot cocoa, plenty of books . . . and the memory of a steamy kiss with a certain sexy, grumposaurus next-door neighbor to keep her warm.
Only Becca’s seriously underestimated this Snowpocalypse. So when the power goes out and Harrison Cooper—football coach, master crank, and the guy who acted mega-awkward after said steamy kiss—offers her shelter, it only makes sense to accept. They’ll just be Blizzard Buddies. Hang out, stay safe, and maybe indulge in a little R-rated cuddling . Becca knows that Harrison isn’t the dating kind, and what happens during the storm lasts only as long as the storm. But are they keeping warm . . . or playing with fire?
Publisher: Forever
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch, Jacqueline Firkins
Imogen Finch has just been through her seventeenth breakup. She saw it coming, so she’s not as crushed as she might be, but with all seventeen of her exes leaving her for other partners, she’s come to believe a prediction her well-intentioned and possibly clairvoyant mother made over twenty years ago: that Imogen would never come first at anything or to anyone. Is her love life failing due to a magical curse? Insufficient effort? Poor timing or personality mismatches? Everyone has opinions on the matter. Imogen’s ready to give up altogether. But when Eliot Swift, her secret high school crush, returns to their small coastal town after a decade of nomadic travels, Imogen has new motivation to try again. Eliot’s full of encouragement. He suggests that her curse is not only imagined, it’s easily breakable. All they need is one win–any win–and she can believe in love, and in herself again.
From trivia games to swimming races to corn-shucking contests, the pair sets out to snag Imogen her first first. But when victory proves more elusive than Eliot anticipated, and when his deep-seeded wanderlust compels him to depart for far away places, Imogen fears she’s destined to remain in second place forever. Fortunately for them both, sometimes magic lingers in the most unexpected places. And love is far from predictable.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pub Date: October 31
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Wreck the Halls, Tessa Bailey
Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.
Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.
While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.
Publisher: Avon
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date, Ashley Herring Blake
Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love. Her best friends are all coupled up, her siblings have partners that are perfect for them, her parents are still in marital bliss. And she’s happy for all of them, truly. So what if she usually cries in her Lyft on the way home. So what if she misses her friends, who are so busy with their own wonderful love lives, they don’t really notice Iris is spiraling. At least she has a brand-new career writing romance novels (yes, she realizes the irony of it). She is now working on her second book but has one problem: she is completely out of ideas after having spent all of her romantic energy on her debut.
Perfectly happy to ignore her problems as per usual, Iris goes to a bar in Portland and meets a sexy stranger, Stefania, and a night of dancing and making out turns into the worst one-night stand Iris has had in her life (vomit and crying are regretfully involved). To get her mind off everything and overcome her writer’s block, Iris tries out for a local play, but comes face-to-face with Stefania—or, Stevie, her real name. When Stevie desperately asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend, Iris is shocked, but goes along with it because maybe this fake relationship will actually get her creative juices flowing and she can get her book written. As the two women play the part of a couple, they turn into a constant state of hot-and-bothered and soon it just comes down to who will make the real first move…
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: October 24
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Endurance of Wildflowers, Micalea Smeltzer
When I met Thayer Holmes, I had no idea how much he would single-handedly change my life.
Our journey hasn’t been an easy one, but it has been ours.
We’ve fought through the impossible and come out stronger because of it.
But happily-ever-after isn’t a destination. It’s a never-ending road trip with bumps along the way.
Some bumps are bigger than others, but none of it matters as long as we have each other, right?
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | B&N | Amazon
Venice Actually, Kelly Reynolds
Getting evicted right before the holidays wasn’t on Leighton’s Christmas list. Rather than inconvenience any of her blissfully happy friends or run home to her family in *gasp* Ohio, she turns to her last resort: Los Angeles’ newest soccer coach and her boss’ best friend, Killian. From his sunny disposition to his infuriatingly good looks, Killian’s got a knack for pressing all of her buttons. Well, almost all of them. So, why can’t she stop thinking about unwrapping his package?
Killian only has one Christmas to finally make Leighton Wheatley his. He’s been harboring feelings for the buxom babe for almost a year, but between his anxiety, her prickly attitude, and I-10 rush hour traffic, something always seems to get in the way. But now they’re staying under the same roof – during the most romantic time of year – and he’s finally got the opportunity he’s been hoping for. That is until her family pays them a surprise visit for the holidays. Suddenly, he’s being upgraded from roommate to fake fiancé… and much to Leighton’s surprise, there’s nothing fake about his feelings.
As it turns out, Christmas isn’t the only one coming fast this year.
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 24
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Witch You Weren’t Here, Emma Jackson
One hurricane. Two stranded witches.
Sparks are bound to fly…
Kay knows three things: to be a witch who cannot control their powers is dangerous, she needs to make it home for her brother’s wedding, and Harry Ashworth is the last person she ever wants to see…
But after visiting the witching community’s equivalent of IT support to try to fix her misbehaving magic, a hurricane hits and her flight home is cancelled!
Not only is Kay stranded, but she’s stranded with Harry – her infuriatingly handsome and charming childhood friend, who broke her heart when they were teenagers.
Except Harry is a frustratingly powerful witch so working together might be their only way to get back home. And the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore what is simmering under the surface.
Soon it becomes clear that Kay’s magic isn’t the only thing she doesn’t have control of…
Publisher: Orion Books
Pub Date: October 12
Goodreads | B&N | Amazon
The Graham Effect, Elle Kennedy
Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.
Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.
Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word with her dad.
The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.
Publisher: Bloom Books
Pub Date: October 31
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Wildfire, Hannah Grace
Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a party celebrating the end of the academic year, where a drinking game results in them having a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask for her full name.
Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on the first day of the summer camp where they are both counselors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives by spending the summer working. Russ hopes if he gets far enough away from Maple Hills, he can avoid dealing with the repercussions of his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora is tired of craving attention from everyone around her, and wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home.
Russ knows breaking the camp’s strict “no staff fraternizing” rule will have him heading back to Maple Hills before the summer is over, but unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about the rules. Will the two learn to peacefully coexist? Or did their one night together start a fire they can’t put out?
Publisher: Atria Books
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Worst Kind of Promise, Celeste Briars
One summer. One forbidden romance. One secret to destroy them completely.
When Faye Hollings finds herself stranded at a gas station, the first person she thinks to call is the man she’s been secretly in love with for two years. The only problem? Kit Langley is one of her brother’s best friends, and completely off limits. After a traumatic encounter that has her fleeing to California, Faye finds herself in a whirlwind summer romance that tests boundaries, pool water, and how far their desires for one another stretch beneath beating hearts.
Star left defenseman and self-proclaimed ladies’ man, Kit Langley, isn’t fazed by much. But when he gets that life-changing call from his teammate’s little sister, and the one girl he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about, his whole world tilts on its axis. Kit juggles between staying loyal to his best friend, keeping an earth-shattering secret, and indulging in his own fantasies that involve a certain freckled brunette.
Faye and Kit have two months to figure out where they stand in each other’s lives. When summer starts to fade, so does the possibility of this budding relationship. With the clock counting down and their friends growing more suspicious, the two will have to decide whether to come clean or continue living a devastating lie.
Will loyalties remain unsevered, or will love blossom between two star-crossed lovers?
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 19
Goodreads | Amazon
Flower and Thorn, Rati Mehrotra
One girl. One boy.
A promise broken.
A magic stolen.
Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily–said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat an entire army–Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life.
Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive imposter.
Irinya’s fight to recover the priceless flower and to fix what she’s done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she’s not sure she’ll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she’s left behind.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
A Fire Born of Exile, Aliette de Bodard
The Scattered Pearls Belt is a string of habitats under tight military rule . . . where the powerful have become all too comfortable in their positions, and their corruption. But change is coming, with the arrival of Quynh: the mysterious and enigmatic Alchemist of Streams and Hills.
To Minh, daughter of the ruling prefect of the Belt , Quynh represents a chance for escape. To Hot, a destitute engineer, Quynh has a mysterious link to her own past . . . and holds a deeper, more sensual appeal. But Quynh has her own secret history, and a plan for the ruling class of the Belt. A plan that will tear open old wounds, shake the heavens, and may well consume her.
Publisher: Gollancz
Pub Date: October 12
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed, Noreen Mughees
Thirty-three-year-old hijabi Sana Saeed has put away her childhood dream of ishq—an all-consuming, sweeping love. The arranged dates she’s agreed to have failed time after time, and she has responsibilities to consider—namely her sweet, autistic younger brother, Zia. Sana and Zia are a package deal, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But their traditional mother won’t allow Sana to be named as his future guardian… unless she’s married.
When Daniel Malik walks into Sana’s office at the Department of Environmental Conservation, she’s astonished—their childhood friendship has been a cherished memory ever since a feud between their families put an end to it eighteen years ago. But there’s no chance of them becoming close again; Daniel may be as hot as a Bollywood heartthrob, but not only is he Sana’s new boss, her mother would disown her if she ever brought him home.
With the clock ticking, Sana agrees to a marriage arranged by her family. She’s seen plenty of arranged marriages grow into love; maybe that will happen for her too. But when a high-stakes case at work forces Sana and Daniel to team up, they find themselves less able—and willing—to play their parts of “good desi children.”
Now Sana must make a choice: family and security, or the one man who claimed her heart long ago…
Publisher: Alcove Press
Pub Date: October 10
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Hopeless, Elsie Silver
Beau Eaton is the town prince, a handsome military hero with a tortured past.
I’m the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks.
He’s thirty-five and all man, and I’m twenty-two and all… virgin.
He’s also my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé.
We start out as a bet. He doesn’t believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point.
It’s win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family’s prying, and I get a chance to shed my family’s reputation while I save up to ditch this small town.
He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I can’t keep my hands off of him in public.
But it’s what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines.
It’s what transpires behind closed doors that doesn’t feel like pretending at all.
This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date.
He once told me he’d never fall in love.
And yet here I am, head over heels for my fake fiancé.
Self-Pub/Indie
Pub Date: October 13
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
The Holiday Mix-Up, Ginny Baird
Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family’s winery, Katie leaps at the chance… that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the “news.”
Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there’s Juan’s brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.
Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan’s plan to “rebrand and expand” Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she’s still committed to Juan… even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead.
With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Pub Date: October 10
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Night of the Witch, Sara Raasch & Beth Revis
A witch and a hunter. Vengeance is their mission. Love is their destiny.
Fritzi is a witch. A survivor of a brutal attack on her coven, she’s determined to find her only surviving family member and bring the hexenjägers—zealot witch hunters—to justice for the lives they ended. To do this, she will need to take down their leader—Kommandant Dieter Kirch.
Otto is a hexenjäger and a captain, the second in command to Dieter Kirch—but that’s just his cover. Years ago, the hexenjagers burned his innocent mother alive and since then, he has been planning a move against the witch hunters that tore his family apart. And now the time has come for them to pay for what they’ve done.
When Fritzi and Otto are unexpectedly thrown together, neither is sure they can trust the other, despite their common enemy. But all they have is one another, and they both crave revenge. As truths come to light and trust shifts, Fritzi and Otto uncover a far more horrifying plot at the center of the hexenjäger attacks . . . but their own growing feelings for each other may be the most powerful magic of all.
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pub Date: October 3
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Friends Don’t Fall in Love, Erin Hahn
Lorelai Jones had it all: a thriving country music career and a superstar fiancé. Then she played one teenie tiny protest song at a concert and ruined her entire future, including her impending celebrity marriage. But five years later, she refuses to be done with her dreams and calls up the one person who stuck by her, her dear friend and her former fiancé’s co-writer and bandmate, Craig.
Craig Boseman’s held a torch for Lorelai for years, but even he knows the backup bass player never gets the girl. Things are different now, though. Craig owns his own indie record label and his songwriting career is taking off. If he can confront his past and embrace his gifts, he might just be able to help Lorelai earn the comeback she deserves―and maybe win her heart in the process.
But when the two reunite to rebuild her career and finally scratch that itch that’s been building between them for years, Lorelai realizes a lot about what friends don’t do. For one, friends don’t have scratch-that-itch sex. They also don’t almost-kiss on street corners, publish secret erotic poetry about each other, have counter-top sex, write songs for each other, have no-strings motorcycle sex, or go on dates. And they sure as heck don’t fall in love… right?
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
10 Things That Never Happened, Alexis Hall
Fake amnesia. Real feelings? Real problems.
Sam Becker loves―or, okay, likes―his job. Sure, managing a bed and bath retailer isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s good work and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git.
Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn’t get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk…only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn’t remember anything?
Faking amnesia seemed like a good idea when Sam was afraid he was getting sacked, but now he has to deal with the reality of Jonathan’s guilt―as well as the unsettling fact that his surly boss might have a softer side to him. There’s an unexpected freedom in getting a second shot at a first impression…but as Sam and Jonathan grow closer, can Sam really bring himself to tell the truth, or will their future be built entirely on one impulsive lie?
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Pub Date: October 17
Goodreads | Bookshop | B&N | Amazon
Author’s Note: I’ve done my best to include cross-genre (historical, fantasy, science-fiction, horror, etc.) romance picks in this round up, based on synopses and early reader reviews. While every book here should include at least some element of romance, some books may be better suited to SFF instead. While I do try to prevent this and list books where they fit most (especially if they cross genre lines), you may occasionally see a book here that only has a romance sub-plot. Likewise, you may find a book in Sci-Fi Sightings that has a stronger romance plot that may have been better suited to the Romance Roundup instead. I unfortunately don’t have time to read everything, but I do try my best to categorize based on available info!
Disclaimer: Book info provided above courtesy of the publisher and/or Goodreads, unless otherwise stated. Links to reviews are provided, when applicable.
This post may contain affiliate links, from which, Space Between Pages may earn a small commission.
Leave a Reply