Half dark academia and half erotica, Coverly’s debut offers a hedonistic account of a graduate student’s dalliance with forbidden magic and romance. Ellsbeth Storer entered Newlyn College of the Arcane Arts’ graduate program for one purpose: to discover the truth behind her sister’s death. To do that, she needs to study writ magic, the forbidden ability to influence minds, with an adviser who will support a thesis on an illegal topic. Professor Thaddeus Rawlins has been burned by an overly ambitious student before, but Ellsbeth’s research intrigues him—as does Ellsbeth herself. Pursuing rituals that could get them imprisoned and a relationship that could ruin their academic careers, the two struggle to control both their desire and the powerful promise of writ magic. Their steamy, BDSM-inflected romance is well balanced, and Coverly does not shy away from the moral quandaries of their relationship. Ellsbeth often favors her illicit affair over her quest for justice, to the extent that her studies become more of a footnote, which might frustrate readers in it for the magic. Still, the predictable plot is strengthened by complex characters with undeniable chemistry. Coverly should win plenty of fans. Agent: Dan Mandel, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (May)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Quill explores the challenges of early adulthood in this juicy opposites-attract romance, the first in the Campus Drivers series. Prickly, reticent Lane O’Neill, a third year at Sycamore Heights University, is known—and swooned over—on campus as one of the founders of the Campus Drivers, a university-specific rideshare business with a fleet of flashy vintage cars. He’s excited to be living on his own this year—until he stumbles upon Lois Hogan camped out in the hallway of his apartment building. Lois only enrolled at SHU because it was her boyfriend’s dream. Now, the weekend before classes start, he’s broken up with her and kicked her out of their shared apartment. Lane offers Lois his sofa until she finds a place to stay and, though their personalities initially clash, she finds an unexpected community with him and the Campus Drivers. Lane keeps his past pain and loss hidden, but the longer bubbly, optimistic Lois stays, the more his walls come down. Meanwhile, Lois moves from working to get back with her ex to desiring to reclaim her independence, with Lane by her side. Their character growth, both together and separately, is well executed and rewarding. Fans of new adult romance will enjoy the emotional roller coaster that is these two coming-of-age. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Bishop sparkles in this lively and touching contemporary, the second in her Forever Falling series (after Only for the Week). Runway model–turned–content creator Dani Jenkins and artist Micah Wright came close to acting on their mutual attraction 11 years before the start of the book, but life got in the way. Now the pair are reunited, first at a friend’s wedding and then by the death of their shared mentor, Tanya Holden. Tanya has left behind instructions for the pair, writing in her will that there are “some places you’ll need to go, people you’ll need to meet, and things you’ll need to get” in order to throw a gala in her memory, where they are to auction off her belongings alongside an original artwork she instructs them to create together. As this scavenger hunt takes Dani and Micah across the U.S., each stop on the path Tanya has mapped out brings them closer together. From South Carolina to Chicago to Colorado, the pair learn unexpected truths about their mentor and themselves. Tanya’s fiercely protective and incredibly giving spirit pervades the novel as she works from beyond the grave to ensure that these two deeply compatible people don’t mess up their chance at a happy ending. It’s a skillfully plotted and empathetically rendered ode to second chances. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Parish follows While the Duke Was Sleeping with another fun Victorian remix of a classic 1990s rom-com. Eleanor Wright, a career-minded woman who enjoys her work as the best typesetter in London, has recently become enamored with the letters she’s received from the Captain, the brother of her anonymous pen pal who’s assisting with correspondence for his sight-impaired sister. Meanwhile, at an exhibit at the London Zoological Society, Eleanor meets Peter, a seemingly affable man who she later discovers is the Duke of Strafford, responsible for spearheading efforts for his Linotype machine to replace typesetters. Their budding friendship turns to rivalry as Eleanor accepts the duke’s challenge to go up against his machine. Unbeknownst to her, of course, Peter and the Captain are one and the same. The setup is as entertaining here as in the original, and Parish does a good job updating the details to be period-specific. Especially successful is the correspondence between Eleanor and the Captain, which showcases the genuine connection of these well-shaded characters. Readers will soften to the duke right alongside Eleanor as he realizes his machine’s impact and attempts to atone. This series is going strong. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

Rossi (A Pack for Winter, written as Emilia Emerson) delivers a smoldering dark romance, the first in the Empire of Royals series, originally self-published in 2024. After 13 years as Don of the Italian mafia in New York City, Matteo Rossi, 38, is dealing with encroachment from rival mobsters and decides to settle the matter with a marriage alliance. Cruel Chicago crime boss Rustik Ivanov offers up one of his sheltered daughters, 21-year-old Sofiya, as a candidate, with a photo that entrances Matteo against his will. What he doesn’t learn until their wedding day is that Sofiya has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a rare genetic connective tissue disorder that often leaves her unable to walk. Gentle yet strong, Sofiya has always dreamed of a love match, but steels herself to accept what Matteo offers, as he is unwilling to derail his life with romance. Sofiya’s chronic illness sets her apart from most dark romance heroines and, though she encounters a lot of ableism over the course of the novel, her disability is sensitively handled. Meanwhile, Rossi keeps the drama coming at a fast pace, with plenty of threats, violence (including the satisfying dispatches of several ruthless enemies), and spicy, if eventually repetitive, sex scenes. Mafia romance fans will eat this up. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

The steamy third installment of Jones’s Game, Set, and Match series (after Game Point) goes sapphic with a rivals-to-lovers story that pits two women’s drive to compete against their desire to connect. Former superstar Inés Costa’s chronic wrist issues have taken her out of the spotlight and off sponsors’ lists, while up-and-comer Chloe Murphy’s career is suffering from a reputation for tantrums and code violations. After a charity event in which Chloe shows herself to be redeemable and Inez serves as a calming influence, Inez agrees to be Chloe’s practice partner in the lead-up to the U.S. Open. Both women have an intensity of desire that manifests equally powerfully on the court and in the bedroom. Their playful, competitive banter underlies palpable chemistry, leading to sex scenes that crackle with strong physicality and subtle struggles for dominance. Well-chosen song selections headline each chapter, creating a soundtrack that feels full of hot feminist energy, and an amusingly toxic fan culture gives the couple a common enemy that is not their peers. Aggressive but never mean, and uniquely capable of bringing out the best in each other, these spirited heroines prove easy to root for. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

The glimmering and surprisingly gritty latest from Hall (Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot) is a queer historical romance that tends slightly darker than the average genre fare. In 19th-century London, Michael “Micha” Dashwood is a sex worker whose addiction to opium has led him to illness and destitution. He is discovered, collapsed and semiconscious on the street, by Rev. Thomas Mandeville, who brings Micha home with him out of kindness—and, perhaps, a guilty sense of attraction. Mistrustful and quick to anger, Micha recovers under Thomas’s care with the help of heavy doses of laudanum. The men develop a grudging but genuine friendship. Meanwhile, Thomas’s inner turmoil grows alongside his feelings for Micha as he grapples with his sexuality and his religion. The tale toggles between the pair’s perspectives, allowing readers to deeply sympathize with both sides of a relationship laden with near insurmountable obstacles. It’s a gripping setup for a romance that refuses some of the easier paths to happily-ever-after, instead delivering a complex examination of religion, community, and addiction. In Hall’s hands, love may not conquer all, but it can conquer some—and this nuanced love story proves all the better for being so hard-won. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/13/2026 | Details & Permalink

A mishap-fueled quest threatens to break two best bros apart in this unabashedly silly friends-to-lovers medievalesque fantasy from Roche (We Are the Match, written as Mary E. Roche). Juniper O’Reilly loves mead, wrestling, his cozy farm abode, and, above all, sharing these simple pleasures with his long-time best friend, Morn “Mo” Elmthorn. Strong, thoughtful, outdoorsy, and handsome, Mo stands as a constant reminder of everything Juniper is not. It once seemed like their friendship could become something more, but Juniper can’t let go of the fact that Mo abandoned him for an adventure 10 winters ago and their relationship hasn’t been the same since. When Juniper’s incessant tavern brawling injures a mercenary and lands both him and Mo in jail, the two are obliged by law to embark on a dragon hunt. This dangerous mission—which sees them stumbling on a shape-shifting dragon child and feuding with an untrustworthy prince—magnifies their worst flaws and years of buried animosity, while also amplifying their long-simmering mutual attraction. Unfortunately, their budding romance gets stuck in a cycle of miscommunication that quickly grows tiresome. While the pacing is wonky and the romance is only ever lukewarm, the cozy trappings and abundant humor will please those looking for lighthearted queer romantasy. (May)

Reviewed on 02/06/2026 | Details & Permalink

West (We Met Like This) delivers a humorous if slightly far-fetched take on the fake dating trope. Sutton returns to her hometown to care for her mother after a car accident. Their relationship is strained and Sutton knows she probably needs therapy to address their traumatic past, but she hasn’t found the time. When a stranger in a bar starts bad-mouthing therapy, Sutton jumps in to defend the practice. Turns out, this is her childhood best friend Tara’s new fiancé, Michael, who’s resistent to Tara’s attempts to get them into couple’s counseling before walking down the aisle. Michael bets that “two strangers could go to couples therapy and [get] the same generic advice,” and Sutton takes him up on it, agreeing to pose as a couple with Michael’s brother, Elijah, whom she thinks of as “Villain Pretty Boy.” As they attend therapy sessions and do couple-y activities, the pair develop an unexpected bond and consider dating for real—until an improbable reveal rocks the foundation of their relationship and causes Sutton to question everything. This late plot twist somewhat undermines West’s message about the virtues of therapy. Meanwhile, many of the leads’ genuine traumas remain unresolved, leaving some uncertainty about their future together. Still, there’s plenty of fun and laughter to be had along the way, and Sutton proves an endearing heroine. West’s fans will be well pleased. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/06/2026 | Details & Permalink

A slow-burning love story keeps the pages turning in this cute contemporary from Liese (Once Smitten, Twice Shy). Bookseller Thea Meyer and Michelin star chef Alex Bruscato become instant best friends when they discover that their ex-spouses are now in a relationship with each other. After impulsively suggesting to the couple that, they too, have a long romantic history, Thea and Alex quickly realize their compatibility isn’t hard to fake. Thea enjoys the food Alex cooks her and bonds with his six-year-old daughter, Mia, while Alex takes Thea’s book recommendations and falls in love with her dog, Argos. They spend more time together than apart as Thea works up the courage to present her plan to purchase her bookstore and Alex develops a cookbook. When Mia’s mom asks Alex and Thea to join a summer family vacation, it prompts them to consider whether fake dating and friendship could lead to something more. By toggling between the early days of their relationship and that romantic turning point, Liese does an excellent job maintaining tension and building a solid, trusting, and believable connection between the pair. Friends-to-lovers fans won’t want to miss this. Agent: Samantha Fabien, Root Literary. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 02/06/2026 | Details & Permalink