This ambitious romantasy from Corland (the Broken Blades series) gets off to a slow start but develops into a tense locked-room murder mystery rife with political intrigue and secrets. Twenty years ago, the senators of Pryor murdered their tyrannical king and exterminated his magical Elusian bloodline, ending a century-long war and establishing a republic. Every year, these events are commemorated in the Revelry, a night of indulgence coinciding with the annual conclave, a weeklong gathering of the Republic’s leaders to debate and pass legislation. When one of the senators is murdered, Praetorian Torren Morvane’s investigation leads him to Kerasea Vestal, High Priestess of the Temple of Truth, though it quickly becomes clear that she is being framed. With the conclave under lockdown and more bodies piling up, Torren and Kerasea must overcome years of mutual distrust to determine who among them is a killer. Meanwhile, as the two grow closer and eventually give in to newfound desire, Kerasea hides her secret heritage as the last surviving Elusian. The ancient Rome–flavored worldbuilding gets somewhat muddled, but surly Torren and resourceful Kerasea have satisfying chemistry and, once the claustrophobic mystery picks up, it’s fun to watch them navigate this fraught situation. An abrupt cliffhanger ending leaves much to be developed in further installments. Corland fans will be eager for more. (May)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

A woman who feels like she was “born in the wrong century” puts that theory to the test in this memorable time-travel romance from Silva (Love and Fury). Literary agency assistant and Jane Austen superfan Annabel Blake dreams of publishing her own Regency, but her first draft lacks romantic spark. When her boss tasks Annabel with sorting through her “crumbling old pile of a country house” in England, Annabel jumps at the chance, and her influencer sister, Cassie, and Cassie’s ex-boyfriend turned “creative consultant,” Billy, tag along to film content. This unlikely trio attends a ball hosted by the local Regency Society, only to find themselves transported back in time to 1815. Cassie and Billy are desperate to get back to the 21st century, but Annabel is not so sure—especially after meeting Henry Leighton D’Evercy, the handsome owner of the beautiful Ellesmere estate. As Annabel falls hard for Henry, she is faced with the choice of seeking a way to return to the present or risking all for the possibility of the love—and inspiration—of a lifetime. Humor and romance keep the pages of this smart, lighthearted novel turning. It’s hard to put down. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Archer debuts with a rousing queer romantasy about a fake rivalry complicated by real feelings. Cyrus’s reputation as the formidable villain Earthshaker relies on the public’s assumption that his magic once caused a major earthquake. Despite his regular attempts at evildoing, his status has been slipping and if the truth about his magic specialty, the ability to communicate with and coax growth from plants, ever got out, he’d become a laughing stock. To bolster his standing, he attacks Maximilian, a champion of good, but their fight ends in a draw. Cyrus is stunned when, later, Maximilian clandestinely contacts him with a scheme to stage future confrontations and thereby increase both their notoriety. For his part, Maximilian is concerned that he’s about to be ousted in the triennial election for his city’s champion spot and needs the good PR. The men’s scheming and feigned spats give rise to attachment and attraction even as their plan works better than they’d ever hoped. Archer imbues her characters with sharp wit and artfully combines romance tropes and exciting swashbuckling. The result is wryly funny and deeply satisfying. Agent: Lucy Irvine, Peters Fraser & Dunlop. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

A touch of interdimensional magic sets the stage for this fun and heartfelt rom-rom from Greenwood (The Love of My After Life). London-based romance novelist Gertie Bickerstaff is too brokenhearted after her boyfriend leaves her to finish writing the final book in her Bedlam Creek Ranch series, which is due to her publisher in two weeks. Crying in her bathtub isn’t helping, but the unexpected appearance in the real world of the sexy villain of her series, swaggering cowboy River Oakley, just might. Even more surprising, he’s not the bad guy Gertie has painted him as, just an overworked rancher who hasn’t gotten to tell his side of the story. He’s eager to get back to his own reality and thinks the way to do so is by helping Gertie find love, so he volunteers to help her win back her ex by making him jealous. Before long, Gertie, River, and Gertie’s neighbor’s scene-stealing dog, Squish, become close collaborators, and the chemistry blossoms. It’s undeniably diverting to watch River get to know London and compare his world to Gertie’s as she reevaluates what makes a good romantic hero. Witty, winkingly meta, and wonderfully told, this is sure to entertain. (June)

Reviewed on 04/03/2026 | Details & Permalink

Jessica McLaughlin is on a losing streak in this witty if low-stakes sports romance by Moffat (Flirty Dancing). A player in the Southern California Beach Volleyball League, Jess dreams of going pro—if she can ever shake off her self-doubt. Meanwhile, her rival, Vivienne Morris, is beautiful, absurdly talented, and undefeated. With Jess’s confidence at an all-time low, continuously bumping into Vivienne off the court should be torture, but Jess can’t shake the connection they share. As their relationship evolves through a montage of run-ins, club outings, and concerts, Jess finds inspiration in Vivienne’s boldness and somewhat cliché words of wisdom (“I don’t care if I win or lose, Jess. I care how I play”). The characters are endearing, and the plot makes a valiant effort to show Jess rediscovering her self-worth, but the lack of external stakes or a more fleshed-out backstory for her makes it difficult to fully invest in this introspective tale. There’s plenty that’s cute here, but readers will long for more depth. Agent: Jordy Albert, Booker Albert Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 03/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Greek mythology, jealous power jockeying, and wealth porn animate the compulsively readable adult debut from bestselling YA author McGee (the American Royals series). It starts with a familiar setup: a down-to-earth woman must navigate the luxurious lifestyle and complex interpersonal politics of her soon-to-be in-laws. But here, the woman, Julia, doesn’t realize that the family she’s marrying into are the gods of Olympus. In the modern world, they operate under aliases as the powerful Ellene family, whose business empire extends into almost every market. Julia’s fiancé, Harry, is really Ares, who has been estranged from the family for three years after impulsively sleeping with his brother Hephaestus’s wife, Aphrodite. When oblivious Julia convinces him to return to the fold, she faces Aphrodite’s jealousy and Harry’s mother Hera’s suspicion as both women become convinced that there’s more to Julia than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Hades seeks to overthrow his brother, Zeus, and Hermes plays all sides. In McGee’s hands, these mythic figures are draped in couture and willing to do anything to secure their positions in the pantheon. Julia, in contrast to the scheming gods, can come across as a bit too perfect, but her sturdy, palpable love for Harry successfully grounds the novel’s excesses as the plot jets from Olympus to New York City, London, and beyond. It’s a juicy, glamorous romp. (July)

Reviewed on 03/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

This satisfying second chance romance from Hegde (Can’t Help Faking in Love) braids a steamy vacation fling, a tense reunion, and a cinematic mystery. After Naina Shetty discovers her fiancé’s infidelity, she heads to her Goa honeymoon alone, working her way down an “anti-honeymoon checklist” (items include “kiss a stranger” and “try any kind of drug”). She meets “prince charming” Tejas Rajput, who’s in Goa to heal from his own broken heart after his ex-boyfriend’s betrayal. After setting ground rules designed to keep things casual—including that neither will share any true information, instead responding to all personal questions with “wrong answers only”—the pair embark on a whirlwind two-week affair. Eighteen months later, they’re shocked to reunite as junior associates at the same Bangalore law firm. Naina is determined to keep things professional as they team up to defend Bollywood actor Preethi Acharaya in a high profile murder trial—but as the case heats up, so does their lingering chemistry. The plot toggles between past and present and Naina’s and Tejas’s POVs, adding to the romantic tension as the thrilling mystery unfolds. Supportive Tejas is a swoony hero, and readers will root for him to break through Naina’s understandable emotional walls. It’s good fun. (May)

Reviewed on 03/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Eddings (Late Bloomer) explores the ups and downs of a burgeoning band in this funny and contemplative romance. For singer Cubby Clark, getting to tour the East Coast with her group Tea Time Tantrum should feel like years of dedication paying off. But the moment is marred by negative publicity and social media ridicule sparked by her self-absorbed ex-bandmate and ex-boyfriend, who has catapulted into stardom for a song that paints Cubby as a lackluster lover. After a sultry picture of Cubby and pianist Harry goes viral, suggesting a scandalous love triangle, Tea Time Tantrum decides to use this attention to their advantage and give the crowds more to gossip about. Behind the scenes, however, it’s Cubby’s connection with her childhood best friend and bassist Darcy Burton that simmers with romantic tension. After the women share an impulsive hookup, they struggle to redefine their relationship. Their magnetic chemistry alongside thoughtful discussions of mental health, the pursuit of art, and life in the public eye make up for occasionally uneven pacing, which causes certain scenes to drag and others to resolve abruptly. This vulnerable queer coming-of-age story will strike just the right chord with those who appreciate steamy and tender friends-to-lovers romances. Agent: Jessica Mileo and Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (June)

Reviewed on 03/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

Chow (For No Mortal Creature) launches her Seamere College duology with a rocky romantasy centered on mystical veterinary care. Gwendolynne Chan is in her final year of vet school specializing in magical familiars. She’s determined to graduate as Dux, head of the class, and step into a lucrative Ministry job so she can help her struggling family. Standing in her way is her academic “nemesis” Harrisford Briggs, son of a Magecorp executive, one of the two largest purveyors of magic in the world, whose status gives him access to the magic Gwen can ill afford. When familiars begin exhibiting strange symptoms from carrying an excess of magic, the pair are forced to work together to figure out what’s going on. Mystery, betrayals, and plenty of family drama ensue. The setup is fun, and Chow’s background in veterinary medicine adds detail and authenticity to the magical world, but the plot takes too long to heat up and the relationship between Harrisford and Gwendolynne can feel uneven as their transition from enemies to lovers hits some jarring beats. It’s a cute premise that falters in execution. (May)

Reviewed on 03/27/2026 | Details & Permalink

With this quirky and bighearted collection of linked romantic shorts, Coyle (Goblin Mode) invites readers to small-town Cryptid Creek, where humans and folkloric creatures live side by side—and sometimes date. Mothman, seven feet tall and boasting both wings and antennae, works at the local coffee shop and communicates by psychically transmitting his emotions, which creates an intense sensory feedback loop when he kisses nonbinary bookstore owner Lucy in the cute “The Moon and the Mothman.” A butch lesbian sasquatch who goes by Sas and uses he/him pronouns engages in a sweet, somewhat awkward courtship with a femme bartender in “Dream Girl.” More obscure cryptids also get their time in the spotlight: in the horror-tinged “Night Shift,” the Flatwoods Monster hires a psychic to rid her house of a ghost, while Cactus Cat proves irresistible to his coworker in the erotically charged “Yearn for It.” Sex scenes are implied or fade-to-black, but sparks still fly in the lustier pieces, including “Practice Makes Perfect,” which pairs two trans men, one a human, the other a lake monster. Both the poignant, atmospheric “Ripple” and the tender “A New Leaf” deal with life and love after loss. The inclusive vibe, gentle humor, and endearing cast of creatures will appeal to anyone seeking cozy monster romance. (May)

Reviewed on 03/27/2026 | Details & Permalink