33 Romance Books To Look Out For In 2023
Note: These are titles releasing in the earlier half of 2023, so be sure to look out for romance novels releasing in the later half of 2023!
1.Exes and O's by Amy Lea
Release date: January 10
What it's about: After several heartbreaks in a row, romance book lover Tara Chen decides she needs a new strategy. Forget apps — she's going to attempt her own second chance romance by inviting her exes into her life. Firefighter Trevor Metcalfe gets roped into his new roommate's scheme, helping her reconnect with past flames. But the more time they spend together, the more their connection grows.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
2.Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen
Release date: January 10
What it's about: When Olivia Huang Christenson takes over her grandmother's matchmaking business, she learns that a new dating app has totally misunderstood her Pó Po's Chinese zodiac approach to love. Bennett O'Brien is Los Angeles's most eligible bachelor who also believes in his business even though it could detrimentally ruin Liv's. So the two decide to make a deal. They'll set each other up, and the first one to fall in love loses. Surely, nothing can go wrong!
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
3.A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan
Release date: January 17
What it's about: Hailey Sharp is ready to live her life the way she wants, and that includes putting all her effort into making Get By the Cup salad shop a success. Wes Jansen isn't looking for commitment when it comes to love, but after a disastrous meet-cute, he seeks Hailey to apologize. It's then that the two form a friendship, because they're way too set in their ways to be anything else. Right?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
4.The Year of Cecily by Lisa Lin
Release date: January 17
What it's about: Cecily Chang is an attorney living in San Francisco, and she's ready for a change. That's when she comes up with a list to reboot her life, vowing to start right after she visits home in Brooklyn for the Lunar New Year. Cecily can handle her chaotic family and critical mother — as long as she doesn't see Jeffrey Lee. Successful screenwriter Jeffrey regrets how things ended with Cecily 10 years ago, and he takes running into her again as a sign. Second chances weren't part of Cecily's reboot list, but is Jeffrey able to change her mind?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
5.The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges
Release date: January 24
What it's about: In this magical realism romance, The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone follows Myra, a 34-year-old blogger who has a loyal and captive audience of readers. She writes about a mysterious dollhouse mansion, one she's found herself unexplainably tethered to, with rooms that disappear and reappear overnight. When two fans of Myra's show Alex Rakes a minuscule version of the mansion, he's stunned to see his childhood bedroom in the replica. The mansion is his family's home. So, he connects with Myra, and the two begin to retrace the stories that have brought them together.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
6.Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Release date: January 24
What it's about: Eliza and Graham are headed to a romantic resort on the Northern California coastline to celebrate their five-year anniversary, but there's just one problem. Lately, their romance has fizzled out, leaving them feeling as close as strangers. When a guest mistakes them for being single, only to introduce them at the bar, they decide to play along. And it almost feels fun again. The two decide to keep up the roleplaying, flirting like they did in the beginning — but will the magic disappear after the week is over?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
7.Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
Release date: January 24
What it's about: Georgie Mulcahy has worked as a personal assistant in Los Angeles for a long time, so when an expected blip in her life brings her back to her hometown, she's surprised when she rediscovers her childhood "friendfic" diary. This list could help set her on a new path, so she decides to make it her personal quest. When Levi Fanning, troublemaker, grump, and town hermit, offers his help on her journey, the two begin to realize all the ways in which their past may be holding them back from a better future.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
8.The Second You're Single by Cara Tanamachi
Release date: January 31
What it's about: Freelance writer Sora Reid dislikes the commercial cringy-ness of Valentine's Day, which is why she decides to stay single through February — to empower her readers. It doesn't help that her mother wants her to snag a date in time for her perfect younger sister's wedding. But everything gets a bit more complicated when Jack Mann enters the picture. He's Sora's childhood friend, and when she runs into him at the grocery store, she realizes there's a hint of attraction there. But she can't pursue Jack now that she's vowed to #gosolo — can she?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
9.Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni
Release date: January 31
What it's about: Nareh Bedrossian would like to meet someone who shares her idea of romance, because it's certainly not her tech bro ex who attempted the least romantic proposal on the planet. That's when Nar's Armenian mother convinces her to check out Explore Armenia, a month-long series of events in San Francisco. The men aren't catching her eye — but someone is: Erebuni, a woman who has dedicated her time to preserving Armenian identity. As Erebuni helps Nar explore her culture on a deeper level, the two grow closer. But Nar isn't bisexual, is she? As the closing banquet quickly approaches and her and Erebuni's world's collide, Nar must decide what she wants and who she's ready to be.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
10.Radiant Sin by Katee Robert
Release date: February 7
What it's about: Robert is back with another book set in Olympus, and this steamy retelling focuses on Apollo and Cassandra. Cassandra would like nothing more than to leave Olympus with her sister, so when the gorgeous Apollo asks her to go undercover to a week-long party hosted by a dangerous threat, Cassandra agrees. Apollo trust Cassandra more than anyone, and Cassandra knows that if he gets the information he needs after a week, she'll be free. But what they don't expect is rising sexual tension as well as a growing threat that could destroy Olympus...
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
11.Not Your Ex's Hexes by April Asher
Release date: February 7
What it's about: If you like your romances with a twist of supernatural, then check out Asher's latest. Rose Maxwell is a witch whose ultimate goal is to train to become the next Prima on the Supernatural Council. After an impulsive one-night stand with a half-Demon veterinarian, the last thing she expects is to serve community service hours at his animal farm. Damian isn't after a relationship, and neither is Rose. Which is why a friends-with-benefits situation makes perfect sense. The more time they spend together, the more Damian realizes he doesn't want Rose to enter the dangerous world of the Hunters. What's more, his ex has hexed him: If he falls in love with Rose, he'll lose both his heart and his humanity.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
12.Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow
Release date: February 14
What it's about: 30-something Ruby Spencer has left Manhattan to move to a remote Scottish village for a year to focus on her dream of writing a cookbook, instantly charmed by the atmosphere and people. Especially Brochan, a local handyman who is there anytime Ruby's cottage needs repairs. It's too bad Ruby's sworn off guys. That doesn't stop her from continuing to hang out with Brochan. But when she learns that a beloved local pub will turn into an American chain restaurant, she finds herself faced with an impossible choice.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
13.Isha, Unscripted by Sajni Patel
Release date: February 14
What it's about: Isha Patel hasn't lived up to her parents' expectations of success, but she's happy trying to break into the screenwriting world. When an opportunity doesn't go as planned, Isha's best friend convinces her to land a pitch session with the esteemed actor Matthew McConaughey, who also happened to be Isha's old professor. To kick off her search, Isha teams up with a cute bartender for an unforgettably fun night of hijinks.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
14.Take the Lead by Alexis Daria
Release date: February 14
What it's about: Gina Morales has competed in four seasons of The Dance Off, but she's never made it to the finals. Her latest partner might change the game for her, though. Stone Nielson is the sexy star of an Alaskan wilderness show, but The Dance Off's producer has made it clear that Gina and Stone are there for show-romance purposes. While neither partner wants to fake a romance for an audience, they can't deny the attraction that's growing between them.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
15.For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding
Release date: February 21
What it's about: Screenwriter Nina Rice retreated to a condo in the suburbs after a devastating breakup three years ago, remotely working her talent agency job and managing celeb email accounts from home. But a young out and proud actress named Ari Fox has a few ideas for how her account should be managed, so she gets to know Nina better. But is it possible that Ari is also flirting with her? When Ari eventually encourages Nina to start writing again, Nina begins to consider that reflecting on her past and future might not be as scary as she thought.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
16.Too Wrong to Be Right by Melonie Johnson
Release date: February 28
What it's about: Florist Kat Kowalski is ready to find Mr. Right, and that includes putting a full stop to dating mistakes that leave her unhappy. After compiling a list of qualities that her perfect Mr. Right should possess, she swears off dating until she finds him. Enter Mick O'Sullivan. After a disastrous meet-cute, Kat doesn't dive right into romance. Instead, she listens to her head, deciding to keep things platonic. But the more she gets to know him, she realizes that perhaps friendship isn't exactly what she wants.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
17.The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
Release date: February 28
What it's about: Lily Greene is a shy and awkward book lover who aspires to work in children's fiction. Although she's been working in the nonfiction sector for a while, she isn't sure she'll land a promotion. There is one person who seems to understand Lily — her favorite fantasy author, whom she's been corresponding with. Until he ghosts her. Months later, and in search of a date to her sister's wedding, Lily asks her new neighbor for help. But what Lily doesn't know is that Nick Brown is the very fantasy author who ghosted her months ago...
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
18.The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles
Release date: March 7
What it's about: This Regency romance follows Gareth Inglis, abandoned by his father and used to disappointment, until he falls for a charming stranger. When that goes awry, and when Gareth's father dies, Gareth goes to the remote Romney Marsh, transforming into Sir Gareth, to meet a family he never knew. Joss Doomsday is a smuggler whose old lover has agreed to testify against his sister, and when Joss and Gareth reunite, the reunion is rocky. But not for long. The Marsh is dangerous, and Joss and Gareth must trust each other fully in order to survive.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
19.Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly
Release date: March 7
What it's about: On his journey through the Pacific Crest Trail, Alexei Lebedev meets Ben Caravalho after a threatening snake accidentally brings them together. But Alexei keeps running into Ben on the trail, and Ben is just as enamored with Alexei as Alexei is with Ben. A wild and wonderful summer adventure brought both men together, but will their future plans tear them apart for good?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
20.The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
Release date: March 14
What it's about: After hooking up with a guy she met while bartending a wedding, the last place Hallie Piper expects to find her one night stand is on a dating app. Jack agrees that while they may not be a good fit, perhaps they'd be good at being each other's wing-person. When they begin to schedule dates in the same place only to reconvene after if it goes bad, they decide to place a bet to see who can find true love first. But when they agree to fake date for a wedding, things become a bit more complicated.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
21.Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller
Release date: March 28
What it's about: This Victorian-era romance is set within a Viennese hotel and follows Maria Wallner, who wants to restore the place to its former glory. Nothing will stop her, not even being attacked by masked assassins, and she certainly won't be distracted by an attractive American foreign agent who's already saved her life — twice. Eli Whittaker is tracking a criminal believed to be selling American secret codes across Europe, and the one lead he has is a letter sent from a Viennese hotel. The last thing he expects is to be swept up in Maria's chaos...not that he minds much.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound.
22.Ana María and the Fox by Liana De La Rosa
Release date: April 4
What it's about: After France's occupation of Mexico, Ana María Luna Valdés and her sisters are sent to London. But it's there that Ana finds freedom from her strict father. Then there's the austere Mr. Gideon Fox, a member of Parliament, who becomes quickly enamored with Ana. But Gideon can't have any distractions in his life, as he's trying to pass a measure that would end the Atlantic slave trade. Then, Ana finds herself tangled up in a seedy nobleman's political agenda, and Gideon offers her his protection — if only he can keep his heart from getting in the way.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
23.The Plus One by Mazey Eddings
Release date: April 4
What it's about: Childhood enemies Indira and Jude can't stand each other, but they decide to strike a bargain to be each other's dates to a mutual friend's wedding from hell. For Indira, this proposition will allow her to flaunt a new man in front of her ex and his new girlfriend. And after spending the last three years working as a traveling doctor to treat emergencies, Jude is looking for some sense of stability. But when fake dates and forced proximity begin to brew real feelings, Jude and Indira must confront a flurry of new emotions they hold for each other.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
24.Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
Release date: April 11
What it's about: Dr. Briana Ortiz can't seem to catch a break. With her divorce nearly finalized and a promotion snatched away by another doctor, she channels all her negative feelings to said doctor, Dr. Jacob Maddox. But when Dr. Maddox sends Briana a letter that changes her initial impression of him, she begins to see he's actually quite likable. And the more time they spend together, the better they get to know each other. So, when Jacob volunteers to give Briana's brother the kidney he desperately needs, she begins to see him in a very different kind of light.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
25.The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton
Release date: April 18
What it's about: Alice, also known as Agent A, is a top operative within a secret government intelligence group — and she always has a plan. When assassination rumors begin circulating, she's assigned to the case alongside Daniel Bixby, otherwise known as Agent B. Unfortunately, Bixby is also Alice's biggest rival, and the two must go undercover as husband and wife in order to infiltrate a pirate house party and take down the threat. But what happens when their growing attraction for each other begins to feel even more dangerous than their target?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
26.The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
Release date: April 18
What it's about: This Sapphic rom-com follows an introverted bookseller named Tansy Adams and wild child romance cover model Gemma van Dalen. To get her family off her case, Tansy lies about having a girlfriend who just so happens to be the cover model on a bestselling book. But Tansy's lie is nearly exposed when Gemma steps into Tansy's life. Gemma is the heir to her family's publishing company, Van Dalen Publishing, but she'll only inherit it if she's married. So, when Gemma catches onto Tansy's lie, she takes it one step further and pretends that Tansy is her fiiancée. Tansy agrees — she needs the money to save their bookstore — and the two decide to continue the scheme...but then, real feelings begin to get involved.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
27.Happy Place by Emily Henry
Release date: April 25
What it's about: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read comes a new summer romance that follows college sweethearts Harriet, a surgical resident, and Wyn, a laid-back charmer. They're the perfect couple. At least, that's what their best friends believe. What those friends don't know is that Harriet and Wyn broke up five months ago. So, when Harriet joins her friend group at the Maine cottage they've been occupying every summer, she does not expect to see her ex there. But the cottage will soon go up for sale, and this is the final chance for everyone to spend time together in this magical coastal town. The two decide they'll pretend to still be a real couple, all while denying their deep, unresolved feelings for one another. But a getaway from reality doesn't mean Harriet and Wyn's real problems are absolved, especially not when they're pretending those problems don't exist.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
28.Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron
Release date: May 2
What it's about: Jana Suleiman is a bridesmaid at a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park where everyone she knows will attend, including her young daughter, her ex, and her potential new boss. And while Jana doesn't exactly trust her ex, Anil Malek has proven to be a great dad. But Jana needs to let loose, which is why her friends create a wild to-do list in order for her to let her guard down and have fun. She begins to loosen up, but what happens when she begins to realize her growing attraction for Anil — again?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
29.Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
Release date: May 2
What it's about: From the New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After comes a new set-in-summer romance. After a whirlwind 24 hours with the attractive artist Will Baxter, Fern Brookbanks can't seem to stop thinking about that wild night in her 20s where secrets were shared and chemistry was off the charts. The two made a pact to meet up a year later, but while Fern showed up, Will didn't. Now 32, Fern is back home running her mother's lakeside resort with her ex, who happens to be the manager. But what she doesn't expect is for Will to show up nine years too late with an offer to help.
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
30.Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
Release date: May 2
What it's about: Set in Rome, Kentucky, florist Annie Walker has made it her mission to become a fun leading lady type after she overhears a date calling her boring, so she sets out to recruit Will Griffin to succeed in this mission. Tattooed bodyguard Will has made it his own mission to avoid Annie, especially since he's been hired to protect celebrity Amelia Rose. And even though he doesn't believe in true love, he finds himself wanting to help Annie anyway — even though he personally doesn't think she should change. But between the fake dating and tutoring lessons, an unexpected chemistry begins to ignite.
Get it from Bookshop. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
31.That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey
Release date: May 30
What it's about: After hopeful optimist Garland Moore unexpectedly receives divorce papers from her husband on Valentine's Day, she begins to believe she'll never love again. So, when her new friends extend an invite to a reopened sleepaway camp, Garland and her sister decide to attend. After all, what better way to try and start fresh? But once at Camp Carl Cove, she runs into Mason, a guy she had a premonition about years prior, and finds herself rooming with his sister, Stevie. Stevie is charming and competitive, and the more Garland gets to know her by way of camp activities and dances, the closer the two become. Garland is pulled into Stevie's orbit, but is she confident enough to fully trust her heart?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
32.Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Release date: June 13
What it's about: The New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis returns with an enemies-to-lovers STEMinist rom-com. Elsie Hannaway is a theoretical physicist and adjunct professor who hopes to land tenure at MIT. But as another way to make income, Elsie uses her people-pleasing skills to offer her services as a fake girlfriend. Her two worlds don't intersect until she discovers Jack Smith, the attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, is also the experimental physicist who ruined her mentor's career. Jack stands in the way of Elsie's tenure dreams, so she decides scholarly sabotage is the only want to get what she deserves. But the more they spend time together, the more Elsie realizes she can be her true self around him. This definitely won't mess up her plans — will it?
Get it from Bookshop or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
33.Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Release date: June 20
What it's about: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk comes a new romance about a ghostwriter and struggling actor. After attending a book launch for one of the clients she ghostwrites for, Chandler Cohen is taken aback to discover the author doesn't recognize her. Things get more awkward when she meets a charming man at a bar only to take off after a very unforgettable hookup. That unspectacular hookup just so happens to be C-list actor Finn Walsh, and Chandler soon discovers she's contracted to ghostwrite his memoir. Chandler keeps it professional, but when Finn discovers that night wasn't exactly mind-blowing, he seeks her expertise. The two strike a deal: Chandler will coach Finn in the art of satisfaction, but they'll soon have to figure out if business or pleasure is more important — or if there is a way to achieve both.
Get it from Amazon or from your local indie bookstore via Indiebound. You can also try the audiobook version through Libro.fm.
Please note that release dates may change depending on publication timelines.