Looking for the best romance beach reads to pack for your next getaway? This curated list features steamy love stories, cozy small town romances, fake dating favorites, and heartwarming happily ever afters that are perfect for vacation reading. These bingeable romance novels are fun, fast paced, and easy to devour by the water, making them the ultimate books to toss in your beach bag.

What does it mean to survive in a world designed to break you? In To Cage a Wild Bird, Brooke Fast delivers a haunting dystopian romance filled with moral complexity, forbidden attraction, and a heroine who refuses to be tamed. This five-star debut is disturbing, thought-provoking, and the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page.

Epic fantasy romance books are the stories that consume you completely. If A Court of Thorns and Roses pulled you into sweeping worlds, slow-burn love stories, and emotionally earned romance, this guide is for you. From devastating romantasy to magic-heavy quests and unforgettable love stories, these are the epic fantasy romances to try next.

Dragon shifters, fated mates, and a brutal empire collide in Firebird by Juliette Cross. This spoiler-free review breaks down the romance, spice level, and dark themes behind this 4-star romantasy read.

If Fourth Wing left you craving darker worlds, dangerous institutions, and romance forged under pressure, this list dives into the shadowy space where dark academia and gothic romance collide, from lethal magical academies to ritual-soaked worlds where love is as perilous as the power that binds it.

Andrea Jenelle’s path to romance publishing is proof that it’s never too late to begin again. From rediscovering decades-old notebooks to becoming a two-time HOLT Award–winning indie author, her stories blend heat, heart, and deeply earned happily-ever-afters. With emotionally grounded characters, slow-burn tension, and a belief that love has no expiration date, Andrea’s romances stay with readers long after the final page.

We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark is a spicy Roman-inspired vampire romantasy featuring brutal arena trials, slow-burn romance, protective touch her and die MMC and high-stakes political intrigue. In this spoiler-free review, I share my thoughts on the characters, worldbuilding, romance, and why this five-star read kept me up way too late reading.

If you love touch her and die romance, you are in the right place. These books feature fiercely protective MMCs whose loyalty is absolute and dangerous, and heroines worth fighting for. From dark romance and fantasy romance to dark academia and mafia thrillers, these stories are full of obsessive devotion, high stakes, and heart-pounding tension. If you’re looking for intense, emotional romances with heroes who will do anything to keep her safe, this list of top protective male leads is made for you.

Looking for your next romance read? These new romance books coming out in January and February include slow burns, fake dating, romantasy, sports romance, and emotionally rich love stories perfect for starting the year strong.

If dark academia magic schools, simmering enemies-to-lovers tension, and morally gray spellcasters are your weakness, Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve deserves a spot on your TBR. Set within the dangerous halls of Weatherstone College, this romantasy blends elemental magic, ancient blood oaths, and a slow-burn romance crackling with unresolved history. With sharp banter, real stakes, and spice that hits just right, Spellcaster delivers an addictive start to a magical college series that’s equal parts mystery, tension, and heat.

Not every great read becomes a five-star read. These are the books that kept me up too late, made me forget the real world, and lingered long after I turned the final page. From dark, immersive romantasy to slow-burn romances that earned every emotional beat, these stories didn’t just entertain me — they stayed with me.

On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn is a dark fantasy romance that blends vampires, dragon riders, and a dangerous magical academy with a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. Set at the elite Bloodwing Academy, this romantasy is filled with political intrigue, forced betrothal tension, and a powerful female main character navigating a world ruled by highblood vampires. With rich worldbuilding, emotional stakes, and a cliffhanger ending, this five-star read is perfect for fans of dark academia and romantasy series like Fourth Wing.

A small-town lavender farm, a broody bodyguard with a soft center, and one very inconvenient bed set the stage for It Seemed Like a Good Idea by Lauren Blakely. This spicy romantic comedy delivers witty banter, strong small-town vibes, and plenty of heat, even if it didn’t fully click for me in every moment. Here’s my honest ARC review and who I think will love this one most.

There’s something irresistible about watching a familiar fairytale crack open and reveal sharper edges underneath. Fairytale retelling romances take the stories we thought we knew and let them grow up—layered with tension, desire, power struggles, and emotional depth that feels earned. From cursed beasts and hidden identities to morally gray villains and seductive worlds, these retellings balance nostalgia with surprise, exploring why these stories still enchant us when they’re rewritten with bite.

From sentient cities and eldritch magic to morally gray protectors and heroines who kick fate in the teeth, A.L. Richards writes stories that refuse to play it safe. In this Indie Author Spotlight, we dive into her latest release, Noctis Rising, her love of emotionally grounded romance, and the hard-won writing wisdom that shaped a world where destiny is a choice and love might be the most dangerous magic of all.

Once Upon a Song by Nadine Bells is a haunting, wintry escape that pulls you in from the very first page. Set inside the glamorous yet unsettling Hôtel de Neige, this atmospheric story blends fairytale beauty with Gothic mystery, following a singer searching for belonging in a place that may never let her leave. With light romance, chilling secrets, and a setting that feels alive, this is a 5-star read for anyone who loves moody, immersive stories where the vibes matter just as much as the plot.

After too many dark, heavy reads, I needed something light and Confessions of a Christmasholic delivered. With a Christmas-hating heroine, a Christmas-obsessed single dad, forced proximity, and small-town holiday chaos, this festive romcom was exactly the brain break I was craving. It’s funny, low-angst, lightly spicy, and perfect for readers who want cozy vibes, snappy banter, and zero emotional devastation.

Love dragons, magic, and sizzling romance? This list of 25 dragon fantasy romance books features enemies-to-lovers, fated mates, and spice levels from sweet to scorching—perfect for fans of Fourth Wing looking for their next fiery read. From deadly academies to royal courts and hidden fae kingdoms, these stories blend high-stakes adventure with irresistible romance. Whether you crave slow-burn tension or steamy passion, your next dragon-filled obsession is waiting.

The Silversmith is a haunting, heart-wrecking romantasy that had me hooked from the first page. Aryella’s journey from fragile, grief-stricken survivor to fierce, powerful young woman is breathtaking. With a brooding, morally grey protector at her side and the fate of Nyrida resting on her shoulders, the slow-burn tension, aching romance, and emotional stakes will keep you turning pages long into the night. This is a story of heartbreak, yearning, and the power of choice in the face of destiny.

Hollow by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti is the kind of dark, addictive romantasy that keeps you up at night. This lush, atmospheric fantasy romance delivers everything readers search for: cursed forests, dangerous fae, a fierce heroine, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension with massive payoff. The worldbuilding is rich and immersive, the chemistry crackles, and the plot twists hit hard enough to ruin your sleep schedule. If you’re looking for a haunting, high-stakes 5-star romantasy with high spice and unforgettable characters, Hollow deserves a spot at the very top of your TBR.