The Best Upcoming Romance Releases of 2025
Must-Read Romance Novels Coming Out in 2025
If you’re a romance reader already building your 2025 TBR, you’re in the right place. From swoony slow burns to sizzling enemies-to-lovers tales, this list of upcoming romance releases is packed with must-preorders you won’t want to miss. This list mostly focuses on contemporary or historical fiction. I think the list of 2025 Romantasy releases deserves its own blog post. Stay tuned…
Let’s dive into the most anticipated romance books arriving in 2025 — perfect for fans of contemporary, historical, spicy, LGBTQ+, romcoms, and everything in between.
Why You Should Preorder Upcoming Romance Books
Secure Your Copy Early – Avoid sold-out launches or printing delays.
Exclusive Editions – Many publishers offer preorder bonuses, signed copies you can’t get later or limited edition covers with beautiful sprayed edges that will decorate your bookshelf (my favorite!).
Support Your Favorite Authors – Preorders count toward bestseller rankings, helping authors succeed.
Enjoy Launch Day Delivery – There’s nothing better than having a new book arrive right on release day!
Tip: You can preorder from Amazon, Bookshop.org (supporting indie bookstores), or your favorite romance boutique stores like The New Romantics.
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.
TBR Tip: Make Choosing Your Next Read More Fun!
Can’t decide what to read next? Try creating your own TBR Scratch-Off Cards! Simply write down titles from your to-be-read list on index cards, cover them with scratch-off stickers (easily found online), and draw one at random when you're ready for your next read.
This clever idea—popular on TikTok—is a great way to add an element of surprise to your reading routine. It’s perfect for tackling an overwhelming TBR stack, or even for selecting your next book club pick in a fun, engaging way. Whether you’re a mood reader or just looking to gamify your reading goals, this interactive approach makes your next literary adventure feel like a mini celebration.
Give it a try and let the book fate decide!
The Best Upcoming Romance Reads of 2025
May 2025
The Love Haters
by Katherine Center
Release date: May 20, 2025 (tomorrow)
Standalone Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, brother’s rival, sunshine/grump, fake competence, opposites attract
Summary: Katie Vaughn’s life is imploding—her job’s on the chopping block and love has burned her one too many times. So when her coworker Cole offers her one last shot at career redemption—profile his estranged brother, a hotheaded Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West—she jumps at it. Never mind that she can't swim. Or that Hutch, said brother, has made a lifestyle out of being allergic to love... and mildly infuriating.
What starts as a reluctantly professional collaboration quickly spirals into a vacation-like fever dream of flirtation, hurricane prep, awkward swim lessons, and undeniable chemistry. But Katie’s lies about her abilities, her career desperation, and the unresolved tension between the brothers all threaten to capsize what might be her last chance at real happiness.
Why You’ll Love It: The Love Haters is heartfelt and hilarious, with all the laugh-out-loud chaos and unexpected tenderness Katherine Center is known for. It’s about finding love, facing fears, and finally diving in—even if you’ve spent your whole life terrified of the deep end.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ — Medium heat. Plenty of swoony tension, banter, and well-earned kisses, but more emotional depth than graphic detail.
Perfect for fans of: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez, and Evie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes.
It’s A Love Story
by Annabel Monaghan
Release Date: May 27, 2025
Standalone Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, second chance (with another character), celebrity romance, workplace rivalry, one bed(ish), “I hate how much I like you” energy
Summary: Jane Jackson is no stranger to reinvention. Once known as “Poor Janey Jakes” on a hit teen sitcom, she’s clawed her way into the role of studio executive in Hollywood—though barely hanging on with a façade of confidence and a fierce fake-it-till-you-make-it attitude.
When she bluffs her way into promising a song from global popstar Jack Quinlan—her childhood crush and mortifying first kiss—she finds herself scrambling to make the impossible happen. Her only chance? Teaming up with her infuriating (and infuriatingly hot) professional rival Dan Finnegan, who just so happens to have ties to Jack’s inner circle.
What follows is a hilarious, heartfelt week of dodging old wounds, pretending everything is under control, and maybe—just maybe—discovering something real in the most unexpected person.
Why You’ll Love It: It’s a Love Story blends Annabel Monaghan’s signature wit with a deeply charming emotional core. Think Nora Ephron–level banter, healing old heartbreaks, and falling for the last person you ever thought you’d even like. Perfect for fans of quick, sharp dialogue and a Hollywood-meets-small-town setting.
Spice Level: 🌶️ — Low to mild spice. Kisses and romantic tension abound, but closed-door scenes and emotional depth lead the story.
Perfect for fans of: Book Lovers by Emily Henry, Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman, and The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka.
Problematic Summer Romance
By Ali Hazelwood
Release date: May 27, 2025
Standalone Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Age gap, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, vacation romance, forbidden love, opposites attract, slow burn
Summary: Maya Killgore is twenty-three, adrift in academia, and plagued by a hopeless crush on a man she absolutely shouldn’t want. Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, wildly successful, emotionally unavailable, and her older brother’s best friend. He’s also the man she’ll be sharing a villa with for a full week in Sicily, thanks to her brother’s over-the-top destination wedding.
Conor insists that nothing can happen between them—the age difference, the history, the power dynamics. He’s made it painfully clear she should move on. But under the Sicilian sun, between chaos at the wedding, moonlit swims, and secrets neither of them wants to confront, Maya starts to wonder if the real problem isn’t how wrong this could be… but how right it feels.
Why You’ll Love It: Problematic Summer Romance is sexy, sharp, and sun-soaked, with all the whip-smart banter, emotional vulnerability, and feminist flair Ali Hazelwood fans adore. It’s about forbidden longing, long-simmering chemistry, and what happens when the rules we live by stop making sense in the face of something real.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ — Medium-high heat. Steamy tension, stolen moments, and slow-burn payoffs that sizzle, layered with genuine emotional stakes.
Perfect for fans of: Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman, Happy Place by Emily Henry, and The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
June 2025
Till Summer Do Us Part
by Meghan Quinn
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Standalone Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Fake marriage, forced proximity, workplace antics, improv humor, summer camp setting, only one bed
Summary: Scottie Price is the lone woman in a sea of married men at her new job—and in a moment of desperation, she blurts out a lie about having a husband to fit in. But when her meddling boss signs her up for counseling with his husband (who’s a therapist), she panics. To keep up the charade, Scottie enlists the help of her best friend’s eccentric, improv-loving brother: Wilder Wells.
Wilder says yes to everything—including pretending to be Scottie’s disgruntled spouse. Things spiral when the “couple” gets roped into an eight-day marriage retreat with Scottie’s coworkers, where they must share a cabin, fake arguments, and maybe even a little fake romance that starts to feel very real.
Why You’ll Love It: Till Summer Do Us Part delivers the laugh-out-loud Meghan Quinn magic: zany setups, outrageous chemistry, and tender emotional beats hidden in the chaos. The banter between Scottie and Wilder is hilarious, the side characters are pure gold, and the slow-burn tension is perfectly spicy.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ — High spice. Expect open-door steam, sizzling fake-married chemistry, and lots of tension-filled "oops we’re sharing a bed" moments.
Perfect for fans of: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley, and Not So Nice Guy by R.S. Grey.
A Royal Mile
by Samantha Young
Release date: June 19, 2025
Standalone Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Enemies to friends to lovers, royals/commoner, forced proximity (psych experiment), slow burn, reformed rake, best friends with unresolved tension
Summary: American university senior Wren never expected her final year to start with a full-blown feud—especially not with Sebastian Thorne, the charming and aggravating grandson of a British princess. After discovering he lied about who he was, Wren is ready to write him off. But Sebastian? He’s determined to get back in her good graces—even if it means enrolling in a psychology experiment just to be near her.
As they spend time together, the banter turns to friendship, and friendship into something hotter. Wren finds herself drawn to Sebastian’s wit, protectiveness, and the vulnerability he hides behind that royal polish. But Sebastian’s past isn’t done with him, and the pressures of his noble bloodline still hang heavy over his future.
When sparks finally fly, it’s everything Wren ever wanted… but loving a prince comes with a cost—and some demons don’t go quietly.
Why You’ll Love It: Witty, heartfelt, and oh-so-steamy, A Royal Mile delivers the satisfying payoff of a long-simmering slow burn with an emotionally complex hero who really doesn’t want to fall in love—until he can’t help it.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ — Steamy and intense with a deliciously slow build and emotional payoff.
Perfect for fans of: Red, White & Royal Blue, The Royal We, People We Meet on Vacation
One Dark Kiss
by Rebecca Zanetti
Release Date: June 24, 2025
Dark Romantasy / Modern Fairytale Reimagining
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, morally gray hero, ex-con billionaire, lawyer/client, revenge plot, twisted fairytale (Snow White & the Huntsman), dark romance
Summary: Seven years in a maximum-security prison haven’t dulled Alexei Petrov’s hunger for vengeance—or his dominance. Once the heir to a global tech empire, he was framed, cast out, and left to rot. Now that he's free, his focus is singular: destroy the enemies who betrayed him. But when Rosalie, the sharp, capable lawyer responsible for his release, enters his life, she becomes more than a pawn in his game—she becomes the obsession.
Rosalie knew defending a convicted killer would be a challenge, but nothing could prepare her for the seductive force that is Alexei. As she’s pulled deeper into his violent world of power, secrets, and manipulation, her own morals start to blur. Is she defending a wronged man—or helping a monster rise again?
In this glitzy, neon-drenched retelling of Snow White and the Huntsman, danger and passion collide in a tale of power struggles, betrayal, and scorching chemistry. With each move in Alexei’s ruthless revenge game, Rosalie must decide whether to escape—or fall deeper under his spell.
Why You’ll Love It: This is a dark, billionaire romance full of electric chemistry and moral ambiguity. Think Scarlett St. Clair’s heat, Rebecca Yarros’ immersive storytelling, and Succession drama wrapped in a sexy, high-stakes thriller. If you love morally gray men with devastating charm and heroines who toe the line between right and wrong, you’ll devour this.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 — Off-the-charts tension and sizzling, dominant encounters. Power plays, control dynamics, and steamy scenes that toe the line between danger and desire.
Perfect for fans of: King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair, Twisted Love, or Ecstasy by K.V. Rose with a neon-lit, revenge-fueled billionaire twist.
July 2025
Overruled
by Lana Ferguson
Release Date: July 1, 2025
Standalone Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Enemies with benefits, workplace rivals, courtroom banter, forced proximity (opposing case), grumpy-sunshine dynamic, he falls first
Summary: Danica Pierce is a no-nonsense divorce attorney who lives for late nights in the office and high-stakes courtroom wins. Love? Absolutely not on the docket—especially after past heartbreak. But she does allow herself one indulgence: a secret, strictly physical arrangement with none other than her rival, charismatic divorce lawyer Ezra Hart.
Ezra’s used to winning over everyone—including Danica, at least in bed—but when they land on opposite sides of a headline-making case that could make Danica a partner, their steamy truce is tested. Sparks fly, walls come up, and Ezra sets out to prove he’s more than a pretty face with a charming smile.
As Dani is forced to reevaluate everything she thought she knew—about Ezra, about love, and about herself—she’ll have to decide whether winning in the courtroom is worth losing what might finally be something real.
Why You’ll Love It: Overruled blends sharp legal drama with sizzling tension and slow-burn emotional depth. Lana Ferguson nails the "I hate how much I want you" vibes while layering in surprising vulnerability, growth, and a swoony hero who wants to be more than just a fling.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 — Open-door scenes with high heat and emotional intensity. Steamy encounters layered with tension and eventual tenderness.
Perfect for fans of: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, Set on You by Amy Lea, or Partner Track by Helen Wan with a spicy twist.
Let’s Make A Scene
by Laura Wood
Release Date: July 1, 2025
Enemies-to-Lovers / Fake Dating / Second-Chance Celebrity Romance
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, Hollywood rivals, second-chance romance, co-stars with chemistry, behind-the-scenes tension
Summary: Thirteen years ago, rising actress Cynthie Taylor and her infuriatingly handsome co-star Jack Turner-Jones were at each other’s throats behind the scenes—while falling in love on screen. Their studio-fueled fake romance charmed fans and fueled the success of their small British cult hit. But the off-screen drama was all too real, and they vowed never to work together again.
Now, a sequel is in the works—and they’re being pulled back together under very specific (and highly inconvenient) terms: they must rekindle their on-screen magic and fake their relationship again… all while being filmed for a documentary.
What begins as a PR stunt quickly becomes complicated as old sparks reignite, grudges resurface, and the line between fiction and reality blurs. Can they finally get their happy ending—or will the past steal the spotlight again?
Why You’ll Love It: Let’s Make a Scene delivers classic rom-com chemistry with a slow-burn edge, full of witty banter, unresolved tension, and a will-they-won’t-they that simmers with every chapter. Think Notting Hill meets The Hating Game, with a glamorous second-chance twist and irresistible behind-the-scenes drama.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ – Medium spice. Expect a build-up of romantic tension and steamy moments, with more emphasis on emotional payoff than explicit heat.
Perfect for fans of:
Hollywood enemies-to-lovers
Fake dating with real feelings
Past co-stars reuniting under the spotlight
Banter that burns and chemistry that can't be faked
Maid For Each Other
by Lynn Painter
Release Date: July 15, 2025
Romantic Comedy / Fake Dating
Tropes: Fake relationship, class difference, forced proximity, mistaken identity, sunshine/grump, millionaire x maid, found family vibes
Summary: Abi Mariano is a hardworking, overbooked college student with two jobs—one of which includes cleaning the penthouse of an elusive millionaire she’s never met. When a pest infestation forces her out of her apartment, she “borrows” the penthouse while its owner is supposedly away. No harm done… until Declan Powell’s parents show up unexpectedly and assume Abi is not his maid, but his girlfriend.
Declan, an ambitious exec climbing the corporate ladder, had only invented a girlfriend to get his matchmaking parents off his back. Now, faced with the real-life version of his lie, he offers Abi a deal: keep up the act, and he’ll take care of everything she needs—lodging, expenses, and more. It’s a perfect business arrangement. Just temporary. Just pretend. Just… one problem: their fake relationship starts to feel very real.
Why You’ll Love It: Lynn Painter delivers another delightful rom-com packed with snappy banter, outrageous situations, and a swoony, slow-burn fake dating scenario with a class twist. Abi’s warmth and Declan’s repressed charm are the perfect opposites, creating sparkling chemistry and laugh-out-loud moments that make this the ultimate feel-good read.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5 — Sweet with a little heat! Expect kisses that sizzle, intense chemistry, and fade-to-black or lightly spicy scenes with a strong emotional core.
Perfect for fans of: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, or Happily Never After (also by Lynn Painter). If you love fake dating and “oops we’re catching feelings,” this is a must.
Friends To Lovers
by Sally Blakely
Release Date: July 22, 2025
Contemporary Romance / Friends-to-Lovers / Wedding Season Romance
Tropes: Best friends to lovers, second chance, wedding dates, unspoken feelings, fake friendship, summer beach house, reunion romance, forced proximity
Summary: Joni and Ren have been best friends since childhood, always each other’s wedding season plus-ones, no matter where life takes them. That is, until one summer—when something happened that crossed a line and shattered their friendship.
Now, Joni’s back at their shared family beach house for her sister’s wedding, and Ren is there too. The catch? They’re faking that they’re still friends, trying to play nice while dancing around the heartbreak that broke them apart.
As beach days melt into starlit evenings and old memories resurface, Joni is forced to confront the truth: maybe she was never just his friend. Maybe she still isn’t ready to let him go. But when the wedding brings everything to a head, Joni will have to decide—will she finally be brave enough to turn their “almost” into always?
Why You’ll Love It: This debut is a gorgeously written, emotional exploration of love, friendship, timing, and forgiveness. With its nostalgic summer setting, slow-burn tension, and heartbreakingly romantic premise, it reads like a Nicholas Sparks novel meets People We Meet on Vacation. It's poignant, deeply romantic, and perfect for fans of quiet emotional journeys that pack a punch.
Spice Level: 🌶️ – Emotional intimacy over physical, with a focus on longing, tension, and romantic payoff. Low spice, high feels.
Perfect for fans of: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, and People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. If you’re a sucker for childhood best friends who just need to admit they’re in love already, this book delivers.
Beautiful Things
by Emily Rath
Release Date: July 29, 2025 paperback (available now through Kindle Unlimited or Audible)
Book 1 in the Beautiful Things series (Historical Reverse Harem Romance)
Tropes: Historical romance with a modern twist, slow burn, reverse harem (why choose), regency house party, fish-out-of-water heroine, found family, steamy scandal
Summary: Rosalie Harrow is a spirited, penniless young woman with no desire to settle for marriage or life as a governess. When she accepts a mysterious invitation to a country estate, she's expecting an audience with a duchess, not a matchmaking masquerade at Alcott Hall. But the moment she steps into the glittering world of the ton, Rosalie finds herself dodging courtship attempts, unraveling secrets, and—most shockingly—falling into the orbits of three irresistible men.
There’s Lord James, the quietly powerful younger brother of the duke. Lieutenant Renley, a brooding soldier with his own scars and sweetness. And the maddening, magnetic Mr. Burke, whose witty barbs leave Rosalie flustered and craving more.
As the pressure mounts for her to secure a match before the Michaelmas ball, Rosalie’s heart is tugged in multiple directions—and maybe, just maybe, she won’t have to choose at all.
Why You’ll Love It: This is Bridgerton meets Why Choose? with a bold, modern heroine who challenges the rules of Regency society. Emily Rath serves up chemistry, humor, and multiple love interests, all with satisfying depth and tension. It's sexy, fun, and not remotely your grandmother’s historical romance.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ — A slow-burn start with eventual steamy group dynamics. By the second half, it dives into high-heat territory with emotionally charged intimacy across multiple pairings.
Perfect for fans of: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon meets Mr. Malcolm’s List, or A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon with a historical flavor.
August 2025
He Falls First
by Jill Shalvis
Release Date: August 5, 2024
Small-Town Contemporary Romance / Grumpy-Sunshine / Found Family
Tropes: He falls first, small-town charm, slow burn, grumpy-sunshine, emotional healing, close proximity, found family, reluctant heroine, strong-but-wounded hero
Summary: Penny Rose is starting over with nothing but a dilapidated house, her no-nonsense grandmother, and her younger brother. Love? Off the table. She's sworn off heartbreak for good. But her resolve starts to waver when Ryder Colburn—her frustratingly charming contractor—keeps showing up with tools, sarcasm, and smoldering looks that threaten the walls she’s so carefully built.
Ryder has his own baggage: a family legacy that weighs him down and a father he’s only just starting to understand. He wasn’t looking for love—but Penny’s mix of vulnerability and fire makes her impossible to ignore. As they tackle home repairs, family struggles, and their own wounded hearts, the biggest fixer-upper might be their shot at happiness.
Why You’ll Love It: Jill Shalvis delivers all the feel-good, witty banter and emotional depth that make her books beloved comfort reads. He Falls First is packed with warmth, found family, and a hero who proves that sometimes love doesn’t wait—it shows up, rolls up its sleeves, and fights for a place in your heart.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ – Moderate spice. Expect steamy kisses, meaningful glances, and open-door intimacy balanced with heart and healing.
Perfect for fans of: Abby Jimenez, Lucy Score, and Susan Mallery. This one’s for readers who love when the man falls first—and falls hard.
Handsome Devil
by L.J. Shen
Release Date: August 12, 2025
Dark Mafia Romance / Enemies-to-Lovers / Marriage of Convenience
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, arranged/forced marriage, boss-secretary tension, revenge, mafia wars, obsession, dark secrets, morally gray hero, forbidden love
Summary: Gia Bennett is desperate to save her mother—so desperate she agrees to marry her ruthless, powerful boss, Tatum Blackthorn. Tatum is cold, calculating, and hell-bent on revenge, and Gia is the pawn in his twisted plan. But beneath the cruelty lies an obsession, one that soon blurs the lines between hate and desire.
As secrets unravel and a Mafia war ignites, Tatum finds himself protecting Gia not just out of obligation, but out of something far more dangerous: love. Their marriage may have started as a contract, but now it’s a battlefield—with high stakes, hotter nights, and a bond forged in fire.
Why You’ll Love It: L.J. Shen brings her signature brand of toxic, all-consuming obsession in this gritty, revenge-fueled romance. With sharp tension, explosive chemistry, and a heroine who matches her antihero in strength and sass, this book is tailor-made for readers who love the dark and the dirty. It’s brutal, emotional, and hot as hell.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Very spicy. Includes explicit scenes, kink, domination, and psychological intensity. Warning: Contains dark content including violence, emotional manipulation, and trauma.
Perfect for fans of: Twisted Love by Ana Huang, Vicious by L.J. Shen, and Ruthless People by J.J. McAvoy. Ideal for those who crave their romance with bite, betrayal, and brutal devotion.
For The Record
By Emma Lord
Release Date: August 12, 2025
Second-Chance Romance / Music Industry Drama / Secret Identity
Tropes: Enemies to lovers (turned exes), second-chance romance, forced collaboration, secret baby (sort of), hidden identity, celebrity romance, rivals to lovers
Summary: Pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rock frontman Sam Blaze were the music industry’s most scandalous enemies—until their off-stage tension turned romantic… and exploded. Two years later, they’ve gone their separate ways: Mackenzie hides behind a pseudonym after losing her iconic voice, and Sam is a single dad in hiding from the spotlight.
When their labels propose a joint comeback album, they’re thrown back into each other’s orbit—along with all the old friction, lingering chemistry, and a few new secrets. What begins as a PR stunt turns into a high-stakes emotional rollercoaster of writing music, rehashing the past, and discovering if their encore could be even better than the original.
Why You’ll Love It: Emma Lord’s writing glows with wit, warmth, and heartache. This book is Daisy Jones meets You’ve Got Mail vibes—filled with creative angst, found family, and deeply romantic moments. Sam is a swoony, grounded hero balancing fatherhood with old fame, and Mackenzie’s emotional journey is a powerful one.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ – Medium spice. Expect romantic tension and emotional intimacy over graphic scenes. It's more “heart in throat” than “clothes on floor,” but still deeply satisfying.
Perfect for fans of: Music industry drama, second-chance lovers with a rocky past, emotional growth arcs, and reluctant creative partners who fall hard… again.
September 2025
Wild Card
by Elsie Silver
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Age Gap Romance / Forbidden Love / Grumpy Hero
Tropes: Ex’s father, grumpy-sunshine, age gap, forbidden romance, forced proximity, secret longing, small-town tension
Summary: Sebastian “Bash” Rousseau is a rugged, brooding fire pilot who's trying to rebuild his broken relationship with his son. Gwen? She’s the off-limits, firecracker of a woman who just happens to be his son’s ex-girlfriend. One unforgettable encounter and a missed opportunity left sparks in their wake. Now, fate (and a shared roof) throws them back together—and the rules say this shouldn’t happen.
But Gwen can’t ignore the heat still simmering between them, and neither can Bash. It’s forbidden, it’s messy, and it’s the kind of connection that burns through guilt, logic, and every damn reason to say no. In this sizzling and emotional slow burn, every look is loaded, and every moment together threatens to ignite what they both tried to bury.
Why You’ll Love It:
Elsie Silver never misses with her blend of emotional angst and toe-curling chemistry. Wild One is taboo in the best way, dripping with forbidden tension and aching vulnerability. Bash is the definition of “grumpy older hero with a soft spot,” and Gwen’s bold energy makes their dynamic irresistible.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ – High spice. Expect emotionally charged, deliciously drawn-out tension that erupts into full-blown steam.
Perfect for fans of: Forbidden romance with a hefty emotional core, age gap tension à la Devney Perry or Melanie Harlow, and heroes who really shouldn’t want you… but do.
Last On The List
by Amy Daws
Release Date: September 30, 2025 (available through Kindle Unlimited now)
Standalone Contemporary Romance (with companion novel connections)
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, single dad, nanny romance, forced proximity, opposites attract, workplace romance, slow burn
Summary: Max Fletcher, a workaholic CEO and single dad, needs a nanny—fast. Enter Cozy Barlow: a quirky, free-spirited woman taking a “gap year” from real life, wearing tie-dye and dreaming her way through the day. She’s the last person Max would ever hire. That is, until his young daughter decides Cozy is exactly who they need.
Reluctantly, Max agrees—and suddenly he’s living with a woman who bakes, sings, and daydreams... and somehow, keeps getting under his skin. Cozy might hate his suit-and-power lifestyle, but when the lights go out during a storm, all that tension turns electric.
Why You’ll Love It: Last on the List is a fun, feel-good romance that leans into the heart-melting tension of a reluctant boss and the chaotic, loving nanny he didn’t see coming. Cozy’s confidence, creativity, and warmth balance Max’s cool exterior, creating a perfectly spicy, opposites-attract love story. Bonus: the adorable kid adds extra sweetness.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ — Medium spice. There’s a delicious slow burn that eventually turns into open-door scenes with lots of emotion and tension payoff.
Perfect for fans of: The Nanny by Lana Ferguson, It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, or Wait With Me (also by Amy Daws).
Burning Daylight
by Emily McIntire
Release date: September 30, 2025
Book 1 of the Defying the Stars series (Interconnected Standalones)
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, secret identity, rich girl/bad boy, star-crossed lovers, forced secrecy
Summary: Juliette Calloway is Rosebrook Falls royalty—groomed for perfection, polished for power, and slowly drowning beneath her family’s golden façade. Roman Montgomery? He doesn’t officially exist. Raised in the shadows of a blood feud, he’s a weapon in waiting, the secret heir to the Calloways’ deadliest rivals.
When a chance encounter throws them together, it’s all heat, banter, and boundaries they shouldn’t cross. No names. No histories. Just raw, reckless connection. But when Roman’s called to step into the spotlight, their identities—and the war between their families—come crashing into focus.
Now, what began as an escape turns into an unraveling. Every kiss is a rebellion. Every glance, a risk. And in a world where legacies are everything and love is a liability, Juliette and Roman must decide what’s worth burning for.
Why You’ll Love It: Burning Daylight is a deliciously dark Romeo & Juliet retelling that delivers Emily McIntire’s signature mix of lyrical angst, sizzling chemistry, and forbidden longing. It’s sexy, dangerous, and dripping with tension that will leave you breathless—and begging for more.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ — High heat. Loaded with slow-burn tension, smoldering attraction, and steamy encounters wrapped in emotional stakes.
Perfect for fans of: Twisted Games by Ana Huang, The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori, and Dark Notes by Pam Godwin.
Honorable Mentions
The Other Brother – Tierney Page → Preorder Here
Next Time Will Be Our Turn – Jesse Q. Sutanto → Preorder Here
Love Walked In – Sarah Chamberlain → Preorder Here
The Next Chapter – Camille Kellogg → Preorder Here
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Final Thoughts
2025 is shaping up to be one of the best years ever for romance novels. Whether you’re into heat, history, or heartfelt slow burns — there’s something coming just for you.
Which upcoming release are you most excited about? Drop your picks in the comments below, and don’t forget to bookmark this post for all the latest preorder news!
About the Author
I’m a mom of two spirited girls and one oversized Saint Bernard. I have a degree in English from the University of Wisconsin. By day, I work in health care as a Health Literacy expert; by night, I’m off wandering swoony fictional worlds, chasing plot twists and happily-ever-afters. I’ve been in love with the romance genre for as long as I can remember—I've read thousands of love stories and even had my own meet-cute with my library director husband… in a bookstore, of course.
-Frances
Mom Needs A Chapter