Best Romance Books Coming Out in April 2026

If you are looking for the most anticipated romance books coming out in April 2026, you are in the right place. Spring is bringing a fresh wave of swoony stories, emotional love stories, and addictive romantasy adventures that romance readers will not want to miss.

This month’s lineup of new romance releases includes everything from epic fantasy romance and dark mafia stories to fake dating rom-coms, small town love stories, and historical slow burns. Whether you love enemies to lovers, fated mates, second chance romance, or rivals falling in love, April 2026 has plenty of new books to add to your TBR.

Many of these upcoming romance novels are already generating buzz with early readers, BookTok, and romance communities online. Some are brand new series starters while others continue fan favorite worlds readers are eager to return to.

Below you will find a curated list of romance books releasing throughout April 2026, including romantasy, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, historical romance, and more. If you are planning your reading list for the month, these are the titles to keep on your radar.

April 2

Heart of the Wolf Queen by Sarah Gallego

Sorrow Villente is no princess waiting to be saved.

When a devastating accident partially blinded her, Sorrow was locked away at the top of a tower in the wilderness, offered up as a sacrifice to the gods.

But Sorrow refuses to die quietly. Only she knows a dark magic burns inside her. With her fiercely protective wolf, Pablo, she spends every moment plotting her escape.

And yet when she finally breaks free, Sorrow is captured immediately… by the one man she never expected to see again.

Long ago, Sorrow and Matthias were inseparable. Tall and devastatingly handsome, with sparkling green eyes, the sight of him still sends her heart racing. Then she remembers the truth. When she needed him most, Matthias walked away. He didn’t just abandon her. He betrayed her.

And he hasn’t come to rescue her. Matthias is the ruler of a distant land, where monsters lurk in mist-shrouded forests. To save his kingdom, he needs an alliance with Sorrow’s family – one that can be sealed only by marriage.

Sorrow must choose: marry the man who broke her heart… or die.

The Summer Prince by Cassidy Carlisle

He burns for her—and the world will burn with him.

Katria Vale should have died with Winter.

Instead, she awakens beneath a merciless sun—alone, lost, and carrying the last whisper of the man she loved.

In the golden heart of the Summer Court, beauty is power, and truth is a weapon. Kael, the charming heir of sunlight and flame, rescues her from the desert only to deliver her into his mother’s glittering court of masks and lies. Here, warmth can kill as swiftly as cold ever could.

As the Veil between realms fractures, Katria’s forbidden connection to the Dreamstone deepens—and the fire she once feared begins to answer her call. Kael offers protection and something far more dangerous: understanding. But shadows stir across the border of Winter, and the name Kaelith still lingers on her lips.
When frost and flame finally meet, kingdoms will fall, loyalties will shatter, and love itself may become the spark that ends the world.

The Shattered Veil Saga continues in The Summer Prince—a sweeping tale of passion, betrayal, and the fragile line between salvation and destruction.

April 7

The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray

In this dark and sultry romantasy a mermaid battles hatred—and lust—for the wretched warlock who saved her life. 

Mermaid Zephyra of the Syl dreams of freedom. On the run from a dangerous captor and years of abuse, she’s shed her tail, grown legs, and hidden herself on land in the merrow-loathing kingdom of Mortia, left to steal and barter on the dirty streets. But her freedom is short-lived when she’s caught and sentenced to death by the brutal warlock, Arion Stone. 

Arion is as beautiful as he is cold and deadly, only interested in punishing the merrow he views as evil. He has grown as strong as any warlock might, but at great personal cost ... which can only be remedied by the heart of the God of Death, lost to a fabled kingdom beneath the ocean’s treacherous depths. 

So Arion offers Zephyra a deal she can’t refuse; help him find the mystical heart, and he’ll spare her life. With no other options, Zephyra agrees, entangling their souls and forbidden desires in a magical bargain until death do they part. But Zephyra's past is catching up to her, and the enemy she fled seeks vengeance. If Zephyra and Arion can't learn to fight together—and trust each other—there are worse things awaiting them than just death. Of course, in the wicked sea, everyone has secrets, and no one should be trusted. 

Bloodsinger by Juliette Cross

A spellbinding gift...
A plea answered by the gods...
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Lela Bihari’s village was invaded on her wedding night, her betrothed murdered right in front of her. While her sisters were either dragged away or escaped, Lela was sold to Valerius, a consul of Rome.

When she tried to kill Valerius her first night as his slave, her bloodsinger gift manifested… and she was punished for it. Now she’s paraded in front of the other senators for their amusement.

But Trajan Tiberius, the newly elected tribune to the senate, is different. He has no love for the brutality around him. When he frees Lela from enslavement and hides her, Lela is set on a path of vengeance, and using her gift puts her in more danger than ever before.

Now trapped inside the walls of Rome while deathriders circle the skies, how can she possibly trust a Roman dragon? Especially when it is clear Trajan has ulterior schemes of his own? As her powers grow stronger, danger draws closer, and Lela realizes it isn't just her life at stake, but also her heart.

Bloodsinger is an adult romantasy novel that contains dark themes, including slavery in Ancient Rome and self-injury, which may be uncomfortable for some readers.

Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak

A sun-soaked trip to the Amalfi Coast promises a fresh start—and reveals secrets never imagined in New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak’s tender new novel.

In the wake of her debut novel’s breakout success—and a very painful public divorce—Charlotte Williams-Jackson has something to prove. With her second novel overdue, she’s scrambling to hold it together. But her focus is rocked when she discovers that her childhood wasn't as it seemed—and she has a tween half-sister who's been orphaned in Italy.

Alongside her best friend, Sloane, and Sloane’s charming brother, Julian, Charlotte ventures to the Amalfi Coast to meet her sister. She would never turn her back on family, especially since this girl doesn’t have anyone else, but between her looming deadline and her entire identity being flipped upside down, it’s a lot. Determined to rebuild her life, Charlotte must confront the relationships she’s held dear—and the loss of those she thought she had but didn't—forcing her to question everything she understood about herself and the bonds that shape a family.

Enemies to Lovers by Alisha Raj

Sejal Chaudhary inherited her mama’s calculating brain, her daddy’s quick fingers, and the boatload of trauma that comes with being the eldest daughter of criminals. Although Sejal has never claimed to be a good girl, she’s spent the last couple years laying low and going (mostly) straight. That is, until a con gone wrong sends her into the arms of a handsome stranger who’s set on dragging her back into her messy family drama.

Krish Anand never mastered the fine art of being a bad boy…he would take a book over bullets any day. But when his FBI agent brother goes missing, he has no choice but to suit up for the adventure of a lifetime. Certain that someone in Sejal’s little crime family is behind the disappearance, a desperate Krish manages to convince the beautiful thief that his brother’s badge is actually his. 

The deal is simple: help him find his brother, and Krish and the law will leave Sejal be. With an up-to-no-good ex also hot on her trail, Sejal reluctantly agrees. As they wind their way across the country on planes, buses, and automobiles, sparks ignite, and what began as a fragile temporary truce starts to look more and more like a partnership. 

Falling for the enemy? So cliche, but so good…if only they can survive long enough to chance a happily ever after.

Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox

Originally released in 2025, it is now being re-released in hardcover and paperback due to its popularity on BookTok

In this first epic romantasy in the Best of #BookTok Shattered Crown trilogy perfect for fans of Throne of Glass and The Serpent & the Wings of Night, brutal trials bring together a grieving fae warrior with shadow magic and a human knight out for revenge.

For centuries, humans and the magical races of Arcanis have been bitter enemies. Their only hope for lasting peace lies in the Arcane Crucible, a brutal series of trials that demands sacrifice every twenty-five years.

Elyria Lightbreaker, once a celebrated fae war hero, is a shadow of her former self. When the man she loved was lost to last year’s Crucible, Elyria lost herself too—but now that his sister has stepped forward as a contender, she must rise to protect another person she loves from meeting the same fate. Which means entering the very nightmare she abhors and fighting like hell to get them both out alive.

Cedric Thorne, humankind’s would-be champion, has lived only for vengeance. To him, Elyria is the enemy who stole everything: his family; his peace; his past, present, and future. But the Crucible doesn’t care about grudges. To survive, Cedric and Elyria must fight side by side, even as their determination to win burns hotter than the desire they can’t deny.

Dark magic. Betrayal. A slow-burn love that could ignite the world. In the Arcane Crucible, enemies could become lovers…or destroy each other before the trials are through.

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart.

​I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe.

​It’s my turn to become the Guardian.

​Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.

​Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm?

​What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?

For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make.

​It’s time to discover the monster within.​

The Name Game by Beth O’Leary

A man and a woman with the same name are looking for a fresh start only to discover they have landed the same job in this charming new romance by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

Charlie couldn’t be happier to take the job of farm-shop manager on the remote, wild Isle of Ormer. She’s grieving, a little lost, and in desperate need of a fresh start.

Jones has come out of a difficult breakup and is looking forward to some peace away from the noise of his city life. Moving to Ormer couldn’t have come at a better time.

But when Charlie Jones and, ahem, Charlie Jones both turn up at Ormer’s one and only farm shop, claiming to have been offered the role of manager, everyone is baffled. How could this have happened? And just who is the real Charlie Jones?

Never After by Alexis Hall

On the grim streets of London, a young man succumbs to his demons. Discarded by his lover and left penniless and alone, Michael “Micha” Dashwood uses sex to pay the bills and opium to numb the pain.

When a sudden illness strikes, all seems lost. But hope finds Micha in the shape of the Reverend Thomas Mandeville. Haunted by grief of his own, Thomas cannot bear to ignore another man’s plight. He brings the ailing Micha home to heal in his parish at Nettlefield.

As Micha recovers under Thomas’s care, he begins to realize that some people in this world are worthy of trust. Thomas, in turn, learns the truth of his own needs and desires. Between the secrets of the past and the burdens of the present, their future together seems impossible. Questions of faith and the shadow of opium continue to haunt them both.

Yet possibilities, like miracles, can be found wherever you look for them.

On Thin Ice by Olivia Belle

Luca Vasvault thought he was finished with show business. A former child star now labeled the disgraced has-been of Hollywood, he moved to the UK to care for his dying mother. But an opportunity surfaces that Luca can’t resist—the leading role in a remake of his mother’s favorite film. The catch? He needs to straighten out his image first.

His agent has the perfect plan to win the public’s vote: sign Luca up for Stars on Ice, a figure skating competition in which celebrities are paired with professionals. To give him his best shot at redemption, Luca is partnered with the show’s sweetheart, Matilda Stevens, a woman known for her unwavering composure, whistle-clean record, and winning smile.

Competitive figure skating was always Matilda’s mother’s passion, not hers. Secretly, she hates the show, and the last thing she needs is to spend sixteen weeks with Hollywood’s most notorious bad boy. Especially when Luca seems determined to make her life miserable with his surly attitude and annoyingly handsome-even-when-scowling face. But victory comes with prize money that will let Matilda quit Stars on Ice once and for all.

With everything on the line, the two strike a deal: They will cast their differences aside and put on the showmance of a lifetime, both on and off the ice. After all, they’re both performers for a living. How hard can it be?

A Deal With a Debutante by Chelsea Bobulski

She's running from London's marriage mart. He's running out of time to save his estate. Neither intends to fall in love--but their hearts have other plans.

American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London's high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named "the debutante of the season" back in New York, Calliope wants nothing more than to avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.

Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will escort Calliope to all the best sights of London that she's been dying to see if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.

What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated--an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she's convinced he only wants her fortune?

We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison

Madeline and Cooper have had bad blood since junior year when she beat out his sister for the lead in the school play. Ever since, it’s been one petty escalation after another—rumors, locker sabotage, and even a derogatory viral video. Their latest prank lands them in the principal’s office with their single parents in tow. The last thing either of them expected was for their parents to hit it off and end the meeting with a dinner date.

Horrified by the prospect of their parents falling in love, Madeline and Cooper reach a truce. They’ll reverse parent-trap the situation by pretending their feud is over and they’re in a relationship. They’re positive that by fake-dating, their parents will stop seeing each other.

When a fake kiss meant for only their parents to see is witnessed by Cooper’s friends, rumors spread like wildfire that Cooper and Madeline are an item. The longer their fake-relationship continues, the more they discover that there may be things they actually like about each other, although neither is ready to admit it. But how long are Madeline and Cooper willing to keep up the ruse before they have to face the consequences of their actions?

The Thorns We Inherit by Lindsey Hart

This lush dark gothic fantasy debut by Lindsey Hart weaves haunting worldbuilding, goddess-blessed magic, and an aching slow-burn romance into a story of legacy, devotion, and survival. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Rachel Gillig, and Hannah Whitten—and for readers who crave gothic fantasy steeped in tension, magic, and emotional depth.

Aurelia Moirae never asked for power—or for the gods who carved her bloodline to come calling.

When her world collapses, Aurelia is dragged into Nyxarra, a mist-shrouded city ruled by blood bargains, ancient grudges, and magic long thought buried. What begins as a desperate attempt to save her brother quickly unravels into something far more dangerous.

With a haunted warrior at her side and a beautiful monster at her throat, Aurelia must face the stories etched into her blood—and the cost of daring to rewrite them.

Power is a curse. Love is a risk. And survival may cost her everything she has left.

Claimed by Darkness by S.R. Hartley

Sometimes, to destroy evil, you have to embrace it…

The night Nora’s parents were murdered, something ancient and malevolent stirred beneath the waves—and it never let go. No one else felt it. But Nora did... she still does.

The darkness whispers her name, curls through her thoughts, tempts her with release. On the edge of the Mackinac Bridge, Nora is ready to surrender. But fate has other plans.

A flash of burning green eyes. Wings of midnight. And everything changes.

Saved by Kairos, a powerful celestial, who claims she’s his fated mate, Nora is thrust into a hidden world of otherworldly beings and ancient prophecy. Her past—wiped away. Her future—bound to a war that began long before she was born.

A century ago, the demon queen Nyx stole everything from Nora. Now she wants her soul. But Nora won’t go down without a fight.

To save the world—and the ones she loves—Nora must unlock the terrible truth of who she is. Even if it means binding herself to a dark king who promises love… and carries deadly secrets.

As Heaven and Hell collide, Nora must choose between the mate who holds her heart and the darkness that calls her name.

Because the God of Shadows is coming. And he won’t stop until she belongs to him.

Claimed by Darkness is a fantasy romance filled with fated mates, celestial warriors, forbidden magic, and a heroine torn between light and shadow.

Set Point by Meg Jones

A sizzling sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance between two rival tennis superstars, taking place during the US Open!

Nothing fades faster than a former prodigy—and Inés Costa is dangerously close to disappearing.

Once queen of the court, Inés is limping through qualifiers. And after losing her biggest sponsor to Chloe Murphy, the sport’s fiery new favorite, she and her bank account are running on fumes.

Chloe, known as much for her talent as her temper, is a top seed for the upcoming US Open. But thanks to broken rackets, code violations, and the inability to play well with others, her “favorite” status is slipping away.

However, when they are forced to share the same side of the court, and the world surprisingly doesn’t implode, Chloe makes an offer: she’ll fund Inés’s journey to the US Open, but only if Inés agrees to be her hitting partner and teach her to keep a level head.

It’s strictly business, but somewhere between practice drills and tour stops, the line between rival and something more begins to blur.

As the summer burns toward Flushing Meadows, their sizzling tension catches fire. With a trophy in sight and emotions running high, will their romance double fault at set point?

April 9

Boyfriend Academy by J. S. Strange

Paperback release date: April 28

Love is forbidden. Truth is dangerous. Survival is everything.

Ganymede’s is no ordinary boarding school. Behind its spiral towers and manicured lawns, boys are forged into the men society demands – strong, obedient, perfect. Graduate, and the world is yours: a home, a career, a wife. But fail… and you’re no longer useful to society.

For Dylan Cecil it should be simple: keep his head down, survive graduation, and earn his place. But when his friend, Blake, disappears, Dylan can’t silence the questions gnawing at him, even as whispers of danger shadow the school’s gilded halls.

As June’s trials close in – eight tests that will decide who is worthy of manhood – Dylan is haunted by Blake’s absence and drawn to Roman Edwards, a boy as magnetic as he is unknowable.

In a world rebuilt on order and obedience, Dylan must decide: will he become the man the academy wants – or the man he really is?

Please note the e-book and the paperback have different release dates. April 9th is the Kindle release.

April 10

Bride of Ash and Dust by Meredith Hart

Marry the king’s assassin. Uncover his secrets. Do not fall in love.

Princess Lilias has one day to pack her life into trunks before her wedding to a man she's never met. They call him the Snake of Vsenrog: assassin, spy, and the foster son of a ruthless king. Everyone tells her to be terrified.

They're right. But not for the reasons they think.

Because Zarek isn't cruel. He's careful. He sleeps with daggers strapped to his body but refuses to touch her when she's drunk. He climbs through windows but asks permission before his fingers brush her thigh. He walks through palaces and slums like he owns them, but avoids their bedchamber. Keeping her safe, he claims, means keeping his distance.

And Lilias learns that the worst torture isn't fear. It's wanting.

But when their honeymoon tour becomes a trap, staying apart is no longer an option. As Vsenrog's armies gather, Lilias and Zarek realize their forced marriage might be the opening move in a war neither of them saw coming. And in a palace where mirrors are windows and lovers are spies, falling in love isn't romantic.

It's a weapon. And someone's waiting to use it against them.

A slow-burn arranged marriage fantasy romance where trust is earned blade by blade, kiss by desperate kiss, and the real danger isn't the enemies at the gates. It's the longing that will destroy you both.

The paperback edition is available now through Amazon. April 10th it comes to Kindle Unlimited.

April 11

Summer Ever After by Mandy Baggot

Forty-year-old Faye Lawson is falling back in love with life at last. Finally divorced from her cheating husband, she has turned her back on the UK and has been living the Greek dream in Corfu managing a beautiful traditional boutique hotel.

For Kostas Petsas, twenty-something ex-professional basketball player, life as he has always known it is over. Having to take early-retirement because of injury, he’s at a loss as to what to do next. But when a piece of land in Corfu comes on the market, it seems this might be the perfect fit. There’s just a couple of things in the way… an area of natural beauty and… a little hotel on the beach.

Kostas has never met any woman like Faye before – she doesn’t behave around him how women usually do, and, when conflict starts to surface, it seems they can’t see eye-to-eye on anything. Or perhaps, when things get body-to-body, both of them begin to wonder if it can turn into heart-to-heart.

April 14

The Auction by Sadie Kincaid

The queen of dark mafia romance, Sadie Kincaid, begins her new explosively sexy Wages of Sin series with The Auction. Order your deluxe hardcover limited edition with stunning cover effects, stamped foil case, lush matching endpapers, and decked-out floral edges today. Beauty and the Beast meets organized crime in this tense slow-burn romance with scorching spice, thrilling suspense, and life-altering secrets.

I was trained to be a pawn, but I will rise as a queen.
My life has never been my own. After the death of my parents, I was saved by my grandfather, with the promise that he would turn me over to the Brotherhood on my twenty-first birthday.

I was kept away from the outside world so I could one day be sold to the highest bidder—pure and unsullied. Penance for my parents’ alleged crimes.

That’s how I come to be sold at an auction.

And who buys me but the reclusive billionaire, Lincoln Knight?

Some say that he’s a monster, more dangerous than any of the evil men from the Brotherhood. That he wears a mask to cover his scars. But I believe he’s hiding more than just his face behind his mask.

My fate is sealed when he takes me to his crumbling mansion deep in the woods. I’m trapped. Entirely at his mercy.

I have to escape.

But something here isn’t what it seems.

Lincoln isn’t what he seems. Maybe he’s not a monster at all. I’m drawn to him in a way that I can’t explain. Until I discover that his secrets go far beyond his mask.

He’s everything I’ve been taught to fear, but what if everything I’ve ever known has been a lie?

Love and Other Side Effects by Deidra Duncan

Friendship like this should come with a warning label...
Asher Foley is an imposter—at least, that’s how it feels. The letters “MD” after his name should mean he’s confident, respected, put-together. Instead, he still feels like the class clown pretending to be a grown-up doctor.

Jocelyn Maddox is a paradox—warm, fearless, but utterly closed off. She’s lost too much already—family, love, home—and she’s not about to gamble her heart again. As an anesthesiologist, she’ll fix everyone else’s pain and refuses to feel her own. It makes Asher, her flirty best friend-slash-work husband, perfectly safe. Right?

When a surgical complication forces Asher to drop the mask and show her the man underneath, Jocelyn sees more than the jokes and easy smiles. She sees him. And suddenly, the walls she’s built to survive begin to crack—one look, one laugh, one heartbeat at a time.

“Heartfelt and smart, Love Sick is just what the doctor ordered.”—Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Breakup Tour

Grey’s Anatomy meets The Love Hypothesis in this delicious, laugh out loud rom-com set in the world of a tight-knit group of OB-GYN residents—written by a practicing physician.

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West

Can fake dating lead to real love? In Kasie West's next sexy adult romcom two people must decide where the lie ends and the chemistry begins.

Sutton knows she needs therapy. After all, she’s managing her newly opened restaurant remotely while taking care of her ungrateful sick mother. Plus, her boyfriend of two years just dumped her over the phone. But does therapy with a handsome stranger, who she has to pretend to be engaged to, in order to help her friend’s struggling relationship count? Probably not. Then why did she just agree to go? Because she’s had a few too many drinks? Because this stranger, Elijah, is smug and annoying and really, really handsome? Because she feels guilty that she abandoned her best friend, Tara, after high school and this might just make up for it? Whatever the reason, she has committed to this unhinged plan.

What the hell is Sutton doing?

Helping Tara prove a point: a good therapist can tell the difference between real love and fake love. That’s what she’s doing. But as they attend their sessions, Sutton and Elijah only seem to be proving one thing―the lines between pretend desire and real desire are very blurry. This true connection forming between them is threatening to unravel everything Sutton thought she knew about family, friendship, and her own heart.

Chasing the Fire by Paisley Hope

Laurel Creek’s fire chief is good at putting out fires and keeping secrets, but the town sweetheart is determined to burn through his defenses in the blazing-hot finale to the Silver Pines Ranch series.

She's as wild as fire. He's ready to burn for her.

The owner of a popular boutique, Olivia Sutton is the darling of Laurel Creek. While Olivia may be as sweet as the baked treats she loves to create, beneath her good girl exterior, she harbors a secret desire: a man who can take control.

Enter Asher Reed, the town’s fire chief. Asher keeps everything in his life carefully controlled . . . except when it comes to Olivia, the copper-haired beauty who has captured his attention in ways he can’t ignore.

When a moment of weakness leads to two pink lines, Olivia and Asher agree to spend more time together, determined to be friends.

But when Olivia realizes the smoldering firefighter might be the key to the future she’s always dreamed of, will their spark ignite—or be extinguished by the weight of his secrets?

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese

From USA TODAY bestselling author Chloe Liese, a clever and heartwarming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Annabel Monaghan about two best friends who must fake a relationship for their exes.

Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.

Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie…

Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it could: a happy ending.

Don’t Tell Me How It Ends by Adrienne Thurman

A floundering twenty-something who’s sworn off romance finds herself roped into her meddling sister’s matchmaking business in this sparkling debut romcom that asks: Can we protect ourselves while falling in love?

“A sharp, funny, feel-good love story about bad dates, big feelings, and one deliciously slow-burning love.”—Nikki Payne, USA Today bestselling author of The Princess and the P.I.

Kaia Harper may not have a plan for her life, but she knows what she won't be doing—falling for somebody's dusty son, promising forever. She'd rather spend the summer after college having disappointing one-night stands and watching crime show reruns. At least she won’t be caught off guard since she already knows how all those stories end.

But when her very pregnant and newly single sister calls for help, Kaia reroutes, stumbling back home to suburban Connecticut…and into the business plan of her sister's new matchmaking company. Kaia’s views on love remain as bleak as her career prospects, but if becoming the inaugural client can distract her from existential questions like "What am I even doing with my life?", Kaia can suffer through a few bad dates and call it a favor.

When Ro Jackson finds Kaia stalled on the side of the road, he isn’t put off by her attitude. His steady disposition is Kaia’s opposite and makes him exactly what she needs—a friend in town who can handle her just as she is. But as Ro talks Kaia through a summer of failed matches, she finds herself drawn to more than just his poetic outlook and friendship.

Kaia hadn’t seen this one coming, but as she and Ro grow closer, she’ll have to decide what’s more important: needing to know the end of every story, or jumping into the unknown.

Your Soulmail is Attached by Joan F. Smith

What if everyone in the world found out who their soulmates are at the same time?

Olivia Adler’s life is picture-perfect: a behind-the-scenes job she loves in a bustling Manhattan newsroom, an engagement to golden-boy Wells, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create the documentary she’s always wanted to make.

Then one sleepless night, everything unravels.

One message on Wells’s phone shatters her engagement.

A second message—an anonymous global email quickly dubbed Soulmail—shakes the world.

Delivered to every individual on earth, Soulmail reveals the name and birthdate of their soulmates. Suddenly, love as the world knows it is rewritten overnight, and Olivia accidentally becomes the face of the phenomenon when she reports on the story live and goes viral.

With millions watching her every move, Olivia resolutely refuses to open her Soulmail. She’s not ready for fate to make her choices—especially not now. But when she crosses paths with her childhood best friend—the boy she loved and lost—everything she thought she knew about destiny, timing, and love comes into question.

Is true love written in the stars…or something we choose for ourselves?

Fast and Fastidious by R. M. Caldwell

Pride and Prejudice meets The Fast and the Furious in this rollicking, romantic Regency adventure in which a meticulous young woman must abandon the rules of propriety to save Britain—and perhaps even find love along the way. . . .

England, 1810. Lucy Elliot has often been described as fastidious, given her belief that there is an objectively correct and logical way to do things. And while she strives to be proper in every way, she does have one rather scandalous secret: Lucy, the prim and gentle lady, is  a frequent attendee of the entirely disreputable and illicit Night Races, where unchaperoned men and women from all social classes gather on dark country lanes to gamble on the outcomes of furiously fast carriage races.

But her secret might become more than just a danger to her reputation when her mysterious new neighbor, Captain Dashwood, begins partaking in the races. Lucy can’t help but feel there’s something more to the handsome Captain Dashwood than meets the eye, and she suspects that his arrival in the neighborhood in the midst of a spate of curious and alarming carriage robberies is no mere coincidence—something is most certainly afoot in the county, and it’s a mystery Lucy intends to solve.

 Though Lucy prides herself on her preparedness, she never could have anticipated the web of lies, deceit, and espionage that she finds herself and Captain Dashwood entangled in; nor could she have known that the very fate of Britain would hang in the balance. But will her meticulous nature be the very thing that saves her, or will it be her—and England's—undoing?

April 18

Heart Racer by Megan Avery

Biochemistry major Keely has the next five years of her life down to a science. But when her grad school loan application is inexplicably rejected, her carefully calculated future spontaneously combusts.

Her college's Pursue Your Passions scholarship could be the answer. The problem? There's one place left, and she's not the only student in the running. Enter Max: a state champion sprinter who sets hearts racing on and off the track - and the one thing standing between Keely and her dreams.

Keely knows the key to winning is keeping her head in the game. But when your opponent is Lycra-clad and... rippling?! Well, it's hard to keep the chemistry to the lab.

Experimenting with her heart could cost Keely everything she's worked for. But staying away from Max might be a race she's destined to lose...

The Love Hypothesis meets Heated Rivalry in this spicy, dual-pov, academic rivals rom com - as nerdy as it is sure to raise your pulse...

April 21

Sacred Ruin by Mila Kane

Forced into an institution after experiencing unsettling visions, a young woman meets a mafia hitman whose dark obsession with her threatens both their hearts—and their lives—in this sizzling forbidden romance from the author of Unholy Vows. Don't miss the final installment in the Original Sins series.

He’s a devil in holy robes . . . and I’m trapped inside with him.

Katarina: My mother pulled strings to get me into Hallow Hall Institute—a place for the lost, broken, and damned. She said I was lucky, blessed. Here, doctors would mend my mind, while priests and nuns saved my soul. They say the voices I hear aren’t real, just delusions. But despite the holy men, evil lurks in the shadows. I feel it. I see it. And then—he arrives. Handsome. Charming. A wolf in devotion, with scripture on his lips and sin in his eyes. Within days, he has them all under his spell. But when he looks at me… I know. The devil himself has come to Hallow Hall.

Massimo: My life is built on blood and vengeance. I kill for money. I live for retribution. My work leads me to Hallow Hall—a place of whispers and suffering, where faith is a mask and monsters wear crosses. To get close to the man who needs to die, I put on the robes of the righteous. And then I see her. The girl who speaks to angels. The girl who sees right through me. She calls me a devil. She’s right. And I’m going to drag her into hell with me.

The Next Big Thing by Erin Scoggins

She can’t cook. He won’t leave. And the hottest thing coming out of the kitchen might just be their chemistry.

When Cora Lockwood’s boyfriend betrays her by stealing her idea and tanking her career, her perfect life collapses, leaving her with a battered reputation and a one-way ticket home.

Returning to Sunrise, North Carolina, Cora plans to sell her grandmother’s café and move on. But The Salty Spoon isn’t empty—it has been taken over by Jack Harlow, the stubborn chef who’s staked his future on bringing her family’s recipes back to life. With a developer circling and long-hidden secrets bubbling up, they’ve got thirty days to fight over the café’s fate: sell it or save it. And neither plans to back down.

With the clock ticking, Cora and Jack become unlikely partners in chaos, tangled in late-night cooking lessons, small-town meddling, and one inconvenient attraction that has sparks flying both in and out of the kitchen.

Taming the Alpha by Tina Moss

She trained to save lives. But the one she inherited might just save her.

Caitlin Spring is laser-focused on her dream: finish pre-med, become a doctor, and build a life on logic—not loss. But when her beloved grandfather dies unexpectedly, everything changes. Instead of a summer of studying, Caitlin finds herself the new owner of the Spring Wildlife Sanctuary deep in the Montana wilderness.

And standing between her and the future is Jake Blackwell—the sanctuary’s brooding caretaker and the alpha werewolf her grandfather trusted with everything. Once the childhood protector who helped Caitlin survive her parents’ death, Jake is now all rugged edges and commanding growls. And he’s not exactly thrilled to see her back.

To him, Caitlin’s a threat—an outsider who doesn’t understand the delicate balance between humans, shifters, and the land they protect.

But Caitlin isn’t the little girl he remembers. She’s determined to honor her grandfather’s legacy… even if it means clashing with the alpha who once made her feel safe.

As sanctuary debt mounts and sparks fly, Caitlin must choose between the life she’s planned—or the one she never saw coming, beside a man who guards more than just the land.

In the heart of the wild, love might be the most untamed force of all.

Taming the Alpha is a gripping paranormal romance with second chances, small-town secrets, age gap, and a sanctuary where hearts—and wolves—run wild.

April 28

The Sea Spinner by Julie Johnson

Rhya Fleetwood is tired of being a pawn in other people’s wargames.

The fledgling wind weaver wants—needs—to master her magic before anything else is taken from her. She’s already lost her friends, her newfound home…will she lose Penn too? There’s no denying the scorching heat between them but, in the aftermath of battle, the Remnant of Fire burns more than anything to rebuild his kingdom and sate his inextinguishable need for revenge.

And he’s not the only one whispering to Rhya across the wind. From the distant island city of Hylios, another voice calls. Another bond pulls.

King Soren, Remnant of Water, is as different from Penn as sparks are from mist. The more insight he offers into the magic that binds them together, the more confused Rhya feels—about her future as a Remnant, about her deepest desires, and about her role in the coming war.

Torn between fire and sea, between the king who could break her heart and the king who understands her potential, Rhya will have to finally step into her power…or risk losing it altogether.

Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter

A debut high-stakes fantasy romance trilogy set against a once-in-a-generation duel to the death between rival witches and dragon riders as they battle to control the source of all magic in their kingdoms. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, and Quicksilver.

You duel or you die.

Astrid has always known she is destined to die. She is the last Nachstern witch and heir to the Queendom of Arturea, cursed by a centuries-old covenant to duel the heir to the Kingdom of Vatra for the source of all magic: the Heart. And now Astrid’s time is up. She is heading into enemy territory to face Prince Zryan, the most powerful dragon rider in eons, with only her familiar, her potions, and her wits to aid her. She is going to die, and any chance her queendom has of curing the Blight that’s ravaging the lands and killing her people will die with her.

Meanwhile, deep in dragon country, Skylar and her travelling troupe arrive in Vatra’s capital, ready to profit off the legions of spectators swarming to the city ahead of the duel. She despises the royals and all they stand for, especially as the King’s guard murdered her mother. But when her best friend disappears, suspected to have been taken in the conscription, her search takes her closer to the royals than she ever could have imagined.

As the duel looms over the kingdom, Skylar and Astrid’s fates intertwine. They must battle a growing rebellion, their inner demons, and ultimately, those they love most, to determine if together they will save—or doom—their world.

Nearly a Bride by Sabrina Jeffries

In this captivating new historical romance brimming with seductive twists and irresistible wit, an English nobleman is finally free from exile—but can his heart still be captured?

After more than a decade separated from his home and family, the Earl of Heathbrook returns to his London townhouse to face a new test: reclaiming guardianship of his younger brothers. His reputation as a rakehell, it seems, has followed him from detention inside Napoleon’s France and caused his own father to block Heathbrook’s rightful custody in his will. However, the clever rogue concocts a plan to restore respectability and rescue his siblings . . . by finding a “fiancée” with no strings attached.

Giselle Bernard is not looking to wed an earl with a wild past. All she seeks is a connected nobleman who can legally secure her new life in England and head off a mysterious stranger’s threats. Posing as Heathbrook’s bride-to-be would surely benefit them both. But as revelations come to light—the ill-fated young affair that left Heathbrook embittered, and the mademoiselle’s own guarded secrets—their engagement charade may unexpectedly blossom into a promise to love, honor, and cherish . . .

Landon & Shay by Brittainy Cherry

Two hearts. One reckless bet. The love story that changed everything.

It started with a bet: make Shay all in love with him. For Landon, a boy who didn’t believe in love, it seemed like an easy win. But Shay wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. When she overheard the bet, she flipped the script, wagering that she could make Landon fall for her instead.

What began as a reckless game quickly turned into something neither of them expected. Shay’s fire and heart broke through Landon’s darkness, and he made her crave a love she didn’t think she needed. But when the game spiraled out of control, it left them both shattered.

Years later, Landon is a Hollywood star, haunted by the girl who once captured his heart, and Shay has rebuilt her life. When their paths cross again and old wounds resurface, will they rewrite their story, or were they always destined to fall apart?

Landon & Shay is a raw, emotional journey of first love, second chances, and the scars that never truly fade.

Consort of Stars by Alana Powers

The Celestial Kingdom Series: Book One

On the continent of Acadia, a territory divided by the Sun, Moon, and Stars, Princess Soraya of Vespera has spent her life training for her time to rule. When a forbidden friendship with a prisoner sparks questions about her kingdom's bloody past, Soraya begins to unravel a web of lies that spans generations.

As Soraya's coronation inches closer, secrets of murder, betrayal, and stolen identities come to light, and she must decide how to rule a kingdom as well as free the man she loves from his cage.

Inspired by Rapunzel and Anastasia, Consort of Stars is a sweeping fantasy romance about a kingdom built on deception and a love that burns brighter than destiny itself.

Stupid Spellbound Love by Amy Boyles

Secret witch Coco Higginbotham has the perfect cover: magical land preservation in Mystic Meadows, Georgia. Here magic threads through the land and unicorn critters roam free, though human magic is strictly forbidden. But when billionaire developer Stone Maddox threatens the town’s magical flow with his resort construction, what’s a closeted witch to do but cast a spell to make him see reason?

Unfortunately, Coco accidentally wipes out his memory too. Thanks to his uncanny connection with her (and some convenient lies of omission), he soon concludes they’re a couple. And this new Stone? He’s kind, caring, and nothing like the man who threatened everything she loves.

As Coco scrambles to reverse her spell and restore Stone’s memory, she faces an impossible choice. Tell the truth and lose the man she’s falling for—or keep lying and risk exposing the magical secret that could destroy her life.

And what is more dangerous—being discovered as a witch, or discovering she can’t let him go?

The Moon Blessed King by Lindsey Byrd

In the daring sequel to The Sun Blessed Prince, Elician and Cat must confront the goddess of death to save their nations. But could it already be too late?

Elician is a Giver with the power to raise the dead, and though it’s forbidden for Givers to rule, he is crowned King of Soleb. Determined to end a generations-long war with the kingdom of Alelune, he is prepared to marry Cat, Alelune's rightful heir.

But Cat is a Reaper, able to kill with a touch, and feared by even his own people. His claim to the throne is a gamble at best, but before he can challenge his tyrannical brother, Gillage, the goddess of death releases a devastating plague across the continent.

To stop it, Elician and Cat must confront Death herself, leaving Elician's rebellious sister, Fen, to do what she can to heal the sick in their absence. But when a coup threatens to upend her brother’s reign, Fen must decide exactly what she is willing to sacrifice to help her brother succeed.

With two countries at stake, the death toll rising, and the struggle for Alelune’s throne hanging in the balance, it’s a race against time to appease the wrath of a god.

By Blood, Shadow & Fire by Orin Steele

Marked by gods. Hunted by fate. Bound to a warrior she shouldn't want.

In a realm teetering on the edge of war, Islyn never asked to be chosen-by the gods, by destiny, or by the dangerously compelling warrior sworn to protect her. But power like hers doesn't stay hidden for long. As ancient forces stir and enemies close in, she must navigate a world of secrets, shifting alliances, and a connection that burns hotter than it should.

Caught between duty and desire, Islyn has to decide who she can trust-and what she's willing to become to survive.

By Blood, Shadow & Fire is a sweeping fantasy romance about fate, forbidden longing, and the kind of magic that demands everything.

Final Thoughts

April 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting month for romance readers. With so many new romance book releases across subgenres like romantasy, contemporary romance, historical romance, and paranormal romance, there is something for every type of reader.

From dragon riders and magical kingdoms to fake relationships, rival athletes, and slow burn love stories, this month’s books offer plenty of swoon worthy moments and unforgettable characters.

Of course, this list highlights just some of the most anticipated romance releases of April 2026, but it should give you a great starting point for planning your next reads.

Which of these upcoming romance novels are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments and feel free to share any April releases that should be on every romance reader’s radar.

If you love discovering new romance books and romantasy recommendations, be sure to check out more reading lists here on Mom Needs a Chapter.