Top new romance books out this week: 11 May - 17 May 2025
Last updated:
May 17, 2025
This week featuring new releases by Stacia Stark, Danielle L. Jensen, Adelaide Forrest, Harper L. Woods, C.R. Jane, Maria McCann, Richard Poe, Julia Wolf, Elizabeth O'Roark, Morgan Elizabeth, Lynn Painter, Ashley Herring Blake and many more.
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This Vicious Dream by Stacia Stark
Once, I helped save a kingdom.Now, I’m trapped in a prison of thorns and nightmares.My crime? Knowing the location of a power that could reshape the world—a grimoire I swore to protect with my life.That secret is the only thing keeping me alive while my captors wait for me to break.Until he arrives.Beautiful. Ruthless.Dark, inscrutable eyes. A dangerously wicked grin...fantasy · magic · betrayal · paranormal · fae · pirates · from hate to love · fated-mates · new adult · length-medium -
A Curse Carved in Bone by Danielle L. Jensen
A shield maiden fights to break the shackles of prophecy—and to overcome the betrayal of the man who broke her heart—in this searing conclusion to the Norse-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with the bestselling A Fate Inked in Blood...magic · vikings · fantasy · paranormal · new adult · historical · length-medium · m-f · scandinavia · pagan -
What Sleeps Within the Cove by Adelaide Forrest, Harper L. Woods
From the New York Times bestseller, Harper L. Woods comes a brand new, highly anticipated novel in her Of Flesh & Bone series, What Sleeps Within the Cove.Once, I bartered my soul for my mate.Offering Mab my bound allegiance was the only way to save Caldris's life-the only bargain I could make to keep us both from the Void...dark · fae · fantasy · historical · ancient times · paranormal · horror · forced proximity · magic · fated-mates -
The Pucking Wrong Rookie by C.R. Jane
An NHL star could never fall for a girl like me…I never wanted this life, but the choices I made led me here—caught in a world I can't escape. Then Logan York, the Dallas Knights' rookie sensation, spots me in the crowd.When I refuse to date him, he hires me and promises I’ll fall in love with him.Arrogant. Reckless. Completely impossible... -
Better Luck Next Time by Maria McCann, Richard Poe, Cara Bastone, Mae Whitman
Two frenemies find a surprising second chance in this timeslip rom-com, starring Mae Whitman ( Parenthood ), Colin Woodell ( The Flight Attendant ), and a full cast.Mona and Duncan used to be best friends. Now they can’t stand each other. Too bad that’s not a good enough excuse to miss their two families’ annual trip to the cabin... -
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Hold The Line by Julia Wolf
Deacon Slater was my high school crush—the bad boy with haunted eyes that made my heart skip a beat. But in our small town, the Slater name is synonymous with trouble, and Deke lived up to it when he landed in prison a few years after graduation.He served his time and now he’s back, living in the apartment above mine, covered in ink and even more intriguing than before... -
My Favorite Bad Decision by Elizabeth O'Roark
Climbing Kilimanjaro? No thank you.Climbing it with Miller West? Absolutely f***ing not.A full week without showers, a real bed or Internet was bad enough. Spending it with my family’s sworn enemy—the unbearably smug, indecently handsome Miller West—is a bridge too far.I’m determined to remain enemies, even if sparring with him is my favorite thing in the world... -
Tourist Trap by Morgan Elizabeth
Bestselling author Morgan Elizabeth delivers Tourist Trap, a small town, age gap, grumpy sunshine, summer romance based in Seaside Point, a shore town in New Jersey.Claire:A summer in a tourist trap is exactly what I need. A single summer of fun before I finally buckle down and decide on what I want to do with the rest of my life... -
The Wish Switch by Lynn Painter
Magic and mayhem collide in beloved bestselling author Lynn Painter’s hilarious middle grade debut, perfect for fans of Sarah Mlynowski and Wendy Mass. Emma Rockford knows it will take bonafide magic to make middle school everything she wants it to be. Luckily, before Emma’s beloved Nana died, she left detailed instructions on how to access an ancient, secret, magical wishing well... -
Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake
A small-town waitress and a Hollywood star’s worlds collide in this new romance by Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date. Once upon a time, Ramona Riley was a student at a prestigious art school, with dreams of landing in Hollywood as a costume designer to the stars...contemporary · bisexual · f-f · queer · humor · length-long · small town · second chances · curvy heroine · third-person-pov -
Spotlight by Rebecca Jenshak
One night—that’s all it was supposed to be. No names. No complications.And now? He’s everywhere.In every trending video.In all the news headlines.On every freaking billboard. Turns out, he’s not just some guy. He’s Flynn Holland, Lake City’s new hotshot pitcher. The one that’s supposed to end our team’s fifty-year championship drought.(The same way I’ve fantasized about him ending mine)...sports · baseball · dual-pov · athletes · humor · new adult · contemporary · m-f · found-family · north-america -
The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman
New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman takes her sweet bookshop series to Paris with an emotional short story about chasing your dreams—and finding your passion where you least expect it.Growing up, Violet was so busy helping others realize their dreams, she found little time to pursue her own... -
The Nanny Goal by Ainsley Booth
When I first met her, I was just her brother’s best friend and a hockey player. Then I was the secret fling who broke her heart. Now I’m a single dad … and her new boss.On the best and worst night of my life, I left the perfect girl alone in a hotel room, confused and angry...single-father · sports · contemporary · m-f · second chances · athletes · insta-love · forced proximity · virgin heroine · canada -
Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton
The mystifying world of online dating gets a terrifying, clever, and darkly hilarious twist in this unputdownable thriller.Gwen Turner has made a bloody mess of her life. She recently broke up with the best man she’s ever known for reasons even she can’t admit to herself and quit a lucrative job to open her own coffee shop... -
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Naomi Novik's Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards."Look at you, eating magic like you're one of us."Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England...fantasy · queer · urban fantasy · contemporary · horror · united-kingdom · england · audiobook · magic · paranormal -
Inferno: Discreet Special Edition by Luna Mason
This is the discreet special edition cover of Inferno! Decadent. One word that alters both of their futures.A chance encounter that entwines them forever.One night. No real names.Ending in a betrayal that still haunts them both.Declan Quinn, the new Irish mob boss like no other... -
A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher
A witch and a shifter get a second chance at love in this new paranormal romantic comedy from USA Today Bestselling author April Asher.At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Festival Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood...fantasy · paranormal · witches · humor · shapeshifters · length-medium · contemporary · magic · m-f · from hate to love -
Born For Lace by Nicci Harris
"I'm on the run from The Trade with a baby that is technically their property, and the man helping me escape is a seven-foot-one rogue devoid of compassion who turns out to be the beast of my nightmares." ~ Dahlia is a Lace Girl. Her role is the first mental health initiative of The Trade, successfully halving depression in The Cradle. Accompany. Relieve. Soothe. That is her Meaningful Purpose...fantasy · age difference · dystopian · dark · m-f · pregnancy · monsters · height-difference · paranormal · length-long -
Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen
From the author of The Five Year Lie comes a new twisty thriller that probes how well we actually know the men in our lives.Rowan Gallagher is a devoted single mother and a talented architect with a high-profile commission restoring an historic mansion for the most powerful family in Maine. But inside, she’s a mess... -
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The Overtime Kiss by Lauren Blakely
Just what every bride dreams of—running straight from her cheating fiancé into the arms of a hot hockey star… and then getting hired as his kids’ nanny.Tyler Falcon is protective, flirtatious…and frustratingly responsible. We almost did something reckless when he found me alone in my wedding dress, and I blurted out all the things I’d never truly experienced...hockey · humor · contemporary · sports · m-f · boss & employee · forced proximity · north-america · usa · california -
Bodybuilders for the BBW by Sam Hall
I’ve sworn off dating for now, so how did I end up accidentally dating three hotties?After a cruel breakup, my new year’s resolution is to put me first for once.Somehow my fitness influencer sister thinks that includes getting me into the gym.I walk right into a space filled with weights and exercise equipmentAnd them.Rhys—the muscle bound personal trainer with a heart of gold...contemporary · m-f · poly · reverse harem · curvy heroine · himbo · sunny hero · alpha male · athletes · men in uniform -
Revive Me by Nikki Castle
An injury that changed everything.A man who’s angry at the world.A woman who won't let him give up.Once, Roman was a professional MMA fighter on the brink of becoming the best in the world. But when an injury to his spinal cord alters the trajectory of his life, he not only has to learn how to walk again, he also needs to rediscover who he is with the disability that shattered his dreams... -
Bartered Innocence by B. Sobjakken
He was supposed to be my savior, but became my keeper instead… I’ve spent years learning everything I can to take over my family’s restaurant. I’ve never envisioned myself doing anything else.It all comes to a crashing halt when rumors of an arranged marriage circle the Famiglia and my brother doesn’t stop my name from being put forth as an eligible bride... -
Luca by Eryn Hawk
Luca Haryk is ridiculously happy and in love—an easy feat with an adoring soulmate by his side. Despite his anxieties over his new position, he’s found a home in the Otherworld and has everything anyone could ever dream of... -
The Irish Daughter by Daisy O'Shea
Standing on the cliff above the wild Irish sea, Hannah wipes a tear from her eye and thinks about the man she called ‘Da’. She was never his daughter. Hannah has been lied to her whole life by everyone she loved... -
Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein
A May 2025 LibraryReads PickNamed Most Anticipated by Today.com, New York Post and BustleFrom beloved author Hannah Orenstein, this love letter to lake life is “the Parent Trap for adults,” the story of two half-sisters who meet for the first time at their father’s cabin in Maine after his unexpected death... -
Beautiful Mess by C.J. Bloom, Alex Kydd, A. James
I’m pretty in pink dipped in sunshine and sweet Southern smiles.He’s blue collar wrapped up in a gruff summer storm with a scowl.He also happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s dad... -
Axe-ing For Trouble: A Protector Lumberjack Romance by Daphne Elliot
On the run, injured, and out of options, I had no choice but to go back to him.Back to the one place I swore I wouldn’t—because staying away was the only way to keep him safe.Jude Hebert.My one-night stand turned unexpected protector. A rugged, guitar-playing lumberjack with broad shoulders and blue eyes that could light up the darkest Maine night.And the man determined to keep me safe... -
The Game: the Surgeon and the MMA Fighter by Jolie Vines
From the author of the #1 Kindle bestselling TikTok sensation BODY COUNT series comes a dedicated telling of the game. -- I entered the game. He already chose me. If I go into that basement, I'll be prey. That's the twenty men hunting five women.Whoever catches me will claim me—right there on the floor—and I'll be his for thirty days and nights. No refusals. No limits...bdsm · dark · alpha male · fighters · insta-love · contemporary · dual-pov · m-f · mma-boxing · scotland -
After Paris by Mary Ellen Taylor
From the author of The Brighter the Light comes a haunting tale of hope that spans generations, intertwining the lives of three women who fight for survival in 1940s France and present-day Virginia.At twenty-five, Ruby Nevins has already endured more than most. But after two years of battling cancer, she’s warily determined to move forward... -
Knot Her Mountain Men by Lexie Quinn
The last thing I remembered was falling asleep in the snow after my so-called best friend abandoned me in the woods for rejecting him. But instead of waking up in a snow drift, I woke up in an unfamiliar cabin with six feet of shirtless alpha wrapped around me to fend off the cold... -
Sunshine After the Rain: Escape to the Lakes with this heartwarming and uplifting page-turner from Jessica Redland by Jessica Redland
Escape to the Lakes with million-copy bestseller Jessica Redland for a BRAND NEW uplifting story of family, friendship and love ☀️ Melanie knows she’s been running away... But maybe there really is no place like home 🌈 For the last seven years Mel has been hiding; from life, from her friends and from those who love her the most - her family... -
Beautiful Mess by Ashley James
I’m pretty in pink dipped in sunshine and sweet Southern smiles.He’s blue collar wrapped up in a gruff summer storm with a scowl.He also happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s dad... -
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Redeemed by E. Bishop
They used to be my protectors…Until I betrayed them.The three boys who used to walk me home from class now haunt me everywhere I go, slowly destroying my life piece by piece.But when the man I’m hiding from somehow finds me, I’m forced to disappear again. There’s nowhere to run except for the last place anyone would expect me to go:The home of one of my bullies... -
Match Penalty by Kenna King
***Coach's Daughter, Second Chance, Steamy Hockey Romance***Cammy Wrenley's BookJon Paul Dumont is everything I was warned about in this league—talented, entitled, and fully aware of both.The NHL's favorite bad boy has left a trail of broken hearts from Montreal to San Diego, and a year ago, I was stupid enough to become one of them...hockey · new adult · dual-pov · sports · forced proximity · contemporary · office · tortured hero · from hate to love · forbidden love -
Land of Shadow by Celia Aaron
Dr. Georgia Clark works to find a cure for the plague that has ravaged humanity and ended civilizations. Georgia’s sister matches her efforts, but instead of seeking a cure through science, Juno seeks salvation through power. When superhumans emerge from the shadows, their emissary Valen Dragonis offers what humanity has failed to discover on its an opportunity to survive... -
Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
"Can't Get Enough balances brutal emotion, whip-smart humor, and delicious spice. Moving, romantic, and thrumming with life, this is Ryan's best work yet." ―Talia Hibbert Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry's rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it...black-mc · contemporary · african-american · length-long · tycoon · dual-pov · caretaking · insta-love · strong heroine · curvy heroine -
Mine: A Reverse Age Gap Romance by Clio Evans
Good girl.I am good.I’m good at my job, running my company, and making a filthy amount of money.But when a tattooed, dark-haired stranger a decade younger than me whispers Good Girl in my ear—I don’t want to be good anymore.Behind closed doors, Salt shows me things I’ve never experienced.He holds me captive with his burning touch and fevered demands of submission... -
No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack
The second in a witty, USA Today bestselling series following author Eleanor Dash as she goes from wedding guest to murder mystery investigator at her best friend’s wedding on Catalina Island.Attending your best friend’s wedding should be a piece of (wedding) cake, but not for Eleanor Dash, bestselling author of the Vacation Mysteries series... -
Sparks and Surrender Collection by Jill Shalvis, Elisabeth Naughton, Alexandra Ivy, Rachel Van Dyken
When sparks fly, passion ignites. Sparks and Surrender is packed with fiery romances where enemies become lovers. From bitter rivals to the people they least expected, these characters discover that the line between hate and love is dangerously thin...

