With the new year comes a whole new round of book releases! Romance writers are ready to add to readers’ ever-growing to-be-read pile.
Here are just five of the many romance books coming in the first half of the year to keep an eye out for.
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5) Daydream by Hannah Grace
Within Hannah Grace’s Maple Hill series, we have already had TikTok sensation Icebreaker. Daydream is the third book in the same universe, following another of our hockey hotties. The Maple Hills Titan’s newest team captain, Henry Turner and Junior writer Halle Jacobs become unlikely allies when Halle starts to tutor Henry. Of course, our main character, Halle, is not helping Henry out of the goodness of her own heart.
While juggling her university experience, she is writing a novel and needs some new experience to help get rid of her writer’s block. Henry is happy to help Halle break out of her writing rut as long as his grades let him stay on the team. Can they both keep their feelings out of the deal?
If you are looking for a college hockey love story about unlikely friends with a mutually beneficial pack that will lead into friends-to-lovers, Daydream by Hannah Grace will be your perfect summer read.
Daydream will be available on June 4, 2024.
4) Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood made her stamp on the romance world with her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis. Hazelwood prides herself on writing romance stories about women in STEM and academics; Not in Love is another example of her doing just that.
Not in Love follows a biotech engineer, Rue Siebert, and her competitor Eli Killgore. Rue Siebert is finally happy with where her life is; her career in start-up food science company Kline is exactly where she wants to be. In comes Eli Killgore and his business partner, ready to take Kline for all its worth. Despite being on different sides, Rue and Eli can’t seem to deny their attraction to each other. Falling into a no string attached fling, they put a deadline on their time together. Will they be able to keep it strictly business?
Not in Love will fulfill the rivals to lovers, forbidden love affair hole in your reading list.
Not in Love will be available on June 11, 2024.
3) Funny Story by Emily Henry
It wouldn’t be a romance book list without the queen of romance herself, Emily Henry. Emily Henry made her spot in a romance with her debut novel Beach Read. She continues to keep her name in the book world with her novels People We Meet on Vacation and Book Lovers. Her newest 2023 release, Happy Place, continues to blow readers away.
Emily Henry is at it again with her newest novel, Funny Story. Funny Story will follow Daphne, who had her heart broken when her fiancé realizes he is in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. Daphne, left all alone in Waning Bay, Michigan, decides to room with the only person who managed to be in the same situation, Petra’s ex-boyfriend. Despite being in the same situation, Miles is the exact opposite of Daphne. Wanting to mislead their exes, they come together to make their summer adventure seem more than it actually is. It’s easy, and there is no way they will end up falling for each other, right?
Funny Story is the perfect romance book if you’re looking for a fun, personified and strictly business relationship.
Funny Story will be out on April 23, 2024.
2) Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez is a well-loved romance writer and the author of Yours Truly and The Friend Zone. Her next upcoming novel is Just for the Summer, and it will be her 5th novel.
Abby Jimenez’s Just for the Summer will blend happy and sad tears perfectly. Just for the Summer follows the main characters, Emma and Justin. They both have one thing in common: they’re cursed. Every person they date ends up finding their soulmate the second they break up. Once Emma realizes someone else is afflicted with the same curse, she reaches out to Justin.
Coming together on Lake Minnetonka, they want to break the curse. It might all seem simple. Date each other, break up and then find their soulmates. Although, life has a different plan. With Emma’s mother coming into the picture and Justin’s newly granted guardianship over his three siblings, life is coming at them both very quickly. The feelings they seem to be catching for each other is just the cherry on top of it all.
Just for the Summer will tug at your heartstrings while still bringing the warm fuzzy feelings of two people falling in love.
Just for the Summer will drop April 2, 2024.
1) The Reason I Married Him by Meghan Quinn
Meghan Quinn isn’t messing around with The Reason I Married Him. The two main characters will come together in a marriage of convenience, both wanting to get their dream. Aubree wants her dream farmland when Wyatt comes in. Wyatt is the long-time owner of half of the farmland and needs to marry before he can claim his half. Throughout the novel, they will have to convince everyone around them of their relationship with each other. Soon enough, Aubree finds herself a little too convinced by Wyatt. Is that so bad?
The Reason I Married Him is the perfect steamy novel to pick up around Valentine’s Day. This fun marriage of convenience will include a fun one-bed trope and a slight enemies who become lovers plot on top of the forced proximity of it all.
The Reason I Married Him is expected on February 6, 2024.
With the year just starting and the boom that BookTok has caused, romance readers will be happy to see more and more new releases coming out. These five are just the start and don’t even begin to cover how many phenomenal books are on the way. Happy Reading!
