9 New Romance Books to Look Forward to in 2023

Freelance writer Sora Reid is the odd one out in her family of high achievers. Her mother bugs her about her weight and her younger sister has demanded she have a date for her upcoming wedding. Alas, Sona isn't the romantic type, and an article on her desire to #gosolo resonates with millions of readers. 

But that ethos goes out the window when Jack Mann, a hot baker and former classmate, enters the picture. Their attraction is instant but Sona can't let her readers down by abandoning her #gosolo plans. Can Jack convince her that love is worth the work?

Release date: January 31

Miss Lucy Bertram is less interested in society balls than she is in writing scientific articles or curling up with a Gothic romance novel. But her father now insists that she accept the suit of a wealthy but dull industrialist before their family sinks into poverty. She needs an ally like her brother to help, but he's gone missing.  

William Lockhart, the Earl of Kyle and covert agent for the Crown, is on the hunt for a killer, and Lucy's father is the prime suspect. Posing as a groom in the man's household, he needs to find evidence to back up his case. He doesn't expect to be terribly distracted by the man's beautiful daughter. Where will his loyalties go once love gets in the way?

Release date: February 7

Monster romances have gained real traction in the past few years, in large part thanks to fans on BookTok, and who better to write this genre than the current queen of erotica, Katee Robert? 

Grace is a monster hunter who made a demonic deal but doesn't plan to stick around for it. She's auctioned off to a gargoyle named Bram, whose tough exterior hides a warm heart and aching desire. She knows she shouldn't give into him, yet she finds herself unable to resist his kindness and tender care. Would it really be so bad to give into captivity with the gargoyle?

Release date: March 28

Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter; the ideal representative of her powerful family. After she and her sisters are sent to London to seek refuge during the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom and wants to exploit it for all its worth. 

The only thing standing in her way is Gideon Fox, a rising politician with huge ambitions to take down the Atlantic slave trade. The last thing he needs is the gorgeous distraction that Ana María provides, but after she becomes entangled in the nefarious plans of a scheming nobleman, Gideon offers to protect her. Together, they could make a powerful duo, but love might get in the way.

Release date: April 4

Historical romance favorite Amalie Howard makes her YA debut with a seductive Regency take on The Count of Monte Cristo. Lady Ela Dalvi was betrayed by her best friend, Poppy, and forced to leave society with her reputation in tatters. All over a boy who she not-so-secretly loved. 

Nearly three years later, eighteen-year-old Ela thinks of nothing but revenge, especially as she watches Poppy join the upper elite of the ton while she is left to hide in the countryside like a pariah. But she has a plan for revenge. She'll disguise herself as a mysterious heiress and infiltrate the latest season. Now Poppy will get a taste of her own medicine, but what happens when Ela reunites with the only boy she’s ever loved? Will vengeance actually make her happy?

Release date: April 4

Tansy Adams isn't great at love, preferring to hide in her family's bookstore and immerse herself in fictional worlds. Sick of her stepfamily’s questions about her love life, Tansy invents the perfect girlfriend, inspired by a beautiful cover model on a bestselling book. 

This little white lie explodes when Tansy actually meets the model, Gemma van Dalen. She's the wild child black sheep of her wealthy publisher family. In order to claim her inheritance, she must be married. So, when she discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further—and announces their engagement. 

A fake marriage could help both women with their personal problems, as long as they keep things professional. But it doesn't take long for their feelings to grow, and for their respective families to make things far more complicated.

Release date: April 18

There are few things we can rely on in life except for death, taxes, and the promise of new Nora Roberts books. With over 250 titles to her name, Nora Roberts is the undisputed queen of romance, and 2023 will see her retain her crown for yet another year. 

Identity sees her in comfortable territory with a romantic suspense title. Former Army brat Morgan Albright has settled down in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore, eager to lead a peaceful life. But her dreams are shattered when she discovers that she's the latest target of a con artist named Gavin who worms his way into women's lives, steals their assets, then murders them. 

Now, she must fight the ultimate evil. Keeping her safe is Miles Jameson, a seemingly normal small town family man, but can she really trust him? And what will it take for Gavin to leave her alone?

Release date: May 23

Miss Maelys Mitchelmore is a young lady trying to make her way through polite society like many women before her. The only problem is that she seems to be cursed, and if things continue, she could end up in a very dark place. 

In order to fix things, she must seek help from the brooding Lady Georgianna Landrake, nicknamed the Duke of Annadale. She may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune. She also might be an enchantress of malevolent intent, but that's exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs. 

Together, they must delve into a world of magic, gods, and revenge, and the longer they spend together, the more they wonder if they are ready for their burgeoning desires to be satisfied.

Release date: June 6

Simi Chopra is struggling under a mountain of student debt, and now that she's unemployed and stuck in a flooded apartment, it seems that things can't get much worse. Well, that's until her best friend is accused of stealing a multimillion-dollar diamond necklace. 

A handsome stranger named Jack offers to help her find the missing necklace and steal it back, then share the reward with Simi. But to clear her friend's name (and fix her financial problems), Simi will need to put together a crew, train to be a thief, and tangle with one of the world's most dangerous criminals at a high-society wedding. Anything could go wrong. She could be killed or jailed. And Jack seems intent on stealing her heart.

Release date: July 18