In this adorable romp from Hayward (The Memory Book, written as Rowan Coleman), a woman learns valuable life lessons from man’s best friend. For Genie’s 30th birthday, her fortune-telling grandmother offers to grant a single wish. Nonbeliever Genie doesn’t take this present seriously. Instead, she tipsily wishes that her golden retriever, Rory, were human so their chats and cuddles would be less one-sided and her family would stop worrying about her being lonely. The next morning, a shaggy-haired blond guy is asleep in the dog bed and Genie knows instantly that she’s made a big mistake, especially given how unhappy Rory is to be a human. Genie seeks help turning Rory back from her best friend and next-door neighbor, Miles, despite Rory’s fear of Miles’s “murder cat.” Rory knows right away that Miles’s and Genie’s scents go well together, but Hayward still manages to draw out the will-they-won’t-they between these clueless humans. In the meantime, there’s fun to be had watching exuberant Rory help Genie rediscover her carefree side and sense of play. Dog lovers will be especially charmed. (July)

Reviewed on 06/13/2025 | Details & Permalink

With this lively, laugh-out-loud romantic adventure, Dade (At First Spite) whisks readers to an intriguing post-zombie-apocalypse setting populated by vampires, witches, and werewolves. When soap maker Edie Brandstrup tries to save her “sweet idiot” neighbor Chad from a zombie who has somehow breached containment, he reveals that his name’s not really Chad and he’s not really human. He’s Gaston Maxime “Max” Boucher, cranky fashion influencer and centuries-old vampire. Max is willing to let Edie ride out the zombie incursion, the first such in two decades, in his basement lair, but Edie’s determined to alert the authorities that zombies have returned before things get out of control. As the two navigate the sparsely populated containment zone designed to prevent such an escalation, they realize the situation’s bad and getting worse: someone released the zombies on purpose. Now only they and a ragtag band of supernatural allies stand ready to save the world from a second zombie apocalypse. Meanwhile, Edie and Max can’t deny their growing mutual attraction, which thrives under the constant danger. Dade’s leads have serious chemistry, both sexual and emotional, which serves them well throughout their misadventures. Edie’s sarcasm and Max’s world-weary grumpiness add plentiful humor even as the stakes mount. This is excellent fun. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 06/06/2025 | Details & Permalink

A missing-person case animates Ridley’s raucous and somewhat overcrowded sixth Wild Wynchesters Regency (after Hot Earl Summer). Aspiring playwright Vivian Henry, 28, devotes much of her life to looking after her idealistic 18-year-old cousin, Quentin, the illegitimate, mixed-race son of a nobleman. Quentin idolizes the Wynchesters, a famed adoptive family of “do-good scoundrels” with a hodgepodge of extraordinary talents, while Viv, an immigrant from Demerara (present-day Guyana), where she was enslaved, resents the Wynchesters’ privilege and apparent disregard for the consequences of their heroics. When Quentin goes missing, however, Viv turns to the Wynchesters to track him down—and feels immediately drawn to “insufferably handsome” Jacob, an animal handler and a pseudonymous poet. He’s eager to help, but a frustrating lack of follow-up questions during the initial meeting leads to miscommunication and a mid-book revelation that feels obvious from the jump. Meanwhile, Viv and Jacob are in lust at first sight, and it’s fun, if somewhat dizzying, to watch as Viv’s case dovetails with several other zany crimes the Wynchesters are looking into. Underneath the chaotic hijinks runs a current of thoughtful social commentary as Ridley emphasizes how her Black leads’ contrasting life experiences have given rise to differing relationships to power and oppression. Despite some hiccups this time out, Ridley remains very good at what she does. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 06/06/2025 | Details & Permalink

Bestselling YA author Kemmerer (the Elemental series) launches the Braided Fate trilogy with this wickedly perceptive and highly charged triad fantasy romance. The warrior of the title, fire magic wielding King Maddox Kyronan (“Ky”) of Incendar, is fearsome in battle but has a tender and compassionate nature. He needs a marriage alliance with Princess Marjoriana (“Jory”) of Astranza, whose family’s magic is known to manipulate the weather, to protect Incendar from drought and hostile Draegonis incursions. Asher, once a young nobleman and Jory’s only friend in a palace dominated by her sinister brother, Prince Dane, is now an assassin with the Hunter’s Guild after a traumatic period away from the palace during which time he was sold into a brothel. Asher’s guildmaster gives him two horrifying assignments: kill Ky, then kill Jory. He can’t do it, so all three escape on a protracted journey to Ky’s castle. Along the way, each gets their turn as narrator, helping to build the slow-burning erotic tension among the trio before a truly spicy finale. Romantasy fans will be clamoring for more. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 06/06/2025 | Details & Permalink

Blackburn (Yinka, Where Is Your Husband?) delivers a strained second-chance romance following struggling Nigerian British romance author Temiloluwa “Temi” Ojo. Publishers aren’t biting on her manuscript and she keeps lying to her agent about her progress on her next book. She does have another finished project sitting in a drawer, but it’s a hit piece on her ex-boyfriend Wale Bandele, who dumped her to go on a Love Island–style reality dating show, and she’s not planning on it ever seeing the light of day. So when her agent sets her up with a freelance gig to ghostwrite a celebrity memoir, Temi is thrilled—until she learns the celebrity is Wale. His time on the show earned him a bad boy reputation and now he’s looking to rehabilitate his image. As the pair struggle to keep things professional, old tensions resurface and Wale reexamines his past bad behavior. But will his soul-searching (and soulful eyes) be enough to earn Temi’s forgiveness? For many readers, the answer will be no. Frequent miscommunications, betrayals, and lies mar the rekindling romance between the leads, leaving both feeling frustratingly immature. This misses the mark. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 06/06/2025 | Details & Permalink

Vasti concludes her Belvoir’s Library trilogy (after Earl Crush) with this clever Regency. Lady Georgiana Cleeve was disowned by her late father when she outed herself as the scandalous gothic romance author Geneva Desrosiers six years before the start of the book. Now she suspects fellow author Lady Darling of plagiarism and sets out to confront her—only to discover that Lady Darling is the pseudonym of Cat Lacy, her father’s butler’s daughter and Georgiana’s teenage crush. Their overlapping history explains the similarities in their work, but the women’s hostile encounter only fans the flames of their rivalry. Neither is pleased to bump into the other again at Renwick House, a purportedly haunted Gothic mansion that both are researching as a setting for forthcoming novels. Their animosity quickly fades, however, in the face of the manor’s spookiness and their intensifying mutual attraction. When an assailant traps them inside the building only to be killed by the house’s crumbling infrastructure, the women work together to escape—and to figure out who’s coming after them and why. Though this mystery meanders a bit, the plot engages deeply with gothic literary tradition while retaining a fun, frothy tone. Vasti also showcases her knack for sweeping love declarations and steamy sex scenes that feel firmly grounded in character. This sends the series out on a high note. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 06/06/2025 | Details & Permalink

This light, heartwarming outing from Blumberg (Second Tide’s the Charm) finds romance author Mia Brady struggling with writer’s block while trying to draft a friends-to-lovers book, the final in her bestselling series. In her personal life, Mia has sworn off romance between friends ever since her former best friend turned brother-in-law, Ted, broke her heart back in college. Meanwhile, Gavin Lane, Ted’s college roommate, has been crushing on Mia since he found her crying over Ted at their apartment door. Though he’s never acted on his feelings, over the past 10 years they’ve become close friends. Now Gavin suggests she beat her writer’s block by acting out romance tropes with him and seeing which ones might actually work. Blumberg uses this cute but familiar premise to create a fluffy will-they-won’t-they that dances along the line between friendship and romance. Unfortunately, Mia occasionally comes across as frustratingly emotionally immature, especially in response to Gavin’s effusive professions of love. Still, the vibe is breezy and the metafictional nods to romance tropes add some fun. Readers looking for an easy, G-rated beach read will be pleased. Agent: Rachel Brooks, BookEnds Literary. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/30/2025 | Details & Permalink

A widow opens herself up to new love in this smart and moving romance from bestseller Sussman (Funny You Should Ask). The novel toggles between past and present, following Lauren Parker as she falls in love with and marries her childhood sweetheart, Spencer, and, years later, as she mourns him and struggles to solo parent their teenage daughter, Lena. When, in the present, her brother, Gabe, a famous actor, invites Lauren and Lena to the set of his latest film, Lauren is walloped by lust at first sight of his costar, Hollywood heartthrob Benjamin Walsh, who’s several years younger than her. Ben reciprocates Lauren’s feelings, leading to a steamy encounter, but he wants more from her than just a casual fling. Lauren panics when Gabe, Ben, and their close friend Ollie turn up in her Montana hometown to renovate a local theater and stage a play. The close proximity forces big decisions—and readers will root for Lauren to make the right choices. Though there’s some tonal dissonance between past and present chapters, Sussman skillfully handles sensitive topics, including Lauren and Lena’s grief and Gabe’s struggles with alcoholism. Moments of levity, most often provided by snarky supporting character Ollie, inject some fun into all the drama. It’s heavier than Sussman’s last book, but fans will still find plenty to enjoy. (July)

Reviewed on 05/30/2025 | Details & Permalink

Bestseller Carter combines suspense, sizzle, and snark in this delightful standalone sequel to The Blonde Identity. CIA operative Alexandra Sterling (twin sister of Zoe, the heroine of the first book) has spent a decade reinventing herself for undercover missions, along the way falling in and out of love with fellow spy Michael “King” Kingsley. Alex is on the verge of tendering her resignation when she wakes up handcuffed to King in an unknown location. The estranged lovers work together to get free and then team up to discover who abducted them and why. While dodging death at every turn, King and Alex realize the spark between them never dimmed. But will they stay alive long enough to enjoy it? Carter skillfully fleshes out Alex and King’s tumultuous relationship with flashbacks to their past missions and romantic liaisons. The tone stays light and fun even as plentiful action—including red herrings, double crosses, and gun fights—keeps the pages turning. With snappy dialogue, slow-burning romantic tension, and some exciting twists, this makes for an entertaining diversion. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/30/2025 | Details & Permalink

This contrived contemporary from bestseller Marr (Reluctant Witch) finds history professor Toni Darbyshire reeling in the wake of her father’s death, which left her on the hook for his $200,000 debt. Her best friend suggests she write a novel as a way to make money, and Toni admits she already has one written. That same night, she happens to meet Addie Stewart and is instantly enthralled, leading to a one-night stand. The encounter is memorable enough that Toni renames her main character after Addie. She also manages to find Addie’s email address and the pair keep in touch over the next year as Toni’s Victorian-era lesbian detective novel hits it big. Toni never mentions the book to Addie, so she’s shocked when Addie shows up to audition for the leading role in the TV adaptation. When the production team heads to a hotel dedicated to recreating the Victorian era, the venue requires that Addie and Toni fake-marry each other to avoid the “scandal” of sharing a room without being wed. Photos from their pretend wedding go viral online, forcing the women to finally face their feelings. The setup strains credulity, and Marr creates a lot of friction between her central couple while leaving their happier, sweeter moments largely off-page, making it difficult to root for these two. Readers will struggle with this. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/30/2025 | Details & Permalink