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The new year is a time for new loves, and maybe new heartaches. Just like every relationship, every book is different and unique in its own way. Whether it’s reconnecting with your husband, or rather an old flame, 2022 is bringing the spice and butterflies in the perfect balance. And we’ve rounded up a list of some of the best books that are hitting the romance department this year.
Still have 2021 #TBR reads? Here are our awards for best romance books of 2021>>
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon (January 11, 2022)
Ari loves her job as a TV meteorologist, but is ready to take her career to the next level. The only problem is that her manager is always in a frenzy over her failed relationship with her ex-husband, who also happens to be the station’s news director. When Ari turns to sports reporter Russell Barringer, the two come up with a plan to resolve their bosses’ issues by sending secret gifts and encouraging them back together. Along the way, Russell and Ari start to create chemistry of their own, causing a whole new type of storm to brew.
Here’s our favorite slow-burn romance novels>>
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover (January 18, 2022)
Kenna Rowan just got done serving a five-year sentence in prison for a tragic mistake, and all she wants is to be reunited with her daughter. However, the town where it all went wrong is bound and determined to keep Kenna out of their lives and her daughters. The only person who seems to be giving her a second chance is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining ties to Kenna’s daughter. The two start to become closer and as their romance grows, so does the risk of losing the trust of everyone important to them. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past to make room for a future of hope and healing.
Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly (January 18, 2022)
Chef’s Special is a popular reality competition show—and it’s bringing heat both in and outside the kitchen for Dahlia and London. Dahlia Woodson is recently divorced ad on the verge of bankruptcy, not to mention she just fell flat on her face for everyone to see. However, even this memorable moment can’t ruin her focus on winning the prize money, until she meets them. London Parker just announced her pronouns on national television and they are there to prove their dad, and fellow competitors, wrong. Falling in love wasn’t in the recipe. As Dahlia and London get closer, reality seems to slip away. However, their steamy relationship will be put to the test when the finale draws near and they must decide if they have the ingredients for a happily ever after.
The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen (February 8, 2022)
Thirty-five-year-old Ursula Byrne is underwhelmed by her options. A single, witty, successful, woman like her needs something more; a way to be tailored about who and what they want in a life-partner. Enter The Arc: a highly secretive, super-sophisticated matchmaking service that uses a complex series of emotional, psychological and physiological assessments to architect partnerships that will go the distance. The price tag is high, but the promise is just the right amount of ambitious: The Arc will find your ideal mate. Ursula is paired with Rafael Banks, a forty-two-year-old lawyer, and it is electric from day one. However, even a relationship that is fully optimized is never a sure thing.
Discover new romance genres with these anthologies>>
One Night on the Island by Josie Silver (February 15, 2022)
Cleo Wilder’s boss thinks it would be a good idea for her to go on a solo retreat, for not only Cleo herself but for her dating column, too. The remote Irish island is more than a hop and skip from London, but maybe this is her chance to finally indulge in some much needed self-care while she figures out the next steps in her love life and her career. Unfortunately, a mix-up with bookings means that Cleo will have to spend her much needed-alone time with Mack Sullivan. Not the warmest to each other at first, the two find that the more time they are stuck with each other, they no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they would. Will they able to find the things they want, or finally get the things they need?
I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson (February 22, 2022)
An urgent text from an ex-boyfriend after months of not hearing anything? Kian Andrews thinks maybe his ex-boyfriend, Hudson Rivers, wants to apologize or confess his undying love. Kian would be wrong, though. Hudson has a favor to ask – his parents are in town and he needs Kian to pretend to be his boyfriend. However, dinner doesn’t go as planned and now Kian is Hudson’s plus one to Georgia’s wedding of the season. The date would help both of them, however; Hudson gets to keep up his family’s reputation and Kian gets a big career break. But the fake relationship starts to feel like more than a means to an end.
A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings (March 1, 2022)
Harper is waiting to get into a top oral surgery residency program and needs no distractions, especially adorable one’s named Dan. A first-year dental student, Dan doesn’t have the same passion for pulling teeth that Harper does, or contending with his family’s legacy. He finds himself falling for Harper, and he’s willing to play by her rules. So with the greatest of intentions and the poorest of follow-throughs, the two set out to be “just friends.” However, trading in fillings for feelings isn’t easy for Harper and and no matter how drool-worthy Dan is, she can’t risk her like coming undone. Blood, gore, and extra-long roots? No problem. The idea of falling in love? Torture.
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (March 1, 2022)
Fox Thornton has quite the reputation, and not just as a King crab fisherman. The flirt of the town, everyone know he’s a good time and he likes it that way. Then Hannah Bellinger comes to town. Immune to his charm and looks, Hannah seems to enjoy his personality, as friends. Fox likes her too much to risk a fling, so a platonic relationship it is. So platonic, in fact, that Hannah is out to catch the eye of one her colleagues and Fox is just the person to help her out. But as they spend more and more time together, Hannah wants Fox more and more. However, as much as she can’t deny her love for him, she also refuses to be another notch on his bedpost. Living with his best friend should have been easy for Fox. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall. He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she’ll choose him instead?
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (April 19, 2022)
Alexis Montgomery’s world has been turned upside down by Daniel Grant, a hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her. He is the complete opposite as her, but their chemistry is undeniable. The only problem is, Alexis comes from a legacy of world-renowned, ultra-wealthy surgeons and there’s no chance that she can bring Daniel into her world and away from the tight-knit town where he lives. However, anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family, the opportunity to help thousands of people, and being anything more than a “mere” ER doctor. Her relationship with Daniel is teaching her what’s really important and giving her more joy than anything else. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?
Book Lovers by Emily Henry (May 3, 2022)
As a literary agent, Norah’s life revolves around books. Although she rarely relates to the heroine in the stories, she will do anything for her baby sister. So, when Libby asks her to spend the month of August with her in Sunshine Falls, she can’t say no. What Norah was expecting were scenes straight from the novels, with picturesque landscaping and hot bartenders, but what she got was a repeated run-in from Charlie, an editor in the city. Not one to ignore coincidences, Norah starts to wonder if there’s more to these random encounters that will involve an interesting plot twist for them both.
Set on You by Amy Lea (May 10, 2022)
After her recent breakup, curvy fitness influencer Crystal Chen is finding solace in her place of power and positivity, the gym. However, Scott Richie is the smug new gym patron that keeps stealing Crystal’s favorite squat rack. The last thing either of them expect is to run into each other at their grandparents’ engagement party. As the count down to the wedding is ticking, Crystal discovers that there’s more under the chiseled firefighter. Crystal is used to shattering gym stereotypes and ignoring the trolls, but when a photo of Crystal and Scott goes viral those trolls will put the budding relationship to the ultimate test of strength.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (May 3, 2022)
Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and a puritanical administration at Willowgrove Christian Academy. The thing that’s kept her going is winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler. But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes. Thrown into an unlikely alliance with Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart and Shara’s bad boy neighbor with crush, Chloe is chasing a ghost through parties, secrets on monogrammed stationery, and break-ins. Together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her and drag Shara back before graduation to beat her fair-and-square. However, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe, probably not, but maybe more to Shara, too.
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren (May 17, 2022)
Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession, or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. reconnecting with her first and only love wasn’t a part of the plan—but unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business. However, the trip has some missteps and the group starts to wonder if the legend of the hidden treasure is actually true. There’s a chance to right the wrongs, of not only Duke’s past but their own. Can Lily and Leo confront their history, under the stars, on an adventure of a lifetime?
Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour (May 31, 2022)
When two young women both working at a restaurant cross each other’s paths, they immediately connect. The story, told in alternating perspectives, shows Sara Foster as the mysterious bartender trying to escape her past, and Emilie Dubois, as a florist who is in her seventh year and fifth major of school, who is also struggling with her parents and her Creole identity. They like each other instantly, but the pain and issues surrounding each girl’s life pull them apart time after time. When they finally connect, they learn to rely on one another and grow their love into something that could even stand their past.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (June 28th, 2022)
When romance ghostwriter Florence Day goes through a terrible breakup, she finds she can no longer write about love. To make matters worse, her new editor refuses to give her an extension for her latest book. She’s ready to hang up her writing career when she receives devastating news that her father has passed away. Florence returns to the Southern town she left in her rear-view mirror all those years ago and is shocked to find a ghost standing at the door of her family’s funeral parlor: The ghost of her new editor. As she works to help him resolve whatever unfinished business is keeping him tied to the living world, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about love.
Bet On It by Jodie Slaughter (July 12th, 2022)
After a decade away, Walker Abbott must return to Greenbelt, South Carolina to take care of his ailing grandmother. He’s counting down the days until he gets to return home and escape the trauma of his past when his grandfather introduces him to his bingo buddy, Aja Owens. Aja doesn’t need any more problems, but her connection with Walker is undeniable. When the two of them make a bingo-based sex pact to help manage their situation, they find that their emotions aren’t as simple as a board game.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (August 23rd, 2022)
Mercy has been keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers in business for a long time, even when frustrating marshals like Hart have made it a difficult job. Hart patrols the strange wilds of Tanria, a job that leaves him feeling lonely and unfulfilled. After another maddening encounter with Mercy, Hart begins writing letters addressed to “A Friend,” and is surprised to receive one back. While danger looms in Tanria, Hart and his anonymous correspondent continue to exchange letters, and a friendship is born. But what will happen to this friendship when Hart realizes that Mercy is the one behind the letters, and when Mercy discovers she has been writing to her archnemesis this whole time?
To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins (August 23rd, 2022)
Raven, a proud grifter, finds herself in a tough spot when her talent for lying and cheating must be used for a good cause. The government enlists Raven to help retrieve the stolen Declaration of Independence, forcing her to use her manipulation skills to masquerade as a valet driver for the suspect, a former confederate official. Problems arise when Brax is assigned as Raven’s pretend-husband to help her with the task at hand. Once the fake marriage turns into a passionate affair for the two, they must decide how far they’re willing to go, and what they’re willing to risk.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood (August 23rd, 2022)
When Bee Königswasser is offered the lead on a neuroengineering project at NASA, there’s only one obstacle that makes her hesitant to accept: Levi Ward. Levi is her tall, handsome co-leader, who also happens to be her grad school archnemesis. But as their project progresses and Bee runs into trouble, her view of Levi begins to change. His attention and support have her second guessing the dynamic of their relationship, and ultimately force Bee to assess the risk of putting her heart on the line.
Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings (September 6th, 2022)
Lizzie doesn’t do relationships. She’s made many mistakes, but her strict one-night stand rule has always been steadfast. That is, until she gets fired from her job at the bakery due to her ADHD. That’s when she meets Rake and has a two-night stand that complicates everything. Rake had also given up on relationships, refusing to be emotionally vulnerable after experiencing terrible heartbreak. But when he finds out that Lizzie is pregnant and the child is his, Rake is determined to be part of his kid’s life. Together, Lizzie and Rake must learn how to handle baggage, parenthood, and their feelings for each other.
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne (September 6th, 2022)
While helping her brother Victor reanimate a man to life, Angelika realizes this could be her chance to truly open her heart to someone. She begins her own project, but is disappointed when her scientific miracle shows no interest in her – only in rediscovering his own identity. Angelika decides to help him investigate his past, hoping that her feelings might be reciprocated along the way. But when another suitor joins their adventure, Angelika begins to question her choices and the boundaries between science and fate.
Drunk On Love by Jasmine Guillory (September 20th, 2022)
Margot Noble desperately wants a break from running the family winery with her brother. So when she meets Luke, the new stranger in town, it’s the perfect opportunity for a one-night stand. But the next day, she discovers that Luke is the winery’s newest hire, and her job just got a lot more complicated. Luke Williams recently quit his well-paying tech job in Silicon Valley, and has no idea how to tell the people closest to him that he’s burned out. All he knows is that he wants more from the girl he hooked up with last night, a.k.a. his new boss. Can they figure out a way to be together, despite their own struggles and ethical dilemmas?
A Ghost in Shining Armor by Therese Beharrie (September 27th, 2022)
Gemma Daniels is not like other girls. Not only can she see ghosts, she also enjoys helping them settle their unfinished business. But when she meets Levi Walker, a handsome ghost that is set on helping her, everything changes. To explain his presence, Gemma and Levi pretend to be in a relationship. Levi died to save his sister, and now he wants to help Gemma reunite with her own long-lost sibling. But there are rules, and the closer Levi gets to Gemma, the harder it becomes to follow them. Can they find a way to fix their mistakes and be together? Or is there too much standing between them and true love?
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover (October 18th, 2022)
In this long-awaited sequel to It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover gives readers a look into Atlas’s life. Fans who loved his character in the first book will devour this continuation of the story, finally getting to hear his perspective of events and the way fate intervened to reunite him with his first love.
Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall (October 18th, 2022)
When Paris’s roommate enters him in a popular baking show watched nation-wide, his anxiety and self-doubt are the biggest obstacles in his path. But after week one, he’s won the season’s first challenge and developed a crush on fellow contestant Tariq Hassan. Things are going well until his fear of failure creeps back in, reinforced by the show’s vicious fanbase. Now Paris must face his insecurities if he wants to enjoy the sweet things life has to offer.
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun (November 1st, 2022)
One year, Ellie Oliver is working her dream job in animation and falling in love over the course of a single night. The next, she finds herself unemployed and betrayed. Now working at a local coffee shop, Ellie is just going through the motions. That is, until the shop’s landlord Andrew proposes an idea that might help both of them. A fake marriage would give Andrew access to his inheritance and help Ellie with her own debt and loneliness. When they concoct a plan to showcase their fake romance while spending the holidays at his family’s cabin, Ellie is shocked to discover that Andrew’s sister is the same enigmatic woman she fell in love with last year. And Ellie must decide whether the ruse is worth risking something real.
Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade (November 15th, 2022)
Co-stars Maria and Peter know that starting a relationship while filming a show together is a bad idea. Firstly, Gods of the Gates is being filmed on a desolate Irish island and is planned to go on for six years. Not an easy escape if things go awry. Secondly, the last time they explored their desire for one another, it resulted in a one-night stand after which Maria promptly disappeared without even a note. So for the next six years, Peter and Maria are professional colleagues and nothing more – until the very last night of filming, when their restraint shatters and they finally reconnect. But Peter must return to Hollywood, and Maria to Sweden. Can their off-screen romance survive the distance?
Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales (November 29th, 2022)
Skye Kaplan always had her guard up when it came to love—until she met Jordy. But after earning her trust, he stops calling and Skye is left wondering where it all went wrong. Maya, who dated Jordy two years ago, knows this heartbreak firsthand and is determined to expose Jordy as the manipulative liar he is. After his sister marries a crown prince, Jordy becomes a popular figure in the media, and it’s not long before he’s the star of a reality show called Second-Chance Romance. The whole world watches while Jordy’s exes (including Maya and Skye) compete to be with him. And while Skye enters the contest hoping for a second chance, Maya’s motives are geared towards revenge. But as the two girls grow closer, they find that their affections might have been misplaced all along.
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