If you’re like me, the start of a new year is a period of both excitement and overwhelm. There are so many books I want to read, stories I want to write, and goals I want to accomplish.
It doesn’t matter that I have nearly 50 novels already sitting on my shelves, waiting to be read. When I see those most-anticipated lists, I can’t help but add more to my shopping cart.
So what romances am I most excited for in 2024? Keep scrolling for the top ten list—plus a very special announcement of my own.
Let’s get the countdown started!
Top 10 Romance Books I’m Waiting Impatiently for This Year
Suffice it to say, I love romance. Whether it’s contemporary or historical, paranormal or sci-fi, my tastes are comprehensive. As long as there’s an open door and laughs along the way, I’m down.
This list doesn’t cover all of my most anticipated reads in 2024 (because Substack does not give me enough word count for that!), but it’s a solid start at least.
My only caveat is that there are many books coming later in the summer and fall—like Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing and Lindsey Lanza’s Not Safe for Work—that don’t have covers yet, but that doesn’t mean they’re not on my radar.
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Now onto the list. Here are my most anticipated romance books of 2024. Comment below with the books on your TBR, so we can swap recs!
(Note: All links lead to Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase, you’ll support local, independent bookstores, and I’ll earn a small commission as an affiliate. It’s a win-win!)
The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi (Jan. 30). Unsurprisingly, if you’ve got a tech-related romance, I must have it—especially when it’s enemies to lovers between a smarty pants and her high school nemesis. As soon as I read “hostile takeover” in this blurb, I was in.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood (Feb. 6). Hazelwood is synonymous with STEM romance, but Romancelandia is losing its collective mind over her first paranormal. A marriage of convenience between a vampire and a werewolf? Say no more.
Twice Shy by Heather Guerre (TBD). Speaking of paranormal, there’s no official release date or synopsis for Twice Shy, but I already know I’m going to love the next installment in Heather Guerre’s Tooth & Claw series. Indie books don’t get nearly enough love, and Guerre’s deserve the most.
The Catch by Amy Lea (Feb. 13). I’m late to the game on Lea’s Influencer series, but as someone who’s chronically online, I love when social media is part of a premise. The Catch has It Happened One Summer vibes in the best way, so I’m excited to fall in love with a grumpy fisherman all over again.
The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest (Feb. 27). It’s popular for women to be celebrities in romance, but you don’t often see heroines in their entourages. That’s why this story about a stylist who gets swept up in an impulsive Vegas elopement immediately caught my attention.
Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley (Mar. 5). Blame my Outlander obsession, but I can’t get enough of sexy Scots. I’m hoping to visit the Highlands in the fall, so I’m planning on saving Kiley’s debut novel for my own kilt trip.
Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni (May 7). Voskuni’s debut Sorry, Bro was one of my favorite reads last year, so I can’t wait for her second sapphic romance. It’s got everything I love: tech marketing tribulations, family rivals, and oh-so-delicious Armenian food.
Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon (Jun. 4). I’ve had my eye on Rochon since her bestseller The Boyfriend Project, and I finally acquainted myself with a couple of her holiday novellas last month. This new rom-com between two dog owners sounds adorable, and I’m so ready for puppy love.
The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce (Jul. 16). I’m always biased for Bay Area romances, especially when they take place in wine country. Much like Jasmine Guillory’s Drunk on Love and Tessa Bailey’s Secretly Yours, this steamy Napa romance is definitely on my wish list.
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava (Aug. 6). I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it until the end of time: romance has a huge diversity problem. So I am ecstatic for Danica Nava’s debut about a Chickasaw woman who secretly falls for her fellow Native coworker. Let’s see more Indigeneous love stories, ASAP!
Oh, and One More Book…
Forgive me for getting self-promotional, but I’d be lying if I didn’t include my own work when it comes to books I’m most excited for this year.
If you’ve been following along on my writing journey, you know I quit my corporate job two years ago to focus on my mental health and put my creative dreams first.
Since then, I’ve completed drafting a 4-book series of contemporary rom-coms, and now I’m ready to start sharing them with the world.
I’m thrilled to announce my debut novel, coming this May:
💕 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 💕
High tech and high fashion collide in this “Legally Blonde meets Silicon Valley” mashup. It’s my love letter to San Francisco and the zany industry I know best.
Love Apptually would be perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, Jasmine Guillory, or any of these other amazing authors I’ve listed.
It’s got all the tropes you love and more:
⚔️ enemies to lovers
🖥️ workplace romance
🌦️ grumpy/sunshine
📱 truly LOL-worthy tech satire
🤭 silly hijinks & hidden secrets
👀 loosely based on real-life events
🌶️ all. the. spice. (dinner in the dark, anyone?)
I can’t wait to introduce you to the glam fam!
In addition to using Substack to discuss my bookish rants, romance raves, and writing reflections, I’ll keep you posted on my latest author updates.
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Romance readers, tech workers, and Bay Area residents will especially enjoy what’s in store.
Stay tuned for all things Love Apptually!
Great, great, great title for the upcoming book!