19 New Romance Reads for January
2026 is set to be a year full of incredible, can’t-miss reads. New drops from fan favorites, debut novels, and more are set to hit the scene starting even before I managed to publish this article! Whether you’re looking for a new read, or just trying to stay up-to-date with the latest bookish news, you need to see this list. I’ve made sure to hunt through pages and pages of new release posts to bring you the best and most exciting upcoming titles for the month of January.
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Drive Me Crazy | Lizzy Dent
1.6
High-speed romance. Two drivers and no shortage of opinions. A female driver looking to prove herself and get her team back on track, and a cocky driver who’s lost his edge.
Oh, and did I mention; he’s her childhood crush.
Predicted spice level: 
Definitely Maybe Not a Detective | Sarah Fox
1.6
An ex steals Emersyn Gray’s money, and her best friend concocts a wild plan to get it back involving a fake detective agency and a fake detective named Wyatt (who is stupid hot!). And then there’s a murder.
Predicted spice level: 
The Odds of You | Kate Dramis
1.6
A struggling novelist, a rising star actor, and the gorgeous Scottish countryside. There’s really not more you could ask for in a contemporary romance!
Predicted spice level: 
The Lust Crusade | Jo Segura
1.13
She’s in love with her brother’s best friend, he’s gone missing on an archaelogical expidition. When Dani travels to Greece, she discovers Theo is alive and has been kidnapped. Now, they’ve got to solve a mystery thousands of years in the making. What to do?
Predicted spice level:
Graceless Heart | Isabel Ibañez
1.13
Magic is forbidden in Florence, but with her brother in danger, sculptress Ravenna Maffei is willing to take risks. The Pope is waging war against magic, and the immortal family that rules Florence is pushing back, and Ravenna finds herself in the dangerous space between.
I’m so excited for this romantasy! It looks so cool, and I’m a sucker for anything Florentine and Renaissance-era.
Predicted spice level:
Like in Love with You | Emma R. Alban
1.13
Queer regency romance? Yes, please! This rivals-to-lovers story sees two women vying for the same suitor, but neither are really interested in him. It seems, perhaps, the two are more interested in one another.
Predicted spice level:
Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl | Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
1.13
This one’s for the bratty good girls out there. Maddie and Bram have a chance encounter that leads to some bratty/bossy fun, but their worlds collide in a major way the next day when they realize Maddie is the new nanny for Bram’s kid, and the new adjunct at the university he teaches at.
Predicted spice level: 
For Our Next Song | Jessica James
1.13
Two queer bandmates with barely-supressed crushes on one another find themselves constantly thrown together by music, and their attraction is making it harder and harder to be alone together.
Predicted spice level:
Our Ex’s Wedding | Taleen Voskuni
1.20
Armenian culture, a wedding planner with a lot to lose, a vinyard owner with a lot to prove, and the wedding of a woman they’ve both dated. Nothing could go wrong. Right?
Predicted pice level:
How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days | Jessie Sylva
1.20
Cottagecore mixed with goblins in the most adorable, wholesome romance! If you’re a fan of fantasy that doesn’t get high stakes or too hot, this one is meant for you.
Predicted spice level: 
Catch Her If You Can | Tessa Bailey
1.20
The Yankee’s newest catcher and a burlesque club owner go from friends-to-lovers in this fun rom-com. It’s a great pick if you’re in the Heated Rivarly slump and need another sports romance to pull you out of it!
Predicted spice level:
Anne of a Different Island | Virginia Kantra
1.20
Anne’s felt a kinship with her namesake, Anne — as in, of Green Gables. The book has helped direct her life up until this point, but what happens when it goes so completely off-script? Back in her hometown with her childhood menace, Anne needs to learn how to be the heroine of her own story.
Predicted spice level:
Just Breaking the Rules | Lauren Blakely
1.21
A baker goes into business with her brother’s hockey star best friend. The biggest issue they face? The steamy encounter they shared against a door. Can they put that aside and focus on business?
Predicted spice level:
The Re-Do List | Denise Williams
1.21
Willow’s dogsitting for her brother while he’s on deployment. Deacon’s keeping an eye on Willow for her brother. Newly dumped, Willow want’s a re-do on moments from her relationship, and Deacon offers to help — and that’s innocent enough, right?
Predicted spice level:
Dove | Paisley Hope
1.27
Ready for more steamy motorcycle romance from Paisley Hope?
Dive into the world of motorcycle gangs, guns, drugs, and sex with Sean “Ax” Hunter, a former Marine and Sargeant at Arms for the Hounds of Hell, and Layla Monroe, a grieving student in need of a job that Ax is more than willing to offer.
Predicted spice level:
Last First Kiss | Julian Winters
1.27
Jordan is trying to put his failed relationship with Jamie in the rearview, focusing on his job at his family’s event planning company. But when he’s tasked with planning a wedding in which Jamie is the Best Man? Things get a little complicated.
Predicted spice level:
See You at the Summit | Jordyn Taylor
1.27
Simone comes out as bi, and is thrown head-first into the experience of queer adulthood. And then she falls for a man. But not just any man! Ryan is gruff, but he’s attentive, thoughtful, and kind. What’s a girl to do?
As the bi-wife of a man, this book makes me feel seen in ways I can’t begin to describe, and I am so happy it exists!
Predicted spice level:
Sunk in Love | Heather McBreen
1.27
This second-chance romance is swoonworthy!
The recent death of Roslyn’s mother pulls apart her marriage to Liam, but they’re struggling to find the right time to tell their family about their divorce. And then Roslyn’s grandparents ask if Liam can officiate their vow renewal on a Hawaiian cruise. So, it seems like Roslyn and Liam are going to have to grin, bear it, and fake their asses off.
Predicted spice level:
The Slow Burn | Ali Rosen
1.27
After her restaurant burns down, Kit decides it might be a nice change of pace to head to the Italian countryside to work with her best friend’s pasta-making nonna. Instead of the slowed down, low-key experience she was hoping for, she finds herself entangled in the rhythms of the tiny Italian town, and closer and closer to Nico, the local olive oil producer.
Predicted spice level:
January 5, 2026
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When you sign up for The Scoop, you’ll get two flavours of updates: a short and sweet weekly note with cart locations and book club reminders, plus a bigger monthly edition packed with everything a romance reader could want.
Think event calendars, book club announcements, new release spotlights, romance recommendations and even community polls to help decide where the cart should pop up next.
It’s your inside scoop on all things Sundae Kind of Love, served fresh to your inbox.
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