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The Sweetest October Romances (According to Goodreads Members)

Posted by Sharon on September 29, 2021

Some people love books. Some people fall in love. And some people love books about falling in love. Every month our team sorts through the new romance books and sees how early readers are responding. We use this information to curate a list of soon-to-be-beloved favorites.

New in October: A famous ballerina rekindles an old flame in Diana Biller’s Gilded Age romance The Brightest Star in Paris. Two women find a different kind of magic in Lana Harper’s Payback's a Witch. And a nerd love reigns supreme in Cathy Yardley’s Love, Comment, Subscribe.

Add what catches your fancy to your Want to Read shelf and let us know what you're reading and recommending in the comments.

Well Matched
by Jen DeLuca

Stories of love at the Renaissance Faire have a special place in the romance pantheon. Jen DeLuca’s new chapter in the Well Met series fits right in. Single mom April Parker is a newbie to the Faire, but her friend Mitch is a dedicated veteran, known for wearing a kilt–and not much else. When a fake romance starts turning real, April discovers just how fun these weekend Renaissance parties can be. Men in kilts. Hot. Always.

All The Feels
by Olivia Dade

Winner of this month’s unofficial Best Book Title award, All The Feels follows Olivia Dade’s debut rom-com Spoiler Alert, which centers around the fictional blockbuster TV series Gods of the Gates and the fanfiction scene dedicated to its characters. This time around, the feels start to develop between scandal-prone TV star Alexander Woodroe (he plays Cupid) and his therapist/minder, Lauren Clegg. What’s the prudent move when sparks start to fly? Road trip up the California coast!

Payback's a Witch (The Witches of Thistle Grove, #1)

Payback's a Witch
by Lana Harper

First entry into the new Witches of Thistle Grove series, Lana Harper’s debut romance introduces Emmy Harlow, a witch with problems. Emmy’s power is waning, largely because she’s exiled herself from the magical town of Thistle Grove, home to Gareth Blackmoore, breaker of hearts. When a spellcasting tournament lures her back, Emmy meets Gareth’s latest ex, the dark and mysterious Talia Avramov. The weird thing? Gareth is the bad boy here, but Emmy can’t stop thinking about Talia.

The Brightest Star in Paris
by Diana Biller

In the aftermath of the devastating Siege of Paris, romance blooms anew between a very famous ballerina and the doctor who owes her his life. Author Diana Biller specializes in Gilded Age romance, so if you like your love stories 19^th-century style, consider bookmarking this one along with Biller’s previous novels The Widow of Rose House (young widow in a Hyde Park mansion!) and A Christmas Spark (Yuletide romance circa 1843).

Archangel's Light
by Nalini Singh

The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh has proven to be one of the most durable and beloved paranormal romance epics ever to shake up the genre. With Archangel’s Light, immortals Illium and Aodhan attempt to repair their relationship after Aodhan’s seduction by the forces of darkness. Fans have been waiting for this story for years, which is tough, until you consider that Illium and Aodhan have been waiting for millennia. Angel love. It’s tricky.

The Sweetest Remedy
by Jane Igharo

Family reunions are always weird on some level. But Hannah Bailey is in a particularly anxious headspace. Hannah never knew her father, a Nigerian entrepreneur who had a brief relationship with Hannah’s white mom. When she receives an invitation to her father’s funeral in Lagos, Hannah meets the Jolades–her father’s prestigious family. Some are warm, some are not, but Hannah is immediately taken with the culture. Now if only there were a love interest involved. Hey! There he is!

Donut Fall in Love
by Jackie Lau

Toronto writer Jackie Lau returns with a new romantic comedy featuring both love and donuts, and it’s hard to argue with that. Movie star Ryan Kwok has just come home to Canada for some much-needed rest. One fateful day, Ryan knocks over a display of surprisingly complex donuts in the shop of specialty baker Lindsay McLeod. Some accidents seem to happen on purpose, which Lindsay and Ryan find out the fun way. Bonus trivia: Author Lau is a former geophysicist.

Love, Comment, Subscribe
by Cathy Yardley

Back in high school, Lily Wang and Tobin Bui were part of a small but tight group of oddballs known as the Nerd Herd. Now all grown up, each has found online success–she’s a beauty influencer, he’s a YouTube gamer. Both are in need of cross-market appeal, so they decide to team up on a professional level. But when their co-produced video goes viral, all the levels start to heat up. Nerd love rules.

Which new releases are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!

Check out more recent articles, including:
Readers' Most Anticipated Books of October
The Most Anticipated YA Books of October
Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Fall Books

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