Best Romance Books to Read in September 2026

The premise. Lily Bloom builds a new life in Boston and falls for a charming neurosurgeon, while memories of her first love resurface. The story tackles difficult choices in relationships.

What you’ll get

• An emotional, page-turning story
• A serious look at a hard topic
• Characters who stay with you

You might skip it if you want a light read; it deals with abuse.

Pairs well with: It Starts with Us

The premise. Olive, a PhD student, fakes a relationship with a young professor to convince her friend that she has moved on. The pretend romance gets complicated fast.

What you’ll get

• A warm fake-dating comedy
• Academic setting with heart
• Fun, fast, and feel-good

You might skip it if you dislike romance tropes or steamy scenes.

Pairs well with: The Deal · Icebreaker

The premise. Ava, the sister of Alex's best friend, and Alex, a guarded, brooding banker, are thrown together when she needs protection. Their tense relationship slowly becomes something more.

What you’ll get

• Brooding-hero romance
• Steamy, high tension
• Quick to read

You might skip it if you dislike explicit content.

Pairs well with: Twisted Games · The Deal

The premise. Hannah is a music student who needs a boyfriend to make someone jealous, and Garrett is a hockey star who needs to raise his grades. They agree to a fake relationship that turns real.

What you’ll get

• Fake dating with sports
• Steamy, funny, and quick
• A college campus setting

You might skip it if you dislike explicit scenes.

Pairs well with: Icebreaker · The Love Hypothesis

The premise. A dark romance about a woman who discovers she is being stalked and finds herself drawn to the man behind it. The book includes heavy themes and explicit scenes.

What you’ll get

• An intense, morally gray hero
• A fast plot with dark twists
• Popular in online reading communities

You might skip it unless you are comfortable with violence, stalking, and explicit content.

Pairs well with: Hunting Adeline · Lights Out

The premise. Anastasia, a figure skater, and Nathan, a hockey player, are forced to share rink time. Sparks fly as they try to balance their sports, ambitions, and feelings.

What you’ll get

• College sports romance
• Steamy and sweet
• Banter and tension

You might skip it if you dislike explicit scenes.

Pairs well with: The Deal · The Love Hypothesis

The premise. Continuing after the events of the first book, Lily is starting again while Atlas, her first love, is back in her life. The story asks what it takes to build a healthy relationship.

What you’ll get

• A continuation of a popular story
• Emotional and hopeful
• Easy to read quickly

You might skip it if you have not read It Ends with Us first.

Pairs well with: It Ends with Us

The premise. Bridget, a princess who wants a life of her own, is assigned a bodyguard, Rhys. Their attraction is forbidden, and their secrets could ruin them both.

What you’ll get

• Forbidden romance
• Steamy and fast-paced
• Part of a popular series

You might skip it if you dislike explicit content.

Pairs well with: Twisted Love · Fourth Wing

The premise. The follow-up to Haunting Adeline continues the dark romance with heavy themes and explicit content, for adult readers only.

What you’ll get

• Dark, intense romance
• A continuation of the series
• Popular in online reading communities

You might skip it if you have not read the first book or dislike violent themes.

Pairs well with: Haunting Adeline · Lights Out

The premise. A college graduate, Anastasia, meets Christian Grey, a young, wealthy businessman with unconventional tastes. Their relationship is explicit and controversial.

What you’ll get

• A best-selling erotic romance
• Fast, easy reading
• Plenty of debate

You might skip it unless you are comfortable with explicit content; it is for adults only.

Pairs well with: Lights Out · Twisted Love

The premise. A dark romance about a heroine whose life is taken over by an obsessive hero. It includes heavy themes and explicit content for adult readers.

What you’ll get

• Intense, high-tension romance
• A fast read
• Popular online

You might skip it unless you are comfortable with stalking and explicit scenes.

Pairs well with: Haunting Adeline · Hunting Adeline