Set in the criminal underworld, this novel is still a rom-com at heart. Through a series of accidental circumstances, Michelle Hanson ends up posing as mafia kingpin Dante Luciani’s fiancée. Even though she’s willing to play ball, she’s not going to keep her opinions to herself. Dante naturally falls for Michelle’s quick wit and willingness to stand up to him. This is a great entrance to mafia romance, if you’ve never gotten into them before.

This brings a beautiful bit of sunshine to the winter season. June Walker is suffering from burnout and takes a chance on a rundown sunflower farm in her hometown in Oklahoma. Even though she’s looking to start over, she ends up face-to-face with her first love, Noah Abbott. Noah never stopped loving June, and the big question between them is if they can get over the heartbreak and give love a second chance.

After a chance encounter at courtside, an influencer and a rising WNBA star try their hand at fake dating. Chelsea is all about promoting sex positivity with her platform, but she’s looking to make a change. Adrienne “AD” Davis is seen as less-than-ideal for sponsors, and a stable relationship could be the perfect shift. However, fake dating always leads to real feelings.

“Village witch managing a bookshop” is still my retirement plan, so this was the perfect read for me. After her boss Charles has an accident, Lucy’s perfect days at the bookshop are interrupted by Charles’ grandson Grayson. Lucy is not happy with Grayson trying to take over the bookshop’s operations and Charles’s care. As their pranks and magic barbs heighten, they find a deeper attraction.

Tennis romance has had something of a moment this year, and this is another great entry to the subgenre. William Hagen doesn’t have a great reputation, and that matters in tennis. To make him appear kinder, his coach pairs him up with Theo Eastwood in a charity tournament. William and Theo have historical beef, and learning to play together is just one step of their journey of understanding each other.

The behind-the-scenes drama is just as compelling as the on-screen in the world of K-dramas. When Clara Kim gets her big break on a new romantasy show, she’s laser-focused on succeeding. But her co-star, Shin Min-joon, might ruin her chance. Min-joon has criticized Clara on social media in the past. Since they’re thrown together for this job, they focus on understanding each other and making the chemistry look real.

This month brings us another excellent addition to the cozy fantasy subgenre. Nneka lives on Kamalu Lane, and the clock is ticking on a family curse: she needs to find her soulmate to ensure her family can keep their magic. When every man in town consumes a love potion she made, she’s spoiled for choice. However, the architect working on her house, Dakoru, appears to be immune. Despite all the love flowing around, she needs to figure out if Dakoru is the key to everything.

Armas popped off with the contemporary STEMinist romance The Spanish Love Deception, and now she’s dipping into the paranormal. When Val Cepeda inherits her mother’s fashion empire, she’s thrust into a world she doesn’t understand. Hadrian Cruz becomes a sexy new thorn in her side, with a century-old debt to be repaid.

Before going back to the Empyrean series, Yarros has a new adult contemporary romance for us (which used to be her bread and butter). However, she brings the danger: Callista Moran gets engaged and then gets stranded on an island when a cyclone throws her ship off course. For the next 18 months, she forms a bond with Dominic. The real test to her relationship with Dominic comes when they re-enter the “real” world.

Nora Roberts has always dipped into other genres with multiple pen names, but it’s still exciting to read her take on the romantasy trend. When Neve McShane is about to turn 13, she learns her family history of witchcraft. Her aunts are not just tender little shopkeepers, and they’re all related to the witches of Salem. Neve starts dreaming of a beautiful Irish boy who has magic to lend her. This is an excellent start to a new lush magical world from Roberts.