With a wide array of sparkly new romance novels coming out this year, choosing which ones to read can be a daunting task. That’s why I look to the stars for reading guidance! Understanding your astrological alignments could be just the trick you need to wrangle your TBR. I’ve consulted the zodiac to help you find your perfect 2026 romance read. Each sign has been carefully paired with a new or upcoming romance that’s sure to give you heart eyes.
Long-time Book Riot readers may recognize me as the intrepid literary astrologer who wrote monthly bookish horoscopes from late 2017 through 2023. Our content strategy shifted, and I retired my star charts at the beginning of 2024. But I’m dusting off my starry witch hat today to bring you 2026 romance books for each sign of the zodiac. If you want more than one book recommendation, be sure to check your moon and rising signs!
Aries (March 21-April 19)
The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. Morillo
Aries have been known to throw themselves wholeheartedly into a half-thought-out plan. That’s why Aries are sure to enjoy watching a recently dumped journalist cook up a kooky plan to fix her love life and her career in Maria J. Morillo’s debut novel The Ex-Perimento. Desperate to save her job and her relationship, Maria pitches a piece about her mission to win back her ex-boyfriend to the Venezuelan magazine she just got fired from. Then she takes a side gig as a personal assistant to the lead singer of her favorite band, Simón. Simón finds out about her article and offers to help Maria win back her ex — if she’ll profile his band when she gets her magazine job back. But there’s something between Maria and Simón that could throw a wrench in her plan.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker by Timothy Janovsky
Taurus loves a little luxury but can be a bit of a homebody, so you’ll enjoy the glamorous setting of One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker, Timothy Janovsky’s spicy romance retelling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dario has to find love in order to inherit his family’s chocolate business, but his agoraphobia makes it hard to meet people. He holds a global contest in which five lucky winners get a luxurious stay at his Italian villa, hoping one of them will be his perfect match. Enter Charlie, a tattoo artist in need of some financial security. Can life with Dario be as sweet as it seems?
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Gemini (May 21-June 20)
How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev
Curious Geminis love other people’s drama and juicy secrets. That why you won’t be able to put Sonali Dev’s How Simi Got Her Groom Back down. Sisters Simi and Rupi have been estranged since they escaped their traumatic childhood in Mumbai. Simi has finally built a stable life for herself in small-town Kentucky. Then Rupi appears on her doorstep, running from chaos and danger. They hatch a plan for Rupi to evade her troubles by marrying Simi’s secret boyfriend Prem so she can legally stay in the U.S. But will Rupi’s marriage-of-convenience tear apart their sisterhood forever?
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
One & Only by Maurene Goo
Cancers have big feelings and close ties to their families, so they’ll fall in love with Maurene Goo’s One & Only, an emotional romance novel with touches of family magic. Generations of Cassia’s family have a gift for peering into people’s past lives to help find their fated mates. Cassia boldly asked to learn the name of her own one true love, but now 10 years have passed and she’s no closer to finding the mysterious Daniel Nam. When she decides to have a fling with a hot younger man named Ellis who definitely isn’t her destiny, she’s surprised by the immediate chemistry between them. It turns out Ellis is the key to finding Daniel. But when she finds Daniel, she can’t stop thinking about Ellis. What if her fate and her true love aren’t aligned?
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Running Home to You by Samantha Saldivar (May 19, Dell)
Leos love the fiery heat of competition and their moment in the limelight, so this sapphic softball romance is sure to be a homerun read. Abby and Kate are both phenomenal athletes on their college’s softball team, but they approach their sport (and lives) in opposite ways. Abby is wild, daring, and full of raw talent. Kate is methodical, disciplined, and afraid of breaking the rules. When their coach tasks Kate with tutoring Abby, it kicks off a decade-long connection that teaches them both about self-love and putting their whole hearts into their game.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Thighs Wide Shut by Hayley Fleming (July 7, Dial Press)
Virgos are known for holding themselves to high standards, and they sometimes have trouble opening up and being vulnerable. If that sounds familiar to you, you’ll fall in love with Thighs Wide Shut by debut author Hayley Fleming. Emma finds herself at a confusing crossroads in her late 20s when she quits her teaching job, moves to Boston, and confronts her vaginismus, a medical condition that makes dating complicated. Things get even more confusing when she realizes her former college friend Harrison, whom she hasn’t spoken to since a disastrous fight, lives right upstairs. As Emma gets to know the new Harrison, he helps her find a path toward the life she wants—and open up about the mental and physical health challenges she’s facing.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Last First Kiss by Julian Winters
Libras can throw a hell of a party, but they sometimes put more energy into taking care of other people’s needs than their own. That’s why they’ll feel seen by Julian Winter’s lovely book Last First Kiss. Jordan is given a career-defining job at his family’s event planning company managing the wedding of a wealthy client. But he’s thrown when he learns that the bride’s man-of-honor is his ex, Jamie, who crushed Jordan when he broke things off because he thought Jordan needed to “figure himself out.” How can Jordan plan a romantic, love-filled wedding while juggling his big, messy feelings for Jamie?
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa
Scorpios are often villainized, but in truth, they’re soft and sweet under that hard shell. Vanessa, the protagonist of Mia Sosa’s The Starter Ex, has a creative mind and commitment to unhinged manipulation plots that Scorpios will admire. In college, Vanessa created a clever way to make a little extra cash. When a young woman had her eye on a man she thought was “the one,” she could pay Vanessa to date him and become a nightmare girlfriend who would scare him right into committing to the next reasonable woman he met (ideally, the woman who hired Vanessa). Vanessa’s little sister convinces her to play her old role one more time with her crush, Jason. Little does Vanessa know that commitment-phobic Jason is looking for a terrible girlfriend to get his mom off his back about getting married. This hilariously doomed relationship doesn’t go the way either of them expects.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
The Missed Connection by Tia Williams
As the most adventurous traveler of the zodiac, Sagittarius will love globetrotting romance The Missed Connection by bestselling author Tia Williams. Sasha doesn’t have the time and energy for relationships with her fast-paced career as a casting agent. But there’s something about the handsome Italian man she sits next to on a flight to Paris that she just can’t shake. The trouble is, they didn’t exchange contact info, and Sasha has no clue how to find him. When an email she meant to send to a work friend accidentally goes out to her entire company, Sasha’s search for Mr. Seat F turns into a global affair.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Every Version of You by Natalie Messier (July 7, Gallery Books)
Capricorn, you’ve been accused of focusing too hard on your career and letting your personal life fall to the wayside. That’s why you’ll love Natalie Messier’s debut romance Every Version of You. At 32, Joey finds herself wishing things could’ve turned out differently with the best friend she’s been secretly in love with for years. Instead, she’s been throwing herself into her job as a lawyer and putting romance on the back burner. But when Joey is given a chance to travel back in time to college and revisit a pivotal choice, she gets a second shot at building a fulfilling life and finding true love.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
For the Bride by Becca Grischow (June 2, Penguin Books)
Aquariuses march to the beat of their own drums and can sometimes feel a bit misunderstood. Two wildly different protagonists learn to see each other more clearly in Becca Grischow’s For the Bride. Wild child Alice is trying to get her life together, and she sees a chance to prove herself as a bridesmaid for her friend’s wedding. But that means teaming up with obnoxiously Type A Renee, who knows how much of a mess Alice used to be. As they work together to make their friend’s special day magical, they start to understand each other in ways they never expected.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
The Art of Loving You by Natasha Bishop
Emotionally intuitive Pisces will be swept off their feet by heartfelt romance The Art of Loving You by Natasha Bishop. Model Dani and artist Micah have a complicated history. But when their shared mentor Tanya passes away, Dani and Micah are forced to work together to honor her dying wish, completing her bucket list road trip and holding the ceremony of life she planned. As they process their grief together, their trip turns into a slow-burn second-chance romance that changes both of their lives for the better.
We hope the stars helped you find your perfect romance read! You might also enjoy:
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