August 2023 Romance Book Releases
Welcome to my list of my most anticipated new romance books being released in August 2023! I can’t believe summer is almost over. I spent my summer moving. It was a lot of work but I’m sitting in my cute, air conditioned condo and I’m loving it. I’m really looking forward to the movie release of Red, White and Royal Blue on August 11th on Amazon Prime! I love that book so much. I think they did it justice from what I’ve seen so far. What are you looking forward to this month? There are a lot of great new books being published. I’m so excited to read new books from Melanie Harlowe, Danielle Jackson, Devney Perry writing as Willa Nash, Timothy Janovsky, Kate Canterbary and H. Hunting and so many more. Around 20+ romance novels are on my list this month.
What new release are you looking forward to this month? If I’ve missed a book that you feel deserves to be on my list, please let me know. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can refer to it when you need to throughout the month.
August 1
All of the fun, none of the heartache…as long as they stick to the agreement.
The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they’re forty, they’ll take the proverbial plunge together…as friends with benefits. Maybe it’s the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn’t had much luck in love and he’s in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there’s no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father…
Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham’s injured in a serious rock-climbing accident—and he needs Claire’s help to heal. She’ll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health…even if it means moving into Graham’s bed and putting up with his little dog who hates her. But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping “for now” from turning into “forever” isn’t as easy as they’d planned.
Why am I holding a box of stolen memorabilia formerly owned by my ex-boyfriend’s boss in my arms? It’s called . . . revenge.
After failing my last semester for my masters degree, I decided to come back to my hometown of Almond Bay and wallow in self pity while my boyfriend told me everything was going to be okay. To my dismay, instead of open arms, he greeted me with a box to move my things.
Now I’m not a petty person, but when he told me he broke up with me because I was boring, there’s only so much of the higher road I can take. Hence the box of memorabilia I took from him.
The plan? To give it back to his boss, who happens to be my brother’s nemesis, and get the ex fired. But plans never go the way you want them, because instead of dropping off the box with a note, I’m pinned with the crime by Hayes Farrow himself.
And because my life is so pathetic, he gives me two options: turn me into the police and press full charges or . . . work it off. How could I possibly work for someone I can’t stand? Easy, I don’t look good in orange.
But working for Hayes isn’t as horrible as I thought it would be. The hate I had for him begins to turn into something else – something deeper, something I never thought I’d feel.
Unfortunately there are still old grudges and family drama to deal with. And what happens when my brother finds out that I’m working for the guy he hates more than anyone else in the world? Will I be able to follow my heart or will the way I hate him blind me from the love I feel?
In the hilarious follow-up to the breakout rom-com Dating Dr. Dil, Nisha Sharma adds shakkar and mirch to Shakespeare’s iconic comedy Much Ado About Nothing for one sweet and spicy love story.
Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way:
1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and
2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding.
With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi’s future career are on the line.
Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other.
Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after
With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss.
In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.
When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won’t bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.
It’s been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he’s lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.
When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store’s baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?
When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn’t expecting much. It’s the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful.
Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes, and a deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can’t resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now.
Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.
Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right.
Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life.
He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.
August 7
All I wanted was a break–two weeks off from being Pixie Hart, country music sensation, and fourteen days of peace, privacy, and solitude as plain old Kelly Jo Sullivan.
But thanks to some overzealous paparazzi, my family refuses to let me go anywhere alone, and I’m stuck sharing this tiny cabin with a tall, dark, and bearded stranger.
And guess what? There’s only one bed.
Well, he can couch it.
Xander Buckley might be hotter than a stolen blow torch, and I get that he’s a former Navy SEAL and all, but the man gives new meaning to the words overbearing, overprotective, bossy alpha male. I can’t even post a photo on social media without him warning me it’s not safe, or take a morning jog without him following behind.
But he’s made it clear that what he says goes, and if I don’t like it, I can kiss my vacation goodbye.
Instead, I end up kissing him.
I don’t even know how it happened–one minute we were at each other’s throats, the next we were at each other’s mercy. What’s even more shocking is how good we are together. He understands my need for freedom, and I understand his need for control.
But emotional trust doesn’t come easily to me. And we’re on two completely different paths.
Without question, I’d put my life in his hands.
Just don’t ask me to give him my heart.
August 8
I should not still be hung up on my high school girlfriend.
I’m a billionaire, with a penthouse in New York City, a private plane, and was recently crowned one of Manhattan’s most eligible bachelors.
She’s engaged to my rival. A real prick of a guy whose family is about as famous as mine. So, pictures of the happy couple are plastered everywhere, and it’s driving me insane.
The last time I spoke to her was my freshman year of college, and I never imagined I’d bump into her at a crowded restaurant in the busiest city in the world. But fate had other plans, and when I innocently suggest that the press wouldn’t bother with her wedding plans if she held it in our small Alaskan town where we grew up, I had no idea she’d take me seriously.
Now, I find myself helping her plan the wedding at my dad’s luxury resort while the town’s gossip app follows our every move, afraid that their golden boy will get his heart broken twice by the same girl.
But that’s impossible because she stole my heart when we were fifteen, and never gave it back.
When Sam is stuck sharing the streets for Chicago’s summer festivals with a man she can’t stand, she’ll find it’s often a bumpy road that leads to love….
As office manager of the city’s leading luxury boudoir and pinup photography studio, lovable grump Samantha Sawyer has everything under control. With an eventful summer season on the horizon, Sam is balancing a hectic workload while preparing the Buxom Boudoir “Photobus,” a vintage coach bus converted into a mobile photobooth and meeting space, to make the rounds at Chicago’s bustling summer street festival roster. Sam’s busy schedule makes avoiding the difficult parts of her life much easier, but there’s one person who can see right through her to-do lists and icy façade, really see her.
A lot has changed in the last year for Russell Montgomery. Years of odd jobs and couch surfing around the country had left him scrambling, but after reconnecting with his brother, Reid (and coming as close to settling down as he’s ever been), Russ now works at a hot local restaurant. Russ has been welcomed into his newly engaged brother’s circle of friends—all except a close friend and coworker of Reid’s fiancée, an intriguingly stormy woman named Sam.
Luckily, Sam is certain that the chaos of her calendar will ensure their distance, and she won’t have to deal with Russ or his irritating, handsome smile. But when Russ is charged with the launch of a restaurant food truck for the festival circuit, the sizzling Chicago heat is no match for the fire between them….
August 10
The last thing Wilder Abbott needs is a houseguest. Solitude has been his stoic companion for nearly a decade. He prefers to brood over his mistakes in seclusion. Besides, he gets enough social interaction as a high school science teacher in Calamity, Montana.
But when his oldest friend calls, begging for a favor, Wilder begrudgingly agrees. For the next two months, he’ll give up his guest room to his friend’s little sister.
Iris Monroe isn’t the girl Wilder remembers. Gone is the shy, quiet mouse ten years his junior who always had her nose in a book. Grown-up Iris talks too much and asks too many questions, especially about his past. And her bright smile and clear blue eyes are hard to ignore.
Two months. He just has to survive two months. Except Iris is as nosy as she is beautiful. And his secrets prove hard to hide when she’s living under his roof.
August 14
Breaking News: Rugby’s bad boy marries his best friend’s little sister
If Renn Brewer would’ve asked me to marry him, I would’ve said no.
Why?
One, his reputation precedes him. His name is in the headlines at least once a month. Two, he’s not just my brother’s best friend. They’re teammates. And three, I’m in my self-care era.
Unfortunately, a version of me equates self-care with bad choices.
The cocktail in my hand—similar to the one that got me into this situation—is the prettiest shade of pink. It’s almost the same color as the giant rock on my left hand. And instead of discussing an annulment, I’m considering a 90-day marriage of convenience to the man I accidentally married in Las Vegas.
Renn didn’t propose marriage. But he does deliver a proposal I might be unable to turn down.
August 15
Nolan Baker longs to be “thirty, flirty and thriving” in this charmingly quirky LGBTQIA+ romance that’s one part 13 Going on 30 and one part One Last Stop.
WHY CAN’T WE SKIP TO THE GOOD PART?
Twenty-three-year-old Nolan Baker wants it all by the time he’s thirty. Too bad he’s single, barely able to cover his own expenses, and still paying his dues at a prominent NYC comedy club. When faced with his perfect sister’s wedding, Nolan takes it as a wakeup call. It’s time to quit comedy and make good on his practical dreams—most importantly, asking Drew Techler, his best friend, to be his date.
But right as Nolan is about to give it all up, he’s asked to fill a last-minute spot for a famous comedian. Score! He crushes his set, but stands Drew up, misses his sister’s big day, and disappoints his entire family. After major blowouts with everyone he loves, Nolan desperately wishes on a set of gift “magical healing crystals” to skip to the good part of life. When he wakes the next morning, it’s seven years later, he’s a successful comedian, and he has everything he always thought he wanted. Everything, that is, except his friends and family, none of whom are taking his future self’s calls.
With nowhere else to turn, Nolan sets out to find the only person he trusts to help. Except Drew is all grown up now, too. He’s hot, successful…and hates Nolan’s guts. As Nolan works to get back to his younger self—and the life he so carelessly threw away—he’ll have to prove he’s not the man everyone thinks they know in order to regain Drew’s trust, friendship, and maybe, ultimately, his heart.
While part of a series, this book stands alone.
From USA Today bestselling author Pippa Grant comes a rollicking romantic comedy about a single mom and a grumpy math teacher tackling their differences on a Wyoming ranch.
I knew fixing up my life with a fresh start on the hobby ranch I inherited in Hell’s Bells, Wyoming, would come with challenges. Things like snow. Wildlife. Local gossip about why my daughter and I are here.
But the biggest challenge?
My surly new tenant.
He’s like a bear. Fascinating from a distance, but don’t get too close, or he’ll bite.
His personality should be a good thing. I have no need of a new man in my life. But he’s not only my tenant; he’s also my daughter’s math teacher and soccer coach. I keep running into him. He keeps thinking I need to be saved.
Maybe I do, but here’s what I don’t expect: he’s a fixer-upper in need of saving too.
And I might be the only woman for the job.
Hell’s Bells, help me.
Isla Jane is living the millennial nightmare. She’s got a shiny new MBA and no way to pay for it, thanks to her dead-end entry-level job, and nowhere to live, thanks to her miserable salary. Going home to her parents is not possible, but for once Isla’s brother may be her saving grace. He’s out of town on business for a month, meaning the guest room in his condo is blissfully empty.
Or so Isla thinks, until she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend—who’s crashing there while his own condo is undergoing renovations. When a desperate plan to sleep under her desk miraculously turns into a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla is certain her luck has turned—with no one, Cade included, the wiser. It’s a perfect solution—until Cade catches her sunbathing at a mansion that is definitely not hers, and she admits she’s house-sitting because she can’t afford rent.
The pair strike a deal—Cade will keep Isla’s secret from her overbearing parents if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at a few upcoming corporate events. The fun and friendly vibe of his office is a surprise compared to hers, but the biggest shock is that each “date” with Cade feels less and less fake. Suddenly she’s looking forward to every minute they spend together while the chemistry between them sizzles. As Isla’s house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, she’ll have to face the fact that her biggest lie of all is the one she’s telling herself: that she’s not falling in love with Cade.
August 18
Jasper Greyson is hot, flirty, and the epitome of trouble. But he’s off-limits. He’s my sister’s brother-in-law, or at least he’s about to be, which kind of makes us family. I should be staying as far from him as possible, except I like hanging out with him, watching him on the ice, and grabbing drinks with him and the guys. Yes, I intentionally showed up when I knew he’d be at the bar because he posted it on social media. I’ve been stalking him. I keep telling myself it’s a harmless crush. Feelings don’t have to be acted on. We’re friends. I’m not sure he’ll ever see me as anything else. That’s problem number one. I’ve been friend-zoned. Problem number two. My apartment complex caught fire, and I don’t have insurance. I have nowhere else to go. And when Jasper finds out, he insists that I stay at his place, in his guest room. Stalking my crush online is one thing. Living with him is entirely something else. This steamy rom-com hockey romance contains no cheating and no cliffhanger. It features characters from Faking it with the Billionaire but can be read as a standalone. HEA.
August 22
His best friend’s little sister is not an option.
No one ever accused Beckett Loew of being the nice Loew brother, especially not Sunny duJardin. Stuck back home in the quirky town of Friendship, Rhode Island, Beckett is scrambling to save his family’s oyster bar and take care of his teenage brother. He doesn’t have time to deal with the beautiful, sunshine-y owner of the new vegan cafe next door too. His best friend’s little sister may be all grown up, but Sunny’s still a distracting pain in his side.
No one expects much from Sunny duJardin, especially not Beckett Loew. She’s not worried about her older brother’s tall, dark, and broody best friend or battles he insists on waging with her everyday. She’s not the same kid he teased years ago. Now, she composts his type for breakfast.
They’re all wrong for each other.
Bitter rivals.
Complete opposites.
Off limits.
Except they can’t keep their hands off each other.
They tell themselves it’s nothing more than a steamy summer fling until secrets spill and real trouble comes their way.
CW: chronic illness (epilepsy), mention of childhood bullying, putting the fun in dysfunctional families, parents who turn into accidental criminals, incarceration, open door spice, suspense and moments of peril, happily ever after, no cliffhanger.
How is Rose Barnes supposed to build the home (and life) of her dreams when her big, burly contractor keeps scowling at her?
Rose Barnes has got curves for days—and to Angus Drummond, the big, bearded contractor working on her new house, she’s the perfect thorn in his side. Little does she know Angus is perturbed on a daily basis by his attraction to this cheery, smart-ass woman with her sunshiny enthusiasm, her kindness, and her beautiful body.
Angus feels he has a debt to pay to the world and doesn’t deserve love until he pays it. Best to keep his mind on his work and his hands to himself. But the more Rose sees of Angus’s gruff, honorable thoughtfulness, and the more rusty laughter she surprises from him, the more she wants him too.
As their unlikely friendship becomes love, antagonism turns to partnership, and Rose’s house becomes a home. But Rose is keeping a secret that could blow up everything with Angus, and sure enough, it comes to light at the worst possible time…
August 28
The first time I met Winter Marks, I almost took her out with my Jeep.
To be fair, she came out of nowhere.
I flirted with her, and she flipped me off and disappeared into the woods on her bike.
But she left me a souvenir: a single hockey skate.
Seemed to me that divine intervention shouldn’t be ignored.
She was my icy Cinderella and I would be her Prince Not-So-Charming.
Winter was more than just a sassy, badass hockey-playing hottie.
She’s stuck in a prison of a life. And I’m the perfect escape.
Neither of us expected to fall.
Or for the truth to shatter us.
August 29
A queen’s life hangs in the balance, and her siblings’ decisions—about what to do, and most of all, who to love—could change the course of history. Romance. Duty. Power…only one can triumph in this stunning conclusion to the New York Times bestselling American Royals series.
America’s royal family is in shambles. Queen Beatrice is in a coma and Princess Samantha has gone missing—from the look of things, she ran away with her boyfriend, Lord Marshall Davis. Which means that Prince Jefferson is currently on the throne. For some in America, it’s exactly what they wanted: a King ruling the country. And for Daphne Deighton, who has tricked Jefferson into dating her again, it’s the ultimate dream come true.
Surely this is all just temporary. Won’t Beatrice wake up and reclaim her rightful place? Samantha can’t really be gone…can she? And Prince Jefferson will never truly be over his childhood crush, Nina Gonzalez. Right?
For the Washington family, the stakes are higher than ever. Love might save the throne….if secrets don’t destroy everything first.
There’s a magnetic attraction when a happy-go-lucky gig worker agrees to a fake relationship with a rich, uptight New Yorker in this steamy romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.
Star Shine Meadows is all about freedom, thanks to the hippie parents who raised her. Juggling her jobs as a professional costume character actor and a line sitter, she believes in no expectations, no stressful ambitions, and no-strings-attached relationships. So when she meets a birthday girl’s grumpy uncle while working a princess party, she can’t help but needle him. She’ll never see him again, and honestly, he’s pretty hot.
Rafe Whitman may be a veterinarian with a great bedside manner, but that doesn’t mean his patience extends to anyone with opposable thumbs. His family will not stop nagging him about finding “the one,” so when he runs into obnoxiously cheery Star again, he makes her an offer: He’ll pay her more than she would make doing her odd jobs if she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at family gatherings. She can stop sitting in line waiting for someone else’s new phone, and he’ll get his family off his back.
When the tension between them heats to a breaking point, Star’s desire for “no strings” is tested against Rafe’s staunch stability. They say opposites attract, after all….
What are you supposed to do when your best friend’s little sister—a classic good girl—asks you to help her go bad?
You should say no.
You shouldn’t pretend to date her so she can piss off her parents.
You definitely shouldn’t agree to take her virginity and show her all the experiences she’s been missing out on.
And you really shouldn’t keep it a secret from her brother, the one who’s your best friend and business partner.
But I don’t always make the best choices. In fact, I can be kind of a dick sometimes.
And I know if I don’t do it, someone else will . . . and I can’t have that. If anything, it means I get to be the good guy for once.
I just wasn’t prepared for how gifted this good girl would be at going bad.
August 31
The Azathé Tea Room is a strange place, indeed. There are no servers, no menus — do mind our hostess, though, she can get a bit underfoot! Help yourself to a book while you wait, and be sure to shuffle your tarot deck well before placing your order.
Harper Hollingsworth wasn’t looking for a friend. She wanted peace and quiet. Someplace to lose herself in a book and not think about being a misfit; not think about her coven or her disconnect from the craft as her mother taught it, not think about being the odd goth out everywhere she went. She didn’t want to think about her lack of magical ambition, as she was regularly told by her mother’s poison-tongued familiar, and more than that — she didn’t want to feel. Anything.
Companionship wasn’t her aim the day she stepped into the odd little tea room, just off Cambric Creek’s bustling Main Street. She wanted to settle into the shadows and get lost there, and if she had to talk to anyone, it would be to herself.
She didn’t expect the shadows to talk back.
To the strange, seldom seen owner of one of Cambric Creek’s oddest businesses, tea is more than just a beverage. They take pride in both their blends and their unorthodox method of teasing out the order each guest needs to sate more than their thirst. Azathé brews more than a fine cup of tea — they steep the smell of memories, the anticipation of the future, pain and loss, hope and longing, an elixir of health and comfort and feeling in every cup. Residing unseen in the shadows gets a bit lonely at times, an undignified emotion for one as old as themselves, and so they have made it their business to get to know their unwitting neighbors one cup of tea at a time. Guests may not know what to expect when they step over the shop’s threshold, but the owner guarantees they will feel something before they leave.
The shadowy proprietor of the Azathé Tea Room isn’t content to watch Harper sink into depression day after day within the walls of their establishment. Once they intervene, Harper is drawn into their world of oddity and emotions, where the darkest shadows can reside in the light, and even the most mildly macabre witch can find her place.
Two For Tea is a human/monster romance featuring a F witch / NB shadow creature. It is set in the world of Cambric Creek, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. Themes included: ALL the creepy/cozy aesthetic, working through depression, why choose appendages, finding one’s place. This is a high heat romance intended only for mature audiences.
I’m so excited to read these great new romance books in August! I hope this helped you to organize your TBR a bit. I hope you added a couple of books you didn’t know about. Have a great month. Click here for May’s list.