Most Anticipated Romance & Fantasy Releases: January–March 2027
Eight romance and fantasy books to watch in January, February and March 2027, with confirmed release dates, spoiler-light previews and catch-up reads.
Books in this guide ↓A new year, a fresh reading list, and far too many books to fit into one winter. Our most anticipated January–March 2027 releases bring together contemporary romance, witchy rom-coms and fantasy sequels worth clearing a weekend for.
This is the Between the Tropes editorial shortlist, rather than a ranking based on sales or reader votes. This selection covers January through March. Dates were checked against publisher listings and author announcements on 2 November 2026; they can change, and editions or territories may have different schedules. We have kept the descriptions spoiler-light and have not assigned unconfirmed spice ratings.
January–March 2027 releases at a glance
January 2027
4 releasesFebruary 2027
3 releasesMarch 2027
1 releaseJanuary: rivals, witches and familiar faerie worlds
The Rivalry Reset by Amy Lea — 5 January
A broadcasting rivalry takes a very inconvenient turn when Marnie’s cohost Parker suffers a head injury, loses his memories of their feud and becomes thoroughly smitten with her. The hockey setting comes through their postgame show, making this an appealing pick for readers who like the sporting world as much as the banter.
Why it is on our list: the amnesia premise gives a familiar rivalry an unusual complication. Put this on your radar if workplace friction, a combative on-air partnership and a suddenly affectionate rival sound like your kind of chaos.
Release date and synopsis: Penguin Random House.
A Court of Forgotten Melody by Sarah J. Maas — 12 January
The seventh ACOTAR book is scheduled to follow A Court of Splintered Harmony, bringing readers back to Prythian with a relatively short wait between instalments. Bloomsbury’s announcement keeps the details deliberately spare, so we are leaving character theories and unconfirmed romantic pairings out of this roundup.
Why it is on our list: for readers already invested in this world, another instalment is a major winter reading event. This is a continuation to catch up for, rather than an entry point. Begin with A Court of Thorns and Roses and read the series in order, including A Court of Splintered Harmony before this release.
Release announcement: Bloomsbury.
Such Familiar Magic by Natasha Ngan — 12 January
Laila Chu accidentally ruins the ancestral potion her family depends on to communicate with the spirit realm. Rebuilding it means asking her childhood nemesis, Anthony Lim, for help. Set around a British Chinese magical community in an English seaside town, the premise brings family expectations, magical mishaps and reluctant collaboration together.
Why it is on our list: this looks like a lovely change of pace between heavier fantasy reads. Choose it for witchy romance, old friction and a heroine trying to work out where she belongs. The listed US release is 12 January; Penguin’s UK edition is scheduled for 14 January.
US release and synopsis: Penguin Random House · UK edition: Penguin.
Emily Wilde’s History of Dark Faerie by Heather Fawcett — 19 January
Emily’s fourth adventure takes her into Germany’s faerie-haunted Black Forest and towards a realm even the Folk fear. A missing friend and an irresistible scholarly mystery give her plenty of reasons to venture somewhere she probably should not.
Why it is on our list: the appeal is that familiar combination of folklore, academic curiosity and faeries who are beautiful without being safe. This is a returning-reader pick; start with Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and work through the earlier books before opening this one. We are keeping the details of Emily’s relationships out of the description to avoid spoiling that journey.
Release date and synopsis: Penguin Random House.
February: love after the ending and dangerous new beginnings
The Two-Body Problem by Ali Hazelwood — 2 February
Olive and Adam return in the sequel to The Love Hypothesis. This time the challenge is building a shared future while navigating research careers, temporary positions and the pressure of being recognised for your own work.
Why it is on our list: an established couple offers a different sort of romantic tension from a first meeting. If you have ever wanted to stay with favourite characters after their happy ending, this is the book to watch. Read The Love Hypothesis first; the sequel assumes you know how Olive and Adam got here.
Release date and synopsis: Penguin Random House.
Merciful Carnage by Sara Hashem — 2 February
A healer who cannot die seeks safety for her plague-stricken community and attracts the attention of an immortal ruler. Her search for a cure collides with his determination to understand her existence, while their attraction threatens an already fragile balance.
Why it is on our list: the publisher describes the start of this dark fantasy duology as soulmates-to-enemies, which makes it one to watch for readers drawn to romance with ominous consequences. It also gives fantasy readers a new story to begin without catching up on a long series.
Release date and synopsis: Orbit / Hachette.
The Blade and the Last Sacrifice by Elizabeth May — 16 February
The second instalment in May’s romantasy trilogy pairs a threatened empress with a lethal protector who has every reason to distrust her family. Royal obligations, divine power and an investigation into deadly events leave little room for a straightforward attraction.
Why it is on our list: the bodyguard setup has a particularly sharp edge when the person assigned to protect the heroine is also gathering evidence against her. Put this on your list for court intrigue, hostility and complicated loyalties. This is a sequel, so plan time for the first Broken Accords book before release day.
Release date and synopsis: Bloomsbury.
March: a new crew to fall for
Cardinal Rule by Liz Tomforde — 2 March
Tomforde opens the Wilder Woods series, a new four-book project centred on the Wilder family in Northern California. The author’s announcement promises athletes across multiple sports teams, giving sports-romance readers a fresh cast to meet.
Why it is on our list: starting a new series is part of the fun, especially for readers who enjoy following a connected group across several books. For now, the appeal is the new family and sporting setting; we are waiting for fuller official details before attaching specific relationship tropes to this title.
Date confirmed by the author · Edition details: Hachette.
Which release should you add to your TBR first?
- For contemporary romance: start with The Rivalry Reset or The Two-Body Problem.
- For witchy magic and family ties: try Such Familiar Magic.
- For familiar fantasy worlds: catch up on ACOTAR or Emily Wilde before January.
- For a darker new fantasy: keep Merciful Carnage on your radar.
- For royal intrigue and a hostile protector: watch The Blade and the Last Sacrifice.
- For a new sports-romance cast: save March for Cardinal Rule.
Each cover opens Amazon, and the tags beside each description lead to more books with similar themes. You can also suggest a book you would like us to add.
Release information last checked: 2 November 2026. This is a preview of forthcoming books, not a set of reviews based on completed reads.