My Most Anticipated Romances of 2022

Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg

Alisha Blake dreams of opening a cookie shop in Chicago. She may be a small-town baker, but she has big ambitions.

Then a dinosaur bone turns up in her grandparents’ backyard and along with it comes paleontologist Quentin Harris. Sparks fly but will the big-city academic and the hometown baker make it, or will old bones keep them apart?

Debut author Chandra Blumberg hooked me in with this adorable cover – it’s genius – but I stayed for the equally cute blurb.

We’ve not long to wait for this one – it comes out the very first day of 2022.

Releases 1st January, 2022

Snowbound in His Billion-Dollar Bed by Kali Anthony

Bound by a storm…of passion!

Running from heartbreak and caught in a bitter snowstorm, Lucy’s forced to seek shelter in reclusive Count Stefano’s castle. Soon, she finds herself longing to unravel the truth behind his solitude and the searing heat promised in his bed…

I adore a good Mills & Boon / Harlequin romance and this one has the added bonus of a massively likeable couple who are snowed in together in a draughty European castle. Love and shenanigans abound in this story releasing in January.

Releases: 1st January, 2022 – UK
25th January, 2022 – US

Kiss and Tell by Maya Hughes

Newly arrived on campus, I knew two things. 1) No one could know my dad was the president of the university and 2) football players were bad news.

My run in, the literal kind with my neighbor cranked up the heat and sparks flew.

A new college campus. A secret bound to explode in my face. And a football player neighbor who is bad news in the best of ways.

One of my all-time favourites, Maya Hughes is back with a brand new series. Once again set at a university, this time we’re at STFU – the rivals to her much-loved Fulton U. I can’t wait to get stuck in – and emotionally invested – in a new set of football players and their loves. Squee.

Releases 6th January, 2022

Decker by Kayley Loring & Connor Crais

12 Johnny Decker. Star quarterback for the Boston Tomcats. Two-time Super Bowl MVP…a decade ago. Nickname: Decker the Panty Wrecker.

Then Hannah Strong, a finance nerd from New York inherits the Tomcats. She knows less than nothing about football. She’s stubborn, uptight, infuriating, and wrong about absolutely everything—from pizza to how to run my team. I can’t stop arguing with her. Or thinking about her. I thought I had a winning play. But Hannah Strong changed everything.

Kayley Loring is back with a new series about the folks in and around the American Football team, the Boston Tomcats. But she’s not writing alone. This time she’s brought along Connor Crais – voice God and first time author – for the ride. I’m expecting sass and sexy shenanigans from this one.

Releases 13th January, 2022

Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker

Friends becoming something much more in this hilarious romantic comedy. A whirlwind trip to Ireland is supposed to end with a suitcase full of wool sweaters and souvenir pint glasses—not a husband you only just met!

I’ve really enjoyed Ann Marie Walker’s previous offerings and the fact that this newest release nearly passed me by is a travesty! I’m always nervous about Celtic romances but the description and cover of this one are too cute to miss.

Releases 18th January, 2022

Just One Spark by Carly Phillips

He’s a playboy rock star living the rock and roll dream…
Until a very real baby scare threatens to bring it all crashing down.

Dash Kingston has learned his lesson and knows his hard-partying lifestyle needs to change. To clean up his playboy image, he needs a fake girlfriend.

There’s just one problem: the perfect woman for the job is Cassidy Forrester – a gorgeous blonde who once aroused not just his body but his emotions, sending him running. And leaving her to wake up alone.

I love Carly Phillips and I love her Kingston Family series of which this is the 4th Book. (Each book stands alone if you’re new to either). This time I’m looking forward to the downfall of Dash – the family musician, in a fake-relationship, sister-in-law’s best friend extravaganza!

Releases 18th January, 2022

Josh and Gemma Make A Baby by Sarah Ready

Meet Gemma Jacobs. She’s driven, energetic, and a positive thinker. Her life is perfect.
Except for one tiny little thing.
Josh Lewenthal is a laid back, relaxed, find-the-humor-in-life kind of guy. He’s also her brother’s best friend. This makes him the perfect option for a sperm donor.
So Gemma wants to make a deal. An unemotional, businesslike arrangement. No commitments, just a baby. To Gemma’s surprise, Josh agrees.
They have nothing in common, except their agreement to make a baby and their desire to keep things businesslike.
But the thing about baby-making…it’s hard to keep it businesslike.

Sarah Ready takes a wee break from her books set in Romeo (I’m assuming, anyway) to give us this opposites attract, brother’s best friend, let’s make a baby, romance. I’m a huge fan of Sarah Ready so even if this is something a wee bit different from her – I’m all in!

Releases 25th January, 2022

The Player Hater by Sara Ney

My best friend’s got a new boyfriend – he’s a professional football player. Emphasis on PLAYER. So I agree to a weekend away with the pair to keep an eye on him. I don’t trust him with my friends heart.

Worse? He has the nerve to bring his single best friend Davis on the trip, too. Davis is too handsome, so funny and smart he can’t possibly be human.

In fact, everyone adores him but me **narrows eyes** What’s he hiding?

You know the saying: if he seems too good to be true, he probably is.

I’ve managed to get some more Sara Ney into my eyes in 2021 and I’ve loved what I’ve read. And this new series – about strong, single girls falling in love: accidentally – sounds right up my alley. I can see Ms Ney hitting my auto-buy list very soon!

Releases 15th February, 2021

The Commander by Melanie Moreland

My instincts had always served me well.
Listening to my gut, the warning voice in my head that told me when to walk away.
I never failed to heed the signs.
Until the day she walked into my office.
I knew she would be trouble, but I ignored the alarm bells.
And then it was too late, and I fell. Hard.
A lie tore us apart, and I thought I’d lost her forever.
But now she’s back—with a secret she’s been keeping.
This time, I’m not letting her go.

The Commander is the third in Moreland’s Men of Hidden Justice series and we finally get Julian’s story and even better – it looks like a second chance romance which is probably my favourite ever trope. I’ve really enjoyed Ms Moreland’s foray into romance with a touch of suspense so I hope this isn’t the last of this series.

Releases 22nd February, 2022

Love on the Lake by Helena Hunting

Teagan Firestone has always been the dutiful daughter but now it’s time to move on. Her destination: Pearl Lake, a close-knit community with an entrepreneurial spirit and secrets of its own.

Aaron Saunders dropped out of college to work construction for Pearl Lake’s upper class. He’s a mystery and has a playboy reputation—that is, until he meets Teagan. Neither of them is looking for love, but in a town this small, it’s hard not to let your heart get involved.

Another second in a series for this choice. Love on the Lake brings us back to Pearl Lake for the story we saw teased in Love Next Door, the first in the Lakeside Series. I can’t wait for this one. The first in the series was romantic, emotional and this is shaping up to be more of the same.

Releases 15th March, 2022

Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Gorgeous and talented NFL quarterback, Ronan has the world in his hands. Until he loses it all. When a mysterious girl shows up to his party, he makes her his…for one night.

Former beauty queen Nova Morgan is on a mission. She sneaks into a high-profile party to capture the attention of her favorite quarterback. But her hopes crash after an awful one-night stand.

Two years later, by a cosmic twist of fate, her broody neighbor is none other than Ronan. But he has no idea who she is. When the women in town keep trying to set up Ronan, he proposes a fake dating relationship. Which quickly feels not so fake.

Has this jaded beauty found her forever baller, or will his past keep them apart?

Ilsa Madden-Mills can do no wrong in my eyes and I CANNOT wait to get my greedy paws on her newest book. The thought of an opposites attract, fake dating, second chance romance makes me positively giddy and throw in that Madden-Mills magic and I know I will love this book.

Releases 29th March, 2022

Hollywood Games by Evie Alexander

Rory’s found the love of his life but can he be sure Zoe feels the same?

Then Hollywood superstar, Brad Bauer, shows up wanting to film Braveheart 2. Zoe’s had a crush on Brad since she was a teen. Now he’s here, hotter than ever, and convinced he was married to her in a past life. As Hollywood descends on the tiny village of Kinloch, it’s not just the castle that’s under siege.

Can Rory navigate the glitter storm and keep his eye on the prize, or by saving the estate, is he about to lose the best thing that’s ever happened to him?

Zoe and Rory hilariously got together and had their HEA in Alexander’s first book, Highland Games. While I’m not normally game for books about couples we’ve already seen get together, I so loved the first book in this series and the writing style was so fun and fresh – I can’t help but be excited about this April release.

Releases 4th April, 2022

Secrets Behind the Billionaire’s Return by Rachael Stewart

Has he returned to claim her heart…?

In this Claiming the Ferrington Empire story, sixteen years ago Felicity fell in love with the boy from Ferrington Manor. But when Sebastian vanished she was left with the secret consequence of their love… And now he’s back! Will the revelations about his departure be enough for Felicity to succumb to the feelings that still draw her to him?

Oh my stars – I’m eagerly awaiting this new book from Rachael Stewart especially because it’s the start of a brand new series! I adore Rachael’s writing and she has a way of completely immersing me in her stories. I have no doubt that this one and the follow up, The Billionaire Behind the Headlines will be equally wonderful.

Releases 14th April, 2022

Not Fooling Anyone by Allie Winters

Allie Winters’ next book in the Lessons Learned series (tentatively titled Not Fooling Anyone) will officially release in April/May 2022 and will feature Tyler (from Under Pressure)’s best friend, Ethan, as the leading man, and a new to the series character, Lexie. As the two enter a fake dating relationship as part of a psychology study on campus, the lines blur between what’s real and what’s not and things seriously heat up.

Under Pressure was a great read and I found the characters and writing really engaging. I’ve been keeping my eye out for the next in the series and it’s finally on its way – and I couldn’t be more excited! Fake relationship, a goofy and sweet hero and a slightly standoffish heroine – gimme!

Releases April / May 2022

The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

Four Weddings and a Funeral meets The Wedding Party in Katy Birchall’s The Wedding Season: when a recently jilted bride is forced to attend seven weddings in one summer, her friends devise a series of challenges as distraction.
From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun. And by the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet.

Again, this book is from an author who I very much enjoyed in 2021. Katy Birchall’s The Secret Bridesmaid was such a fun, British romantic romp that I can see why she’s stayed in the world of weddings for her next book. This one sounds more chick lit (bum clench) than romance but I still think it will be another great read!

Releases 3rd May, 2022

Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting

Having just broken up with her boyfriend, London Spark is not in the mood to be hit on. So when a very attractive man pays for their drinks and then slips her his number, she passes it right back to him with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. As the business administrator for their family’s event hotel, the Spark House, London has more important things to worry about, like bringing in new clientele.

As luck would have it, a multi-million-dollar company calls a few months later asking for a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and London is eager to prove to her sisters, and herself, that she can land this deal. Just when she thinks she has nailed her presentation, the company’s CEO, Jackson Holt, walks in and inserts himself into the meeting. Not only that, but he also happens to be the same guy she turned down at the bar a few months ago.

Okay, okay – I tried to only have 1 book per author on this list as so many of my favourites have multiple books coming out in 2022. But I had to include two for Helena Hunting as she’s also bringing out the second in the Spark House series about an events venue owned by three sisters. This time London (who we first met in When Sparks Fly) meets her match in swoony Jackson.

Releases 10th May, 2022

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

“I have four sisters that depend on me, and the professions open to a woman such as I—governess, seamstress perhaps—will not keep even half of them fed and clothed. What else am I to do but to seek a rich husband?”

A whip-smart historical rom-com debut that follows an entirely unconventional heroine who throws herself into the London Season in hopes of finding a wealthy husband to save her family from ruin. But the last thing she expects is to find love…

I’m always excited for a debut historical romance and this book sounds especially delicious. Whip smart? Historical rom-com? Unconventional hero? Love? It’s ticking all the boxes and I’m excited to see if it lives up to my expectations.

Releases 12th May, 2022

The Viking She Would Have Married by Lucy Morris

In close quarters…

With the Viking she’d loved and lost

With her family fallen on hard times, Valda’s forced to join the crew on Halfdan Ulfsson’s merchant ship as he sets sail on the treacherous silk route. But this handsome jarl’s son is the man she’d planned to wed until his bitter betrayal. Knowing she can never trust him, she must focus on saving her sisters…and not the intense connection that still burns between them!

Lucy Morris is who I immediately think of when I think of Viking Romances – she builds the most in-depth and absorbing worlds. This book starts her Shieldmaiden Sisters series and I’m defintiely looking to forward to reading Valda’s story as we first met her in Morris’s previous offering, A Nun for the Viking Warrior. I’m sure this will be just as good. Can’t wait!

Releases 26th May, 2022

A Duke for Diana by Sabrina Jeffries

A trio of creative, enterprising young ladies reject working as governesses to become party planners. And if they, and their wealthy clients, happen to find love along the way, it just makes their efforts more rewarding…

With the London Season imminent, self-made civil engineer and unexpected duke, Geoffrey, hires Elegant Occasions to orchestrate his sister’s debut. Yet Lady Diana Harper, spirited fashion expert, proves more than he bargained for. Suddenly, Geoffrey’s sister is emerging from her shell, and he is beleaguered with social invitations and gossip! Worse, Diana is attempting to transform him into a presentable duke – when all he really wants is to win her heart…

I’ve been a fan of Sabrina Jeffries almost as long as I’ve been reading romance and this new series sounds as amazing as everything else I’ve read from her.

I can’t wait to get my hands on this story and read about this trio of Regency Party Planners.

Releases 31st May, 2022

West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras

Two familias in Texas, both alike in dignity, rivalries, and passion…

Having grown up in the nurturing household of Casa Capuleta, Mariana will do anything for familia. To solve her adoptive parents’ financial problems, Mariana is determined to win the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. That means competing against Hugo Montero, their father’s archnemesis, as well as his son, the dark eyed Angelo who sets her heart racing.

As the competition grows fierce, they’re swept up in a brewing storm of betrayals, rivalries, and broken ties. Against the odds, they vow to bring peace. But sacrifices must be made and consequences weighed for two star-crossed lovers to make beautiful music together.

I really enjoy Priscilla Oliveras’ writing and the authentic Latinx flavour she brings to her stories and the characters she brings to life. If an enemies-to-lovers trope wasn’t enough to snag your attention, the fact this revolves around a Mariachi band just makes me positively salivate!

Releases 1st June, 2022

The Fake Date Disaster by Avery Flynn

Fake dating for all the wrong reasons never felt so right in the next installment in USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn’s Dating Disaster series.

Okay – it may not have an official blurb as I type this – but I so enjoyed the first book in this series, The Wedding Date Disaster, and the 2 year wait for another Date Disaster from Ms Flynn means I cannot wait for this book to appear on my Kindle!

Releases 22nd August, 2022

My Paris Romance by Olivia Spring

Book 3 in the My Ten-Year Crush series.

My Lucky Night by Olivia Spring focussed on the meet-not-so-cute / irritated-at-first-sight romance between Cassie and Nico (he’s French – swoon!). While we got a lovely happily-for-now with the pair – I’m really hoping this will be Cassie and Nico making a go of it in a full-length novel.

Whatever happens and whatever it’s about – I know that Olivia Spring will deliver a deliciously romantic tale.

Releases 30th August, 2022

The One-Month Boyfriend by Roxie Noir

In which Silas Flynn meets his match in Kat Nakamura.

Have you read Roxie Noir’s Loveless Brothers’ series? If so, you’ll know that Silas NEEDS his own story. And he’s finally getting it, with the first of a news series called Wildwood Society.

I am so disgustingly excited for this book, even more so since it’s been pushed back a time or two and even featured on my most anticipated list for 2021! Fingers crossed for 2022!

Releases 2022

The Bride Bet by Tessa Dare

Once upon a time, two sworn enemies—the bookish daughter of a scholar and the devilish heir to a duke—made a pact: If they were both still single in ten years, they would marry each other.

It was a joke, right? Wait, right?

The fourth book in the Girl Meets Duke series will see Nicola finally get her duke and it sounds like it will be a wild ride.

The release date for this book has been pushed back several times, only making me even more eager for this romance. We can only hope that it will be ready to release soon! Fingers crossed.

And to all those who have something rude or nasty to say about the length of time we’ve been waiting for this book. We don’t know WHY Ms Dare has had to postpone this book and frankly, it’s none of our business. I hope she and her family are well and I’ll be waiting when she – and the book – are ready.

Releases 2022 (Hopefully!)