9 Hot New Romance Novels To Read In August 2023
It’s hot outside (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), so why not raise the temperature inside, too? Metaphorically, that is. I’m talking about romance novels, of course! We’ve got nine new releases in romance for August, though, of course, there are loads more than I can keep track of. If you want all the new release info in one place, check out the Book Riot’s New Release Index, curated by and searchable by date, genre, and assorted other filters.
For this round-up, I have for you a time loop story from the perspective of someone outside the loop, time jumps both forward to a later age (13 Going on 30 vibes, to be honest) and back to another time period, a royalty adjacent bodyguard fake dating romance, multiple retellings, a sapphic witchy romance with a half-fae, and so much more. This month’s new releases include a lot of contemporary romances, some much-anticipated new additions to series, and a healthy dose of speculative love stories, which I adore!
There’s a lot to love here. I hope you find the perfect read for a hot summer afternoon (or a cold winter’s evening if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere). Enjoy!
The Déjà Glitch by Holly James (August 1)
Gemma is a successful radio producer having a bad day. So when she runs into Jack — literally, coffee-first runs into him — she is confused to find that he knows her, even though they’ve never met…and she is sure she can remember kissing him. It’s impossible, but far more likely than his explanation: he’s stuck in a time loop, and to get out of it he needs her to fall in love with him today.
Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova (August 1)
The next entry in Disney’s Meant to Be series, Kiss the Girl loosely retells (what else?) The Little Mermaid. Ariel and her sisters are wrapping up their farewell tour as the musical group Siren Seven, and their father has big plans for Ariel’s solo career. But when she meets Eric, whose new band is touring, and he has no idea who she is, she decides to go on tour with him instead.
Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma (August 1)
In this second installment of Sharma’s If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, the wedding of Kareena and Prem (Dating Dr. Dil) is approaching, and things keep going wrong. Kareena’s best friend, Bobbi, and Prem’s best friend, Bunty, are forced to team up to keep the wedding from being sabotaged. They can’t stand each other, but once they work together, their mutual attraction might overcome that.
Accidentally in Love by Danielle Jackson (August 8)
In a follow-up to Jackson’s The Accidental Pinup, Buxom Boudoir office manager Sam is working on getting the Photobus ready to make appearances at Chicago street festivals. After a tough year, restaurant worker Russ has been welcomed into his brother’s friend circle by everyone but Sam. Then he’s put in charge of opening a food truck for the summer festival circuit, and Sam and Russ’s paths converge.
Codename Charming by Lucy Parker (August 15)
In a follow-up to Battle Royal, Petunia (Dominic’s sister) is the personal assistant to royal Johnny, and Matthias is Johnny’s bodyguard. When an awkward moment between them is caught on camera, the tabloids take it upon themselves to imply that Pet and Matthias are a thing, calling them beauty and the beast. To draw public attention away from Johnny, the two agree to pretend to date.
New Adult by Timothy Janovsky (August 15)
In entry number three in Janovsky’s Boy Meets Boy series, Nolan is 23 and trying to break into comedy. When his sister announces that she’s getting married, he decides it’s time to get his life together; he’ll give up comedy and finally ask out his friend Drew. But a last-minute opportunity to fill in at a club makes him miss her wedding, standing Drew up in the process. Then he wakes up six years later, successful and shunned by his entire family. Drew is the only person he can ask for help.
Curves for Days by Laura Moher (August 22)
Grumpy contractor Angus is working on cheery Rose’s house. He finds her annoying, and annoyingly attractive, but his past has him convinced he doesn’t deserve love. Rose wears down his defenses, but she’s keeping her own secret that could wreck everything, and it couldn’t possibly come out at a worse time.
In Charm’s Way by Lana Harper (August 22)
In the fourth Thistle Grove book, Delilah is recovering from a power surge that knocked out her memory. Frustrated, she casts a spell to aid her recovery, but of course, it goes wrong, and she becomes a draw to all manner of supernatural creatures. When half-fae Catriona saves her from a succubus, Delilah reluctantly teams up with her to fix the situation.
Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh by Rachael Lippincott (August 29)
In modern-day Pittsburgh, things aren’t going great for Audrey. She’s waitlisted for art school, and her first love just dumped her. So when Mr. Montgomery offers his help, she accepts…and finds herself in 1812. Lucy doesn’t know what to think of Audrey, but her company is much better than marrying her father’s choice of men, so they try not to fall in love while figuring out how to send Audrey home.
Do you need more romance new releases? Catch up with July, June, and May‘s offerings! And stay tuned because September is (somehow!) just around the corner.
