The start of the New Year means a lot of different things—fresh starts, new goals—but for the dedicated bookworm, it’s also time to decide what they want to read this coming year. As someone who surpassed their reading goal and then some, I’ll be taking careful care in building my 2026 “TBR.” There will be some standalones and series I’ve been wanting to read forever that will no doubt make the list, but there will also be plenty of new releases. January, after all, is the month of highly anticipated book announcements and sought-after preorder links.
If you’re a reader in search of new titles for your 2026 TBR, or maybe someone whose New Year resolution is to get back into reading, look no further. We’ve rounded up 40 of the most anticipated new books of the year, across every genre. From fantasy to literary fiction, this list of new books coming in 2026 has a new title for every type of reader.
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Romance
Romance is a genre that continues to rapidly gain popularity. These charming stories have captured readers worldwide, and there is no shortage of new titles to enjoy in 2026. From romance queens like Abby Jimenez and Carley Fortune to lesser-known (but equally incredible) authors, these reads should earn a priority position on your 2026 TBR.
For Larissa, life has come down to a few key choices—namely, which guy drove her home from a concert several years ago. She may secretly wish it was Chris, her best friend with whom she co-parents a Yorkie, but instead it was his best friend, who is now her boyfriend. Chris just wants Larissa to be happy, but it’s getting harder and harder to sit on the sidelines and watch her fall in love with another guy, even if that guy is his best friend. Can Larissa and Chris find their way back to one another without hurting everyone they love?
Releases March 24, 2026
Frankie and George are childhood best friends, but having grown apart in adulthood, Frankie isn’t even sure if George will show up for her wedding. Then, she’s even more unsure where they stand when she’s left at the altar by her fiance. Frankie’s life is a mess, but George swoops in nonetheless with an idea to heal her broken heart—go on her honeymoon. But surfing and exploring rainforests quickly turns into an emotional rollercoaster, one where long-buried feelings will finally be confronted.
Releases May 5, 2026
Jackson and Delilah may both be reporters, but they’re also polar opposites. Where Jackson loves order and routine, Delilah yearns for spontaneity. When they get paired together to cover a historic snowstorm, both reporters have to put their differences aside to complete the assignment—but what if their unlikely partnership blossoms into an easy friendship?
Releases February 24, 2026
Madden and Eve have secretly harbored feelings for each other for years, and when Eve is left with her sister’s two kids, Madden swoops in with a new idea: marry him for the health benefits. Eve reluctantly agrees, but as her bond with Madden deepens, she can’t help but remember her best friend, Skylar, who has long wanted Madden. She doesn’t want to betray Skylar, but her feelings for Madden quickly become harder and harder to ignore.
Releases January 20, 2026
As a booked and busy casting agent, Sasha knows types. She loves to find the perfect roles for the perfect people—unless of course, that person will have a role in her own life. Relationships, she says, are just too much work. But when she meets a mysterious Italian man on a flight to Paris, all logical thought goes out the window. After failing to exchange contact information, she embarks on a meticulous search to find the man from Seat F.
Releases June 16, 2026
Dolly Brick is a problem solver. Her mom may have left her when she was a kid, but that hasn’t stopped her from being there for her son, and her father and brother, who need her now so they don’t lose their family home in Whitfield, Rhode Island. Then, Stewart Whitfield enters the picture: annoyingly perfect and in need of her help. She can’t help being there for him, but when their arrangement turns dangerously real, Dolly will have to decide if she’s ready to rely on someone other than herself.
Releases May 26, 2026
The Novak family has a special gift: they can turn back time, just once. Lauren has never been tempted to cash in this magical power, until she moves back to the shores of Malibu for the summer. Surfing with her father, reconnecting with her mother, and sharing more than one heated moment with her first love, Stone, finally has her wondering about all the choices, big and small, that have led her here—and if any of them should be undone.
Releases March 10, 2026
Professional bull rider Emmett Bush only agrees to join reality TV dating show Romance Ranch for the money. He needs to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. But then Julia Silva walks onto the property, and he’s not so sure if he can put on the performance he needs to.
Releases May 19, 2026
Reese Remington is the first female team owner in Major League Baseball, and she is not throwing that opportunity away. Even if it means putting up with Emmett Montgomery, the field manager who questions her every decision. But when fighting turns to heated banter and sizzling chemistry, boundaries start to blur. Now, Reese must decide if a relationship is worth the risk.
Releases March 3, 2026
Sophie Drear needs a summer escape, so she heads off to Maine, to a temporary job tending the grounds at the historical Lilymoor House. But when she finds a mysterious man trapped in the house’s gardens, her expectations for the summer change instantly.
Releases June 16, 2026
Thriller & Mystery
For the reader who likes a mystery that keeps them on the edge of their seat, these new thriller novels are the perfect addition to your TBR. There are even some fan favorite authors—like Colleen Hoover—making a return to the publishing world.
When Hannah’s husband disappeared, she did everything she could to start a new life for her and her stepdaughter, Bailey. But now, five years later, Owen appears at her art exhibition, and Hannah knows her family is in danger. In a race to keep their past from catching up to them, Hannah must find a way out of danger and back to Owen for the second chance they deserve in this sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me.
Releases January 6, 2026
Petra was a bestselling author, but when backlash over her latest film adaptation sent her running from the public eye, she lost all inspiration to write. Now, she retreats to a cabin to finally write her next novel. But when a detective follows her to the cabin bearing terrible news, the lines between reality and fiction begin to blur, and Petra realizes the cost of creative inspiration.
Releases January 13, 2026
Camille and Aubrey are both searching for answers in one person: Benjamin Bayliss, Camille’s husband. One night, they decide to swap places, but when Ben is found dead the next morning, their goals change. Now, they both need airtight alibis.
Releases January 13, 2026
Eden Fox heads off for a run before her first art exhibition, but when she returns home, her key doesn’t fit in her door. A strange woman answers, claiming to live there, and then her husband appears, claiming the strange woman is his wife. One house. Two women. Someone is lying.
Releases January 20, 2026
Debbie Mullen may be an advice columnist, but her own life is spiraling out of control. Her husband is keeping secrets, her teenage daughters are hiding things, and Debbie has had enough. Now, she’ll finally take her own advice and get her life back on track.
Releases January 27, 2026
Contemporary & Literary Fiction
You won’t want to miss these new literary titles in 2026. All of these novels tackle themes like family, loss, and relationships, with the complex and vivid character building that makes contemporary and literary fiction so compelling to read.
Vivi and Calla are sisters who couldn’t feel more different, and their father’s death only drove them apart more. But when Calla appears on Vivi’s doorstep with a sketch of a famous piece of art—left behind by their father—the two embark on a journey to find the lost artwork they believe is meant for their family.
Releases August 4, 2026
Waldo is a blunt and naive seventeen year old girl who can’t help but yearn for her creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy. He seems to embody everything she has ever wanted, but what does Waldo want? What will she do to feel desired and seen?
Releases January 20, 2026
Dan and Tamma are two best friends in a small town in the Mojave desert. Their bond seems unbreakable, but when differences of class and talent start to pull them apart, the pair must rediscover what one will do to change their life.
Releases January 20, 2026
Sylvia and Helen Rubenstein are unmoored without their third sister, who tragically passed away. When a slight disagreement about apple pie leads to the silent treatment, the two don’t speak for years. But the sisterly bond is a complex one, and it cannot be broken so easily.
Releases February 10, 2026
Meg is an orphan in search of a home. Birdie goes to Oxford to try to help her struggling family. And Charlie is a woman with no luck but lots of grit. When these three women converge in 1930s Mississippi, they come up with an audacious plan to take back their lives. But the freedom of a woman is fragile, even in the face of resilience and friendship.
Releases May 5, 2026
A dual timeline narrative of a master artist in the 1600s and a doctor in the 1940s fighting the German occupation, Skylark weaves a mesmerizing tale of the kind of courage and resilience that transcends time.
Releases January 6, 2026
Ada and Ingrid are sisters torn apart by war. But when Ingrid shows up on Ada’s doorstep in Hollywood in search of answers, Ada will do anything to protect her sister—even if Ingrid isn’t on her side, after all.
Releases January 6, 2026
In the Australian countryside in 1958, the MacBrides live on a vast sheep station. But when tragedy strikes, claiming the lives of their father and sibling, the MacBrides must choose between love, duty, and sacrifice.
Releases March 3, 2026
Don and Rodney have lived a good life together, but now, a black hole is coming for Earth, and they have no choice but to tie up their loose ends and accept death. On the road to the end, they meet people who are running from the apocalypse, and those who are greeting it with open arms. They may even meet a new version of themselves along the way.
Releases April 28, 2026
Alicia Canales Forten feels smothered by her future. Now, she’s increasingly drawn away from her home life and toward Fort Greene, Brooklyn, home of youths, creatives, and those who live their lives far more precariously than she does. Faced with a decision about who she wants to be, Alicia finds herself on the precipice of the rest of her life.
Releases April 21, 2026
Memoirs & Biographies
Also hitting the shelves this year are memoirs and biographies from celebrities we love. From relatable essays on motherhood to widely loved authors like Judy Blume, every story on this list is a must-have for your 2026 TBR.
Through extensive interviews with the author herself, Judy Blume’s biography explores the inner life of the writer who reimagined what literature for children and young adults could be.
Releases March 10, 2026
Brandy was the teenage “it girl” with a platinum album at 15, her own TV series Moesha, and the first onscreen Black Cinderella. But inside, she was struggling. In her memoir millennials will love, Brandy crafts a moving narrative about what it takes to face your past head-on.
Releases March 31, 2026
A peek behind the curtain of the remarkable creator of Girls and the bestselling author of Not That Kind of Girl, Lena Dunham immerses her readers in a journey that questions the cost of creative ambition.
Releases April 14, 2026
Christinia Applegate grew up on sets and in the spotlight, but You With the Sad Eyes will take her readers a step further—into all the moments, good and bad, that the camera didn’t catch.
Releases March 3, 2026
Comedian Taylor Wolfe (AKA @thedailytay on social) takes her readers on a journey that is all too familiar: the classic ups and downs of motherhood, and what it takes to carry ourselves through even the busiest (and most turbulent) seasons of our lives.
Releases April 28, 2026
Fantasy
Finally, the fantasy genre is continuing its upward climb. Whether it’s a charming romantasy with tons of spice or a gripping high fantasy novel with politics and betrayal, there’s a title on this list for everyone.
Alix Watson knows that the only thing she can rely on in life is books. The characters in her favorite stories are far more predictable than anyone in the outside world. But when she stumbles through a hidden doorway in her favorite library, she discovers a world where she can actually live inside those books… forever.
Releases February 17, 2026
A sequel to the New York Times Bestselling Shield of Sparrows, Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. One fateful night, monsters and truths come to light, and change everything.
Releases April 7, 2026
Book two in the Moonfall duology, Raeve and Kaan must face the weight of their crowns as the most devastating moonfall yet approaches. Now, they both must choose a path: life or death.
Releases April 28, 2026
From bestselling author Rachel Gillig comes the second book in her Stonewater Kingdom series. Drugged and captured, Sybil Delling has been taken as the King’s bride against her will. Now, she must fight her way out of his clutches.
Releases September 1, 2026
A standalone fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling sensation Kerri Maniscalco, two readers are drawn into a book of magic. Now, they must quest to find answers—and their own happy ending.
Releases February 10, 2026
A story of time travel and magic, Wilbur misses the best days of his life: his honeymoon in Venice with Maggie. He wishes he could go back and relive them, but what is the cost of boarding the midnight train?
Releases May 26, 2026
Jill Blaine finds herself, not for the first time, transported back to Earth in order to shepherd a soul into the afterlife. But K. J. Boone has lived a good life—he’s not afraid of dying. Now, readers join an old man on his final evening alive.
Releases January 27, 2026
Each year, 100 girls are sold to the Academy. Only three survive. Now, one of those survivors must face her own past in order to move forward and fight against the evil that hides in the shadows of the academy’s halls.
Releases March 24, 2026
In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, famine and disease wreck the lands. Wei Yin is tired of watching her family succumb to hunger—she’ll do anything to save them. Even offer herself up as concubine to brutal Azalea House, alongside an evil prince.
Releases January 20, 2026
Ravenna Maffei is a sculptress who has always known beauty. Now, desperate to save her brother, she enters Florence’s most elite competition, and in doing so, discovers an ugly, magical secret. Soon, she’ll discover that the true threat lies beyond Florence’s wall.
Releases January 13, 2026
Rebecca Smith, Editorial Intern
As editorial intern, Rebecca works with The Everymom team on updating existing content, photo sourcing, pitching original articles, and more. She’s passionate about creating authentic and diverse online content, and is thrilled to help women of all ages feel represented by contributing to The Everymom.
The post Page-Turners Only: 40 of the Most-Anticipated New Books Coming in 2026 appeared first on The Everymom.
Source link: https://theeverymom.com/most-anticipated-new-books/ by Brett Hayden at theeverymom.com