Fall is around the corner, and with it comes thoughts of snuggling up under a cozy blanket and reading an equally cozy book. I'm partial to cozy romance as it gives me the swooning and the warm fuzzies, but I've been known to try some of the more passionate love affair stories too.
No matter what type of romance you're looking to read, you can find a great new release in this list. Here are the romance and romantasy books coming in September.
Witch You Would by Lia Amador — Sept. 2
Witch You Would is a cute rom-com with added magic. Two contestants on a spellcasting reality show cannot stand each other, but in reality, they are pen pals. If only Penelope, the female lead, knew that! How can Gil get his partner to see beyond his public persona and see that he's the man she loves? And can they work their magic well enough together to win the prize?
Set in a world with magic, and taking place in Miami, there is enough contemporary romance and fantasy mixed together to make this a fun love story to start off your September. It's definitely on my TBR!
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Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola — Sept. 2
Sweet Heat is a sequel to Bolu Babalola's Honey & Spice. The first novel covers the college romance between Kiki and Malakai, while this one is a second-chance romance. It's been three years since Honey & Spice, and we get to see the characters grow even more in this sequel.
Kiki's life is falling apart, so it isn't the best time for her ex, Malakai to show up, but the spice between them is hotter than ever. I haven't read the first one, but I feel like I need to binge it before Sweet Heat releases.
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Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun — Sept. 2
Every Step She Takes has, thankfully, nothing to do with Sting or any obsessive, stalker-y type love. Instead, this novel follows Sadie as she discovers her true self, with the help of Mal, the woman she meets on the way to a vacation. Mal is able to help Sadie experience some of the things she missed out on by not coming out until adulthood.
The physical journey they take together is nothing compared to the emotional one as their relationship deepens. But what will they do when the vacation ends? I would recommend this book for anyone who never got to explore their sexuality or identity growing up.
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It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram — Sept. 2
Another LGBTQ+ offering, It Had to Be Him is what Heartstopper would be if Nick and Charlie waited until adulthood to be together. Ramin and Noah both liked each other in high school, but Noah did not know at the time that it was more than platonic.
After meeting again while on vacation in Italy, they take advantage of this second chance. But fears of rejection still plague them both, and they must learn more about themselves to make it work as a couple. As a huge Heartstopper fan, I am excited to have more sweet LGBTQ+ love stories, and this one sounds especially wholesome.
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Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross — Sept. 2
If you keep up with BookTok and Bookstagram, you'll probably have already heard of Wild Reverence. Rebecca Ross's latest novel is highly anticipated, with people counting down the days until its release. Wild Reverence tells the story of Matilda, a messenger god similar to the Greek god Hermes, and a mortal named Vincent.
Even though their love is fated, that doesn't mean it's easy. They'll have to go against the mortal realm and the gods to be together. It is set in the same world as the Letters of Enchantment duology, centuries before Divine Rivals, so if you love Ross's previous works, you're going to want to read this.
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It Happened on a Sunday by Tracy Wolff — Sept. 2
Anyone who was excited to see Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement announcement needs to check out It Happened on a Sunday. The romance of a pop star and a football player looks so perfect on the outside, but Sloane Walker's past trauma makes it difficult to trust Mateo's love. Everything about their relationship seems wrong, logically, but their hearts tell a different story.
This is one of those books that will wreck you, so make sure you keep a box of tissues close by. But it will be totally worth it.
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By the Horns (Royal Artifactual Guild #2) by Ruby Dixon — Sept. 2
By the Horns is part of the Royal Artifactual Guild series, but it can be read as a standalone. It is a very spicy monster romance between Gwenna, a human who hears the voices of the dead, and Raptor, a minotaur. They might have sizzling chemistry, but Gwenna isn't looking for a relationship, while Raptor is looking for a thief, whom he believes Gwenna to be.
If you like your romantasy with extra spice, this is one you should grab.
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People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young — Sept. 9
People Watching is one of those novels where the main characters fool themselves into thinking, "It's just casual sex." Then, the readers watch with a knowing smirk as those characters fall deeply in love. But with Milo, the male lead, never planning to stay in town for long, his and Prue's relationship has an expiration date. Will they be able to find a balance between casual and committed?
I never tire of fake-dating or casual relationship romance stories, and People Watching sounds like an excellent entry into those tropes.
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Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee — Sept. 9
Lady Like is a refreshing twist on the trope of two women fighting for one man. In the Regency era, Harriet and Emily must marry, and they both have their sights set on the same duke. Instead of turning against each other, however, they end up growing closer. In a society of strict rules and propriety, can Harriet and Emily allow themselves the love they both feel?
I love the premise for this book, and I'm already dying to know how it ends! If you've ever thought that the two women should give up on fighting for a man and date each other, this is exactly the book for you!
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The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy by Roan Parrish — Sept. 9
Looking for a spooky but cozy read? The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy is a perfect example of that. Love begins between an unfortunate believer in ghosts and a serial skeptic in New Orleans. Edgar is haunted by ghosts, but also by the idea of vulnerability. So, he struggles with his feelings for Jamie, a local who adds special effects to houses to make them "haunted."
Will they be able to make a relationship work, or will it all be smoke and mirrors like Jamie's haunted houses? A paranormal LGBTQ+ romance like this one would pair perfectly with a pumpkin spice latte.
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Game On by Ki Stephens — Sept. 9
Game On is a college romance between a British girl studying in America and the quarterback of the university's football team. It's a fun twist on the usual trope of Americans studying and falling in love abroad. Both Ella and Hudson are serious athletes, with no time for relationships, but the spice between them is too difficult to ignore.
And there is a lot of spice. But there are also enough sweet moments to give you a toothache.
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The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell — Sept. 16
Fans of time-travel romance or Jane Austen will need to check out The Austen Affair. Two actors who can't stand each other, Tess Bright and Hugh Balfour, are cast in a Jane Austen film adaptation. But an accident blasts them both back in time to the Regency era. They only have each other to figure out how to get home. So, of course, they go from enemies to lovers.
I'm so excited for this book, and I can't wait to figure out why Madeline Bell chose Northanger Abbey as the Jane Austen adaptation they are cast for. It will be so fun to see how Tess and Hugh are similar to Catherine and Mr. Tilney!
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The Princess and the P.I. by Nikki Payne — Sept. 16
The Princess and the P.I. is a romantic thriller, where the leads begin to fall in love while working together to solve a murder. Fiona is an amateur detective, but when she gets accused of a murder herself, she'll need the help of Maurice, the handsome private investigator, to prove her innocence.
If you like your romance with a side of mystery and suspense, The Princess and the P.I. is a perfect choice.
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We Met Like This by Kasie West — Sept. 16
All of us romantics dream of a cute, novel-worthy love story, but are we letting our expectations get in the way of real-life love? That's the question Margot must find out for herself in We Met Like This. She refuses to believe the man she met on a dating app is "the one" because she wants a more swoonworthy tale to tell. But, what if Oliver is her perfect match?
I relate to this story because there have been many times in my life where I had to learn that best laid plans going awry actually work out better than I could have imagined.
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Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve — Sept. 23
Spellcaster is a magical 'Hatfields and McCoys' tale with dark academia vibes. The leads come from rival families, but sparks fly while at their prestigious magic academy. This is a steamy read with a dark hero and a lot of action. It's not just their relationship that could be torn apart by the secrets they keep, because there is a monster on the loose and it's coming for the female lead. She may not like it, but her rival is the only one who can save her.
My heart was already beating harder just from reading the premise, so imagine how intense the book gets!
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What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller — Sept. 23
Another dark romantasy, enemies-to-lovers tale, What Fury Brings subverts the bride kidnapping trope into a groom kidnapping. To become queen, Olerra needs to kidnap a man from another kingdom and make him her husband. She plans to take the second prince of the Brutus kingdom, but due to a mix up, Olerra actually grabs the crown prince.
Not exactly a great move to kidnap your enemy kingdom's heir. I am looking forward to this one because I love when tired tropes can be refreshed in new ways like this.
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Witch of the Wolves by Kaylee Archer — Sept. 30
Witch of the Wolves is a dark romantasy where a witch learns that she is actually part lycan. Her father is the pack Alpha and he has her abducted to play as a pawn in his political games. She begins to fall for her abductor, her father's right-hand man despite being unable to trust him. She'll have to use her magic and her heart's intuition to get out of this mess.
I like that Witch of the Wolves is more than just another werewolf romance. There is an actual plot beyond the fated mates trope. It will be interesting to see where the leads, Cordelia and BIshop, end up in their world.
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There are lots of good choices for romance or romantasy reads in September. Now the question is: which one to read first?