Romance Release Radar: May 2025

May is bringing the heat—not just with warmer weather, but with a fresh crop of romance reads that promise all the feels. From flirty dance numbers to angsty small-town second chances, this batch of upcoming releases is packed with big feelings, swoony tension, and the kind of storytelling that’ll make your heart race (and maybe even heal a little).

Bonus: there's a beautiful mix of queer love stories, emotional reunions, and playful rom-com chaos in the lineup.

Here’s what to add to your May 2025 TBR right now:

Jilted

by Vi Keeland

6th May | Contemporary Romance

Wedding reporter meets brooding boss’s son in this enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn workplace rom-com. After being jilted at the altar, our heroine isn’t exactly feeling the wedding spirit—until a late-night coat closet encounter with Wider Hayes complicates everything. Keeland brings the banter, the angst, and the undeniable tension.

Dream On, Ramona Riley

by Ashley Herring Blake

13th May | LGBTQ+ Romance

Ashley Herring Blake is back with more small-town queer magic. Ramona Riley has shelved her dreams—until Dylan Monroe, former flame and full-time nepo baby, comes back to town to film her latest rom-com. They shared a kiss years ago. Now? Sparks are flying again. This one’s for anyone who loves celebrity-meets-civilian tension with queer joy at its core.

The Love Haters

by Katherine Center

20th May | Contemporary Romance

In this clever twist on fake dating, Janie poses as the girlfriend of one brother to land a career-changing story about the other: dreamy Coast Guard hero Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson. Problem is, Hutch is the one she’s falling for. But he thinks she’s off-limits. Oops. Packed with humor, heart, and irresistible chemistry, Katherine Center delivers another hit for your beach bag.

Left of Forever

by Tarah DeWitt

20th May | Romantic Comedy

This second-chance romance aches in all the best ways. Wren and Ellis had a son young, fell in love hard, and eventually fell apart. Now in their thirties, a college drop-off road trip turns into a soul-searching journey back to where it all began—and maybe where it can begin again. Intimate, emotional, and beautifully written.

Flirty Dancing

by Jennifer Moffatt

27th May | LGBTQ+ Romance

Broadway dreams, summer flings, and a Catskills resort full of drama? Yes, please. Archer Read is about to give showbiz one last shot, but instead finds himself tangled in a dance-floor love triangle with his childhood crush Mateo and his flirty (and very hot) bunkmate Caleb. With a chorus of lovable side characters and endless queer joy, this one's pure, campy fun.

This month’s romances are serving up everything from butterflies to heartbreak—and I’m so here for it. Grab your iced coffee, clear a spot on your nightstand, and dive in.

Which one are you picking up first?

Can’t wait for these May releases to hit shelves? Why not dive into something right now—The Techboys Series might be just what you need. I might be biased, but nothing quite matches the thrill of these stories. Start with The Refusal, then get swept up in The Outcast, The Secret, The Photograph, and The Game.

Happy reading,

Eve x

#evemriley #tarahdewitt #jennifermoffatt #katherinecenter #ashleyherringblake #vikeeland #mustread #sexscenes #bestsexscenes #eroticromance #romancebooks #romancenovels #janusandjo #iwantajanus #therefusal #technologyromance #techboys #techromance #techhero #ireadromance #booklaunch #selfpublished #arc #amreading #romancereader #romancenovel #indieauthor #newauthor #newbook #newbookalert #newbooks #bookrelease #bookbuzz #debutnovel #bookrecommendations #romancebook #booklover #bookstagram #romancebookstagram #goodreads #amazonbestseller #bestseller #bestromancenovels #mmromance #love #SlowBurnRomance #EnemiesToLovers #SecondChanceRomance #FakeDatingTrope #WorkplaceRomance #QueerRomance #LGBTQBooks