We are starting the year with swoony romances, haunting fantasies, thrilling mysteries, and heart-wrenching historical fiction! It’s a big week for unforgettable reads. Whether you're in the mood for a cozy bathroom confession, a magical tide-bound island, or a Formula 1 slow-burn there’s something here with your name on it!
Here are the January 6th releases I'm excited about. Let’s dive in!
Until I Die by Deirdra Duncan
Genre: Dystopian Romance
Enemies-to-lovers in a regime of control. When justice means death, love is revolution.
Sophia and Lucas are on opposite sides of a war-torn America. But their alliance and their forbidden connection might be the only hope left. Hauntingly raw and achingly romantic, Until I Die is devastating in the best way
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Dystopia with brutal emotional stakes
- Unlikely allies with devastating chemistry
- Leave Me Behind meets The Handmaid’s Tale
The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Southern Gothic Mystery / Thriller
A murder in a hurricane. A true-crime author. And a woman who might not be done killing.
Lo Bailey is back in St. Medard’s Bay to clear her name or bury the truth. As another storm approaches, the truth may be deadlier than any weather.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Dual-timeline thriller
- Atmospheric Southern setting with true crime undertones
- For fans of None of This is True and Daisy Darker
The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy Romance / Fairy Tale Retelling
A swan maiden and a cursed prince must find the truth… or die trying.
To survive a deadly bridal tournament, Arris must tell love from lies and rely on the one woman who can see through it all.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Fairytale vibes, lyrical prose, and glittering courts
- A truth-wielding heroine and a prince fated to die
- For fans of The Wrath & The Dawn and To Kill a Kingdom
Room to Breathe by Kasie West
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
When the walls close in, the truth comes out.
From the bestselling author of Sunkissed comes a heartfelt second-chance friends-to-lovers story set in a very unlikely place: a locked bathroom.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Friends torn apart by grief, reconnecting in the most unexpected way
- Sharp tension, soft healing, and the perfect amount of swoon
- For fans of Better Than the Movies, Tweet Cute, and See You Yesterday
Tidespeaker by Sadie Turner
Genre: YA Fantasy / Mystery
A lush, windswept island. A dangerous noble house. A girl whose voice controls the tides.
When Corith, a rare Floodmouth, takes a prestigious job on remote Bower Island, she expects honor and purpose. Instead, she finds secrets, a dead best friend, and a brooding noble who complicates everything.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Elemental magic and an isolated gothic setting
- Autistic heroine with relatable depth
- A devastating mystery + a slow-burn romance
- The Scorpio Races meets A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sara Fox
Genre: Cozy Mystery Rom-Com
She’s fake-detecting for revenge. Now there's a real murder.
Unemployed, overwhelmed, and raising her niece, Emersyn never expected a fake P.I. scheme would turn into a genuine case or that her fake partner, Wyatt, would be that attractive.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Found-family vibes in a seniors-only apartment
- Laugh-out-loud dialogue and flirty chemistry
- Murder, mayhem, and maybe love?
- Perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan and Dial A for Aunties
Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Sports
Formula 1 sparks and fierce ambition meet childhood crushes and hot-shot comebacks.
Chloe’s the first female F1 team principal. Matt’s the cocky new driver with a past. Their forced partnership could tank everything or make them champions.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Childhood crush rekindled under professional pressure
- Workplace romance with turbo-charged stakes
- Steamy, smart, and emotionally grounded
- Perfect for fans of The Cheat Sheet
Only on Game Day by Kristen Callihan
Genre: Sports Romance / Fake Engagement
He needs to fix his image. She needs to pay off estate taxes. Pretending to be in love? No big deal...until it is.
August and Penelope’s fake fiancée plan is foolproof until hearts get involved and enemies become something else entirely.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Shy girl/sunshine boy dynamic
- Fake dating with real consequences
- Unrequited love finally fulfilled
- Steamy, swoony, and packed with emotional payoff
Skylark by Paula McLain
Genre: Historical Fiction
Paris in 1664. Paris in 1940. Two women. One tapestry of defiance.
A weaver’s daughter in a Salpêtrière asylum. A young doctor during WWII. Their lives, separated by centuries, intersect through secrets buried deep below the city.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Dual timelines with deeply emotional arcs
- Unforgettable heroine and lush historical detail
- For fans of The Nightingale and The Paris Library
Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven
Genre: Literary Fiction / Historical
America’s perfect TV family is falling apart in front of and behind the camera.
Its 1964. Ratings are falling. Secrets are mounting. And Dinah Newman is ready to write her own ending.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Family drama meets media history
- Rich emotional storytelling and razor-sharp wit
- For fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Lessons in Chemistry
Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz
Genre: YA Fantasy / Romance
A cynical barmaid. A cursed prince. A magical bond that could kill them both.
When Aren touches the Rings of Fate, she’s bound to a dying prince and the kingdom’s only hope.
📌 Why you’ll love it:
- Enemies-to-allies-to-lovers
- Fire-forged romance and a kingdom in peril
- For fans of Throne of Glass and The Bridge Kingdom
Final Thoughts
December 6th came in stacked with powerful love stories, complex heroines, and immersive worlds. Whether you’re in the mood for small-town romance, a deadly magical curse, or a century-spanning Parisian resistance this release list brings something unforgettable to your shelf.
Which one are you reading first? Let us know in the comments!
