125+ Black and POC Romance Novels Releasing in 2026

Hi Librarygoer!

Happy December! I’m going to make this short and sweet because I have SOO many books to share. Last year I made a list sharing 2025 mostly romance releases.

I updated the list throughout the year but when I first published it a year ago, there were 46 books on the list.

This year’s list has 76 titles as of early December 2025. I’ll call this progress—especially if you commit to pre-ordering these, requesting them from your library, and generally shouting about them!

Happy Reading (& Pre-Ordering),

-Aleia

P.S. - If you purchase books linked below via Bookshop, a) I may receive a small commission and b) you’ll be able to support an indie bookstore of your choosing.

Last Updated: March 6, 2026.

Search Pro-Tips: If you’re searching for a particular identity or subgenre search for any of the below terms:

• Identities: AAPI, Black, Latine, Queer

• Subgenres: Dark Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery, Paranormal, Sports, Thriller, Women’s Fiction, YA

Also, searching for “debut” will yield first time authors and “trad re-release” identifies indie releases being traditionally published. Finally, a few non-romance books by BIPOC authors made their way onto this list—try searching for them if you need to switch genres for a while!

January Diverse Romance Releases

• Janae Sanders’ Second Time Around by Laquette | 1/6 | Black

• Restore Me by J.L. Seegars | 1/6 | Black, Trad Debut

• The Rhythm of Raine Dance by Aricka Alexander | 1/12 | Black

• Fire Sword & Sea by Vanessa Riley | 1/13 | Black, Historical Fiction

• The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura | 1/13 | Latine

• Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez | 1/13 | Latine, Fantasy, Historical, Adult Debut

• The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland | 1/13 | Latine, Paranormal (see full review)

• Game Changer by Cindy Ta | 1/13 | AAPI, Sports, Debut

• Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley | 1/13 | Black, Historical

• Next Level Love by Shameez Patel | 1/20 | AAPI

• The Poet Empress by Shen Tao | 1/20 | AAPI, Epic Fantasy, Non-Romance, Debut

• Our Ex’s Wedding by Taleen Voskuni | 1/20 | AAPI, Queer

• Mine, Yours & Ours by Karmen Lee | 1/20 | Indie, Black, Queer

• Say So by B.B. Reid | 1/20 | Black, Dark Romance

• Last First Kiss by Julian Winters | 1/27 | Black, Queer

• The Re-Do List by Denise Williams | 1/27 | Black FMC (see full review)

• Sundown Girls by L.S. Stratton | 1/27 | Black, YA, Mystery, Thriller, Non-Romance

• Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar by Anahita Karthik | 1/27 | AAPI, YA

• Love on Board by Aries Skye | 1/27 | Black

• If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett | 1/27 | Black, Historical

• With Love from Harlem by ReShonda Tate | 1/27 | Black, Historical

• Love Makes Mochi by Stefany Valentine | 1/27 | AAPI, YA, Debut

• Slash or Pass by Thalia Sanchez | 1/29 | Latine

February Diverse Romance Releases

• Skate It Till You Make It by Rufaro Faith Mazarura | 2/3 | Black, Sports

• Love From the Cosmos by Mowa Badmos | 2/3 | Black, Paranormal

• Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow | 2/3 | Black, YA, Fantasy

• This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani | 2/3 | Black, YA

• Only Friends by Lydia San Andres | 2/10 | Latine, Contemporary Debut

• Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris | 2/17 | Black, Women’s Fiction, Non-Romance

• They Call Her Regret by Channelle Desamours | 2/17 | Black, YA, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Non-Romance

• The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. Morillo | 2/17 | Latine, Debut

• The Boyfriend Launcher by RaeChell Garrett | 2/24 | Black, YA

• Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi | 2/24 | Black, Historical Fiction

• Written On Ice by Smardine S | 2/24 | Black, Sports

• A Love Worth Forever by BriAnn Danae | 2/24 | Black

• Crucible by B.B. Reid | 2/24 | Black, Dark Romance

March Diverse Romance Releases

• Mayhem and the Mortal by Shanora Williams | 3/3 | Black, Fantasy

• A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert | 3/3 | Black

• Estela, Undrowning by Rene Peña-Govea | 3/3 | Latine, YA, Debut

• The Book Tour by Emily Ohanjian | 3/3 | Queer, Debut

• The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa | 3/10 | Black, Latine

• Second Chance Duet by Ana Holguin | 3/10 | Latine

• The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa | 3/10 | Black, AAPI, YA

• The Fake Matchmaker by Sonya Singh | 3/10 | AAPI

• When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson | 3/10 | Black, YA, Horror

• Right as Rain by Tashie Bhuiyan | 3/10 | AAPI, YA

• The Fortune Flip by Lauren Kung Jessen | 3/17 | AAPI

• Prodigal Tiger by Samantha Chong | 3/17 | AAPI, YA, Paranormal/Fantasy

• Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page | 3/24 | Queer, YA, Fantasy

• The Bridge Back to You by Riss M. Neilson | 3/31 | Black

• As Long as You Loathe Me by Swati Hedge | 3/31 | AAPI, Queer, YA

• Rich and Rotten by Jahquel J. | 3/31 | Black

April Diverse Romance Releases

• More Like Enemigas by Stephanie Hope | 4/7 | Latine, Queer, Debut

• To Steal A Throne by Gabi Burton | 4/7 | Black, YA, Fantasy

• Enemies to Lovers by Alisha Rai | 4/7 | AAPI

• A Monstrous Need by Elizabeth Stephens | 4/9 | Indie, Black, Paranormal/Fantasy

• Love Like A Summer Song by Naima Simone | 4/14 | Black

• Big Girl Blitz by Danielle Allen | 4/14 | Black (see full review)

• The Art of Loving You by Natasha Bishop | 4/14 | Black

• Don’t Tell Me How It Ends by Adrienne Thurman | 4/14 | Black

• Summer Official by Rebekah Weatherspoon | 4/14 | Black, Queer, YA

• Revive Me: Part One by J.L. Seegars | 4/14 | Black

• Chrysalis by B.B. Reid | 4/14 | Black, Latine, Dark Romance

• Witch Queen Rising by Savannah Stephens | 4/21 | Black, Fantasy, Horror

• Wild Darlin’ (A Cowboy Omegaverse) by Amy Oliveira | 4/21 | Latine, Paranormal/Fantasy

• King of Gluttony by Ana Huang | 4/28 | AAPI

• Struck Speechless by Tati Richardson | 4/28 | Black

• The Fix-Up Feud by Chandra Blumberg | 4/28 | Black

May Diverse Romance Releases

• Strange Familiars by Keshe Chow | 5/5 | AAPI, Paranormal

• Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb | 5/5 | Black, YA, Fantasy

• Archangel’s Eternity by Nalini Singh | 5/5

• Listen to the Girls by Chrystal D. Giles | 5/5 | Black

• Love Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Swati Hedge | 5/12 | AAPI

• A Harlem Wedding by Tiffany L. Warren | 5/12 | Black, Historical Fiction

• Out of Her League by Ava Rani | 5/12 | AAPI

• The Finest Things by Deborah Kira | 5/13 | Black, Historical

• Double Happiness by Heather Eng | 5/19 | AAPI, Debut

• Score by Kennedy Ryan | 5/19 | Black

• Revive Me: Part Two by J.L. Seegars | 5/19 | Black, Trad Re-Release

• Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel by Arushi Avachat | 5/19 | Black, AAPI, YA

• Running Home to You by Samantha Saldivar | 5/19 | Latine, Queer, Sports

• Queerleaders by Olivia A. Cole & Ashley Woodfolk | 5/19 | Black, YA, Sports

• By the Bootstraps by Alexa Martin | 5/26 | Black

• In the Country I Love by Alaa Al-Barkawi | 5/26 | AAPI, YA, Non-Romance

June Diverse Romance Releases

• The Ties Between Us by Chencia C. Higgins | 6/3 | Black, Queer

• The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest | 6/9 | Black

• Love, Gods & Sinners by Camille Chong | 6/11 | AAPI, Queer, YA, Paranormal/Fantasy

• Love is a Contact Sport by Frederick Smith | 6/16 | Black, Queer

• Leave and Come Back by Lavanya Lakshmi | 6/16 | AAPI

• The Missed Connection by Tia Williams | 6/16 | Black

• Revive Me: Part Three by J.L. Seegars | 6/16 | Black, Trad Re-Release

• Checking You Out by Jennifer Chen | 6/23 | AAPI, YA

• The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by DeAndra Davis | 6/23 | Black, YA

• Good Luck, Babe! by Erin Baldwin | 6/23 | Queer, YA

• Hearts on the Fly by Toni Shiloh | 6/30 | Black, Historical

• You Jump First by Myah Ariel | 6/30 | Black

• They Wouldn’t Dare by Deanna Grey | 6/30 | Black, Sports

• A Deal At Dawn by Vanessa Riley | 6/30 | Black, Historical

• Madly Driven by Tiye | 6/30 | Black, Sports

July Diverse Romance Releases

• The High Life by Anise Starre | 7/2 | Black

• Hallie’s Rules for a Recovering Romantic by Jessica Lewis | 7/7 | Black, Queer, YA

• License to Thrill by Debbie Rigaud | 7/7 | Black, Sports

• Ember by Naima Simone | 7/14 | Black, Dark Romance

• Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi | 7/14 | Black, Paranormal/Fantasy

• The Case of Elmwood Ranch by Deanna Grey | 7/15

• Eternally Yours by Anika Hussain | 7/16 | Black, YA

• Just A Highland Fling by Naina Kumar | 7/21 | AAPI

• Intercepted by Alexa Martin | 7/21 | Black, Sports, Trad Re-Release

• The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert | 7/21 | Black, Trad Re-Release

• Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana | 7/28 | Black, Fantasy

• Breakup for Two by E.M. Wilson | 7/28 | Black

August Diverse Romance Releases

• Embrace by Bal Khabra | 8/4 | AAPI

• Find My Way Down to You by Julian Winters | 8/4 | Black, YA, Paranormal, Paranormal Debut

• The Fast Track by Angelica Cheng | 8/4 | AAPI, YA, Debut

• Death Card by Jasmine Smith | 8/11 | Black, Queer, YA, Fantasy, Debut

• See You At the Sunset by Susan Lee | 8/11 | AAPI

• Mutual Discord by Liana de la Rosa | 8/18 | Latine, Contemporary Debut

• I Punched An Alien And Now We’re In Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming | 8/18 | Black, Paranormal

• Bound By Fury by Noelle Monét | 8/18 | Black, YA, Romantasy, Debut Author

• Old Flames by Nadine Gonzalez | 8/18 | Black, Latine

• But I Hate Him by Page Powars | 8/25 | AAPI, Queer, YA

• The Marriage Rebound by Meka James | 8/25 | Black

September Diverse Romance Releases

• Wicked Endeavors by Kamilah Cole | 9/8 | Black, Queer, Dark Romance, Paranormal/Fantasy

October Diverse Romance Releases

• It’s Only Dancing by Jasmine Guillory | 10/6 | Black, YA

November Diverse Romance Releases

• Crash Into You by Simone Soltani | 11/10 | Black, AAPI, Sports

• Love, Witches, and Wahala by Christine Cowan | 11/17 | Black, Paranormal/Fantasy, Debut

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What are you most looking forward to reading on this list? The answer ‘all of them’ is absolutely an option as it’s mine!

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