6 romance books to put on your spring TBR (2023)

Spring has sprung. There are April showers and soon-to-be May flowers which can affect a lot of people’s reading, especially romance books.

Even though I read romance books year-round, I do feel like certain books fit better at certain times. To me, spring is all about reading light and fun books, but that’s not to say there won’t be some more emotional reads on here.

If anything, spring is about change and rebirth which is very representative of a new relationship or starting a new chapter in your life. Additionally, spring is a great time to focus on new authors as spring and summer are massive months for romance releases.

To me, these are a mix of some recent favorite romance reads and some backlist titles that I still think are worth checking out as well.

These six romance books are all perfect for your 2023 spring reading.

1. The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

The first book making my list is a recent read of mine and that’s The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest. Of all the romance books on this list, this is the one I was most excited about. The concept sounded amazing as it follows a woman who works in publishing emailing the author of her favorite book and forming a budding relationship with him before he ghosts her.

Of course, we figure out quickly that he’s her new neighbor. While it might seem a bit predictable, I enjoyed all of the conversations these two had especially when it came to their parents. Each had different types of baggage, but it was such a beautiful love story with lots of character development, too.

2. Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa

Moving onto the next spring read, this is another recent favorite of mine and that’s Ana María and the Fox. While I’m not usually a historical romance reader, this one was an exception because it was so different than any other I’ve ever read. This is a romance between a Mexican heiress and a British politician.

Even with politics involved, this was such a sweet and tender romance that I couldn’t get enough of it. I just couldn’t help but fall in love with this story and Liana De la Rosa’s writing. If you haven’t picked up her books yet, then this is a good place to start.

3. King of Wrath by Ana Huang

Usually, I don’t feature unreleased books on here yet I couldn’t leave this romance book off. If you’ve read Ana Huang before, you’ll know her beloved Twisted series. In a way, her Kings of Sin series feels like a more elevated version of that. The characters feel just a bit more mature and worldly as most of the Twisted series was a new adult.

King of Wrath is a billionaire romance with an arranged marriage and the chemistry between Vivian and Dante was palpable. Vivian was such a strong and badass character, too that she held her own against Dante. If you’re looking to get the paperback, it’s going to be coming out on April 25th so it’s worth pre-ordering.

4. Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell by Taj McCoy

Of all the romance books on my list, this is the one I feel is given the most flack. Even so, I picked it up earlier this year and feel like it would be a great summer read. Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell is a romance book following Savvy who gets dumped by her boyfriend and goes on a revenge quest. She ends up revamping everything in her life but ends up being happier and healthier.

Even though the romance did feel like a bit of an afterthought at times, this book was so much fun and I feel like it gets a bad wrap. Regardless, I feel like you should pick this one up if you’re interested in the concept at all.

5. Along For The Ride by Mimi Grace

When I think of spring and even summer, I think of car rides. That’s why Along For the Ride by Mimi Grace had to make the cut. This is an indie Black love romance featuring Jolene and Jason who tolerate each other at best yet volunteer to help their family movie. For Jolene, it’s her sister while Jason is the best friend of her husband.

This is a road-trip romance with tons of forced proximity, the only-one-bed trope, and a dash of hate-to-love. This one is super fun and this is an indie author I adore so I had to feature her on this list.

6. Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score

The last recommendation I have is for a recent release and that’s Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score which is another delightful re-release from Bloom Books. This is a romance between Marley and Jake who had a fling back in high school yet the two reconnect as they’re both teachers at the same high school they used to attend. I couldn’t get enough of these two and all the back-and-forth plus there’s fake dating.

Rock Bottom Girl easily jumped up my list of favorite Lucy Score books. Plus Marley is a high school gym teacher and a soccer coach which was so fun. I especially loved seeing her backstory for the “big event” from high school. Plus for once

Everyone has a different definition of spring and spring books to read so I’d love to know some of your favorite books to read this spring or any recommendations you have!