Happy Tuesday!
It’s the last day of March and a pretty big release day. I feel like there’s a little bit of everything from historical romance to non-fiction.
Which new books are you excited for? Let us know in the comments!
A Widow’s Charm
Author: Caitlyn Paxson
Released: March 31, 2026 by Del Rey
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Historical: European, RomanceIn this witty fantasy romance, a widow attempts to resurrect her dead husband by blackmailing her rakish necromancer neighbor—only to find herself falling for him instead.
“Witty, whimsical, and deeply kind, A Widow’s Charm is beyond charming—it’s wholly enchanting.”—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of The Everlasting
Lady Hildegarde Croft is accustomed to changes in position. After all, she rose from maidservant to lady of the manor when she married Lord Thorgoode Croft. But when he dies unexpectedly, the plans that would have protected her and the people of Croftholde die along with him. What’s a widow to do?
Potential salvation arrives in the form of Lord Elmwood, who is fleeing the consequences of using his forbidden Charm to raise the dead. Now he’s injured, destitute, and hiding out at the neighboring estate.
For Hilde, blackmailing Lord Elmwood to resurrect Thorgoode seems like the perfect solution. For Elmwood, beautiful Lady Croft seems like the ideal distraction from his troubles. The problem is, all she wants from him is the horrifying power he knows he can never use again.
Sarah: A widow attempts to blackmail the necromancer next door into reanimating her husband to save his estate and her life, and then the necromancer is hot. Historical.
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!The Dreadfuls
Author: A. Rae Dunlap
Released: March 31, 2026 by Kensington Books
Genre: Horror, Historical: European, Mystery/ThrillerA Victorian-era Nancy Drew meets The Woman in the Window as true crime and historical fiction collide in this atmospheric thriller featuring real-life figures and a rebellious, uniquely inventive young reform school inmate determined to solve the serial killer case dominating the headlines in London, and soon, in the world: the Jack the Ripper murders.
London, 1888. Committed to the Whitechapel Hall Reform School for “incurable delinquency” 15-year-old Adelaide “Dell” Morton is a precocious, defiant misfit. She’s also a voracious reader of true crime and detective fiction, including the sordid, sensationally popular Penny dreadful stories. In an unlikely stroke of luck, she’s found a kindred spirit in her poised, perfectionist roommate, Pippa. Their obsession is only further fueled by the Jack the Ripper murders blazing a trail of terror throughout London’s seediest streets . . . right outside Whitechapel Hall’s front door.
Desperate for adventure, they embark on their own investigation—and discover an ally in Noah, son of the local butcher. But Noah’s motives are not mere fascination: His father is the prime suspect. Noah is desperate to clear his name, and Dell and Pippa are only too eager to help.
Their budding spywork soon yields shocking results: they witness straightlaced Whitechapel teacher Miss Kaye escaping the school the night of the latest crime. Could Jack the Ripper be a she? Delving into Miss Kaye’s background, Dell is both horrified and thrilled to find that within Miss Kaye’s past lies a chapter dark enough to rival any Penny dreadful . . .
Dell’s fixation with Miss Kaye reaches dangerous heights while a series of suspicious events leave Miss Kaye in sole command of Whitechapel Hall. Trapped in their teacher’s ever-tightening web of control, the three devious detectives devise a risky plan to track her. But what ensues may only propel them ever deeper into secrets, lies, ruthless acts, and betrayals that go back decades—and a confrontation that will irrevocably change the fates of all involved . . . if they survive.
Amanda: I was on board with “A Victorian-era Nancy Drew.”
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!Game On
Author: Navessa Allen
Released: March 31, 2026 by Slowburn
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: Into Darkness #3Book three in the No.1 New York Times bestselling Into Darkness series, following the dark rom-com sensations Lights Out and Caught Up . The game is on for these enemies-to-lovers with laugh-out-loud banter and scorching-hot brat play.
I hate that woman.
Tyler Neumann has spent years looking for his father, and not because he wants to meet the man. No, he wants to destroy him. And he’ll manipulate whoever he can to exact his revenge.
Including Stella McCormick. She’s everything Tyler hates. Her wealth and privilege have protected her for her entire life, and Tyler thinks it’s time she finally paid the price. Whether she’s ready to or not.
I hate that man.
Stella might not believe in love at first sight, but loathing at first sight – no question. From the moment she sets eyes on Tyler in her tattoo parlor, she knows he’s the devil planning to make her life hell.
Forced to play the part of his girlfriend and invite him into her family’s glittering circles, Stella quickly clocks Tyler’s ulterior motives. But love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and soon she doesn’t know which is being blackmailed by a man who wants to ruin her, or that they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other.
Game On is an enemies-to-lovers dark romance with morally grey characters. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.
The third book in the very popular Into Darkness series.
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!The Geomagician
Author: Jennifer Mandula
Released: March 31, 2026 by Del Rey
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Historical: European, RomanceWhen a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy.
Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. When an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a loveable baby pterodactyl Mary names Ajax, she knows this is the kind of scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.
Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, and they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar… and the man who once broke Mary’s heart.
Henry claims he believes in the brilliant Mary, and that he only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own—but can she even trust Henry, who seems intent on winning Mary back?
Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.
Amanda: This sounds delightful!
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay
Author: Jenny Lawson
Released: March 31, 2026 by Penguin Life
Genre: Memoir, NonfictionWarm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson—aka the Bloggess
Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She’s a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She’s an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The questions people most often ask her are, “How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?” This book is her answer.
In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares more than one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn’t working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up.
With chapters like “Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra” (sleep, you beautiful human), “Working on Easy Mode Is Still Working” (asking for accommodations is okay!), “Celebrate Good Times, Come On!” (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It’s for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and full of hope, it will encourage you not to just survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times.
Amanda: Lawson is an autobuy for me!
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!Kill the Puckers
Author: Sam Evans
Released: March 31, 2026 by Super Gravity Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceAmanda: This sounds batshit and I’m here for it.
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!The Scoundrel and the Siren
Author: Christy Carlyle
Released: March 31, 2026 by Avon
Genre: Historical: European, Romance
Series: Princes of London #2In the next installment of the swoon-worthy Princes of London series, Christy Carlyle takes readers on a heart-pounding hunt through Norfolk where a legendary treasure hunter and a fierce local woman battle over a Viking hoard, each determined to claim it for their own—and neither willing to lose their heart in the process…
Dominic Prince is passionate, tenacious, and determined to carve out a legendary name for himself—just like his famous treasure-hunting father. When an American tycoon funds his expedition to uncover a Viking hoard in Norfolk and ship it across the Atlantic, Dominic sees his chance to claim glory. If he can unearth a treasure trove so magnificent it lands him on the front pages of newspapers in both England and America, his success will finally be undeniable.
Tess Hawthorne doesn’t quite know what to make of the entirely too handsome scoundrel who shows up in her village seeking the very treasure she’s been hoping to find all her life. When he asks to employ her knowledge and familiarity with the locals to assist on the dig, she accepts.
But she doesn’t want whatever treasure they find to leave England, and she certainly doesn’t want to lose her heart to the man determined to claim it…
A treasure hunting historical romance!
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
Author: Ilona Andrews
Released: March 31, 2026 by Tor Books
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Maggie the Undying #1Outlander meets Game of Thrones in this blockbuster new epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.
When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.
Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.
For fans of Samantha Shannon, Danielle L. Jensen, Sarah J. Maas, and isekai and portal fantasy, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the beginning of the most epic adventure yet from genre powerhouse author duo Ilona Andrews.
Amanda: Portal fantasy is having a moment and I’m here for it. (I’ve also been consuming a lot of a isekai webtoons.)
Add to Goodreads To-Read List →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!
I don’t need more books.
I don’t need more books.
I don’t … The Geomagician
…
…
… I hate you. *clicks*
The Geomagician and A Widow’s Charm covers aren’t hitting for me. The unspecific collage illustration feel somewhere between Christian romance and kids lit. Is this going to be an overall trend or is specific to Del Ray?
@arden
> The Geomagician and A Widow’s Charm covers aren’t hitting for me. The unspecific collage illustration feel somewhere between Christian romance and kids lit. Is this going to be an overall trend or is specific to Del Ray?
I was v. 🤔 abt that exact thing too. Especially as many books using the “cozy fantasy romance” label end u Christian romance around 40% of the time, IME. SO, I read many reviews for both books.
A WIDOW’S CHARM is exactly what it sounds like (though, apparently, spicer than expected? IDK).
THE GEOMAGICIAN, however, seems to be a Christian “fantasy” romance that’s not labeled as such. Religion, faith, Christianity, creationism, and the like are heavily featured in the story from beginning to end. Personally, I’m skipping it. 😐
@Ariadna: Interesting (in a bad way lol). I don’t read inspirationals and I definitely didn’t see any reference to Christianity and creationism in any of the marketing materials. Removing this one off my TBR.
@Amanda
> … I definitely didn’t see any reference to Christianity and creationism in any of the marketing materials.
That was one of the biggest complaints from some of the reviews. FTR, Christian romance deffo has its audience.
Hiding it from potential readers is A CHOICE. At least give me the chance to be well-informed so I can decide with confidence. Instead of trying to sneak in themes I am not interested in, IJS.
Being a Christian romamce would explain the sentence about conscience chafing against ambition, even though she does not seem do anything morally wrong from a secular point of view.
It’s very sad, the book sounded lovely.
@Ariadna: Agreed. I’m also pretty informed on which publishers are explicitly Christian and which are not, so this feels particularly sneaky of Del Rey.
Very excited for the new Ilona Andrews! I pre-ordered the audiobook through Libro and the hardcover through my neighborhood bookshop, and I am sure I will read once and reread on audio as their work always draws me in. Plus, I really wanted to support their big move to Tor.
A Widow’s Charm sounds interesting, so I will add that to my library list.
Also out today is a new one from Sarah Beth Durst: THE FARAWAY INN: After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn–but this fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret–in this cozy and irresistable new fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.
I don’t return books often for a refund. If a book doesn’t grab me, that’s generally on me. But if the book is unexpectedly not the genre I was promised, then it gets returned. In this case, I actually think it’s borderline offensive to have what is basically proselytizing hidden in a book that non-Christians may pick up unwittingly. Not cool.
I started the new Ilona Andrews this morning, I pre ordered it on Libro. I love it already. This is a new to me author, based on a rec from @Amanda. I personally don’t like Christian fit, next I don’t like feeling like I’m getting a sermon in the midst of a story. I would be irritated if I bought a book not realizing it was one.
Most of these are on the list, though I’m frowning vis The Geomagician being a Christian romance.
OMG OMG NEW ILONA ANDREWS! How did I forget? So excited!
I had pre ordered the Ilona Andrew’s and read it into the night, bad decisions book club to the max, finishing it about 3 hours before I had to get up for work. I regret nothing. I also started reading it again in the morning. I love Kate Daniel’s, I love almost all of their work, and I’m an Isekai junkie on Royal Road and Webtoons so this was 100% my catnip/meth/insert-addiction-of-choice.
Just a note that I’m reading The Geomagician now and am not sure why the commenters above identify it as a Christian romance. Religion does have a role in the story – the main character is a fictionalized version of an actual historical figure, Mary Anning, and the story is set in an AU of the historical era she lived in, when the theory of evolution was being developed and many natural scientists in England also had strong Christian beliefs. So far The Geomagician reads a lot like the Emily Wilde series to me, only the magic is more closely tied to the actual science/ philosophy of the era in which the book is set.