16 of the Best New Romances by Black Authors

The Last Man on Earth by Shae Sanders

If you’ve never picked up a book by Shae Sanders, first, where have you been? Second, this is the one you want. Pulling us through the wringer as a rapper and the in-flight concierge on his private flight to Brazil are the only survivors of a crash, The Last Man on Earth not only stresses us out as the pair have to figure out how to survive and get home, but tears us into pieces as they are finally able to deal with the grief, the guilt, and the relationships they’ve both left back home. 

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

Julian Winters’ second flight out in adult romance is even better than his first (the excellent I Think They Love You), and it features an event planner whose new high-profile wedding job brings him back into the orbit of the man who broke his heart. Jordan and Jamie have both had to do a lot of growing and self-discovery in the years they’ve been apart, but it’s their reintroduction to each other that might lead them to truly find themselves and each other. 

The 19th Hole by Evelyn Latrice

Made for Me by Reese Ryan

I don’t read a lot of friends-to-lovers stories, but when I do, it’s usually about estranged friends who find themselves back in each other’s lives after a while apart. In this case, two divorcees who were the best of friends in their youth ended up going in different directions in their professional lives. When Marcus’s cousin needs a session violinist for a project, he doesn’t hesitate to call India, the best violinist he knows, and offer to let her stay with him while she works on this project. They’re different people than they were when they knew each other best, but the time they spend together proves that at their core, they’re just as compatible as lovers as they were as friends. 

Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi 

If you thought Paradise Lost was racy Bible fanfiction, have I got something for you. Galilee was raised in a magical, matriarchal family far off the grid, but now she’s living in the city, making new friends, and ready to figure out what’s next. When she meets security manager Lucifer at her friend’s family home, the last thing she expects is to end up in a battle between literal Heaven and Hell … or in an intense and powerful romantic entanglement with the Fallen One himself. 

Sweetest Taboo by Joan Vassar

Being Black and gay in pre-Stonewall America is not a topic that many romance authors would be interested in and good at approaching, but Joan Vassar is nothing short of brilliant at it. Sweetest Taboo introduces us to Bruce, a white-passing detective in New York, and Scott, a porter with no roots, and puts the couple and the reader through their paces. Vassar evokes the period through visuals and emotion, and even if you’ve never read her before, this one is a great place to start. 

Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport

If you read one dark romantasy this year, it should be this one. Kadeesha would much rather be leading her team of dragon-riding warriors, but instead, she’s being used as a pawn to raise her royal family’s position. In her own act of rebellion, she sneaks out the night before her wedding and has a fantastic night with a mysterious stranger. But when her husband-to-be finds out, and finds out who it was with, he goes on a murderous spree that leaves Kadeesha fleeing with Malachi, a rival fae ruler with vengeance on his mind. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that. This book is one of those that truly exemplifies how you can have a fantasy world that is still incredibly—clearly—Black. 

Mine, Yours, and Ours by Karmen Lee 

I’m used to enjoying Karmen Lee’s fun and funny small-town romances, so I am intrigued by the idea of a dark sapphic mafia romance. In this one, Melissa hates her husband and is glad he’s dead, but then his twin sister walks into her life, and everything turns to pot. The early responses to this book are definitely making me curious—apparently, Miss Ma’am put her foot in this book!

Restore Me by J.L. Seegars

Restore Me is technically not new—J.L. Seegars initially published it herself in 2022—but it’s got a brand new (gorgeous!) cover and distribution deal from Bloom Books, allowing it to gain exposure in new markets. A story of forbidden love between two people who have never gotten along, this is yet another book that might inspire you to try to make your situationship work. Put down the phone and get in a relationship with Dominic and Sloane instead. 

Tempted by Tiye

If you’re looking for melodrama and a lot of Feelings, Tiye is your girl. Tempted is her newest, in which high school sweethearts Freedom and Jamaica break up for Reasons. But guess what: there is a secret baby. When Freedom comes back to town years later seeking to father the kid he never knew, Jamaica is hesitant to go down that path again. 

Love from the Cosmos by Mowa Badmos

Moyo is ready to level up in life, which means it’s time to find her perfect partner. But instead of enduring the questionable dating pool in Boston, she decides to join Cupid’s Bow, a matchmaking app based on astrology with a 99% success rate. Niyi, one of three matchmakers, doesn’t particularly feel up to the celestial duty and writes an algorithm instead of doing the real work. When things go wrong for Moyo, Niyi volunteers to be her dating coach to fix his own mistake. Little does she know, she’s working with the actual god Saturn.  

The Rhythm of Raine at Dawn by Aricka Alexander

I discovered Aricka Alexander last year when I picked up her sapphic basketball series, starting with Down South Bayou. In this newest outing, she has moved to the world of professional musicians! Raine goes viral with some original choreography to Dawn’s new R&B single, and the singer herself contacts her with the opportunity of a lifetime. As the pair grow closer, drama from both performers’ pasts and presents comes to light. 

Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal 

Zakiya N. Jamal’s mid-2025 young adult debut, If We Were A Movie , was a favorite last year and was seriously a tough act to follow. But her adult romance debut, released only six months later, lived up to the task. When Stella decides to use a trip to a sex club party to lose her virginity, the night is looking up when she starts something hot and heavy with a handsome stranger. When things don’t work out, the last thing she expects is to run into him shortly after at work, where he’s in charge of the AI tool that might take over her job. Awkward.

She’s a Catch by Tember Sapphire

Tember Sapphire’s “She Can Play” series is a delight, and this fourth book in the series of interconnected stand-alones is no different. When Courtney wakes up, Vegas-married to a famous cricket player, the initial plan is to discuss an annulment. But when he convinces her to stay married, they both have a lot to learn about marriage and about being people in general. 

Love on Board by Aries Skye

The third book in a series, Love On Board, brings us back to the world introduced to us in Love on the Ninth Floor, this time with the third Richards sister, Aquila. After her marriage and life implode beneath her, Aquila decides to do something for herself for the first time in her life and books a singles cruise. When she meets mogul Roman, they hit it off, but neither is really in the place to take on a new relationship—so they decide to spend the cruise becoming friends. Yeah. That will totally work.

Read Me Slow by Charish Reid

Charish Reid is an autobuy for me and should be for everyone. Her books are full of heart and good sentences, and this one is no different. When Maya, a romance author, suddenly needs an audiobook narrator when hers are unavailable, the last person she expects to get as a replacement is her younger brother’s best friend, who is currently a horror podcaster. There’s a 15-year difference between them, but the chemistry is chemistrying.