Goodreads Choice Awards 2026: Best Romance Nominees and Winner
The 2026 Goodreads Choice Awards nominees have been announced, and it’s time to vote for the best romance book of the year!
This year’s Best Romance category includes 20 romance books, and I’m excited to see that four of my five-star reads made the list, including my favorite romance book of 2026!
I’ve read quite a few of this year’s nominees, so I’m sharing the complete list along with a quick look at what each book is about and my thoughts on the ones I’ve read.
Will your favorite romance book of 2026 take home the award?
Goodreads Choice Awards 2026 Voting Dates
- Opening Round: November 10–22, 2026
- Final Round: November 24–29, 2026
- Winners Announced: December 3, 2026
The opening round features 20 nominees, with the top 10 advancing to the final round.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Goodreads Choice Awards 2026 Best Romance Winner
Winner: To Be Announced December 3, 2026
I’ll update this post once Goodreads announces the winner of the 2026 Best Romance category.
Until then, check out all 20 nominated books below!
Goodreads Choice Awards 2026: Best Romance Nominees
Here are the 20 books nominated for the 2026 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance, listed alphabetically by title.
And Now, Back to You
by B.K. Borison
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
Two completely opposite meteorologists are forced to work together covering a massive snowstorm, only to find themselves snowed in at an inn with just one bed. I fell so hard for Jackson, one of the sweetest cinnamon roll heroes, and loved how he and Delilah embraced each other’s differences in this funny, emotional, and incredibly swoon-worthy romance!
Bad Words
by Rioghnach Robinson
When literary critic Selina Chan’s scathing review of author Parker Navarro’s latest novel sparks a viral feud, their mutual hatred puts them at the center of a literary firestorm. I’m currently listening to this one and the genuine hatred between these two has me hooked on every word, especially the fascinating discussion about the balance between honest criticism and respecting an author’s work.
Dolly All the Time
by Annabel Monaghan
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
Single mom Dolly agrees to fake date the wealthy Stewart Whitfield while trying to save her family’s home, only to discover that their arrangement could become something real. Annabel Monaghan is a MASTER at slow burn romance, and I absolutely adored Stewart’s quiet vulnerability, Dolly’s strength, and how the smallest moments between them made me swoon!
Embrace
by Bal Khabra
Hockey player Kian Ishida joins a study group to finish his degree and finds himself falling for Scarlett Kilner, the daughter of his coach, who is determined to put her own past mistakes behind her. Their growing attraction threatens to complicate both of their plans in this college hockey romance from Bal Khabra’s Off the Ice series.
Every Version of You
by Natalie Messier
A woman gets the chance to revisit the past and make different choices, including decisions that could change her romantic future. I loved Joey and Alex’s chemistry and the Mexican American representation, but too many of Joey’s choices left me uncomfortable, particularly the cheating element.
Fever Dream
by Elsie Silver
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
A professional bull rider agrees to star on a reality dating show to save his family’s ranch, only to fall for the show’s location assistant, who happens to be his rival’s younger sister. I loved the behind-the-scenes reality TV drama, but Emmett completely stole my heart as the playboy who falls first, making this another addictive Elsie Silver romance!
→ Read my review of Fever Dream
Game On
by Navessa Allen
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
A morally gray man blackmails a tattoo artist into fake dating him as part of his revenge against the wealthy elite. I ate up the genuine hatred between Tyler and Stella, their snarky banter, and their intense chemistry, even when Tyler was being a complete a$$hole!
In Her Own League
by Liz Tomforde
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
The first female owner of a Major League Baseball team clashes with her older field manager as they struggle to keep their growing attraction from interfering with their careers. I loved the chemistry, banter, and emotional growth between these two, making this one of my favorite sports romances of the year!
Into the Blue
by Emma Brodie
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
Seven years after Noah mysteriously disappeared from AJ’s life, the former acting partners reunite as co-stars on a television show and must confront the heartbreak and secrets of their past. I was completely captivated by their chemistry, especially during their improv scenes, and despite finding the sci-fi show confusing, the emotional ending and Emma’s fantastic writing made this one worth reading!
King of Gluttony
by Ana Huang
Culinary empire heir Sebastian Laurent and marketing executive Maya Singh have been rivals since childhood, but being forced to work together threatens to turn their competitive relationship into something more. This enemies-to-lovers billionaire romance is the sixth book in Ana Huang’s Kings of Sin series.
Lost and Found
by Tarah DeWitt
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
After losing her best friend, Bea finds herself navigating grief and a new path toward motherhood with the help of Silas, a firefighter who’s been quietly in love with her for years. Silas’s eight years of pining, their playful almost-flirting, and the way their relationship develops through Bea’s grief made this such a deeply heartfelt romance.
Love Song
by Elle Kennedy
After a painful breakup, Blake Logan escapes to her family’s Lake Tahoe house for the summer, only to find herself sharing it with Wyatt Graham, the older guy who once rejected her teenage crush. This next-generation Briar University romance brings together the children of characters from Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series.
One & Only
by Maurene Goo
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
A forty-year-old matchmaker who can identify soulmates through their past lives finds herself torn between the younger man she unexpectedly falls for and the man she’s supposedly destined to love. Goo completely swept me up in this magical love triangle, and I loved that both men were written so well that I could genuinely see Cassia finding happiness with either one!
Our Perfect Storm
by Carley Fortune
⭐ READ & RECOMMEND
When Frankie’s wedding falls apart, she heads to Tofino with her childhood best friend George, forcing them to confront years of buried feelings and unresolved tension. George is yearning personified, and between his devotion to Frankie, the emotional payoff, and the incredible Vancouver Island setting, this is my favorite Carley Fortune romance yet!
Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It
by Brooke Averick
As her thirtieth birthday approaches, Phoebe Berman sets out to lose her virginity, something she’s wanted since she was eighteen but has struggled to pursue because of relationship anxiety stemming from a traumatic childhood experience. I really felt for Phoebe, but her immaturity and inability to get out of her own way made this feel more juvenile than I expected, and I ultimately couldn’t root for her enough to finish.
Pink Ink
by Avina St. Graves
A horror-obsessed film student investigating a string of artistic murders unknowingly recreates one of the crime scenes for a class project, only to discover that her professor is the serial killer she’s been tracking. This dark academia romance brings together a dangerous professor, a secret society, and a heroine who finds herself drawn to the very man she should fear.
Score
by Kennedy Ryan
More than a decade after their devastating breakup, screenwriter Verity Hill and musician Wright “Monk” Bellamy are reunited while working on a Harlem Renaissance biopic. Their professional collaboration forces them to confront the painful history and unfinished feelings between them in this second-chance romance.
Star Shipped
by Cat Sebastian
Two actors navigating the end of their television series find themselves drawn together in a queer romance complicated by anxiety, personal struggles, and their shared history. I was hoping for a fun, emotionally engaging romance, but the heavy focus on Simon’s internal struggles and the scattered storytelling left me confused and disconnected from the love story, so I decided not to finish.
The Night We Met
by Abby Jimenez
After a concert, Larissa begins dating Mike, even though his best friend Chris may be her perfect match, creating a complicated love triangle filled with years of longing. I usually love Abby Jimenez’s emotional romances, but the repetitive relationship dynamics and lack of character growth made this one a disappointment for me.
This Book Made Me Think of You
by Libby Page
Five months after her husband’s death, Tilly discovers that he left her twelve carefully selected books, one for each month, to help her navigate her grief and rediscover life. With the help of a local bookshop owner, she begins a year of reading-inspired adventures that may lead her toward love again.
My Pick for Best Romance of 2026
I’m thrilled that four of my five-star romance books made this year’s Goodreads Choice Awards nominees list: Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune, Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan, And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison, and In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde.
I’d happily recommend all four, but if I could only vote for one, my pick is Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune!
George and Frankie’s friends-to-lovers romance completely stole my heart, and it’s my favorite romance book of 2026.
I’d love to see it win!
Which Romance Book Gets Your Vote?
Have you read any of the 2026 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Romance nominees?
Which book are you voting for, and are there any romance books you wish had made the list?
Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading…because life is better with a love story!
More of the Best Romance Books of 2026
The Goodreads Choice Awards are always fun to follow, but there are so many fantastic romance books that deserve recognition beyond these 20 nominees.
If you’re looking for more romance books worth adding to your TBR list, check out my personally curated recommendations:
More Goodreads Choice Awards in Romance:
- 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance
- Goodreads Choice Awards Hub
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