What to Read & What to Skip: My September 2026 Romance Reads
Apparently September is the month when my reading life can’t decide what season we’re in. I read plenty of fall romance books, started making my way through this year’s Christmas releases, squeezed in a few Kindle Unlimited finds, and still managed to read everything from historical romance to dystopian novellas.
And after quite a few three-star reads, I finally found the book that reminded me exactly why my expectations are so high!
I read 25 books this month, and there were definitely some standouts, some books that will work better for the right reader, and a few I’d personally skip.
If you’re already wondering what October has in store, check out my Upcoming Romance Book Releases.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
September Reading Snapshot
🏆 Top Read: Solar Eclipse of the Heart by Kate Robb
❤️ Best for Trope Lovers: Until I Remember by Karla Sorensen | Amnesia Romance
📖 Most Addictive Romcom: Not Home Alone by Kayley Loring
❌ Skip It: Wolf.e by Paisley Hope
📚 Total Read: 25
🎉 New Authors Read: 4!
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Must-Read Romance Books From September
Solar Eclipse of the Heart
by Kate Robb
⭐ 4.5 stars
You know when you’ve been reading a lot of “pretty good” books and start wondering if your expectations are just too high? THIS book reminded me why they’re high with a fantastic slow burn, a magical twist, and cinnamon roll hero Mackenzie who is kind, genuine, never pushy and always thinking about what Annalise needs.
Read my full review of Solar Eclipse of the Heart
Until I Remember
by Karla Sorensen
⭐ 4 stars
I’ve read at least three amnesia romances this year, and this is by far my favorite. Mercy may not remember their marriage, but Grant remembers EVERYTHING, and watching this very proper British hero ache for his wife while trying not to push her had my heart in a chokehold.
Not Home Alone
by Kayley Loring
⭐ 4 stars
Kayley Loring gave me exactly the kind of Christmas romcom I wanted with hilarious snark, ridiculous nicknames, Home Alone and Nutcracker nods, and fantastic chemistry once fake dating enters the picture. Funny, swoony, festive and an easy addition to my must-read Christmas romances of 2026.
Read my full review of Not Home Alone
If second chance romance is your weakness, don’t miss my favorite Second Chance Romance Books.
Free Falling
by Lyla Sage
⭐ 4 stars
Soul Searching wasn’t a favorite of mine, so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about returning to Sweetwater Peak, but Free Falling won me over. Clarke and Leith’s chemistry, fake dating where the “fake” feelings are VERY questionable, and the cozy, slightly eerie small-town atmosphere made this one work for me.
The Luckiest Lady in London
by Sherry Thomas
⭐ 4 stars
This book reminded me why I love picking up a great historical romance. Louisa is smart, witty, and wonderfully unabashed about her attraction to Felix, while their courtship becomes this delicious battle of wits filled with fantastic banter and chemistry.
Read my full review of The Luckiest Lady in London
Pumpkin Spice & Promises
by Nora Everly
⭐ 4 stars
This sweet, low-angst romance gave me all the fall vibes with Sweetbriar’s Harvest Festival and Mr. Pumpkin competition, but I especially loved watching quiet Matt come out of his shell with Elizabeth. They’re both caretakers who are used to putting everyone else first, so there was something really satisfying about watching them finally find someone who wanted to take care of them too.
Axe Marks the Spot
by Kayla Grosse
⭐ 4 stars | Reread
I reread this for Book Club and appreciated Dane even more the second time around. He’s calm, emotionally intelligent and actually communicates, but what really works for me is how his Dom/sub relationship with Lindsey gives her the structure and release she needs from carrying everyone else’s mental load while still feeling supportive rather than controlling.
Read my full review of Axe Marks the Spot
Axes & O’s
by Kayla Grosse
⭐ 4 stars
If you’re looking for a much kinkier holiday romance, this one brings married couple Morgan and Fox together with Nathan after they’re snowed in before Christmas. It’s heavy on BDSM and steam with a fast timeline, but I appreciated how much honesty, communication and consent Kayla Grosse brings to their exploration.
Wanted
by Paisley Hope
⭐ 4 stars
Beau won me over with his devotion to his twin girls, protective side and, ahem, dirty-talking mouth, but it was that “I know I shouldn’t want you but can’t stay away” chemistry with Hallie that kept me reading. Pick this up if you love cowboy romance, forced proximity, and a slightly taboo relationship.
If cowboys are your weakness, I’ve got plenty more waiting on my Cowboy Romance Books list.
A Married Little Christmas
by Abby Jimenez
⭐ 4 stars
These three loosely connected Christmas novellas were such fun, quick holiday reads, with everything from a disastrous second chance dinner to a cinnamon roll costume bet and best friends getting married after three days. They’re funny, swoony and perfect when you want a holiday romance you can finish in one sitting.
Read my full review of A Married Little Christmas
If you’re already building your holiday TBR, you’ll find even more on my Christmas Romance Books list.
Good, But Not My Favorites
These weren’t necessarily bad reads, and several have very specific readers I’d still recommend them to. They just didn’t earn the same enthusiasm from me as the books above.
The Daddy’s Girl
by Sara Cate
⭐ 3 stars
I went in expecting the kink exploration and high steam I loved in Sara Cate’s Salacious Players books, but despite the taboo setup between Amelia and her much-older godfather, Matis, this one felt surprisingly restrained. I liked how Matis supported Amelia with her ADHD and career choices, but I wanted more from their chemistry and relationship development, and one storyline felt thrown in simply for shock value.
Undone
by Peyton Corinne
⭐ 3 stars
I’ve been waiting for Toren’s story throughout this college hockey series, and Undone starts SO strong with him at rock bottom only to have the abusive former coach who broke him show up at his new university, along with Lily, his childhood best friend and soulmate whom he hasn’t seen in four years. I completely believed in their connection, but their back-and-forth lasts for almost 70% of the book when there was SO much more I wanted Peyton to dig into with Toren’s depression, abuse, friendship, found family and learning to let people care for him.
Fall Love
by L.B. Dunbar
⭐ 3 stars
Fall Love was a sweet, fall-filled romance that got better for me as it went along, especially with Tate’s adorable fall dates and determination to prove he wanted Neve, not just the baby. The first half moved a bit slowly for me, but if you want an older-couple romance filled with apple picking, pumpkin spice and a cinnamon roll hero, this will definitely give you the fall vibes.
Read my full review of Fall Love
Read more + grab your copy
Too Cold for Comfort
by Nisha J. Tuli
⭐ 3 stars
This was a three-star romance with a five-star setting for me. I loved the remote polar bear lodge in Manitoba and Aadya’s determination to build the travel-writing career she wants, and while I believed her connection with grumpy lodge owner Reid despite it developing over just twelve days, I wanted more character depth and stronger pacing.
Read my full review of Too Cold for Comfort
Read more + grab your copy
The Little Shop of Merry and Bright
by Jenny Bayliss
⭐ 3 stars
I liked the Christmas Carol nod, found family and touch of magic as Casey gets a glimpse at an alternate life, but this is much more about personal growth than romance. If you like slower, no-steam holiday reads where the love story takes a back seat, this may work better for you.
Read my full review of The Little Shop of Merry and Bright
Read more + grab your copy
Bouquets and Buckles
by Elliott Rose
⭐ 3 stars
After several sweeter holiday reads, this steamy Christmas novella about a woman fleeing a cheating ex only to be rescued from a snowstorm by her best friend’s father and longtime crush was quite the change of pace. Their history helped the fast intimacy work for me, but expect instalove and a very quick timeline.
Hold
by Claire Kent
⭐ 3 stars
The premise sounds pretty horrendous, with archaeologist Riana stranded on a prison planet and offering herself to Cain for protection, and yet somehow this worked for me. Their attraction and Cain’s unexpected gentleness made this unusual, high-steam novella an easy one-sitting read.
First
by Ali Hazelwood
⭐ 3 stars
Give me Ali Hazelwood plus dystopian romance and of course I’m reading it. This short After the End story about an Alpha general crashing a Beta/cold Omega wedding gave me fantastic chemistry and was an easy one-sitting read.
Romance Books I’d Skip
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder
by Ally Carter
⭐ 2.5 stars
This worked fine as an interesting holiday mystery, but not nearly as well for me as a romance. It took so long for Ella and Liam’s romance to even show itself, and once it did, there wasn’t enough chemistry or relationship development to make me invested in them as a couple.
Something About September
by Julia McKay
⭐ 2.5 stars
This had all the ingredients I wanted in a cozy fall romance with a small town, apple orchard, hay maze and childhood crush, but the actual romance fell flat for me. There wasn’t enough chemistry or conflict to keep me invested, the picture-perfect family dynamic felt a little too saccharine, and I eventually found myself skimming.
The Naughtiest List
by Jade West
⭐ 2.5 stars
Sometimes you just want a late-night Kindle Unlimited read, and that’s basically what this was for me. I skipped ahead to the series finale for the HEA and heated scenes, and while it wasn’t ⭐ 2.5 stars
The Santa Claus Con
by Lauren Kung Jessen
⭐ 1 star
Two FBI agents going undercover at Christmas sounded like such a fun premise, but too many characters, flashbacks, details and moving pieces gave me a headache. With the story taking place over roughly 24 hours, I needed instant chemistry to make the romance work, and I just didn’t feel it.
Brood
by Claire Kent
⭐ 1 star
This After the End novella is built around a breeding-kink premise in an underground society with a dwindling population, but I never bought the romance because the characters barely seemed to know each other beyond the purpose they were expected to serve. A scene where the heroine is violated by her doctor was especially disturbing to me, and the story just never got better from there.
The Christmas Yes List
by Melissa Ferguson
DNF
I loved the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days meets Christmas premise with people-pleaser Chloe trying to finally say no while James is trying to say yes to more things in his own life, but the pacing and over-the-top situations weren’t landing as funny for me, so I stopped halfway through. It’s intentionally sweet and cheesy with subtle Christian elements, and since the movie is releasing this December, I’m curious to see if this story works better for me on screen.
Wolf.e
by Paisley Hope
DNF
This started out captivating enough to keep me listening, but by 40% I’d hit my limit with the questionable consent. I can handle a good girl/bad boy setup, but this crossed a personal line for me and gave me too much of an ick to keep going.
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