I haven’t been this ready for spring in years! The flowers are blooming (and, yes, my allergies are, too), and the cold weather is finally behind us. That means it’s time to get outside and dive into my favorite hobby — reading on the deck! (I know, you probably assumed it was hiking.) This month, I’ve been loving stories full of opposites attracting, heroines chasing big dreams, and heroes who aren’t just handsome but genuinely supportive. Here are the books I’ve read and loved. Happy reading!

*****

Emily Ohanjanians’s The Book Tour (Dell) is a sparkling romance that expertly balances humor, heart, and career-driven stakes.

Ana Movilian has built an impressive life on her own terms: leaving med school to become a bestselling author and podcaster and confidently navigating her career with no interest in settling down. She’s surrounded by a team of talented, badass women who support her success and cheer her on every step of the way. Her national book tour should be the culmination of all her hard work — hopefully leading to bigger and better things that might finally impress her mother. But everything changes when her trusted publicist quits just as the tour launches, replaced by Ryan Grant, a broody, highbrow PR pro who seems uninterested in Ana or her popular self-help book.

From their first encounter, Ana and Ryan clash. She’s self-assured and fiercely independent; he’s reserved and enigmatic, the kind of stuffy literature-reading fellow Ana loathes. She’s convinced he’s been trying to sabotage her career, but long travel days, packed events, last-minute crises, and late-night conversations make her question her assumptions. What starts as a must-be-endured professional arrangement begins to take shape as an opposites-attract relationship with a clear boundary they can’t cross. Yet.

Ohanjanians’s debut sparkles, beautifully capturing the excitement (and chaos) of a book tour while exploring what it means to have the courage to let someone see your real self. The chemistry between Ana’s unstoppable energy and Ryan’s quiet strength is full of steamy tension and surprising tenderness. This is likely to be one of my favorite books of 2026!

*****

With The Starter Ex (Putnam), Mia Sosa delivers a feel-good romantic comedy built on a delightfully outrageous premise and a whole lot of heart.

Vanessa Cordero, once known for her side hustle as a “starter ex,” agrees to take on one last job to help her sister, Lisa, win over a man — by dating him first and driving him away. Her plan is simple: Be unbearable, end the relationship quickly, and walk away so her sister can swoop in and be the woman of his dreams. But Jason Torres isn’t the easy mark Vanessa expects.

Jason wants his mother to stop nagging him about settling down, and he’s not happy when he discovers the deal Vanessa has made with Lisa. But rather than walk away, he realizes their fake relationship could solve his problem perfectly. What follows is a clever, escalating game of emotional chicken, where Vanessa’s attempts to sabotage things grow increasingly creative, and Jason meets each one with patience, humor, and surprising sincerity.

The real charm lies in how quickly the dynamic shifts. The family issues add emotional depth, and the payoff is deeply satisfying without feeling predictable. With its playful nods to classic romcom setups — think “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” — this story feels both familiar and fresh. (In other words, perfect for spring.)

*****

Brittanée Nicole’s Darling Daffodils Farm (Putnam) is a warm, swoony, small-town romance that blends heartfelt emotion with irresistible charm.

Tally Darling returns to her New England hometown of Hope Harbor — and her family’s flower farm — after her father’s death, carrying deep guilt for having left her family behind. She plans to stay only through the busy wedding and tourist season before heading to Nantucket to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef. But once home, she quickly realizes that the farm — and her place in it — has changed in ways she never expected.

At the center of the upheaval is Jesse Walker, the gruff and grumpy farmhand her father trusted to keep the struggling operation afloat. Bound by loyalty and a promise, Jess is determined to look out for the Darlings and the land they love. Tally, meanwhile, is torn between chasing her future and reconnecting with her roots, creating a poignant internal conflict that backgrounds the romance.

The relationship between Tally and Jess may begin with friction, but it quickly deepens into something tender and magnetic as they build a passionate, sincere connection. Sweet, emotional, and gently steamy, this charming start to a new series is perfect for readers who love slow-burn romance and stories rooted in healing and home.

Kristina Wright lives in Virginia with her husband, their two sons, two Goldendoodles, and a ginger cat. She’s a regular contributor at BookBub and a lifelong fan of romance fiction. Find her on Bluesky at @kristinawright.