10 Best Books of 2026 (So Far)
It’s time for a rundown of my favorite books of the year so far!! I’m on track to read 120 books this year, so I’ve had over 60 books to choose from for this list of book recommendations.
Normally I read primarily romance books, and while that genre is still the most represented, I’ve filled out my reading with a lot more thrillers, fantasy and even general fiction books in 2026.
That means an even wider variety of book recommendations for you! My best books of 2026 (so far) post is organized by genres, so you’ll find my favorite picks from romance, thrillers, fantasy and fiction below.
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Best Romance Books of 2026 (So Far)
First and Forever by Lynn Painter
A completely unexpected five star sports romance! I’ve read and loved Lynn Painter’s other adult romances, but this one easily jumps to the top. I was cracking up throughout the whole book and absolutely swooning over the unlikely connection between the main characters. (I also may be biased because the female main character is an accountant, just like me!)
A football player looking to help the team with a positive PR stunt agrees to go on the news to clear the air with a fan who got into a tussle with the team’s mascot. Their banter is unexpectedly delightful when she isn’t afraid to call him out on a dropped pass, and he ends up sort of asking her on a date on live TV.
She’s shocked he would actually be interested, but after spending some time together they both realize the slightly ridiculous start to their relationship may have uncovered the one person they’re meant to be with! There are also so many incredible side characters in this story, that make this an extremely well rounded novel and a blast to read start to finish! | Buy From Amazon
Just For The Cameras by Meghan Quinn
I had such a blast listening to this football / zookeeper romance 😂 It is packed full of signature Meghan Quinn humor and banter! Maple is a passionate flamingo keeper at the San Francisco Zoo when her life is upended for a PR stunt. A few of the local pro teams picked players to help at the zoo for good PR and she’s saddled with Graydon. He’s as stoic and grumpy as they come and thinks this whole project is a ridiculous waste of time.
Safe to say these two do NOT get off to a good start. Maple is trying to show him the importance of caring for these creatures and Graydon resists in every possible way. In an attempt to turn things around, Maple suggests an arrangement where she’ll try to learn about and play his sport in exchange for his cooperation with the flamingos.
This idea takes off with the public and suddenly Maple and Graydon are thrust into a PR relationship too. But the animosity between them is gone, replaced with a simmering desire. Except being in the public eye means all sorts of pressure and problems…
There were so many elements of this story I adored! Graydon brings Maple out of her shell when they’re together and results is some amazing spicy scenes! Once they got to know each other, they really brought out the best in each other. I also loved the group chat that formed between the 3 athletes involved at the zoo. They were hilarious!! The perfect side story that played an important role in Graydon’s life. Don’t miss out on a great time and check this out now! | Buy From Amazon
A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity by Rachel Linden
I just finished listening on audio and fell in love with this charming and oh so slightly magical foodie romance.
Quick summary – all the women in Emmie’s family are given a vision on one of their birthdays that will show them their true purpose in life. As a single mom trying to keep her family’s fudge shop afloat, Emmie has been waiting 34 years for hers. When it finally happens, it seems too good to be true. Her celebrity crush, the chocolate shop of her dreams!?
But as the weeks and months unfold afterward, more and more parts of this vision seem to be coming true. Except her pesky childhood friend, Jakub, is back in town and forcing her to question whether she actually wants what she was shown…
I adored the focus on life in a small town and how they banded together to help each other out while facing hardship. Plus Emmie trying to decide between a safe, nice option and a longtime love who stole her heart was fun to watch play out! Add in all the talk of fudge and chocolates and it completely won me over!! | Buy From Amazon
Best Thriller Books of 2026 (So Far)
Anatomy of An Alibi by Ashley Elston
Ashley’s 2024 thriller was one of my favorite reads of that year and while this one didn’t quite live up that five star thriller, this is still a must read! A twisted tale involving two women trying to uncover a husband’s secrets. Except when the husband ends up dead, only one has a solid alibi.
Camille believes her hotshot lawyer husband is hiding some dirty secrets, so she comes up with a plan to uncover them. Aubrey also has a reason to want to bring Ben to justice, so she agrees to pose as Camille for 12 hours while Camille digs into Ben’s secrets. Except Ben ends up dead and they’re now both suspects…
This is more of a classic murder mystery as everyone involved tries to uncover who really killed Ben and why. The storytelling is phenomenal and I loved jumping back and forth between all the characters’ perspectives. | Buy From Amazon
My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
A psychological thriller that centers on mysterious identities and deceit within a seemingly perfect marriage. Eden is a promising artist about to unveil her first exhibition, but returns one morning from run to find her new home, Spyglass, locked and unrecognizable. Her key doesn’t fit, and when she knocks, a woman who looks eerily like her answers the door, yet this stranger’s husband insists she is his wife.
Six months earlier, Birdy, a solitary Londoner grappling with a life-altering diagnosis, inherits Spyglass from a grandmother she never knew and relocates there seeking answers. While there, Birdy uncovers a shadowy clinic claiming to predict people’s dates of death, including her own, triggering revelations that blur the lines between lies and reality. As both women’s narratives intersect, Feeney crafts a twisting tale of obsession, deception, and revenge that keeps readers guessing about who can be trusted and what really happened within the walls of Spyglass. | Buy From Amazon
Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
This book utterly captivated me! My nose was inches from my Kindle for the last 15% as I was trying to read faster to find out how it would end! If you love high stakes, fast-paced thrillers this is a must read.
Two friends head out for what’s supposed to be a day-long cave exploration, but the day ends in a murder investigation and a desperate rescue effort. Tess is normally the shadow to Allie’s travel influencer, big personality. Except today Tess is the one fighting for her life after a suspicious man follows them into the cave. After her nightmare is over, Tess recounts the events that led to her harrowing escape.
The story is told in bits and pieces as Tess shares the details with a detective in the hospital, so the reader is slowly brought along with the girls as the story unfolds. It was incredibly twisty and had me literally gasping in shock! Such a fun read!! | Buy From Amazon
Best Fantasy Books of 2026 (So Far)
The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin
If you want a completely original, enchanting standalone fantasy, this is a must read!! I savored it the whole way through, completely enchanted by the fairy tale like story she crafted. It’s set in a small village high in the mountains where the sun does not reach, so a Starmaker must pull the sunlight into the village each morning.
A few days before her wedding, Aurora discovers magic in her veins that reveals she’s to be the next Starmaker and she’s whisked off to his castle against her will for training. He is thoughtless and brusque and she’s devastated about leaving her family and former life behind. This feels like a fairy tale and both the setting and the story will sweep you away! Plus, the first edition is GORGEOUS. | Buy From Amazon
Rites Of The Starling by Devney Perry
This is the sequel to one of my favorite books of 2025, Shield of Sparrows, and it absolutely lived up to the first book! I always get nervous reading a sequel (especially in the fantasy genre) because they have a tendency to drop off in quality. Not the case here!
Shield of Sparrows introduces us to Odessa, who is married off to the prince of a neighboring kingdom to ensure peace. However, she discovers a dangerous poison is infecting the beasts of this land and threatening the lives of the people. She deals with growing feelings for the wrong man, learning to navigate fights both physical and political, and the overarching terror of an upcoming migration of horrid winged animals that slaughter anyone they can find.
Book 2 continues the story in the best possible way, with a shift in perspective and the introduction of new characters that I absolutely fell in love with! It was the perfect blend of new and familiar with utterly compelling storytelling! I can’t recommend this series enough! | Buy From Amazon
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
I saw someone describe this as Game of Thrones meets Outlander and that’s honestly the perfect mashup for this fascinating fantasy! It’s got the political scheming and detailed world building of an epic fantasy with a modern day female main character and a hint of the banter and romance we love from romantasy books!
Maggie wakes up sopping wet and cold in an unfamiliar place and quickly realizes she has somehow been transported INTO the world of her favorite fantasy series. Sounds amazing right? Except she has no money, no connections, and no idea how to even survive the night. As she quickly discovers though, she can be killed but cannot die. The one tool Maggie has is an intricate knowledge of this world… As she builds her own little network using her insights from the books, Maggie vows to save this city from an upcoming horrible event and plots to take down the future tyrant.
I was completely engrossed in this story!! The concept itself was so unique – I mean who doesn’t want to live in their favorite book!? But the actual logistics are impossibly hard to navigate and being a woman in a medieval like society is just a pain 😂 I loved her “modern woman tries to figure out society” moments which added plenty of humor and relatability to the story.
The plot is also intricate and walks a perfect line between being difficult to follow and too simple. I highly recommend this for any fantasy or romantasy fans!! I can’t wait for her story to continue! | Buy From Amazon
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Can we talk about how insanely gorgeous this cover is!? Those sprayed edges and another cozy fantasy are a winning combo from Sarah Beth Durst. I was completely entranced by this – she continues to knock it out of the park with her cozy fantasy books!
Unlike Sarah’s other adult novels, this is a young adult fantasy that follows a 16 year old girl who visits her eccentric aunt’s inn for the summer. Rather than a cozy B&B, Calisa finds a rundown building in desperate need of repair. Her aunt refuses to acknowledge how bad it’s gotten, but Calisa convinces her that she can help.
Over the summer, Calisa tries to bring the inn back to life, along with the help of the cute local boy, but she realizes there’s something quite unexpected about this place and it’s guests. Something…magical and otherworldly. The inn is keeping a secret and Calisa will now do everything she can to protect it before it’s too late! 5 Stars | Buy From Amazon