December 2026 Book Releases
I am so excited about the December 2026 book releases. November and December are usually slower months in publishing. We are starting to see some romance as well as fantastic fiction books this month.
This is usually the time when publishers are gearing up for the wave of books coming out in the new year. However, that does not mean that no fantastic books are being released this month. Even though we are in the middle of the holiday season, we are not seeing holiday books!
I include information about where you can order/pre-order, along with a brief synopsis of each book. Once Kirsten and/or I have read the book, we will add our thoughts as well.
Why do I make these lists of most anticipated books? When Kirsten and I highlight books we want to read, we hope if gives you some books to add to your TBR. When you request them early at your local library or preorder them from your local bookstore, you help generate buzz. The result? You are helping authors and sending the message that you support the book community!
If you want some in-depth reviews before the books are published, you can check out our Beyond the Bookends Book Club. We host a monthly Zoom meeting where we share our favorite upcoming books with you. We give you the scoop on what to read and what to skip!
The Most Anticipated December 2026 Book Releases
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
The Best Fiction Book Release
Rabbit Rabbit by Jennifer E. Smith –Jump to Section
The Best Historical Fiction Book Release
The Heart Note by Vanessa McCausland –Jump to Section
The Best Fantasy Book Release
The Villain Edit by Rosie Danan –Jump to Section
The Best Thriller Book Release
The Chaperones by Amy Meyerson –Jump to Section
The Best Romance Book Release
 In Every Future, It’s Us by Katie Naymon –Jump to Section
The Best Nonfiction Book Release
The Rothschilds: The Untold Family Story by Harry Freedman –Jump to Section
The Best YA Book Release
Kissing Cowboys by Meg Cabot –Jump to Section
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
December 2026 Fiction Book Releases
Rabbit Rabbit
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Release Date: December 15, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Thousand Voices Imprint
Plot
Billie is 39 and single when she makes the decision to have a baby on her own. An hour later, she meets Arthur. He seems perfect in almost every way except one: he does not want children. This book takes place over a year, one month at a time, as Billie visits fertility clinics and then heads off on romantic vacations with Arthur. Which version of her life will she choose?
Fetal Position
Author: Carolyn Huynh
Release Date: December 1, 2026
Genre: Speculative Fiction
More info: Author of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Fortunes of Jaded Women
Plot
In a world awash in male loneliness and plummeting birth rates, Hatch is a start-up looking for viable women to be surrogates. Their Utopian center looks too good to be true, but Lena is happy to sign up to get a break from her corporate 9-5. But as the women around her begin to disappear, she needs to uncover the dark truth of Hatch before it’s too late.
Plot
Newly divorced, Liv has given up on London and moved to the Yorkshire Dales. She wanted a fresh start, but is now desperately lonely, so she adopts a grumpy dog named Harry. During her daily walks with Harry, she begins to connect with the other lonely villagers and find community, as she begins to heal the world around her and herself.
Plot
Lina & June have an opposites-attract kind of friendship. They shouldn’t make sense on paper, but they are the best friends at their NYC college. They are thick as thieves until June’s health takes a bad turn and Lina hops on a plane to Paris, leaving her behind. Can they fix their friendship, or are they going to sever ties for good?
December 2026 Historical Fiction Book Releases
The Heart Note
Author: Vanessa McCausland
Release Date: December 4, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Three Timelines
Plot
In 2022, Eva’s sense of smell is gone after an illness and her mother Lily is suffering from dementia. When Lily, in a moment of clarity, mentions something about Grasse 20 years earlier, Ava is suddenly intrigued.
2001: Lily and Eva are in France together and after the two are seperated, Lily meets a handsome widower
1532: Heli things she is destined to be a glovemaker, but yearns to learn her mother’s craft of perfume making. When her mother falls ill, she creates a mixture of her own that changes the history of perfume forever. This book is perfect for my list of Perfume Fiction Books!
The Three Daughters of Annam
Author: Phong Nguyen
Release Date: December 8, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: An Epic Story that spans ninety years
Plot
This is a book that spans over ninety years and three continents. It is based on the author’s family and their immigration to the United States from Vietnam. It follows three women as they survive trials and whose friendship bonds them forever.
The Bureau of Unknown Fates
Author: Gaëlle Nohant
Release Date: December 8, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot
When Irene moves to Germany, she takes a job at the International Tracing Service to determine what happened to the millions of people lost during WWII, and her work takes over her life. Years later, she is tasked with returning artifacts from concentration camps to family members of deceased relatives, even some connected to her own past. She finds out about humanity – the good, bad, ugly – during her work and it profoundly changes her.
December 2026 Fantasy/ Sci-fi Books
The Villain Edit
Author: Rosie Danan
Release Date: December 8, 2026
Genre: Fantasy Romance
More info: Best selling Author of Fan Service
Plot
Gabriel Hargrave has been sent to live with humans for ten years. If he can prove that he is not an out-of-control, bloodthirsty vampire during that time, he will be welcomed back as the crown prince. He had been avoiding temptation by living in a retirement community. But his chance knocks on his door, inviting him to be the first vampire on a reality TV dating show. Harper has a lot to prove, and getting a vampire on TV is her chance. The problem? He has no experience with dating or drinking blood, and she has three weeks to get him camera-ready. This is perfect for my list of Reality TV Novels.
Thrillers and Mysteries for December 2026
Plot
One of my favorite authors is back with another thriller, and I can’t wait to read it! At the Chester School, the third-graders and their parents go on an annual camping trip at the end of the year on a remote island in California. Stranded during a massive storm, the chaperones wake up to find two children missing from their tents. The search leads to a body and a realization that someone else is on the island in this locked-room mystery-thriller.
Romance: December 2026 Book Releases
Plot
Florence and Tom have been best friends since childhood, and they are now facing their upcoming graduation. Determined to stay friends, they make a pact to write five secret predictions at every NYE party from now on. Whoever gets the most guesses correct by the following year gets to choose a big change for the other person. It works until last year, when their friendship was shattered over a letter. Forced to reunite to plan the NYE party again, these two need to come to terms with their friendship and the feelings they are harboring for one another.
Plot
Sophie Sullivan is back with a NYE romance story! Kyra has decided that this will be HER year, and thus, at midnight, she has an unexpected one-night stand… with her brother’s best friend, Ethan. Ethan doesn’t want to lose his best friend, so he’s determined not to cross that line again, until something unexpected brings him close to Kyra once again.
Plot
This is a friends-to-lovers romance that I cannot wait to read. Libi Newman’s OCD makes it nearly impossible for her to have a relationship. Luckily, her friend Nate from her OCD support group knows just how to support her. So when Libi is invited to her grandparents’ timeshare in Mexico to celebrate their anniversary, she is so happy to bring Nate along for emotional support. She has no idea he has had a crush on her the whole time. The two make up a fake-dating scheme to help her cope with her ex and her father’s new girlfriend, and soon the lines begin to blur.
December 2026: Best Nonfiction Book Releases
The Rothschilds: The Untold Family Story
Author: Harry Freedman
Release Date: December 8, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot
This book explores the legacy of the Rothschild name. It explores the history spanning wars and revolutions, along with the fight against antisemitism that has followed them from the ghettos of Frankfurt. This book is a new view of a very well-known family.
Best YA December 2026 Book Releases
Kissing Cowboys
Author: Meg Cabot
Release Date: December 8, 2026
Genre: YA Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
This is a sweet romance from the December 2026 book releases that I cannot wait to read. Winn Riley is from NYC and would have been happy to stay put. Her mother takes a job in Montana teaching troubled boys on a dude ranch. Now, Winn is the only girl surrounded by very cute boys. This is the first book in a new series that is sure to be a must-read.
More December 2026 Book Releases
These are some additional books that caught my eye. I wanted to be sure to point out the special edition of Project Hail Mary. This would make an excellent holiday gift!
Expert Tip
Looking through books can be daunting if you are trying to add some books to your TBR. Remember that this list of the most anticipated December 2026 book releases is for fun. You may add books to your TBR stack and never read them. That is OK! I have two tips to help narrow down the choices for you.
- If you do not want to look through all the descriptions, I selected a top pick from each genre. I narrowed it down for you!
- If you have a favorite genre that you like to read, head over to that section and pick from those books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most anticipated books from the December 2026 book releases?
Our top three most anticipated books for December 2026 are Rabbit Rabbit by Jennifer E. Smith, The Heart Note by Vanessa McCausland, and The Chaperones by Amy Meyerson.
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Epilogue
Which December 2026 book releases are you most looking forward to reading?
