Spring 2026 Book Releases
The spring 2026 book releases are fantastic, and I cannot wait to dive into these amazing books. This is the post where we divide the book releases by publication date for the entire season!
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If you are looking for new release books divided by genre, I put those in a separate post divided by month. You can find the most anticipated book releases for March 2026, April 2026, and May 2026. The books this year are starting off strong, and I am so excited to get my hands on these. I have proclaimed that 2026 is the year of books about books. This is a trend that I am seeing.
I know that it can seem like a lot, but feel free to jump around. There are so many books that Kirsten and I cannot wait to read, it’s hard to pick which to read first.
The books on this list are divided by release date, so you will know when the books are coming out. Have a look around. And as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Kirsten or me!
*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.
Spring 2026 Book Releases: March 2026
March 3, 2026
That’s What Friends Are For
Author: Wade Rouse
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Inspired by the Golden Girls
Plot
I cannot wait to read this pick from the spring 2026 book releases. Even the description of the book had me chuckling. Theodore Copeland lives in Palm Springs with his three best friends. Barry, a former actor; Ron, looking for someone to share his heart; and Sid, the late bloomer. Teddy is the leader of “The Golden Gays”, a once-monthly drag tribute to “The Golden Girls”. When Teddy’s estranged sister shows up with her teenage granddaughter, secrets will be revealed!
Plot
Camryn, Savannah, Tishy, and Kristin are influencers for the biggest church in town. But behind their social media is the truth and its not as perfect as they make it appear. When they find oout that they new pastor may not be what he appears, they are forced to question their own hypocracy.
Wait for Me
Author: Amy Jo Burns
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Author of Mercury
Plot
Elle Harlow is a folk singer who reached the height of her fame in 1973. After a performance at the Grand Ole Opry, she disappears. Two decades later, Marijohn Shaw, also a folk singer, uncovers information about Elle and her past. Suddenly, Marijohn questions everything she thought she knew about herself.
Plot
Roe Damarcus failed the trial to keep her magic and is given a choice to give up her magic or serve a punishment sentence aboard the Celestial, a magical cruise. Once a board, Roe can compete for votes to earn a retrial. The true danger she is in is not clear until the celestial starts killing staff members after dark. Roe will have to use her powers to uncover the secrets of the ship before it is too late.
The Library of Amorlin
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Adult Debut (Age of Beasts #1), Deluxe Edition
Plot
The Library of Amorlin is a magical institution meant to protect six kingdoms. Kaisa was a con artist who is serving a sentence for hunting dangerous creatures. When an ambassador approaches her with a deal to gain her freedom, she willingly assumes the role of the new assistant librarian. Her job is to infiltrate and destabilize the magical library. Kaisa’s future depends on her ability to bring down the librarian. However, he has secrets of his own and he will guard them closely.
The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives
Author: Elizabeth Arnott
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info:
Plot
Beverly, Elsie, and Margot are all wives of convicted killers. The three women form an unlikely friendship while trying to make a new future for themselves. Everyone around them wonders how they could not have known what their husbands were doing. When a new killer hits the news, the three women decide to join forces to catch the killer. Who could be better than people who have shared their lives with one?
The Primrose Murder Society
Author: Stacy Hackney
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Gilmore Girls meets Only Murders in the Building
Plot
After Lila’s husband is sent to jail for a white-collar crime, she agrees to move into and clean an apartment in a luxurious Virginia landmark apartment building. Soon after she arrives with her daughter, the owner of the building dies and leaves a $2 million reward for anyone who can solve the 21-year-old murder of his granddaughter. When another resident is killed, Lila becomes the prime suspect. Now, she needs to solve both murders to avoid going to jail and losing her daughter.
Plot
When Gill Swanly decides to take up gardening, she never expected to encounter a dead body in the community greenhouse. The Bromley Botanists are trying to win the Golden Trowel for the best community garden. Did their rivals, Corydon, take things too far or is someone else targeting them?
No Matter What
Author: Cara Bastone
Release Date:
Genre: March 3, 2026
More info: Part of Dial Delights, bestselling author of Promise Me Sunshine
Plot
Promise me Sunshine was one of Beyond the Bookends’ best romances of 2025. We cannot wait for this slow burn romance. Roz and Vin survived a life-altering accident, but have not been able to look at each other since. Now, Roz discovers Vin is planning on moving out so she signs up to do a drawing class. When Vin offers to be her model, the two start to see each other in a different way.
Grizzled: Love Letters to 50 of North America’s Least Understood Animals
Author: Jason Bittel
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot
This is a collection of 50 essays with illustrations about amazing animals in North America. From hummingbirds and beavers to jellyfish and deer, this book is readable and perfect for the nature lover.
Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life
Author: Rachel Hartigan
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot
In this pick from the spring 2026 book releases, Hartigan explores the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart. There are so many conspiracy theories about what really happened to Earhart, and this book explores them and dissects them.
March 10, 2026
Plot
I am so excited to read this debut novel. Stafford Hopkins is shocked when he receives the news that he has been named the guardian of his late childhood best friend’s four grandchildren. Recently forced to retire from his Hollywood career, Stafford and his wife must confront their pasts in order to help build a future for the children.
It Girl: A Novel
Author: Allison Pataki
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of The Magnificent Lives of Majorie Post
Plot
At the beginning of the 20th century, pop culture was born, and Evelyn Talbot was America’s sweetheart. Evelyn becomes the first female American celebrity who is sought after by powerful men. When Evelyn gets caught at the center of a murder investigation, she is blamed for the acts of the men around her, and in order to survive, she will have to make her own ending.
Spellbound by Murder
Author: Stacie Ramey
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Fantasy Cozy Mystery
More info: Gilmore Girls Meets Charmed
Plot
Veronica is moving back to Mystic Hollow, Connecticut, with her daughter to help her grandmother run her bookstore after she has a fall. The bookstore needs a lot of TLC, but they hope that a new literary festival will bring in new customers. When Veronica’s mentor turns up dead, she becomes a suspect in his murder. It is only then that her grandmother reveals the bookstore is magical and a botched love spell is the reason for the mess.
How to Survive in the Woods
Author: Kat Rosenfield
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: Set in Maine
Plot
Emma Sharp is married to a man who keeps her under tight control. When she forms a bond with her husband Logan’s ex-girlfriend, the women come up with a plan to help Emma get her life back. They will do the final stretch of the Appalachian Trail, the Hundred Mile Wilderness. This is a psychological thriller from the spring 2026 book releases that will have you asking what it means to be a survivor.
Toe to Toe
Author: Falon Ballard
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: Bestselling Author
Plot
This is the perfect book to go on my list of books about ballet! Allegra is trying to become a principal dancer in her company, but needs to increase her sex appeal. This may be her last chance. She asks Cord to help her. He works in an all-male review, but is practically trained. In exchange, Allegra agrees to help him with choreography. The more time they spend together, the more things heat up between them.
Once and Again
Author: Rebecca Serle
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
The women in the Novak family have a special ability to turn back time ONCE. Lauren’s mother saved her father from a deadly car accident, but has lived in fear of what she would not be able to change ever since. When Lauren’s husband takes a job in NYC and Lauren moves back into her childhood home in Malibu, she starts to fall back into old routines. When she finds her first love, she wonders if there is she needs to change her past.
Plot
Vanessa used to run a business where she would date a guy for a fee, but she would be the worst girlfriend ever to make room for the next person who would end up being perfect. Now, her sister begs her to come out of retirement for one last job. Jason is content to stay a bachelor, but Vanessa cannot scare him away!
Judy Blume: A Life
Author: Mark Oppenheimer
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Biography
More info: Book about an author.
Plot
For more than 55 years, Blume has been changing the world of books for young adults. Are you there God? It’s Me, Margaret was a pivital book for so many young women. This is the biography of the Blume’s life- from her childhood until now.
Shut up and Read: A Memoir from Harriett’s Bookshop
Author: Jeannine A. Cook
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Biography
Plot
Jeannine always wanted to open a bookstore and finally did on Februay 1, 2020. She named the shop after Harriett Tubman, her inspiration. But when COVID forced her to shut down her store 6 weeks later, she was not sure the shop would survive. Five years later, her bookshop in Philadelphia is going strong!
March 17, 2026
Life: A Love Story
Author: Elizabeth Berg
Release Date: March 17, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv
Plot
Florence is 92 years old and knows she’s nearing the end of her life. She writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing all the things she is leaving to Ruthie in her will. What starts off as an autobiography transforms flow, and those around her. She transforms the end of her life into new adventures with new friends.
My Grandfather, The Master Detective
Author: Masteru Konishi
Release Date: March 17, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Japanese bestseller for fans of The Thursday Murder Club
Plot
Kaede is a School teacher who loves classic crime stories. She encounters mysteries more often than other 27-year-olds and turns to her grandfather to help her solve them. Although he has dementia, he was once a member of the Weseda Mystery Club. This is a book filled with references to classic crime novels and translated from the best-selling Japanese book.
Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief
Author: Benjamin Stevenson
Release Date: March 17, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Ernest Cunningham Book 4 of 4
Plot
This is a twisty new locked room mystery from the spring 2026 new releases. Ten suspects in a bank, one murder, and more than one plan to rob the bank. Who is stealing what? Are they willing to kill for what they want?
March 24, 2026
Daughters of Egypt
Author: Marie Benedict
Release Date: March 24, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
I cannot wait to read this pick from the spring 2026 book releases. It is the story of two women living 3,000 years apart. Hatshepsut was a pharaoh whose reign was nearly erased from history. Lady Evelyn Carter becomes obsessed with finding her tomb and determined to keep the artifacts in Egypt. When political tensions rise, Evelyn must make a choice between protecting her father’s legacy (for the discovery of King Tut’s tomb) or creating a legacy of her own.
The Night We Met
Author: Abby Jimenez
Release Date: March 24, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
This romance from the spring 2026 book releases is the second book in the Say You’ll Remember Me duology. It all came down to one choice. Instead of getting a ride home from Chris, she chose to go with his best friend, who became her boyfriend. Now, despite his feelings for her, Chris just wants Larissa to be happy.
March 31, 2026
Plot
Lillian and Henry have been having a fling, which Lillian would like to become a relationship. She is determined to make Henry fall in love with her. But when he unexpectedly breaks up with her instead, she performs a hex on him to bring him back. When he is found dead, she becomes the prime suspect in his murder. She also discovers that he had a long-term girlfriend. Lillian is determined to take her place as the morning girlfriend, but the consequences might be more than she bargained for.
Son of Nobody
Author: Yann Martel
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: From the author of the international bestseller Life of Pi
Plot
I cannot wait to read this retelling of the Trojan War from the spring 2026 book releases. This book is from the perspective of an ancient soldier and a modern scholar who become connected through the ancient story. The book includes illustrations and maps. It is a must-read from the Booker Prize winning author.
Ruins
Author: Lily Brooks Dalton
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Author of The Light Pirate
Plot
This is the second book on the list of spring 2026 book releases about a female archeologist, and I am all for this trend. Ember Agni is seeking proof of a lost empire. She has spent years trying to fund an expedition, and when she finally finds an artifact that hints that she has been right all along. Her journey takes her into the wilderness, where she must choose who she wants to be.
The Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Maggie the Undying #1, Deluxe Edition
Plot
Maggie wakes up and is shocked that she has been transported to Kaie Toren, a city from her favorite fark fantasy series. She has been obsessed with the series for years while waiting for the final book. She knows every character, every plot, and every setting. While she cannot die, her favorite characters can. What starts off as a need to get home slowly turns into saving the kingdom from a war. This pic from the spring 2026 book releases has politics from The Game of Thrones and the romance of Outlander.
Spring 2026 Book Releases: April 2026
April 7, 2026
Love by the Book
Author: Jessica George
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Bestselling author of Maame
Plot
Remy is a best-selling author whose debut novel is based on her three best friends. Unfortunately, her friends feel more distant, and her creativity is suffering because of it. Simone is a kindergarten teacher who has a side hustle that cuts her off from her family. When the two women bump into each other in a bookstore, they just might be what the other needs. I cannot wait to read the story of friendship from our spring 2026 new releases.
American Fantasy
Author: Emma Straub
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Most People’s Anticipated Books of 2026
Plot
I am so excited to read this book from our April 20 26 book releases. The American fantasy is a cruise ship that has a four-day themed voyage. Five members of a 90s-era boy band will be on board with 3000 women who have loved them since childhood. Annie is turning 50 and newly divorced when she decides to go on the cruise. Suddenly, she remembers parts of herself she forgot a long time ago. When she finally meets one of the band members, she finds someone who needs a friend.
The Last Woman of Warsaw
Author: Judy Batalion
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Debut Novel from New York Times Bestselling Author of Light of Days
Plot
In Warsaw in 1938, Fanny and Zosia, two very different women, are brought together when Wanda Petrovsk goes missing. She is Fanny’s beloved professor and a member of Zosia’s movement to create a Jewish homeland. Is Fanny missing because she ran away or because of the rise in antisemitism? This book from the spring 2026 book releases looks like a must-read.
The Book Witch
Author: Meg Shaffer
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: USA Today Bestselling author of The Wishing Game
Plot
I cannot wait to read this book from the April 20 26 book releases. Rainy March is a book witch. She can move in and out of novels to fix any alterations among the pages. All book witches have to abide by a strict code that does not allow them to eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world.
When Rainy’s grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there is only one person she can trust to help her. The Duke of Chicago is a British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. The problem? She has been forbidden to see him anymore because book witches are forbidden from falling in love with characters. Now, the two of them will hop from book to book to find the enemies and uncover secrets!
Plot
Layla Bailey is headed to Paris for her former sister-in-law’s wedding. Layla thought she had moved on from her amicable divorce from her high school sweetheart when she unknowingly gives the bride cold feet while having a heart-to-heart. Now, her needs to work with the best man, Griffin, to make sure the wedding takes place. As she learns more about Griffin’s past heartache, she starts to confront her own.
The Summer I Found You
Author: Jennifer O’Brien
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: Debut novel from home design influencer
Plot
This is a Renovation Romance perfect for the upcoming beach read season. Dahlia has returned to North Fork, Long Island, after a terrible divorce. She plans to put the house on the market, but finds that it needs a lot of TLC. Her neighbor, Noah, is a reality TV star who is happy to help Dahlia. But when she discovers a letter from her aunt detailing a multigenerational mystery, Dahlia ends up unearthing a story that will change everything she knows about her family
The Escape Game
Author: Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: YA Mystery
More info: Bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles
Plot
Season four of The Escape Game ended when Alicia Angelos, a contestant, was found murdered on the set. Everyone believes her sister, Sierra, was the killer who got away. Now, 6 months later, season 5 is starting, and Sierra is a contestant. This season, the game is trying to find Alicia’s killer, and the stakes are just as deadly.
The Ending Writes Itself
Author: Evelyn Clarke
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Debut Mystery from Cat Clarke and V.E. Schwab
Plot
Six struggling writers are invited to spend the weekend on Arthur Fletch’s private Scottish island. Fletch is a bestselling author known for his books’ twists and shocking endings. When the six writers arrive, they are shocked to discover that Fletch is dead and his last book remains unfinished.
They are given 72 hours to complete the book. Whoever writes the ending worthy will be paid a huge sum of money and will be guaranteed a successful revival of their career. This is a locked room mystery that I cannot wait to read from the spring 2026 book releases.
The Girls Trip
Author: Ally Condie
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: Bestselling author of The Unwedding, June 2024 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Plot
Hope, Ash, and Caro have become good friends over the last two years after meeting in an online book club. They had never met in person when they decided to take a girls’ trip at the Sonnet Resort at Eden National Park. They all have their own reasons for wanting to get away, as well as secrets they are keeping. Then, one of them disappears.
The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again
Author: Mary Claire Haver, MD
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
This is the book for all women who tell their doctors that they just do not feel like themselves, only to have the doctor say, “It’s normal.” This is a science-based book that gives explanations for what is going on, preventative medicine, questions, checklists, and research that will help you navigate the years of perimenopause.
April 14, 2026
Midnight at the War
Author: Devi S. Laskar
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Inspired by journalists Christiane Amanpour and Sylvia Poggioli
Plot
Rita Das is a foreign correspondent who is reassigned to the Middle East in the years immediately after 9/11. She is pregnant, but is unclear whether the father is her husband or her lover. Rita is trying to deal with work conflicts along with the grief of losing her mother. Rita must learn to deal with the physical and emotional toll of being in a war-torn country.
Go Gentle
Author: Maria Semple
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Plot
Adora Hazzard is a divorcee who has discovered the key to happiness is only wanting what you already have. She even has a group of like-minded women who live on the same floor in the Ansonia. She is trying to grow membership in her coven when she meets a handsome stranger, and her world is turned upside down. The secrets of her past explode in her life, and she must decide what she is willing to risk to get what she wants.
The Thorn Queen
Author: Sasha Peyton Smith
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Rose Bargain #2
Plot
I have been waiting for this book for a year. This is a fae romantasy that you will want to read if you are looking for a book like The Selection or Like A Court of Thorns and Roses. Ivy is now Queen of England, married to King Bram. He has unleashed fae into the human world, where they are wreaking havoc. Ivy must find a way to save her sister, Lydia, banish her husband, and reunite with Emmet, her true love.
West of Wicked
Author: Nikki St. Crowe
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: The Great and Terrible Land Book 1, Deluxe Edition
Plot
This upcoming fantasy is a retelling of The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy Gail does not know where she came from because she was dropped on Aunty Em and Henry’s doorstep during a storm when she was five. When she is once again ripped from the farmhouse, she finds herself in Oz with her Toto. There, she sets off on the yellow brick road to find the wizard and a way home, but what she finds instead are Tinmen, Scarecrows, and secrets.
The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton
Author: Jennifer N. Brown
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Murder Mystery
More info: Dual Timeline
Plot
Alison Sage is a historian who made a groundbreaking discovery. She found a manuscript with the prophecies of a 16th-century non-named Elizabeth Barton. Barton’s prophecy, which condemned Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, led to Anne’s execution. Afterward, all copies of Barton’s prophecy were supposed to be destroyed.
Alison is now considered an academic elite and is invited to the Codex Cosortium in an English manor. The trip quickly turns into a disaster when there is a murder. Everyone seems to be a suspect as the stakes become higher. Alison needs to solve the mystery, but can she trust anyone?
We Would Never Tell
Author: Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info:
Plot
Three women cannot seem to climb up the ladder of Hollywood. They are all but invisible at the Cannes film festival, twelve days of red carpets on the Riviera. When a multi-million dollar necklace goes missing, and a dead body is found, the three women are not as invisible as they thought.
April 21, 2026
Last Night in Brooklyn
Author: Xochitl Gonzalez
Release Date: April 21, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Bestselling Author of Olga Dies Dreaming, Most Anticipated Book of 2026
Plot
In the spring of 2007, 26-year-old Alicia Canales Forten feels trapped by the life she’s supposed to want. After she moves to Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood, she gets swept up in the scene that is full of parties and people like La Garza, a fashion designer, and her wealthy cousin. This novel is set right before a major election and financial crash. The story looks at the cost of chasing the American dream.
The Unforgettable Mailman
Author: April Howells
Release Date: April 21, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Inspired by true events
Plot
Chicago, 1966: Harry Walton is 81 years old and works at the post office when they announce they are temporarily closing. Harry believes letters are a way to keep people connected, and takes it upon himself to deliver as many letters as he can. Harry is in a race against time and his own forgetfulness.
Plot
Virginia Tillis is a high school junior whose visits to Florida are filled with murders of every sort. Her grandmother, Lainey, is part of a retired theater crew who roleplay murder mysteries.
When the condo owner dies, people come from everywhere to get something out of the will. Now, Virginia and Felix (the grandson of one of the condo’s residents) need to work together to figure out whodunit.
Mad Mabel
Author: Sally Hepworth
Release Date: April 21, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: Bestselling author
Plot
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is an 81-year-old woman who has worked very hard to conceal her past. No one ever suspects little girls or old ladies of doing anything criminal. When a new little girl moves into Elsie’s neighborhood, she works very hard to become Elsie’s friend. Little does she know that 50 years ago, Elsie was known as mad Mabel, and she hopes that the past will not repeat itself.
April 28, 2026
Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block
Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Bestselling Author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
Plot
Mabel was looking forward to retirement with her husband when he announces he is leaving her for their private chef. In order to win back her husband, Mabel decides that she will learn to cook. When she accidentally enrolled in culinary school in England rather than Paris, she finds an unlikely friendship with Gemma, a younger classmate. She starts to learn that maybe there is more to life than being a perfect trophy wife.
The Castle of Stories
Author: Matt Cain
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Author of The Secret Life of Albert Antwistle
Plot
When Adam inherited a farmhouse and castle in Tuscany, he had visions of a romantic summer in Italy. He quit his job to renovate the castle in the hope of turning it into a rental. His partner of two years, Theo, plans to come with him. However, at the last minute, Theo’s ex-wife can no longer take the kids for the summer, so they are coming to Italy as well. This is far from the fairy tale that he imagined. But maybe it can become something more.
Plot
This pick from the spring 2026 book releases is a reimagining of the woman who almost ended the American Revolution. Peggy Shippen is a socialite in Philadelphia in the 1770s. This is the story of her role in the most famous act of treason in history. Her relationship with General Benedict Arnold and Captain John André is retold in this must-read book.
We Burned So Bright
Author: T. J. Klune
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: New York Times Bestselling author
Plot
Don and Rodney have had 40 years together filled with the highs and lows of life. But now that the world is ending (a black hole is coming for Earth), they have unfinished business they want to take care of before it’s too late.
This Weekend Doesn’t End Well for Anyone
Author: Catherine Mack
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: The Vacation Mysteries Book #3
Plot
Elanor Dash cannot catch a break. Every time she goes on vacation, someone dies. She is hoping that her all-inclusive weekend trip to the Bahamas will be different. She is speaking at a murder mystery conference for writers. When she arrives, she finds a body on the floor of her hotel room. She is surrounded by murder mystery writers who know the perfect way to plan a crime, and Eleanor is determined to solve this mystery.
Driven
Author: Susie Holff
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: Sunday Times bestseller
Plot
This is the book for anyone obsessed with F1. Historically, F1 has been dominated by male drivers, but Susie was fascinated by the sport. As Susie moved through the ranks, she was intent on making a place for herself and other women in this sport. She not only proved that women could be competitive, but she also moved on to become the director of the F1 academy.
The Island Club by Nicola Harrison
Author: Nicola Harrison
Release Date: April 29, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Set in the 1950s
Plot
This is the story of the friendship between three women and the game that brought them together. Set on Balboa Island, Milly Kinkaid is trying to fix her marriage, Adele Lambert is a loaner trying to hide from her past, and Sylvia Johnson is risking everything for her new business: The Island Club.
Spring 2026 Book Releases: May 2026
May 5, 2026
Homebound
Author: Portia Elan
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: For fans of Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Cloud Cuckoo Land
Plot
This is a story of five interconnected lives across centuries. The story starts in 1983 with a nineteen-year-old named Becks and a partially finished video game. The story spans the future lives of a scientist, a sentient automaton, and a sea captain. I cannot wait to read this pick from the spring 2026 book releases.
Summer State of Mind
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Harvey has become a must-read author for beach season. Her books are filled with beautiful relationships and lots of heart. Daisy Stevens has left her job as a NICU nurse and moved to Cape Caroline, looking for a different life. On her first day, the baseball coach, Mayson Thaysden, finds an abandoned baby. Sparks begin to fly between Daisy and Mason as they bond over the baby they saved. Daisy begins to feel more attached to the child, but has to face her own demons from her past. When a discovery is made, the entire town of Cape Carolina may be ripped apart.
Liberty Island
Author: Virginia Hume
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Bestselling author of Haven Point
Plot
Kirsten and I loved Haven Point, so it is not suprise that this book is at the top of our list of spring 2026 book releases. Anna Bradley is 28 in 1900. She spends her summers supervising three little girls, including her niece, as they run around off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. She allows them to run free rather than preparing them to be mothers and wives. They became the inspiration for the book “Liberty Island” that Anna writes under a pen name.
In 1922, Julia Demarast used to love her aunt’s book, but now views the book and her family as relics of the past. When her mother calls her back to Haven Point, Julia must rediscover what it means to be happy.
The Calamity Club
Author: Kathryn Socket
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Author of The Help
Plot
Meg Lafleur, at 11-years-old, is an unadoptable “big girl” at the Lafayette Country Orphan Asylum. Birdie Calhoun comes to Oxford, Mississippi to ask her sister for help, but discovers that her sister’s charmed life is a lie as the Depression continues. When Birdie encounters Charlie, another woman with nothing to lose, and Meg, the three of them come up with a plan to claim what is theirs. This pick from the spring 2026 book releases is a must-read.
Plot
Kerasea Vestal is a High Priestess and last in a magical bloodline. When a senator is killed and a temple blade is found at the scene, she is suddenly under suspicion. Praetorian Torren Morvane has always wanted to ruin Kerasea, but when he is forced to work with her, they will risk everything to find the real killer. This fantasy romance from the spring 2026 book releases is a must-read with a gorgeous cover.
Caller Unknown
Author: Gillian McAllister
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: Author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time (Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Plot
Simone and her daughter are renting a cabin in Texas for some quality time together before Lucy leaves for university in the fall. When Simone wakes up in the morning, her daughter is gone, and there is a cell phone waiting with a demand to come to a location and tell nobody. Simone’s husband, back in the UK, urges her to tell the police, but she will not risk her daughter’s life.
When she gets to the location, the demand is not for money; rather, Simone must do something unthinkable. Now, Simone must weigh the consequences of going against everything to save her daughter
Our Perfect Storm
Author: Carley Fortune
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
This spring 2026 book release looks like a friends-to-lovers romance that only Carley Fortune could write. Frankie and George have been best friends since they were eight years old. Their relationship has always had ups and downs, which is why Frankie is not sure if George will come, even though he is her best man. When he shows up, she thinks everything is going to be perfect until her fiancé breaks up with her via a note. George convinces Frankie that the two of them should go on her honeymoon together as the perfect way to heal her broken heart.
Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children
Author: Mac Barnett
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: Bestselling author
Plot
This book for adults is about books for children from the bestselling, Caldecott Award-winning author. This is a book about how to approach children’s literature during a time in our history when literacy is at an all-time low. I cannot wait to read this pick from the spring 2026 book releases.
May 12, 2026
The Pillagers’ Guide to Arctic Pianos
Author: Kendra Langford Shaw
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Literary fiction
More info: Family Saga
Plot
The Spahr family lives on a fjord in the Territory of the Arctic. Their home, a converted fisherman’s shack called Jubilation House, is accessible by kayak and seaplane. When one of their neighbors finds a piano in the water from the original settlers, it is perfectly preserved from the freezing water. Each of the original settlers was required to bring a piano as a show of maintaining etiquette, even so far north. The piano is priceless and could be the economic boost the territory needs. The Spahrs begin a quest to find the sunken pianos. This is a book unlike anything I have ever seen and I cannot wait to read it.
The May House
Author: Jillian Cantor
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Perfect for Books About Sisters
Plot
Julia, Emily, and Nora have been staying at their grandmother’s beach house for one week every May since they were kids. When Julia doesn’t show up one year, Emily and Nora begin to question what they really know about their sister and her life. When they discover a family secret, they realize it has shaped the family for decades. This pick from the spring 2026 book releases is a must-read.
The Forgotten Midwife
Author: Laura Anthony
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Dual timeline, based on real events.
Plot
New Jersey, 2023. Riley Carmichael is losing her grandmother, Betty, to dementia. When Riley visits Betty in her nursing home, and Betty is having a moment of clear thought, she hands Riley a birth certificate for a child born in Ireland in 1950. Riley knows she needs to go to Ireland.
Tipperary, Ireland, 1954. Margaret Lannigan is ready to be married when her older sister dies. Now, she must break up with her love and become a nun in order to fulfill the family’s commitment to the Church. Margaret is sent to a Home for Fallen Girls to care for single, pregnant girls. When her childhood best friend’s sister arrives, she must find a way to save her and her baby before they disappear in the system.
Seek The Traitor’s Sun
Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: multicast audio book
Plot
Elegy Ahn is a soldier in her country defending it against the Talusar, a nation that worships a fever that blesses half its victims with mysterious gifts. When she is summoned to hear a prophecy with a Talusar general, they learn that one of them will have victory for their nation, and at the center of it all is a man. Now, the fate of two nations hangs in the balanc,e and Elegy will do anything to ensure victory.
Voted Most Likely to Murder
Author: Lacey Moone
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Cozy Mystery Debut
Plot
A high school reunion goes very wrong when Belinda Bishop, a would-be journalist, finds the body of the class jock. The prime suspect is Jolene Dexter, who was once Belinda’s best friend and is now her nemesis. Despite their history, Belinda thinks her former friend is innocent, and the two need to work together to find the real murderer.
A Little More Love: The Life and Legacy of Olivia Newton- John
Author: Matthew Hild
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot
This is a biography of Olivia Newton-John. Hild carefully researched and spoke with friends and associates to put together the life of one of the biggest global icons. With over 100 million records sold, she was not only popular but also an activist who was vocal about animal rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental issues, all while battling breast cancer.
May 19, 2026
Take Me With You
Author: Steven Rowley
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor
Plot
Jesse and Norman have been married for thirty years when Norman walks into their backyard, steps into a beam of light, and disappears. Now Jesse, along for the first time, thinks about what he wants out of life. Should he wait for Norman to come back or reinvent himself? When Norman’s sister, Lally, comes to the house with a request, Jesse feels Norman’s absence even more.
Plot
This pick from the spring 2026 book releases is perfect for my list of books about jewelry. When Elisabeth Beaumont’s twin brother dies unexpectedly, she is left to run the family’s failing jewelry business. She approaches Evaly McLean, the owner of the Hope Diamond, to help. When a tragedy strikes, Elisabeth and Evalyn’s friendship is put to the test, and Elisabeth learns the truth about her brother’s death.
The One Day You Are My Husband
Author: Rosie Walsh
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
On the night of Carrie and Johan’s wedding on a beach in Thailand, a group of armed men swarms the beach and takes Johan away. Carrie never sees him again. 12 years later, Carrie is married and has six-year-old twins. When she discovers that Johan escaped from Thailand and has been living in Stockholm, she becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago. What would Carrie give up to go back to her first love?
Plot
This is a thriller about stolen artifacts, organized crime, and an archeological dig. Lena Connolly is working on a case for the Italian government. They claim that an artifact was looted from a museum and they want reparation. When Lena takes on the case, she is taken back to her time at an archeological dig, and she has tried very hard to forget that time.
Murder at the Hotel Orient
Author: Alessandra Ranelli
Release Date: May 19, 2022
Genre: Mystery
More info: debut novel
Plot
Sterling Lockwood is the concierge at the hotel, Orient. Every guest at this hotel is hiding something, so aliases are required, and all cameras are banned. When there is a double murder at the hotel, Sterling must turn detective, but this will require her to break the hotel’s code of conduct, which values secrecy above all else. Sterling and her best friend, Fernando, agreed to help the police, but she has an ulterior motive. Maybe the police will not look at her whereabouts the night of the murder.
The Shippers
Author: Katherine Center
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: Bestselling Author
Plot
This romance from the spring 2026 book releases has a little bit of everything that is sure to make it a must-read this summer. JoJo Burton is on a cruise for her sister’s destination wedding. She has decided that the way to fix her bad luck with love is to get closure with her first crush. She enlists the help of Cooper Watts, her childhood best friend and biggest heartbreak, to be her wingman. This is a friend-to-lovers, fake-dating romance you will not want to miss.
Fever Dream
Author: Elsie Silver
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
A bull rider on a dating reality show called Romance Ranch? I mean, how could I not include this on the list of spring 2026 book releases? Emmet Bush agreed to do the show to save his family farm. When the location consultant arrives, he knows that she is off-limits. She is not a contestant, and she is the sister of his biggest rival. As they start to spend more time together, he feels a connection, but knows that his families farm and legacy depends on him completing the show.
Plot
If you love tennis, this is the romance for you. Jules has decided to accept an invitation to join the amateur tennis team of the local tennis club. As a single mother to a teenager, she doesn’t think she has time for a hobby, but making friends and running into her old school crush really helps her embrace the game. I will not use the tennis metaphors here but will this be Jules’ second shot at love?
Plot
Ariel Becker has had enough of being a bridesmaid. And she has had enough of the judgmental wedding singer at every wedding! Judah Klein is New York’s most popular modern orthodox wedding singer. He is also a very eligible bachelor but has had enough of failed attempts at matchmaking. Soon enough, Sparks start to fly with the bridesmaid he encounters at all the weddings.
May 26, 2026
Murder Most Delicious
Author: Danielle Postel-Vinay
Release Date: May 26, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Author is Danielle Trussoni (Puzzle Box)
Plot
Olivia was a Master Sommelier until she lost her sense of taste during COVID. When she gets a second chance with a celebrity chef, she is so excited to start afresh. When Chef Jacques dies during the interview, Olivia becomes the prime suspect. This is when the Paris Neighborhood Watch comes in. The group is headed by an agoraphobic detective, a cafe owner, a part-time librarian, a florist, and more. Together, they are going to search for the killer.
Dolly All the Time
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Release Date: May 26, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Dolly is a single mom who moves back to Rhode Island to help her dad and her brother. When she comes across Stuart Whitfield, with a flat tire, she decides to help him. He needs someone to help him overcome his recent humiliating public breakup, and proposes that they fake date. Soon, the lines between fake and real start to blur. Can Dolly finally depend on someone else?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most anticipated spring 2026 book releases?
There are so many fantastic books on this list that it is impossible to pick our favorites. I am very excited to see so many books from our favorite authors. Virginia Hume, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Steven Rowley, Marie Benedict, Jessica George, Yann Martel, Abby Jimenez, and more, all have books coming out in the spring of 2026.
There are also several books on this list from debut authors. Kirsten and I are excited to read Artifacts by Natalie Lenle, Murder at the Orient Hotel by Alessandra Ranelli, Golden Boy by Patricia Finn, The Summer I Found You by Jennifer Obrien, and The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke (a pseudonym for a brand new writing duo of VE Schwab and Cat Clarke.
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