What Romance Books to Read Next in 2026?

What Romance Books to Read Next in 2026?

If you are standing at the edge of your to-be-read pile wondering what romance books to read next, the answer is here — and it involves a brooding Scottish laird, a stolen throne, and a Miami billionaire dynasty built on secrets. USA Today Bestselling Author Victoria Pinder has over 100 novels published across multiple series, and this guide will match you to exactly the right one based on what you are craving right now in 2026.

Why Readers Are Searching for the Next Great Romance Series in 2026

Honestly, I get it. You just finished a series that wrecked you — in the best possible way — and now your brain is doing that thing where nothing else looks good enough. Every blurb feels thin. Every sample chapter feels like it is almost but not quite the feeling you are chasing. I have been there as a reader, and it is part of why I write the way I do as an author.

What readers are actually searching for in 2026 is not just a good book. It is a world they can live in for a while. A cast of characters that feels real. A romance arc that earns its happy ending instead of just arriving at one. The series I am going to walk you through below all do exactly that — each one is built with a full emotional architecture, not just a single satisfying couple.

Let me match you to your next obsession based on what you love most.

If You Love Forced Proximity and Cozy Drama: Modern Scottish Lairds

Let me tell you why the Modern Scottish Lairds series has become the one I recommend most often when someone says they want something that feels like wrapping up in a wool blanket during the worst storm of the year. Because that is literally the setting.

Take Miriam and Banner in Wrong Scot for Christmas. She ends up stranded at his Scottish castle during a blizzard. Roads are closed. There is one warm fireplace. Banner is the kind of rugged, complicated man that ancient stone walls were made to contain — he did not ask for houseguests, and he definitely did not ask for feelings. And Miriam is sharper than he expected and warmer than she admits. What happens when you strip away every excuse either of them has not to actually see each other? That is the whole series. That question, over and over, in Highland castles and snowstorms and small impossible moments.

I wrote this series because I genuinely wanted to read it. I wanted the castle atmosphere. I wanted the forced proximity tension where the weather itself becomes a plot device. I wanted heroes who are brooding not as a performance but because they have actually lived hard lives and are not sure what to do with a woman who refuses to be intimidated by them.

The series includes Wrong Scot for Christmas, Scottish Wedding Date, Scottish Second Chance, Scottish New Year, A Scot for Christmas, and more. Every book is a standalone couple with a full HEA — you can read them in any order, though starting at the beginning gives you the richest world-building.

All the Scottish Lairds books are available on Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more. Start your Highland escape at victoriapinder.com/scottish-highland-romance.

DM me the word LAIRDS and I will send you the complete reading order!

What Are the Best Romance Books for Fans of Royal Intrigue and Enemies to Lovers?

If the Scottish Lairds are your cozy end of the spectrum, the Brothers in Revenge saga — the Irresistibly series — is the adrenaline end. And I mean that in the best possible way.

Here is the setup: the Bentley family are the rightful heirs to the throne of Hoskell. Their father the King was assassinated. Their assets were frozen. The conspiracy that did it — the Kirno faction — is still operating. And these seven brothers have spent years quietly, methodically fighting back from the shadows.

Eva came to destroy them. She was hired to spy on Jake Bentley, the eldest brother, and then married him for cover. And then — this is the part that makes me emotional every single time I think about it — she fell for the man she was sent to betray. Irresistibly Strong is book seven, Eva and Jake’s full story, and it is the kind of enemies-to-lovers that earns every single feeling because you have spent the whole series watching them circle each other.

The reading order is: Prequel (Irresistibly Lost), then Irresistibly Found, Irresistibly Charming, Irresistibly Tough, Irresistibly Played, Irresistibly Rugged, Irresistibly Strong, and Irresistibly Dashing. Both the prequel and Book 3 are permanently free on all retailers — a genuinely great way to try the series with zero financial commitment.

Explore the full series at victoriapinder.com/enemies-to-lovers-romance.

If You Want a Sweeping Dynasty Saga You Can Live In for Months: House of Morgan

Some readers want a book. Other readers want a world. If you are in the second category, the House of Morgan is where you need to be — twenty books published, twenty-five planned, and a story architecture so intricate that I am still discovering things about these characters that surprise me.

Here is the premise. Mitch Morgan built a criminal empire across multiple continents. He had four branches of children by four different women — all in different cities, most not knowing the others existed. He died before page one. And now his children have to decide who they want to be.

Peter Morgan is the one who put it all together. He found the French branch, the Italian branch, the Pittsburgh branch — he tracked all of them down and brought them into a family because he refused to become his father. That one act of choosing connection over control is the heroic spine of the entire series. Every book is one Morgan from one branch choosing a different life than the one Mitch built.

And then there is Jennifer Gonzales. She is Peter’s love interest across all twenty books, and she is the most complex character I have ever written. A former telenovela actress turned Hollywood star whose eggs were stolen twice — once by Peter’s father, once by Peter’s wife Belle. Belle faked her own death. Peter almost married Jennifer, then Belle came back. Jennifer left. She came back to steal her eggs back, exposed Belle as the manipulator she was, and now lives at Peter’s house getting to know her children. They are not together yet. The real arc is not whether she will end up with Peter. It is whether Jennifer will ever trust herself enough to believe she deserves what she fought for. THAT is what keeps readers buying all twenty books.

Start completely free with Secret Crush (House of Morgan Book 1) — permanently free on all retailers. Find it at victoriapinder.com/billionaire-romance.

Which Victoria Pinder Series Should You Read First? A Quick Trope Guide

I know sometimes you just want someone to point and say — start HERE. So here is the clearest trope-matching guide I can give you:

Every single free book listed above is permanently free on all retailers — Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more. No strings, no subscriptions. Just a genuinely good starting point. Find all free books at victoriapinder.com/free-books.

What Makes a Romance Series Worth Bingeing in 2026?

Here is my honest answer to this question as both a reader and the person who wrote these series: a binge-worthy romance series has to do two things simultaneously. It has to satisfy you with each individual couple — every book earns its own HEA — and it has to leave you desperate to know what happens to the people around that couple. The side characters. The family members. The one person at the wedding who clearly has a whole devastating story you have not heard yet.

That is the architecture I build into every series. When you read Wrong Scot for Christmas and fall for Miriam and Banner, you will notice the other lairds in the background and start wondering about them. When you read Secret Crush and meet Peter Morgan, you will spend two hundred pages trying to figure out who Jennifer Gonzales really is and what she wants. That is intentional. I want you to feel like you are entering a world, not just reading a book.

The best romance books to read next are the ones that make you feel that way on page one. Where the world is rich enough and the characters are complicated enough that finishing the book feels like leaving somewhere real. If you want more thoughts on building a reading list that actually satisfies that craving, browse all of Victoria Pinder’s series here to find the right match.

Best Summer Romance Books to Read in 2026 If You Want Something Specific

If you are specifically looking for the best summer romance books or beach reads for 2026, here is my personal shortlist with a reason for each one:

1. Irresistibly Charming (Brothers in Revenge Book 3, free) — Fast-paced, high-stakes, the kind of book you read in one sitting on a beach chair and look up from and realize the sun moved. Available free on all retailers.
2. Cherished (Virgin Cove Book 1, free) — Coastal small-town setting, second chances, the exact warm summer energy you want. Available free on all retailers.
3. Wrong Scot for Christmas (Modern Scottish Lairds) — I know it says Christmas but the forced proximity tension translates to any season. A snowstorm in July is its own kind of vacation escape.
4. Forbidden Crown (Princes of Avce Book 1, free) — Royal romance with fake marriages and a fictional kingdom that feels like a destination. Available free on all retailers.
5. Secret Crush (House of Morgan Book 1, free) — Miami billionaires, a world with twenty books waiting if you love it. The perfect gateway summer series. Available free on all retailers.

All of these are available wide — Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more. Start your list at victoriapinder.com/free-books.

A Personal Note From Victoria on What to Read Next

I get asked this question more than almost any other — where do I start? And honestly my answer has evolved over the years. When I had a handful of books, I would say just pick the trope you love. Now that I have over 100 novels across all these worlds, I think the better answer is: start where you feel pulled.

If you read the description of Miriam stranded in a Scottish castle and your chest did a little thing, start there. If you read about Eva discovering she actually loves the man she was sent to destroy and felt that in your bones, start there. If a twenty-book billionaire dynasty saga with one of the most complicated women I have ever written sounds like exactly what your reading life needs right now, start with Secret Crush for free and text me in the comments when you hit book three and cannot stop.

Every book is available on all major retailers. Every series has a free starting point. There is genuinely no wrong door into these worlds.

Find everything at victoriapinder.com and DM me the word BOOKS on Instagram for my complete series list. I answer those myself and I love hearing which series grabbed you first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What romance books should I read next if I love forced proximity?

If forced proximity is your favorite trope, start with the Modern Scottish Lairds series by USA Today Bestselling Author Victoria Pinder. The series features heroines stranded in ancient Highland castles with brooding lairds during snowstorms — every book delivers maximum forced proximity tension with a satisfying HEA. Begin with Wrong Scot for Christmas, available on Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more at victoriapinder.com/scottish-highland-romance.

What are the best free romance books to start in 2026?

Victoria Pinder has eight permanently free books across her active series in 2026. The top picks are: Secret Crush (House of Morgan Book 1, billionaire dynasty), Irresistibly Lost (Brothers in Revenge prequel, royal enemies-to-lovers), Cherished (Virgin Cove Book 1, coastal small town), Forbidden Crown (Princes of Avce Book 1, royal romance), and Rocking Player (Steel Series Book 1, secret baby with pro athlete). All are free on every major retailer.

What is the House of Morgan series about and where do I start?

The House of Morgan is a twenty-book Miami billionaire dynasty saga about the children of a criminal empire builder who died before page one — every book follows one Morgan choosing a different life than their father built. Start with Secret Crush, permanently free on Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Google Play. The flagship romantic arc follows Peter Morgan and Jennifer Gonzales across all twenty books.

Are Victoria Pinder books available on Apple Books and Kobo?

Yes — Victoria Pinder is a wide author, meaning all of her books are available equally on every major retailer: Apple Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more. She does not exclusive to any single platform. Every series page at victoriapinder.com shows all retailer buy buttons in one place.

What is the reading order for the Irresistibly series?

The Brothers in Revenge saga reading order is: Prequel (Irresistibly Lost, free), Book 1 (Irresistibly Found), Book 2 (Irresistibly Charming, free), Book 3 (Irresistibly Tough), Book 4 (Irresistibly Played), Book 5 (Irresistibly Rugged), Book 6 (Irresistibly Strong — Eva and Jake’s story), and Book 7 (Irresistibly Dashing). DM Victoria the word IRRESISTIBLY on Instagram for the full order sent directly to you.

What is the best romance series to binge in 2026?

For readers who want a long, rich world to live in, the House of Morgan (20 books, 25 planned) is the top recommendation — complex characters, a multi-continent dynasty, and a central romance arc that spans the entire series. For readers who want a complete saga with a clear endpoint, the Brothers in Revenge series (8 books including prequel) delivers a full royal revenge arc with a deeply satisfying series conclusion. Both have free starting points.