Buzz Books 2024: Romance

by Publishers Lunch (Contributor)

Welcome to the ninth annual Buzz Romance! We’re excited to present our most extensive edition yet, featuring substantial prepublication excerpts from 21 forthcoming romance titles.
Get ready to explore works from beloved authors such as Jasmine Guillory, Sabrina Jeffries, Amanda Weaver, and Mia Sheridan, as well as social media sensations like B.K. Borrison and Sav R. Miller. We’re also proud to introduce exciting debut romance authors including Deanna Faison, Amanda M. Helander, Clare Osongco, Ingrid Ochoa, London Sperry, and Jill Tew. Keep an eye out for familiar names venturing into new territories—like Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin with his debut rom-com, and bestselling young adult author Sara Raasch publishing her first adult title.
Are you a fan of other genres too? Check out Buzz Books 2024: Fall/Winter for the best in upcoming fiction, young adult titles, and nonfiction, available now. And keep an eye out for our next edition covering the spring/summer 2025 publishing season, coming your way in January.
We hope you enjoy discovering your next favorite read!

Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2024

Reviews

[Literary Redhead]

Romance fans will adore this edition of Buzz Books, with excerpts from 21 romance novels they'll want to add to their TBRS. Enjoy!

[Trisha]

I love this series - The Buzz books! It's great, it gives you a bunch of intros/first first chapters of a bunch of new releases! It's a great way to have a list of new releases to get excited about and it lets you start the stories and get excited!

I loved so many of these stories! I'm really excited to read:

Heart of the Sun - I love that it's set in the midst of an apocalyptic event - a massive solar flare!
First-Time Caller had a cozy and sweet vibe, and says it's inspired by Sleepless in Seattle!
Dating and Dragons - is just too sweet and cute and I'm so here for this!
and While We're Young had me at "inspried by Ferris Bueller's Day off" - so cute!
and OMG Sneak Peek for The Nightmare Before Kissmas will be the perfect Holiday read! I can't wait!

I'm so sad I've been missing Kimberly Lemming and I want to catch up before I tackled the newest read (I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com) but, honestly, these have the BEST titles!

I'm so excited for these!

[Kristy Johnston]

I’ve recently started reading excerpts. It’s an easy way to quickly decide if a book is for me instead of requesting it then realizing a chapter in one of the characters annoys me or an undisclosed topic is not my trope. Of course, one of the issues with excerpts is that it can pull you in quickly then you don’t want to put the book down when the excerpt is over. That’s a good thing.

I enjoyed the way this sampler was setup. There are 21 romance titles included. It had sections for the various subgenres (Contemporary, Paranormal, Sports, etc.), so if you want to you can skip through to the type of romance that interests you. I went through each one and read the summary and when interested I continued with the rest of the excerpt. I found several books that I had previously considered for my TBR and these excerpts answered whether they should be on the list or if I needed to boot them. I also added a few that I hadn’t considered but caught my attention as I read through the samples. Overall I only chose four books, but I am picky when it comes to romance

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers Lunch Buzz Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

[Donnakay'sBookWorld]

Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher for sharing this sampler of upcoming romance novels. This was a treat being able to read a bit from each of these authors, which was helpful in deciding on what I wanted to add to by tbr. One of my favorites was I Got Abducted by Aliens, and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com. I have read all of the books in Kimberly Lemming's Mead Mishaps series, so i was super excited to see how she would transport her magic and humor into a new series.

[Kristina]

Buzz Books 2024: Romance is a mixed bag of romance novel excerpts. My raw average across all 21 excerpts came out to 2.67 stars, but I’m bumping the final rating up by a full star because the concept is genuinely brilliant (a curated sampler that lets you test‑drive new authors, genres, and vibes without committing to a full book). Some excerpts were chaotic (why give us some random chapter from the middle of a book), some were definite passes, and a few immediately earned a spot on my TBR. Buzz Books are always a good way to test the waters.


My top five:

1. I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom‑Com — Kimberly Lemming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Laugh‑out‑loud funny, instantly engaging, and Toto the lion is an icon. Immediately started reading full book.

2. The Nightmare Before Kissmas — Sara Raasch
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Silly, niche, and unexpectedly emotional. Perfect holiday read.

3. First-Time Caller — B.K. Borison
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sleepless in Seattle energy with a modern twist. Warm, charming, and promising.

4. While We’re Young — K.L. Walther
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ferris Bueller vibes, chaotic fun, and a setup that feels like it’ll pay off.

5. Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart — Sabrina Jefferies
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Interesting setup, compelling family dynamics, and a heroine you actually want to follow. A standout Regency entry.



Check out my quick notes on each excerpt below:
Note: I read 1-4 back in 2024 and the rest in the past few days, that's why the notes are so different for the first four.


Contemporary...

1. Flirting Lessons — Jasmine Guillory
⭐
I have questions. Not the good kind.

2. Promises and Pomegranates — Sav R. Miller
⭐
I get dark romance. I've read some and enjoyed it. Kal however has no redeeming qualities and I can't see myself stomaching an entire book with him as our ‘romantic’ lead. Just no.

3. Midnights With You — Clare Osongco
⭐⭐⭐
The first book in this collection I'm interested in continuing. Definitely more YA-ish, but I'm intrigued.


Paranormal...

4. My Funny Demon Valentine
⭐⭐
Interesting premise. Don't know if I'd ultimately like, but my interest is piqued.


Post-Apocalyptic...

5. Heart of the Sun — Mia Sheridan
⭐⭐
Three seemingly disjointed timelines (Now, 10 Days Ago, and 11 Years Ago) all from Tuck's POV. Nothing really interesting in any of them (the 11 years ago took up 90% of the excerpt). No hint of the ‘post apocalypse’ setting.


Regency

6. Hazardous to a Duke's Heart — Sabrina Jefferies
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Surprisingly fresh setup: hero returns after 11 years as a détenus and finds himself suddenly the Duke. Strong single‑POV opening, interesting family dynamics, and a compelling connection with Victoria. I’d definitely keep reading.


Rom-Com...

7. Showmance — Chad Beguelin
⭐
Something about the writing rubs me the wrong way. Noah constantly talks down about himself, and he already has a supportive long‑term boyfriend we know he won’t end up with. Lines like ‘He has a British accent because he’s British’ didn’t help.

8. First-Time Caller — B.K. Borison
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Would definitely read. Sleepless in Seattle–inspired rom‑com about a disillusioned romance radio host and the hopeless romantic mother of the 12‑year‑old who calls in for advice for her mom.

9. Dating and Dragons — Kristy Boyce
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I already read the full book and gave it 4 stars. I need more D&D in my novels!

10. The Kiss Bet Vol. 1 (manga) — Ingrid Ochoa
⭐⭐⭐
Not really a fan of the art, and the dialogue feels pretty childish for senior‑year kids, but it seems like it would be full of cute, chaotic romance.

11. Love and Lattes — Beth Reekles
⭐⭐⭐
Cute. I’m intrigued. Don’t love that alcohol was the introduction, but I respect that she sobered up while walking around town with the guy she met at a bar before they kissed. Also appreciate that she didn’t bring him home, didn’t ask for his number, and he respected that. Curious how they run into each other again.

12. Passion Project — London Sperry
⭐⭐
Weird excerpt choice — chapter 1 and chapter 5, and they flow so seamlessly I’m left wondering what the point of chapters 2–4 even is. The premise seems cute, but every decision is alcohol‑driven, which is getting old fast.

13. While We’re Young — K.L. Walther
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tons of Ferris Bueller vibes and I’m here for it. No hint of the romance yet, but I’m ready for the shenanigans.


Romantasy...

14. Firebird — Juliette Cross
⭐⭐⭐
Romans and Celts, dragons and witches… For some reason though, it just isn’t pulling me in.

15. Divine Mortals — Amanda M. Helander
⭐⭐⭐⭐
There’s a lot going on in this excerpt: agoraphobia, soul‑mate divining, end‑of‑the‑world prophecies, gods and magic. The writing leaves me wanting more info though — sometimes for the story, sometimes for the worldbuilding. I would definitely pick this one up.

16. Swordcrossed — Freya Marske
⭐⭐
Soooo… Matti is marrying Sofia for money, not love. Sofia doesn’t love Matti, she loves Adrean. Adrean loves Sofia. Matti needs to hire a duellist in case Adrean challenges him at the wedding. Matti hires Luca (a con man and duellist) for this reason. Matti and Luca are attracted to each other. So no one is with anyone they actually like, and I see no hint of actual fantasy in this excerpt. Pass.

17. The Nightmare Before Kissmas — Sara Raasch
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Seems silly and niche, but in a fun emotional way and I'm here for it. I might actually pick this up to read this holiday season.
Nicholas "Coal" is having the worst day... He tried to do something real and good with his family's Christmas magic and instead collapsed an economy. News caught up to him at his girlfriend's (now publicly ex-girlfriend's) birthday party. Father calls while Coal is sitting drunk at a bar and demands he comes home (to help with PR). Then in the alley behind the bar a man appears who Coal's instantly drawn to and he spills the whole story to the stranger before kissing him. Next thing he knows, the mysterious stranger is gone and Coal never even got his name.


Sci-Fi

18. I Got Abducted By Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com — Kimberly Lemming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I don't normally give excerpts 5 Stars, but there you have it. Quirky and laugh out loud funny, I immediately decided this is my next read. Toto, the lion (so named because the mc Dorothy fancied herself named from the Wizard of Oz character - she wasn't) is by far the MVP here and I want him to be my new best friend. Can't wait to continue reading.

19. The Dividing Sky — Jill Tew
⭐⭐⭐
There's not much here grabbing me. Not much world building in the first two chapters... Corporate dystopia, Liv sells memories/experiences to rich people and is asked by a dying client to go outside the walls for a specific memory. Adrian works for LifeCorp and is going undercover in the Lower Districts. He grew up outside the walls, so I'm sure that's going to factor into Liv leaving the city.


Sports Romance

20. Playmaker — Deanna Faison
⭐⭐
Excerpt is chapter 11 and a morning‑after scenario, so we’re given no real context for the characters. Also, sentences like ‘For now, we have a fun‑ass time together’ make me assume this is YA, but I don’t think it was marketed as such.

21. Fast and Reckless — Amanda Weaver
⭐⭐⭐
Definitely some heated tension, but again, an excerpt of chapters 15–19. These selected chapters give you solid tension between the main characters, but not much on the history of what’s going on between them.

[Bluegoose53]

Twenty-one titles with excerpts sorted by target age and categories such as Contemporary and SciFi. Excellent chance to peek into the publishing future. I am particularly looking forward to January and the release of I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming. Multiple aliens in this one. Even our heroine Dorothy would be one when she and her lion bestie Toto are dropped onto a new planet that comes complete with dinosaurs.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Mary]

I loved the variety of genres within romance that were in this book. It really is a reminder that romance is so diverse these days. I wasn’t a fan of every book selected, but several I enjoyed and almost all I at least found decent enough to read the whole excerpt. I discovered a few books I will be reading that I hadn’t heard of before!

[Angel Dubiel]

Buzz Books 2024: Romance was such a fun little journey! I have never read a compilation such as this, but really enjoyed the ride. Below is a short blurb for each of the featured books.

Flirting Lessons: LGBT representation, The introvert and extrovert fall for each other. Cute, but didn’t grab me completely.
Promises and Pomegranates: I don’t like dark romances and this was no exception. If you do, this one is probably for you.
Midnights with You: I wanted to like this one. Unfortunately I really didn’t understand what was going on from the excerpt provided.
My Funny Demon Valentine: Quirky, spooky, and fun.. yes please! Can’t wait to read the rest of this one.
Heart of the Sun: I haven’t heard of many post apocalyptic romance books so this was all new. Ultimately, it was not for me.
Hazardous to a Dukes Heart: Somehow, I have never read a regency romance. Unfortunately, I don’t think this excerpt helped convince me to change that.
Showmance: Broadway romance? Yes please. The author tied the two together well AND made it funny.
First Time Caller: What I read was very cute and kept my interest. Love that the MC are not new adult and there’s some single parent representation. I will be requesting/purchasing this one!
Dating and Dragons: Reads more YA than new adult. These kids are in high school? Seemed cute otherwise, but YA romance is not my favorite.
The Kiss Bet: My first romance graphic novel and I thought it was really interesting !
Love & Lattes - Quirky and enjoyable, the uncertainty of early adulthood came through even in these few chapters.
Passion Project: Love. Immediate yes. I can’t wait to read the rest of this book.
While We’re Young - this read more YA than young adult. Not for me, but if you like a YA romance it might be for you.
Firebird: Unfotunately DNF.
Divine mortals: Captured my attention immediately. Kudos for how much world building they fit into a few chapters. Excited for this one!
Sword Crossed - Just did not capture my attention.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas: Cute and fun holiday romance ! I mean .. Santa’s son is ordered to marry the Easter princess but wants the Prince of Halloween? Love it.
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m trapped in a Rom-Com: I have no idea what I just read and I loved every minute.
The Dividing Sky: I think a genre I dislike more than new adult is dystopian. Not for me.
Playmaker: Not a super original idea, but still a very fun read.
Fast & Reckless: Actually have already read an ARC for this and enjoyed it! Recommend if you like sports romances.

[Kristen Jauregui]

I found the compilation of upcoming romance reads in *Buzz Books 2024: Romance* to be incredibly helpful! This edition is the most extensive yet, featuring excerpts from 21 forthcoming titles that made it easy to decide which books to add to my Goodreads.

The variety is impressive, showcasing both debut and established authors across diverse characters, relationships, and genres. It includes single and multiple POVs and highlights inclusive themes like BIPOC and LGBTQ+. Plus, I appreciate that it offers both series and stand-alone options, clearly tagging target audiences and spice levels (perfect for those steamy reads!).

The excerpts are organized by subgenres, providing a clearer understanding of each title, with categories ranging from Contemporary and Dark Romance to Rom-Com and Sci-Fi.

For fellow book lovers, you can grab your copy of *Buzz Books 2024: Romance* at buzz.publishersmarketplace.com, which also offers another version of this type of book (Buzz Books 2024: Fall/Winter) with a broader range of fiction previews.

This guide has introduced me to several exciting titles I wasn't aware of—just what I needed to expand my TBR! A big thank you to NetGalley and Publishers Lunch for this advanced copy. While the ARC is a gift, my reviews are solely based on my own opinions, and I’m under no obligation to any company or individual to post. #NetGalley #BuzzBooks2024Romance #BuzzBooks2024

[The Books of Costy]

Buzz Books 2024: Romance is always a gift for romance readers, and this year’s edition felt extra special. With excerpts from 21 titles, it captures the breadth of today’s romance—from rom-coms to darker angst, from beloved names like Jasmine Guillory and Mia Sheridan to buzzy newcomers like Sav R. Miller and B.K. Borrison. I also appreciated the inclusion of debut voices, which gave me the chance to discover authors I might not have otherwise picked up.

What makes this sampler stand out is how it organizes the selections by category and age group, so you can easily jump to the kinds of romance you love most. I found myself highlighting more than a few favorites to add to my TBR. The combination of summaries plus first chapters is especially helpful—you really do get a sense of the voice and tone, not just the premise.

Of course, the only “downside” is that excerpts end just when you’re hooked—but that’s exactly what makes this such a valuable tool. I now have a clearer picture of what’s coming in 2024, and I know which titles to prioritize requesting or preordering.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers Lunch Buzz Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

[Teresa]

This sort of compilation was new to me. I enjoyed this sneak peek of upcoming books. Here are a few I look forward to reading:

1. Promises & Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller -- Dark romance isn't my thing, but in an attempt to expand my reading boundaries, this is on my list.

2. My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher -- Paranormal RomCom? Yes, please. Great description and great excerpt. I'll absolutely read this.

3. Hazardous to a Duke's Heart by Sabrina Jeffries -- I love historicals. Loved the description.

4. Showmance by Chad Beguelin -- Theater. Take my money.

5. First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison -- Loved the first chapter: the setting, the writing

6. Passion Project by London Sperry -- Intriguing excerpts. I want Bennet to find her passion.

An ARC is a gift, but views and reviews are subjective. Thank you @NetGalley for providing an ARC edition. These are my thoughts and impressions and I'm under no obligation to any company or individual.

[Cheryl Malandrinos]

If you are a blogger looking to find a resource that will help you decide which romance novels to add to your reading schedule for the beginning of this year, then Buzz Books 2024: Romance can help.

Compiled by Publishers Lunch, this ninth annual edition is broken down by subgenre: contemporary, paranormal, post apocalyptic, Regency, rom-com, romantasy, sci-fi, and sports. You can also look at excerpts by age category.

Before each excerpt is a summary, and after each excerpt is a link to request the full digital galley, author bio, imprint, ISBN and price information, publication date, and publicity and rights contacts. You'll also find editor and agent names and marketing plans.

Since I am trying to be good and read from my TBR pile, I only requested one full digital galley. I loved how this was broken down so that I could focus on my interests first. Looks like 2025 is going to be great for romance!

[heartsandthrillers]

I love this for not only introducing me to new authors but for also including such a broad array of authors, characters, themes, and tropes!

This book includes:
- Debut and established authors;
- diverse characters, relationships, and authors, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+;
- single and Multi POV;
- global authors;
- series, stand alones and it even includes a graphic novel!

Excerpts are tagged with multiple categories:
- Contemporary,
- Paranormal,
- Post-apocalyptic,
- Regency,
- RomCom,
- Romantasy,
- Sci-Fi,
- Sports,
- Dark Romance,
- Historical,
- General Adult/Adult,
- New Adult,
- Young Adult,
- Debut,
- Graphic Novel.

[Alice]

Well, this year there's a really nice addition to this edition. 👏
All excerpts are subdivided in subgenres. For example: if you're only interested into YA? No problem. Just read the YA excerpts. 😊
I really like that!

Buzz Books 2024: Romance is always a great way to discover new stories and new authors, you can easily add to your TBR list or even request on NetGalley. 😉

Honestly I've to say that last year I added a lot more books to my list, than this year.
It's absolutely okay, but that's also the reason why I'd give this edition 3 stars.

Thank you so much to Publishers Lunch for this ARC via NetGalley Read Now.
This is my honest review in my own words.

[Andrea]

Buzz Books 2024: Romance gives you a excerpts of 21 new releases by established authors as well as debut novels. This is my first experience with Buzz Books. I found it to be a good way to find new authors and get a taste of their style. I didn't realize there is so much variety in romance. I only skipped reading a few of the excerpts as the category did not interest me. I enjoyed the opportunity to experience so many new books. Several of them drew me in and I wanted to read more. At the end of most excerpts there is a link to download or request the full book.

I received this ARC from Publishers Lunch via Net Galley. Thank you for the chance to read and provide my honest review.

[Parker parkers_bookshelves]

This was so hard for me to put down, I loved it so much. The little excepts definitely added a few more books to my TBR and even the books I did know, it reminded me that I need to do a re re-reads. Authors like Sav R Miller have always been favorite of mine, and I truly believe some of the others authors will be too. I also love that that give a summary AND the excerpt, because sometimes you really can't get what you need from a summary, so this was absolutely perfect for me in that way too. If you're indecisive or a mood reader or someone who needs to try before you buy, this is absolutely a GIFT.

[Linda]

📚Good taste of novels not on my radar🙂

This compendium of romance novel sample chapters was a great way to try new authors for their writing style and their books for the plots. I liked the way the volume identified the subgenre of each sample so I could concentrate on the categories I most prefer. And something I've not seen before: this issue identifies stories by the age category of the targeted reader (Adult, New Adult and Young Adult. About half of the samples I read turned out to make me want to find and read the entire novel.

Thanks to Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOKS and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary copy with me; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Shay]

This was my first time reading a sample book set up like this. The idea of it is excellent as you’re able to read a few chapters of each book before buying it. It introduced me to some new authors as well. Many of the books weren’t my style though as I’m not into Romantasy or paranormal. My favorite was the one by Jasmine Gullory as I’m familiar with her work. I’m looking forward to that one. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher & of course the author for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Timitra]

Firebird by Juliette Cross

The excerpt for Firebird was glorious. It had me even more excited than I already was to get my hands on this book. I can already tell I will love this world and it's characters. The scenes were intense and I loved the imagery and glimpses of the world I got. I can't wait to see what happens next. I'm so ready to dive headfirst into this book and series.


Copy provided by publisher through NetGalley

[Eryka]

The perfect mixture of sub-genres, stories, and themes. Each story was intriguing and creative in its own way. I got to sample stories that I normally wouldn’t have read on my own. The carefully curated balance of sub-genres introduced me to authors I’d never encountered as well as some I’ve enjoyed reading in the past. This is a great tool for whetting your appetite for content that challenges your creativity and expands your literary palette.

[Rae]

This is my first time checking out the Buzz book series, and I loved it, both in concept and how many new releases I'm now excited to read more of.

I'm most excited about (and immediately requested ARCs for):
- First-Time Caller
- Shomance
- Love and Lattes
- Passion Project

If you can't tell, I have a type haha

[Jen]

I want to read these for everything now!!

LOVE these couple chapters from each book, just enough to see if they seem interesting. Short teasers of the ones you like and skipping past those you don't.

Most looking forward to reading:
Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan
Showmance by Chad Beguelin

[Sarah]

B.K Borison gave us to a sneak into her next series Heartstrings. The first two chapters of First-Time Caller set you up so that you are more than ready for the rest. Anyone else need to listen to the rest of the call?

[Mariam Mirza]

This is a great way to find new authors, and to check out their upcoming books! I love that there are links to find the books online. The small excerpts are enough to make me want the whole book! Thank you netgalley for this arc copy!

[StylesPlenty]

I discovered a few books I will be reading that I hadn’t heard of before. I added them to TBR.
Thanks to Netgalley and Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOKS for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Another nice collection of previews from Buzz Books. I really love getting a taste of these books, quite often they get me interested in reading a book I normally wouldn't pick up just from the summary or cover. Definitely a collection to continue to check out to find hidden gems.

[Lilly Rose]

This would be a good sampler for people trying to New books for the year. My favorite on this list is a book by Sav R Miller which is Promises and Pomegranates

[Danielle Mccoy]

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I now have new authors and books for my to be read pile. Thanks NetGalley.