Even as dark fiction categories—psychological thrillers, dark fantasy, and horror—continue to trend alongside romance, according to data from Circana BookScan, some publishers are choosing to offer readers more wholesome alternatives. 

“Whatever trends are happening in the publishing industry at large, we see that same demand in our market, but for a clean version,” says Brianna Cornell, sales manager for Shadow Mountain Publishing. For example, she notes that there are readers seeking the same romance subgenres—romantasy, Regency romance, historical romance, and so on—without the spice.

And Jessica Sharpe, senior acquisitions editor at Baker Publishing Group, reiterated that demand: “We have our fingers on the pulse of the romance market, and we’ve noticed everything’s gotten spicier. You can’t tell anymore when you pick up a book with a cute, illustrated cover if it’s going to be a spicy romance or a sweeter romance.” That was part of Baker’s impetus to launch Haven, its new secular, no-spice imprint. “More and more people are looking for sweet, no-spice romance,” she says. 

In addition to spice-free romance, Evangelical publisher Tyndale House curates a diverse list of wholesome fiction across genres that reflects its faith. “Not only are our books clean, but they in some way point to the truths found in the Bible,” says Stephanie Broene, associate publisher of fiction. “We want to reach people of faith who enjoy fiction that reflects their values. And I think there is a lot of opportunity for growth there.”

Here, publishers share some of their most anticipated wholesome reads for spring.

Tyndale House Publishers

Founded in 1962 to publish accessible Bible translations, Tyndale House Publishers now publishes a broad range of fiction—historical, romance, contemporary women’s fiction, thrillers—in addition to nonfiction and Bibles. 

“Tyndale’s corporate mission is to minister to the spiritual needs of people through literature that’s consistent with biblical principles,” says Stephanie Broene, associate publisher of fiction. “So, it’s not enough for Tyndale Fiction to be clean and wholesome, it also needs to reflect the gospel in some way.”

 

In Tyndale’s first women’s domestic suspense, The Lies We Trade by Kristine Delano, January 2026, ISBN 9798400504921, Meredith seemingly has it all—a Wall Street job, family, and quiet suburban home. Then all at once, her trusted colleague blindsides her, her marriage becomes strained, her daughter acts out, and Meredith begins to connect the dots.

“Kristine worked on Wall Street for 20 years, so she brings that depth of knowledge and experience,” says Senior Acquisitions Editor Elizabeth Jackson. “She also explores what it looks like for women trying to balance marriage and family with a career that requires a lot of you.”

South of Somewhere by T.I. Lowe, March 2026, ISBN 9798400507809, is a Southern beach read. Juniper has struggled with addiction and is trying to figure out how to start over and regain custody of her daughter. When she inherits a house on Sullivan’s Island, near Charleston, she finds community in local addiction-recovery groups, starts a dog-walking business, and becomes close to her new neighbor. “Tanya says she tackles tough topics with Southern charm,” Broene says. “It punches you in the gut but then makes you laugh; [these] are the kinds of stories that I love the most.”

Known for award-winning generational historical sagas, Lynn Austin is back with The Lumber Baron's Wife, April 2026, ISBN 9781496476395. Set during Michigan’s lumber boom in the second half of the nineteenth century and in the present in the same lakeshore town, two women living over a century apart both become fixated on getting to the bottom of the mysterious disappearance of Kate Abernathy, the titular character, in the 1870s. “Lynn’s not a mystery writer [per se], but I think this has a good mystery at the heart of it,” Broene says. 

The Lost Story of Via Belle by Melanie Dobson, April 2026, ISBN 9781496474520, is another dual-timeline narrative. In 2006 Harper is desperate to break into screenwriting when she digs into the life story of her mother’s favorite romance novelist, Via Belle. In 1940, the novelist’s real-life romance wasn’t what it seemed. After she wrote her last manuscript, she disappeared. Harper is determined to find out what happened to her. 

“I love the way Melanie weaves together the contemporary and the historical storylines,” Broene says. “She does a great job of balancing the two in compelling ways.”

In the rom-com Not What We Pictured by Becca Kinzer, April 2026, ISBN 9781496489098, McKenna is trying to help her sister’s boyfriend plan a proposal when she loses the family heirloom ring he wants to propose with. But the stranger who McKenna suspects has the ring has already headed back to his home state of Tennessee, so she tracks him down at his mom’s bed and breakfast only to discover his luggage was lost. While they wait for his luggage, the two grow closer. 

“It’s a charming, low-spice read with great tropes—reluctant allies, opposites attract,” Jackson says, “as well as the eldest-daughter theme that’s having a moment in our contemporary culture.”

Baker Publishing Group  

Minneapolis-based Baker Publishing Group has been publishing books for Christian readers since 1940. This year, Baker launched Haven, its seventh imprint, to clearly distinguish its new line of clean romances for the general market from its Christian fiction titles. 

“Readers are fine-tuning what kind of books they search for, from their favorite tropes to the spice level they’re comfortable with,” says Senior Acquisitions Editor Jessica Sharpe. “And people are intentionally seeking out sweet, no-spice romances.”

 

Haven’s launch title, Even After This by Deborah Clack, February 2026, ISBN 9780800746940, is the first emotionally layered contemporary romance in a three-book series. After tragically losing her family, Meredith moves from Texas to Colorado to start over. There, she meets and begins seeing a local movie star. But they both must figure out how to move on from their pasts, before they can have a future together. “This one has a lot of depth to it,” Sharpe says. “But there are also lighter moments and obviously a swoon-worthy romance.”

Next up, A Deal with a Debutante by Chelsea Bobulski, April 2026, ISBN 9780764245251, is the first historical rom-com in another three-book series, set in Edwardian England. Calliope Hart loves her life in New York and is writing a book about historic buildings when her mother pushes her into London society, hoping she’ll marry a British aristocrat. Cue the Earl of Hayward, who needs an heiress’s fortune to save his estate from financial ruin. “Though they’re both determined they’re never going to fall in love, their hearts get in the way of their fears,” Sharpe says.

A classic historical romance, A Love Once Lost by Jennie Goutet, June 2026, ISBN 9780764245497, is also the first in a three-book series. Set in the Georgian era, the series follows the Bridwell family on a grand tour of Europe. In Book One, the Bridwells visit Spa, a popular wellness destination on the continent. There, Amy runs into James, her former beau who is now engaged to someone else, and old feelings resurface. “This Georgian romance is a nice alternative for Regency readers,” Sharpe says.     

The Roman Holiday Rule by Andra Loy, August 2026, ISBN 9780764245954, is a contemporary rom-com. Lexi is traveling to Rome for an art festival showcasing her late artist mother’s final painting. When her mother realized their plans to travel together to Rome wouldn’t happen, she wrote and illustrated a series of letters for Lexi to take on the trip. On the flight, Lexi meets Mark, who lives in Rome and has sworn off American tourists. But as Lexi follows her mother’s letters around the city, the illustrations keep coming to life—and she keeps crossing paths with Mark. “The banter in this book is solid gold,” Sharpe says. “And I adore the magical realism element.”

Another contemporary romance, Love and Other Two-Player Games by Roxanne LoMarc, December 2026, ISBN 9780800748029, also has an element of suspense. Victoria is CEO of a successful gaming company, but her cofounder and best friend has been in a coma for a year. Victoria is struggling with running the company alone. The board brings in Nathaniel as COO to support—and possibly replace her. But when Nathaniel discovers messages from Victoria’s long-term stalker and takes the threat more seriously than she has, Victoria must decide whether she’ll trust him and accept his help. “This one will really appeal to all the women gamers out there,” Sharpe says.

Shadow Mountain Publishing 

Since the mid-1990s, Utah-based Shadow Mountain Publishing has been curating a list of clean, non-religious fiction for children and adults. “Wholesome fiction is our mission. It’s our brand,” says Sales Manager Brianna Cornell. “We define clean as no gratuitous sex, language, or violence.” The publisher has also differentiated itself by appealing to a broad audience and spanning genres, as represented by these three selections from its spring list. 

Staged Evidence by Traci Hunter Abramson, April 2026, ISBN 9781639934737, is a political thriller with a romance subplot. Tessa is delivering costumes to a Manhattan TV studio when she stumbles on a woman’s body. She heads to the Hamptons, where her playwright friend is trying to finish his next Broadway script. He agrees to shelter Tessa—even after they discover she’s been accused of the murder—and help her and her CIA agent sister solve the crime. “Traci is a former finance officer for the CIA,” Cornell says. “And now she uses her knowledge to craft suspense plots.”

Three Queens by Rebecca Connolly, May 2026, ISBN 9781639934546, is historical fiction. In 1785, Abigail Adams crosses the Atlantic hoping to build relationships after the American Revolution and finds she has more in common with Marie Antoinette and Queen Charlotte of Great Britain than she’d thought.

“Scant historical evidence suggests each of these women communicated with the other,” Cornell says. “Rebecca created a novel that imagines what that might have looked like with these women all navigating difficulties in their own settings.” Known for her meticulous historical research, Connolly stays true to the details of each woman’s life and takes fictional liberties with their friendship.

The Proper Romance® brand publishes sweet romances—without the spice. Every Beat After by Sara B. Larson, June 2026, ISBN 9781639934775, is an enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance. Liv is struggling to keep her family’s Swedish bakery afloat when her roommate’s cynical, annoying cousin, Hunter, offers to help. Liv is reluctant to work with him, but when he saves the bakery, something sparks between them. “We’re excited about this one,” Cornell says. “Sara has done quite a few YA novels, but this is our first time working with her. And this is her adult debut.”


 

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