Which New YA Romance Books Feature Diverse Protagonists?

She is focused, disciplined, and determined to survive her first year at university. He is reckless, irresistible, and the most notorious athlete on campus. When fate throws them together, sparks fly and rules are broken. Falling for the bad boy athlete was never part of her plan, but resisting him could cost her everything. Secrets, rivalries, and a dangerous attraction push them to the edge. Can love survive when their worlds are at war?

Kaia has always lived in the shadows of her pack. The daughter of the Beta, overlooked by her father and ignored by her brother, she works tirelessly to prove herself—top of her class, fiercest warrior, yet never recognized because she is a plus sized girl and was born an omega. She has learned to fight silently, to protect those weaker than her, and to hide the fire that burns inside. But when the Alpha’s son arrives—dangerous, magnetic, and utterly forbidden, Kaia’s carefully controlled world starts to crumble. Every glance from him is a challenge. Every touch ignites a hunger she shouldn’t feel. Rules are clear: Omegas and Alphas relationships are off-limits. Yet Kaia can’t deny the pull, can’t resist the intensity that leaves her breathless and trembling. As secrets unravel and pack loyalties are tested, Kaia must decide: will she stay in the shadows where she’s safe, or step into the fire, risking everything for desire, power, and a love that’s strictly forbidden?

The women in Brianne Montgomery’s family have a curse that compels them to marry before the age of thirty-one, and she wasn't going to be the first one to break it. Her life seemed perfecThe only thing she hated about her life was Travis Cross—her brother’s annoying best friend. Travis made a lifetime promise to take care of Brianne for the rest of his life. He promised to be her safety guy to save her from the family curse. Soon, their once hateful relationship turned into an unbreakable bond of love and friendship. However, their dependent and comfortable relationship would always be complicated because of the yearning inside Travis that craved Brianne like a drug. And Brianne struggled to stay immune to his charms. She had already lost so much, and Travis had become the most important thing she couldn’t afford to gamble with. This romance follows Travis and Brianne's lives from the age of sixteen to adulthood and how they dealt with family, teen peer pressure, marriage and breakups… all of which make up their deep and unbreakable connection: A relationship so beautiful, they’re afraid to risk it for anything… not even for love itself.

My father, the Alpha King, did not want his daughter surrounded by Alphas chasing the throne, so he hid my identity and arranged for me to meet Adrian Vale, the young Alpha of the modest Silver Ridge Pack. Father said Adrian had real ability. Unlike the court Alphas who knew only how to flatter power, Adrian had taken control of his pack young and kept it stable. I wore a Chanel dress, a custom Cartier watch, a Hermès bag, and the moonstone bracelet my mother had left me. It was only a formal meeting, but since Father had arranged it himself, I chose to show respect. Before dinner could begin, Adrian's childhood friend, Molly Veyne, stormed into the private dining room. She called herself a gold-digger detector. Her eyes swept over my dress, my watch, my bracelet, and my bag before she laughed. "Adrian, look at her. She covered herself in luxury brands so you would think she came from noble blood." Adrian apologized and said Molly disliked women who dressed too loudly. I chose not to lose my temper. Then Molly dragged my Hermès bag under her shoe. "A bag worth this much? How could you afford it?" "Tell us, how many Alphas did you fool before you could pay for everything you are wearing?" "You dressed like a princess because you want an Alpha to put a Luna crown on your head." Her malice almost made me laugh. I looked at the moonstone bracelet on my wrist. Even if Silver Ridge sold every business it owned, Molly still might not be able to pay for what she had just touched.

Amara Bennett has a rule: Never let anyone close enough to break your heart twice. After a humiliating breakup that turned her into the laughingstock of her school, she’s done with romance, done with hope, and definitely done with boys who make promises they can’t keep. Then Julian Reyes transfers into her class. Charming without trying. Annoyingly kind. The type of boy who remembers little things—like how she hates strawberries on cake and how she always pretends she’s okay when she isn’t. At first, Amara can’t stand him. Mostly because Julian somehow sees through every wall she built around herself. But when a misunderstanding makes the entire school believe they’re dating, Julian offers her a deal: fake a relationship until the rumors die down. Simple. Except nothing about Julian feels fake. Not the way he waits outside her classroom just to walk her home. Not the way his hand finds hers during crowded hallways. And definitely not the way he looks at her like she’s the best thing he’s ever found. For the first time in a long time, Amara begins to believe love might not be something meant to hurt her. But just when she finally lets herself fall, she discovers the truth Julian has been hiding since the day they met—a truth that could destroy everything between them. Because Julian didn’t transfer to her school by coincidence. He came for her.

Dalia Reyes came to the city chasing dreams—not trouble. But being undocumented means she’s always one step away from losing everything she’s worked for. Cleaning condos for people who don’t even know her name, she’s learned to survive quietly, invisibly… until one bad day throws her right into the path of Lucas Daniels the cold, arrogant, impossibly handsome billionaire heir who seems to have it all, except what he wants most: his father’s approval. When Lucas powerful father demands he “settle down” or lose his inheritance, Dalia becomes the most unlikely solution to his very expensive problem. The deal is simple: a fake marriage. Six months. No strings attached. But nothing about their arrangement stays simple for long. Because somewhere between the lies, the late-night arguments, and the moments they forget it’s all pretend—Dalia starts to feel something dangerously real. And when secrets from both their worlds collide, they’ll have to decide what’s worth saving: the truth, their freedom… or each other.