Should I Move My Release Date So It Doesn’t Compete with ACOTAR?

If you’ve opened Threads or TikTok in the last 24 hours, you’ve probably seen the news: Sarah J. Maas announced the sixth and seventh books in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, with releases planned for the end of 2026 and early 2027.

And almost immediately, the question started popping up everywhere:

“Should I move my release date if my book was supposed to come out around the same time?”

It’s a fair question. And honestly… there isn’t a universal answer.

Here’s the honest take I’ve been giving the authors I’m working with:

If you’re a self-published author, even in romantasy, having a release in October 2026 or January of 2027 is not automatically a death sentence. You still have several months between now and then to build your audience, nurture your readers, and create real excitement around your book. With intentional marketing and a strong community, you can absolutely still have a successful release week.

That said, there’s another factor we can’t ignore.

We are always, ALWAYS working within the reality of the algorithm.

If you’ve scrolled social media today, you’ve probably noticed something: your feed is full of ACOTAR content. Whether you want to see it or not, it’s everywhere. People have been waiting for this announcement for years, and the internet is reacting exactly how you’d expect. And we’re going to see this cycle repeat again in October.

Leading up to the release, during the release week, and as readers start posting their reactions and reviews, the romantasy space on TikTok and Instagram is going to be VERY loud.

So if you’re releasing a romantasy book during the same window, even if your book is very different, you’re competing for the same attention on people’s For You Pages. Are you automatically coomed if you release then? No.

But I am currently recommending that my clients avoid announcing an October romantasy release if they have that flexibility.

Not because it’s impossible… but because we’d have to work significantly harder just to be seen. And if we have the option to give a release a little more breathing room, why wouldn’t we?

Now, this isnt’ a hard rule, and other strategists may have a completely different opinion — and that’s totally valid. There’s also a real argument that this announcement is going to bring more eyeballs into the romantasy space overall, which could mean discovering new readers.

But after spending the past year studying the algorithm and how this market behaves (especially on TikTok), this is the guidance I’m currently giving authors I work with.

At the end of the day, we’re not going to panic. We’re going to make intentional decisions that give your book the best possible chance to succeed.