Beach chair, sunscreen and your cutest sunglasses.
These are just some of the most important staples when packing a bag for a day at the beach. But right near the top of the list—after SPF, of course—is a good book. When it comes to finding the right book for a relaxing summer day, there are plenty of new releases to choose from.
There's This Summer Will Be Different, which sees author Carley Fortune trade in lake life for the windswept coast and green gables of Prince Edward Island, delivering a heartfelt love story—between occasional paramours Lucy and Felix but also Lucy and her best friend (and Felix's older sister) Bridget.
Plus, several BookTok favorites are spicing up the summer with sexy new titles. Chief among them, Casey McQuiston with The Pairing. In the Red, White & Royal Blue author's latest novel, exes Theo and Kit come face to face for the first time in years after accidentally booking the same food and drink tour through Europe. And then there's The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas, which follows a fake engagement that may just have some very real sparks.
But for those not looking for a bit of summer love in their reading, there's the exciting second installment in Lauren Roberts' Powerless trilogy—the aptly named, and eyebrow-raising, Reckless.
Meanwhile, Lev Grossman, whose Magicians series captivated readers, is turning his focus to the fantastical realm of King Arthur with The Bright Sword, following the iconic Knights of the Round Table after the monarch's death. And Mexican Gothic scribe Silvia Moreno-Garcia is back with '50s Hollywood-set The Seventh Veil of Salome.
Keep reading for more new books to check out this summer.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
Release Date: May 7
When Lucy touches down on Prince Edward Island for the first time, she is armed with her BFF Bridget’s three rules: eat your weight in oysters, leave the city behind, and don’t fall in love with her younger brother. Sounds easy, until Lucy officially meets Bridget’s newly single brother Felix, who happens to be the sexy oyster shucker she just hooked up with. Over the subsequent years, Lucy attempts to keep things with Felix platonic as sparks continue to fly—and she falls more and more in love with PEI itself.
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 14
Yes, Veronica Roth of Divergent fame is back with a new Chicago-set fantasy epic rooted in Slavic folklore. A descendant of famed monster hunters, Dymitr is looking for Baba Yaga. But to do so must rely on the help of Ala, a zmora a.k.a. demonic creature who feeds on fear, whom he has promised a cure.
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
Release Date: May 21
Love Island meets Survivor in this updated take on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Lyla reluctantly joins her wannabe actor boyfriend Nico on a new reality show following five couples on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. However, a storm soon knocks out their communication with the outside world and over time, with water and resources running low, the tension between the desperate castmates reaches a deadly breaking point.
If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
Release Date: May 28
Five years ago, Ryan’s high school girlfriend Ali vanished during a romantic night out together, leaving him under a cloud of suspicion. While he’s largely managed to move on, his law school class trip to Italy is derailed when he learns that Ali’s car has been found—with a haunting note in it. He soon encounters a man with ties to that fateful, horrifying night, sending him on a wild goose chase through Europe to learn the truth.
Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
Release Date: June 11
In 1993, a team of young filmmakers make an art-house horror movie that goes on to have a cult following, despite only a handful of scenes ever being release to the public. But a few decades later, in the age of reboots, a production retelling the infamous movie is set to begin with help from the sole survivor of the original cast, forcing him to contend with the chaotic and ultimately tragic experience working on the original film.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
Release Date: June 18
The Manor, an idyllic, luxurious retreat on the British coastline is opening with a bang, an exclusive weekend of parties and feasts. However, amid the glamour there is discord—and not just because of the disapproving townspeople. After all, the estate is haunted by its past and by the end of the weekend, the secrets will come to light but not everyone will make it out alive.
Reckless by Lauren Roberts
Release Date: July 2
Lauren Roberts returns with the second installment in her Powerless trilogy. This time, star-crossed lovers Paedyn and Kai are on opposite sides: she leads the resistance after killing his father, the king, and he must serve as the chief protector of his brother Kitt, who has inherited the throne. As he seeks justice for his family, their game of cat and mouse proves just how deep the discord runs in the kingdom of Ilya.
A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner
Release Date: July 16
Debut author Shelby returns to Provincetown hoping to celebrate the Cape Cod town that inspired her new best-seller with her closest friends only to receive a chilly welcome by those who feel a little too seen on the page. When a friend needs her help running the local bookshop, Shelby sticks around town, balancing life in the shop with writing her new novel—all while trying to mend fences with those she hurt with her work and rediscovering her place in the community.
The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur by Lev Grossman
Release Date: July 16
Aspiring knight of the Round Table Collum arrives at Camelot to learn that King Arthur has recently died in battle and the misfits of the famed group are its lone survivors. But as Britain descends into chaos, Collum and his new crew set off on a quest to reclaim Excalibur and uncover the mysteries of the late king and his family.
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
Release Date: July 23
Estranged best friends Cary and Shiloh reunite after a more than decade apart at their close friend Mikey’s wedding. Now in their early 30s, he’s a career navy officer and she’s a divorced mom of two back living in her childhood home. As they reconnect, they look back at their history, the events that drove them apart and face whether there is a further for them—together.
The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas
Release Date: July 30
Josie Moore needs a husband. Her newly-discovered father is an influential man on the cusp of retirement whose new chapter is being ushered in with a major magazine spread—and her four failed engagements isn’t exactly a good look. However, her sister’s best friend Matthew enters the picture, and he reluctantly agrees to pose as her fiancé in a PR move that quickly has her small town under the impression that he is, at last, her true love.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
Release Date: August 6
Theo and Kit are best friends who fell in love before a bitterly breaking up on the way to a three-week wine and food tour through Europe. Four years later, with their trip vouchers set to expire, they each, unbeknownst to the other until it is too late, decide to embark on the trip solo. When their Italian tour guide catches both of their eyes, to pass the time they embark on a hook-up competition through Europe—one that may just force them to confront the events leading to their estrangement.
The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Release Date: August 6
Vera, a receptionist from Mexico City, is thrust into the spotlight when she lands the role of Salome in ‘50s Hollywood’s latest biblical epic—quickly drawing the ire of wannabe starlet Nancy. The already tense production further unravels as Vera tries to navigate to life in Hollywood—and the inherent racism in the film industry—and Nancy decides to take matters in her own hands to secure her rightful place as the titular heroine.
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
Release Date: August 6
After a grueling job search yields no results, Ember Lee Cardinal tweaks her resume, making her Native heritage more ambiguous and shifting some qualifications—ultimately landing her dream job. Soon she is thriving at work and dating a Native colleague, but it all hits a snag when another coworker learns the truth of how Ember got the job and blackmails her. But as she gets tangled in a web of lies, Ember must decide whether to come clean or sacrifice her truth for her career.
The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
Release Date: August 13
Within the span of weeks, former childhood best friends Levi and June each suffer humiliating breakups that take social media by storm. So, when a photograph has of them together has the internet believing the scorned duo have found love together, they play along. For June, it’s an attempt to salvage her failing tea shop and for Levi, to make his ex jealous so she comes back. However, it’s soon clear that fake dating for a pair with a past is easier said than done.