I’m not sure if I’m the only one, but I’m sincerely over winter and have been looking forward to summer a lot lately. With some beautiful cover reveals, my TBR is firmly set in summer mode, so I thought I’d share some of my most anticipated releases from May through August! Is it a coincidence that most of these are romances? I don’t think so — summer is the perfect season for swooning!
As a big fan of Small Town Hearts, I am so excited for Lillie Vale’s sophomore novel, Beauty and the Besharam (May 10). Vale’s debut was full of coastal town vibes and dynamic characters, so you know I’m excited for an ambitious heroine who is paired with her nemesis during her summer job and then forced to compete in a series of challenges.
This whole post could be full of sophomore novels I’m excited for, and A Show for Two (May 10) by Tashie Bhuiyan would be on the list. Famously inspired by when Tom Holland went undercover at Tashie’s school, A Show for Two promises a deal between a secret celebrity and a heroine who wants to win a film competition.
With the success of Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop, Casey McQuiston’s YA debut, I Kissed Shara Wheeler (May 3), already has a ton of buzz. I may have picked up the exclusive edition already in the last B&N preorder sale. Shara Wheeler is about rivals competing for valedictorian spots until Shara and Chloe kiss and Shara vanishes. Together with two other girls Shara kissed, Chloe and her unlikely alliances must try to find the missing teen.
The queen of rom coms, Rachel Lynn Solomon is gracing our bookshelves with See You Yesterday (May 17) this summer. And even more exciting, this latest release promises a twisty, Groundhog-Day romance with a girl who is forced to relive her first day of college over and over again and discovers a fellow student also stuck in the time loop. Can they escape together?
I am so thrilled I found a debut author for this post and Andrea Mosqueda’s Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster (May 24) revovles around a girl’s mission to find a date for her sister’s quinceañera. In her search, she must confront her bisexual feelings as well as the ways her relationships to her friends may have changed. And don’t even get me started on how much I love the title!
As a longtime fan of Sarah Henning, I’m so excited for It’s All in How You Fall (May 31) which features gymnasts! I always support more sports YA novels, and I would gladly read about gymnasts as someone who grew up in the sport. This one is about a gymnast well on her way to stardom who has a career ending injury. She then meets someone who will help her “date” different sports and in return, she will play matchmaker.
I am obsessed with all of the covers on this list, but Zyla & Kai (June 7) is in my top three! On a school trip, Zyla and Kai run away together, which wouldn’t be surprising, except they’ve been broken up for months. Told alternately over the past and the present, Zyla & Kai comes from romance expert Kristina Forest, who is an auto-buy author for me.
Dahlia Adler’s latest release, Home Field Advantage (June 7), tells the story of Amber, aspiring cheerleader captain, who is suddenly pitted against new student Jaclyn (the new quarterback) except then she starts to fall for her. Adler’s stories have been some of my favorite YA romances and this sports romance (WE LOVE SPORTS!) will cause Amber to pick between her dreams and her love.
Julie Abe’s YA romance debut, The Charmed List (July 5), tells the story of Ellie, who is committed to her anti-wallflower checklist. But one of the items goes wrong, and instead of taking revenge on Jack Yasuda, she ends up trapped on a road trip with him. I’ve loved Abe’s MG series, Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, and I have the highest hopes for this new YA endeavor!
And finally is Those Summer Nights (August 23) by Laura Silverman. Hannah’s dreams of a soccer career are over and a series of bad decisions results in a year of boarding school. Her summer job at an entertainment multiplex seems to offer some harmless flirting, but a competition from the multiplex forces her to confront her past dreams and her ex-best friend.
There were so many releases from May alone that I could write a whole post just on releases in that month. But I hope that this list will give you a somewhat balanced list for you to enjoy all summer long. Who else is looking forward to summer reading, picnics in the sun, and swoony stories?
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Lili began her reviewing journey as a tired academic who wanted to distract herself from journal articles. She is obsessed with SFF books, enamel pin collections, dabbling in makeup, and carries a book wherever she goes. If you like discovering new reads, diverse books, and wry humor, you can find Lili on Instagram, Youtube, Twitter & TikTok.
