Not sure how the weather is where you are, but it has been HOT this last week! Summer is practically here, and with it comes more new releases! We are SO excited for all of the new books coming out this season and these are just a few recommendations from our team!
THE Sarah Dessen is back and she doesn’t disappoint! Change of Plans is filled with all the classic hallmarks of a Dessen book: heartbreak, family secrets, and finding yourself where you least expect it. Get ready to fall in love with Finley and her found family, to cheer her on while she figures out who she is, and to kick your feet while she finds love.
Recommended by Shannon
(Spoiler Alert!) This book is already out and she. is. GORGEOUS! Lara Jean, Peter Kavinsky, and the cast of To All the Boys I've Loved Before are back and cuter than ever in this brand new format. Whether you've been a fan of the series, discovered it from the Netflix movie, or have (somehow) never heard of the series, I can't recommend this enough! The art is absolutely adorable and my only complaint is that it's not nearly long enough!! I can't wait until the rest of the trilogy is put into this beautiful graphic novel format <3
Recommended by Julia Ashley
Take a trip to the Amalfi Coast this summer with Oh My Affogato! Our main character Soraya hatches a plan to come out of her European vacation with the title of Official Girlfriend to her on-again-off-again secret situationship Wes. She soon discovers that vacations, like romances, can be messy, especially when you’re keeping secrets from your friends and spending an unexpected amount of time with the sweet and super cute Italian boy whose family runs your B&B. Perfect for fans of Love & Gelato and Emily in Paris!
Recommended by Amelia
This stars a high school varsity cheerleader squad, many of whom are queer! It’s a rom-com! And already one of the funniest books I’ve read this year! With the same satirical energy as Bottoms! Plus it's multi-POV! The protagonists Kendall and Davie will give you all the feels! SO much scheming! And shenanigans! It’s a sports rom-com because cheerleading IS a sport! And if you’re wondering why I’m recommending this book using only exclamation points, my words are intended to sound like they're coming out of a megaphone, because… THEY’RE QUEERLEADERS!!!
Recommended by James
F.T. Lukens is one of my absolute FAVORITE authors for cozy, feel-good romantasy adventures, and The Last Best Quest Ever delivers everything you could ever want from this delightful genre! Pick up this new release for DnD vibes, a ragtag found family, an epic quest, SO many laughs along the way, and of course, swoonworthy romance!
Recommended by Amy
I didn’t think anything would heal the hole that Our Flag Means Death left in my heart until I read A Prince Among Pirates! A noble running from an arranged marriage and a life he doesn't want just so happens to find himself on a pirate ship with a misfit crew…and led by a charming and devilish captain, of course! If you’re craving swashbuckling adventure and queer found family, this book is for you.
Recommended by Shannon
Summer is bringing the heat is more ways than one! When Jaliya Powell travels to Jamaica for the first time in seven years, she's met with complicated family dynamics, her smoking hot childhood crush, and an opportunity to discover the unearthed parts of her identity. This coming-of-age story is filled with DeAndra Davis's fluid and immersive writing making it my absolute #1 top pick for summer!
Recommended by Kayah
Enemies to allies to lovers. A deadly bride competition. Slow-burn romance. A seductive male love interest (or two). A desperate heroine. Must I continue? Lure of Wolves and Whispers is an addictive read that will grab you by the heart and not let go. When Maeve sacrifices everything to buy dangerous magic to save her sister, she is quickly thrown into a deadly competition with the fate of her kingdom resting on her. It's THE next romantasy everyone will be obsessed with, I promise.
Recommended by Lindsey
This stunning novel-in-verse is the latest from award-winning author Margarita Engle, and it’s my favorite of hers yet! Evamar arrives in Cuba with her abuela’s ashes and her mother’s warning: don't fall in love. But then she meets Río, a passionate, magnetic drummer who bears his own scars, separated from his family in the United States. As their love story unfolds, Margarita delivers a searing emotional portrayal of Río’s experience being torn from his family in Florida, along with Evamar’s journey to discover her family’s heritage and legacy.
Recommended by Amy
In this thrilling, investigative read, Sadie is tragically murdered, and the truth is unraveled through multiple POVs. The story unfolds just after the murders, and Jayne, Ben, and Sadie’s best friend, Liz, are telling the cops what transpired at the party and the events leading up to it. But little details don’t match. And those little details start to add up to big discrepancies. But who’s lying, and why?
Recommended by Maryam
"For fans of love, Lynn Painter, and Lewis Hamilton." Sign. Me. Up!! The Fast Track is a rivals-to-lovers romance that takes place against the backdrop of formula racing. However, this book stands out to me compared to any other F1 romance because SHE is a driver, too! I've been following Bianca Bustamante, one of very few female Asian formula racers since 2023, so the announcement of this book meant a LOT to me! I can't wait for you all to read this when it comes out in August.
Recommended by Julia Ashley
In this captivating contemporary fantasy, sixteen-year-old Harper is invited to an elite boarding school in the mountains of North Carolina, after a rage-inducing encounter awakens her magical abilities. There, she unravels her family’s mysterious connection to the school’s racist past and discovers she plays an important role in a prophecy that stretches back centuries. With a true hate-to-love romantic tension at its core, this book is sizzling, and not just because of magic.
Recommended by Maryam