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Summer offers us so much, especially when it comes to reading. With the warmer weather, you can sit outside of a cafe with a good book in one hand and a matcha latte in the other. Beach reads are back in full force, too, so the next natural step is to build out your TBR with new books for summer.. Sometimes, that’s the hardest step to take.
There are so many books coming out all at once this summer, making it that much more difficult to make an already tough decision. There’s been times when I’ve stepped into Barnes & Noble and felt so overwhelmed with the choices. Should I pick a romance novel or stick with fantasy? Should I step out of my comfort zone and go with a mystery novel? I can’t go wrong with any option, and neither can you. If you’re in need of some book recommendations to get you out of a reading slump or to kickstart a new hobby, you’re in the right place. Here are 12 new books for summer 2026 to add to your TBR.
A little over a decade ago, Val and Milly became best friends. They met on a study abroad trip to France, and have been bonded ever since. In an effort to rekindle their bond, Val agrees to move to New York to raise her family alongside Milly’s. On paper, the idea is picture-perfect. However, Val and Milly quickly realize that things have changed in the time that they’ve been apart, and no amount of nostalgia can bring back what once was. Now, the pair must rediscover how they fit into each other’s lives, if that’s even possible.
There’s a little bookshop that only appears during cherry blossom season, and it’s become a safe haven for people grappling with deep sorrows and regrets. It’s owned by Sakura and her calico cat, Kobako, who are always ready to receive those in need of some healing. Over the course of four seasons, the bookshop’s visitors come with books to understand their past and accept their present — with the help of Sakura and Kobako, of course.
The moment Caroline Lash arrives in Greenhead, she falls in love with Van Whittaker. He’s a Massachusetts native, born and raised in this coastal town, and still keeps close to his childhood friend group: old-money Augusta, Fran who’s fed up with guys, and his ex-girlfriend, Bailey. Everything seems perfectly perfect. They’re spending their days at beaches and bars, and watching their children make the same memories they did years ago. Things start to unravel when Bailey admits she’s pregnant with Van’s baby, and a now-outcast Caroline does something that changes the trajectory of their lives forever.
As a casting agent, Sasha Cruz is used to looking for “types,” but they’re usually not hers. That’s until she sits beside a tall, dark, and handsome mystery man on her flight to Paris. They hit it off, but before they deplane, they never exchange numbers or even their Instagram. Determined to make sure that this mystery passenger is not the one that got away, Sasha sends an email to her work friend, or so she thinks. It turns out that the entire company now knows she’s looking for the man in Seat F, and so begins the worldwide manhunt to find her potential soulmate.
Retro by Jessica M. Goldstein
Deep in a doomscroll, Ash spots an ad for the thing she needs most — a job. She embarks on her new professional journey as a Time Travel Agent, where she hops through various eras to take tourists to historical hotspots. From bachelorette parties in the Wild Wild West to Roaring ’20s-themed birthday parties, Ash gets to experience the past in all its glory. However, it seems like Ash never learned the cardinal rule of time travel: Don’t mess with the past.
Mona thought she’d be promoted in her marketing firm and move into a beautiful New York City high-rise by this point in her life. Instead, she’s without a job and stuck in a shoebox that’s masquerading as an apartment. As if life couldn’t get any stranger, Mona steps in for the building’s landlady when she takes a tumble. All she has to do is fix up the building so it’s ready to be sold, then Mona can make at least one of her dreams come true. But first, she’s got to deal with her neighbors.
Stevie is an L.A. native desperate to leave the City of Angels behind and find some fulfillment in her life. She’s also desperate to escape from beneath the thumb of her mother, Moon, an actress with no work and a recovering addict. Their relationship is challenging, and financial struggles only add fuel to the fire. They’re forced to rent out their home and live in the pool house until the cost of living goes down. Then, a wild card shows up: Adam. What was already complicated becomes even more so, and now Stevie and Moon must navigate an increasingly winding road of hardship.
For 80 years, Joy Bridport has had a good, rule-following life. Every once in a while it’s electrified by her beloved bestie, Hazel, who likes to bring energy to Joy’s quiet, simple existence. Unfortunately, time is running out for Hazel, who learns that she only has months to live. Her best friend’s fate forces Joy to realize that she hasn’t truly lived life, so she steps out of her comfort zone and gets into all sorts of mischief with Hazel by her side. What Joy thought was harmless rule-breaking turns out to be petty crime, and now, Joy must determine how far she’s willing to go to live life — and if breaking the law is worth it all.
At 32, Joey Vasquez is on the verge of making partner at her law firm. Her personal life is not nearly as glamorous as her professional one, though, because she spends most of it in front of a TV with her old cat. One night, Joey attends a dinner party hosted by her best friend (and longtime crush), Elijah. There, she runs into her least favorite person on Earth: Alex. And just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse, she dies. The next thing she knows, Joey is a freshman in college all over again, but this time, she’s got the memories of her 32-year-old self to inform her every move. She thinks this is her chance to finally have Elijah, but it seems like Alex has other plans.
In order to prevent his family from going bankrupt, professional bull rider Emmett Bush decides to go on a Bachelor-esque romance reality TV show. The location consultant for the show — and the younger sister of his biggest bull riding rival — is Julia Silva. Although they both see each other as the very last person on their romance list, close proximity leads to the development of an unexpected connection. They’ve fallen in love, but Emmett still has a show to do. And you know what they say: The show must go on!
Heated Rivalry, but make it tennis. Although pro-tennis player Austin Hardy has been out since high school, being gay has never felt like a huge deal. That is, until he achieves a Grand Slam, becoming the first openly gay tennis player to do so. Austin is met with more media attention than he would like, and the spotlight has unbalanced him so much that he literally trips in front of equally handsome and talented Diego Cruz, the second-best tennis player in the world. Something more simmers beneath their newfound friendship, and now, Austin must grapple with the intense spotlight and complicated feelings for Diego as he tries to win the US Open.
When scientist Emery Finch met Luca one fateful night in Vegas, her life changed, so she married the first person that made her feel alive. But, life happens, and Emery finds that in the three years since, she hasn’t been as present as she’d like to be. She forgets anniversaries and misses dinners all due to her research. Her hope is that, one day, all this research will have been worth it, and her husband will understand. Unfortunately, Luca is tragically taken from her before she can get that chance. Or, is he? Emery puts her brilliant mind to work to bring Luca back from the dead, and it works. Only, he remembers nothing.
