May 2026 Book Releases
I am so excited about the May 2026 book releases. This is the official kick-off of beach read season, and I can’t wait to get my hands on these books. It is always so much fun finding the upcoming new books. I included a list of the books I am most excited to read, along with a brief summary of each book.
The May 2026 book releases mark the real beginning of the beach read season, which is why I included a section for beach reads on this list. These are books set in summer or set on the beach! Of course, there are romances by some of Kirsten’s and my must-read summer authors, but this list of most anticipated May 2026 book releases has some great literary fiction, mysteries and thrillers, nonfiction, and more.
While I still proclaim 2026 to be the year of books about books, we are seeing a little less of that this month with the transition into summer reading. But Mac Barnett has an adult nonfiction book about Children’s books!
If you want some in-depth reviews before the books are published, you can check out our Beyond the Bookends Book Club. We host a monthly Zoom meeting where we share our favorite upcoming books with you. We give you the scoop on what to read and what to skip!
You can help authors by going into your favorite reading app and adding these books to your To Be Read pile. You can also head to your local indie bookstore and pre-order the books you know you will love. This helps the authors a lot. All the books on this list are linked to Libro.fm and Bookshop.org. Both of these sites are associated with independent bookstores!
Most Anticipated May 2026 Book Releases
Most Anticipated Fiction
The Pillagers’ Guide to Arctic Pianos by Kendra Langford Shaw- Jump to Section
Most Anticipated Beach Read
Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey –Jump to Section
Most Anticipated Historical Fiction
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Socket – Click here to read more
Most Anticipated Fantasy/ Sci-Fi
Broken Dove by Dani Francis – Click here to read more
Most Anticipated Thriller
Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister- Click here to read more
Most Anticipated Mystery
Murder at the Hotel Orient by Alessandra Ranelli- Click here to read more
Most Anticipated Romance
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune- Click for more
Most Anticipated Nonfiction
Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children by Mac Barnett- Click here to read the synopsis
Most Anticipated YA
Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson- Click here to read more
*May 2026 Book Releases Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.
May 2026 Fiction Book Releases
The Pillagers’ Guide to Arctic Pianos
Author: Kendra Langford Shaw
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Literary fiction
More info: Family Saga
Plot
The Spahr family lives on a fjord in the Territory of the Arctic. Their home, a converted fisherman’s shack called Jubilation House, is accessible by kayak and seaplane. When one of their neighbors finds a piano in the water from the original settlers, it is perfectly preserved from the freezing water. Each of the original settlers was required to bring a piano as a show of maintaining etiquette, even so far north. The piano is priceless and could be the economic boost the territory needs. The Spahrs begin a quest to find the sunken pianos. This is a book unlike anything I have ever seen and I cannot wait to read it.
Take Me With You
Author: Steven Rowley
Release Date: May 22, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor
Plot
Jesse and Norman have been married for thirty years when Norman walks into their backyard, steps into a beam of light, and disappears. Now Jesse, along for the first time, thinks about what he wants out of life. Should he wait for Norman to come back or reinvent himself? When Norman’s sister, Lally, comes to the house with a request, Jesse feels Norman’s absence even more.
Homebound
Author: Portia Elan
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: For fans of Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Cloud Cuckoo Land
Plot
This is a story of five interconnected lives across centuries. The story starts in 1983 with a nineteen-year-old named Becks and a partially finished video game. The story spans the future lives of a scientist, a sentient automaton, and a sea captain. I cannot wait to read this pick from the May 2026 book releases.
May 2026 Beach Reads
Summer State of Mind
Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Harvey has become a must-read author for beach season. Her books are filled with beautiful relationships and lots of heart. Daisy Stevens has left her job as a NICU nurse and moved to Cape Caroline, looking for a different life. On her first day, the baseball coach, Mayson Thaysden, finds an abandoned baby. Sparks begin to fly between Daisy and Mason as they bond over the baby they saved. Daisy begins to feel more attached to the child, but has to face her own demons from her past. When a discovery is made, the entire town of Cape Carolina may be ripped apart.
Liberty Island
Author: Virginia Hume
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Bestselling author of Haven Point
Plot
Kirsten and I loved Haven Point, so it is not suprise that this book is at the top of our list of May 2026 book releases. Anna Bradley is 28 in 1900. She spends her summers supervising three little girls, including her niece, as they run around off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. She allows them to run free rather than preparing them to be mothers and wives. They became the inspiration for the book “Liberty Island” that Anna writes under a pen name.
In 1922, Julia Demarast used to love her aunt’s book, but now views the book and her family as relics of the past. When her mother calls her back to Haven Point, Julia must rediscover what it means to be happy.
The May House
Author: Jillian Cantor
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Fiction
More info: Perfect for Books About Sisters
Plot
Julia, Emily, and Nora have been staying at their grandmother’s beach house for one week every May since they were kids. When Julia doesn’t show up one year, Emily and Nora begin to question what they really know about their sister and her life. When they discover a family secret, they realize it has shaped the family for decades. This pick from the May 2026 book releases is a must-read.
May 2026 Historical Fiction Book Releases
The Calamity Club
Author: Kathryn Socket
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Author of The Help
Plot
Meg Lafleur, at 11-years-old, is an unadoptable “big girl” at the Lafayette Country Orphan Asylum. Birdie Calhoun comes to Oxford, Mississippi to ask her sister for help, but discovers that her sister’s charmed life is a lie as the Depression continues. When Birdie encounters Charlie, another woman with nothing to lose, and Meg, the three of them come up with a plan to claim what is theirs. This pick from the May 2026 book releases is a must-read.
The Forgotten Midwife
Author: Laura Anthony
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Dual timeline, based on real events.
Plot
New Jersey, 2023. Riley Carmichael is losing her grandmother, Betty, to dementia. When Riley visits Betty in her nursing home, and Betty is having a moment of clear thought, she hands Riley a birth certificate for a child born in Ireland in 1950. Riley knows she needs to go to Ireland.
Tipperary, Ireland, 1954. Margaret Lannigan is ready to be married when her older sister dies. Now, she must break up with her love and become a nun in order to fulfill the family’s commitment to the Church. Margaret is sent to a Home for Fallen Girls to care for single, pregnant girls. When her childhood best friend’s sister arrives, she must find a way to save her and her baby before they disappear in the system.
Plot
This pick from the May 2026 book releases is perfect for my list of books about jewelry. When Elisabeth Beaumont’s twin brother dies unexpectedly, she is left to run the family’s failing jewelry business. She approaches Evaly McLean, the owner of the Hope Diamond, to help. When a tragedy strikes, Elisabeth and Evalyn’s friendship is put to the test, and Elisabeth learns the truth about her brother’s death.
May 2026 Fantasy/ Sci-fi Books
Broken Dove
Author: Dani Fancis
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Silver Elite #2
Plot
While I usually do not include the second book in a series on the list of most anticipated books, this is my most anticipated fantasy. If you have not read Silver Elite, the first book in the series, it is a must-read. Wren has blown her cover as a double agent within Silver Elite, and is safely behind allied lines. She now needs to focus on helping the uprising. Her former commander and lover, Cross, is trying to disrupt the crimes from inside. The war is getting more brutal every day, and Wren must figure out who she is fighting for.
Plot
Kerasea Vestal is a High Priestess and last in a magical bloodline. When a senator is killed and a temple blade is found at the scene, she is suddenly under suspicion. Praetorian Torren Morvane has always wanted to ruin Kerasea, but when he is forced to work with her, they will risk everything to find the real killer. This fantasy romance from the May 2026 book releases is a must-read with a gorgeous cover.
Seek The Traitor’s Sun
Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Fantasy
More info: multicast audio book
Plot
Elegy Ahn is a soldier in her country defending it against the Talusar, a nation that worships a fever that blesses half its victims with mysterious gifts. When she is summoned to hear a prophecy with a Talusar general, they learn that one of them will have victory for their nation, and at the center of it all is a man. Now, the fate of two nations hangs in the balanc,e and Elegy will do anything to ensure victory.
Thrillers for May 2026
Caller Unknown
Author: Gillian McAllister
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: Author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time (Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Plot
Simone and her daughter are renting a cabin in Texas for some quality time together before Lucy leaves for university in the fall. When Simone wakes up in the morning, her daughter is gone, and there is a cell phone waiting with a demand to come to a location and tell nobody. Simone’s husband, back in the UK, urges her to tell the police, but she will not risk her daughter’s life.
When she gets to the location, the demand is not for money; rather, Simone must do something unthinkable. Now, Simone must weigh the consequences of going against everything to save her daughter
The One Day You Are My Husband
Author: Rosie Walsh
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
On the night of Carrie and Johan’s wedding on a beach in Thailand, a group of armed men swarms the beach and takes Johan away. Carrie never sees him again. 12 years later, Carrie is married and has six-year-old twins. When she discovers that Johan escaped from Thailand and has been living in Stockholm, she becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago. What would Carrie give up to go back to her first love?
Plot
This is a thriller about stolen artifacts, organized crime, and an archeological dig. Lena Connolly is working on a case for the Italian government. They claim that an artifact was looted from a museum and they want reparation. When Lena takes on the case, she is taken back to her time at an archeological dig, and she has tried very hard to forget that time.
May 2026 Mysteries
Murder at the Hotel Orient
Author: Alessandra Ranelli
Release Date: May 19, 2022
Genre: Mystery
More info: debut novel
Plot
Sterling Lockwood is the concierge at the hotel, Orient. Every guest at this hotel is hiding something, so aliases are required, and all cameras are banned. When there is a double murder at the hotel, Sterling must turn detective, but this will require her to break the hotel’s code of conduct, which values secrecy above all else. Sterling and her best friend, Fernando, agreed to help the police, but she has an ulterior motive. Maybe the police will not look at her whereabouts the night of the murder.
Murder Most Delicious
Author: Danielle Postel-Vinay
Release Date: May 26, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Author is Danielle Trussoni (Puzzle Box)
Plot
Olivia was a Master Sommelier until she lost her sense of taste during COVID. When she gets a second chance with a celebrity chef, she is so excited to start afresh. When Chef Jacques dies during the interview, Olivia becomes the prime suspect. This is when the Paris Neighborhood Watch comes in. The group is headed by an agoraphobic detective, a cafe owner, a part-time librarian, a florist, and more. Together, they are going to search for the killer.
Voted Most Likely to Murder
Author: Lacey Moone
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Mystery
More info: Cozy Mystery Debut
Plot
A high school reunion goes very wrong when Belinda Bishop, a would-be journalist, finds the body of the class jock. The prime suspect is Jolene Dexter, who was once Belinda’s best friend and is now her nemesis. Despite their history, Belinda thinks her former friend is innocent, and the two need to work together to find the real murderer.
Romance: May 2026 Book Releases
Our Perfect Storm
Author: Carley Fortune
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
This May 2026 book release looks like a friends-to-lovers romance that only Carley Fortune could write. Frankie and George have been best friends since they were eight years old. Their relationship has always had ups and downs, which is why Frankie is not sure if George will come, even though he is her best man. When he shows up, she thinks everything is going to be perfect until her fiancé breaks up with her via a note. George convinces Frankie that the two of them should go on her honeymoon together as the perfect way to heal her broken heart.
The Shippers
Author: Katherine Center
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: Bestselling Author
Plot
This romance from May 2026 book releases has a little bit of everything that is sure to make it a must-read this summer. JoJo Burton is on a cruise for her sister’s destination wedding. She has decided that the way to fix her bad luck with love is to get closure with her first crush. She enlists the help of Cooper Watts, her childhood best friend and biggest heartbreak, to be her wingman. This is a friend-to-lovers, fake-dating romance you will not want to miss.
Dolly All the Time
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Release Date: May 26, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Dolly is a single mom who moves back to Rhode Island to help her dad and her brother. When she comes across Stuart Whitfield, with a flat tire, she decides to help him. He needs someone to help him overcome his recent humiliating public breakup, and proposes that they fake date. Soon, the lines between fake and real start to blur. Can Dolly finally depend on someone else?
Fever Dream
Author: Elsie Silver
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Genre: Romance
More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
A bull rider on a dating reality show called Romance Ranch? I mean, how could I not include this on the list of May 2026 book releases? Emmet Bush agreed to do the show to save his family farm. When the location consultant arrives, he knows that she is off-limits. She is not a contestant, and she is the sister of his biggest rival. As they start to spend more time together, he feels a connection, but knows that his families farm and legacy depends on him completing the show.
Plot
If you love tennis, this is the romance for you. Jules has decided to accept an invitation to join the amateur tennis team of the local tennis club. As a single mother to a teenager, she doesn’t think she has time for a hobby, but making friends and running into her old school crush really helps her embrace the game. I will not use the tennis metaphors here but will this be Jules’ second shot at love?
Plot
Ariel Becker has had enough of being a bridesmaid. And she has had enough of the judgmental wedding singer at every wedding! Judah Klein is New York’s most popular modern orthodox wedding singer. He is also a very eligible bachelor but has had enough of failed attempts at matchmaking. Soon enough, Sparks start to fly with the bridesmaid he encounters at all the weddings.
May 2026: Best Nonfiction Book Releases
Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children
Author: Mac Barnett
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: Bestselling author
Plot
This book for adults is about books for children from the bestselling, Caldecott Award-winning author. This is a book about how to approach children’s literature during a time in our history when literacy is at an all-time low. I cannot wait to read this pick from the May 2026 book releases.
A Little More Love: The Life and Legacy of Olivia Newton- John
Author: Matthew Hild
Release Date: May 14, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot
This is a biography of Olivia Newton-John. Hild carefully researched and spoke with friends and associates to put together the life of one of the biggest global icons. With over 100 million records sold, she was not only popular but also an activist who was vocal about animal rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental issues, all while battling breast cancer.
Best YA May 2026 Book Releases
Drop Dead Famous
Author: Jennifer Pearson
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: YA
More info: Winner of the Lollies
Plot
Blair Baker is a star who is about to perform a homecoming concert when she is murdered. Now, her younger sister, Stevie, is intent on finding the killer. This has happened to Stevie before, and she is not going to let it happen again.
The Summer of Second Chances
Author: K.L Walther
Release Date: May 5, 2026
Genre: YA
More info: Bestselling Author
Plot
Olivia’s friends have all left for college, but she cannot bear to leave her Grandmother, Annie, who has dementia. When Olivia’s stepmother invites the family to spend some time in Martha’s Vineyard, Olivia almost says no, until she finds a box of Annie’s things with memories of her time there. Olivia decides to make her own memories on the island. When she arrives, she meets Connor. Suddenly, she is thinking about her own future and not just what it will look like without Annie.
More May 2026 Book Releases
Expert Tip
Looking through books can be daunting if you are trying to add some books to your TBR. Remember that this list of the most anticipated May 2026 book releases is for fun. You may add books to your TBR stack and never read them. That is OK! I have two tips to help narrow down the choices for you.
- If you do not want to look through all the descriptions, I selected a top pick from each genre. I narrowed it down for you!
- If you have a favorite genre that you like to read, head over to that section and pick from those books.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most anticipated books from the May 2026 book releases?
There are some brilliant debut novels as well as novels from some of our favorite writers- and just in time for beach season. Kristy Woodson Harvey has her new book, Summer State of Mind, releasing on May 5th, and Virginia Hume has her newest book, Liberty Island, releasing on the same day. There are also new books by Steven Rowley, Mac Barnett, Carley Fortune, and more.
Epilogue
Which May 2026 book releases are you most looking forward to reading?
