Summer 2025 Book Releases
The summer 2025 book releases are fantastic, and I cannot wait to dive into these amazing books. This is the post where we divide the book releases by publication date for the entire season!
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If you are looking for new release books divided by genre, I put those in a separate post divided by month. You can find the most anticipated book releases for June 2025, July 2025, and August 2025.
I know that it can seem like a lot but, feel free to jump around. There are so many books Kirsten and I cannot wait to read, it’s hard to pick which to read first.
The books on this list are divided by release date, so you will know when the books are coming out. Have a look around. And as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Kirsten or me!
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Summer 2025 Book Releases: June 2025
June 3, 2025
The Summer We Ran
Author: Audrey Ingram
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: June 3
More info: Dual timeline story
Plot
In the summer of 1996, Tess Murphy and Grant Alexander fell in love despite coming from different worlds, but a tragedy tore them apart. Now, 20 years later, they are both running for Governor of Virginia, and secrets from their past threaten their futures. As the campaign unfolds, they must confront what really happened that summer and whether their past will define their future. Told in two timelines, I cannot wait for this pick from the summer 2025 Book releases.
Battle of the Bookstores
Author: Ali Brady
Genre: Romance
Release Date: June 3. 2025
More info: Bestselling Author
Plot
Josie and Ryan manage competing bookstores on the same Boston street—one focused on literature, the other on romance. When their new boss merges the stores, they’re forced into a summer-long competition to see who can turn the most profit. The winner will get to keep their job as manager. As their rivalry heats up, so does an unexpected attraction, a textbook “opposites attract” trope. To complicate things even more, they have become they have unknowingly become online confidants in a book forum. This book is giving me “You’ve Got Mail” vibes and I cannot wait to start reading it.
Atmosphere
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 3, 2025
More info: Bestselling author of Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Plot
Joan is a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University, and she sees an advertisement for women to join the NASA space shuttle program. She applies and is chosen from thousands of applicants. She begins training in the summer of 1980 and forms deep friendships with the other astronauts in the program. In December 1984, everything changes on mission STS-LR9. Kirsten and I both cannot wait to read this book. It is also perfect for my list of Books Set in the 80s.
Under the Neon Lights
Author: Arriel Vinson
Genre: YA Fiction
Release Date: June 3, 2025
More info: Reese’s Lit Up Book Club
Plot
Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn finds freedom at her local roller rink, but her world shifts when she meets a boy at the rink. This is a nice distraction from the tension with her best friend, and the reappearance of deals with her estranged father. When the rink is set to close due to gentrification, she must find a way to fight for the place that means everything to her.
The Friendship Fling
Author: Georgia Stone
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: June 3, 2025
More info: Debut Love Story
Plot
Ava Monroe, a cynical London barista, isn’t looking for new friends, but she agrees to a summer friendship with the upbeat and adventurous Finn O’Callaghan. Finn needs a local guide for his London bucket list, and Ava needs to prove she won’t be alone when her best friend leaves. What starts as a casual arrangement turns into something deeper as they explore the city together. But with summer ending and Finn set to leave, Ava must decide if she’s willing to break her own rules.
The Other Side of Now
Author: Paige Harbison
Genre: Fiction/ Magical Realism
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Plot
Meg Bryan, a TV star with a seemingly perfect life, secretly feels unfulfilled. After a breakdown on her thirtieth birthday, she impulsively travels to an Irish village she once dreamed of moving to with her best friend, Aimee. There, she finds herself in an alternate reality where she never became famous, did move to Ireland, and Aimee is still alive—but wants nothing to do with her. Now, Meg must find a way to reconnect with her friend before she loses her all over again.
Ten Incarnations of Rebellion
Author: Vaishnavi Patel
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: June 3, 2025
More info: From the bestselling author of Kaikeyi
Plot
In an alternate 1960s India still under British rule, Kalki Divekar grows up in Kingston, a city built on the ruins of Bombay. The older generation has been killed and those that are left fight among themselves. After tragedy strikes, she joins her friends in a secret movement to undermine the empire from within. As the stakes rise, Kalki must choose between survival and risking everything for freedom. This is a story set over a decade as ten moments that mirror Dashavatara.
Plot
One night, every building in New York City shifts locations, throwing the city into chaos. One morning the Empire State Building is on Coney Island. As the phenomenon continues, emergency responders Esme Green and Arjun Varma struggle to manage the crisis, called the Unmapping. Esme is searching for her missing fiancé and Arjun tries to become a hero for the city. As scientists search for answers and strange cults emerge, they must confront their own fears.
Plot
In 1942, June Porter Hudson manages the Avallon Hotel in West Virginia, but everything changes when her family makes a deal with the state department. Now, the hotel takes in captured Axis diplomats. Tasked with keeping the hotel running while tensions rise, she must convince her staff to serve enemies of war. As FBI Agent Tucker Minnick listens for secrets, June faces a dangerous choice that could put everything at risk.
Plot
After losing her long-time acting job, Sydney Ryan visits her grandmother in Florida, only to find herself caught up in a mystery when someone repeatedly breaks into her grandmother’s home. What are they looking for and what secrets is her grandmother keeping? With the help of old friends and a former crush, she works to uncover the truth while reconsidering her future in Hollywood.
Eat Post Like
Author: Emily Arden Wells
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: June 3, 2025
More info: Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated June 2025 Book Release
Plot
Cassie Brooks thinks she has her life figured out. She is a workaholic lawyer who has two goals: make partner by 35 and spend time with her boyfriend, James. But when James dies unexpectedly, Cassie discovers he was behind a famous foodie Instagram account. She decides to secretly take over the account and embarks on a journey of food as she navigates her grief. Can she balance her new identity and pursue her dreams at the same time?
June 10, 2025
A Most Puzzling Murder
Author: Bianca Marais
Year: 2025
Genre: Not so Cozy Mystery
More info: Author of Hum if You Don’t Know the Words, one of Jackie’s Top 10 All-Time Favorite Books
December 2024 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Destiny Whip, an enigmatologist who has not left her house in a year, receives a mysterious job offer to be the Scruffmore family historian, a job she did not apply for. Try as she might, she can find no information about the family, but the invitation is a hidden message that promises to reveal family secrets. The best part? You, as the reader, get to partake in solving the clues.
Destiny is enticed by the idea of learning more about herself and follows the clues to Eerie Island. When she arrives, she discovers why the Island has the name “Eerie” and finds hidden messages, a looming murder, and a magical royal family. As her visions reveal a death that hasn’t happened, she must race to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
Why Jackie loves it
I love a great puzzle, and this book not only has that, but it also allows you to interact with Destiny via email if you need help solving the clues. I did this for the fun of the interaction! There is also some choose-your-own-adventure in the story. This is the most fun I have had reading a book in ages. I added sticky notes in the pages because, even though Marais encourages you to mark within the pages, I could not bring myself to do it. If you are reading digitally, there is a printable to help you work out the puzzles!
Find this book in: Cozy Mystery Books / Best Beach Reads 2025
The English Masterpiece
Author: Katherine Raey
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 10
More info: From the author of The Berlin Letters
Plot
Lily, an assistant at the Tate, is helping her boss, Diana, plan a major Picasso exhibit. The exhibit features Picasso’s iconic works as well as a newly discovered painting. When Lily publicly claims one of the paintings is a forgery, her accusation throws the art world into chaos, and puts her career and her mentor’s reputation at risk. With time running out, Lily must follow the clues and prove that she was right before she loses everything.
Plot
Two strangers, Lucy and Greta, agree to swap homes in Dallas and Berlin. Lucy needs to leave after her son makes a huge mistake and Greta needs to leave Berlin after her husband leaves to take a job in Texas without telling her. As they navigate cultural differences, family chaos, and personal crises, they realize their problems followed them! They might need each other to fix their problems and get their lives back on track.
Kill Your Darlings
Author: Peter Swanson
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: June 10, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of Eight Perfect Murders
Plot
Wendy Graves seems to have a perfect life except that she wants to kill her husband, Thom. This is a thriller that traces their 25-year marriage through key moments, but told in reverse! The story traces back to one moment in their twenties and the secret that has kept them together for more than 25 years. This is a secret that would destroy them both. Is it better to make sure Thom takes the secret to the grave?
With a Vengeance
Author: Riley Sager
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: June 10, 2025
More info: #1 New York Times Bestseller. Click to read the complete list of The Best Riley Sager Books Ranked
Plot
In 1954, Anna Matheson boards a luxury train with six people responsible for her family’s ruin. She plans to expose their crimes and see them arrested when the train arrives in Chicago the next day. But when one of them is murdered, it becomes clear someone else is out for revenge. Now, Anna must find the killer and stop them before the train reaches its destination. She must risk her life to protect the very people she set out to destroy.
A Dance of Lies
Author: Brittney Arena
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: June 10, 2025
More info: Debut Fantasy Romance
Plot
Vasalie Moran, once a dancer, was imprisoned after being framed for murder by King Illian. Now offered a chance at freedom, she must act as his spy during a six-week royal Gathering, carrying out dangerous tasks that test her loyalty.
As she uncovers dark truths about Illian, Vasalie turns to his rival, the King of the East, for help. Caught between two powerful brothers, Vasalie must decide who to trust and how far she’s willing to go to survive.
Plot
Charlie is a talent agent and needs to find someone to “play” the author of a romance novel on a summer book tour. Kate Elliot has just scored the role of a lifetime- playing the bestselling romance author. She needs to do interviews, signing, and make appearances. When Kat and Charlie meet, sparks fly.
June 17, 2025
Don’t Open Your Eyes
Author: Liv Constantine
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: June 17
More info: Bestselling co-author of Reese’s Book Club Pick The Last Mrs. Parrish
Plot
Annabelle Reynolds has a happy life with her husband and daughters, but disturbing dreams of a dangerous future start to shake her reality. When details from her dreams come true, she realizes they are premonitions, not just imagination. As she foresees her daughter Scarlett in immediate danger, Annabelle struggles to make the right choices to prevent a tragedy she’s not sure she can stop.
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
Author: Kristin Harmel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 17, 2025
More info:
Plot
Colette Marceau learned to take from the cruel and give to those in need. This family motto helped the jewel thieves fund the French resistance in the Second World War. In 1942, at the height of the war, Colette’s mother was arrested, and her little sister went missing along with a diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her dress.
Now, seventy years later, the bracelet has turned up in a Boston museum and Colette finally has the chance to learn what happened to her sister and bring the murderer to justice. She will be forced to face her past and old wounds.
Murder Takes a Vacation
Author: Laura Lippman
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: June 17, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling author
Plot
Mrs. Blossom, a widow and former private investigator, finds a winning lottery ticket in a parking lot and decides to see the world. She embarks on a river cruise in France but gets caught up in a murder mystery when a fellow passenger dies unexpectedly. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets about the victim, Allen. Was he transporting stolen art? Is she being followed? And why are men suddenly flirting with her?
Sounds Like Love
Author: Ashley Poston
Genre: Romance
Release Date: June 17, 2025
More info: Bestselling author of Seven Year Slip
Plot
Joni Lark is a hit songwriter in LA with writer’s block. She has returned home to North Caroline hoping for inspiration, but all she finds is a half-formed song in her head with an addictive voice to go with it. Joni is shocked to learn the voice belongs to a real person and their telepathic connection is just as real. They agree to finish the song that is haunting both their thoughts, but they might be risking their hearts as well.
Plot
Dixie Mulligan has the gift of rewind like everyone else in her family. And she intends to use it to fix what went wrong between her and her best friend Sawyer. She wants to be able to tell him how she feels and she needs to fix things first. But when family secrets start to come out, she is not sure if Rewind will be enough to fix things between them,
Hit Girls: Britney, Taylor, Beyoncé, and the Women Who Built Pop’s Shiniest Decade
Author: Nora Princiotti
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Date: June 17, 2025
Plot
In this pick from the summer 2025 book releases, the author examines how female artists redefined the music and entertainment industry as we know it today. Artists like Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift redefined celebrity and influenced genre shifts. The book looks at the evolution of media from tabloids to social media.
We Might Just Make It After All: My Best Friendship with Kate Spade
Author: Elyse Arons
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Date: June 17, 2025
Plot
Elyce Arons tells the story of her decades-long friendship with Kate Spade, from their college days at Brosnahan University to cofounding a billion-dollar fashion brand. The book explores their journey, the challenges they faced, and Spade’s lasting legacy after her tragic passing in 2018. This is sure to be a must-read from the summer 2025 book releases.
June 24, 2025
Don’t Let Him In
Author: Lisa Jewell
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: June 24, 2025
More info: Find a complete list of The Best Lisa Jewell Books Ranked
Plot
Nina Swann falls for the charming and seemingly perfect Nick Radcliffe after the unexpected death of her husband, but her daughter Ash suspects something is off and starts digging into his past.
Meanwhile, Martha, a florist with a young child, starts to become suspicious of her husband, Alistair. Once devoted and attentive, he now has frequent absences for work, sometimes for days at a time. As their lives intersect, the three women uncover a chilling truth that none of them saw coming. I cannot wait to read this thriller from the summer 2025 book releases.
Happy Wife
Author: Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: June 24, 2025
More info: Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated June 2025 Book releases
Plot
Nora Davies is a 28-year-old working at a country club. She becomes the focus of Winter Park when she marries Will Somerset, a 46-year-old father of a teenager. When Will disappears after a party, Nora is the prime suspect. As she digs for answers, she uncovers secrets about their marriage and the elite world she married into, all while trying to clear her name.
The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
Author: Gloria Chao
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: June 24, 2025
More info:
Plot
Kat, Olivia, and Elle planned to get revenge on their cheating ex—but instead, they found his dead body. With a solid motive and their DNA all over the crime scene, they look guilty, but they swear they’re innocent. To clear their names, they team up to find the real killer, uncovering plenty of suspects along the way—while trying not to get caught themselves. This pick from the summer 2025 book releases looks like it will be laugh-out-loud funny.
June 30, 2025
Eliza and the Duke
Author: Harper St. George
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 30, 2025
More info: The Doves of New York #2
Plot
Eliza Dove wants one night of adventure before settling into a respectable marriage of convenience, but her encounter with Simon Cavell, a boxer known as “the Duke,” changes everything. Simon is focused on his final fight and keeping his past hidden, but Eliza’s presence threatens his plans. When one night isn’t enough, she proposes a new bargain—one that could bring them together or destroy them both.
Summer 2025 Book Releases: July 2025
July 1, 2025
Plot
Claire is a museum employee who discovers she can step through the frames of the paintings and into other lives and eras. Jean Matisse has been watching Clare from inside his frame and the two are inexplicably drawn to each other. Soon, the two fall in love and must find a way to defy reality and find happiness.
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers
Author: Anna Fitzgerald Healy
Genre: Historical Mystery
Release Date: July 1, 2025
More info: A Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated July 2025 Book Release
Plot
This novel is a historical fiction set in the 60s, a mystery and a romance all tied up into one book! And it’s set in Maine as well. You know that Kirsten and I could not resist this book! When Gertrude is found dead and Billie McCadie is one of the last to see her alive, her boring life of yachts and cocktails becomes much more interesting. Everyone is hiding secrets and bodies are piling up quicker than the Jell-O salad can set.
Our Last Vineyard Summer
Author: Brooke Lea Foster
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: July 1, 2025
More info: Dual Timeline 1965 and 1978
Plot
Betsy Whiting is finishing her first year of graduate school when her mother calls her and her sisters back to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer. Betsy had hoped to spend the summer with her boyfriend, but after her Senator father died, they needed to sell the summer home. This is a dual timeline narrative that follows two generations of women along with their loves and losses.
The Peculiar Gift of July: A Novel
Author: Ashley Ream
Genre: Magical Realism
Release Date: July 1, 2025
Plot
Anita Odom is a grocer on Edey’s End, a small town that can only be reached by ferry. When 14-year-old July shows up on her doorstep, she takes in the recently orphaned child from an estranged cousin. While Anita is sure that this is a terrible idea, July seems to know exactly what people need. Soon, the gifts (a slice of pie or a magazine) start changing people’s lives in small but good ways. The people in Ebey’s End will have to learn to open their hearts.
Plot
This novel is a locked-room mystery where everyone has a motive and not everyone will make it out alive. It is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party in a huge, renovated, once-haunted mansion. The black-tie affair should be a night to remember. It will be but for a different reason. This pick from the summer 2025 book releases looks like a must-read.
Overruled
Author: Lana Ferguson
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 1, 2025
More info: USA Today bestselling author of The Game Changer
Plot
Danica Pierce is a divorce attorney who has a shot at making partner with her current case. The only problem is that she has been sleeping with the enemy. Ezra Hart has agreed to keep things purely physical with Danica but he wants more.
Let’s Make a Scene
Author: Laura Wood
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 1
More info: Companion Novel to Under Your Spell
Plot
Cynthia and Jack launched their careers with a movie that became a cult classic. Thirteen years later the studio wants them to make a sequel. The problem? They cannot stand each other and their relationship during the first movie was a PR stunt. Now, in order to make the sequel, they have to rekindle the fake relationship with a film crew following them around! What if they cannot distinguish between real and fake?
The Spirit of Love
Author: Lauren Kate
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 1
More info: New York Times Bestselling author
Plot
This looks like a totally unique, time-slip romance, and I cannot wait to read it! One man is split into two versions of himself. Sam is young and carefree and gives Fenny one amazing night together, and Jude, an older, jaded man who has just replaced Fenny as the director on the TV show she has written for the last ten years. If Sam and Jude are the same man, can Fenny help put them back together?
Plot
This is the amazing true story of the CIA’s program to smuggle books through the Iron Curtain to help win the Cold War. This is a book that is truly about the importance of literature and the written word. I could not agree more!
July 8, 2025
Darling Beasts
Author: Michelle Gable
Genre: Spectulative Fiction
Release Date: July 8, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of The Beautiful People
Plot
This pick from the summer 2025 book releases looks like the perfect pick for our list of Best Family Drama Books. Gabby, Talia, and Ozzie Gunn are heirs to a media empire that is in shambles. To restore the family name, their father decides to run for senate and needs them all to move to California for the campaign. To complicate things, Gabby has Portum Bestiae Syndrome- a condition where exotic animals appear. When family secrets come to light, the stage is set for some chaos!
These Summer Storms
Author: Sarah Maclean
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: July 8, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Alice Storm has not come home to her family’s private Island since she wanted a life outside of the Storm family. But when her father dies unexpectedly, she returns home to find that he had other plans. He had created an inheritance game- complete tasks to win the inheritance- and it will require a week on the island. Secrets will be revealed and the family will either come together or split for good.
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy
Author: Brigitte Knightley
Genre: Romantasy
Release Date: July 8, 2025
More info: Dearly Beloathed Book #1
Plot
There is a little bit of everything in this slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance novel from the summer 2025 book releases. Aureinne is a healer trying to cure an outbreak of Pox, but with no money for an immunization program. Osric is an assassin who is ill and needs Aureinne’s help- even if she is part of an enemy faction. When he bribes her to help hi, she knows that money can be used to help the kids. She is not prepared to feel attracted to him!
The Woman in Suite 11
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: July 8
More info: Follow-up to the New York Times Bestseller The Woman in Cabin 10
Plot
Lo Blacklock is invited to the grand opening of a luxury hotel in Switzerland owned by a reclusive billionaire, Marcus Leidmann. She is hoping to get an interview with him to revive her journalism career. When she arrives at his hotel room, she is greeted by a woman who says she is Marcus’s mistress and her life is in danger. Soon Lo finds herself traveling across Europe while trying to save the woman’s wife. But can she be trusted, and what is she willing to sacrifice?
Plot
Tansy Perkins is a librarian and single mom. When a hurricane damages her library, she has to set up a temporary branch in the county botanical gardens. Jack Reid is the assistant director and a grouchy person on a regular day, but when librarians take over his space, he is even more of a curmudgeon. Jack and Tansy need to work together on the spring festival and soon sparks fly. This pick from the summer 2025 book releases looks like the perfect pick for my list of Grumpy Sunshine Trope Books
Totally and Completely Fine: A Novel
Author: Elissa Sussman
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 8, 2025
More info: Dual Timeline narrative
Plot
Lauren Parker is a widowed single mother with a very famous brother. When she meets Ben Walsh, a very good-looking actor, on the set of her brother’s movie, sparks fly. But navigating a relationship with a famous actor in a small town with a daughter is complicated. The story alternates between Laura’s life in the present and in the past with Spencer. I cannot wait to read this pick from the summer 2025 book releases
July 15, 2025
Everyone is Lying to You
Author: Jo Piazza
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: July 15, 2025
More info: Bestselling Author of The Sicilian Inheritance
Plot
A #tradwife murder mystery from the amazing Jo Piazza? Yes, please!!! Lizzie and Bex were best friends until Bex disappeared after college graduation. Now, fifteen years later, Bex has transformed into a “traditional” wife and influencer with millions of followers, a husband named Grey, and five children. When Bex calls Lizzie to invite her to do an exclusive interview, it will transform her career as a struggling magazine writer. But when Grey is found murdered and Bex goes missing, Lizzie finds herself in a world of swingers and backstabbing. She will have to learn to navigate through to save her friend.
Plot
This is another pick from the summer 2025 book releases set in Maine. Alison was the heir to Maine’s largest construction company when she was found dead in Pleasant Pond. Now, Rachel investigates the murder with her journalism crew, but cannot stop thinking about their complicated relationship and the things she said to Alison the night before she died.
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Author: Sangu Madanna
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: July 15, 2025
More info: Bestselling Author of Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Plot
Sera Swan was one of the most powerful witches in Britain until her Guild exiled her for resurrecting her great-aunt Jasmine. Now she is reluctantly helping Jasmine run an inn. When she finds a spell that will help restore her powers, she will need help. Luke Larson, a magical historical, is just the person to help her.
The Enchanted Greenhouse
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: July 15, 2025
More info: Deluxe Edition, Book 2 of 2 of The Spell Shop
Plot
This is a standalone fantasy in The Spell Shop world. Terlu cast a spell and created a sentient plant, and was punished by being turned into a wooden statue, put in a library. But Terlu wakes up on an island of hundreds of magical greenhouses. There is a human on the island and the magic there is saying. Terlu must find a way to save the island if she wants to find happiness and love.
This Stays Between Us
Author: Sara Ochs
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: July 15, 2025
More info: Dual Timeline
Plot
Ten years ago, Pheobe went missing on a study abroad program to Australia with her best friend Claire. Now, Pheobe’s body has been found and while everyone in the group has secrets, Claire has the most to lose. She must make sure that nobody discovers she killed her best friend.
Maid for Each Other
Author: Lynn Painter
Genre: Romance
Release Date: July 15, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of Happily Never After
Plot
I cannot wait to read this fake-dating romance novel. Abi is a cleaner who is forced to evacuate her house due to an infestation and cannot afford a hotel. She knows that the owner of a penthouse she cleans is out of town and decides to stay at his house. It is all going fine until his parents come to the apartment and think she is Declan’s girlfriend. He decides to make a proposition- pretend they are together to get his parents off his back and he will pay for all her living expenses during the arrangement. What is the worst that could happen?
The Chancellor’s Mansion: A Renovation of Family, Home, History, and Mystery
Author: Jamie Arty
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Date: July 15, 2025
Plot
This is the fantastic true story of William Townsend McCoun’s mansion built in Oyster Bay, Long Island. When Jamie and Frantz Arty bought the empty property, they decided to restore it to its former glory at the height of the pandemic. They made some amazing discoveries about the house’s history and it seems like a fascinating pick from the summer 2025 book releases.
July 22, 2025
Codebreaker
Author: Jay Martel
Genre: YA thriller
Release Date: July 22, 2025
More info: Interactive
Plot
This is another interactive thriller book. Do I sense a new trend in publishing? Mia Hayes’s life is turned upside-down when her father becomes a fugitive. Now, Mia is in a race to find the clues her father has left to stay ahead of the government and save the country.
Rush Week: A Scandalous Novel
Author: Michelle Brandon
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: July 22, 2025
More info: A Scandalous Novel of Sorority Sisters, Dark Secrets, and Unforgettable Drama Inspired by the #BamaRushTok
Plot
This is a juicy drama that I cannot wait to get my hands on! Four sorority sisters find themselves back at the University of Alabama five years after they graduated. The “spill book”, where they wrote confessions that were supposed to be buried forever in a time capsule, has been stolen and someone is threatening to expose everything. This pick from the summer 2025 book releases is a must-read for me!
July 29, 2025
Under the Stars: A Novel
Author: Beatriz Williams
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: July 29
More info: Bestselling Author of Husbands & Lovers
Plot
I cannot wait to read this dual-timeline book that follows three women’s stories in New England. Meredith Fisher was once a famous movie star who needed to return to her home in New England to sober up. Her daughter, Audrey Fisher, has made a life for herself as a chef but agrees to go to the family home with her mom. When Audrey discovers an old trunk filled with paintings from a great American artist, they wonder how these ended up in their cellar.
In 1846, Providence Dare fled Boston on the steamship Atlantic. When the ship hits a storm and is rendered helpless, Providence must find a way to escape the boat- especially since a detective is onboard and he is investigating the suspicious death of her employer, the painter Henry Irving.
Beautiful Nights: A Novel
Author: Nina George
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: July 29, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of The Little Paris Bookshop
Plot
When a professor begins an affair with her son’s girlfriend, nothing will be the same again. Claire is a behavioral biologist who feels trapped in her life. She allows her son Nico to bring his new girlfriend with them on their annual trip to the Brittany coast. The woman have a secret, they have met before…
You Belong Here
Author: Megan Miranda
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: July 29, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of The Last House Guest (a Reese Book Club Pick)
Plot
Beckett Bowrey is determined never to return to her hometown of Wyatt Valley, Virginia because of a tragedy in her senior year of College. After two local men were found dead, her roommate went on the run and has not been seen since. When Beckett’s daughter, Delilah secretly applies to Wyatt College and receives a full scholarship, Beckett fears for her daughter’s safety.
The Game is Murder
Author: Hazell Ward
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: July 29, 2025
More info: Immersive murder mystery
Plot
I cannot wait to get my hands on this book and I am determined to solve the case! The reader is put into the role of Great Detective. We must solve the case from the evidence and witness testimony. I cannot think of anything more delightful!!!
Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes
Author: Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: July 29, 2025
More info: Debut Mystery
Plot
Savvy Summers opened her restaurant, Essie’s, she hoped it would be a south-side Chicago favorite. When Grady Jasper dies while eating her sweet potato pie, she is now in the press for all the wrong reasons. Can she solve the murder and find out who killed Grady before her business is ruined?
Plot
Rich, obnoxious, socialite moms of Manhattan meet their match when a new mom joins their clique and bad things start happening. This pick from the summer 2025 book releases spans one school year in a New York City private school.
Glorious Rivals
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: YA Mystery
Release Date: July 29, 2025
More info: The Grandest Game, 2
Plot
Seven players all want to win the Grandest game. Millions of dollars will go to the winner, but there is so much on the line for them all. I cannot wait to read this pick from the summer 2025 book releases. The last book left me on a cliff-hanger!
Plot
This pick from the summer 2025 book releases is inspired by Norse mythology and I cannot wait to read it. Charlie is a junior trying to survive school when a classmate goes missing. Soon, she is drawn into a world of secrets and mythical beings. When Elias comes to the school, she is intrigued and drawn to his secrets.
Plot
Six students at Blackwood Academy are competing in a once-a-decade competition. The school is located on the edge of the afterlife and the winner can choose to become the magical elite or cross to the other side. There can only be one victor and all the students have something to hide and their reasons to win.
Summer 2025 Book Releases: August 2025
August 5, 2025
Plot
Amy Webb was a chef who somehow lost her way when she became a wife and stepmom. She has spent the last few months watching YouTube videos of a dog named Angel walking children to school in Tbilisi. When Angel goes missing, Amy goes to the Republic of Georgia to find the missing dog and perhaps find herself in the process.
Atomic Hearts
Author: Megan Cummins
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Debut Novel
Plot
Gertie and Cindy are bonded by the fact that their fathers are addicts. When an accident sends 16-year-old Gertie to the hospital, she must go to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to live with her father who is now sober. Now she is once again at the heart of drama and turns to a fantasy novel she is writing to escape.
Years later, Gertie is writing again about the summer of her 16th year, but with a narrative that she wishes were true.
People Like Us
Author: Jason Mott
Genre: Fiction
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Author of Hell of a Book
Plot
Two Black writers are trying to find their place in a world filled with gun violence. One is on a global book tour and the other is supposed to give a speech at a school that has a shooting. Their storylines come together in this story in which the characters have experienced great loss.
The Art of a Lie
Author: Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: August 5, 2025
Plot
Hannah Cole is struggling after her husband’s murder. Her confectionery shop is at risk now that her suppliers do not want to deal with a woman, and the magistrate is threatening to take the money from her husband’s bank account. William Deveruax seems to have some answers when he tells her about ice cream. Soon, William and Hannah’s friendship draws unwanted attention and she is locked in a battle of wits for survival.
L.A. Women
Author: Ella Berman
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Author of Reese’s Book Club Pick Before We Were Innocent
Plot
Gala and Lane were writers and friends until Gala, a socialite, became famous. Lane was envious and made a choice that would change both their lives forever. Now, Lane has written a book about Gala, exposing everything. The problem is that Gala has been missing for months. This is a pick from the summer 2025 book releases I cannot wait to get my hands on.
The Magician of Tiger Castle
Author: Louis Sachar
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Adult Debut
Plot
In the Kingdom of Esquaveta lives the Princess Tullia. In an attempt to save the kingdom, the king has arranged a marriage for his daughter. Unfortunately, she falls in love with someone else one month before the wedding. Now, the king turns to his magician and asks for a potion to ensure the wedding and alliance happen. This is Anatole’s chance at redemption and saving the kingdom. However, in doing so, he will betray Tullia, the only person who believes in him. I cannot wait to read this pick from the summer 2025 book releases.
The Locked Ward
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Georgia and Amanda Cartwright were adopted as newborns and lived a glamorous life until Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution when she is accused of killing her parents’ biological daughter. When Amanda visits Georgia, she is adamant that she did not do it. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family, or is she a master manipulator? This is a perfect thriller book for my list of books about sisters.
Plot
Maria Capello is a famous chef and television personality. When her husband is murdered, his body was never recovered and decades later, people assume that Maria did it. Now, decades later, Thea Woods is headed to Capello’s farm to help work on Maria’s memoir. She senses something is not right and feels increasingly trapped and afraid. There are reasons the body was never recovered and it might have something to do with the secret ingredient in her most famous recipe.
Well, Actually
Author: Mazey Eddings
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Second-Chance Romance
Plot
Eva Kitt is the host of “Sausage Talk” instead of her dream job as a journalist. So when she calls out her college ex for ghosting her, it goes viral- especially because the ex in question is a social media personality. His shtick is calling out toxic masculinity. So he comes on an episode live and makes a deal to make up for his behavior. Will she be able to forgive him, and will she fall for him again?
Anywhere With You
Author: Ellie Palmer
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Friends-to-lovers Romance
Plot
Charley has accepted that romance is not her thing after her divorce. When her sister announces she is going to marry her childhood sweetheart, Charley knows that she has to stop the wedding. This means she will need to be road tripping into the woods of Minnesota with her childhood best friend, Ethan. When the trip begins to remind Charley of old feelings, she wonders how it would ever work. Ethan is unreliable and she just divorced the most reliable person she’s ever known.
The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold
Author: Ally Carter
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Blonde Identity book 2 of 2
Plot
Ten years ago, they were CIA recruits. Five years ago, they fell in love. One year ago, she disappeared without a trace.
Now, rival spies wake up handcuffed together, bloody and bruised, with no memory of how they got there—or who is hunting them. As they race against time to survive, old wounds and chemistry resurface. But to escape, they’ll have to do the one thing they never could before: trust each other.
This second-chance rom-com thriller is a must-read from the June 2025 book releases.
Disney Adults (Exploring (And Falling in Love With) A Magical Subculture
Author: AJ Wolfe
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Date: August 5, 2025
Plot
I had no idea that there are a large group of adults who are obsessed with Disney. They collect merchandise, cosplay in Disney-inspired costumes, and have a passion for all things Disney. This book looks into the Disney mania and the passion for all things Disney by adults. This book pairs well with our Beyond the Bookends Book Club pick for April- Queens of Animation– and I cannot wait to read it.
The Girls of Dark Divine
Author: E.V. Woods
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 5, 2025
More info: Debut Novel
Plot
This pick from the summer 2025 book releases is perfect for my list of Books About Ballet. The New Kora ballet is legendary for the beauty of the dancers on stage. Emberlyn had dreamed of becoming one of the dancers until she began living the nightmare. The dancers are cursed by the show’s mastermind, Malcolm who controls every move the dancers make. They will dance until they turn to dust unless Emberlyn can break the curse. But with the help of a boy made of shadow, she might succeed.
August 12, 2025
The Incredible Kindness of Paper
Author: Evelyn Skye
Genre: Magical Realism
Release Date: August 12, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling author of The Hundred Loves of Juliet
Plot
Chloe Hanako Quinn starts writing to Oliver Jones, her pen pal partner in elementary school. She whispers a note into her letter, and he hears her, sparking the beginning of a friendship. But when a disaster strikes and Oliver and his family disappear, Chloe thinks she will never hear from him again. Twenty years later, Chloe is a guidance counselor who begins folding origami roses as acts of kindness, when Oliver finds one, his life will change forever.
Plot
Charlotte Crowninsheild is on the run from a Boston society family and is desperate to disappear. Billie Mactavish is the oldest of nine children and her family needs money. Both women become Harvey Girls, waitresses on the Santa Fe railroad. Hired on the same day, they became roommates. They dislike each other immediately, even though they both have secrets that will ruin everything.
The Society of Unknowable Objects
Author: Gareth Brown
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 12
More info: Author of the International Bestseller The Book of Doors
Plot
I cannot wait to read this pic from the August 2025 new releases. The Society of Unknowable Objects meets every six months to protect its archive from the outside world. When they hear of a new artifact in Hong Kong, they send Magda, the newest member, to investigate. Within hours of arriving, she is faced with a professional killer, who knows more than they should. Magda uses an artifact that the society doesn’t know about to save herself and realizes she is not the only member keeping secrets. Now she must track down the killer and find the truth about the magical objects and her family’s legacy.
Warrior Princess Assassin
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Genre: Romantasy
Release Date: August 12, 2025
More info: Braided Fate #1
Plot
This is Kemmerer’s adult fantasy debut. King Maddox is a warrior who must marry to forge an alliance and save his kingdom. Princess Jory needs the protection of the warrior king for her people. But he does not know that her magic is fading. Asher is an assassin who was once a nobleman whose childhood friend is Jory. When he discovers that someone wants Ky and Jory dead, he must decide what he is willing to do.
High Season
Author: Katie Bishop
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Release Date: August 12, 2025
More info: Dual timeline
Plot
This thriller from the summer 2025 book releases looks like a must-read. Tamara Drayton died in the family pool in the south of France. Her twin brother, Blake, was left with the shattered pieces of his family. Nina, their six-year-old sister, was the youngest person ever to testify in a murder trial in France. She saw the Babysitter push Tamara under the water and drown her. 20 years later, Nina is not sure what really happened that night. When a true crime documentary about her sister’s murder is announced, she thinks she might finally find answers, but at what cost?
For the Record
Author: Emma Lord
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 12, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze were rivals on the stage until their respective bands fell apart. Two years later, Sam is raising a son, and Mackenzie only sings under her pseudonym after an operation on her vocal cords. If they want to revive their careers, they will have to make a comeback album together. When they give up their old rivalry, will Sparks fly?
August 19, 2025
The Lost Baker of Vienna
Author: Sharon Kurtzman
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: August 19, 2025
Plot
This is a novel inspired by Kurtman’s family. Chana Rosenzweig survived the Holocaust and is in Vienna with her mother and younger brother. She struggles to support her family by working in a hotel kitchen as a night dishwasher and uses the time to bake. She finds herself in a love triangle and is torn between her love of baking and her family’s security.
The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective
Author: Jo Nichols
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: August 19, 2025
Plot
Mrs. B is the landlady for the Marigold Cottages which are a collection of bungalows in Santa Barbara. When an ex-con named Anthony moves in and a dead body is discovered, Anthony is arrested. Mrs. B is convinced he is innocent and turns herself in for the crime. Now the tenants band together to save their beloved landlady. This cozy mystery is at the top of my TBR
The Battle of the Bookshops
Author: Poppy Alexander
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 19, 2025
More info: Romeo and Juliet reimagining.
Plot
Jules leaves her position as a junior publishing agent in London to help her great aunt Florence. Florence can no longer run the bookshop on her own. When Jules arrives, she realizes the bookshop is close to bankruptcy and the rival Montbeau family is opening a big new bookstore right across the street. Roman wants nothing more than to prove the Caepthornes are a relic. Now the battle has begun.
Women of the Fairy Tale Resistance
Author: Jane Harrington
Genre: Nonfiction
Release Date: August 19, 2025
More info:
Plot
This pick from the summer 2025 book releases looks at the biographies of seven female authors from 17th-century Paris. These women called themselves conteuses (female storytellers) and used their stories to complain about their husbands, lack of freedom, and the oppression of King Louis XIV. This book also contains 12 of their original stories. It is a delightful mix of fairytales and nonfiction.
Plot
Winter Moon wanted to escape with her grandmother, but when her mother steals all the money she was saving, she turns to her father for help. Until recently, she had not seen him in more than a decade. They agree that she will spend time with him in exchange for money. Winter is faced with anger and sadness, and the only person who sees her for who she really is, is Joon. When winter discovers her father has been keeping secrets from her, she must learn about forgiveness. Can she move forward?
August 26, 2025
The Secret Book Society
Author: Madeline Martin
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: August 26, 2025
More info: Perfect for our list of Best Books for Book Clubs
Plot
I cannot wait to read this book from the summer 2025 book releases. Eleanor Clarke, Rose Wharton, and Lavinia Cavendish all receive a mysterious invitation to join Lady Duxbury for tea. What they find is a secret book club and a place where they can find friendship and freedom from society’s expectations
Katabasis
Author: R.F. Kuang
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 26, 2025
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Plot
Alice wants to be at the top in the field of Magick. She is studying with Professor Jacob Grimms, the best magician in the world, to make that happen. When he dies in a magical accident, she must go into hell to get him because she needs his recommendation. Unfortunately, Peter Murdocj, her rival, realized the same thing. The two must descend into Hell to save him, so they can save their careers.
Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library
Author: Amanda Chapman
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: August 26, 2025
More info:
Plot
Tory Van Dyne is a book conservator and Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library. When she finds a woman in the room who says she is Agatha Christie and announces she is there to solve a murder that has not happened yet, Tory is not amused. When Toy’s cousin gets caught up in a murder scandel, Tory and Mrs. Christie decide to solve a murder together.
Plot
Natalie Campbell disappeared on her eighteenth birthday. The case was closed quickly, but her sister Claire has spent the last 22 years trying to recover from the trauma. Claire decides to accept a job at Galloway Farm, a vineyard close to where she grew up in South Carolina. At first, Claire feels the farm is the perfect escape. But when Claire finds a diary that describes unsolved crimes, she begins to feel like this has a connection to her sister.
Love’s a Witch
Author: Tricia O’Malley
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 26, 2025
More info: The Scottish Charms #1
Plot
Sloane needs to return to Scotland to break a curse that has haunted her bloodline so she can come into her magic. Knox is the mayor who has tried to make their magical town a Haven for people. The last thing he needs is somebody trying to break a curse. But Magic has plans of its own. This looks like an adorable romantasy from the summer 2025 book releases.
Expert Tip
If you are looking through a list of books for an entire season, it can seem daunting. These are a few helpful tips for you while trying to choose books that you will love.
- Look at the genre of the book. Each book is labeled so you can do a quick screen without reading the full description.
- See a genre that you love? Read the description of the book to see if it appears to you.
- Have a look and see if your favorite author has a new book
- Do not be intimidated to try something completely new for you! Sometimes this is the best way to find a new book.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most anticipated summer 2025 book releases?
There are so many books that from the summer 2025 book releases we cannot wait to read. If I started listing off my TBR, it would be 60% of the books on this list.
If I have to choose just a few, these are the books I would grab- in no particular order
1. A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais
2. Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
3. The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram
4. The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager
5. The English Masterpiece by Katherine Raey
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Epilogue
Did you find any summer 2025 book releases to add to your to-read list?
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The Beyond The Bookends 2025 Reading Challenge is Here!
The Beyond the Bookends 2025 reading challenge is here. Join thousands of subscribers for your best year of reading yet!
