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Just as I’ve done for every other month this year, I’ve also put together a list of the very best fiction books coming out in August 2025.

And just for the sake of clarity, when I talk about fiction books here, I’m usually referring to contemporary fiction, historical fiction, or literary fiction.

I know that technically thrillers, romance, and science fiction books also fall under fiction, but since those genres are already big enough to stand on their own, I feel like contemporary, historical, and literary fiction fit best under the fiction umbrella, especially when it comes to publishing categories.

That said, these are the books being released in August 2025 and they all sound so good!

And yes, I might be a little biased because it’s my birthday month and everything about August excites me.

But seriously, you’ll definitely want to check these books out if you’re looking for something fresh and wonderful to read this month.

Must-Read August 2025 Contemporary Fiction Book Releases

Loved One by Aisha Muharrar – August 12th, 2025

After Gabe, Julia’s best friend and first love, unexpectedly dies, she sets off across the world to collect pieces of him left with friends and strangers.

Along the way, she meets Gabe’s impossibly cool ex, Elizabeth, and suddenly Julia can’t stop thinking about her.

I’m looking forward to how this turns from a rivalry into a surprising friendship.

It feels like a gentle, emotional story about grief, memory, and letting go of old loves to embrace new connections.

I think this one might make me tear up in the best way possible. What a beautiful, human story this promises to be.

Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London – August 12th, 2025

This sounds like such a tender story and one I know will stay with me.

Lorna has spent her life living in the shadow of her sister’s addiction, building walls and expecting disappointment.

But when Bean, a wise and funny eight-year-old, and his dog come into her life, something gentle begins to crack open.

I’m really excited to see how Lorna slowly lets hope in again.

I think this one will feel like a quiet hug wrapped in pages, and I can’t wait to read it.

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens – August 19th, 2025

I’m so intrigued by this already, because I love Southern family dramas with secrets simmering under the surface.

In Dominion, a preacher rules over his small Mississippi town and family with quiet control.

But when his youngest son Wonderboy stumbles into a life-changing encounter, the whole town starts shaking.

What sounds most fascinating about this book is that it is told from the women’s perspective – the ones who love these men and see what others miss.

I feel like this is going to be a mix of strength, sorrow, and family truths.

I can’t wait to see how the story unwraps those layers of power, fear, and quiet rebellion. It sounds unforgettable.

The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera – August 12th, 2025

This one feels like a wild, tangled story full of secrets and choices and I love books like that.

Set in a dreamy Dominican resort, it follows Vida, a healer who’s dragged into trouble, Laura, a manager chasing success, and Elena, who’s made a mistake that could ruin everything.

I’m really curious how their stories will crash together over seven tense days.

What happens in paradise when people’s lives and lies start breaking apart?

I enjoy books about messy families and impossible decisions, and this feels like it’s going to be an unforgettable ride.

I’m ready for the drama, the heartbreak, and the quiet moments of hope hiding in between.

What We Left Unsaid by Winnie M. Li – August 19th, 2025

Family road trips always seem simple until old secrets come up. This one feels so personal and heartfelt.

Three siblings, now grown and distant, are forced to road-trip together before visiting their sick mother.

But the past they left behind – and a strange event from thirty years ago – won’t stay quiet.

I’m really excited to see how this story gently unpacks family, race, and belonging.

I have a feeling it’ll make me think about my own family, too.

Books that explore identity in an honest way always touch me, and this promises to be full of heart, truth, and second chances.

I know this one will linger in my mind for a while.

A Dog in Georgia by Lauren Grodstein – August 5th, 2025

Amy has lost herself in being a wife, stepmom, and caretaker and now she’s in Georgia (the country!) chasing after a missing dog named Angel.

But I think this book is really about finding herself again.

I’m looking forward to seeing how she reconnects with her own dreams while meeting all sorts of quirky characters, from teenagers to grandmothers.

There’s something sweet and real about this story of food, love, and letting go of old roles.

I just know it’ll make me want to slow down and savor life more.

And the dogs! How could I resist a book with lost dogs and found dreams?

I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale – August 12th, 2025

Margot gets visions of her future – who she’ll love, what will break her, and even who gets their happy ending.

But she can’t change any of it.

What do you do when you know how life turns out but still have to live it anyway?

I’m excited because this feels like it’ll be funny, bittersweet, and a little magical.

It makes me wonder: would I want to know my own future?

I think this story will gently ask what it means to really live in the moment.

I can’t wait to see how Margot finds her joy, even when everything feels written already.

People Like Us by Jason Mott – August 5th, 2025

Jason Mott’s books always surprise me, and this one sounds amazing.

Two Black writers are trying to find peace while the world shakes around them – with time travel, sea monsters, and floating handguns in the mix.

It’s part real life, part dream, and all heart. I can’t wait to see how these strange and beautiful pieces come together into something meaningful.

I think this book will make me feel everything at once – smile, ache, hope.

Books like this always show me that even in chaos, there’s wonder and this one sounds like pure magic waiting to unfold.

The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi – August 5th, 2025

Birdie was a teen model once, living fast and dangerously under an agent’s care, until everything crashed.

Now she’s older, quiet, and living a small life until a letter calls her back to the past she tried to forget.

I can’t wait to see how she faces those memories: the glamour, the mistakes, the love she lost.

I love stories about women finding their strength after being broken by the world.

This feels like it will be honest, beautiful, and full of hard-won grace.

I think Birdie’s journey will gently break my heart and piece it back together.

For Richer for Poorer by Danielle Steel – August 12th, 2025

I love Danielle Steel for big family stories and this sounds like such a heartfelt one.

Eugenia is a famous fashion designer and mother of five grown kids, but everything is starting to fall apart – her business, her daughter’s wedding plans, even her peace of mind.

I think this book will show that love and hope can survive even the hardest times.

I’m really looking forward to the glamour, the family drama, and the quiet wisdom that sneaks into Danielle Steel’s stories.

This feels like the perfect late-summer read.

Best New Historical Fiction Books Coming Out in August 2025

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay – August 12th, 2025

Set in 1926, Charlotte escapes her cruel husband while Billie tries to save her struggling family.

They both become Harvey Girls, waitresses for a famous railroad chain.

Even though they share a room, they can’t stand each other at first and they’ve got secrets that could get them fired.

As they train hard and work at the Grand Canyon’s fanciest hotel, danger, the KKK, and unexpected friendships pop up.

I love tales of strong women sticking together, and this feels like the perfect combo of heart, history, and courage.

World Pacific by Peter Mann – August 19th, 2025

This book is set in 1939 as World War II looms and a writer named Richard Halifax mysteriously vanishes while sailing a Chinese junk boat for the World’s Fair.

Three people are left chasing clues: Hildegard, a painter desperate to uncover her brother’s past; Simon, a British spy hunting Nazis in California; and maybe even Halifax himself, through strange letters and unfinished business.

The idea of secrets, lies, and shipwrecked dreams has me hooked.

I can’t wait to see what really happened and who can be trusted in this strange web of war.

L.A. Women by Ella Berman – August 5th, 2025

Honestly, this feels so messy and delicious in the best way. I love books about complicated friendships, and this one’s set in glittering 1960s Los Angeles.

Lane is trying to save her writing career by turning her frenemy Gala’s wild life into a book.

But there’s a big problem: Gala’s missing.

Their friendship has always been tricky and full of jealousy, secrets, and ambition.

Did Lane cross a line long ago that changed everything between them?

This feels like the kind of juicy, tangled story that makes you wonder about truth, loyalty, and success.

I’m so looking forward to peering into their old memories and figuring out what really happened.

This Here Is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry – August 5th, 2025

My heart already feels tender thinking about this one. I have always enjoyed stories that show strength in hard times.

In 1690s Virginia, three young people – Bless, David, and Jack – are trapped by slavery and indenture but long for freedom, family, and love.

Each of them carries dreams that seem impossible, but they keep fighting for more than the world allows.

I’m really looking forward to seeing how they cling to hope and make impossible choices.

Their struggles feel so real, and I know this story will stay with me for a long time.

It sounds full of courage, sadness, and the quiet power of small joys.

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson – August 5th, 2025

I love a good mystery mixed with food and this one feels delicious in so many ways.

Hannah’s a widowed candy maker in 18th-century London, who is struggling to survive after her husband’s suspicious death.

People are whispering, debts are piling up, and danger is everywhere – even the famous Henry Fielding thinks her husband’s money was stolen.

I’m so curious about the secret of this Italian iced cream treat that might save her shop.

Will her friendship with charming William help or harm her?

I can’t wait to untangle all these secrets, gossip, and twists. It sounds like such a clever, tasty story with so much heart and suspense.

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman – August 19th, 2025

After surviving the war, Chana tries to keep her family safe in broken Vienna.

But at night, she secretly sneaks into the kitchen to bake her late father’s recipes to keep his memory alive.

There’s danger, tough choices, and even romance, as Chana finds herself torn between two very different men.

I can’t wait to see how she balances survival with passion and hope.

This book feels like it will be full of quiet bravery and sweetness, while showing how even in dark times, love and dreams can bloom.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso – August 26th, 2025

Lisavet is trapped in a strange library where time stands still, full of books holding people’s memories.

Growing up among ghosts, she fights to save these lost stories from being destroyed.

In 1965, Amelia tries to solve the mystery of her missing uncle and a special book of memories.

I’m really looking forward to seeing how their lives connect across time.

It sounds like such a beautiful, thoughtful story about memory, history, and how the past shapes the present.

I bet this one will make me think and maybe even tear up.

Six Weeks by the Sea by Paula Byrne – August 5th, 2025

A book about Jane Austen’s secret summer romance? I need this.

I’ve always wondered if Jane herself ever had a love story of her own. In this tale, she gets one last seaside escape before moving to Bath.

There’s sea air, secret smiles, and maybe even feelings for a certain lawyer named Samuel Rose.

I’m so curious to see how this quiet summer might have shaped the writer we all adore.

This book promises wit, charm, and sweet daydreams – just like Austen’s own stories.

I can’t wait to soak in the warmth of this imagined summer and the joy of young love in the making.

Fonseca by Jessica Francis Kane – August 12th, 2025

Based on the real life of writer Penelope Fitzgerald, the story follows her trip to Mexico in 1952.

Pregnant and broke, she travels with her son in search of a family inheritance that could save them.

But Fonseca, the town they find, holds strange surprises and shady characters, including a handsome stranger with secrets.

I always enjoy reading stories about brave women making wild journeys and trying to hold their lives together.

This one promises humor, heart, and a little mystery too. I can’t wait to find out what happens when dreams and reality collide.

Aren’t these books just so amazing?

Let me know which ones are making it to your TBR for August 2025 or is there one you’ve been looking forward to for ages?

And if you’re one of the lucky ones (clearly one of God’s favorites!) who managed to snag an ARC from a publisher or NetGalley, I definitely want to hear your thoughts.

Let me know which ones you’re excited to read – I’d truly love to know.

And if you want to explore even more incredible books coming out in August 2025, don’t miss these posts: