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Every few months I put together a list of what’s coming and decide what I’m actually going to read. 

This summer’s lineup gave me more to work with than I expected. 

There are books on here from authors I’ve followed for years and would read no matter what they put out, and there are debut authors whose premises alone were enough to get me fully invested before I’d read a single page.

I want to read all of these. I’m also being realistic about my schedule, but a girl can plan.

What I will say is that this summer feels different from the last few in terms of variety. 

There’s something here for almost every kind of reader, which doesn’t always happen. 

Usually a season skews heavily in one direction and you have to dig to find the outliers.

This time the range is already there, and that alone is worth getting excited about.

The authors I already know and love — I trust them. When they have something new coming, I don’t need much convincing. 

But some of the newer names on this list have genuinely surprised me, and I think they’re going to surprise a lot of people. 

I’ll be reading and sharing my thoughts as I go, so this post will grow as the summer does.

For now, here’s what I’m most looking forward to.

Summer 2026 Upcoming Book Releases

Love You More by Emily Giffin (July 7th)

Billie has the perfect life – a thriving career as a doctor and a sweet new fiancé. 

Then her first love calls out of nowhere, and suddenly everything she thought she’d moved on from comes rushing back. 

This book is a beautiful, emotional story about love, second chances, and the choices that define us. 

I am honestly so excited to read this one this summer. 

Emily Giffin always writes stories that feel so real and close to the heart, and this one sounds like it will be a total page-turner from start to finish.

Rabbit, Fox, Tar by P.C. Verrone (June 2nd)

A mysterious young Black woman named Baby shows up in a tight-knit neighborhood and quietly turns everything upside down. 

There’s romance, politics, old wounds, and something almost magical about her presence. 

This debut feels like a fable and a social story all wrapped into one, and I think it is going to be such a rich, layered read. 

I cannot wait to get my hands on this one. 

It sounds like exactly the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page.

American Patriarch by H.W. Brands (May 12th)

This is a sweeping, inspiring look at George Washington from his early days as a soldier to becoming the very first president of the United States. 

Historian H.W. Brands tells the story with such a rich cast of real-life characters that it reads almost like a novel. 

Coming out right around America’s 250th birthday, this feels like the perfect time for a book like this. 

I am genuinely looking forward to reading it this summer – history told this well is always such a treat.

A Real Animal by Emeline Atwood (July 7th)

Lucy is in her twenties, trying to figure out who she is – moving through cities, relationships, and painful moments while feeling a strange, wild pull toward something bigger than ordinary life. 

This debut is raw, beautiful, and deeply honest. I am so looking forward to this one. 

There is something about a story that truly captures what it feels like to be young and searching that just draws me in completely, and this sounds like it does that in the most stunning way.

Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli (June 28th)

A mother and daughter escape to Sicily after the mother’s marriage falls apart, and what begins as a trip slowly becomes a search for where they come from and who they want to be. 

Four generations of women, ancient ruins, and big questions about memory and stories. 

Luiselli is such a gifted writer, and this one already sounds like a masterpiece to me.

I am looking forward to reading this slowly and savoring every single page this summer.

Biological War by Annie Jacobsen (July 28th)

What would actually happen if a biological agent was released and spread across the world? 

Annie Jacobsen – who wrote the gripping Nuclear War – walks us through exactly that, hour by hour, day by day.

It is eye-opening, important, and honestly a little scary in the best way. I am really looking forward to this one. 

Jacobsen has a gift for making serious, complex topics feel completely impossible to put down, and this summer feels like the right time to read something this thought-provoking.

Big Fan by Michael Schur and Joe Posnanski (May 19th)

Two best friends travel the world to experience the things people love most – sports, games, music, pop culture – and write about all of it with humor and heart. 

From WrestleMania to a world chess championship, this book is a joyful celebration of being a fan of anything. I am so here for this one. 

It sounds like the kind of book you read with a big smile on your face, and I think it is going to be one of my favorite fun reads of the whole summer.

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston (June 16th)

Sophie takes a summer job tending the grounds of a beautiful old estate in Maine and stumbles upon a secret garden with an actual man trapped inside it. 

Magical, whimsical, and a little romantic, this sounds like the coziest summer read. 

Ashley Poston writes the kind of stories that feel like a warm hug, and I am so looking forward to curling up with this one. 

A secret garden and a grumpy mystery man? This is already perfect summer reading material.

The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (July 14th)

A charming con artist in 1940s Mexico targets a woman for her money but her sharp-eyed niece catches on and wants in on the plan. 

What follows is a deliciously twisty game of desire, secrets, and schemes that none of them fully control. 

I am so excited for this one. Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes with such style and atmosphere, and a noir romance set in vintage Mexico sounds like absolutely everything I want in a summer read.

Summer reading is one of my favorite things, and this lineup is making it very easy to be excited. 

I’ll be updating this post as I read through everything and I want to hear what you’re anticipating too, because the best part of a season like this is that there’s enough here for everyone to find something worth looking forward to.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like: Best New Romance Books of Summer 2026 and Best New Fantasy Books of Summer 2026