School’s out, and it’s time for you to put together your summer reading list alongside your kids. This year’s fiction lineup is delivering exactly what we want: sharp women, messy relationships, glamorous (and really un-glamorous) problems, emotional damage, second chances, and at least one character making wildly questionable decisions in a coastal town.
We’ve scoured what the bookstores AND the critics have to say this summer. From literary heavyweights to addictive thrillers and elevated beach reads, these are the novels we’re packing for flights, pool days, and those rare moments at home when nobody needs a snack, a ride, or a password reset. Consider this your curated shortcut to great page-turning fiction this summer.
1. Whistler by Ann Patchett
Literary fiction with emotional depth, family tension, and Patchett’s signature introspective storytelling. This is one of the most universally praised upcoming novels across Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and literary media. Perfect for book clubs and readers who loved Tom Lake.
2. Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
A follow up to her smash hit Big Little Lies, Moriarty’s new book is a major summer release with suspense, friendship drama, and secrets in affluent communities. So delicious.
3. The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
Probably the breakout romance/women’s fiction crossover of the summer. Barnes & Noble lists it among its top anticipated titles of the summer.
4. Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
Beach-read gold: nostalgia, friendship, emotional romance, and gorgeous summer settings. Fortune has become a defining “vacation read” author. It’s just what you want to read if you are looking for an escape.
5. Atmosphere: A Love Storyby Taylor Jenkins Reid
From the author of Daisy Jones and the Six, comes this new novel set in the 1980s. Joan Goodwin finds passion and love she didn’t expect as she trains for her NASA mission, but on everything changes in an instant. Fast-paced, thrilling, emotional-this is another great book club pick.
6. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
This book started as a self-published project and quickly gained a cult following, now it’s with a publisher and on the NYT bestseller list. I really enjoyed this sweet story about a mysterious man who shows up in a small town and starts doing random acts of kindness. It has comfy Hallmark-movie vibes with a good payoff at the end.
7. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
A successful tradwife influencer finds herself transported back in time, to live the very lifestyle she promotes online. Spoiler: it’s less glamorous than she makes it look for her 8 million followers. This one is getting all the buzz.
8. American Fantasy by Emma Straub
Annie embarks on a 90s-themed cruise, where she unexpectedly bonds with her favorite boy band from her youth. Nostalgia galore, of course, but also wit, complicated family dynamics, and emotional realism. This is more in the literary fiction category–great for book clubs.
9. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
Darkly funny domestic suspense with emotional complexity and sharp, twisty female characters. Hepworth continues to dominate the “smart thriller for women” category.
10. Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict
A gripping historical fiction, following two timelines: a female archeologist in the 1920s and Hatshepsut, Egypt’s lost female pharaoh. High adventure, deadly intrigue, and strong women–what’s not to love?
Bonus book to pre-order: Bad Idea, Right? by Jessica Lepe
If you enjoyed Nobody Wants This on Netflix, you’re going to like this novel about a chef and her high school nemesis who get thrown together after she receives a startling diagnosis. Get ready to watch the sparks fly. (This one comes out in December. Go ahead and order it now as a little surprise gift to yourself for Christmas.)
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