Dive into the Best Summer Books: 23 Unputdownable Reads

About: As summer draws to a close, check out the summer books I loved from genres including romantasy and historical fiction, all rated 4.5 stars or higher.

Overview

With the end of summer officially coming up on September 23, I thought I’d compile a list of my favourite summer books I read! All the books included in this list were rated 4.5 stars or higher, and the list does include re-reads. While these books are not necessarily “summer books,” they’re all great options if you’re looking for a new book to read.

I’ve sectioned this post by genre, so use the Table of Contents below if you’d prefer to skip ahead to a specific genre.

Table of Contents

Romantasy

Blood Gift (Blood Grace, #7) by Vela Roth ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

First up in my favourite summer books is Blood Gift! I finally caught up with the latest installment in the Blood Grace series this summer with Blood Gift, which explores the forbidden romance between Cassia and Lio. Vela Roth’s unique blend of vampire lore and political intrigue in a queer-normative world makes this series a must-read for fans of romantic fantasy!

Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I couldn’t believe my good luck when I randomly came across Assistant to the Villain in a bookstore this summer, as it’s suggested fans of Once Upon a Time (my favourite TV show) will love it. In a bid to support her ailing family, Evie Sage accepts a job working for Rennedawn’s infamous Villain. This is a romance fantasy that hilariously uses the workplace romance trope to contrast Evie and the Villain’s grumpy/sunshine dynamic. This is a slow-burn romance, though, and also ends on a cliffhanger!

Contemporary Romance

In Harmony by Emma Scott ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

In Harmony is a new adult wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance I’ve been re-reading since 2020. The book follows Willow and Isaac – both troubled teens – who find solace and hope for the future in their community theatre’s performance of Hamlet. I loved the parallel between the play and the angst of the main characters’ lives. If you’re looking for a book with lots of angst, a heroine who eventually learns to fight for herself, and a forbidden romance, In Harmony is a great choice. It’s also available on Kindle Unlimited!

Before We Fall by Aurora Rose Reynolds ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Before We Fall is a sweet, newly divorced/single-parent romance. If I’m looking for a more sentimental romance, Aurora Rose Reynolds is an author I know will deliver; she does a great job of romanticizing the mundane, which is why Before We Fall is one of my favourite summer books. Also, I couldn’t get over the juicy meet-cute for the couple in this book: their spouses were having an affair with each other. Concurrent to the romance is a murder investigation (warning: the Hero is a cop), but unlike past books of the author’s, there’s no romantic suspense scenario, which was actually kind of refreshing.

Unscripted with Mila by Melanie Moreland ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Melanie Moreland’s books have been a bit hit or miss with me in the past, so I was blown away by Unscripted with Mila – an instant 5-star read. This book follows shy and virginal Mila to LA as she travels to the stage that’s filming an adaption of her romance novel. Of course, she didn’t plan on falling for the leading man. I loved the romance in this book – which is shocking because I’m not a huge fan of virginal heroines in contemporary romances. However, there was a lot of development between the main characters, and both mental illness and chronic illness are big plot points throughout this book.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Red, White & Royal Blue was my favourite read of August. I loved the romance – it was the perfect slow-burn of enemies to fake friends to real friends to more! I also loved the political sub-plot (Alex’s mom is the President of the US, and she’s up for reelection, and Henry is attempting to navigate his homophobic royal family). This book also had so much more than romance; it was a blend of coming of age, friendship, family, and just so heartfelt.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Is any summer TBR complete without It Happened One Summer? This is a perfect, coastal, small-town romance that blends an opposites-attract romance with a finding-yourself narrative for both main characters. This book is a staple on my summer books to re-read list: it’s steamy, heartfelt, and really funny.

Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This YA romance was such a blast! Willow and Mason are two teenagers who feel misunderstood and alone, and both are moving to Salem for the summer. I love the witchy mystery that helped Willow discover her family history and witch ancestry and connect with her mom. However, I loved how Willow and Mason ended up being so supportive of each other. While most of Spells for Lost Things deals with Willow’s witch ancestry in a magical realism kind of way, the hope of these two teens, their relationship – grounded in a strong friendship – was the true magic.

Historical Romance

Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I’ve re-read this historical romance so many times. I love that Her Wicked Marquess features an on-the-surface good girl/bad boy couple, but as the plot progresses, the reader discovers not everything is as it seems. Be prepared for a revenge plot and lots of angst in this romance, oh, and a great declaration scene! What makes this book a favourite of my summer books is the relationship development – we’re shown rather than told the depth of the main characters’ feelings for each other.

The Making of a Highlander by Elisa Braden ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Another historical romance favourite, but different from the typical regency romances, The Making of a Highlander features a Scottish and untitled Heroine who swears like no tomorrow. Yes, this book is mostly set in the winter; nothing says favourite of my summer books like preparing for the Highland games! I think the best part of this romance is how flabbergasted the Hero is by the Heroine. First, because she’s so improper, but his regard slowly grows into, I can’t believe she’s real, territory.

The Taming of a Highlander by Elisa Braden ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I was hesitant about the head-in-the-clouds characterization of the Heroine in this historical romance, but I thought she brought levity to the otherwise quite dour Hero. The Taming of a Highlander is principally focused on its revenge plot – the Hero is hunting the man who got him (wrongfully) arrested and almost killed him – and in order to get his revenge, he had to marry the Heroine so that she couldn’t be used by the (actual) police as a witness against him.

The Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Historical romances by Lisa Kleypas are classics in my eyes; her books are some of the first in this genre that made it into the all-time favourites category. The Secrets of a Summer Night follows Annabelle, who desperately needs a wealthy husband to save her family from ruin. While Simon is wealthy, he’s also not a member of the ton, but, of course, he desperately wants Annabelle. This book has lots of tension and banter as both main characters pursue what (er, who) they want.

The Marquess Wins a Wife by Aydra Richards ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

If you’re looking for a historical romance with a strong Heroine and lots of angst, look no further! The Marquess Wins a Wife has a wild meet cute: the Heroine seeks to abduct the man who ruined her sister at gunpoint and force him to marry… but she accidentally abducts the wrong man! This is a fun marriage of convenience that plays on the heartstrings as the Heroine joins London society and weathers a new husband who is opposite to the funny and warm man she grew to know in the countryside.

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

If you’re looking for a “clean” romance, Edenbrooke is an excellent read. There’s great character development and a romance founded on friendship. This historical romance also has a very cozy atmosphere as the author takes pains to cultivate a very detailed picture of the Edenbrooke estate and surrounding country society. This book will also pull on the heartstrings with its focus on the protagonist’s fractured family bonds: her sister, who is hunting for a husband in London society, and her father, who moved to France after the death of his wife (the protagonist’s mother).

Literary Fiction

True Biz by Sara Nović ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This book is incredibly informative about schools for the Deaf, education, and American Sign Language. The commentary on the medicalization of deafness was incredibly eye-opening, especially how it overlaps with racism. The central story of True Biz is a coming-of-age story for its three main characters: a new student who’s only now learning ASL, the prince of the school whose newborn hearing sister is upending everything he knows about his family, and the principal facing down budget cuts. I loved how this book emphasized community and friendship.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This book is incredibly sentimental; it reminds adults why they fell in love with reading as kids. The Wishing Game follows the protagonist as she seeks to win her favourite childhood author’s unpublished manuscript. She plans to sell the manuscript to raise the funds needed to foster an orphaned boy in her classroom. This book has strong themes, including found family, confronting your past, and magical realism. There’s also a subtle romance, but it’s not really a strong point in this book 😅.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This is a dystopian novel that explores a mother-son relationship and rising anti-Asian racism permeating the US through poetry and resistance. Our Missing Hearts leans more towards literary fiction than the action seen in traditional dystopian novels like The Hunger Games or Divergent. I appreciated the subtlety of how a government policy becomes an insidious form of control; it’s reflective of the very real policies seen in the US and Canada during the Sixties Scoop. Furthermore, the commentary about the most effective forms of resistance, being ones that avoided violence when possible, was thought-provoking.

Historical Fiction

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

There’s no better time to read Carrie Soto Is Back than in August during the US Open since this book begins and ends at the US Open. If you’re a fan of unlikeable female main characters, complex yet heartfelt father-daughter relationships, and character development, this is the book to read! I also loved the action of the tennis games; it felt like I was on the court watching the matches. Plus, there’s a pretty sweet slow-burn romance.

Chasing Eleanor by Kerry Chaput ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This YA historical fiction is set during the Great Depression and is an ode to Eleanor Roosevelt. Chasing Eleanor follows the protagonist as she seeks out Eleanor in the hopes of the First Lady being able to reunite her with her two younger brothers, who were taken away by Child Protective Services. Along the way, Magnolia creates her own family and reconciles with her past. The adventure in this book is why I think it was a favourite of my summer books; while not a quintessential summer road trip, Magnolia’s hope for the future and awe in exploring the US encapsulates the whimsy of summer.

Queer and Feminist Nonfiction

Ace by Angela Chen ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Dive into ACE, a compelling exploration of asexuality and what it reveals about desire, sexual identity, and society. I included this queer and feminist nonfiction in my best of summer books list because, of course, pride month is in June, and summer is a great time to learn new things since work (and school) slows down a bit for many. Through interviews and personal insight, discover the world through an ace lens, shedding light on universal issues surrounding sexuality and relationships.

Gender Outlaw by Kate Bornstein ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I included this book in my favourite summer books list for those looking for a fun and thought-provoking memoir. I read the revised and updated version of Gender Outlaw, which explores the author’s transitioning journey. This unconventional blend of coming-of-age narrative and gender exploration challenges norms with a powerful impact through poetry, theatre, and intertextual commentary. I highly recommend the audiobook, which is narrated by the author.

The Pink Line by Mark Gevisser ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This book captures years of research on the world’s queer frontiers, where the author specifically investigates the pink line where some countries are protecting gender and sexual identity in their human rights legislation, whereas other countries are criminalizing it. Across nine countries, the author interviews real people impacted by the pink line and puts into conversation attitudes toward LGBTQIA+ people in geopolitics with culture wars, folklore, and gender ideology.

Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

The last book in my favourite summer books list is this collection of essays and interviews. In this collection, you have the opportunity to explore the thoughts and commentary of Angela Y. Davis as she unveils the historical and global connections in the fight against systemic and structural oppression. Freedom is a Constant Struggle should be essential reading. It’s a quick read at only 145 pages, and I was blown away that so many of the “radical” social justice ideas and critiques that are gaining momentum today were developed decades ago.

Before you go…

I hope you enjoyed this list of my best summer books! Let me know in the comments what books you loved this summer. 💖

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