July 2026 Romance Releases: Your Complete Summer Reading List
School is officially out. The backpacks are in a pile by the door, the schedule has completely fallen apart, and someone has asked me for a snack four times in the last hour. Queue the summer craziness. If you are like me and you always need to carry an emotional support romance book in the pool bag, there are some amazing releases coming out this summer. July alone is absolutely stacked, with new titles spanning every subgenre: small-town contemporary, second chance, dark MC romance, romantasy, historical romance, and a few that genuinely defy easy categorization. Here is a full look at some great reads coming out in July.
I have organized everything by release date so you can plan your preorders and your reading budget accordingly. Fair warning: this list is long, and your wallet may not survive it intact.
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.
July 7th
The Final Score by Lana Ferguson
Description: Jack Baker is on top of the world now that he’s back on the rink where he belongs. But the high comes crashing down when he reinjures his arm immediately following his return to the ice, and this time, he might never be able to play again. After a lifetime as the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needed him, Jack is left questioning everything he knows about himself.
Abigail Thompson feels like she’s hit rock bottom. It’s only been a few months since the massive scandal that finally severed the cord between her and her narcissistic father. And now, in her last weeks of grad school, she’s been kicked out of her building with very short notice. The last thing she wants to do is ask her half-brother for help after what she’s put him through, but it’s looking like his best friend’s spare room might be her only choice.
Jack is flighty, flirty, and a little full of himself—all the things Abby’s learned to avoid in men. However, spending every day together breaks the ice between them, and she starts to realize that Jack might not be who he seems. It’s possible that maybe, just maybe, he might be struggling as much as she is. Soon, confiding in each other leads to falling into bed, and this fling will either play with their hearts—or score them the ultimate goal of love.
Where I Should’ve Been by Max Monroe
Description: Everyone in the smalltown of Red Bridge, Vermont, knows Tad Hanson, the hot sheep farmer who can’t control his flock. He doesn’t believe in forever, but he’ll be the best time you’ve ever had—right now. What they don’t know is why.
He’s too charming, too good with that addicting smile of his, too committed to keeping his dark past buried, and too stubborn to imagine his life could be any other way.
Until a snowstorm—and one beautiful woman—send his carefully controlled world spinning.
Successful art director Beatrice “Breezy” Bishop thought she had life figured out—until her father gave her the middle finger from the grave and left the family galleries she built to her entitled younger brother. With nothing left in New York but resentment and regret, she temporarily heads to Red Bridge, looking for space to breathe.
Instead, she finds a sexy, flirty, secret fling with Tad, and a rivalry with the editor of Red Bridge’s newspaper. It’s chaotic, but it’s the happiest she’s ever been.
But secrets never stay secrets for long, and when hearts get involved—and the universe clearly has other plans—walking away isn’t as easy as they thought.
Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels
When a Hollywood starlet is unexpectedly reunited with the costar who broke her heart, their chemistry has her questioning what’s reel and what’s real in this heartfelt summer romance about first loves and second chances.
It’s been ten years since the fateful summer Scarlett Everhart filmed The Lost Letter, the tearjerking romantic drama that catapulted her to worldwide fame and set her on a collision course with Ryder Perry, the movie’s intense, irresistible leading man. The pair’s fiery onscreen chemistry captured audiences' hearts—while their whirlwind affair offscreen shattered Scarlett’s into a million pieces. Determined to move on, she made a vow: to focus on her career, leave Ryder in her past, and never, ever look back.
A decade later, Scarlett’s kept that promise. She’s become one of Hollywood’s most bankable leading ladies and is on the cusp of the biggest role of her career. And if she’s been unlucky in love, at least she’s managed to put her ill-fated relationship with her former costar—and the public’s obsession with the pair’s star-crossed romance—behind her. That is, until a sudden twist of fate thrusts her and Ryder back together in the seaside South Carolina town where they first fell in love, then fell dramatically apart.
As old sparks reignite, Scarlett is swept back into the love story that once defined her life, forcing her to reckon with the choice that tore them apart…and the devastating secret she’s been keeping since their breakup all those years ago.
Into the Fading Twilight by Catherine Cowles
She's known nothing but darkness for 413 days…but he'll burn down the world to save her.
After a year in captivity, Nova Monroe is back in Starlight Grove―but she's not the same woman who vanished. She lives on the edge, chases adrenaline, and refuses to be caged again. Cliff diving. Mountain biking. Anything to feel alive and outrun the memories clawing at her.
But the single dad with shadows of his own won't let her face it alone. Especially when she finds herself needing a place to stay.
Kol Archer has made it his mission to protect her. As a Forest Service investigator, he's no stranger to rugged terrain or battling for control. But nothing prepared him for Nova―her fire, her fight, the way she makes him feel something he thought was lost.
The closer they get, the more dangerous things become. Someone doesn't want Nova to move on. And Kol is determined to stop them―no matter the cost.
Because for the first time in forever, Nova's not just surviving. She's learning how to live, how to trust, and reminding Kol he can, too. But as darkness looms, the truth could destroy them both…
Love Wells Kept by Bailey Hannah
Description:
He’s forgotten their love story. She’ll help him write a new one.
Jackson and Kate have been happily married for over ten years and live a beautifully chaotic life raising two young children on Wells Ranch. But when Jackson sustains a severe head injury that sends him into a coma, years of his memory are gone by the time he wakes. Doctors are confident it will return with time, but Jackson feels like a stranger in his own life. How can he have a wife and children but not know them?
Kate tries to remain strong for her family, but she secretly mourns the loss of the man she knew and fears he may never return. She leans on her Wells Ranch family, who she needs now more than ever. It’s scary and difficult, but she won’t give up on Jackson and their love, no matter how long it takes.
Despite early struggles, Kate and Jackson share tender moments that stir something in Jackson, even though he doesn’t fully understand it. As more time passes, bits and pieces of Jackson’s memories return, and he starts slowly rediscovering his instincts as a husband and dad. And though Jackson and Kate’s love story may need a rewrite, they’ll come to discover this new chapter might just be stronger than all the ones that came before.
In the Wake of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy
The realm has a new queen … and a new monster.
Imogen Nel, a powerful Siren, can no longer hide her monstrous abilities. She has claimed her ancestral crown and new grotesque magic, and now the corrupted bond she shares with the ancient deity Eusia is stronger than ever. Though Imogen is determined to sever it, doing so is no easy feat. The threat of war looms. Shifting alliances, a hunger for magic, and her feelings for Theodore, King of Varya, attempt to thwart her at every turn.
Meanwhile, Theodore is battling the strain of his own crown and commitments. When Imogen suddenly appears on his ship, every dutiful resolution he’s ever made threatens to snap. As they draw nearer to ending Eusia, lurking dangers and their perilous desire for one another prove nearly insurmountable.
Will the chaos, ruin, and death that Imogen was prophesied to usher into the realm be the end of all things, or the beginning?
Love You More by Emily Giffin
Billie has built the perfect life. Her medical practice in New York City is thriving, and she’s finally found the right partner in Dean after years spent trying to move on from her high-school sweetheart, Mick. Their young love had been intense and true, but distance and ambition pulled them apart when she left Wisconsin for medical school.
Then one morning, just after she’s accepted Dean’s romantic marriage proposal, Billie’s phone rings. It’s Mick—calling for the first time in nearly a decade. His news is urgent and in a moment, everything changes.
As Billie boards a plane back to Wisconsin, her past comes rushing in—her hometown friendships, the love she and Mick shared, and the choices that shaped them all. What awaits her is a reckoning with what she’s lost, what she’s built, and what she still wants.
Gripping and deeply moving, Love You More is a story about the plot twists life throws at us—and how love, in all its forms, has the power to change everything.
Summer People by Summer Blakely
One week. No drama. And absolutely no dating each other.
After graduating college, five friends make a pact. Every summer, they’ll meet for one week at the same beach house on the California coast to relive the golden days of college. There’s just one rule: no dating within the group.
Simple enough, except Everett and Sutton already broke the rule before summer even began… and couldn’t seem to stop. What started as a one-time fling turned into an annual habit neither of them could quit, until the night everything fell apart.
Five years later, Sutton has no interest in seeing Everett ever again. Until one of their friends, newly divorced and looking for an escape, calls everyone back to the beach house. She expects awkward silences and forced smiles, but nothing could prepare her for Everett--still infuriating, still magnetic, and still capable of unraveling her with a single glance.
As the week stretches on and every re-lived tradition, shared meal and outing bring a flood of sun-soaked memories that feed the spark between her and Everett, Sutton begins to wonder if the promise that broke them apart was worth keeping in the first place… and if breaking it again will ruin the delicate balance their friend group has finally started to reclaim.
The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightly
Description: Osric is a member of the Fyren Order, a guild of assassins who gleefully murder for money. Aurienne is a Haelan, a scholar-healer whose Order’s motto is Harm to none. Clear-cut absolutes separate them: good and bad, right and wrong, light and dark . . .
Until they don’t.
When Osric first bribed Aurienne to heal him, he never imagined those lines would begin to blur. But every healing session draws them closer together. He finds himself developing unwanted feelings for Aurienne as her capable hands heal his body—and his heart.
Aurienne’s perfect life has been flung into chaos in the form of a devastatingly handsome assassin. She should be in her research lab, not illicitly healing a Fyren every full moon—nor wrestling an attraction to him that threatens to slip into something else.
Things go superbly sideways when Osric and Aurienne discover more about the deadly Pox deliberately unleashed through the Tīendoms. The plague may be the work of another Order—an Order far nastier than either of them can handle.
As the lines between Osric and Aurienne continue to blur, the balance between peace and war, and love and hate, trembles, shifts, and hinges on a heartbeat.
Every Version of You by Natalie Messier
Joey Vasquez’s life is the definition of good on paper. At thirty-two, she’s a lawyer on the cusp of making partner, she owns her house in Los Angeles, and she almost keeps pace with her doctor sister in her parents’ eyes.
When she reluctantly arrives at the very couple-y dinner party hosted by Elijah Aarons, the best friend she’s secretly pined after for fourteen years, she’s dismayed to find that the last person on earth she’d ever want to see again is also there: Alex Aquino. Your basic rich Silicon Beach bro asshole. The night couldn’t possibly get worse—and then she dies.
When Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself eighteen again, the year she first met both Elijah and Alex. Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she’s come back to finally convince the one man she ever loved to love her back—so why does she find herself strangely drawn to the man she thought she hated?
Twisted Road by Christine Feehan
There’s no escaping the pull of desire in this novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan’s Torpedo Ink motorcycle club series.
When Czar shut down Lazar “Keys” Alexeev’s undercover mission, that should have been the end of the story. Instead, Keys is back in the middle of a nowhere town where a petite redhead with a pouty mouth and a ready smile drives him to distraction. He’s not sure why he’s breaking all of Torpedo Ink’s rules to spend more time around a woman who’s not even his type. He can’t get her out of his head—and now he’s facing the consequences.
Lyric Johansen doesn’t like to look anyone in the eyes, but Keys’s gaze is the one thing keeping her from a full-on panic attack. Her instinct to charge into the fray and help the biker fend off a group of vicious thugs has led to the most insane situation she’s ever been in: trapped in a coffin with a man she barely knows, minutes away from a painful death.
Survival means staying focused. But when Keys kisses Lyric to snap her out of losing it, he’s the one who ends up falling apart. He’ll need to unleash hell to get them out alive.
If only to get another taste….
Just for the Season by Rachel Griffiths
Description: Lady Charlotte Louisa Aveton knows all of London’s rules, and better yet, knows how to break them. But when she takes it too far and stumbles into a serious scandal, she knows only one thing will save her—marriage, as soon as possible.
With only one summer to pick a husband, Charlotte invites all of England’s most eligible bachelors to an extravagant summer house party. There’s a brooding artist, a wickedly handsome Russian prince, and one of the wealthiest men in all of Europe...so why do her eyes keep sliding over to the Duke of Warrick, the man who once came dangerously close to breaking her heart?
July 14
Forsaking Midnight by Emily McIntire
Some sins are worth the fall.
Lance Calloway fights when they tell him to fight. Bleeds when they tell him to bleed. Breaks when they tell him to break.
Six years in an unsanctioned cage, and the one line he's never crossed? Loyalty to his best friend, no matter the cost.
Then he's asked to protect her.
Genevieve DeGrance didn't ask for any of this.
She came to Rosebrook Falls to be with the mayor's son. But nothing in this town is what it seems.
Especially not the dangerous fighter who watches her every move like a threat.
She hates him.
He hates her.
And yet...
The more time Lance spends guarding Genevieve, the harder it becomes to remember she belongs to someone else.
And the more she uncovers about Rosebrook Falls, the more she realizes the only honest person in her life is the one man she's forbidden to want.
In a town built on secrets and lies, falling for each other could destroy them both.
But staying away might be the one fight Lance can't win.
Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Description: Ramona Wilder has spent her whole life in the spotlight. After a hit kids’ TV show, she transitioned into music, singing in arenas around the world and becoming an icon for millions of teenage girls. Now at age twenty-six, exhausted by the inhumane lack of privacy, she’s done—with all of it. She wants a chance at normal, whatever that might mean for her. And she’s starting with college.
Professor Nick Navarro is recently divorced but determinedly optimistic, allowing himself a very reasonable ten minutes per day to wallow. When his department calls a meeting about a celebrity enrollment, he plans to treat whoever it is like any other student. Except when Ramona blazes into class and causes an uproar, the typically easygoing professor is rattled, maybe for the first time in his career.
Ramona loves the way she flusters him, taking every opportunity to push Nick’s buttons, though what she really wants is to unbutton them completely. When a crisis brings them closer outside of class, they begin a tentative friendship amid an undeniable attraction. But Ramona can’t be so easily finished with her old life, and they’ll both have to confront their pasts if they want a chance at something real.
In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
Description: Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman in STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.
Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.
Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her longtime academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.
Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?
Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis
Some love stories don't stay buried, no matter how far you run.
Hazel Pierce has three goals for coming back to Star Falls:
Help her estranged dad.
Keep things strictly temporary.
Absolutely, under no circumstances, fall for Tucker Colburn again.
That plan dies a dramatic, soggy death when a rogue wasp sting sends Hazel swerving off the road and into the river―only to be hauled out, half-drowned and furious, by the Star Falls Fire Department's finest. Unfortunately, "finest" is ex–best friend, ex–one-night mistake, and the man she's been avoiding for a decade.
Tucker's always had a way of getting into her head. And now between a family that thrives on gossip and a town that's way too small for all this chemistry, Hazel's running out of ways to avoid the truth. As sparks turn into late-night confessions and slow, toe-curling kisses, Hazel has to decide if she's done running―from her past, from this town, and from the only man who's ever made her feel like home. And Tucker has to prove that this time, he's not just her safe place to crash―he's her always.
Foxx by Paisley Hope
Dark, sexy enemies to lovers MC romance. She's set on revenge, and the rival club president is her enemy no.1...
Mia Tyler is looking for revenge on the only man left with answers about her sister's death: the President of The Disciples of Sin Motorcycle Club―Aiden Foxx. There's only one problem: Mia's older brother Mason is a high ranking member of rival club The Hounds of Hell; if anyone finds out who she is or what she's doing her whole plan, and maybe her life, will be in jeopardy. She's determined to hate him, determined to get her truth and her revenge. But something about him draws her in and makes her feel things she's never felt before. When Aiden steps in to protect Mia from a psychopath, Mia gets a better look at Aiden's secrets, and the line between love and hate begins to blur.
Content warning: Violence expected with the life of an outlaw motorcycle club include but are not limited to torture, gun violence, murder, mild alcohol and drug use. Sexual triggers are not fully listed to conceal plot points and pivotal moments but are of a darker nature. Please check the author's note at the front for a brief list.
Twilight Tides by Samantha Young
Description: When I escaped to a Scottish island, I never expected I’d agree to a marriage of convenience with rugged local businessman and single dad, Murray Shaw.
That was before my dangerous ex started threatening me and my visa. The thought of being kicked out of Scotland, leaving behind my friends and the safety I’ve found here, is unthinkable. I’m determined to solve the problem myself. Everyone knows Murray is battling his ex-wife for control of his company and the only way to stop her is to remarry. So I propose a marriage deal that’ll solve both our issues. The fact that I’ve been attracted to the handsome, gentle giant of a Scot since we met is something I’ll just have to ignore if I want to remain in Scotland.
But marriage to Murray is proving to be complicated. Living under the same roof is a far bigger temptation than I anticipated. Beneath Murray’s reserve is a passionate nature that stokes the fires of my own. Soon we’re fighting a searing attraction and an intense emotional connection that’s as thrilling as it is terrifying. After my last disastrous relationship, I don’t trust myself enough to admit there’s far more than physical desire between us.
Yet when Murray finds himself caught in the grasp of a criminal organization intent on using his business for their own means, just as my ex decides to intensify his harassment, I realize there’s no denying that what I feel for my husband is a life-changing kind of love.
However, just as I begin to trust myself enough to give our marriage a real chance, danger rushes to our shore on rough tides, submerging us in a battle that might tear us apart forever…
The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
Description: Three years ago, scientist Emery Finch did something completely out of character: She got married. To Luca—the impossibly charming landscaper she met on one blistering night in Vegas who made her laugh, made her dance, made her feel.
But now, Emery is consumed by her top research, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and promising herself Luca will understand once her cutting-edge discoveries come to light. Until the unthinkable happens: A tragic accident takes Luca from her.
Desperate not to lose him, Emery breaks every rule, using the classified technology she’s developed to bring him back to life. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her. Their first kiss, their Sunny Sundays at the beach, the life they built together...all of it is gone.
It may be a miracle of science, but for Emery it’s her one shot at a second chance. And this time, she won’t waste it—because true love is always worth reviving.
July 21
Prince of Swords by Elise Kova
I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.
Clara Graysword is Oricalis’s most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara’s fate. If she dares to trust them.
But the most dangerous alliance of all is one she’s already deeply ensnared within: Prince Kaelis.
Kaelis, second-born prince of Oricalis and headmaster of Arcana Academy, is the one man she can’t escape—maybe she doesn’t want to escape. Ruthless, dangerous, and bound to Clara by destiny and desire, Kaelis tests her heart as much as her loyalty. Together, they grow closer to the most powerful secrets of the tarot . . . and to the truths they both hide that could destroy the passion that they no longer deny.
Hidden in plain sight within Arcana Academy, Clara walks the dagger’s edge. Revelations about Oricalis threaten everything she thought she knew, and every choice she makes is the difference between salvation and ruin.
To change the world, Clara must risk everything—her power, her beliefs, and her heart.
Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly
Description: If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.
After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield—the blond, bubbly, infuriating daughter of his former boss—shows up at his dock.
Poppy needs to escape. From her family, her ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself—and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.
Luckily, Poppy has the perfect deal proposal: working together to open a revamped version of his mentor’s restaurant. He’ll handle the menu, and she’ll use her social media influence to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make it a success, it’ll be an accomplishment no one can deny—and a ticket for them both to return to New York.
Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: If Poppy’s going to do this right, she must learn the ropes of the entire business. Including how to cook. From him.
As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen and tensions reach a boiling point, Poppy and Jack are left wondering, could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?
A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan
Description: In Belavere Trench, the Artisans and the Craftsmen are at war. Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the world’s only known earth Charmer, have been captured by the Artisans, putting Patrick’s rebel union in a precarious position.
Though he hasn’t forgiven Nina her betrayals, Patrick has other things to worry about. He is finally reunited with his father, a prisoner of the Artisans, and the group lands a narrow escape only with the help of Nina’s first love, Theo. Decoding an ancient prophecy, they set off in search of an infinite supply of idium that will determine the course of the war, should it prove more than a myth. Fleeing across Craftsman towns on the brink, they will encounter old friends—and enemies—in search of answers.
Grumpily Yours by Teagan Hunter
When a blacklisted chef is forced to work for a grumpy ex–NHL player, sparks fly in and out of the kitchen. A steamy workplace romance about rebuilding dreams, breaking rules, and finding forever.
When a public meltdown ruins chef Summer Turner’s career, she flees to her hometown in the Pacific Northwest, hoping to rediscover her passion for cooking. Summer doesn’t want to work for someone else again, but when her father secures her a job at a local cidery, she doesn’t dare say no, even if it means working for scowling former NHL player Ezra Rawlings.
After a career-ending injury, Ezra knows what it’s like to lose everything. Emotionally guarded, he’s sworn off relationships to focus on business. But sparring with Summer ignites something he thought was gone forever, and what starts as a casual fling becomes impossible to ignore.
As their connection deepens and defenses crumble, their explosive chemistry threatens every boundary they’ve set. Summer’s determined to prove she’s not a failure, while Ezra’s convinced he’s too broken for love. But two stubborn hearts might be exactly what each other needs—if they’re brave enough to stop running.
Just a Highland Fling by Naina Kumar
Neelu Pillai makes a last-minute decision to fly to Scotland for her estranged father’s wedding with one goal: to get through it with as little conflict as possible. But when her tipsy tirade at the rehearsal dinner is the reason her father gets left at the altar, she agrees to help him track down his runaway bride.
There’s just one problem: The third member of this road trip through the highlands is Jacob, the hot desi bagpiper from the wedding who just happens to be Neelu’s recent one-night stand. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other a few nights ago, but now he can’t seem to stand her.
Their journey to Skye is certainly not smooth, but as the two work together through the obstacles, doing their best to reunite Neelu’s father with his bride, they realize that there’s more to each other than meets the eye. And that the electric connection they’d felt the night they met is still as strong as ever. . . .
Fiery first impressions, fierce clashes, and undeniable chemistry make for a bumpy ride through the Highlands in this swoony, witty romance about family, forgiveness, and finding love where you least expect it.
July 25
The Prince and the Bodyguard by Nora Phoenix
Description: Falling for my bodyguard could cost me everything…
I’m Prince Gregory of Great Britain, fourth in line to a crown I never wanted. All I ask for is one year of anonymity at college in America, the chance to breathe without the weight of duty crushing my chest. The King reluctantly agrees, with one condition: I’m never alone.
That’s how Bash enters my life. My bodyguard. All quiet control, sharp instincts, and a presence I feel everywhere. Our relationship is strictly professional; we blend in together at college, but forced proximity has other ideas. His nearness becomes impossible to ignore, the tension between us tight enough to snap.
Bash needs this job to pay for his mum’s medical bills. I need him to guard my identity. I’ve hidden my sexuality for years to avoid shame and scandal and to protect the crown. And then one brave kiss later, everything changes. For the first time I feel authentic. I’m just…me. But I have a duty to England, and he’s sworn to protect me, not fall for me. Loving my bodyguard is dangerous and forbidden but taking the risk is the most real thing I’ve ever known…
July 28
Just for the Plot by Meghan Quinn
Description: They're just friends.
At least, that's what she thinks. Him? He has other plans.
Bennett Brinkman is San Francisco baseball's golden boy―focused, disciplined, and very bad at ignoring the one woman he shouldn't want. Falling for his sister's best friend was inevitable, even though she's always seen him as safe, familiar, and firmly off-limits.
Bower knows exactly why wanting Bennett is a terrible idea. She's fiercely loyal to her best friend and well aware that crossing this particular line could blow everything up. But when she moves into Bennett's apartment building, that "just friends" boundary begins to blur in the most tempting ways.
The banter comes fast.
The sparks come faster.
And pretending it's "no big deal" is getting ridiculous.
As feelings get messier and attraction turns undeniable, Bennett and Bower must decide if risking their family ties is worth chasing the love that's been in front of them all along.
Meet Me in Paris by Kristin Harmel
Description: Love Actually meets The Notebook in a tale of love, loss, and finding your way home, all set over the course of one life-changing week in Paris.
Julia Glover has brought her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Piper, to Paris for the first time—but they know it will also be their last trip here together. Julia is dying, and as the mother and daughter desperately try to make memories together as the clock ticks down, the world opens up around them. Piper meets a cute French waiter, who might just understand her better than anyone she’s ever met, and Julia meets a man at a dive bar and struggles with how to tell him the truth about her future.
Rock star Jackson Quick’s glory days are behind him. He had a handful of hit songs thirty years ago, but he hasn’t toured in a decade. This week, he’ll launch his reunion tour in Paris, the city where it all began. But he wants more out of life than being defined by fame. When he meets a woman who finally sees him for who he is at his core, the ground shifts beneath his feet.
Henry McGee has been writing hit songs for decades—including Jackson Quick’s biggest hit, City of Light. But his secret is that every love song he’s ever written is for a woman named Celeste, whom he loved a lifetime ago, when they were both teenagers in Paris during World War II. He has spent eighty years believing she died—but when a letter arrives telling him the opposite, he’s on the first flight to France. Can he break through the haze of her dementia, using the songs he’s written all these years, to remind her of who they once were to each other—and to tell her he came back for her?
Henry’s granddaughter, Melody, has just discovered that her husband of twenty years, Gilles, a French cosmetics executive, is having an affair. When she confronts him, he tearfully apologizes and begs her to forgive him. But can she? And, perhaps even more importantly, does she want to? Or is there a different kind of life out there for her if she chooses to be alone?
These intertwining stories—plus several others—unfold over a few breathtaking spring days, as an unforgettable group of Americans in Paris must find their way to their own versions of happily ever after in the City of Light.
Pride Comes Before a Fall by Virginia Heath
Despite his many responsibilities, there is nothing Leopold Sloane, the 11th Duke of Debden, takes more seriously than the safety of those he loves. When one of his sisters is injured at a protest rally, he drags his family to Bath for the summer to keep his reckless and rebellious siblings out of harm’s way. The only flaw in his plan is his overwhelming but inexplicable attraction to the new chaperone he has hired to watch out for them. An outspoken conundrum of a woman who soon causes him more trouble than both his sisters combined...but who calls to his soul regardless.
From the moment Portia Kendall read her first revolutionary pamphlet beneath her bedcovers at Miss Prentice’s School for Girls, she realized that her true calling was to make the world a fairer place for the masses downtrodden by the aristocracy. A calling that led her to Equitas, a radical newspaper that champions reform. But as Portia discovers, writing doesn’t pay the bills. To make a living, she must push aside her principles and serve the very people she criticizes weekly in her column. A temporary position as a chaperone in the home of a pompous duke seems like the perfect way to earn enough to follow her heart. Unfortunately, the duke who hires her seems to be more dashing and noble than pompous and soon begins to call to her heart too―as much as she tries to deny it. But dare she risk her principles for love or will her pride always come before a fall?
Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler
Antique store owner Callahan Leitner has an illegal taxidermy goose in his living room.
Why? It’s…complicated.
But it may end his career unless he finds a legitimate way to dispose of the bird ASAP. Except, there’s an unexpected wrench in his plans—the frustrating, effervescent Annie O’Neill.
Annie is happy to fill in for her uncle at his antique store; it’s the perfect opportunity to gain more experience before opening a shop of her own, plus she'll finally meet his handsome young business partner. Unfortunately, Cal is nothing like the charming man she expected. She’s tempted to take his apparent dislike personally, until she stumbles upon the source of his moodiness: the contraband waterfowl hidden upstairs.
When the goose goes missing, both of their professional reputations are on the line. As Cal and Annie attempt to track down the bird before it can be traced back to the store, their tentative alliance turns into something much deeper. Will the hunt for their felonious fowl lead to true love, or end in ruin?
Final Thoughts
Twenty-nine romance releases in one month. July is not messing around this year. Whether you are looking for something fun and fast, something that is going to take a piece of you when you finish it, a fantasy world to disappear into, or a beach read with a wild premise involving a taxidermy goose, this list has you covered.
If you found this post useful, save it and come back to it when you are ready to start preordering. And if you are new here, I'm Frances. I run momneedsachapter.com, where I review romance books, create BookTok and Instagram content over at @momneedsachapter, and sell bookish products including stickers and bookmarks in my shop. Romances are my specialty, reading moms are my people, and I am very happy you are here.
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Happy reading this summer. May your pool bag always have room for one more.
xo,
Frances
Mom Needs a Chapter
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