Summer is here, which means it’s the perfect time to find a book you can completely disappear into.
I pulled together five books that have been everywhere lately, from BookTok to podcasts and all over social media. This includes new releases that are getting a lot of buzz.
Whether you’re looking for a dreamy summer romance, a story about starting over, or something cozy to read by the pool, these are the books I think are worth adding to your summer stack.
2026 Summer Reading List
yesteryear by caro claire burke
What if a modern tradwife woke up in the 1850s? This story follows a woman who does just that.
She expects a simpler, more romantic life but is met with a stark reality of marriage, gender roles, and daily life that is far less appealing.
This book is clever, entertaining, and provides commentary on our nostalgia for “simpler times.”
strangers by belle burden
This juicy memoir has gained a lot of buzz on social media. It follows a shocking end of what seemed like a perfect marriage, when Belle’s husband of 20 years suddenly leaves.
She looks back at their relationship and explores love, betrayal, identity, and what it means to rebuild yourself when the person closest to you becomes a stranger.
ONE GOLDEN SUmmer by Carley Fortune
A dreamy second-chance romance about Alice, a photographer who returns to the lake where she spent her summers and reconnects with Charlie…someone she never fully forgot.
It’s a warm, escapist read about memories, timing, and the possibility of starting over.
Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by brooke averick
Authored by podcast host and internet personality Brooke Averick, this story follows Phoebe Berman, a 29-year-old preschool teacher whose intense anxiety around dating and intimacy collides with her determination to lose her virginity before turning thirty. It’s sweet, genuine, and truly funny.
Malibu Rising by taylor jenkins reid
Imagine a glamorous Malibu summer in the 1980s: surfers, celebrities, gorgeous beach houses, and one party that’s destined to end in disaster.
This story follows siblings trying to figure out who they are after growing up with an absent father and a complicated family legacy.
A Well-Read Summer
So those are five books to add to your summer reading list! I love that this mix has a little bit of everything—romance, nostalgia, life changes, and those stories that just make you want to slow down and get lost for a while.
If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to know what you thought. Happy reading!
