Wondering what to read this summer? Look no further. The Nora Theory has put together a list of must-read romances, mysteries, and fantasies. There are new releases and popular favorites, and something for every reader on this list. Summer reading used to be homework, a drag on what was supposed to be a season of freedom from the oppression of school. Not anymore, not with these books, curated only for the sake of joy. Happy reading everyone!
Romances
Knockemout by Lucy Score
The Knockemout series is a trilogy of three interconnected small-town romance standalones, and even though the last one was only published last year, they are instant romance classics. These romances are all page-turners, with a perfect blend of sweetness and spice, with just a touch of action and danger to keep things interesting.
Start with Things We Never Got Over, a grumpy/sunshine romance with an immensely loveable set of main characters, one sweet, one broody and stubborn. These books are perfect to read on a sunny day with a lemonade.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
A privileged socialite is banished to a small town in the Pacific Northwest when her parents cut her off. Forced to try to make it on her own, she meets a local fisherman grieving the complicated loss of his wife.
It Happened One Summer is a romance novel of the most essential kind, a story of attraction and personal growth, and a love that gives you a new lease on life. It’s light, fun, and made for summer reading. It’s kind of in the title.
Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver (June 4)
If you relate to Wednesday Addams at summer camp in Addams Family Values, then this might be your ideal summer read. The sequel to Butcher & Blackbird, a friends-to-lovers story about two serial killers who kill worse serial killers, drops right at the beginning of the summer. It will follow Rowan’s brother, Lachlan, and Sloane’s best friend Lark in a fake marriage, enemies-to-lovers romance that promises to be dark, moody, and and sexy as hell.
You might not think of a dark romance about dangerous killers as perfect summer reading, but it’s bound to be a riot to read and will kick off a summer filled with exciting new releases in the romance world.
God of War by Rina Kent (June 13)
The final book in the Legacy of Gods series, God of War, is Eli and Ava’s book, a story that this series has been teasing since the beginning. Like the rest of the series, this book is bound to be angsty, kinky, and forbidden. This story will be a marriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine romance with a praise kink, which is just a delightful combination. What else could you want in a summer read? Plus, the glare of the sun will shield the screen of your Kindle from unsuspecting eyes.
Lyonesse by Sierra Simone, Book Two: Honey Cut (June 18th)
Salt Kiss is one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and book two in the trilogy, Honey Cut, comes out in June, just in time for some summer reading. Although, to be fair, I would read these on any day, in any season because Sierra Simone just knows how to write a story worth obsessing over.
The Lyonesse trilogy is a retelling of the Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolde, with a kinky, polyamorous twist. The first book ends on a cliffhanger, and I am simply dying to know what happens next with Tristan, Isolde, and Mark. This series, so far, is intense, intelligent, and absolutely filthy.
Pucking Sweet by Emily Rath (June 25)
Hockey romance might seem like a strange choice for the summer, but the Jacksonville Rays and their kinky hockey team are perfect to spice up any flight, vacation, or random Tuesday afternoon.
Pucking Sweet is another polyamorous romance from Emily Rath, this one MMF. It will follow the team’s PR person and her messy relationship with two of the players, with an accidental pregnancy to make things really complicated. I could not be more excited, and can’t wait to devour this filth with a nice chilled glass of white wine.
Dark Restraint by Katee Robert (August 6th)
I simply cannot quit these Greek myth retellings. This series is ongoing, with the last installment, Midnight Ruin, releasing just a few months ago. Dark Restraint will be the story of Ariadne and the Minotaur, a refreshing switch up after the last few polyamorous relationships starring in these books. Ariadne has no choice but to marry Dionysus for her own safety, but no matter the consequences, she can’t seem to leave her passionate love for the Minotaur alone.
There are only a few more books left to come in this series, and readers are dying to know what’s going on with Hermes, and Olympus as a whole. The next piece of the puzzle arrives just in time to close out the summer.
The Heartbreaker by Sara Cate (August 30)
I don’t know how these authors do it, but after releasing The Home-Wrecker in March, Sara Cate is back with another book in The Goode Brothers series. If you love contemporary romance, then Sara Cate is perfect for your summer reading list. The Home-Wrecker was incredible, and we are all blessed to have another delicious book of hers to read.
The Heartbreaker is still a mystery. There is no blurb on Amazon, so readers don’t know what tropes will be involved or whose love story this will be, but in Sara Cate we trust. Whatever this is, it’ll be worth reading this summer.
Fantasies
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Summer is the perfect time to read this series because lord knows, these books are a commitment. It’s a long series, but it is perfect in every way. There are so many new releases I’m excited about this summer, but I might just have to make time for a Throne of Glass reread anyway.
Badass assassin extraordinaire Celaena Sardothien is temporarily let out from her enslavement at the salt mines of Endovier, only to be forced into a competition to be the King’s Champion to win her freedom for good. In a land where magic is gone and evil reigns, everything is a threat. Between the Crown Prince, the Captain of the Guard, and a foreign princess, Celaena doesn’t know who to trust as she fights to discover the truth and save the kingdom. This seven-book series is a true epic and an absolute must-read for any fantasy fan.
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
Heartless Hunter is an enemies-to-lovers romantasy perfect for any time and occasion. Rune Winters is a witch in a land where witchcraft is outlawed, and punishable by death. Gideon is a witchhunter, with a personal vendetta against witches and the skill to track them down and capture them. He wants to find and capture The Crimson Moth and suspects that the person responsible for freeing all those witches just might be Rune.
This book is intense, emotional, and just a gorgeous fantasy novel. You can’t always judge a book by its cover, but look at how beautiful this cover is. It perfectly reflects this incredible story. Everyone on the beach will want to know what you’re reading because it just looks so cool.
The Kindred’s Curse Saga, Book Four: Burn of the Everflame (June 1st) by Penn Cole
Diem Bellator is a healer, living in the mortal lands, in a world ruled by Descendants. The Descendants have magical powers, inherited from their ancestors, known as the Kindred. When Diem’s mother mysteriously disappears, she’s left to take over the role of healing the ailing King. That’s where she meets Prince Luther, a devastatingly handsome man who stands for everything she has been taught to hate.
The final installment of The Kindred’s Curse Saga is my most anticipated new release for the summer. I will be dropping everything the weekend Burn of the Everflame hits my Kindle. Don’t ask me to go anywhere, do anything, or cook. I’ll be hungrily reading this book with overwhelming joy. The third book in the series ends on a cliffhanger, and I won’t go too much into it for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but the fourth book is destined to be an incredible conclusion.
Mysteries
Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
Fire Island is where privileged families come and spend the summer there, some going back generations. When a young boy riding his bike comes across a dead body, their normally idyllic island’s dark underbelly is exposed for all to see.
While it is chiefly about a murder, Bad Summer People is also a seriously funny, snarky commentary on the absurdity of the white upper-class elite. This book is a fast-paced, suspenseful read, and it’s perfect for a laugh while you lounge, whether it’s in a beaten-up pool chair in your normal backyard or on a fancy island beach somewhere.
The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine (June 18)
Daphne and Amber Parrish are back after a stunning conclusion to The Last Mrs. Parrish. The first book had shocking twists and excellent characters, and without going into too much detail to spoil things, this book promises more of the same psychological intrigue and long-buried secrets that made the first book such a big hit.
Admittedly, I’m not sure if The Last Mrs. Parrish was a book that really needed a sequel because it had such a satisfying conclusion, but I am absolutely fascinated to see where the author takes this story next.
The Wilds by Sarah Pearse (July 16)
Sarah Pearse’s Detective Elin Warner is back again for another suspenseful mystery, this time set in a Portuguese national park. This book is the conclusion to the Elin Warner series that began with The Sanatorium.
These books are solid mysteries that will keep you guessing from the first chapter to the last, and the final book in the series is set to deliver that same thrilling intrigue that made the first two in the series such hits.
Popular Fiction
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Everyone has read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six, but have you read Malibu Rising? Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of a generation. Someone who’s books you can recommend to literally anyone. It’s a beautiful thing. Malibu Rising is one of her slightly less popular books (which isn’t saying all that much) but it’s also the perfect summer read.
It’s 1983 and Nina Riva, daughter of legendary singer Mick Riva, is throwing her annual end-of-summer party. Everyone who’s anyone is set to be there. Secrets and surprise guests quickly have the party spinning out of control. By morning, the mansion will be up in flames.
Also, if you haven’t read Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones’ story, run, do not walk, to pick up those books ASAP.
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid (August 13th)
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