Summary
The newromancebooks coming out in July 2024 have everything fans of the genre seek. These books tell a variety of stories from newer authors and long-time writers. This summer is shaping up to be a solid season for readers who want to be swept off their feet. Though romance is pigeonholed as relying on tropes of being formulaic, it’s much more than that as well. Love stories are often expected to have a happily ever after. However, the road to get there can be innovative, andwhat matters most is how compelling and intriguing the characters are.
Many of these novels expand on existing universes or are part of larger anthologies, meaning readers have been anticipating their publication for a long time.
2024 has many highly anticipated romance books, but the ones released in the summer are particularly special because they align so well with the season. By blending fantasy, sports, and romance, there’s something for every audience within the pages of July’s upcoming releases. Many of these novels expand on existing universes or are part of larger anthologies, meaning readers have been anticipating their publication for a long time. By the end of the month,there will be no shortage of love stories available to pique anyone’s interest.
10 Best LGBTQ+ Romance Books To Read For Pride Month
When finding books to read for Pride month, many authors have written beautiful stories of LGBTQ+ romance from the past & present to choose from.
11Reckless By Lauren Roberts
Release Date: July 17, 2025
Recklessis the second installment ofThe Powerless Trilogy, and after the stunning conclusion to the first book,Powerless, the follow-up couldn’t have come soon enough.Paedyn and Kai are once again at odds inReckless, and Paedyn flees the city with Kai hot on her trailas their love is just beginning to blossom. Both are conflicted and terrified as the power dynamic between them shifts, and Paedyn continues to realize that being ordinary isn’t as bad as she thought. However, as the revolution rages around them, they must pick sides, even if they’re against each other.
Fantasy, romance, and enemies-to-lovers and back again,Recklesspushes the boundaries of love as the world they inhabit can’t stop tearing Pae and Kai apart.The author, Lauren Roberts, kicked off the series in 2023 and has seemingly delivered on all the angst promised byPowerless. ThoughRecklesswill be a satisfying extension of Pae and Kai’s story, it’s likely that it will only make readers want the next book all the more.
10On The Bright Side By Anna Sortino
Anna Sortino brings to life a beautiful story about romance and provides great disability representation within a genre that overlooks differently-abled characters too often. Ellie is deaf, and her new friend-turned-love interest, Jackson, soon finds his own life changed by an unexpected diagnosis. Through the story,Ellie and Jackson fall in love the way any typical teenager would, but there’s an added emotional connection because they can relate to what the other has gone through.Ellie’s celebration and love of herself and her deafness are fantastic and juxtapose with Jackson’s new outlook on life.
Though it’s a YA romance that centers on the experiences of differently-able people, it’s also universal in its storytelling.
On The Bright Sideis for readers of all kinds across generations. Though it’s a YA romance that centers on the experiences of differently-able people, it’s also universal in its storytelling. Anyone can relate to the feelings of confusion and loneliness that Ellie and Jackson face.It’s refreshing to see each half of the romantic couple give equal amounts of love and support,leading to a positive depiction of young love. Whatever Sortino does next will surely follow the great trend she’s established in her writing.
9The Undermining Of Twyla And Frank By Megan Bannen
Now thatThe Undertaking of Hart and Mercyblew up and put author Megan Bannen on the map, she’s following up her success withThe Undermining of Twyla and Frank, another fantastical love story. While there are somegreat fantasy book series without romance,The Undermining of Twyla and Frankdoes an excellent job of blending genresand never alienating fans of one or the other. Additionally, it’s refreshing to read a story about a later-in-life couple who are striking out together on a new chance at love.
Add to this their exciting career that leads to their investigation of their colleague’s mysterious death and a baby dragon sidekick, and it’s the perfect recipe for amazing fantasy romance. The protagonists,Twyla and Frank, are both widows and have been working alongside each other as best friends for years.Not only is there a strong emotional foundation for their relationship, but they also share a mutual understanding of grief, loss, and responsibility that makes them uniquely capable of supporting each other.
8The Game Changer By Lana Ferguson
Release Date: July 29, 2025
Deliah is the younger sister of Ian’s teammate and has been harboring a secret crush on him for many years.
On paper, a hockey player and a baker shouldn’t have much in common, but for Ian and Deliah, there’s too much history for them to ignore. Ian is in hot water after the end of his last relationship starts to negatively reflect on his team, and Deliah’s baking show isn’t bringing in as many viewers as the producers would like. Partnering up for a publicity relationship seems like the perfect solution for both parties, but there’s a catch. Deliah is the younger sister of Ian’s teammate and has been harboring a secret crush on him for many years.
Though Ian isn’t aware of Deliah’s feelings, it doesn’t take long for their proximity to let him see her in a new light, and it’s a flattering one. While Deliah and Ian’s budding romance is the best part of the book, the other characters who flesh out the world, including Deliah’s brother, make for great additions to the story.Lana Ferguson makes sure to write something for everyone inGame Changer, sprinkling in sports, baking, and enough steamy scenesto keep readers coming back for more.
7Play Along By Liz Tomforde
Release Date: June 14, 2025
Play Alongis the fourth book in theWindy Cityseries and will be relatable and enjoyable for anyone, not just residents of Chicago. While most ofPlay Alongtakes place in the titular windy city, Kennedy and Isaiah,the central couple, make a pitstop in Las Vegas, where they accidentally get hitched, much to Kennedy’s despair and Isaiah’s delight.What started as an unrequited crush on Isaiah’s end begins to blossom into something real, but Kennedy’s focus on her career and confusion about her relationship status isn’t helping.
TheWindy Cityseries has touched on hockey, basketball, and more, butforPlay Along, it’s baseball that takes center stage.Isaiah is the shortstop on the team that Kennedy works for as an athletic trainer, and watching Isaiah pine for her and go the extra mile to prove his worth is endlessly endearing. Though Isaiah and Kennedy’s romance seemed unlikely in the past fewWindy Citybooks, they demonstrate strong chemistry and learn to trust each other.
6Not Another Love Song By Julie Soto
Release Date: August 03, 2025
For readers looking for a little bit of spice,Not Another Love Songincludes just the right amount alongside the story of two musicians driven by passion and ambition. While many romance novels use sports and competition as the frame for the conflict, there should be more that centers on music as a shared career and form of communication.The zeal that Gwen and Xander bring to both their playing and their relationship is enviable,even when they’re going up against each other for the first chair seat in their orchestra.
For music lovers, former youth orchestra performers, or classic romance fans, this book will scratch the right itch.
A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, but Xander and Gwen also come from different worlds, and when the orchestra and PR team get wind of their budding romance, everything could fall apart.The author, Julie Soto, also pennedForget Me Not, and she expands upon her gift for writing enemies-to-loversnarratives inNot Another Love Song. For music lovers, former youth orchestra performers, or classic romance fans, this book will scratch the right itch.
5Business Casual By B.K. Borison
Business Casualmarks the final installment of theLovelight Series, which started in 2021 and will conclude with the fourth book and perhaps the most charming.Nova and Charlie are a classic case of opposites attract inBusiness Casual,and the pair believe that one night together will put their annoying flirtation to bed. Of course, nothing is ever quite so easy, and the two suddenly find themselves in closer proximity than they realized in their small town.
TheLovelightseries does quiet, intimate, small-town romance quite well, andBusiness Casualis no exception.The book capitalizes on favorite dynamics from the romance genre and promises to have plenty of witty banterbetween the two leads, as they can’t stop themselves from flirting with each other. Even though Nova and Charlie aren’t afraid to give in to their physical chemistry, there’s still a deep and everlasting emotional bond to back up their chemistry.
4The Au Pair Affair By Tessa Bailey
The Au Pair Affairdoes a great job of making every character likable and empathetic in the eyes of the reader.
The second book in Tessa Bailey’sBig Shotsseries,The Au Pair Affair, still features plenty of sports and romance, but unlikeFangirl Down,The Au Pair Affaircenters on hockey instead of golf.Burgess, the hockey player turned single dad, hires Tallulah as a live-in nannyto help take care of his daughter. This is already a complicated situation and grows more fraught when Tallulah pushes Burgess to get back out there in the dating scene. However, it turns out that the person he connects with the most is Tallulah.
Many greatsports movies have love triangles, but the messy dynamic between Tallulah, Burgess, and his ex-wife isn’t so much a love triangle as it is a barrier to Tallulah and Burgess being together.Being the other woman in the eyes of Burgess' daughter, who Tallulah takes care of, is a lot of pressureand hardship on Tallulah. However,The Au Pair Affairdoes a great job of making every character likable and empathetic in the eyes of the reader.
3The Fiancé Dilemma By Elena Armas
Release Date: June 06, 2025
The Fiancé Dilemmahas everything, and after the explosive success of Elena Armas’The Spanish Love Deception, it had to be a strong follow-up. However, so far, it looks likeThe Fiancé Dilemmawill fill the whole left ofThe Spanish Love Deceptionand go even further. What setsThe Fiancé Dilemmaapart is the trope of fake engagement, one step further than fake dating, that takes place for a calculated PR stunt. To make matters worse,Josie Moore, one-half of the false engagement, has already tried to walk down the aisle four times before this.
To convince the press of her happy love life for the sake of her absentee father,Josie tasks Matthew Flanagan, a family friend, with teaming up to be her husband-to-be.It comes as no surprise that there turns out to be a bit more between Josie and Matthew than they initially believe. As a standalone spinoff fromThe Long Gameseries, many characters that populate the story will be familiar to audiences who know Armas' work. However, it can easily be read without further context, as Josie and Matthew have no trouble speaking for themselves.
This June 2024 Romance Book Is Perfect For Anyone Missing The Golden Age Of Rom-Coms
In June 2024, a new romance book came out that is perfect for readers who miss the iconic rom-com movies of the 1990s and early 2000s.
2Slow Dance By Rainbow Rowell
Also known for her breakout novel,Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell has been putting out amazing works of romantic fiction since then that frequently revolve just as much around the character’s coming-of-age. Experiencing first love is a large part of growing up for many people, and readers easily identify with the individuals brought to life within the pages of Rowell’s writing. However, her latest book,Slow Dance, goes beyond the young adult genre and sets itself firmly in adult fiction, as the characters reflect on their teen years with new eyes.
This story is relatable to audiences of all ages but is especially poignant for anyone who has experienced estrangement from a dear friend.
The central relationship is between Shiloh and Cary, who were young lovers and friends who drifted apartover the years and are attempting to reconnect. This story is relatable to audiences of all ages but is especially poignant for anyone who has experienced estrangement from a dear friend. Though the love story between Shiloh and Cary is essential to the plot, the basis for it is an enduring friendship and respect that can outlast even the greatest of distances.
