📚 Must-Read New Book Releases Coming in July 2025
- dessimalakov
- 5 days ago
- 13 min read
Summer is officially in full swing, and so is one of the best months for new book releases. Whether you’re looking for a poolside romance, an eerie locked-room mystery, a gothic fantasy, or a feel-good contemporary to break your reading slump, July 2025 has something for every kind of reader. Below, I’ve rounded up the most anticipated books hitting shelves this month—with quick blurbs to help you find your next favourite read.
Warning: your TBR is about to grow significantly.
july 2025 book releases
July 1st
Overruled
by Lana Ferguson
Danica Pierce lives by one rule: never let love distract from success. As Austin’s top divorce lawyer, she’s laser‑focused on making partner—no exceptions. But then there’s Ezra Hart, her courtroom nemesis and the irresistible lawyer she’s secretly sleeping with. They’ve agreed: keep it strictly sex—no emotions, no complications. That is, until they land on opposing sides of the career‑defining case of Danica’s life. As legal battles heat up, so do hidden feelings, forcing both partners to decide if they’ll risk their professional dreams—and their hearts—for a shot at something real.
A sizzling rivals‑to‑lovers romance packed with courtroom banter, sizzling chemistry, and emotional hard truths.
Genre: Romance
Sunburned
by Katherine Wood
St. Barth’s seems like paradise—until secrets wash ashore. When Audrey Collet’s billionaire ex, Tyson, calls in a desperate plea for help—threatened by blackmail and haunted by a shocking discovery in the Everglades—she can’t say no. Even if it means returning to the man she once loved and the island he now commands. But paradise turns predatory fast: Tyson’s intimate circle is full of suspects, the tension bubbles beneath every poolside cocktail, and a bone-chilling murder transforms Audrey’s vacay into a high-stakes survival puzzle.
Full of yacht-bound intrigue, flashbacks to a shared and scandalous past, and a heroine whose courage burns brighter than the Caribbean sun—Sunburned is a sizzling, twisty thriller with just the right amount of heat and danger.
Genre: Thriller
The Spirit of Love
by Lauren Kate
Fenny is riding high—she’s landed her dream directing break on a hit TV show and even enjoyed the best weekend of her life. That is, until she steps onto set and discovers she’s been replaced by Jude. But wait—Jude looks uncannily like Sam, the man who swept her off her feet during a storm on Catalina Island. Same dimples, same captivating eyes—but an edge of sadness she can’t ignore.
As Fenny juggles salvaging her career and untangling this mystery, she finds herself torn between the carefree spark of Sam and the guarded intensity of Jude. With time slipping like sand through her fingers, she must uncover whether she’s fallen for a single soul fractured across time—or for two entirely different men.
Equal parts rom-com, magical realism, and soul-searching love story, The Spirit of Love explores how healing the past may be the key to directing your future—and your heart.
Genre: Romance
July 8th
The Woman in Suite 11
by Ruth Ware
Ten years after thrusting readers into the chill of The Woman in Cabin 10, Ruth Ware reunites us with travel writer Lo Blacklock—this time at the glamorous opening of a luxury hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva. Reinvigorating her post-maternity career, Lo arrives ready to cover the event and nab an interview with reclusive billionaire owner Marcus Leidmann. But one late-night summons into Suite 11 introduces her instead to a terrified woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress—and fearing for her life. What begins as a high-fashion press trip spirals into a deadly cross-border chase across Europe, forcing Lo to decide who to trust, and how much she’s willing to risk to uncover the truth.
Suspenseful, atmospheric, and packed with sharp twists, The Woman in Suite 11 is a page-turning thriller that proves Ruth Ware is still at the top of her game. ⏳
Genre: Thriller
Scotch on the Rocks
by Elliot Fletcher
The “no-Macabe-brothers” rule is crystal clear—don’t look, don’t talk, don’t even breathe their last names—yet June Ross keeps breaking it around Callum Macabe. Their first meeting on a train is electric, but June quickly reminds herself he’s off-limits: one Macabe is her best friend’s love, another is her ex-fiancé, and Callum? He’s dangerously tempting.
Now, in this small Scottish town where gossip spreads faster than whisky, June must decide: follow the rulebook—or risk her heart in a second‑chance romance that promises sparks as fiery as a Highland fire.
Genre: Romance
Finding Grace
by Loretta Rothschild
Honor thinks her life has it all—until a tragic turn shatters everything. Years later, widower Tom raises their son via surrogacy and struggles to pick up the pieces. Then he meets Grace: a connection so deep it feels destined…only to discover Grace was once tied to Honor through an unconventional, ethically charged secret. Told from Honor’s hauntingly intimate perspective—even after her death—this emotionally layered debut explores grief, love’s complexities, and what it means to rebuild a family after loss.
With sharply drawn characters and an opening that stops you in your tracks, Finding Grace is a timely, powerful summer release.
Genre: Literary Fiction
These Summer Storms
by Sarah MacLean
Bestselling romance author Sarah MacLean makes her contemporary debut with a slow-burn inheritance drama set on a storm-drenched private island. When Alice Storm returns home for her late father’s “celebration of life,” she’s thrust into a weeklong test alongside her estranged siblings—all vying for a share of his fortune. But the real wildcard? Jack Dean, her father’s right-hand man, who’s been tasked with enforcing the rules…and who just so happens to challenge Alice in every way.
With tension crackling like the summer storms overhead, old wounds and new sparks collide in this sultry, emotional story about grief, second chances, and letting go of the past to make room for love.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Bitter Sweet
by Hattie Williams
Charlie is twenty-three, passionate about books, and just landed her dream job as a publicity assistant at a London publishing house. Working with legendary author Richard Aveling seems like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—until admiration turns into obsession, and their secret affair spirals into something neither of them can control. As their emotional entanglement deepens, Charlie must navigate the dangerous imbalance of power, heartache, and identity—questioning how much of herself she’s willing to sacrifice.
A powerful and introspective debut, Bitter Sweet delves into first love, grief, and the edge where passion becomes ruin. For anyone who's ever fallen too hard or wondered what comes after “happily ever after,” this novel confronts the cost of idolizing—and loving—someone you're not meant to.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Totally and Completely Fine
by Elissa Sussman
Lauren Parker is doing the impossible: juggling life as a newly widowed single mom in a tight-knit Montana community while grieving the husband she loved—and the future she thought she'd have. When her brother casts a rising star in his latest film, Lauren finds herself drawn to the charming actor Ben Walsh. A fling on set soon blooms into something deeper, forcing her to confront rumors, motherhood, and whether her heart can open again.
Told across past and present, it’s a heartfelt, honest tale about picking up the pieces and learning that love and grief can coexist in messy, beautiful ways.
Genre: Romance
How to Survive a Horror Story
by Mallory Arnold
Seven authors are summoned to the grand, isolated Queen Manor, expecting a routine will reading—and a financial windfall. Instead, they find themselves trapped in a twisted legacy game: solve riddles room by room, or the house claims another victim. As alliances crumble and buried secrets surface, the survivors realize this isn’t just a puzzle—it’s personal.
With each solved riddle ratcheting up both terror and stakes, this locked-room horror tale delivers chilling suspense and ghostly atmosphere. Perfect for fans of cerebral scares and sinister surprises.
Genre: Horror
The View From Lake Como
by Adriana Trigiani
Jess Capodimonte Baratta is stuck—recently divorced, living in her parents’ basement in Lake Como, New Jersey, and helping out at her uncle Louie’s marble shop. She’s always put her family first... until a sudden loss and a stash of family secrets force her to reconsider everything. With a one‑way ticket to Italy in her pocket, Jess heads to Carrara and Lake Como (the real one) to reclaim her life, her voice, and her talent. Navigating marble quarries, Milanese studios, and summer‑colored romance with golden‑leaf artist Angelo Strazza, Jess discovers her worth—and designs a future on her own terms.
Big‑hearted, witty, and richly evocative, The View from Lake Como is Adriana Trigiani at her warmest—an uplifting tale of self‑discovery, family ties, and starting over in gorgeous settings.
Genre: Literary Fiction
July 10th
Wrap Around
by Rebecca Rathe
Silas and Gideon were inseparable once—best friends and star hockey teammates—until a betrayal froze their connection. Now Gideon’s back on Silas’s team, and the tension in the locker room cuts sharper than a skate blade. Old sparks flare under fluorescent rink lights as they’re forced to face unsaid truths in the locker room and the crease.
With careers on the line and hearts guarded, Wrap Around blends redemption and longing, showing that sometimes a second chance on the ice—and off—demands breaking the rules of friendship and love.
Genre: MM Romance
July 15th
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
by Sangu Mandanna
Welcome to the Moonstone Hearth, a charming (and slightly enchanted) inn tucked between mundane roads and mystical crossroads. When young witch-in-training Elara takes over the place, she expects cozy hearths and tired travelers—but finds ghostly guests, dietary-diva familiars, and a checklist of magical maintenance disasters. With each strange visitor—from mischievous pixies drawn to the porridge bar to a brooding warlock with a score to settle—Elara discovers innkeeping is far more than fluffing pillows.
Blending heartwarming hospitality with whimsical magic and a touch of chaos, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is a delightful brew for fans of cozy fantasy and quirky witches.
Genre: Fantasy
Maid for Each Other
by Lynn Painter
When Harper, a pragmatic event planner, lands a temp gig as a private housekeeper for a charming—and chaotically cluttered—historic manor, she expects rustic chores and light conversation. Instead, she inherits a quirky cast of household staff, a dueling case of mistaken identity, and the stern—and surprisingly rugged—heir of the estate, whose brooding silence hides a secret of its own. As Harper fluffs pillows and polishes silver, sparks fly in unexpected ways, and the job becomes a heartwarming dance of compromise, connection, and maybe just the start of something real.
With witty banter, slow-burn chemistry, and a dash of Cinderella-meets-cleaning-crew charm, Maid for Each Other is your go-to summer pick for delightful romance and domestic magic.
Genre: Romance
A Resistance of Witches
by Morgan Ryan
In wartime Britain, magic is no longer a secret—it’s a weapon. Lydia Polk, a modest apprentice from the Royal Academy of Witches, is thrust into the front lines when her coven is compromised by a Nazi spy. Tasked with tracking down the Grimorium Bellum—a relic of devastating dark power—Lydia crosses into occupied France, joined by a fierce French resistance fighter and a quietly charismatic Haitian-American art historian. As they race against Nazi witchcraft, Lydia must learn that courage, loyalty, and her own growing power may be the only defense against a looming magical threat.
This gripping historical-fantasy epic is equal parts adrenaline-fueled adventure, political intrigue, and heartfelt allyship.
Genre: Fantasy
In the Veins of the Drowning
by Kalie Cassidy
Imogen Nel has learned to hide her siren heritage—no splashing in the sea, no singing, and no revealing the dark wings folded beneath her skin. But in a kingdom that hunts her kind, staying hidden isn’t enough to survive. When a neighboring king arrives, convinced only her powers can stop an undead threat, Imogen is forced into an uneasy blood bond—and a desperate escape across monster‑infested waters.
Side by side with the brooding king who understands her curse, she must decide: suppress her power to protect others, or risk becoming the very monster they fear.
Lushly romantic, richly atmospheric, and full of gothic suspense, this debut romantasy weaves ancient lore, emotional depth, and forbidden alliances into a story that sinks its claws in and doesn't let go.
Genre: Fantasy Romance
The Bewitching
When graduate student Minerva starts researching the forgotten horror writer Beatrice Tremblay, she expects buried manuscripts and dusty archives—not ghost stories come to life. As she pieces together Tremblay’s past, Minerva uncovers a chilling pattern stretching across multiple eras: her own great-grandmother’s terrors in early 1900s Mexico, Tremblay’s 1930s campus disappearance, and the same sinister magic now creeping through Minerva’s 1990s college halls.
Swinging between three timelines, The Bewitching is a haunting weave of witchcraft, family legacy, and scholarly obsession. Moreno‑Garcia’s trademark atmospheric chills meet a powerful multigenerational mystery—perfectly timed for readers seeking eerie summer thrills.
Genre: Fantasy
July 22nd
Arcana Academy
by Elise Kova
Elise Kova returns with the first book in a brand-new romantasy series set in a world where magic isn’t just studied—it’s weaponized. When a gifted but reluctant elemental mage is accepted into the elite Arcada Academy, she expects lessons, rules, and rivalries. What she doesn’t expect is a deadly secret buried beneath the school’s glittering surface—or the dangerously charming classmate who might be the key to unraveling it.
Packed with dark academia vibes, elemental magic, and slow-burn romance, Arcada Academy is perfect for fans of A Deadly Education and Fourth Wing.
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Not Quite Dead Yet
by Holly Jackson
New York Times-bestselling author Holly Jackson makes a dramatic leap into adult suspense with this pulse-pounding psychological thriller. When Jet Mason, 27 and set to inherit her family’s fortune, is mysteriously attacked on Halloween, she’s left with a catastrophic head injury—and a ticking clock. Doctors warn she could die from a secondary aneurysm within seven days. Determined not to fade away, Jet launches her own investigation, racing to uncover who tried to kill her—whether it’s someone she trusts, loves, or once called a friend. With the clock counting down and shocking secrets emerging from her tight-knit circle, Jet races toward a truth that could cost her everything.
Not Quite Dead Yet is a gripping, emotionally charged countdown thriller that proves Holly Jackson’s twist-laden storytelling isn’t just for YA—it’s just begun in her adult debut.
Genre: Thriller
Between These Broken Hearts
by Lexi Ryan
Jasalyn and Felicity, royal allies turned best friends, are racing against a cruel prophecy that ends Jasalyn’s life in just eleven days. With the fate of the fae realm hanging in the balance, they must confront a cruel king, hidden magic, and their deepest fears. Jasalyn’s heart pounds as she forms an uneasy alliance with Kendrick, the warrior she can’t stop trusting—while Felicity navigates a perilous identity crisis and her own shocking betrayal. Tension builds across twin storylines, love becomes a weapon, and time runs out in a sweeping conclusion to the These Hollow Vows saga.
Richly emotive, high-stakes, and intoxicatingly magical.
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Book 4, These Hollow Vows
Codebreaker
by Jay Martel
Seventeen‑year‑old Mia Hayes thought her summer would be filled with coffee-shop jobs and college prep—until government agents raid her home, her father disappears, and her mother is killed. Left with her wits and a series of encrypted clues he left behind, Mia teams up with Logan—a charismatic young hacker—and races through Washington, D.C., uncovering a national conspiracy that could change everything. Packed with cryptic codes embedded in the narrative, Codebreaker drops you right into the puzzle-solving action, turning every chapter into a mystery to unravel.
Thrilling, fast-paced, and smart, this YA spy thriller blends high-stakes adventure with emotional stakes—perfect for teens and adults who love interactive, brain-teasing suspense.
Genre: YA Thriller
July 29th
Wrath of the Dragons
by Olivia Rose Darling
Elowen Atarah has reclaimed her dragons and her will—but peace remains out of reach. Now queen of Imirath and fiercely driven by vengeance, she faces a land on the brink of collapse. Her ally? Cayden Veles, the Demon Commander she rescued and the only man who shares both her crown and her battle scars. Their marriage of necessity masks a deeper bond, but as alliances shift and enemies circle, Elowen and Cayden must decide if love is worth risking for the throne—and whether revenge is worth sacrificing everything they’ve built.
Filled with sweeping battles, courtly intrigue, and romantic firepower, Wrath of the Dragons soars beyond its predecessor, delivering an epic follow‑up that fans will devour.
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Book 2, Fear the Flames
Mean Moms
by Emma Rosenblum
In the polished world of New York’s elite, Frost, Morgan, and Belle run the social scene at Atherton Academy like clockwork—until a captivating new mom from Miami named Sofia arrives. Suddenly, carefully curated lives unravel: mysterious accidents, fashion disasters, and spoiled events begin targeting the tight-knit circle. As whispers and jealousy grow, the question becomes: is Sofia a benign newcomer or a calculated disruptor? Mean Moms mixes sharp satire with domestic suspense, probing the fine line between friendship, envy, and something far more dangerous—all with a wicked sense of humor and an edge.
A perfect summer thriller for anyone who’s ever wondered what really happens behind the school pickup line.
Genre: Thriller
Glorious Rivals
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Penny St. Claire has always lived in the long shadow of her identical twin, Eve—a star, social media darling, and scholarship golden child. When they graduate into a cutthroat fellowship program in Washington, D.C., the heat turns up: Eve’s rise is meteoric, while Penny is stuck cleaning up her twin’s mistakes. But just as Penny begins quietly forging her own path, Eve crashes and burns spectacularly—leaving both their futures on the line. Forced into an uneasy partnership to salvage their reputations, the sisters face a high-stakes balancing act: keep each other afloat or destroy one another?
Glorious Rivals is a sharp and emotionally charged thriller about identity, ambition, and the tangle of sisterhood—perfect for fans of twisted sibling dynamics and taut modern suspense.
Genre: YA Fantasy
July 18th
Hot To Go
Susie French is heartbroken and homebound after an unexpected breakup—so she escapes to Mallorca with her cousins for a sizzling summer. There, she meets Charlie (a.k.a. Carlos), and what starts as a spontaneous fling under Mediterranean stars leaves her daring and hopeful. But when the school year begins and club-football Spanish teacher Charlie walks into her classroom, sparks fly… and someone’s hiding a few secrets.
Filled with laugh-out-loud British humor, awkward encounters that feel all too real, and a charming second-chance storyline, Hot To Go blends beachside fun with heartfelt character growth. Perfect for readers who love witty holiday romances with real stakes and chemistry that travels across continents.
Genre: Romance
July 31st
Stubborn Puckboy
by Eden Finley
After a sudden coaching shake-up, stubborn team captain Cole Donovan finds himself paired with an unlikely partner: Riley Hart, the relentless rookie with an attitude that clashes with everyone—even Cole. Between early-morning drills and endless practice scrimmages, the tension becomes undeniable—fiery on and off the rink. But as the season heats up, their rivalry begins to shift—into respect, into sparks, into something neither expected. With equally matched stubborn streaks and a love-hate dynamic skating into high stakes, Stubborn Puckboy is a heartwarming finale to the beloved Puckboys series.
Expect witty locker-room banter, icy challenges turned tender moments, and the satisfaction of watching two strong personalities learn to trust—and maybe fall—for each other.
Genre: MM Romance
july 2025 book releases
If you enjoyed exploring this list of upcoming book releases, I would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to share your comments, recommendations, or any books you are eagerly anticipating.
Disclaimer: I have added an affiliate link for your convenience so you can directly purchase the book if you are intrigued. This also means that I will receive small commission. This does not affect inclusion in my reviews or the overall rating of the book.
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