I’ve read nine books so far this summer, and apparently my ideal reading life consists of coastal New England settings, complicated friend groups, second-chance romances, family secrets, and at least one missing person.
My June and July reading list included some of my most anticipated releases of the year, a few books you all have been telling me to read forever, two novels I finished in less than 48 hours, and one book that sent me into an entirely unnecessary existential crisis over how we rate an author’s work.
Here is everything I read in June and July—along with the books I loved, the ones that surprised me, and the one that sadly wasn’t for me.
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
Our Perfect Storm was one of my most anticipated books of the entire year. I had been waiting not-so-patiently for another Carley Fortune summer romance, and while I liked this one, it wasn’t my favorite of hers.
But this has also brought me to my latest book-rating predicament: Are we rating each book entirely on its own, or are we subconsciously ranking it against the author’s entire backlist?
For example, I originally gave This Summer Will Be Different four stars after reading Every Summer After and One Golden Summer, both of which were five-star reads for me. But honestly, had I read This Summer Will Be Different first, I probably would have given it five stars too.
It’s hard not to compare a new release to the books that first made you fall in love with an author. Apparently, this is the kind of inner turmoil I’m dealing with these days.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
I finally read Love & Other Words, and I really enjoyed it.
I had seen plenty of online discourse about the similarities between this book and Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After. After reading both, I completely understood the comparisons.
The childhood friendship, the years of separation, the second-chance romance, the alternating timelines—it all felt very familiar. Since Love & Other Words was published first, it was especially interesting to experience the story after already loving Every Summer After.
Despite their similarities, I still found myself invested in this relationship and emotionally attached to the characters. Apparently, I will never turn down a nostalgic, friends-to-lovers romance filled with longing and regret.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
I’ve loved the few Ali Hazelwood books I’ve read so far, and I wanted to read The Love Hypothesis before watching the movie adaptation.
Naturally, I peeked at the early reactions to the trailer. Fans seemed excited about how closely the movie appeared to follow the book, which made me even more interested in finally picking it up.
This one absolutely lived up to the reviews.
I consumed it in less than 48 hours and gave it a solid 4.5 stars. It was smart, funny, romantic, and incredibly easy to fly through. I now completely understand why this has remained such a beloved romance.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
Okay, this one was juicy.
The Shampoo Effect follows a New York City writer who moves to a coastal New England town for a writing fellowship. She quickly falls for a local guy and is reluctantly woven into his extremely close-knit group of childhood friends.
A few weeks into their relationship, though—oops. His ex is pregnant.
As you can imagine, chaos follows.
There were several reasons I loved this book.
First, the coastal New England setting was, of course, extremely appealing to me. The story takes place on Massachusetts’ North Shore, and I loved recognizing references to places I’ve visited, along with familiar Boston restaurants, hotels, and landmarks.
Second, Jenny Jackson captured so many of the tiny details and contradictions of parenting, motherhood, and life with newborns and toddlers. I laughed out loud at certain scenes and found myself nodding along at others.
Then I reached one paragraph about how caring for young children can feel impossibly hard while you’re living through it—but how you also never want to wish the time away because, as they grow, you miss the smallest pieces of who they used to be.
That one stopped me in my tracks.
And finally: the drama.
The book centers on a group of friends who grew up together, and their relationships are incredibly messy. But the drama never felt manufactured or as though the author was inserting random storylines simply to keep the plot moving. It felt believable, which made it even more entertaining.
This was a very enjoyable four-star read for me.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams
I read Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams last year, and it was an easy five-star read for me. So, when I learned that her new book, When You Loved Me, would bring readers back to New England’s fictional Winthrop Island, I knew I needed to pick it up.
Beatriz Williams always finds a way to beautifully connect the past and present, and this book was no exception.
It is the perfect blend of historical fiction, mystery, romance, family secrets, friendship, and pirate treasure hunts—which is not a combination I knew I needed until now.
I will say that the story started a little slowly for me. It took about a quarter of the book before I felt completely pulled in. Once the story picked up, though, I flew through the rest of it.
I gave this one four stars and would absolutely recommend it, especially to readers who enjoy historical mysteries with romantic and multigenerational storylines.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan
Dolly All the Time was a chef’s-kiss summer romance.
I read it in less than 48 hours and stayed up far too late both nights because I could not put it down. Did I desperately need the sleep? Yes. Did that stop me? Absolutely not.
Sometimes sleep has to take a backseat—especially for a book like this.
It was warm, romantic, funny, and filled with the kind of emotional tension that keeps you saying, “Just one more chapter,” until suddenly it is well past midnight.
This was one of my favorite romances of the summer so far.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
Immediately after finishing Dolly All the Time, I decided to continue my Annabel Monaghan era with Nora Goes Off Script.
This one came widely recommended, and I completely understand why so many readers love it. I liked the premise, the writing, and the balance between romance and family life.
But because I read it directly after Dolly All the Time, I couldn’t help comparing the two—and Dolly was the clear winner for me.
I know Annabel Monaghan has several other books, so I’m planning to continue working my way through her backlist later this summer.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
You all had been telling me to read The God of the Woods for over a year, and I kept putting it off.
I can’t even give you a particularly good reason for waiting, except that it felt like a book I needed to read during the summer. With its Adirondack summer camp setting, I wanted to save it for the right season.
I am happy to report that it was absolutely worth the wait.
This was the perfect summer thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I kept becoming convinced that I knew exactly who was responsible, only for the next twist or revelation to make me reconsider everything.
I developed approximately twelve different theories, and most of them were wrong.
It turns out I am definitely not qualified to be a private investigator—particularly when it comes to missing-person cases.
Suspenseful, atmospheric, and layered with family secrets, this was one of my favorite books from my June and July reading list.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
June Baby
Sadly, June Baby wasn’t for me.
The Block Island setting was what initially hooked me. You already know that I am drawn to almost any story set on a New England island, and I loved the idea of reading this one during the summer.
Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the main character, and the story never completely clicked for me. I believe the author has discussed intentionally writing a complicated and potentially unlikable protagonist, but the reading experience ultimately didn’t work for me.
That said, several of my friends have given this book four or five stars. This is a perfect example of why I never want my personal reaction to discourage someone else from trying a book that interests them.
It wasn’t the right book for me, but it could absolutely be the right book for another reader.
Buy the book: Amazon · Bookshop.org
My Favorite Books of the Summer—So Far
Choosing favorites is always difficult, especially when the books span several different genres. But if I had to name my June and July standouts, I would choose:
- Dolly All the Time for summer romance
- The God of the Woods for suspense
- The Shampoo Effect for juicy, complicated friendship drama
- The Love Hypothesis for the book I consumed almost immediately
Overall, it has been a very coastal, romantic, dramatic, and occasionally mysterious reading summer—which is exactly how I like it.