Fourteen (!) of my most anticipated May and June romances

And the introduction of NYC Book Snoop

May and June might be my two favorite months of the year and not just because I have a June birthday. They offer the beginning of summer but not the sticky heat of July and August, blooms everywhere you look, many an excuse to eat ice cream, and a whole lot of books hoping to capture that coveted spot in beach bags nationwide. When I started going through everything I’d marked as to-read in Storygraph, I discovered a truly enormous number of May and June romances that I was excited about. So I decided to include all fourteen of them because summer is prime romance reading season for many a reader and because I simply had to talk about them all.

I’m also very much looking forward to Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (sapphic vampires!) and The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater, the first adult novel by one of the most beloved YA authors of my childhood.

1. What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon (May 6th)

   Solomon is one of those authors whose writing I just click with and who I’ve loved ever since Today Tonight Tomorrow was a balm for my soul during the summer of 2020. Her latest is a marriage of convenience romance set in Amsterdam and I actually went to the launch event at The Ripped Bodice earlier this week! (She was so lovely.)

2. Drop Dead by Lily Chu (May 6th)

   Two rival journalists have three weeks to uncover a reclusive author’s secrets in her mysterious mansion. I really enjoy Chu’s charming heroines, strong sense of setting, and ability to unravel knotty family and relationship dynamics. Unfortunately, the audio is only available on Audible but it is narrated by Philippa Soo and John Cho so it could be a good choice if you have an Audible credit to use up?

3. Time Loops and Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau (May 6th)

   Lau is an author I’ve been wanting to read ever since I first heard members of my romance book club rave about her writing and this one has an element I cannot resist: a time loop! Our heroine is stuck reliving the same Friday over and over again…with an intriguing man who doesn’t remember her.

4. Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake (May 13th)

   A new small town queer romance series from Blake, whose Bright Falls series was one of my favorites of the last few years. She excels at creating very real, flawed, fascinating characters and this second-chance celebrity-normal person romance sounds so compelling.

5. Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan (May 13th)

   One of my most anticipated romances of the year! Ryan writes deeply emotional, heart-stopping novels with unforgettable main characters and the last installment in her Skyland series promises forbidden love and a thoughtful look at what it means to be a caretaker. I’ve been excited for Hendrix’s book since she first appeared in Before I Let Go and the early buzz has been glowing.

6. Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews (May 20th)

   Mimi Matthews is one of my absolute favorite historical romance authors and her new Victorian romance revolves around a secretive academy dedicated to dismantling the patriarchy. Matthews’ books are always impeccably researched and written and she’s mentioned that this one is inspired by real events in 19th-century history, which I’m already fascinated by.

7. Love in Focus by Lyla Lee (May 27th)

   A sapphic second-chance romance set in the Bay Area, from an author whose YA I’ve quite enjoyed. Lee’s described her two main characters as a bi disaster and a lesbian rake, which sounds like a fabulous combination to me. I haven’t read as much queer romance as I would have liked so far this year, so that’s something I want to prioritize over the summer.

8. Manic Pixie Dream Earl by Jenny Holiday (May 27th)

   The second in Holiday’s series about three earls who take an annual trip together and are there for each other through troubles of every kind. The hero of this one is a dramatic poet who’s fallen hopelessly in love with his editor…who has no idea about his true identity. I’m hoping for another delightful Regency romp.

9. Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria (May 27th)

   The third in Daria’s Primas of Power series is almost here! I really enjoyed the first two novels in this series about a close-knit trio of cousins and love Daria’s ability to craft chemistry between her leads and capture complicated yet loving family dynamics. And, just as a side benefit, the cover is stunning.

10. Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler (June 10th)

    Tennis rivals discover that they’re soulmates in this sapphic romance. I used to spend a lot of time reading fanfic and I’ve read many a soulmate trope, so I’m super intrigued by this mildly bonkers premise. I like a romance that does something a bit different.

11. A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell (June 10th)

    The first of two treasure hunt books on this list! This is a queer historical romance about an aspiring archaeologist forced to team up with her childhood enemy is from an author I’ve been wanting to read for ages and sounds both witty and brimming with longing.

12. Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson (June 10th)

    The members of a briefly famous band—and two former best friends—reunite for one last performance on a themed cruise. Being stuck together on a cruise might be my new favorite form of forced proximity? Thompson’s The Art of Catching Feelings was a favorite of mine last year and I can’t wait for her new one, especially considering how eloquently she writes about music on her Substack.

13. Total Dreamboat by Katelyn Doyle (June 24th)

    This novel about a cruise ship romance gone wrong sounds super messy in a way that could be very fun. Doyle also writes dramatic, steamy, and innovative historical romance as Scarlett Peckham and I’m very curious to see how her style translates to contemporary romance.

14. Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler (June 24th)

    Adler is one of those authors that I desperately want more people to be reading. Her writing is the perfect balance of humor and emotional depth and both of her books have such a distinct style and point of view. Her third novel is about two estranged best friends who resume the treasure hunt that ended their friendship in the first place and I’ve had it preordered since last November.

Let me know some of your anticipated summer reads in the comments!

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Now, for a new feature of this newsletter: NYC Book Snoop. One of my favorite hobbies when I’m out and about is seeing what people are reading. Usually this happens on the subway, but I’ve also been known to contort my neck trying to see what people are reading in the park. Therefore, I decided to try compiling an occasional list of everything I’ve spotted people reading in public, for everyone else who can’t resist the urge to peek at other people’s book covers. Over the last week, I spotted:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: Ten years later, ACOTAR dominance continues. I read these books when they first came out and am fascinated by how they’ve continued to be wildly popular.

• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: Summer is for weeping too. One of my all time favorites and (I think?) one of BookTok’s too.

• Bitter Texas Honey by Ashley Whitaker: This one I had to look up! It’s a debut about an evangelical Texas family pitched as The Royal Tenenbaums meets Fleabag with a protagonist who sounds…complicated.

• Audition by Katie Kitamura: The buzzy literary fiction book of the moment that felt like the exact right book for someone to be reading in Brooklyn. (I mean this lovingly! I’m really looking forward to reading and unpacking this one.)

• Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: An absolute doorstop of a book about the Mumbai underworld, apparently based on the author’s own life. I had to look this one up too and the Goodreads reviews swing wildly between 1 and 5 stars.

• No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July: Perhaps a sign of a Miranda July resurgence after the success of All Fours? This one also felt like a very apt book to spot in Brooklyn.

• Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer: Our first nonfiction. This is about Mormon fundamentalism and religious extremism, from a very popular author. I think Krakauer’s name was actually bigger than the title on this particular edition?

• Dune by Frank Herbert: The power of Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic vision! Yes, I know that Dune is an all-time sci-fi classic but I have seen a significant uptick in people reading Dune out and about since the movies came out. No Dune Messiah sightings yet, though.

• Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad by Damilare Kuku: A collection of witty, bawdy short stories about women trying to date in Lagos that I hadn’t heard of but added to my TBR after spotting it on the F train.

Let me know what titles you’ve spotted out in the wild in the comments!

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Currently reading: Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi, historical fiction set in 15th-century West Africa that promises a blend of folklore and juicy court intrigue.

Recommendations, miscellany, and little bits of joy:

• One month into the skating offseason and we already have ice dance drama, aka the return of the Shib Sibs! The Nice Capades has an excellent recap.

• Perusing all the Met Gala outfits earlier this week. I think Brian Tyree Henry’s was my favorite.

• Peonies, bluebells, and catching the last of the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with a friend.