Romance release radar: June 2026

Summer is well and truly here! The time has come for us all to be sipping piña coladas somewhere warm and sunny and breezy (or at least those are my summer plans!). And there are few better sunlounger companions than a fabulous summer romp. Here are the releases pinging my radar this June: think magical realism, summer sports, band romance and a few second chances. (No, this is NOT your sign to text him; step away from that phone!)

The Open Era by Edward Schmidt

Release date: June 4, 2026

Get your strawberries and cream ready for this hotly anticipated debut from Edward Schmidt. Austin Hardy doesn't think being gay is a big deal: he’s been out since his teens. But when he becomes the first openly gay professional tennis player, suddenly it’s all anyone wants to talk about. When he stumbles (literally) into most likely straight and definitely gorgeous World no. 2 Diego Cruz, the two hit it off. Take friends-to-lovers banter, mix in the pressure of a dramatic clash at the US Open, add a sprinkle of social commentary about being gay in the public eye... sounds like a recipe for a thoroughly enjoyable romance to me! 

Tropes: mm romance, sports romance, friends to lovers, contemporary romance

For fans of: Challengers

Soundtrack: honestly... you can't beat the Challengers soundtrack!

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

Release Date: June 16, 2026

Nothing says summer like a whimsical Ashley Poston romance! In this small-town romcom, Sophie Drear takes on a summer job in Maine, where she must tend to Lilymoor House. Run by a mysterious woman and her (very beautiful) nephew, the grounds are teaming with rich, strange and fragrant plants growing over each other in complete chaos. Despite her best efforts, the vines and ivy will not cooperate with Sophie’s tending, threatening her position in the household. One day, she stumbles upon a hidden door leading to a wild, unfinished garden imprisoning a brooding man. Could he be the answer that helps Sophie coax the garden into bloom once more?

Topes: love triangle, magical realism, small town, rom-com

For fans of: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - think magic, mystery and healing.

Soundtrack: This sounds like A different Kind of Human by Aurora to me

Tropesick by Lauren Okie

Release Date: June 16, 2026

Their eyes meet across the empty page…. oh I am so sold on this writerly romance by the queen of second chance romance herself. Katie Caruso is the girl next door: she’s fun, she’s flirty, and she’s still healing from her brother’s death 8 years ago. Tyler was her brother’s best mate: now he’s an aspiring novelist with an Ivy League education and more than a few tattoos. Katie and Tyler's paths cross again while working as ghostwriters for uber-successful romance author Meredith. When she puts them together as writing partners, fact and fiction start to blur. Will they get their happy ending?

TROPES: Grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, forbidden love, second chance romance, magical realism, workplace romance

For fans of: The Hero by Eve M Riley - we have no choice but to love a boss-turned-matchmaker ;)

Sountrack: The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

You won't forget me by Mazey Eddings

Release date: June 9, 2026

Cubby Clark thought she'd found her people in the form of her bandmates, and they're on the brink of making it big. But then her boyfriend Connor breaks up with her (and the band) and reaches celestial levels of popularity with a breakup song about her. Yikes! Plagued by a now-famous ex and a dearth of writing inspiration, Cubby finds refuge in her bandmates, particularly the charismatic Darcy. But when a romantic photo emerges just as things are heating up between the pair, will Cubby stick it out until the final chord?

Tropes: sapphic romance, forced proximity, rock star romance, toxic ex, miscommunication, found family

For fans of: We are Lady Parts - an absolute tour-de-force of a band comedy show!

Soundtrack: Beaches, Zolita

The Great Outdoors by Kayla Olson

Release date: June 16, 2026

Sadie is a born organiser, with backup plans for her backup plans. When her type-b boyfriend ends things, Sadie is spurred onto a mission to prove just how “low-maintenance” she can be. Nothing says chaos like a wilderness adventure in the Californian Sierras, right?! Enter August Thorn: tour guide, adventurer extraordinaire, and stickler for professional boundaries. Can this resort lover find her wild side?

Tropes: forced proximity, clean romance, opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine

For fans of: Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center - sweet second chance love in a breathtaking setting.

soundtrack: it's giving Noah Kahan and Hollow Coves

Let me know which books are going straight on your bookcase (or suitcase)!

Love, Eve x

P.S. if you're looking to supplement your summer reading, consider signing up to my mailing list for exclusive supplementary content. Happy reading!

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