10 romance books to read this summer Between BookTok phenomena and new discoveries
Summer is the perfect season to fall in love. Or rather, to read love stories. Thanks in part to the BookTok phenomenon - that corner of TikTok where people talk about make-up and books instead of clothes - the popularity of the romance genre has exploded in recent years. Credit goes to authors who know how to hook readers from the very first page, but also to that universal desire to escape reality that has always come with the warmer months. From beloved tropes and original plots to social media sensations and exciting new releases, here are the 10 romance books you shouldn’t miss this summer.
The Best Romance Books to Read in Summer 2026
1. Prima regola: non innamorarsi – Felicia Kingsley
If romance novels are still unexplored territory for you, Felicia Kingsley is the perfect place to start. Widely considered the queen of Italian romance fiction, she delivers another irresistible story with Prima regola: non innamorarsi, which follows Silvye, a professional con artist, and gentleman thief Nick Montecristo (also featured in other novels by the author, including L’amante perduta di Shakespeare and Mezzanotte a Parigi). Forced to work together for a wealthy collector, the pair constantly clash because of their incompatible personalities. Yet an unexpected attraction threatens not only the success of their mission but also Silvye’s one unbreakable rule: never fall in love.
2. The Deal – Elle Kennedy
It’s impossible not to have heard about it recently: Off Campus has become the TV phenomenon of the moment. While waiting for the already confirmed second season, readers can dive back into Briar University with The Deal, the first novel in Elle Kennedy’s bestselling series. It tells the story of Garrett Graham, hockey team captain and campus star, and Hannah Wells, an academically brilliant but socially overlooked student. A compelling sports romance packed with emotion that keeps you turning pages until the very end.
3. Tutto troppo complicato – Anna Premoli
Anyone who loves romance with a touch of mystery will enjoy Tutto troppo complicato, Anna Premoli’s bestseller followed by Tutto troppo segreto and Tutto troppo misterioso. The story centers on Violante, a Milan-based tax consultant with a secret passion for detective novels, who meets fellow accountant Amedeo at a party in Brera and instantly clicks with him. But the evening takes an unexpected turn when a valuable painting is stolen from the apartment across the street, prompting the pair to become amateur detectives. As they follow clues and chase suspects, Violante and Amedeo discover a chemistry that becomes increasingly difficult to ignore.
4. Wildfire – Hannah Grace
In Wildfire by Hannah Grace, Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts end up spending a passionate night together after a drinking game during the end-of-year college party. By morning, Aurora disappears without even telling Russ her last name. Neither of them expects fate to reunite them just a few months later at the summer camp where they both take jobs to escape family problems: Russ struggles with his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora has spent her whole life feeling overlooked by her family. Forced to work side by side under a strict no-dating policy, they try to keep their distance, even though the chemistry between them is far from gone. Between responsibilities, rules, and undeniable feelings, they must decide whether they can remain just colleagues, or whether that one night changed everything.
5. The Love Hypothesis – Ali Hazelwood
Fans of the fake dating trope will love The Love Hypothesis, Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel that is also being adapted into a Prime Video film. The protagonist, Olive Smith, is a biology PhD candidate who believes science can explain everything—except love. When she tries to convince her best friend Anh that she’s over her ex, she impulsively kisses the first man she sees in the lab and pretends he’s her boyfriend. Unfortunately, that man is Adam Carlsen, a brilliant but notoriously intimidating professor. To Olive’s surprise, Adam agrees to play along, revealing a side of himself no one expected. As the fake relationship continues, Olive starts questioning everything she thought she knew, while the line between fiction and reality becomes increasingly blurred.
6. Plot Twist – Non di nuovo tu – Laura Fiamenghi
The perfect office romance to read by the beach? Plot Twist – Non di nuovo tu by Laura Fiamenghi. Maggie Whitmore works as an editor at a publishing house, but her love life never seems to make it past the third date. After one too many drinks, she agrees to a blind date with a complete stranger, without considering the consequences. That stranger turns out to be Horace Miller, half Italian and half English, who is trying to rebuild his life in Bristol after a troubled past. Fate brings them together once again when Horace becomes Maggie’s new coworker, forcing them to share an office and figure out whether it’s possible to keep work and feelings separate, or whether some connections simply can’t be ignored.
7. I segreti di Ethel's Mansion – Giulia Ferraro
Secret letters, lavish balls, and forbidden passions: if you’re already missing Bridgerton (and the next season won’t arrive until 2027), I segreti di Ethel's Mansion is the regency romance for you. Eighteen-year-old Primrose Wells spends her days reading philosophy books and volunteering, accompanied by her maid Isabelle, with whom she shares a mysterious bond. During one of her library visits, Primrose slips a note signed only with the letter “V” into a copy of Aristotle, beginning an anonymous correspondence with an equally enigmatic “P,” who turns out to be music student Victor BethenCourt. Meanwhile, Primrose’s best friend Grace dreams of becoming an actress while falling for her diction teacher, Frederick. Everything builds toward a grand ball where their stories intertwine and love proves far more complicated than expected.
8. People We Meet on Vacation – Emily Henry
Can a decade-long friendship turn into something more? That’s the central question of People We Meet on Vacation, which follows Poppy and Alex. Lifelong friends, they couldn’t be more different: she’s impulsive, adventurous, and hates routine, while he’s quiet, methodical, and prefers stability. Yet ever since meeting by chance, they’ve been inseparable, spending one vacation together every year. Everything changes after one disastrous trip that drives them apart. When Poppy realizes the happiest moment of her life was that last holiday with Alex, she invites him on one more vacation in the hope of fixing what was broken. Alex agrees, but the week forces them to confront memories, silences, and feelings that could change their relationship forever.
9. È solo una stupida storia d'amore – Katelyn Doyle
Looking for a romance about second chances? Add È solo una stupida storia d'amore to your reading list. Molly Marks writes romance novels for a living but doesn’t believe in happily ever afters herself. The only time she truly opened her heart was in high school, when her relationship with Seth Rubinstein ended in the worst possible way. Years later, a class reunion in Florida forces them back into each other’s lives. Seth, now one of Chicago’s top divorce lawyers, has never forgotten the girl who broke his heart. Surrounded by memories, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry, the distance between them suddenly begins to disappear.
10. Una Cenerentola in prima classe – Rebecca Hope and Tatiana Ohnyeva
Anyone who loved The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City will be instantly charmed by Una Cenerentola in prima classe. Ava Cunningham works as a personal shopper at Beaufort & Bond, London’s most exclusive department store, fulfilling the extravagant requests of the world’s wealthiest clients. Behind her polished professionalism, however, lies a very different reality: Ava is drowning in debt and desperately needs an opportunity to change her life. That chance comes in the form of a prestigious but risky assignment, delivering an incredibly rare Himalayan Birkin to the Met Gala. What should be a straightforward job quickly turns into a race against time filled with mishaps, tension, and unexpected twists. As she travels from London to New York and the pressure mounts, Ava finds herself swept into a world of red carpets, exclusive events, and surprising encounters. And just when everything seems about to fall apart, she may discover that fate has something far greater in store than simply completing a delivery.