Book Lists

Four Recent Romances for the Summer

Posted onAuthorAudrey
Collage of the book covers for FINDING PRINCE CHARMING, MEET ME ON LOVE STREET, COFFEESHOP IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, and CALL YOUR BOYFRIEND.

Today I thought it would be fun to bring you four recently published romances to check out this summer! Which ones are on your TBR list?

Book cover of finding prince charming features to young men embracing. The one on the left is Black with short hair and is wearing a sash and gold crown. The other person is has slightly lighter skin and slightly longer hair. They are smiling and there are blooming trees behind them. Finding Prince Charming by Jamar J. Perry
Bloomsbury YA

Tyriq Howell is swearing off of love. After a fight with his cheating ex leads to missing his college scholarship interview, he vows to be done with dating for good. Until Desmond, a boy who works in the scholarship office, approaches with a curious proposal: he’ll get Tyriq another interview if he pretends to be Desmond’s date to a fancy gala in two weeks.

When Tyriq shows up to the gala, he’s shocked when photographers swarm him and Desmond. He’s even more shocked when he finds out that Desmond is Prince Desmond of Catalina. And now that the whole world knows Desmond is gay, he’s front page news.

When the King angrily summons Desmond and his new boyfriend to Catalina, Desmond begs Tyriq to play along. If his father realizes Desmond is serious about coming out, he might finally agree to let Desmond pass the crown to his sister instead. But navigating court politics and pretend relationships is harder than Tyriq imagined-especially when he realizes that he may have accidentally broken his swearing-off-of-love rule.

The book cover of meet me on love street. A young man and woman are walking down the street with a bicycle between them. There is a banner above them with the title. She's wearing hot pink flared pants and a white t with a heart on it. He's wearing glasses and has a cross body bag and is wearing jeans and a tshirt. Meet Me on Love Street by Farah Heron
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Sana Merali is a certified hopeless romantic.

It’s inevitable when she literally lives on Love Street, a cute side-street full of mom-and-pop shops and cozy apartments. With her florist mother, her part-time job at a vintage shop, and her adorably curated wardrobe, Sana knows she’s what meet-cutes are made of—and it’s only a matter of time until her own HEA.

When the neighborhood is threatened by new developments, however, her plans for love get pushed to the backburner as she and her neighbors rally to host a festival that will finally put the neighborhood on everyone’s radar. Because what better way to get people to fall in love with Love Street?

Unfortunately, Miles Desai is also on the planning committee. Miles is contrary, judgmental, and…anti-romance. His hard stance on love inspires Sana with another goal for the summer: to matchmake Miles and knock the cynicism right out of him.

But as her set-up for Miles starts to actually work, Sana realizes that happily-ever-afters, for herself and for her street, aren’t that easy to come by.

Book cover for Coffeeshop in an alternate universe. Two people are inside holding a cup of coffee. The steam above it looks a bit like a heart. We are seeing inside an open arched window. There is a small dragon just outside the window. The people are looking at each other and smiling. Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
Feiwel & Friends

When Brenda’s internet goes out right before an important scholarship deadline, she stumbles right into Kat’s family’s coffeeshop. Brenda is swept away by cool, confident Kat, who actually cares about Brenda’s 19-step plan to save the world through science. Meanwhile, Kat can’t stop thinking about Brenda, who is smart, passionate, and doesn’t seem to care that Kat is the prophesized Chosen One.

The only problem? Kat and Brenda are from different universes. Like need-to-find-a-portal-to-go-on-a-second-date different universes.

As their universes collide and things spiral out of control, can a girl who is determined to save the world find love with a girl determined to outrun her destiny?

The cover of the book Call Your Boyfriend has a pink background and features three young people. Two are young Black women at a cafe table. They are having milkshakes of some kind and one of them has waffles and the other has a slice of cherry pie. The one on the left has braids and is looking up while eating a cherry. There is another person parting the plants behind the booth seat to look at the one eating a cherry. Call Your Boyfriend by Ashley Woodfolk and Olivia A. Cole
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Cynical but sensitive Beau Carl is on a mission. She needs to know if ultra-popular Maia Moon—the girl she’s been secretly hooking up with for months—really has feelings for her. But when she shows up at the last big party of the year before prom, she sees Maia about to kiss someone else.

Sweet, inexperienced Charm Montgomery is the “someone else.” And she’s ecstatic that she’s been reading Maia’s flirty behavior in their tutoring sessions correctly. But when the kiss is interrupted and Maia accepts an elaborate promposal from her douchey, popular boyfriend just a few days later, both Charm and Beau end up heartbroken.

There’s only one thing for them to do—get her back. And the only way to do that is for Beau to tutor Charm on how she can get their former crush to fall for her so hard that Maia will dump her ex…and then get dumped for once.

As their plan starts working, Beau and Charm grow closer too, in a way neither expected. But are either of them ready to let go of their scheme to take a chance on something a little sweeter—and scarier—than revenge?