Summer Romance Reads: Your Must-Read Beach Reads for 2025

Wild Side by Elsie Silver

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Tropes: Small-town, Cook x MMA Fighter, grumpy vs. grumpy, found family.
Written in: Dual P.o.V.

Wild Side by Elsie Silver is the third book in the Rose Hill series, which follows Tabitha Garrison and Rhys Dupris. After Tabitha's sister, Erika, passes away, Tabitha assumes she will become the guardian of Erika's son, Milo. However, Rhys, Erika's landlord and a man Tabitha dislikes, contests this, leading to a marriage of convenience between them. The story explores their enemies-to-lovers relationship while navigating the loss of Erika and building a found family for Milo’s sake. As I mentioned, this is the 3rd book in the Rose Hill series; however, it can be read as a standalone!

I’d been counting down the days for this one, after Wild Love and Wild Eyes, I had high expectations. And honestly, Wild Side took a little longer to pull me in… but once it did, I was completely hooked. It’s the kind of book you bring to the pool, the park, the beach, wherever the sun is; this story belongs.

Elsie Silver really is the blueprint for summer romance reads. Her writing has that perfect balance of tension and softness, and the way she handled grief in this one felt especially raw and real. I loved watching a female character navigate loss without losing herself. Tabby stands her ground, knows what she wants, and doesn’t let anyone step over her. She felt like someone I’d want to know. If you're into slow burns with depth and characters that feel real (Except for the fact that Rhys is an MMA Fighter(?)), this one's for you.

Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Tropes: Sports romance (Ice Hockey), second-chance romance, grumpy vs sunshine (he’s the sunshine)
Written in: Dual P.o.V.

Hallie Hart was Rio DeLuca’s best friend, first everything, the girl who disappeared from his entire life after a messy breakup at nineteen. Six years later, she’s back in Chicago for this interior design internship, trying to stay in her lane and pretend the past didn’t happen. But guess who ends up living next door? And guess whose house she’s assigned to redo? Rio De Luca’s. It’s not just a design job. It’s unfinished business. This book is the 5th and last book in Liz Tomforde’s Windy City series, but as always, it can be read as a standalone!

This one was definitely on the bittersweet side, especially because the first part of the relationship takes place during their teenage years. I will say there’s a lot of jumping back and forth in time, it spends a good amount in the "six years ago" timeline, which took a bit to get used to. I haven’t read a teenage romance since I started college, mostly because I naturally shifted into college-age stories. But once I adjusted, I really enjoyed reading about Rio’s past and the version of him that existed before heartbreak and misunderstandings shaped him. The book is full of that kind of soft, aching nostalgia that sneaks up on you, especially when you’re in your early 20s and haven’t thought about high school in a while. It reminded me of feelings I’d completely forgotten about. Definitely a perfect summer read.

Kiss the Villain by Rina Kent

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Tropes: Dark romance, MxM, teacher x student, mafia elements.
Written in: Dual P.o.V.

Check TW’s here

Kiss the Villain by Rina Kent is a standalone dark MM romance set in the Legacy of Gods universe. It follows Gareth Carson, a driven law student with a seemingly perfect future, whose life begins to unravel after a chance encounter with a mysterious man, Kayden Lockwood, who later turns out to be his new criminal law professor. As their paths continue to cross, a complicated dynamic takes shape, challenging Gareth’s ideas of control, identity, and the version of himself he thought he knew. What begins as tension slowly spirals into a dangerous game of power, trust, and buried secrets. Kiss the Villain is a gripping, psychological exploration of what happens when the roles we play start to crack, and who we become when they do.

As someone who’s been deep in the Rina Kent universe for years, I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical going into this one. I’ve always had a soft spot for Killian Carson (favorite book boyfriend status, no question). Let’s just say I had my reservations about Gareth. But Kiss the Villain surprised me in the best way. The dynamic between Gareth and Kayden runs deep, and the emotional tension throughout the book gives the story a weight I didn’t expect. Plus, it’s an age gap romance, which instantly makes it a must-read. It’s definitely on the darker side, so be sure to check the content warnings first. But dark romance absolutely counts as a summer read in my book, especially the kind you devour on a warm late night, tucked into a quiet corner of the balcony, when everything feels a little bit more intense. If you're into morally grey characters and slow unravelings, this one’s worth picking up.

Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata

Spice: 🌶️/5
Tropes: Slow burn, workplace romance, grumpy x sunshine, emotional growth.
Written in: Single P.o.V.

This book by Mariana Zapata follows Luna Allen, a woman who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, most of which she has no intention of ever sharing. And while she might not be proud of everything in her past, she wouldn’t change a thing. With three sisters she adores, a job she (mostly) loves, and a makeshift family built out of loyal friendships, Luna’s life is far from perfect, but it’s hers. Still, one secret refuses to stay quiet, especially when it involves the man who signs her paycheck. Full of quiet tension, slow-burn chemistry, and the kind of emotional depth Mariana Zapata is known for, this is a quiet, emotional exploration of trust, forgiveness, and what happens when the past refuses to stay in the past.

This book might be a little older than the others I’ve mentioned, but it’s still a perfect summer read. It’s classic Mariana Zapata, which means: the slow burn is really slow. But that’s exactly what makes it so addictive. The anticipation, the tension building quietly in the background, it all makes you want to keep turning the pages just to see when (and how) it’ll finally happen. I wouldn’t call it a life-changing book, but it’s the kind of romance that’s easy to sink into, especially if you’re someone who prefers emotional connection over heavy spice. Zapata is the queen of slow burns for a reason, so just know going in, it takes its time. But Luna is such a solid protagonist to follow, and since I usually stick to dual POVs, the single perspective here felt like a refreshing change of pace. Definitely a great one to throw in your beach bag or bring out while tanning. It’s soft, slow, and just satisfying enough to leave you smiling.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Spice: 🌶️/5 (more emotional than spicy)
Tropes: Summer mystery, wealthy family drama, unreliable narrator, atmospheric.
Written in: Single P.o.V. (First person)

In We Were Liars, each summer, the Sinclair family gathers on their private island off the coast of Massachusetts. Cadence Sinclair spends her days there with her cousins Johnny and Mirren, as well as a family friend named Gat, with whom she quietly falls in love. The four of them form a tight bond, calling themselves the Liars, and fill their summers with swimming, games, and long afternoons exploring the island. But during her fifteenth summer, something happens. Cadence suffers a mysterious accident that leaves her with memory loss, migraines, and a lingering sense that something isn’t right. Two years later, she returns to the island, hoping to piece together what really happened, but her family is distant, and no one is telling her the full truth. As Cadence digs deeper into the past, secrets begin to unravel, and the truth is more devastating than she ever expected.

This one’s the oldest book in the mix, We Were Liars came out in 2014, but it felt right to include it, especially with the Prime series dropping recently. I read it about five years ago, when I was a late teen, and it honestly stayed with me way longer than I expected. At first, it reads like a classic summer vacation story, set on a private island, filled with cousins, family traditions, and warm-weather nostalgia. But then it takes a turn you'll never see coming, and you're just sitting there, completely stunned by what you just read. It’s one of those books that leaves you with a weird ache, and you keep thinking about it for days. Back when I first read it, opinions were super mixed; most people either loved it or hated it, but there was not much in between. Personally, I think whether you connect with it depends on when you read it. If you’re not in the right headspace or phase of life, it probably won’t hit the same. That said, I still think it’s worth reading at least once, and the new series adaptation is definitely worth checking out too. It captures that strange, eerie summer energy really well.

You can watch the adaptation here!

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️/5
Tropes: Rivals to lovers, forced proximity, found family, slow burn.
Written in: Single P.o.V. (First person)

Great Big Beautiful Life follows Alice Scott, a lively celebrity journalist who lands the chance of a lifetime: writing the biography of Margaret Ives, a reclusive heiress from the Golden Age of Hollywood (think Paris Hilton vibes, but old money and scandal-soaked). When Alice shows up to Margaret’s private island off the coast of Georgia, she quickly finds out she’s not the only one after the story, cue Hayden Anderson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer who’s serious, broody, and very much not thrilled to be working alongside her. Margaret, now in her eighties and still sharp as ever, decides to turn it into a competition. One month. Two writers. Whoever impresses her more gets to write the book. But here’s the twist: Margaret isn’t telling them the same version of her life. And neither Alice nor Hayden knows why. Between awkward professional tension, unexpected chemistry, NDAs, and the slowly unraveling mystery of who Margaret really is (and what her family’s hiding), Alice finds herself torn between ambition and something a little more personal.

Emily Henry is the undisputed queen of summer reads, and The Great Big Beautiful Life might just be her most tender and quietly devastating one yet. It’s not just a romance (though the love story does deliver), it’s more about grief and trying to make sense of the pieces we carry. It lingers in that sweet spot between heartbreak and hope, perfect for anyone who’s ever wanted something softer than survival. Less of a beach read, more of a late-summernight-one-more-chapter kind of book and absolutely worth the emotional ride.

Wild Card by Elsie Silver (Upcoming)

Release Date: September 9, 2025
Tropes: Small town, Ex-Boyfriend's Dad/Son's Ex-Girlfriend, Age Gap, Forbidden.

Blurb:

"Sebastian Rousseau is a grumpy, hot as hell fire pilot who is too damn good with his hands.

It’s the perfect combination. But unfortunately for me, he’s also my ex-boyfriend’s dad.

A chance meeting brought us together and a missed connection has kept us apart.

One year later, a stroke of fate has us living under the same roof—which makes everything between us downright messy.

Because even after all this time, he’s still the man I think about when I fall asleep. The one I can’t get over no matter how hard I try.

He’s working on mending a fragile relationship with his son and we both know acting on these urges would be the ultimate betrayal.

But I see the heat in his eyes. That look of need that never fails to send a shiver down my spine.

The mutual longing is borderline unbearable and the simmering heat between us is downright palpable.

We both know there are rules when it comes to situations like this.

But then again…following the rules never has been my strong suit."

Alchemised by SenLinYu

Release Date: September 23, 2025
Tropes: Fantasy, Magic, Forbidden Romance.

Blurb:

"In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy ― and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

'What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save'

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner ― of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile, undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight―to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self―is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost."