Reading is a fantastic way to spend time. Since March has come to an end, we can now start looking at more books that will be coming out in the next few months. So, we’re back with more book recommendations! Everyone knows that summer is coming, and it’s the season of beach reads.
So let’s see what amazing new releases should be on your reading list this June.
1. My Own Worst Enemy by Lily Lindon
Expected 6th July 2023 (Aria & Aries)
Emma Clooney (no relation to the famous actor) is waiting for her big break. But then she meets Mae, another actress who is exactly like her — and that makes her the enemy. Down to the hair, style, and dreams, Mae is like a better version of Emma, which makes her worry she could take everything away. But as their rivalry intensifies, Emma realizes that as much as she wants to hate Mae, she just can’t.
My Own Worst Enemy is a joyously queer romance full of playful humor and a lot of heart. This story is gloriously chaotic; our main character is the very definition of a hot mess in the best way. I also adore the way Lindon takes stereotypes and tropes and turns them on their head and plays around with them to subvert your expectations. It should definitely be on your reading list!
2. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Expected 22nd June 2023 (Little, Brown Book Group)
Rachel finally has her life together. But when she hears that her former professor, the man she was rumored to have a clandestine affair with in college, is in a coma, she reflects back to the days she’d tried to leave in the past. She thinks back to the time she was obsessed with Dr. Byrne and how their lives became inexplicably entwined in ways they’d never imagined; she thinks back to the days leading up to the incident.
O’Donoghue never disappoints me. The Rachel Incident is a razor-sharp, clever reflection about how the past follows us to the present and how the people we meet throughout our life shape who we become. The characters are deeply flawed and make awful choices and terrible mistakes. But they’re so raw and real that I couldn’t help but fall in love with them.
3. Lovestruck by Laura Jane Williams
Expected 8th June 2023 (Random House)
Becca has success, friends, and comfort. But she wants love. It is not because she needs it but because she has so much to give. So when the one who got away, Mike, sends her a text, she knows it’s the moment everything will change. In one world, she replies. In another, she blocks his number and never looks back. But which path is the one toward her happy ending?
This is a refreshing and fun Sliding Doors-style story full of bold, beautiful characters and friendships we dream of. I don’t usually enjoy parallel universes outside of sci-fi, but I definitely have a soft spot for this story in Williams’ trademark feel-good style. Lovestruck is steamy, sweet, and a little silly, making it perfect for reading during summer.
4. Don’t Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton
Expected 22nd June 2023 (Aria & Aries)
Sometimes dating can feel like murder. But for Gwen, that’s closer to the truth than she knows. In Don’t Swipe Right, she joins a dating app to try and move on from a devastating breakup. But every single man she meets seems horrible until she thinks they couldn’t possibly get any worse. But then, one of them dies. And another one. And one more. Turns out, someone seems hellbent on killing everyone she’s recently dated, but she has no idea why or who it could be. But whoever they are, they want her to notice.
This is a very unique thriller out of all the ones I’ve read. At times, it definitely borders on absurd but in the most spectacular way. It’s dryly funny and full of our fed-up protagonist’s morbid humor and sarcastic observations about modern life and dating. It’s twisty, tense, and thrilling but so entertaining.
5. Radical Love by Neil Blackmore
Expected 1st June 2023 (Random House)
Based on true events from Queer history, John is a preacher in the 1800s, who’s trying to spread messages of love and acceptance. Then, at night, he joins the Queer people and drag queens at the underground Moll Houses. There, he becomes the first Christian minister to officially marry two men in London. And if that isn’t risky enough, he meets Ned and falls desperately in love.
Radical Love isn’t an easy summer read, but it’s epic, especially since June is Pride Month. This isn’t a happy story about love; it’s about troubled, complicated people in a time rife with oppression and hatred. But it is a striking reminder of how far we’ve come and have yet to go. Overall, Radical Love is a powerful, touching read that will stay with you for a long time.
Happy Reading!
[Note: Estimated release dates are for UK/EU versions. All recommendations are based on advanced reviewers’ copies gifted to the author as a PR product]
Featured image via Min An on Pexels
