The sun is hot, the drinks are cold, and the only thing messier than your SPF application should be your romance novel TBR. Whether you’re recovering from your own romantic chaos or simply want to live vicariously through characters making very bad (and sexy) decisions, we’ve rounded up the summer’s steamiest reads. From fake dating to enemies-to-lovers to bisexual cowgirl chaos, this list has everything you need to get your heart racing and your vibrator charging. Why fumble through another confusing summer fling when you could be getting off to well-written smut on a beach towel? No situationships required — just one-click and vibes only.
Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link and purchase a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
Hot Romance Books To Read This Summer
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Naughty, naughty, I’m not listing EmHen’s newest book, Great Big Beautiful Life, even though that’s fantastic too. But if I’m thinking of a sexy, summery book, I’ve got to go for this talented author’s 2024 release, Funny Story. Hear me out: forced roommates who fake date, a pact to help her fall in love with this town, love after heartbreak, friendship first, and my sexy librarian fantasy. Don’t even get me started on MILES!! He is giving “tattooed golden retriever,” and I could listen to him talk about wine all day. Some of these scenes are ridiculously smutty for an EmHen novel. Go to a lake, smear yourself in sunscreen, and try not to blush too hard, bestie.
Terror At The Gates by Scarlett St. Clair
Our fav romantasy girlie Scarlett is back and this time it’s in a Lilith of Eden retelling—girlieeeeee!!! Forget friends-to-lovers, this summer we’re devouring frenemies-to-lovers. Snarky and low-key evil, but he has a soft spot for her?? Dark fantasy meets neo-noir mafia, are you fucking kidding me? Forget simpering heroines, Lilith is bold and unafraid, she is fucking shit up for the church and city of Eden, she is claiming a forbidden power and rewriting her destiny in blood and orgasms. This is the start of a series that will ruin me and undoubtedly break my vibrator in the process.
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Our fav STEM romance girlie is back and it’s an unusual one!! This is the summer book for my self-sabotaging girlies. You know who you are—you like your ex’s Insta post when drunk, you date the narcissistic stand-up comedian, you hook up with someone in the friend group on vacation. Forget Brat Summer, we’re making way for Problematic Summer. Live through Maya’s bad decision to go after her brother’s best friend who is 15 years older than her, rather than fucking up your own life this summer. Thank you, Ali!!!
Shield Of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Romantasy girlies, I gotchu, I gotchu!! Okay, so Devney has made quite the name for herself in the dark romance space, and now she is trying her hand at romantasy, and I am not complaining. A princess who was designed to blend in, now forced to travel to a new land as someone’s WIFE?? But there’s a hot monster killer who she def hates grrrrr. Suddenly, she’s a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. This book is smoldering hotter than your tan.
The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain by Hannah Brown
She was on The Bachelorette, and now she’s released two incredible novels. A year after Sybil and Jamie called off their wedding, they find themselves running into each other on their would-be honeymoon destination of Hawaii. There, she ends up fake-dating someone and running into another ex-fiancé. Messy girlies, get your asses over here! Read this, then film your own audition video for The Bachelorette—boom, Sunday night sorted.
Thrill of the Chase by Kathryn Nolan
I’m sorry, did someone say bisexual pining? It’s giving Indiana Jones but sapphic. Reporter Harper Hendrix is chasing a career-making story in the Blackburn Diamonds. Eve Bardot has spent years searching for the diamonds and is not gonna let some charming reporter steal her prize. But the pair end up working together, reluctantly, and sparks flyyyyyyyy. It’s giving “I Can See You” by Taylor Swift.
Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter
Okay, I know we’re all leaning heavily on escapism at the moment, but sometimes a reality-laden book comes along that makes it worth it. This is one of those books. Theo and Evie are lifelong pals who get married—basically, she’s an artist managing Crohn’s disease, and he’s a school teacher with fab health insurance. Along the way, the marriage gets rather… real. Like, are you kidding me? Shitting on the American healthcare system, discussing chronic illness, and friends-to-lovers? Iconic.
The High Dive by Chelsea Fagan
Summer was built for vacation romances like this one. I want you to imagine The White Lotus blended with Anyone But You—don’t lie, you loved that shitty Netflix romcom. Ten years ago, Danial broke Alex’s heart. Now they’re looking at ten days on a Bachelor trip together, stuck on a yacht through the Mediterranean. We’re not just looking at former loves who hate each other, we’re mixing in a dash of class and money dynamics!!! Delicious.
Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette
I don’t know about you, but I miss Nobody Wants This sooo badly, so when I saw a book about sex and relationship podcasters, I was sold—gimme!!! The former best friends went from running a viral podcast to barely being able to be in the same room. Their blockbuster deal means they need to work shit out, and Finn wants Maeve back, but she is pissed. To summarize, it is friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. Simple, really.
My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner
I’m such a slut for queer romances!!! Meryl describes the book as an “ idiots-to-lovers and I’m obsessed. Elsie’s engagement is over, but she’s determined to use her romantic honeymoon trip with her bestie, Ginny. Throughout the trip, Ginny promises to do anything Elsie wants… yep, anything. Cue some phenomenal dirty talk and filthy sex scenes—like filthier than what you’re imagining right now. But this isn’t just a romance, it’s a friendship!!! For any girlie who wants to kiss their bestie but also stay BFFs forever.
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings
It’s 2025, who doesn’t have toxic family drama? Well, this is a juicy one. First off, our heroine, Georgia, is a professional lie-detector and body language expert—pop off, sis! She returns to South Carolina for her father’s death, with her only ally being her gay, alcoholic brother. She meets said brother’s AA sponsor… and he is so hot. But her brother is into him too??? And her father’s will is leading to some weird shit??? Literally, you will get sunburned reading this book, so just stock up on aloe vera already.
Wild and Wrangled by Layla Sage
What’s summer without cowboys? Most of us have to rely on Bella Hadid to live out our cowboy fantasies, so we need a good western romance to seal the deal. This is particularly good for anyone going through a breakup rn, like our main girlie Cam, who was stood up at her own wedding. She ends up finding comfort in the one person she really, really shouldn’t: her childhood love and ex-boyfriend, Dusty. Sound familiar? Can she give him a second chance after the massive breakup that broke her years ago? Can she resist him much longer? Weeping into my cowboy hat.
Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory
A tale as old as time: the dumped bisexual and the lesbian heartbreaker. Taylor is going to teach Avery how to flirt, and she just entered a deal with her best friend not to sleep with anyone all summer. But that’s gonna get real difficult as it turns out Avery is a natural learner… I guarantee you’ll swoon when you reach the line, “Avery, now is when you kiss me.” I’m blushing!!! I’m blushing!!
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
Alice took a hot photo of Charlie that catapulted her career. Now she’s back in town, and so is he… and he’s even hotter. She can’t hide behind her camera any longer. If summer isn’t the most slay time of year for you (and that’s okay), escape into this world of boats on the lake, sunny days in a bikini, and a love that defies all odds. Charlie is silly and goofy, and we love him for it!
Call It What You Want by Alissa DeRogatis
Nothing compares to the summers of college days, where you’re not a teenager being bossed around by parents and not yet an adult with responsibilities—who knew summer holidays like, stopped being a thing? This is a culmination of all that joy: dancing to The Chainsmokers with your besties, drinking cheap mixers, and falling for the mysterious, quiet guy.
Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn
Who hasn’t lied at a new job? Whether that’s pretending to get your news from somewhere other than TikTok, upgrading your credentials, or… claiming you’re happily married to fit in with your colleagues, like Scottie. She ends up gifted with an eight-day marriage camp with all of her coworkers, her boss’s amazing counselor partner, and her best friend’s brother, who agrees to go along with the lie. But obviously, Wilder is much hotter than Scottie remembered, and suddenly it’s getting way too easy to pretend they’re in love.
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
You know when your life is going super well so you fuck it all up for a hot guy with a guitar? Same, bestie, same. Sam’s got a hot doctor fiancé, a job in Manhattan, and is on the hunt for a wedding venue. But she runs into Wyatt, the dude who broke her heart at seventeen. It’s been thirteen years, she’s totally over him… right? Nope. Cue a hot summer of flashbacks, stolen moments, and tough choices.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
A golden oldie—if 2019 counts as “old,” in which case I need to go lie down in a dark room. At her sister’s wedding, everyone comes down with food poisoning from some seriously suspect shellfish, including the bride and groom, who are forced to skip their all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Hawaii. The trip’s up for grabs, so Olive and her sworn enemy, Ethan, decide to take it. When she runs into her boss, Olive tells a tiny little white lie… and suddenly, the pair are pretending to be newlyweds. But fake love starts feeling suspiciously real. Ruh roh.
