Life Entertainment Books and Reading 7 Romance Novels to Heat Up Your Summer The heat your holiday needs—SPF not required. By Katherine Morgan Katherine Morgan Instagram Website Katherine D. Morgan is the author of the debut chapbook No Self-Respecting Woman. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming at Huffington Post, Bitch Media, LitHub, The Rumpus, and HelloGiggles, among others. Her work has been nominated for two Best of Net awards. She lives with her cat Ramona in Portland, Oregon, where you can find her working at Powell's Books as a bookseller and snuggling with her cat while crying during the series finale of Frasier. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 20, 2022 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. courtesy of publishers Ever since Sandy Olsson and Danny Zuko sang "summer lovin', had me a blast," I associate summer with hot weather, jean shorts, the sharp scent of sunscreen, and romance. Whether you plan on going to the beach this summer to splash in the cold water or spend the bulk of it hiding indoors with the AC blowing, there's no better time to fall in love with the characters within these pages. Here are seven romance novels for summer that are sure to get your pulse racing, your palms sweaty, and make you wish for a summer romance of your own. While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory $16; amazon.com courtesy of publisher Every time Guillory writes a new romance novel, I thank the romance gods for blessing us. Her characters are the kind of people you truly root for: funny, smart, sexy, and down to eat. Ben, the advertising exec who "doesn't believe" in serious relationships, and Anna, the movie actress who is set to become the leading lady in Ben's heart (yes, I just said that) will make you swoon. Set in the world of Hollywood, this romance will sizzle off the page, and leave you excited for whatever Guillory writes next. Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick $11; amazon.com courtesy of publisher Fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue are sure to enjoy Playing the Place, which showcases the love story of a lonely American event planner named Carter who has been recently dumped by his cheating ex, and the handsome and openly gay Prince Edgar of Wales. Faced with media scrutiny and disapproval from the Queen of England, Carter and Edgar band together to show everyone that maybe fairytales can happen in real life. The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang $10; amazon.com courtesy of publisher I've been a fan of Hoang's since I first read—and blushed my way through—The Kiss Quotient. There's something about the way that Hoang writes her characters. They're fully fleshed, vulnerable, sexual, and full of potential, and her newest novel proves no different. After violinist Anna Sun accidentally goes viral and faces unexpected burnout, she decides to create a low-stress environment and finally start living life on her own terms. What does that actually mean, you ask? It means that Anna's going to embark on a string of one-night stands. Everything is going to plan until Quan Diep, a tattooed, motorcycle-riding, bonafide hottie comes in. Suddenly, all of Anna's plans go out the window and she's forced to decide what's really important: meeting others' expectations or standing up for her own. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston $10; amazon.com courtesy of publisher Speaking of the NYT bestselling Red, White, & Royal Blue comes this sapphic rom-com about a cynical 24-year-old August, who doesn't believe in happy endings or fate. She's happy enough going through life on her own in New York City, until she meets Jane, a charming, heart-pounding, swoopy-haired passenger on August's train. All seems normal until August realizes that Jane is displaced in time from the 1970s, and she's going to need August's help getting back home. Come for sweet romance, stay for the bridge scene and the breakfast sandwich recipe. The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary $24; amazon.com courtesy of publisher One of my favorite tried-and-true romance tropes is "exes realizing that maybe, just maybe, they made a mistake." Admitting that takes a great deal of vulnerability, and I am very quick to cheer on a couple after that. Such is the case with O'Leary's new novel, that brings back scorned exes Dylan and Addie, who haven't seen each other in two years. After a car accident on the way to a mutual friend's wedding leaves Dylan without a ride, Addie, her sister, Dylan, his best friend, and some random guy off of Facebook who happens to be along for the ride pile into one tiny car. It's sure to be a bumpy ride, one that asks if maybe they should revisit the past. Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey $11; amazon.com courtesy of publisher This new rom-com by the author of Waiting for Tom Hanks is giving me You've Got Mail meets Mister Rogers' Neighborhood vibes, and I am here for it. After being dumped by her long time boyfriend, vintage toy store employee Teddy Phillips begins to write to Everett St. James, the host of the local children's TV show, Everett's Place. Both parties are seeking comfort as they write back and forth about their lives, and when they meet in person, it's kismet. Don't take my word for it though. You can read it for yourself! People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry $10; amazon.com courtesy of publisher Fans of Henry's NYT bestseller Beach Read are sure to be excited about Henry's next sure to be a hit, about two former friends who meet up for one final summer to put all their cards on the table and to see if their friendship is worth saving. On the surface, Poppy and Alex have nothing in common. She's a wild child, and he's, well, Wonder Bread in human form. Yet, somehow, they worked well together for two years until everything changed, and they haven't spoken since. Readers of Beach Read are sure to be delighted by Henry's newest novel. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit