Hot New Summer 2020 Book Releases

What are TUL’s most anticipated Summer 2020 book releases? Discover 19 new and upcoming summer books filled with history, romance, mystery, and even books about books.

It is June!! And with June comes some of our most anticipated summer 2020 new book releases. I cannot wait to read in the hammock outside on the deck all weekend long. It’s also no joke that my upcoming summer reads pile is already overflowing, and I need to stop and actually READ.

What new summer books has TUL already read? A lot. Were there any summer reading books that didn’t make the cut? Hint: So far I have just one disappointment. What does TUL’s TBR and summer 2020 wish list look like?

I’ll share all, and as always, these summer book releases include diverse books to inspire travel, historical fiction, YA, indie, and inspirational novels. Ok, I slipped in some rom-com, too.

If you are in a time crunch a few books from this summer reading list that I greatly enjoyed:

• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
• The Guest List by Lucy Foley
• What You Wish For by Katherine Center
• One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London

So what are some of the hottest summer 2020 new and upcoming books? Let’s get started!

Summer 2020 Book Releases We’ve Read

*Books marked with an asterisk are upcoming new summer 2020 book releases and ARCs that we requested in exchange for a fair and honest review or were freely gifted/offered by the author or publisher. Please know that publication dates are subject to change.

The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin

Contemporary Women’s Fiction | Book Set In NYC*

CW: 9/11; It’s no surprise that Emily Giffin’s The Lies That Bind is one of our most anticipated summer 2020 book releases. Cecily Gardner is recovering from a breakup when a mysterious and handsome man at the bar tells her to resist the urge to call her ex. After drinks, they spend the night together; yet, Cecily doesn’t even know his name.

Grant is a trader at one of the Towers and tragically goes missing during 9/11. When Cecily sees his face on a missing person poster, a reporter friend calls the number. That one call alters Cecily’s current reality. The Lies That Bind is less fluff and more a poignant commentary about love’s imperfections. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

African-American Romance | Rom-Com | Book Set In Austin, Texas*

O, The Oprah Magazine named The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon as one of their most anticipated romances and summer 2020 book releases. The Boyfriend Project was also one of May’s five selected books for Book Of The Month.

Samiah Brooks finds herself an instant viral star when she realizes that the man she’s dating is also seeing other women at the same time. All three women decide to start “The Boyfriend Project.” They form a pact to take six months off from dating to work on their own projects and hobbies, boyfriend-free. Samiah’s plans are thwarted, though, as a hot new employee starts at her tech office. If you are looking for a multicultural and feminist rom-com, you’ll enjoy June book release, The Boyfriend Project. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

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What You Wish For by Katherine Center

Women’s Fiction | Romance | Book Set In Texas*

Educators, librarians, and KonMari “sparking joy” believers will love this summer 2020 new book release, What You Wish For by Katherine Center. With the sudden death of Sam’s favorite friend and school principal, a new boss is in town. Duncan is not the same fun-loving man that Sam remembers, and he tries to transform their beautiful school into a high-security prison.

Can Sam help Duncan overcome his own personal trauma and find joy again?  Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Magical Realism | Historical Gothic Fiction | Book Set In Mexico*

As for spooky and suspenseful summer 2020 book releases and a BOTM selection, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia will appeal to gothic fiction lovers. Uncover some magical realism, too.

Head to the 1950s and the Mexican countryside when Noemí Taboada receives a disturbing letter from her newly wedded cousin at High Place. The walls are filled with ghosts and a deadly history. Is it just the drab atmosphere that is making Catalina and now Noemí feel ill, or is something more sinister at play? Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Sex And Vanity By Kevin Kwan

Multicultural Romance | Women’s Fiction | Book Set In Italy & NY | Retelling Of A Room With A View*

Kevin Kwan is back! A brand new June 2020 book release, head to the lavish island of Capri and elite NYC for a classic retelling of A Room With A View. Lucie first meets George Zao during a ritzy wedding weekend. Chinese-born but raised in Australia, George’s mom is both envied for her excessive wealth but also ostracized for her wild taste. Although Lucie, a Churchill, doesn’t understand George, they are caught via drone in a comprising situation.

Years later, Lucie is engaged to the pompous Cecil. When George moves to New York to work on eco-friendly architecture, Lucie must love herself and decide who she loves. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

The Safe Place by Anna Downes

Psychological Thriller | Book Set In England and France*

If you are looking for a July 2020 psychological thriller, I devoured The Safe Place by Anna Downes. Set in both London and a secluded mansion in France, see if you fall for the wrong people, too.

Emily’s life is a mess, including relationships and her career. When CEO Scott Denny offers Emily a dreamy nanny/housekeeper position in France, she finally thinks everything is turning around. However, this family has devastating secrets… Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Literary Fiction | Rom-Com | Book Set In Michigan*

One of the most talked about summer 2020 book releases is Emily Henry’s Beach Read. Rom-com lovers and writers will love Beach Read. January Andrews is stuck with a case of writers’ block. Her life is a bit of a mess, and she is broke. Augustus Everett, January’s summer next-door neighbor, is also in a writing rut. Mysterious and broken, he remembers January from their college days.

When the two challenge one another to write each other’s genres, romance and American lit, they learn more than just how to craft a particular type of story. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Mystery | Book Set In Ireland*

Don’t skip one of my favorite summer 2020 book releases, The Guest List by Lucy Foley. Set on a haunted Irish island, bloggers and mystery lovers will find The Guest List enthralling and funny.

A waitress finds a dead body during extravagant wedding festivities. The groomsmen are part of this weird childhood cult-like prep school, and they are mean AF. The women have destructive and poisonous relationships with the men in their lives. Everyone has secrets and a motive. Whodunnit? Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Horror | Suspense | Book Set In Vermont*

I just finished up spooky new summer 2020 book release and BOTM selection, Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. Twenty-five years ago, Maggie lived a haunted house, or so her father wrote about in the Book. With her father now dead, Maggie learns that he never sold the creepy home that both made and ruined their lives.

But ghosts aren’t for real, right? Against the promise she made with her father, Maggie returns to the home to find closure. Will it…kill her… Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Rom-Com*

Book of the Month alerted me to July 2020 book release, One To Watch, and I decided that I needed more rom-com in my life this summer. One To Watch is the perfect escapist beach read. You’ll laugh, smile, and cry.

Bea Schumacher is a plus-size fashion blogger invited on a Bachelorette-like show, Main Squeeze. Bea agrees to be on reality TV with the caveat that she doesn’t really want to fall in love. But ya know…

Bea learns what it means to love yourself and decides to open up not only to the world but the idea of love itself. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Did Not Finish (DNF) Upcoming Summer 2020 Book Releases:

Fast Girls by Elise Hooper

Most Anticipated Summer 2020 Book Releases In Our TBR Pile

*Books marked with an asterisk are upcoming summer 2020 book releases and ARCs that we requested in exchange for a fair and honest review or were freely gifted/offered by the author or publisher. Please know that publication dates are subject to change.

My summer 2020 book releases reading list is definitely a little heavy on WW2, literary, and historical fiction here.

The Book Of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel 

Historical WWII Fiction & Women’s Fiction*

Inspired by a true story, a World War 2 summer 2020 book release that I cannot wait to read is The Book Of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel. Eva Traube Abrams revisits her past starting from when she flees Paris in 1942 as her father, a Polish Jew, is arrested. As part of the Resistance, Eva forges identity documents for children. Amazon | Goodreads

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon

YA | Racism & Prejudice | Immigration*

One of the YA summer 2020 book releases in my pile is Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon. Liliana Cruz must attend a new school in Westburg that is predominantly white. As half-Guatemalan and half-Salvadorian, Liliana stands out.

In addition to struggling with her new and old friends, Liliana’s father has abandoned her again. However, Liliana learns that her father didn’t actually just up and leave. He’s been deported back to Guatemala. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

The Vanishing Sky by L. Annette Binder

Historical WW2 Fiction | Women’s Fiction*

One of the upcoming WW2 summer 2020 book releases in my TBR pile is The Vanishing Sky by L. Annette Binder. The Vanishing Sky takes place at the end of WW2. Follow a family of Germans and their experiences during the war. Binder’s father was a part of Hitler’s Youth. Amazon | Goodreads

The Book Of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

Contemporary Literary Fiction | Book Set Boston & Egypt*

Dawn Edelstein survives a plane crash, but in that process, instead of thinking about her husband, she reflects back on a past relationship with Wyatt Armstrong. Dawn has a choice to make: return home to her family or visit the man from her past. Amazon | Goodreads

In The Realm Of Ash And Sorrow by Kenneth W. Harmon

Indie Published WW2 Historical Fiction | Magical Realism | WWII Novel Book Set In Japan*

One of the indie WW2 historical fiction releases coming out this summer 2020 includes In The Realm Of Ash And Sorrow by Kenneth Harmon. Micah Lund dies on a mission over Hiroshima. His spirit follows a struggling widow, Kiyomi Oshiro, and Micah sees the enemy in a new light. With the bombing of Hiroshima on the horizon, can Micah save the family he watches over? Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

The Lions Of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

Historical Fiction | Book Set In NYC*

One of the new historical fiction summer 2020 book releases that I am most excited to read includes The Lions Of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis.

This one promises to be an engrossing book about books and libraries.

Set in 1913 New York City, Laura Lyons’ husband works for and lives in the New York Public Library.

Laura applies to the Columbia Journalism School where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club, a women’s rights group.

As Laura begins to question her role as a woman, thieves steal some of the NYPL’s most valuable books.

Then, head to 1993 with Laura’s granddaughter, Sadie. Thieves steal rare materials from Sadie’s exhibit, which forces her to look deep within the family’s past.

Read even more books about libraries and their staff. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman

World War II Historical Fiction*

Paris Never Leaves You alternates between Paris during WW2 and the New York City publishing industry in the 1950s. Charlotte works at a Paris bookstore during WWII, fighting to survive with her young daughter. When Charlotte falls for a soldier, she puts her life in more danger than ever before. Find themes of identity, truth, and love. Watch as a young woman struggles to forgive and find herself.  Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Summer 2020 New Book Releases We Are Eyeing

We Came Here To Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

Historical Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Friendship Fiction

If you are looking for summer 2020 historical fiction set during the New York World’s Fair, We Came Here To Shine by Susie Orman Schnall sounds perfect. It’s 1939 and Vivi is sent to New York as a favor to a friend. She’s assigned the lead role in the synchronized swimming show at the Fair. Worried that this change of plans will ruin her career, Vivi isn’t sure what to do.

Vivi runs into Max, a journalist covering the World’s Fair. Max is also struggling to succeed in a climate that favors men. The two women form a unique friendship and bond as they fight for their dreams. Amazon | Goodreads

Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin

Biographical Fiction | Literary Historical Fiction | Book Set In England

Head to 1843 in Yorkshire in the upcoming summer 2020 book release, Brontë’s Mistress. With the loss of her mother and daughter, Lydia Robinson returns home to a sour marriage and life. Her life is about to change, though, when the Brontë family enters the scene. With scandalous love affairs, gossip, and endless passion, Brontë’s Mistress is based loosely on a true story about Branwell Brontë. Amazon | Goodreads

What other Summer 2020 Book Releases are you excited for?

Please tell us in the comments what upcoming books you are looking forward to this summer. What does your 2020 summer reading list look like?

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