The 6 Best Romance Book Series to Read This Summer: ‘Hard to Put Down,’ Says Our Editor
From sports romance to beach-town love stories, these binge-worthy series deliver all the feels
Key Takeaways
- These romance book series are perfect for your summer reading list.
- Start each bestselling romance series with book one for the best experience.
- From small-town love to slow burn, there's a series for every reader.
The only thing better than losing yourself in a summer romance book is falling for the characters and realizing there’s already another book (or books!) waiting for you. From slow-burn small-town love stories to a rugby romance our own editor calls “hard to put down,” we’ve rounded up six can’t-miss romance series to add to your summer reading list. Below, we’re breaking down where each series starts so you can dive in without missing a beat—and keep the love story going long after the last page
Best romance book series to read this summer
From second chances to slow burn, here are the best romance series to read this summer.
‘Boys of Tommen’ by Chloe Walsh
Boys of Tommen is a six-book series set in Ireland that is sure to suck readers in. The first book, Binding 13, follows Johnny Kavanagh, Tommen College’s golden boy and star rugby player who’s hiding a devastating injury that could end his career. When Shannon Lynch shows up on campus—guarded, vulnerable and escaping a dangerous home life—their connection is instant and undeniable. But Shannon’s controlling parents are determined to keep them apart. As their bond deepens, sparks fly and soon nothing can keep Johnny and Shannon apart. After book 1, keep reading, with Keeping 13, Saving 6, Redeeming 6, Taming 7 and Releasing 10, which follow Johnny, Shannon and some of their friends.
What readers are saying: “The Boys of Tommen series is one of the best series I’ve read in a long time,” raves Woman’s World associate editor Carissa Mosness. “The spice, humor, heart and found family made it hard to put down. I loved it.”
‘Barry’s Bay’ by Carley Fortune
Barry’s Bay is a duology written by Carley Fortune. In the first book, Every Summer After, Persephone “Percy” Fraser spends her lakeside summers next door to the Florek brothers. Over six summers, a love story develops between Percy and her best friend, Sam Florek. But after she makes the biggest mistake of her life, she loses touch with him. When they reunite years later, Percy discovers her connection with Sam is still undeniable. Now, she must face her past mistakes and see if their love can survive. Then comes One Golden Summer, which follows Sam’s brother Charlie as he tries to win over the heart of his longtime friend Alice.
What readers are saying: “This may go down as one of my top favorite romances of all time, it’s that good! I couldn’t fly through the pages fast enough, but at the same time I wanted to read as slow as possible to savor every single word of this story. The characters were heartbreakingly relatable and to watch them grow into themselves and their relationships with each other was breathtaking. It had the right amount of tension, steam, and a bit of angst, all while balancing a story that would resonate with most readers.”
‘Bellinger Sisters’ by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey’s bestselling Bellinger Sisters series begins with It Happened One Summer. In this bestselling novel, Piper Bellinger is a wild party girl. After a scandal, her mother and stepfather send her to live in a remote town in Westport, Washington—the place her late father grew up. While there, Piper meets a handsome, albeit rugged, sea captain named Brendan Taggart who might just hold the key to her heart. In the next book, Piper’s sister Hannah takes center stage in Hook, Line, and Sinker, a fun friends to lovers tale.
What readers are saying: “This book had humor, heart, chemistry, and one of my favorite romance heroes. If you love small-town romances, coastal settings, and gruff heroes with hearts of gold, this book is absolutely worth the hype.”
‘Summer’ by Jenny Han
Jenny Han’s Summer series is a heartwarming coming-of-age tale that is perfect for the beach and beyond. Book one, The Summer I Turned Pretty, follows Belly Conklin as she preps for another summer at the Fishers’ beach house in Cousins Beach, Massachusetts—and she’s hoping this will be the summer she falls in love. After pining for the oldest Fisher brother, Conrad, for years, Belly hopes his feelings will change. But when she arrives, everything is not what it seems: Conrad is acting strange, his brother Jeremiah is cuter than she remembered and family drama is slowly brought to the surface. Then, in It’s Not Summer Without You and We’ll Always Have Summer, readers are taken back to Cousins Beach and follow Belly as she continues to figure out which Fisher brother is right for her.
What readers are saying: “This series, from the very beginning, had me in a chokehold. I did not think this series would get me as emotional as it did. Following along beside Belly, Jere and Conrad, you go through summer flashbacks, summer loves, last summers, college and beyond. There’s grief, love, laughter, anger, heartbreak. This book series has it all. You feel every emotion these kids have, and you hurt, and love, along with them. This series will forever be one of my favorites.”
‘Part of Your World’ by Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez’s Part of Your World series is a BookTok favorite. The first book, Part of Your World, begins when Alexis Montgomery’s car breaks down in tiny Wakan, Minnesota. She expects a quick fix and escape back to Minneapolis. What she doesn’t expect is Daniel Grant—a charming carpenter who’s a decade younger. Their chemistry is undeniable, but Alexis’s parents have mapped out her future: finish surgical residency, join the family practice, marry another surgeon. As her repair drags on and she spends more time in Wakan, Alexis discovers the warmth of small-town life and feelings for Daniel she can’t ignore. Now she faces an impossible choice: her predetermined path or unexpected love. Also in this series, Yours Truly and Just for the Summer, swoon-worthy tales featuring characters from the first novel.
What readers are saying: “I am in absolute disbelief over how great this book is! Part of Your World is one of those rare reading experiences where you realize within the first few pages that you’re in the hands of a truly gifted storyteller. Abby Jimenez’s writing is, without exaggeration, one of the most marvelous, effortless, and beautifully flowing styles I have ever read.”
Note: Jimenez faced public criticism this year over her choice of audiobook narrator for another book of hers called The Night We Met, which was published in March.
‘DNA Duo’ by Christina Lauren
Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings—better known by their fans as Christina Lauren—bring science and swoon together in their DNA Duo series. The first one, The Soulmate Equation, follows single mom Jess Davis after she agrees to participate in GeneticAlly, a new DNA-based matchmaking company. To her surprise, she gets a 98 percent compatibility with the program’s founder, Dr. River Peña. Shocked but seeing no way out, the two decide to fake a date, but what happens when those fake feelings turn real? What follows is a wonderful blend of spice, love and found family. Then, in book two The True Love Experiment, Jess’s best friend Felicity “Fizzy” Chen, takes the DNA test, and is shocked to learn who she’s paired up with.
What readers are saying: “Fun, heartfelt and full of charm, this story had me invested from beginning to end. Christina Lauren continues to be the writing duo of my dreams, blending humor, heart, and unforgettable characters in a way that never fails to work for me.”
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