The Best NEW Books for July 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase something I have shared, I will earn a small commission...at no extra cost to you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It is officially July. Summer is here. Beach days, pool days, and if we are lucky…lots of uninterrupted reading time. Well, a gal can wish, can’t she? I am about to increase your TBR by more than a few books. How does a dozen sound? The sheer amount of amazing books being published this month is incredible…slightly overwhelming…but incredible none the less. I am trying something a little different this month. In addition to my blog post about the best Middle-Grade books publishing this month…I am also writing a dedicated adult books post. So many new books to share…lots of them on the Contemporary Romance front which I am not mad about. July also features the pub-date of one of my MOST anticipated reads of the YEAR! So, lets chat! Here are the best NEW books publishing July 2024!

The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood

The first book is a book that I have already ordered! Publishing on July 2nd, The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood sounds like it is going to be all kinds of fabulous. I chose this as one of my Book of the Month selections for July and I can’t wait to read it. I have already seen such awesome reviews…and it sounds like such a fun spin on a rom-com. It sounds like it is going to be hysterical…I mean…she did die choking on a microwavable burger. It was also chosen as a GMA Book Club Pick! Check out this synopsis…sounds good, doesn’t it??

Goodreads Synopsis

A recently deceased woman meets “the one” in the afterlife waiting room, scoring a second chance at life (and love!) if she can find him on earth before ten days are up…

If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.

When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious stranger, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start at life. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind…

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

Next up, and also publishing on July 2nd, is The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh. Rave reviews…I have seen RAVE reviews about this book. This sounds like the perfect summer beach read. I absolutely love the cover…it is giving major Thelma and Louise vibes and I kinda love it. This sounds like such a great read about stepping out of your comfort zone and finding the life that is waiting for you away from the safety net. Really looking forward to this one.

Goodreads Synopsis

A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life–one yes at a time.

Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she’s settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn’t go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she’s great with that.

And then, the accident.

While she’s in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate–a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of “things I’ll do someday,” and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born.

It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way–a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina’s son Hayden and Georgina’s ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins.

Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple “yes.”

The Match by Sarah Adams

Now, if the title of this book seems familiar…it is probably because it is. The Match by Sarah Adams originally published in 2020, but, on July 2nd we are seeing the release of a new expanded edition. I am including this one because I absolutely ADORE Sarah Adams books and I haven’t read this yet! This is the first book in the “It Happened in Charleston” series…the second book, The Enemy will be released with an expanded edition in August. If you love charming, sweet, and funny rom-com’s then definitely check out Sarah Adams books…they are just so good.

Goodreads Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of Practice Makes Perfect comes an expanded edition of The Match —a charming romance novel about second chances and the healing power of love, with a never-before-seen chapter.

Sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it…

Evie Jones has dedicated her life and very limited funds working for Southern Service Paws, the company that matched her with the love of her Charlie, a service-dog trained to assist with her epilepsy. But it’s no secret that the company has been struggling to make ends meet. It’s up to her and her long-time mentor and boss to throw the fundraiser of a century to keep the doors open.

Then Evie meets Jacob Broaden and there are instant sparks—but not the good kind. Although his ten-year-old daughter, Sam, was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, the newly single dad had no idea she set him up for an initial client meeting with Evie. It doesn’t take long for Jacob to be convinced that Evie, and her magical, woodland-green eyes, might just be the best thing for him and his daughter.

As Evie spends more time with Jacob and helps Sam find her perfect match with a lovable golden retriever named Daisy, she starts longing for something she’s never had before—a loving family. For Jacob, falling in love with Evie is the last thing he should be doing, but love has a way of finding those who need it most.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

This book. Let us just pause and swoon over this most magical of covers. I want to live in the pages of this book just based on the cover alone. Romantasy isn’t typically my jam…but this book is just begging to be read. I LOVE all things cozy…and this looks like a Cottagecore VIBE! Spellbooks, magic, cinnamon rolls…say no more and take all of my money. I’m also going to need to draw your attention below to the INSANE lavendar sprayed edges…I am about to treat myself to this beauty. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst publishes on July 9th and I already love her.

Goodreads Synopsis

A gorgeous hardcover edition featuring lavender sprayed edges! The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

Next up, and also publishing on July 9th, we have The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin. I haven’t read any of Emily Giffin’s books yet, but I have heard wonderful things. This sounds like it is going to be a tear-jerker. It sounds like it is a story about friendships, love, and a journey of self-discovery. I am really looking forward to this one. The cover is beautiful as well!!

Goodreads Synopsis

In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends make a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and law school hopeful from D.C.; Summer, a recruited athlete and perfectionist from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after moving into their shared dorm, they strike up a conversation in a study lounge, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, a pact is made to be there for each other in their time of need, no matter how separated they are by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides to help pick up the pieces?

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady

Next up we have Until Next Summer by Ali Brady. I am a sucker for a nostalgic summer camp novel and this sounds like it fits that bill perfectly! Two former best friends finding love at an adults only summer camp…I immediately need to read this book. It is on the longer side for my personal preference…448 pages…but because it sounds like it is going to be funny, sweet, and brimming with nostalgia I am going to give it a read! I know 448 pages is not long…I just have the attention span of an overwhelmed 45 year old with a mile long TBR…because I AM an overwhelmed 45 year old woman with a mile long TBR. Until Next Summer publishes on July 9th.

Goodreads Synopsis

Two former best friends each find love at an adults-only summer camp in this romantic and nostalgic novel that proves “once a camp person, always a camp person.”

Growing up, Jessie and Hillary lived for summer, when they’d be reunited at Camp Chickawah. The best friends vowed to become counselors together someday, but they drifted apart after Hillary broke her promise and only Jessie stuck to their plan, working her way up to become the camp director. 

When Jessie learns that the camp will be sold, she decides to plan one last hurrah, inviting past campers—including Hillary—to a nostalgic “adult summer camp” before closing for good. Jessie and Hillary rebuild their friendship as they relive the best time of their lives—only now there are adult beverages, skinny dipping, and romantic entanglements. Straitlaced Hillary agrees to a “no strings attached” summer fling with the camp chef, while outgoing Jessie is drawn to a moody, reclusive writer who’s rented a cabin to work on his novel.

The friends soon realize this doesn’t have to be the last summer. They’ll team up and work together, just like the old days. But if they can’t save their beloved camp, will they be able to take the happiness of this summer away with them?

The Lost Story: A Novel by Meg Shaffer

I can’t even make words. This book is the book I have been waiting for since I finished reading This Wishing Game. I currently have TWO copies of this book en route to my house. I have a copy coming from the publisher…and I also selected this book as a part of my July Book of the Month Box. Did I choose it even though I knew I had a copy already coming…Yes I did. I need this book in my hands immediately. The Wishing Game was my favorite read of last year. I fell in love with the writing, the story, the nostalgia, the coziness…and The Lost Story promises to be more of the same. She writes fairy tales for adults and that is something I absolutely adore. The Lost Story is inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia and I cannot wait to get lost in another of Meg Shaffer’s books. The Lost Story publishes on July 16th.

Goodreads Synopsis

Inspired by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game.

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.

Business Casual by B.K. Borison

Next up, and also publishing on July 16th, we have Business Casual by B.K. Borison. Business Casual is Book 4 in the Lovelight Farms series! I absolutely LOVED the first book. I asked the Bookstaverse for a cozy book recommendation and they overwhelmingly recomended Lovelight Farms…and it did not disappoint. So so good and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Goodreads Synopsis

Two opposites will find out if one night together is enough to get each other out of their systems in the final book in the beloved Lovelight series.

Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations. 

In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him. 

And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.

A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner

This book may have been written just for me. Bookshop in a quaint beach town…Beaches & Reads…it was meant to be. Publishing on July 16th, A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner sounds like THE perfect beach read. This is a book about love, belonging, and second chances…oh, and let us not forget books and beaches. Perfection. Take all of my money.

Goodreads Synopsis

A bestselling author finds love and second chances in the stacks of a quaint beach town bookshop

Author Shelby Archer found inspiration for her first novel while living on the picturesque shores of Provincetown on Cape Cod. When she comes to the town to celebrate her new bestseller, she is expecting a warm homecoming. But instead she is confronted with the cold shoulders of friends and neighbors who feel exposed and betrayed.

Heartbroken, Shelby tries to move on and focus on her next novel. But then an unexpected call comes: her dear friend who owns the beloved Land’s End bookshop needs help for the summer. Shelby reluctantly returns to the Cape to manage the store.

Back at the beach, Shelby sets her focus on the tiny seaside shop, getting lost in the shelves of steamy romance novels and dusty classics and trying to right the wrongs of her past. With every page turned and every customer served, Shelby comes closer to gaining back the trust of those she hurt. But as her manuscript deadline nears, she is again forced to choose between her own success and a second chance at love and belonging.

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton

You had me at birds, folks. You had me at birds. I am a bird nerd…who is also a book nerd. When the stars line up and books and birds become one…you have a very happy lady. Oh…and let us not forget the magical elements. The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton was one of my July Book of the Month selections. It is described as a Historical Romance…but it also seems like it might have elements of Magical Realism. This book cover is a stunner. Take a quick peek at the synopsis to see why I am so excited! The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love publishes on July 23rd.

Goodreads Synopsis

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that’s beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. 

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She’s so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they’re professional rivals. 

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can’t trust anyone else—for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.

Nothing Less Than Magic by Stacy Finz

This book literally just popped up on my Instagram timeline this morning. I had to scramble to gather info so that I could include it in todays post…and had to re-do ALL of my graphics. BUT…it is totally worth it because just LOOK at this gorgeous book. I have two words for you…Magical Realism. My all-time favorite genre. This sounds like it is going to be a magical Hallmark movie of a book and I am HERE for it! Just check out the synopsis below…see what I mean? Nothing Less Than Magic by Stacy Finz publishes on July 23rd.

Goodreads Synopsis

When a popular marriage counselor’s own marriage falls apart, she’s forced to question her methods—and discovers the magical ingredient she’s been missing all along—in the dreamiest possible way . . .

Just one year ago, Chelsea Knight was living the life she’d always wanted. Marriage to the perfect guy, a thriving career, and a gorgeous condo overlooking San Francisco Bay. Then out of nowhere, her husband, Austin, left her. Ironic, because Chelsea fixes marriages for a living. In fact, she’s famous for her techniques. Naturally, she’s been using her expertise to win back her ex—and when he invites her for drinks, she’s sure her work has finally paid off. Until he announces he’s engaged.

Devastated, Chelsea seeks refuge in the beloved small-town lake cabin she and Austin now take turns using. When she arrives, the streets are dazzlingly decked out for Halloween, the autumn leaves are exceptionally vibrant, and the locals are especially warm and welcoming. It’s downright magical—and so is Knox Hart, a talented jack-of-all-trades who’s fixing her roof. Chelsea is instantly drawn to him—and to the simplicity of country life. Slowly, she becomes immersed in the townspeople’s problems and finds a sense of belonging—leading her to reevaluate her own path . . .

But something about the idyllic hamlet—and Knox—seems too good to be true. A trick more than a treat. And when she ultimately learns the truth, her heart is shattered. Miraculously, Austin is there to mend it. It’s everything she’d hoped for. Or is it? On the cusp of making all her dreams come true, Chelsea must find the strength to make an impossible choice . . .

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Last, but certainly not least is The Wedding People by Alison Espach. This book sounds like it is going to walk the tightrope between humor and heartache. I love books that have that perfect balance. I am already in love with the setting of this book…at a grand inn in Newport, Rhode Island. It sounds like a divine summer read that looks at where chance encounters can take us in life. The Wedding People publishes on July 30th.

Goodreads Synopsis

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help us start anew.

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamt of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe―which makes it that much more surprising when the women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns uproariously, absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is a look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined―and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.

Happy Reading and Happy Summer!

I hope everyone is having a great start to their summer! What books are on your TBR for July?

I am working on a blog post round up of the BEST Beach Reads…what are your faves?

If you haven’t tried Book of the Month yet and want to give it a shot, you can snag your first book for $5 with this referral link!

Happy Reading!