Whether you're poolside, mid-flight, or up past midnight, this summer's romantasy has you covered.
June, July, and August bring new entries from some of the genre's most beloved series, a handful of ambitious standalones and duology openers, and one of the year's most talked-about cover-to-hardcover success stories. Mythology, magic academies, vampire alliances, and enemies-to-lovers in every flavor - summer 2026 has it all.
Here's what we're adding to our summer reading list:
June Releases:
The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden:Katherine Arden of The Winternight Trilogy fame turns to late 15th-century Europe, where France is pressing its claim on the independent duchy of Brittany. Rather than submit, Princess Anne leads her court on a daring expedition into an enchanted forest in pursuit of a mythical beast. Publication date: June 2
This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint: Jennifer Saint has built a devoted readership by recasting Greek myths through the eyes of their women, as seen in Ariadne, Elektra, and Hera. Her new novel turns the spotlight on Aphrodite, goddess of love, and the volatile bond she shares with Ares, god of war. Publication date: June 9
July Releases:
The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley: The Dearly Beloathed series by Brigitte Knightley deserves a trophy just for its titles. In this second entry, we rejoin Haelan, a scholar with a gift for healing, and Osric, a guild-trained assassin, as their improbable romance continues to unfold. Publication date: July 7
Dominion by Jean Kwok: Jean Kwok makes her romantasy debut with this mythology-rich opener to the Silk and Iron Trilogy, drawing on ancient Chinese legend to conjure a world of battle tygers, ribbon dancers, metal mages, and demonic threats. Publication date: July 14
Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe: H.M. Wolfe's dystopian romance began as a self-published title last December, but its tale of masked rulers and resistance fighters caught fire with readers, enough to land a traditional hardcover deal. Clearly this one struck a chord. Publication date: July 28
Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim: Elizabeth Lim (Six Crimson Cranes) takes the Chinese Cinderella tradition as a loose scaffold for a dual-perspective story set across 1940s China and Hong Kong, weaving together themes of family curses and the weight of inherited trauma. Also: unbeatable title. Publication date: July 28
August Releases:
Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer: Hannah Nicole Maehrer's Assistant to the Villain series arrives at its fourth installment, still gleefully skewering fantasy conventions and workplace anxieties alike. The premise, an incorrigibly cheerful assistant helps a fearsome archvillain keep his evil empire running, remains as charming as ever, with romance inevitably complicating the org chart. Publication date: August 4
The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent: The Crowns of Nyaxia series continues with bounty hunter Kyrene navigating a vampire-scarred world on a mission of vengeance. The catch: getting what she wants means joining forces with Septimus, a vampire prince with sinister designs. Early readers have noted that Septimus brings a notably unfiltered energy to the proceedings. Publication date: August 4
Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana: Analeigh Sbrana launches a new duology with the story of Audra, kidnapped by fae warriors called the Priestesses and pressed into training at a brutal magical academy. As the Priestesses hunt for a foretold chosen one, Audra suspects she may be exactly who they're looking for — a suspicion that gets more complicated when a prophetic vision arrives in a very distracting form. Publication date: August 25
