Best New Book Releases By Genre: June 2026
Discover which books you should add to your reading list that are being published in June. I like that this month has some lesser known authors, so hopefully there’s something you aren’t expecting but will love on this list of recommendations!
I sorted my list by genre so you can easily find a new book you’ll love. There are options in romance, mysteries/thrillers, and fantasy, as usual.
*Disclosure – I earn a small commission from any purchases you make through the links below at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting this book blog!
June Romance New Releases
The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston
Ashley is back with another magical realism romance. Her last novel, The Seven Year Slip, was fantastic so I have high hopes for this one too! A magical garden. A brooding man trapped inside. A gardener desperate to save them both.
When she takes a temporary job for the summer to revitalize the grounds at Lilymoor House, Sophie isn’t expecting her entire life will change. At first, she simply enjoys the work, attempting to bring the gardens and hedge maze back to life. But when a strange door keeps appearing in different places around the grounds, she eventually steps through.
Inside she discovers a magical garden, along with a grumpy man who is trapped inside. Overwhelmed now by both this garden desperately in need of help and the fact that the manor gardens seem to be resisting her efforts, Lily needs to discover how to save both places that have become precious to her. | Buy From Amazon
I think it’s hilarious that this romance book is “breaking the fourth wall” by taking on popular tropes head on! It’ll be fun to pick out all the familiar favorites as two writers try to craft a new bestseller.
Katie has spent years trying to move on from the tragedy that changed her life, burying herself in New York City life and her job as a ghostwriter for a bestselling romance author. Everything changes when she’s paired with Tyler McNally, her late brother’s best friend and the boy she once loved, to help write a new romance novel at a secluded Hamptons estate. Forced to spend the summer working together, Katie and Tyler must confront old feelings, unresolved grief, and the painful memories that drove them apart years ago.
As they write a trope-filled love story, something strange begins to happen: the very romance tropes they’re putting on the page start showing up in their own lives… | Buy From Amazon
We’re heading back to Mure! I can’t get enough of her cozy, Scottish books and I love that this latest one features a mother daughter duo.
Janey Carter had settled into her life on the small island she now calls home, but her empty nest life is upended when her adult daughter, Essie, announces she’s coming back home. Around the same time, an opportunity arises to renovate and manage a group of seaside cottages next door. Living with Essie again takes some adjustment, but mother and daughter tackle this new project together.
Both women discover this unexpected change gives them a sense of belonging and maybe even romance that they didn’t know they needed! Warm, cozy, and full of Jenny Colgan’s signature charm, Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages is an uplifting story about second chances, community, and finding home in the most unexpected places. | Buy From Amazon
I’ve seen a few fellow book bloggers and bookstagrammers give this rave reviews already! It’s giving me a little bit of Ted Lasso vibes, so I can’t wait to read it!
Desperately in need of a fresh start, Abby makes a bold decision to leave her old life behind. She quits her job, books a one-way ticket to England, and starts over in Liverpool, hoping a change of scenery will help her figure out what comes next. There, she lands a job with a professional football club and meets Lachlan Ramsay, a talented Scottish midfielder who is also struggling to adjust to life in a new city. Since they’re both essentially alone, they agree to explore together and Abby finds herself drawn to his charm, kindness, and the connection they quickly develop.
The more time Abby and Lachlan spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore their chemistry. But there’s one major complication: Lachlan appears to be married, and Abby refuses to become involved in another messy situation after the heartbreak she’s already endured. | Buy From Amazon
Mystery/Thriller New Releases
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
This sounds like a twisty mashup of the past and present, when a woman offers to return a lost dog and finds herself back at a mysterious manor house that she used to know.
Jane is out for a walk when she comes across a lost dog that she’d noticed before belonged to a teenage girl. The girl is nowhere to be found and later reported missing, so Jane finds the dog’s registration online and sets off to the address to return him. When she arrives, she immediately recognizes Thornwood house, but it’s a shadow of the place that played a dark part in her own history.
The man who answers the door is claims to know nothing about the girl or the dog, but as Jane leaves she sees a haunted looking woman in one of the windows. She can’t just walk away, so she dives into her own memories to try to find the missing girl and unlock her own traumatic past. | Buy From Amazon
The Break Up Retreat by Camilla Sten
Himlafall Clinic is a heartbreak retreat, nestled in the Swedish woods, that claims to heal women struggling after heartache or breakups. Sounds amazing, right? Except for the little fact that some women go there…and are never heard from again.
As an investigative journalist, Isobel sees an opportunity to break open the dark secrets of this clinic and get justice for the families. She goes undercover, with plans to work with a contact inside to expose the founder. However, when she arrives her contact is missing and the Dr. Martina is poking and prodding at Isobel and starting to unravel her instead.
Isobel is running out of time to find out the truth before she falls into the same trap as the women before her. I love the idea of a “wellness retreat” gone wrong, so this sounds like a twisty, enticing premise! | Buy From Amazon
Fantasy New Releases
The Unicorn Hunters
A unique addition to this list that falls in the historical fantasy genre. Katherine Arden is the author of one of my all-time favorite fairy-tale like fantasy books, starting with The Bear and the Nightingale. She has a lyrical, enchanting writing style that will keep you enthralled!
The Unicorn Hunters puts a magical spin on the story of Anne of Brittany, who desperately agrees to a secret marriage in the hopes of avoiding her land being taken over by Charles of France. She sets up a hunt for the mythical unicorn in the forest Broceliande as a ruse to allow her wedding vows to take place. Within the forest though, she finds something completely unexpected that will alter the course of her entire life.
This sounds perfect for fans of ancient magic, courtly traditions, and brave women! | Buy From Amazon
Light Wielder by Rachel Schneider
If you want a romantasy book with a twist that will leave you absolutely flabbergasted, the first book in this series is it! I was completely floored by the ending of Metal Slinger. So I’m desperate to find out how the story continues in Light Wielder!
Book 2 picks up four years after the events of the first book, with our characters deeply entwined in the fallout of their actions from the shocking ending. A brutal war is raging among the kingdoms and Jovie is determined to keep her innocent people protected. Acker is resigned to fight against an opponent he can’t bring himself to hate, all while still trying to get out from under his controlling father’s influence.
When he discovers some dark things his father has done to regain power, Acker once again finds himself torn between two lives and must decide whether to follow his duty or his heart. | Buy From Amazon
Let me know in the comments which one you’re most looking forward to reading!