While activities in the summertime sunshine might be hard to resist at this time of year, I still find myself gravitating toward my TBR this season. Which, lucky for me, there’s no shortage of new novels to fill my days. So, settle in for the latest edition of Miranda’s Book Nook, and as always, happy reading!
Your Soulmail Is Attached by Joan F. Smith
This book was an unexpected surprise, but I thoroughly enjoyed every page of the journey.
At the beginning of Your Soulmail Is Attached, Olivia works behind-the-scenes at a national news outlet in New York City. She loves her job, almost as much as she loves her blue-blood fiancé, Wells. Her world comes crashing down when she discovers Wells’ betrayal. That same day, everyone in the world receives a government-verified anonymous email listing their soulmate by name and birthday. Olivia is determined to ignore her “Soulmail,” even though she’s tasked with covering the story at work and thus going viral for it. All the while, Olivia’s childhood bestie (aka the one who got away, naturally), Caleb, reappears in her life and has her questioning fate, destiny, and the perfect timing.
It’s written with such compelling language that had me insanely curious from the start to see what would happen. It reads quickly with its fun and unique concept. I was so completely intrigued to keep reading with each passing chapter. Your Soulmail Is Attached is well-written and compelling as all hell, featuring an authentic main character that made me want to root for her journey to find love with her person and in herself. As for the plot, it completely took me by surprise with its twist. Man, I love it when a book can go the opposite way I expected and fully surprise me. I’m glad Your Soulmail Is Attached fits that bill. I quite literally couldn’t put it down. Then the ending, wow, I love how it ended with the FMC finding her love story without ever caring about her Soulmail delivery. It proves that you really can write your own fate and destiny. Damn, I just got chills writing this blog post.
Well, I was planning to give this an impressive 4.5 out of five stars, though it was more compelling than the 4.5’s I bestowed on some of the books below. So, here we are. Well worth it.
Rating: Five Stars
Available: Now
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen
I’ve been waiting for this book for ages as a childhood Sarah Dessen girlie, who’s since found her later work equally compelling. Let me just say that Change of Plans lives up to all the hype. Wholeheartedly.
In Change of Plans, Finley finds her summer before college is in disarray after her longtime boyfriend, Colin, unexpectedly dumps her. She finds solace at her aunt’s local dinner, The Egg, where she meets with a collective of characters, including guitarist Ben (together they give me Along for the Ride‘s Auden and Eli vibes, IYKYK), as she learns to embrace the now and find herself all while navigating surprising family tragedies.
Dessen brings her signature compelling language that had me hooked to read her more-than-a-romance contemporary YA story. full of found family tropey goodness. The FMC’s arc is vulnerable and raw and authentic and just completely well-written, like, Dessen is clearly a master at what she does for a reason.
Rating: Four and a Half Stars
Available: Now
The Last Page by Katie Holt
In The Last Page, Ella is a bookseller at a local NYC shop and has been trained to eventually take over operations completely. When the longtime owner (and Ella’s surrogate grandfather) dies, she’s surprised that the store was instead left to owner Leo’s estranged grandson, Henry. Business exec Henry has no clue how to run a bookstore and last stepped foot into his grandfather’s when he was a kid. He moves to NYC to take over the shop, trying to figure out how to save it from bankruptcy, while Ella is beyond upset at all his business ideas and changes.
This was a cute rivals-to-lovers bookish romance told in dual points of view. There’s definitely banter, and it’s written with compelling language that pulls me in. It’s primarily a slow-burn love story that is open door. The open door only occurs at the end, but other than that, it’s mostly closed door. It was alright and cute and saccharine, sure.
Rating: Three and a Half Stars
Available: Now
Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry
In Let’s Not Go Overboard Here, FMC Melanie is a lawyer and pop culture junkie who joins her best friend on a yacht trip to Greece, just like Below Deck. While aboard, Melanie is introduced to the cast of obnoxiously rich guests on the character, including socialite-type Freya. Once Freya goes missing, Melanie suspects the boyfriend and launches her own investigation to figure it all out while on the high seas.
The compelling language pulled me in, demonstrating the author’s writing proficiency. It has an intriguing premise that was unique with a lot of pop culture references. It’s fun if you know, but perhaps this book is a little too reliant on the references. It’s a bit too much and overpowers the story. Speaking of the story, there is a romance subplot, which was basically chucked in about halfway through with no warning. It feels clunky and out of place, an addition that doesn’t quite belong.
Content Warning: Grief
Rating: Four Stars
Available: Now
Breakout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
In Breakout, five teens from Thurgood Marshall Academy spend spring break at new student Anthony “Ant” Brooks’ family’s luxury yacht after the death of one of their best friends the year before. After they arrive, a tropical storm sweeps through the private island just as a dead body is found ashore. And another, and another, you get the picture. The surviving friends? They just want to get out. All the while, each teen has their own secret that gives even more tea and intrigue.
This was a completely compelling YA murder mystery told in multiple points of view from the authors who previously teamed up for Blackout and Whiteout. The result was a captivating novel full of compelling language that drew me in from the beginning. Then, there are plot twists on plot twists that literally had me staring at the page, mouth agape. Man, I love it when a book can surprise me with a narrative arc. And this happens more than once! I love that I didn’t see the end coming, which made for a more thrilling read.
Rating: Four Stars
Available: Now
Arrivals and Departures by Amanda Eyre Ward
This is a multigenerational women’s fiction novel told in multiple points of view, starting when Regen goes missing in Greece after a romance scam. Her sister, Lee, and their mother, Charlotte, travel across the ocean to find Regen and help take care of her two teenage daughters. At the same time, Lee and Regen’s brother, Cord, is navigating sobriety and substance abuse issues back home.
While this book was slow to get into, I found the story compelling enough to keep reading. It eventually hooked me to figure out how the story would play out. It’s a well-written and compelling mystery slash family novel.
Content Warning: Depression, Alcoholism
Rating: Three and a Half Stars
Available: Now
Abby Offsides by Anna McCallie
In Abby Offsides, 30-year-old Abby quits her job running social media for the Boston Red Sox and abruptly moves to England after calling off her engagement to her cheating fiancé. She moves to Liverpool, scoring a job handling social media for a local football (aka soccer for the Yanks) club. There, she bonds with newly signed star midfielder Lachlan, adorable Scottish accent and banter and all, over being newcomers in the city. While Abby and Lachlan have a lot of chemistry and even become roommates, he still has a long-distance wife abroad. Meaning, any romantic feelings are squarely on the back burner due to his marriage and her job contract.
This women’s fiction novel is written with such compelling language from the start, like, I’m so intrigued to keep reading. While it took me longer than I’d want to finish it, I did enjoy every part of the journey and, hello, flipping banter alert! That alone was so much fun to see the FMC and MMC go back and forth like a ping-pong match. The HEA was well-deserved, and the whole story gave Ted Lasso vibes with a friends-to-lovers slow burn on the side. It’s only open door at one section, but a relatively tame one at that.
Rating: Four Stars
Available: Now
Checking You Out by Jennifer Chen
Checking You Out is a bookish YA romcom that’s described as Xo Kitty meets Dash and Lily, yet I’d also throw in She Loves Me, too, as another.
In Checking You Out, Lizzie is a bona fide book nerd ready to start college in the fall who finds someone keeps checking out her favorite fantasy novels at the library. So, naturally, she starts leaving this “Fellow Fantasy Reader” notes in each book. When the anonymous pen pal keeps writing back, Lizzie wonders if this guy is Henry, her nerdy crush, or Dylan, the tennis captain at school, who told her that he rarely reads. Dylan, who volunteers at a kitten nursery with Lizzie, actually secretly does love reading but hides it because of past bullying in school. But does that mean he could be Lizzie’s Fellow Fantasy Reader after all?
It’s cute and full of compelling language that’s easy to follow. I want to keep reading more and more. Then, by the end, wow, it’s so flipping cute! Thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Rating: Four Stars
Available: Now
Ungodly Rich by Katharine McGee
Once again, Katharine McGee doesn’t miss when it comes to delivering an unputdownable novel. In Ungodly Rich, she does do something different in writing an adult adaptation of Greek mythology. It’s described as a “story of love, revenge, secrets, sex, and family,” which is completely accurate. It’s way more than just a romance, even though it’s centered on a couple.
In Ungodly Rich, Julia Dodds falls in love wth Harry Adams in New Zealand. It turns out, Harry is actually Ares, you know, the literal Greek god of war and a son of Zeus. Harry invites his girlfriend, Julia, to his family reunion without mentioning his godly history. Instead, Julia thinks Harry’s family is just insanely rich billionaires based in New York City. It honestly feels like a Greek mythology version of Crazy Rich Asians.
Told in third-person narration from multiple points of view, Ungodly Rich is completely well-written, and I’m just fully drawn in by the compelling language. So unique and intriguing. Bravo.
Rating: Four and a Half Stars
Available: July 7, 2026
The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers
In The MASH Up, Ruby gets dumped during her 35th birthday party, which throws a wrench in her carefully planned future. In front of both her best friend and twin brother, Ruby makes a birthday wish that her life would go as smoothly as the seventh grade “MASH” game she once played. To her surprise, Ruby wakes up with the exact car, career, and house of her dreams … plus her “other half” is Penn a.k.a. her brother’s childhood best friend. In order to get back to reality, Ruby decides to go all-in on her dream life and even convinces herself and Penn that they are meant to be. But what about back in the real world?
This was a fun, enjoyable read full of compelling language with a relatable protagonist that reads quickly. It’s fun and lighthearted and oh-so-sugary sweet, which made an adorable, mystical, second-chance, brother’s best friend trope-laden romance. Plus, the “MASH” hook (and matching cover design, I’m obsessed) delivered so much millennial nostalgia that was so much fun, unique, cute, and made me smile.
Rating: Four Stars
Available: July 7, 2026
Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson
In Most Ardently Yours, Zoe Knight is an aspiring romance novelist at odds with Nick, the owner of a classic London bookshop specializing in “dick lit.” After Nick refuses to stock any romance novels, Zoe retaliates and steals the vintage copy of Pride & Prejudice hidden on the shelves. In reading the Austenian classic, Zoe has somehow read Mr. Darcy into existence in the real world. Zoe might not want to let her book boyfriend go, but the longer he remains could have catastrophic implications for the future of Netherfield and Meryton.
It’s not quite a Pride & Prejudice adaptation … but it’s adaptation-adjacent, and boy did I love it just as much as any modern-day adaptation of my beloved P&P. This book is written with such compelling language and has a unique, fun concept. Yes, it does involve a woo-woo magical element and concept, but who’s to say that we can’t suspend disbelief for the course of this novel? Then, the plot twists were ones I didn’t see coming. I was intrigued and couldn’t put this book down. Oh, if only I could read this book for the first time again.
Rating: Four Stars
Available: July 7, 2026
Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels
In Star-Crossed Summer, actress Scarlett rose to fame in now-beloved teen drama The Lost Letter, which also introduced her to leading man (onscreen and off) Ryder. After a brutal breakup, the pair went ten years without speaking. After a decade, they reunite for a cast reunion in the same South Carolina small town where they shot The Lost Letter all those years ago. Scarlett and Ryder’s old spark reignites as they rediscover how different things are now versus how much has stayed the same.
Star-Crossed Summer truly feels like an equitable follow-up to Devon Daniels’ Meet You in the Middle, not by story but by writing style. All of Daniels’ stylistic achievements are on full display here, and it works. While this book doesn’t quite topple the magic of Meet You in the Middle, it’s still a well-written and interesting romance novel in itself. Told in dual timelines and primarily from one point of view, Star-Crossed Summer is quite fun and features compelling language from the start. The book stars a vulnerable FMC, who feels authentic and relatable with real stuff, like, yep, that’s what I want to read. I just wanted to keep reading this slow-burn, second-chance romance novel, savoring each and every page. All in all, it’s a cute, smile-worthy romantic comedy.
While this story is different from Daniels’ previous books, it just shows this author’s range and she nails it. Like, I’m so into this and just wanted to keep reading. It really felt like it was written by the author of Meet You in the Middle, which proves that Daniels found what she’s good at and is sticking to it. And, I’m glad to keep reading since it’s that good.
Content Warning: Miscarriage
Rating: Four and Half Stars
Available: July 7, 2026
The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
The Romance Revival once again delivers Christina Lauren’s signature compelling language, sweeping romance, and unputdownable read told in dual points of view.
In The Romance Revival, scientist Emery is consumed with her top-secret research project involving resurrection that continually takes her away from her marriage to landscaper Luca. Emery and Luca had an instant connection after meeting in Vegas and got married three years before this book is set. En route to their wedding anniversary, Luca is involved in a tragic accident. Emery is desperate to save his life, even if he wakes up with amnesia and doesn’t remember their life together. As for Emery, it’s a chance to fix her marriage and start fresh.
Just like the authors’ other books, I hardly wanted to set this book down and was so curious and intrigued to find out what would happen next. Slow burn and open door, just at certain parts. It’s all well-paced, so it feels authentic as to how Emery and Luca would be at falling in love again. Then, what a twist [spoilers redacted] that made this book unique and surprising. It’s a cool way to give this novel something completely original. The Romance Revival is just as compelling and indulgent as the authors’ other books, with a sweeping, well-earned HEA. This book was very cute and fun, with a unique premise that was totally original.
Rating: Four and a Half Stars
Available: July 14, 2026
Vera Stein Is Fine by Julie Murphy
In Vera Stein Is Fine, aspiring screenwriter Vera follows her grandmother to Starlight Pines and becomes the new activity coordinator. Vera’s onetime fling (and brief husband after a Vegas wedding) Eli turns out to be the on-site doctor with a spare room for Vera to stay in.
This is a second-chance, forced-proximity romance that’s told with compelling language and reads quite quickly. It’s a quasi-dual POV, meaning this book is mostly told from the FMC’s perspective, save for a few flashbacks from the MMC’s side. It’s a unique, quirky, and fun premise with a sex-positive twist. This book is open door, but a slow-burn to get there for the first 100 pages or so. It’s fun, I can’t deny that. That’s about it. Cute and fluffy, indulgent.
Rating: Four Stars
Available: July 21, 2026
Tradwife by Michelle Brandon
Told in multiple points of view, Tradwife highlights three different women living in the small town of Crystal Harbor, Florida. As the trio details their daily lives as moms, wives, and stepmoms, the reader learns that a mysterious body washed up ashore months later.
Tradwife is written with compelling language that pulled me in from the start, eager to discover what would happen next. There is a lot of exposition setup that slows down the story timeline. Other than that, I enjoyed this novel that felt like a satire of influencer and tradwife culture in a twisty mystery take. That being said, as a mystery, I found each cliffhanger reveal and twist to be very predictable. I could guess the story’s progression from a mile away. I prefer stories that can surprise me. This, unfortunately, did not do that.
Rating: Three and a Half Stars
Available: August 4, 2026
The Magic We Made by Meg Cabot
In The Magic We Made, Francesca “Frankie” is a financial therapist in West Harbor, where her neighbor is Ash Merit, a financial advisor with a supernatural knack for finding lost items and people. After a string of aspiring teen witches start disappearing from town, Ash is tasked with discovering their whereabouts. Frankie lends Ash a hand to find the missing girls, also finding a deep connection and spark with each other in the process.
The Magic We Made further proves Meg Cabot’s exceptional craft and is another standout in her Witches of West Harbor series. Told in dual points of view, this novel features compelling language that reads quickly and is captivating. Per usual for Cabot’s works, I am completely into The Magic We Made. It’s completely fun and intriguing. While this book is a slow-burn, it all feels well-paced. I didn’t mind it at all because the plot was such a delight and captivating on its own. On the note of the plot, all spicy scenes were closed door. By the end, I couldn’t put this book down where I had to see what would happen next. It was so much fun and indulgent; a mix of romance with a mystery subplot. The FMC and MMC, as well as the protagonist of the subplot, all ended with well-deserved and sweeping HEAs by the end. I’ll give this one five stars, because why the hell not? Wow, Meg Cabot has done it again. I quite literally didn’t want this book to end. Loved it, and I mean Cabot never misses. Facts. Period.
Content Warning: Off-the-Page Grief and Abuse
Rating: Five Stars
Available: August 11, 2026
Advance reader copies of the books listed were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
quite simply miranda 