As the season starts to wind down, the following books are good options to extend your summer just a bit longer. These YA romances feature starred reviews, a reissue of a 1940s classic and a reissue of a popular series. All synopses are provided by the publishers.
LOVE, OFF THE RECORD, by Samantha Markum, Margaret K. McElderry Books, June 11, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
Wyn is going to beat Three even if it kills her—or, preferably, him. Being freshmen staffers on the university newspaper puts them at the bottom of the pecking order—until a rare reporter spot opens up. Wyn and Three are both determined to get the position, starting a game of sabotage that pushes them to do their worst, from stealing each other’s ideas to playing twisted mind games. No road is too low when it comes to winning.
As Wyn’s search for the perfect story leads her to an anonymous, campus-wide dating app, she hits it off with a mystery man she thinks might be the cute RA from her dorm. But Wyn is all too familiar with being rejected because of her weight, and she’s hesitant to reveal her identity, even as she grows closer with someone who might be the guy of her dreams.
When Three breaks a story that’s closer to home than he or Wyn expects, the two must put aside their differences to expose the truth—and face their real feelings for each other, which threaten everything Wyn has built with her anonymous match.
SEVENTEENTH SUMMER, by Maureen Daly, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition, May 7, 2024, Hardcover, $20.99 (young adult)
First published in the 1940s, Seventeenth Summer is considered the first young adult novel. Now with refreshed text and a brand-new look, this timeless, sweeping romance is perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Jenny Han.
Angeline “Angie” Morrow always thought high school romances were just silly infatuations that come and go. She certainly never thought she would fall in love. But when she’s asked out on her first date by the school basketball star, Jack Duluth, their connection is beyond any childish crush.
Suddenly, Angie and Jack are filling their summer with stolen moments and romantic nights. But fall is coming—Angie is going off to college in Chicago, while Jack is planning to move to Oklahoma to help with the family bakery—and they must figure out if their love is forever, or just a summer they’ll never forget.
SUMMER NIGHTS AND METEORITES, by Hannah Reynolds, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, May 21, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
Jordan Edelman’s messy dating days are over. After a few too many broken hearts, and a father who worries a bit too much, she’s sworn off boys—at least for the summer. And since she’ll be tagging along on her father’s research trip to Nantucket, she doesn’t think it’ll be too hard to stick to her resolution.
But hooking up with the cute boy on the ferry doesn’t count, right? At least, not until that cute boy turns out to be Ethan Barbanel. As in, her father’s longtime research assistant Ethan Barbanel, the boy Jordan has hated from afar for years. And to make matters worse, Jordan might actually be falling for him.
As if that didn’t complicate her life enough, Jordan’s new summer job with a local astronomer turns up a centuries-old mystery surrounding Gibson’s Comet—and as she dives into her research, what she learns just might put her growing relationship with Ethan in jeopardy.
SIXTEENTH SUMMER, Part of: Sixteenth Summer (4 books), by Michelle Dalton Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition, May 7, 2024, Hardcover, $20.99 (young adult)
Anna is dreading another tourist-filled summer on Dune Island that follows the same routine: beach, ice cream, friends, repeat. That is, until she locks eyes with Will, the gorgeous and sweet guy visiting from New York. Soon, her summer is filled with flirtatious fun as Anna falls head over heels in love.
But with every perfect afternoon, sweet kiss, and walk on the beach, Anna can’t ignore that the days are quickly growing shorter, and Will has to leave at the end of August. Anna’s never felt anything like this before, but when forever isn’t even a possibility, one summer doesn’t feel worth the promise of her heart breaking…
FIFTEENTH SUMMER (Sixteenth Summer), Part of: Sixteenth Summer (4 books), by Michelle Dalton, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition, May 7, 2024, Hardcover, $20.99 (young adult)
Chelsea isn’t looking forward to her summer at the lake. It’s the first time her family has been there since her grandmother died, and she can’t break out of her funk. But her summer takes a turn for the better when she meets a boy who works in the bookstore. Josh is cute, sweet, funny…and best of all, seems to like her as much as she likes him. As the days pass by in a blur of boat rides, picnics, and stolen kisses, she can’t believe how lucky she is. No one has ever made her feel so special, or so beautiful.
But Chelsea knows her days with Josh are numbered. She’ll be heading home at the end of the summer—and he’ll be staying behind. Will this be Chelsea’s summer of love? Or will it be the summer of her broken heart?
PULLED UNDER (Sixteenth Summer), Part of: Sixteenth Summer (4 books), by Michelle Dalton, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition, May 7, 2024, Hardcover, $20.99 (young adult)
In the small town of Pearl Beach, Florida, Izzy Lucas needs only her surfboard and the water to be completely happy. She wants nothing to do with parties, popularity contests, or showing her face around the clichéd touristy hangouts. Izzy’s tight group of coworkers at the local surf shop have tried relentlessly to break shy Izzy out of her (sea)shell. But Izzy isn’t interested…until the day Ben Barker walks into the store.
Ben’s from the city. He’s cute, charming, and wants her help adjusting to beach town culture. As the weeks of surfing lessons and pizza shack visits fly by, Izzy and Ben realize their attraction goes beyond mere friendship. But Ben is only in town for three months, and Izzy wonders if this amazing guy is worth stepping out of her comfort zone for what might be the perfect summer romance—or her first heartbreak.
SWEPT AWAY (Sixteenth Summer), Part of: Sixteenth Summer (4 books), by Michelle Dalton, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition, May 7, 2024, Hardcover, $20.99 (young adult)
Mandy Sullivan isn’t exactly looking forward to the summer months as tourists invade her seaside hometown on the coast of Maine. Her best friend, Cynthia, has abandoned her for camp and her older brother just announced he’ll be staying at college taking classes for the summer, leaving Mandy with nothing to do and no one to hang out with. Hoping to keep herself busy, Mandy takes a volunteer job at the Rocky Pointe Lighthouse.
On her very first day, Oliver Farmingham asks for a private tour. A new—and incredibly cute—face in Rocky Pointe, Oliver seems more interested in Mandy than the lighthouse and its history. Without her best friend at her side, Mandy is scrambling to act the right way and say the right things when Oliver is around. Cynthia—not Mandy—has always been the confident, flirtatious girl that everyone wanted to be around.
As Mandy and Oliver spend more time together exploring the coast, biking through the woods, and attending the local summer festivals, their budding friendship becomes much more. But with Mandy’s insecurities creeping to the surface, can she open her heart to someone who will only be in town for three months?
Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
