Best Badass Books of Summer 2025

Sun-soaked scandal, second chances, secret identities, and summer flings - this year’s Best Badass Books of Summer list is packed with stories that sizzle. My vacation isn’t until August, but I’m already counting down the days and dreaming of slow mornings, iced coffee, and getting totally lost in a good book.

Someone recently asked me how I define best, badass, and beach reads—and honestly? I don’t have a perfect formula. But I do know it when I feel it. These are the books that kept me up too late, made me text friends mid-chapter, or had me grinning on page one. They’re full of women who are bold, flawed, complicated, hilarious, or just trying to figure it out—and the stories go down easy, with plenty of twists along the way.

You’ll spot a few familiar names and some past book club faves, plus a handful of fresh discoveries I’m excited to share. If reading is your favorite way to spend time off too, you’re gonna love this list!

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Joan Goodwin, a reserved physics professor, surprises herself by applying to NASA’s space shuttle program in 1980—and is selected to train alongside a bold new class of astronauts. As she builds friendships, falls in love, and prepares for flight, Joan begins to question her place in the universe and what truly matters. But everything changes on a fateful 1984 mission, in a story that blends ambition, love, and the vast unknown of space. You can read more and get your copy here.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein

Half-sisters Vivian and Lucy have spent their lives apart—one in New York, the other in Maine—never having met, each shaped by the secrets and choices of their shared father. When they unexpectedly collide at his lake house after his death, they’re forced to confront long-held resentments, unravel family truths, and grieve under one roof. As the summer unfolds, what begins in tension slowly gives way to the possibility of connection—if they’re willing to let it. You read more and get your copy here.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly

In 2016, grieving artist Mari travels to Martha’s Vineyard with only a name—Elizabeth Devereaux—and discovers a hidden family history tied to World War II. As Elizabeth shares the story of the Smith sisters, who ran a farm and formed a powerful book club during the war, Mari learns of bravery, love, and betrayal on the island. The past and present collide as Mari realizes her own life is more connected to this place—and its secrets—than she ever imagined. You can read more and get your copy here.

Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

Josie and Ryan run rival bookstores on the same Boston street—one all about literary classics, the other romance novels—and they’re suddenly forced to compete for the same job. Sparks fly as their wildly different styles clash, but what they don’t realize is they’ve also been anonymously bonding in an online book forum. As summer heats up and secrets come out, their rivalry might just turn into the perfect love story. You can read more and get your copy here.

Palm Meridian by Grace Flahive

In a vibrant Florida retirement resort for queer women in the year 2067, Hannah Cardin is spending her final day throwing an unforgettable end-of-life party. As she waits for Sophie—the love she lost decades ago—to arrive, memories of joy, heartbreak, and adventure flood back. But when a long-buried secret surfaces, Hannah must decide whether she’s truly ready to say goodbye. You can read more and get your copy here.

The Nantucket Restaurant by Pamela Kelley

When three sisters unexpectedly inherit a beloved Nantucket restaurant from their grandmother—along with her house and a surprise co-owner—they’re forced to put their lives on pause and work together for a full year before they can move on. Mandy, Emma, and Jill haven’t lived on the island in years, and running Mimi’s Place is more complicated (and rundown) than they ever imagined. It’s a story about family, second chances, and figuring out what really matters—served with a side of summer charm and a whole lot of chowder. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 6/10.

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel

When Dallas mom Lucy and Berlin art dealer Greta impulsively swap homes to escape their messy lives, neither expects just how chaotic things are about to get. Between secretive husbands, rebellious kids, shady neighbors, and a possibly fake Vermeer painting, their quick fixes turn into full-blown disasters. House swap meets midlife crisis in this sharp, funny, and unexpectedly heartwarming story about starting over—even if it means doing it in someone else’s house. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 6/10.

Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino

Thirty-five and freshly divorced, Sunny Greene is determined to stop apologizing for her body and start living boldly—beginning with her brother’s wedding, some very questionable swimsuits, and a whole new outlook. As she builds her size-inclusive brand and navigates a whirlwind of romantic possibilities—including a charming mailman, a powerful entrepreneur, and an all-too-familiar ex—Sunny’s learning that confidence is the real game-changer. Funny, empowering, and refreshingly real, this is a modern love story about putting yourself first and owning your worth at any size. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 6/24.

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean

After years of estrangement, Alice Storm returns to her family’s private island for her father’s funeral—only to discover he’s left behind a high-stakes inheritance game. Trapped for a week with her chaotic relatives and her father’s infuriatingly handsome right-hand man, Alice must navigate old wounds, buried secrets, and unexpected emotions. As tensions rise, she’s forced to confront the past—and decide what kind of future she truly wants. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/8.

Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster

Betsy Whiting thought her summer would be all about romance and maybe a proposal—until her mom calls her and her sisters back to Martha’s Vineyard to sell their beloved (but debt-ridden) family home. As past and present collide, Betsy is forced to untangle old heartbreaks, her parents’ complicated legacy, and what home really means. Our Last Vineyard Summer is a nostalgic, heartfelt story about love, family, and the hard decisions that shape who we become. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/1.

The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

After a messy divorce and a return to her parents’ basement in blue-collar New Jersey, Jess Capodimonte Baratta feels stuck—until a family tragedy and buried secrets push her to take a leap. Armed with her talent and a one-way ticket, she escapes to her ancestral hometown in Italy, where she finds inspiration, unexpected love, and a chance to carve out the life she’s always dreamed of. Set against the stunning backdrop of Tuscany and Lake Como, Jess’s journey is a funny, heartfelt reinvention story about art, family, and finally putting herself first. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/8.

All The Men I’ve Loved Again by Christine Pride

In 1999, shy college freshman Cora Belle is ready to reinvent herself—but falling for the magnetic Lincoln throws her into the deep end of first love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. Years later, still haunted by the past, Cora finds herself once again caught between the two men who shaped her journey: steady, understanding Aaron and the unforgettable Lincoln. All The Men I’ve Loved Again is a soulful, second-chance story about love, identity, and the choices that define us. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/8.

The Game is Afoot by Elise Bryant

After rage-quitting her job, Mavis thought she'd finally get some rest—until she accidentally becomes a full-time soccer mom, class parent, and amateur sleuth. When the kids’ soccer coach mysteriously drops dead, Mavis dives into the PTA drama and suburban secrets to figure out who had it out for him. It’s not exactly the break she planned, but solving a murder might be easier than figuring out what the heck she wants from her own life. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/8.

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Fifteen years after her best friend disappeared, struggling writer Lizzie is shocked when Bex—now a glamorous Instagram influencer—reappears with a tempting offer and an invite to an exclusive influencer conference. But when Bex vanishes again and her husband is found murdered, Lizzie is thrust into the dark, chaotic world of social media fame. To uncover the truth and clear her name, she must untangle secrets, lies, and the persona her old friend carefully built—and possibly destroyed. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/15.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

Julia Pritzker is reeling from the loss of her adoptive parents and the murder of her husband—made worse when her horoscope seems to have predicted it all. When she inherits a mysterious Tuscan villa from a stranger who believed she was descended from a Renaissance duchess, Julia heads to Italy in search of answers. But eerie coincidences, unsettling secrets, and a growing sense she’s being watched turn her getaway into a surreal and dangerous fight to figure out who she really is—and whether her fate is truly her own. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/15.

Greenwich by Kate Broad

It’s the summer of 1999, and nearly 18-year-old Rachel heads to her aunt and uncle’s mansion in Greenwich hoping for a fresh start—but instead finds herself lonely, restless, and drawn to Claudia, the family’s live-in babysitter. Just as things start to heat up between them, a tragic accident forces Rachel to make a choice that could change everything. Greenwich is a slow-burn coming-of-age story about desire, privilege, and the high-stakes decisions that echo long after the summer ends. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/22.

Rush Week by Michelle Brandon

Five years after graduation, four former sorority sisters are back at the University of Alabama for Rush Week—and someone’s threatening to expose the secrets they swore would stay buried. The anonymous thief has their old “Spill Book,” a time capsule full of confessions from their hazing days, and plans to make it public on Bid Day. Rush Week is a juicy, twisty ride packed with scandal, secrets, and bad behavior, as the women scramble to protect their past—and maybe salvage their sisterhood along the way. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/22.

Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum

In the world of elite Manhattan moms, Frost, Morgan, and Belle rule the schoolyard—until Sofia, a glamorous newcomer from Miami, crashes their carefully curated clique. As she charms her way in, strange and sinister things begin happening, leaving the queen bees wondering if they’re being targeted. Mean Moms is a sharp, twisty mystery that blends social satire with suspense, asking just how well you really know the mom next to you at pickup. You can read more and pre-order your copy here. Releases 7/29.

Still looking for more badass books? I’ve got a great list of the Summer’s Hottest Mysteries and Thrillers on the way!

Until then, keep living your best badass life!

Gina