To Be Read | My Romantic Summer TBR List

Excerpt from the GoodReads Summary: Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. Read the rest here.

Why it’s on the TBR: Cassandra Clare’s books have always felt like home to me, therefore her novels hold a special place in my heart. I find her characters easy to fall in love with, and her juggling plotlines mind-boggling, in a good way. I read Chain of Gold in May and thoroughly enjoyed it, and I’m finally getting around to reading the second installment, Chain of Iron (and it’s living up to its hype). The main character, Cordelia, has become one of my top five favorite characters. This series is so easy to love because of the London Edwardian Era, its charming characters, and its mysterious, romantic plot. I cannot tell you how amazing this series has been so far, it has made me laugh out loud, tear up, and feel the love the characters feel for one another.

Excerpt from the GoodReads Summary: First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Read the full synopsis here.

Why it’s on the TBR: This is one novel that I haven’t stopped hearing about this past year, which I also haven’t heard a single negative review about. Every review I’ve read (and watched) about Red, White & Royal Blue has talked about it being a witty romance that will be finished in one night. And hearing hundreds of people talk positively about this book was enough to convince me to add it to my TBR.

Excerpt from the GoodReads Summary: Catalina Martín, finally, not single. Her family is happy to announce that she will bring her American boyfriend to her sister’s wedding. Everyone is invited to come and witness the most magical event of the year. That would certainly be tomorrow’s headline in the local newspaper of the small Spanish town I came from. Or the epitaph on my tombstone, seeing the turn my life had taken in the span of a phone call. Aaron Blackford. The man whose main occupation was making my blood boil had just offered himself to be my date. You can find the full summary here.

Why it’s on the TBR: I am a sucker for a mood board, I truly am, hence my love and obsession for Pinterest. And I saw a mood board of this book on TikTok and it immediately sold me—you didn’t even have to show me the synopsis to sell me this book. It takes place in Spain during a wedding, which is just the perfect scenario for a summer TBR. And interestingly enough, this is Elena Armas’s debut novel, so it’s very very new and is not even offered at Barnes & Noble right now. So if you’re interested in reading it too, it’s being offered on Amazon and Kindle.

Excerpt from the GoodReads Summary: Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is go back home. But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. A world that inspires her, along with the ever-so-charming Ren…read it all here.

Why it’s on the TBR: This book is not new by any means, but I’ve been meaning to read it for quite some time. It’s been on my summer TBR for a while, but every time summer comes around I’m in the middle of reading something else, thus it gets pushed off. Not this year though. The idea of an adventurous romance in Italy pulled me in immediately. I also just loved Luca on Disney+ so much that I need something to give me the same Italian feeling.

Excerpt from the GoodReads Summary: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen and leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Read it all here!

Why it’s on the TBR: This series was insanely popular years ago, and still holds a high rating from past readers who now love the series, claiming they binged it in a week. The story and hype around the series was intriguing to me because this series’s popularity grew like wildfire during the time The Hunger Games became popular. But the fact that the series is being adapted into a Netflix film really pushed me to add it to my TBR….and because of this TikTok.