June 2025 Book Releases:
Your Ultimate Guide For The Final Week’s Must-Reads
23rd June – 30th June: The final week of June features some exciting new stories as part of the 2025 book releases.
This Week’s June 2025 Book Releases
Discover my top 12 picks for the final week’s exciting new book releases! In this line-up, I’ll share the captivating synopses and discuss which books will resonate with each reader. Kicking off the fantasy genre, we have a modern dark romance twist on Snow White. Secondly, we have a sweeping romantic fantasy about a dangerous deal bond and a marriage of convenience. Finally, we have an enthralling slow-burn sapphic retelling of Swan Lake.
For readers who prefer their fiction grounded in reality, we have two new additions: an astonishing new novel about the joys and entanglements of a fierce group of teenage mothers and, secondly, a profoundly moving family dramedy that examines memory, sisterhood, and family ties.
As for the romance genre and fans of spicy romance books, three new additions will catch your interest: an irresistible rom-com about what happens when a cruise ship romance goes overboard, Secondly, a contemporary romance about two estranged best friends who find a long-abandoned treasure hunt, and lastly, a fun and flirty rom-com about a pact between friends that goes awry when one of them unexpectedly announces they’re getting married.
Last but not least, this week is ideal for any mystery and thriller fans as we have not three but four new additions to wrap up the final week’s 2025 book releases, starting with a clever and subversive novel about a young woman who must find her missing husband and prove her innocence, secondly, a laugh-out-loud murder mystery about three women, all dating the same man, band together to get revenge, thirdly, a twisty new psychological thriller about a marriage on the rocks, a missing friend, an investigative journalist, and a tangle of shocking lies, and lastly, a kaleidoscopic thriller about three women connected by one man.
Genre – Fantasy Romance Books
Title: One Dark Kiss
Series: Grimm Bargains (2)
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 384
New York Times bestselling author of the crime thriller You Can Run returns with her modern dark romance twist on Snow White and the second instalment in the captivating new Grimm Bargains series. It is an ideal read for fans of twists, red herrings, unique world-building, and exploring themes of trust, safety, found family, and control.
The book’s synopsis;
Mirror, Mirror . . . Innocence or Sin. The reflection holds a darker truth.
ALEXEI
I’ve spent the last seven years in the hell of a maximum-security prison, every moment consumed by the need for revenge—revenge against the bastards who framed me, and revenge against the family who stole everything I owned. Now that I’m finally free, nothing will stand in my way. Not even her, my hot-as-sin new lawyer. Maybe she’s another weapon sent by my enemies to break me, or maybe she’s the key to my freedom. Either way, once she’s mine, I’m never letting her go.
ROSALIE
When I took this case, I thought I had it under control. But Alexei is no typical convicted killer—he’s a dangerously seductive force of nature. Perhaps it’s the lingering power from his days as heir to a global social media empire. Innocent or not, he’s dangerous in the worst and best ways.
I secure Alexei’s release as we prepare for a new trial, but he wastes no time turning against his traitorous relatives and plotting his return to power. Amidst the chaos, our explosive chemistry ignites, putting us—and everyone I care about—in the crosshairs of ruthless enemies. If we can’t stop them, Alexei plans to burn the whole world down. And if anything, he’s a man of his word . . . . . . .
Title: Embrace the Serpent
Author: Sunya Mara
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 352
From the author of The Darkening series comes a compelling new romantic fantasy where a dangerous deal binds a young jeweller’s apprentice to the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience, thrusting her into a deadly game between the cunning, fearsome ruler and his rebellious huntsman. Perfect for fans of The Wrath & the Dawn, Once Upon a Broken Heart, and folklore-inspired romantic fantasies with unique magic systems.
The book’s synopsis;
The Serpent King has come to find his bride, and with his arrival, festivities sweep through the city. Inside and outside the Rose Palace await women from across the six kingdoms, determined to become his new bride-to-be, all except for eighteen-year-old Saphira.
After escaping life as a palace ward under the cruel djinn Lady Incarnadine, Saphira now works as the apprentice to the unscrupulous jewelsmith Galen. Out of fear of being discovered, she hides her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones and lets Galen take credit for her craft.
But when Galen makes a boast that ruffles the court, Lady Incarnadine punishes him with an impossible task—one that threatens to drag Saphira back into Incarnadine’s grasp. Desperate to avoid this fate, Saphira strikes a dangerous deal with Rane, the enigmatic huntsman sent by the Serpent King to find the best jewelsmith in the empire.
Rane promises that if Saphira crafts a mysterious piece for his master, the Serpent King will grant her a new identity and freedom. But when their plans go awry and the only way out is to marry the Serpent King, Saphira becomes entangled in the dangerous affairs of kingdoms and empires—caught between the cunning, handsome Rane and her cold, serpentine husband.
Title: A Treachery of Swans
Author: A.B. Poranek
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 352
From the author of Where the Dark Stands Still comes an enthralling slow-burn sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, featuring a witty, trickster villainess, and plenty of drama. Perfect for fans of Allison Saft, V.E Schwab, atmospheric writing, intriguing mysteries, and intricate magic systems.
The book’s synopsis;
Magic has long been outlawed in Auréal. Odile has always known she’d be the one to restore it.
Raised by a sorcerer, Odile has spent years preparing for the heist of a lifetime. It’s perfectly simple. Impersonate a princess, infiltrate the palace, steal the king’s enchanted crown and restore magic to the kingdom.
But when the King is unexpectedly murdered, she’s forced to recruit the help of Marie d’Odette, the real princess, and the two begin to unravel a web of lies and deceit that leaves Odile uncertain of whom to trust.
Soon, though, Odile must decide – her mission or the girl she’s falling for?
The fate of the Kingdom depends on her making the right choice. . .
Genre – Fiction Books
Title: The Girls Who Grew Big
Author: Leila Mottley
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 352
From the author of Oprah’s Book Club pick and New York Times bestseller Nightcrawler comes her astonishing new novel about the joys and entanglements of a fierce group of teenage mothers in a small town in the Florida panhandle. It is an ideal read for fans of friendships, secrets, betrayals, and unique perspectives on the lives of young women.
The book’s synopsis;
Adela Woods is sixteen years old and pregnant. Her parents banish her from her comfortable upbringing in Indiana to her grandmother’s home in the small town of Padua Beach, Florida. When she arrives, Adela meets Emory, who brings her newborn to high school, determined to graduate despite the odds; Simone, mother of four-year-old twins, weighs her options when she finds herself pregnant again; and the rest of the Girls, a group of outcast young moms who raise their growing brood in the back of Simone’s red truck.
The town thinks the Girls have lost their way, but really, they are finding it: looking for love, making and breaking friendships, and navigating the miracle of motherhood and the paradox of girlhood.
Title: The Accidental Favorite
Author: Fran Littlewood
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 320
From the New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace Adams comes a wryly resonant and deeply moving family dramedy that investigates the question so many of us have asked ourselves: Do my parents have a favourite? It is the perfect read for fans who enjoy stories that examine the themes of memory, sisterhood, and family ties.
The book’s synopsis;
Vivienne and Patrick Fisher have done an excellent job raising their three daughters, Alex, Nancy, and Eva. They’re well-adjusted women with impressive careers, caring partners, exciting hobbies, and sweet children. So it’s with great anticipation that three generations of Fishers gather at a beautiful glasshouse in the English countryside for a weeklong celebration of Vivienne’s seventieth birthday. But when Patrick’s reaction to a freak accident on the first day of the trip inadvertently reveals that he has a favourite daughter, no one is prepared for the shockwaves it sends through the family.
Decades-old unresolved sibling rivalries are suddenly unmasked. And be it newly uncovered smoking habits, ancient crushes, or private doubts about life decisions both big and small, no one’s secrets are safe. Still-tender wounds are reopened in front of an audience of friends, husbands, grandchildren, and even coworkers, and as the family’s past is rewritten, they find themselves suddenly unmoored.
Genre – Romance Books
Title: Total Dreamboat
Author: Katelyn Doyle
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 336
From the beloved author of Just Some Stupid Love Story comes an irresistible rom-com about what happens when a cruise ship romance goes…overboard. It is an ideal read for fans of cruise ship settings, with relatable characters and the perfect blend of humour and heart.
The book’s synopsis;
Hope Lanover needs a vacation. Her relationship has imploded, her creative ambitions have flatlined, and she can’t seem to locate the badass girl she used to be. So when her best friend—a lifestyle influencer looking for a rich husband—invites her along a luxury cruise, Hope goes along with it…despite hating cruises, and having no interest in a fling with their elderly clientele.
Felix Segrave can’t imagine anything worse than a cruise. Sober, determinedly single and a workaholic chef, he hates leaving his restaurant and routine. But when his parents surprise him and his sisters with tickets to celebrate their anniversary, he can’t say no—he’s disappointed them too many times in his troubled past.
Hope and Felix are prepared to grin and bear it—until they lock eyes at check-in. Suddenly, a ten-day fling in the Caribbean with a sexy stranger doesn’t seem so bad, despite all the ballroom dancing lessons and cheesy karaoke nights. That is, until Hope’s romantic demons catch up to her, Felix learns that the woman he’s falling for has not been entirely honest with him, and they find themselves stranded together—and at each other’s throats—in paradise. Forced to work together, not to mention share a bed, they must either navigate the stormy seas of love or face romantic shipwreck.
Title: Finders Keepers
Author: Sarah Adler
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 400
From USA Today bestselling author Sarah Adler comes her latest contemporary romance about two estranged best friends who find a long-abandoned treasure hunt that might be the key to a fresh start for both their futures and their feelings. It is a perfect read for fans of second-chance romances, historic small-town settings, and the theme of self-discovery.
The book’s synopsis;
Last week, Nina Hunnicutt was a professor about to move into a gorgeous new apartment with her long-term boyfriend. Now, she’s single, unemployed, and living with her parents. Even more surprising is the fact that Quentin Bell, her childhood neighbour (and okay, fine, crush), is also back in town—and wants to resume the treasure hunt that ended their friendship almost two decades ago.
Hoping the reward promised to whoever finds the rumoured riches left behind by the town’s eccentric turn-of-the-century seltzer magnate will help her get her life back on track, Nina agrees. Granted, last time the search resulted in a broken heart and seventeen years of silence. But Nina’s older and wiser now—surely things will be different.
Except Quentin is also older and wiser…not to mention distractingly handsome. As they resume their hunt, Nina and Quentin begin to rediscover all the things they once loved best about each other. But unlike the treasure, the secrets that left them empty-handed the first time refuse to stay buried. If there’s any hope of finding what they’re looking for—and for a future together—Nina and Quentin will have to be brave enough to excavate their past as well.
Title: When Javi Dumped Mari
Author: Mia Sosa
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 448
The USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man is back with a fun and flirty rom-com about a pact between friends that goes awry when one of them unexpectedly announces they’re getting married. It is an ideal read for fans of slow-burn romances, as well as those who enjoy stories that span both past and present timelines and wedding drama.
The book’s synopsis;
On the eve of their college graduation, best friends Javier Báez and Marisol Campos swore never to date someone the other doesn’t approve of. Now, ten years later, Javi has a problem. Mari, the woman he’s secretly pined for since sophomore year, is planning to marry, and Javi didn’t even get the chance to vet the Pedro Pascal knockoff.
Mari, a successful entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, is no longer seeking Javi’s dating advice or waiting for him to declare his love for her. Instead, she’s made a different pact with herself. And to succeed, she’ll need to build a future with someone else.
With his life and theatre career finally on track, Javi’s ready to confess his feelings. Except Mari’s changed the script and moved on without him. Which means he has eight weeks to convince her this marriage is a flop. And if Javi has to ruffle some feathers to help Mari avert a disaster, well, he’s up for the challenge. After all, isn’t that what best friends are for?
Genre – Thriller and Mystery Books
Title: Happy Wife
Author: Meredith Lavender & Kendall Shores
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 320
From debut duo authors comes a clever and subversive novel about a young woman who must find her missing husband and prove her innocence, set in an ultrawealthy Florida community where looks can be deadly. It is a perfect read for fans of stories that explore marriage, wealth, and the secrets that lurk behind closed doors.
The book’s synopsis;
Nora Davies doesn’t exactly fit into Winter Park, Florida, where old-guard Floridians mix with the tax-fleeing coastal elite. Twenty-eight and barely making ends meet working at a country club, Nora feels like she’s going nowhere fast. Enter Will, a prominent forty-six-year-old lawyer, father to a teenage daughter, and recently divorced. The two set Winter Park’s social scene agog when they fall in love and marry after a whirlwind, Cinderella-style courtship.
But Winter Park is fully upended when Will disappears the morning after a birthday bash Nora throws for him. Going back and forth between Nora and Will’s romance and the search in the wake of Will’s mysterious disappearance, Nora must answer the question from all. Where. Is. Will?
Title: The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
Author: Gloria Chao
Publisher: MIRA
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 320
From the award-winning author of Ex Marks the Spot comes her latest laugh-out-loud murder mystery, filled with humour and shenanigans. Three women, all dating the same man, band together to get revenge. But when they discover his body, they’ll need to solve his murder before they go down for it. It is perfect for fans of Dial A for Aunties, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, John Tucker Must Die, unlikely friendships and morally grey characters.
The book’s synopsis;
The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them through… But then they found him. Dead.
Do they look guilty? Yes.
Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.
But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.
To clear their names, Kat, Olivia and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realise that every person in their ex’s life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn’t commit?
Title: Whispers of the Lake
Author: Shanora Williams
Publisher: Dafina
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 272
From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wife Before comes her twisty new psychological thriller. A marriage on the rocks, a missing friend, an investigative journalist, a tangle of shocking lies, and a peaceful North Carolina lakefront cottage converge. Perfect for readers of Liv Constantine, Tarryn Fisher, Kellye Garrett, Caroline Kepnes, red herrings, jaw-dropping twists, and flawed and complicated characters.
The book’s synopsis;
At the peak of her career, investigative reporter Rose Howard is exhausted from trying to manage her seemingly perfect life. With her marriage to her one true love collapsing, she desperately needs to rest, regroup, and decide which way to go next. The direction becomes clear when she discovers that her former best friend, Eve Castillo, isn’t responding to attempts to contact her at the North Carolina cottage where she’s vacationing. Rose knows Eve can be flaky and irresponsible—that’s why they fell out. Still, Rose heads to the tranquil small town of Sage Hill . . .
Rose soon discovers that Eve has vanished without her purse and passport, despite having booked a trip abroad. The personable cabin owners’ accounts of Eve’s stay just don’t add up… and most of the town’s initially hospitable inhabitants are becoming increasingly less helpful…
Rose’s instincts tell her the solution lies somewhere in Eve’s—and Sage Hill’s—past. To get answers, she’ll have to ask inconvenient questions, rattle long-buried skeletons… and face vicious attempts on her life. But some truths are best left alone. And secrets Rose never saw coming could easily sink her and her future without a trace . . .
Title: Don’t Let Him In
Author: Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 24th of June, 2025
Pages: 368
From the New York Times bestselling author of None of This Is True comes her latest kaleidoscopic thriller, about three women connected by one man. It is an ideal read for fans of detestable villains, intertwining storylines, jaw-dropping revelations, and heart-throbbing intensity.
The book’s synopsis;
He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.
Nina Swann is intrigued when she receives a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…
Martha is a florist living in a neighbouring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been travelling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.
Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.
Conclusion
The final week of June features twelve exciting new book releases that explore unique world-building and magic systems, atmospheric writing, folklore-inspired romantic fantasies, red herrings, trickster villainesses, and themes of trust, safety, and found family within the fantasy romance genre.
For the fiction genre, we have themes of friendships, secrets, betrayals, memories, sisterhood, and unique perspectives on the lives of young women and exploring family ties. For the romance genre, we have cruise ship settings, relatable characters, second-chance and slow-burn romances, historic small-town settings, past and present timelines, wedding drama, and exploring the theme of self-discovery.
Lastly, we have the thriller and mystery genre, which includes morally grey characters, detestable villains, intertwining storylines, unlikely friendships, jaw-dropping revelations, heart-throbbing intensity, red herrings, and the secrets that lurk behind closed doors, involving themes of marriage, wealth, and the complexities of human nature.
Stay tuned, as I will post my following article next week about the latest 2025 book releases for the first week of July’s monthly line-up. Additionally, if you’re interested in more book-related articles, check out my book section page for reviews, recommendations, details and discussions.
