Character-Driven Novels Worth Reading This Summer

My current choices pick up from where my previous ones left off, with a focus on female friendship, family, and romance. Food and vacations feature prominently.

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison (April 28, 2026) From the publisher: “An unputdownable novel of loves lost and found, shocking secrets — and the power of female friendship.”

Clutch by Emily Nevens (February 3, 2026) From the publisher: “Five friends, twenty years, one reunion trip.”

Missed Connections by Aimie K. Runyan (May 26, 2026) From the publisher: “What if you had the chance to revisit every choice that mattered?”

Whistler by Ann Patchett (June 2, 2026) From the publisher: “The acclaimed, prize-winning #1 New York Times bestselling writer returns with a moving, luminous novel that reminds us of the sweetness and impermanence of life and the power of connection to defy time.”

Happier Here With You by Amy Gail Hansen (July 1, 2026) From the publisher: “A widowed mother finds the recipe for happiness when she visits a long-lost relative in a heart-lifting novel about family, food, and second chances.”

Main Characters by Bobby Palmer (June 30, 2026) From the publisher: “For readers of David Nicholls and Sally Rooney comes a new love story that’s at once tender and electrifying — told by everyone but the main characters.”