Top new literary-fiction books in June 2023
Last updated:
June 30, 2023
June 2023 featuring new releases by Ruth Ware, Isabel Allende, Lisa See, Fiona Davis, Adrienne Brodeur, Ashley Audrain, Jo Piazza, Christine Pride, Sara Nisha Adams, Peace Adzo Medie, Paul Murray and many more.
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Zero Days by Ruth Ware
The New York Times bestselling “new Agatha Christie” (Air Mail) Ruth Ware returns with this adrenaline-fueled thriller that combines Mr. and Mrs. Smith with The Fugitive about a woman in a race against time to clear her name and find her husband’s murderer... -
![The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende]()
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
This powerful and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea weaves together past and present, tracing the ripple effects of war and immigration on one child in Europe in 1938 and another in the United States in 2019.Vienna, 1938. Samuel Adler was six years old when his father disappeared during Kristallnacht—the night their family lost everything...20th-century · adult · book · family · fiction · hispanic · historical · historical-fiction · latinx-mc · literary-fiction -
![Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See]()
Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
The latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China—perfect for fans of See’s classic Snowflower and the Secret Fan and The Island of Sea Women...adult · asian-mc · book · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · poc-author · poc-mc -
![The Spectacular by Fiona Davis]()
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis transports us back to 1950s Manhattan and the glamorous Radio City Music Hall. . . .New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion is over the moon to have been selected to be one of the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall’s glamorous precision-dancing troupe. It’s an honor to perform in the world’s most spectacular theater, an art deco masterpiece...adult · book · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · mystery · psychological -
![Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur]()
Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur
From the author of the bestselling memoir Wild Game comes a riveting novel about Cape Cod, complicated families, and long-buried secrets—for fans of the New York Times bestsellers The Paper Palace and Ask Again, Yes .Ken and Abby Gardner lost their mother when they were small and they have been haunted by her absence ever since...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · mental-illness · family · audiobook · season-summer · drama · friendship · book -
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![The Whispers by Ashley Audrain]()
The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
A propulsive page-turner about four families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens—and what is lost when we give in to our own worst impulsesOn Harlow Street, the well-to-do neighborhood couples and their children gather for a catered barbecue as the summer winds down; drinks continue late into the night...adult · book · contemporary · family · female-author · female-mc · fiction · friendship · literary-fiction · suspense -
![You Were Always Mine by Jo Piazza, Christine Pride]()
You Were Always Mine by Jo Piazza, Christine Pride
The acclaimed authors of the “emotional literary roller coaster” ( The Washington Post ) and Good Morning America book club pick We Are Not Like Them return with this moving and provocative novel about a Black woman who finds an abandoned white baby, sending her on a collision course with her past, her family, and a birth mother who doesn’t want to be found...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · audiobook · family · realistic · womens-fiction · racism · drama · poc-mc -
![The Shared Garden by Sara Nisha Adams]()
The Shared Garden by Sara Nisha Adams
Two warring London neighbors unite to resurrect a neglected city garden in this uplifting and quietly joyful novel by Sara Nisha Adams, author of the word-of-mouth hit The Reading List.Between the houses of Number 77 and Number 79 on Stoke Newington Green in London, there is a shared garden. It was a beautiful thing once, a little oasis in a bustling city...fiction · contemporary · historical-fiction · fantasy · literary-fiction · mystery · drama · audiobook · cozy · found-family -
![Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie]()
Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie
Peace Adzo Medie, author of Reese’s Book Club pick His Only Wife , returns with a moving novel about the unbreakable power of female friendship.When Selasi and Akorfa were young girls in Ghana, they were more than just cousins; they were inseparable. Selasi was exuberant and funny, Akorfa quiet and studious...fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · family · audiobook · poc-mc · coming-of-age · friendship · female-author · black-mc -
![The Bee Sting by Paul Murray]()
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
From the author of Skippy Dies comes Paul Murray's The Bee Sting, an irresistibly funny, wise, and thought-provoking tour de force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart.The Barnes family is in trouble...europe · british-isles · ireland · fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · family · audiobook · humor · book -
![The Lost Bookshop by Evie Gaughan, Evie Woods]()
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Gaughan, Evie Woods
On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books...romance · fantasy · fiction · historical-fiction · magical-realism · historical · mystery · season-autumn · audiobook · magic -
![Untitled #2 by Madeline Miller]()
Untitled #2 by Madeline Miller
In an Instagram post, Miller wrote, "Some news about my current novel-in-progress. I know I said I was working on the Tempest. Turns out the Tempest is going to have to wait. She grabbed me with both hands. #persephone...myths · fantasy · retellings · fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · historical · book · adult -
![The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni]()
The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni
Reality and imagination collide when an expert puzzle-maker is thrust into an ancient mystery—one with explosive consequences for the fate of humanity—in this fantastical thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of AngelologyAll the world is a puzzle, and Mike Brink—a celebrated and ingenious puzzle constructor—understands its patterns like no one else...mystery · fiction · horror · fantasy · sci-fi · suspense · audiobook · supernatural · crime · literary-fiction -
![The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart]()
The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart
When an Instagram-famous teenager mysteriously disappears, her mother grapples with the revelation of dark secrets in this twisty, atmospheric thriller—from the author of Everything We Didn’t Say.Mother and daughter Charlie and Eva never sought social media fame, but when a stunning photo of Eva went viral, fame found them...fiction · suspense · contemporary · audiobook · family · thriller · psychological · coming-of-age · parenthood · season-summer -
![Open Throat by Henry Hoke]()
Open Throat by Henry Hoke
A lonely, lovable, queer mountain lion narrates this star-making fever dream of a novel. A queer and dangerously hungry mountain lion lives in the drought-devastated land under the Hollywood sign...north-america · usa · california · urban · fiction · lgbtq · fantasy · literary-fiction · contemporary · animals -
![Mrs. S by K. Patrick]()
Mrs. S by K. Patrick
A BEST BOOK OF SUMMER 2023A JULY 2023 INDIE NEXT PICK A sublime and sensual debut novel exploring the nature of queer love and attraction, the transformative power of desire, and the dissonance between self and place, by White Review Fiction Prize shortlisted writer K Patrick In an elite English boarding school where the girls kiss the marble statue of the famous dead author who used to walk the...romance · fiction · lgbtq · wlw · literary-fiction · contemporary · dark-academia · lesbian-mc · audiobook · season-summer -
![Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III]()
Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III
Tom Lowe’s identity and his pride are invested in the work he does with his back and his hands. He designed and built his family’s dream home, working extra hours to pay off the adjustable rate mortgage he took on the property, convinced he is making every sacrifice for the happiness of his wife and son. Until, in a moment of fatigued inattention, shingling a roof in too-bright sunlight, he falls...fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · disability · drama · realistic · audiobook · male-author · friendship · mental-illness -
![Charm City Rocks: A Love Story by Matthew Norman]()
Charm City Rocks: A Love Story by Matthew Norman
When a single dad meets the former rock star crush of his youth, everything they thought they knew about happiness and love is thrown into chaos in this hopeful, heartwarming romantic comedyBilly Perkins is happy. No, for real. It’s kind of his thing, actually... -
![The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery]()
The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery
Three women search for joy in #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s new novel of hope, heartache, and the power of friendship. Heather is happy . . . ish. She has a successful business, a cute but contemptuous cat, and best friends Daphne and Tori who know where she’s broken and love her anyway...adult · audiobook · book · contemporary · family · fiction · friendship · literary-fiction · womens-fiction · romance -
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![Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style by Paul Rudnick]()
Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style by Paul Rudnick
From the acclaimed writer Paul Rudnick, a riotously funny, perceptive, and life-affirming novel following the decades-long, rule-breaking romance between the son of one of American’s wealthiest families and a middle-class aspiring author.Devastatingly handsome and insanely rich, Farrell Covington is capable of anything and impossible to resist...romance · fiction · lgbtq · historical-fiction · contemporary · humor · audiobook · literary-fiction · realistic · mlm -
![The Glow by Jessie Gaynor]()
The Glow by Jessie Gaynor
A desperate young publicist tries to save her career by turning the charismatic leader of a grungy retreat center into the hot new self-care brand in this “wildly funny, laser-eyed” (Michael Cunningham) debut novel.“A satire both cutting and careful in its approach, The Glow is a triumph...fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · womens-fiction · horror · audiobook · humor · satire · feminism · cults -
![Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer]()
Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer
A young woman trapped in a deeply dysfunctional family in the seedy wilds of 1990s South Florida has to make a choice—save her family, or save herself—in this larger-than-life debut novel from the acclaimed author of Lay the Favorite.“Florida, we got it all. Motorsports, ribs, beer. You can drive on the sand right on up to the ocean. Fireworks every night... -
![The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring]()
The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring
From debut author Shannon Bowring comes a novel of small town America that Pulitzer-winner Richard Russo calls, "measured, wise, and beautiful."It's 1990. In Dalton, Maine, life goes on. Rose goes to work at the diner every day, her bruises hidden from both the customers and her two young boys. At a table she waits, Dr...fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · family · lgbtq · historical-fiction · audiobook · mental-illness · grief · small-town -
![You Can't Stay Here Forever by Katherine Lin]()
You Can't Stay Here Forever by Katherine Lin
Desperate to obliterate her past, a young widow flees California for the French Riviera in this compelling debut, a tale of loss, rebirth, modern friendship, and romance that blends Sally Rooney’s wryness and psychological insight with Emma Straub's gorgeous scene-setting and rich relationships...fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · audiobook · drama · friendship · poc-author · season-summer · mystery · secrets -
![Be Mine by Richard Ford]()
Be Mine by Richard Ford
From Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford: the final novel in the world of Frank Bascombe, one of the most indelible characters in American literatureOver the course of four celebrated works of fiction and almost forty years, Richard Ford has crafted an ambitious, incisive, and singular view of American life as lived... -
![Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews]()
Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews
A chance meeting between the sheltered daughter and the forward-thinking son of rival Victorian families sparks a forbidden romance in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews's fourth book in her acclaimed Somerset Stories series.Shy and stammering Meg Burton-Smythe has spent the whole of her life living on the fringes of local society... -
![Unscripted With Mila by Melanie Moreland]()
Unscripted With Mila by Melanie Moreland
From NYT bestselling author Melanie Moreland comes a story of finding love, acceptance and happiness when you least expect it. Mila Morrison prefers the silent company of her keyboard to that of people. She lives vicariously through the characters she creates.Nicholas Scott only feels comfortable when he’s playing the role of someone else. He would rather be anyone but himself...romance · contemporary · family · disability · humor · mental-illness · friends-to-lovers · workplace · forced-proximity · insta-love -
![The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue]()
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue
Where would I start, and how would it even make sense? How could you understand the year in Shandon Street unless you were there, with us, living it?Rachel Murray is twenty-one years old, platonically infatuated with her housemate James, and less-than-platonically infatuated with her enigmatic, married English professor Dr Byrne... -
![Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine]()
Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine
A novel set in 18th-century Venice at a prestigious music school, about two girls drawn together by a dangerous wagerVenice, 1717. Fifteen-year-old Luisa has only wanted one thing: to be the best at violin. As a student at the Ospedale della Pietà, she hopes to join the highest ranks of its illustrious girls’ orchestra and become a protégé of the great Antonio Vivaldi...historical-fiction · gothic · fiction · historical · fantasy · lgbtq · dark-academia · wlw · horror · literary-fiction -
![The Pocket Pair by Emma St. Clair]()
The Pocket Pair by Emma St. Clair
Chevy has been my impossible crush almost as long as his sister has been my best friend. But I'm done waiting around for him to see me as more.It's time to take the biggest risk of my life ... and maybe lose it all...romance · contemporary · fiction · satire · female-mc · humor · comedy · family · epic · literary-fiction -
![My Murder by Katie Williams]()
My Murder by Katie Williams
What if the murder you had to solve was your own?Lou is a happily married mother of an adorable toddler. She's also the victim of a local serial killer. Recently brought back to life and returned to her grieving family by a government project, she is grateful for this second chance...mystery · fiction · sci-fi · suspense · murder · contemporary · crime · dystopia · literary-fiction · magical-realism -
![And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu]()
And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
The inaugural title from Roxane Gay Books, And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a searingly honest and resonant debut from a 23-year-old Nigerian writer and queer liberation activist, exploring what love and freedom cost in a society steeped in homophobia.August is a God-fearing track star who leaves Enugu City to attend university and escape his overbearing sisters...romance · lgbtq · fiction · contemporary · literary-fiction · coming-of-age · audiobook · poc-mc · journey · poc-author -
![The Apartment by Ana Menéndez]()
The Apartment by Ana Menéndez
Bristling with compassion, desire, and a longing to connect, The Apartment is a portrait of the complex and at times troubled inhabitants of a single unit in a South Miami Beach building—an excavation of the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt our lives and a celebration of the communities that shine brightest in our darkest momentAn art-deco sentinel, The Helena apartment building has...north-america · usa · florida · urban · fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · historical · fantasy · audiobook -
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![Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan]()
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan
When we look beyond the headlines, everyone has a story to tellIt's 1990 in London and Tom Hargreaves has it all: a burgeoning career as a reporter, fierce ambition and a brisk disregard for the "peasants" - ordinary people, his readers, easy tabloid fodder... -
![Reproduction by Louisa Hall]()
Reproduction by Louisa Hall
A lucid, genre-defying novel that explores the surreality of pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood in a country in crisisA novelist attempts to write a book about Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, a mother and artist whose harrowing pregnancies reveal the cost of human reproduction...fiction · contemporary · feminism · literary-fiction · classics · retellings · dark · family · friendship · female-mc -
![Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis]()
Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis
Amber Kivinen is moving to Mars. Or at least, she will be if she wins a chance to join MarsNow. She and twenty-three reality TV contestants from around the world—including a hunky Israeli soldier, an endearing fellow Canadian, and an assortment of science nerds and wannabe influencers—are competing for two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars, sponsored by billionaire Geoff Task...romance · sci-fi · fiction · fantasy · literary-fiction · contemporary · satire · dystopia · space · drama -
![Okay Days by Jenny Mustard]()
Okay Days by Jenny Mustard
‘Utterly immersive ... reminiscent of Sally Rooney and is a complex and joyous ode to being in love, messing up and finding your way’ – Stylist‘A perfect Millennial love story … with its acidic dialogue and languid sex scenes, I wouldn't be surprised to see it adapted for the screen...romance · contemporary · fiction · literary-fiction · mental-illness · audiobook · season-summer · female-author · book · adult -
![At the Edge of the Woods by Kathryn Bromwich]()
At the Edge of the Woods by Kathryn Bromwich
With assurance and remarkable dexterity, Kathryn Bromwich’s masterful debut novel is a rich, gorgeously descriptive account of a woman hiding from old ghosts and new in the Italian Alps, while rekindling her own sense of self through nature.Laura lives alone in a cabin deep within the forest, making her living translating medical documents and tutoring the children of affluent locals...fiction · contemporary · audiobook · literary-fiction · outdoors · mystery · season-summer · myths · family · gothic -
![Notre-Dame de Paris - Vol 1 by Victor Hugo]()
Notre-Dame de Paris - Vol 1 by Victor Hugo
Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) - Vol 1 (of 3) [French English Bilingual Edition]by Victor HugoVictor Hugo is an eminent 19th century French novelist (and poet). Les Miserables is considered one of the most influential works of literature in the 19th century...classics · fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · audiobook · dark · book · literary · adult -
![Where Broken Wings Fly by J. Rose]()
Where Broken Wings Fly by J. Rose
From international bestselling author J Rose comes an angsty, small town reverse harem romance full of spice, second chances, found family and sizzling hot mountain men.I’m on the run.Desperate and afraid.After breaking free from the gilded cage of my abusive marriage, I have nothing to my name but a letter from a long-lost relative.Come home, Willow.Your family is waiting for you...romance · reverse-harem · contemporary · dark · abuse · mental-illness · suspense · small-town · found-family · steamy
