I usually share an annual anticipated releases post & anticipated releases posts for YA and adult books each publishing season. I shared my most anticipated books for Spring 2021 YA and contemporary romance releases back in February, but there is such an amazing line-up of books from some of my favorite authors this month that I had to re-share some of my anticipated titles, as well as some new books that have popped up on my TBR over the past 2 months. I’m gearing up for summer reading & so many of these titles are on my library holds list already! 

Some of these books have just come out this week on May 4th (May the 4th be with you), so if you’re headed to the library or bookstore this weekend, definitely check them out. 

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Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter | Release Date: May 4 

I fortunately read a review copy of Better Than the Movies earlier this spring & it soon became one of my favorite YA books of the year! If you love classic movie rom-coms and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, this is the book for you, as the main character teams up with her enemy to score her dream prom date. Add it on Goodreads

It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark | RD: May 4 

Georgia Clark’s It Had to Be You has blown up across my bookstagram over the past few week, especially from my fave author & IG follow, Hannah Orenstein. This book has been described as the perfect read for Love Actually fans. The book follows wedding planner Liv, whose just lost her husband…only to soon discover that he has left half of their business to his girlfriend. Add it on Goodreads

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson | RD: May 4

A new book from one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. Morgan Matson comes out with a new book every 2-3 years, so I’m always even more eager to pick up her latest release. Take Me Home Tonight takes on an entirely new setting for her books, NYC, as best friends Kat and Stevie spend 24 hours in the city. Add it on Goodreads

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala | RD: May 4 

I slowly find myself wanting to pick up more & more mysteries, which includes Arsenic and Adobo. I especially love the culinary premise, as Lila is working to save her aunt’s restaurant and a nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex) drops dead in the restaurant, leaving Lila as the primary suspect. Add it on Goodreads 

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The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave | RD: May 4

I feel like everyone is already raving about Laura Dave’s domestic thriller, The Last Thing He Told Me. This mystery following Hannah’s investigation into her husband’s sudden disappearance is the Bad on Paper Podcast book club pick for May. Add it on Goodreads

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney | RD: May 4 

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry  follows Quinn, whose list of “Things I Would Never Admit Out Loud” gets anonymously posted on Instagram and she must team up with a guy named Carter to track down the blackmailer. Add it on Gooreads 

The Siren by Katharine St. John | RD: May 4

If you’re craving a binge-worthy beach read for MDW, The Siren just might be the one to go. The book follows two Hollywood exes working together on a movie on a Caribbean island, with a hurricane on the way. The book is told from the perspective of Stella, one of the actresses & exes, a producer, and Stella’s assistant, all who have different motives for working on the film. Add it on Goodreads 

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry | RD: May 11

The hype & early praise for Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation is eveywhere, including here of course!! I picked up the Book of the Month version of People We Meet on Vacation – I’m planning on reading it during a summery/warm weekend this month. Add it on Goodreads

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A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin | RD: May 11

I LOVED Laura Hankin’s Happy and You Know It, and I’m so intrigued by the synopsis of A Special Place For Women. The book follows an exclusive, women-only social club in NYC. Journalist Jillian breaks into the club to figure out what this club is really about, learning some dark secrets along the way. Add it on Goodreads 

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren | RD: May 18 

This is another book where you’ve (rightfully) likely heard so much about CLo’s latest release about a single mom & taking a chance on a DNA-matchmaking company. I’ve heard that the mother-dynamic relationship in this one is fantastic. Add it on Goodreads

The Hunting Wives by Mary Cobb | RD: May 18

More mysteries for May! When Sophie’s family moves to Texas, she soon finds herself befriending a socialite, Margot, and her elite clique, The Hunting Wives….and is then caught up in the midst of a murder investigation. Add it on Goodreads 

The Break-Up Book Club by Wendy Wax | RD: May 18 

The Break-Up Book Club gives me slight female Bromance Book Club vibes, as four women use book club to help each other navigate their lives. Add it on Goodreads

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Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey | RD: May 18 

Give me any book about people who loves book or feature bookstores & I’m there, including Kelsey Rodkey’s debut Last Chance Books. This YA contemporary follows two bookstore rivals and their (book) wars to compete for customers ( with some feelings along the way of course). Add it on Goodreads 

The Marvelous Mirza Girls by Sheba Karim | RD: May 18

The Marvelous Mirza Girls is another YA stand-out for this May. The book has a mother-daughter dynamic that screams Gilmore Girls, as Noreen and her mom take a gap-year trip to India, where Noreen attempts to find peace over the death of her aunt and finds a romance along the way. The humor and hard-hitting emotions in this book were perfectly balanced. Add it on Goodreads

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean | RD: May 25

Like books about books, I’m always up for a book with a The Princess Diaries-esque stories! High school senior Izumi Tanaka feels like she has never fit in her small California town, but soon finds herself whisked away to Japan when she discovers her father is the Crown Prince of Japan. Add it on Goodreads 

What books are you looking forward to this May? Are there any that I missed? Any that I should pick up ASAP? Share in the comments! 

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