This month the reading world is getting excited about a new Brandon Taylor release. The bestselling author and Book Prize finalist of Real Life has been a can’t-miss author for fans of literary fiction. In his most recent release, The Late Americans, Taylor focuses on four friends fumbling through the early days of adulthood. This Iowa City-set story explores themes of found family, sex and love in, yet another, unforgettable tale. If you’re already planning to devour this latest release, be sure to check out these additional titles that will hit your heart this summer.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

William Waters grew up in a family where his parents could hardly look at him, so when he goes to college and meets Julia Padavano, his whole world feels brighter. Julia and her three sisters, Cecelia, Sylvie and Emeline, are inseparable. Within their bond, Walter witnesses a love he hasn’t experienced before. But as darkness from William’s past creeps in, Julia’s plans and the sisters’ once unshakeable bond threatens to break, changing their lives forever. Will they be able to solidify their bond when it matters most?

Life and Other Love Songs by Anissa Gray

It’s a beautiful, warm October day on Ozro Armstead’s thirty-seventh birthday. His wife and daughter, Deborah and Trinity, are at home planning him a surprise celebration. Oz waves goodbye to his brother after they have lunch together, and heads back to the office. Except Ozro never makes it to the office, or the surprise party. In the days, months and years that follow, his family is left piecing together their lives, wondering if they ever really knew the man they loved. From 1970’s Detroit to 1990’s New York, we journey through the  secrets, the triumphs, and the losses that tear apart an American family.

Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb

Bern Hendricks is an expert on composer Frederick Delaney. When he is asked by the Delaney Foundation to authenticate what may be a lost opera, he and his partner Eboni find out that the truth is more complicated than it seems. It’s 1920 and Josephine Reed becomes acquainted with Fred Delaney, a struggling artist who became his silent partner, his career taking off. In the present day, Bern and Eboni are determined to rewrite history’s wrongs by finding out if Frederick had help composing his work.

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

It’s been five years since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since they graduated. Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig and Marielle are about to start a new decade, but they aren’t any closer to having their lives figured out. Reuniting in Big Sur over the years, the group has made a pact to throw each other “living funerals,” reminders that life is worth living and living to the fullest. But this time is different, and Jordan has a secret that will upend their pact for good.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Centering around the complicated relationships between Reese, her ex-girlfriend Amy, and  who has recently detransitioned to become Ames. After Ames unexpectedly impregnates his boss, Katrina, he reaches out to Reese and Amy to see if they would be interested in raising the child together. The novel tackles themes of motherhood, queer identity, and the complexities of relationships in a deeply empathetic and thought-provoking way.