July is a month of celebration, and we can’t wait for this month’s new releases. And honestly, this list is giving us everything from magical childhood games, Parisian love stories, high-stakes suspense, cozy fantasy on the high seas, and suspicious geese to second chances and one deliciously complicated con. 

Basically, July has arrived with a stack of books that rather suggests we should cancel any plans, grab that glass of wine, and declare that “research” now means reading just one more chapter! 

Whether you’re in the mood for romance, mystery, fantasy, historical drama, or something wonderfully hard to categorize, this month’s releases are definitely going to tip your TBR pile over.

As always, these are books that we are excited about and won’t necessarily appear in our monthly book boxes. 

 

The Mash Up by Laura Marie Meyers

Release Date: July 7th, 2026

It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love.

Ruby Wynne is a rule-follower whose well-planned life is completely thrown off course when a breakup on her thirty-fifth birthday ruins everything. After making an unexpected wish, she wakes up inside a M.A.S.H. game from seventh grade.

Suddenly, Ruby is living in a Technicolor mansion, driving a tie-dye Jeep, and running a roller-disco restaurant. The only problem? Her supposed “other half” is Penn Hayes, her brother’s annoying and annoyingly handsome best friend. Ruby’s escape plan is simple: win Penn’s heart and complete the game. Easy enough, except Penn has always been on her lifelong list of don’ts.

Meet Me in Paris by Kristin Harmel

Release Date: July 28th, 2026

Nine Americans. Seven intertwined love stories. One unforgettable week in Paris.

Meet Me in Paris brings together stories of love, loss, courage, and redemption in the City of Light. Julia Glover has brought her daughter Piper to Paris for the first time, knowing it will also be their last trip together. As Julia faces the end of her life, both mother and daughter find unexpected connections.

Alongside them, a former rock star returns to the city where his career began, a songwriter searches for the woman he loved during World War II, and a woman betrayed by her husband must decide what kind of future she truly wants. It sounds emotional, sweeping, and very likely to require tissues.

Getting Away With Murder by Shari Lapena

Release Date: July 28th, 2026

Jill and Ted adore their New York brownstone. Truly adore it. Every staircase, every carefully chosen detail, every glossy-magazine-worthy corner reflects who they are and the lifestyle they are desperate to protect.

But when Ted’s inheritance runs out and a bad investment puts everything at risk, panic sets in. Their solution? The death of one wealthy family member could solve all their problems. Together, they decide they will get away with murder.

Of course, that depends on there being no surprises. And on them trusting each other. Which already sounds like a recipe for the kind of trouble we absolutely want to read about.

Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

Release Date: July 28th, 2026

Sea of Charms brings cozy fantasy romance to the high seas in the third magical adventure in the Spellshop series.

Marin has always belonged on the sea. After the man she loved tried to ruin her parents’ business, she fled to the water and built a life as a supply runner, sailing between islands with goods, letters, stories, and the occasional enchanted statue.

Her crew includes Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub, which already sounds delightful. But when Marin rescues Dax, a composer fleeing a city in chaos, their arrangement turns into a pretend-boyfriend situation for the End-of-Harvest Festival. Naturally, feelings may not stay pretended for long.

Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler

Release Date: July 28th, 2026

There are book descriptions, and then there are book descriptions involving an illegal taxidermy goose.

Antique store owner Callahan Leitner has a contraband goose in his living room, and he needs to get rid of it before it ruins his career. Unfortunately, his plans are complicated by Annie O’Neill, who is filling in at her uncle’s antique store and quickly discovers the source of Cal’s very strange mood.

When the goose goes missing, Cal and Annie must work together to find the felonious fowl before it can be traced back to the store. Professional reputations are on the line, attraction is simmering, and honestly, we are already way too invested in this goose.

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren

Release Date: July 14th, 2026

In The Romance Revival, love gets one extraordinary do-over.

Three years ago, Emery Finch unexpectedly married Luca, the charming landscaper she met during one unforgettable night in Vegas. But now Emery is consumed by her top-secret job, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and assuming Luca will understand once her research comes to light.

Then tragedy strikes, and Emery refuses to lose him. She breaks every rule to bring Luca back, but there is one painful problem: he cannot remember her. Not their first kiss, not their beach days, not the life they built. For Emery, this miracle of science becomes one final chance to love him properly.

 

An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton

Release Date: July 7th, 2026

Set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race, An Infinite Love Story follows Vivian Mitchell after her astronaut husband Joe is lost in space.

It is 1968, and the world is watching Joe’s mission with excitement. Then his spacecraft loses contact, and he and the other astronauts onboard are feared dead. As the nation mourns, Vivian relives their love story and refuses to accept that this is the end.

When the investigation writes the disaster off as operator error, Vivian becomes determined to clear Joe’s name. Then messages begin arriving, messages she believes only Joe could send, making her wonder whether their love may be stronger than space and time.

Prince of Swords by Elise Kova

Release Date: July 21st, 2026

Welcome back to Arcana Academy, where tarot magic, forbidden desire, battle, and betrayal collide.

Clara Graysword is Oricalis’s most wanted, hunted, and cornered despite her mastery of tarot. When the mysterious Worldkeepers appear, they may offer a way to change her fate, if she can trust them.

But Clara is already caught in her most dangerous alliance: Prince Kaelis, the ruthless headmaster of Arcana Academy. Bound by destiny and desire, Clara and Kaelis uncover powerful tarot secrets and hidden truths that could destroy everything between them. Clara must risk her power, her beliefs, and her heart if she wants to change the world.

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

Release Date: July 21st, 2026

Roxie makes a playful wish to live inside the plot of her favourite author’s next novel. She expects romance, swoony moments, and the kind of safe, sweet storyline Anna Matthews is known for.

Instead, she finds herself on a fairytale first date with a dashing stranger who tries to kill her. Slight genre mix-up. It turns out Anna is writing a crime thriller this time.

Thrown into a perilous story she has never read, Roxie needs help fast. Enter Grant Hoffman, an anxious English professor who happens to love crime novels. Together, they must navigate a madcap world where fiction and reality blur and survive long enough to reach The End.

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold

Release Date: July 14th, 2026

One isolated cabin. One cheating boyfriend. One revenge plan that goes very, very wrong.

When Nora, Ruby, and Cham discover they have all been dating the same man, outrage quickly turns into a plot for payback. They lure him to a romantic getaway in a secluded cabin on a snow-covered mountain.

But their harmless revenge takes a chilling turn when he is found dead. Stranded and snowed in, the three women begin suspecting each other as hidden motives rise to the surface. Is one of them a killer, or is something else waiting in the freezing wilderness?

Vera Stein is Fine by Julie Murphy

Release Date: July 21st, 2026

Vera Stein thinks life and love have passed her by, but Starlight Palms may have other ideas.

At forty, Vera is abruptly houseless and jobless after years of caring for her mother and managing her movie-star boss’s ego. With nowhere else to go, she lands at her grandmother’s retirement facility outside Palm Springs, a midcentury Hollywood haven filled with forgotten scream queens, eccentric writers, and heartthrobs of the past.

There, Vera finds a new job as activities coordinator and reconnects with Elias Buckley, the on-site doctor, former college fling, and, for reasons best left in Vegas, legally her ex-husband. Suddenly, Vera’s detours may be leading toward a Hollywood ending after all.

The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Release Date: July 14th, 2026

The Intrigue is a sizzling noir about desire, danger, greed, and seduction as the ultimate con.

Ulises is a handsome con artist who charms lonely women through letters and steals their money. But in 1940s Mexico, money is hard to come by, and Ulises knows he needs a real fortune. He thinks he has found it in Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in Veracruz.

Then he meets Inés, Perla’s observant niece, who quickly discovers his true intentions and wants in on the scheme. The plan seems simple: convince Perla to marry Ulises, take her money, and disappear. But Perla has secrets, and Inés may be far more tempting than Ulises expected.

So Many Books, So Little Shelf Space

July is going to be fabulous; in other words, our TBR lists are in trouble again. We can’t wait to get started and would love to hear which ones you’re waiting for! And if you’re looking for more inspiration, make sure to check out our blog on What the OUABC Team is Reading. 

Of course, if you love your reading with a little extra magic, our Once Upon a Book Club subscriptions are always ready to bring stories to life with wrapped gifts you open as you read. Because sometimes the only thing better than discovering a brilliant new book is experiencing it with surprises waiting inside. 

Happy reading from all of us at Once Upon a Book Club!