Summer officially kicks off this week on Friday, June 20, and you know what that means: humid days, mid-year travel, outdoor concerts, and for our literary folk, cracking open the latest read.
Since the start of June, some exciting new titles by Black authors have been released, and some really juicy ones are still to hit shelves as summer gets further underway. From exciting debuts to triumphant returns to sultry romances, murder mysteries, and even some emotional page-turners, new Black books have been ambitious this season.
So, whether you like reading sun-drenched pages poolside, at the beach, on the back porch, as you travel to your summer vacations, or tucked away in your favorite nook, we’ve rounded up nine different new and forthcoming titles worth adding to your list this summer!
“Family & Other Calamities” by Leslie Gray Streeter
Dawn Roberts, a journalist returns home to her native Baltimore in Leslie Gray Streeter’s “Family & Other Calamities,” her heart heavy with grief for her late husband, only to be thrust back into the same family drama, betrayal, and career arch rivals that made her stay away from Charm City for so long.
“Meet Me At The Crossroads” by Megan Giddings
One summer day, everything changes in Megan Giddings’ “Meet Me At The Crossroads,” when seven doors leading to a different dimension suddenly appear on Earth. What lies beyond for twin sisters Ayanna and Olivia appears to be paradise filled with resources and adventure, or so it seems at first.
“The Slip” by Lucas Schaefer
Considered one of the most anticipated books of 2025 by the New York Times, “The Slip,” by Lucas Schaefer, chronicles what happens after a teenage boxer goes missing one summer in Texas, and the web of characters who are forever impacted by the fateful events that follow.
“That’s How They Get You” edited by Damon Young
From an email thread debating if we need a modern Green Book but for public toilets to “Karens” becoming illegal overnight to a critic who finds community while pursuing “the dozens,” “That’s How They Get You” is one of summer’s hottest new anthologies. Edited and with an introduction by Damon Young, the critically acclaimed author of “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker,” the collection also features new work by some of Black America’s top literary talent including, Hanif Abdurraqib, Mahogany L. Browne, Wyatt Cenac, Kiese Laymon, Deesha Philyaw, Roy Wood Jr., Nicola Yoon and theGrio’s own, Panama Jackson.
“Plus Size Player” by Danielle Allen
In Danielle Allen’s new sultry summer romance “Plus Size Player,” Nina Ford is a woman who enjoys her variety when it comes to many things in life, including her career, hobbies, and her men. That is until she finds one career that satisfies her, and suddenly, one man who is more than meets the eye!
“A Murder House for Miss Hortense” by Mel Pennant
For those who are looking to sink their teeth into a page-turning murder mystery, Mel Pennant’s debut novel, “A Murder House for Miss Hortense,” chronicles the tale of a retired Jamaican nurse who is suddenly thrust into solving a murder mystery concerning curious elements of her past.
“The Tiny Things Are Heavier” by Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo
When a Nigerian woman arrives in the United States for graduate school in Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo’s “The Tiny Things Are Heavier,” she soon finds herself in a plot involving love, identity, connection, and the things we do to pursue and protect it all.
Out June, 24, 2025
“The Best Man: Unfinished Business” by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen
It’s clear there’s way more to the story of the beloved Black classic “The Best Man,” which has spawned two films and a television series. Now, a novel (yes, based on a movie franchise about a book), “The Best Man: Unfinished Business” by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen, due out next month, is one of summer’s most anticipated titles!
Out July 1, 2025
“All The Men I’ve Loved Again” by Christine Pride
In 1999, when Cora Belle was just starting college, she was focused on coming out of the shell imposed by growing up in a predominantly white suburb. However, as the description for Christine Pride’s debut solo novel “All The Men I’ve Loved Again,” states, Cora is less than ready for the love that bookends her college experience. But will she be more ready some 20 years later when she encounters them again in her 40s?
Out July 8, 2025
