Most Anticipated Book Releases of May 2023
Rom-Coms and feel good read top the list for May.
April is always one of the busiest, craziest months for me. I tend to work 12-14 hour days, and then don’t have a lot of time to relax and read, let alone write! It’s now thankfully May, and things are finally beginning to calm down a little. Means that I’m going to have to get to my backlog of books and book reviews!
However, all I’m really doing is adding more books to my TBR! There are quite a few intriguing books being released this month. Many from genres that I don’t typically gravitate to, but still have piqued my interest. And, as we are getting ready to enter into the summer reading months, I’m eager to find some fun summer reading books.
I’ve once again identified my top ten list, but clearly there are way more than 10 interesting books, so make sure you check out my honorable mention list at the end. Let me know if I’m missing anything or if any of these are also in your top ten!
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister (May 2)
I don’t read enough books about books, so I’m always drawn to them when I see them. You always hear that the best stories from real life and strong emotions. Here is a story where Alice wants to be a writer and when she experiences a devastating event, she transfers that into a powerful debut book which finds its way into the hands of nine people who need to hear the story at that moment in their lives. Fiction impacts us all in different ways. When we read a book, we may see it one way, but if we read it at a different stage of our lives it hits differently. It’s why I LOVE reading fiction. I really want to read this one and see how the book within the book changes these characters. From Amazon: One book. Nine readers. Ten changed lives. New York Times bestselling author Erica Bauermeister’s No Two Persons is “a gloriously original celebration of fiction, and the ways it deepens our lives.”
Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron (May 2)
I was fortunate enough to read this one as an Advanced Readers Copy a couple months ago, and all I have to say is that I LOVED it. It was fun and different and just what I wanted in a rom-cm. I am not a huge romance reader because I get bored with the same ole, same ole. This one is just so fun. I think part of that comes from the setting - a destination wedding in Tanzania. Like come on. It’s amazing! The details and descriptions were like guided imagery to a land I’ve never been, while still being full of wit and banter. I am also a big fan of second chance love. If you are even remotely into rom-coms, this is a must for your TBR. From Amazon: “A delightful rom-com of one woman trying to shed her perfect image at a destination wedding with hilarious—and moving—results.” (Click here to read my review)
Adrift by Lisa Brideau (May 9th)
I don’t know what would be worse than waking up alone on a sailboat in the middle of the ocean with no memory and just a note of warning. As Ess travels hundreds of miles away, she tries to piece together who she was and why she felt the need to erase that person and ultimately who she is now. I just think it sounds amazing. From Amazon: “A galvanizing riddle that is just as unmooring as it seems, this sharp character-driven odyssey explores a future challenged by our quickly changing world and the choices we must make to save what matters most.”
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint (May 9)
A princess born and left to die only to be raised by a mother bear with the eyes of Artemis always watching is about to go toe to toe with the Argonauts. Atlanta grew up wild and loves her home in the forest, but as post teenagers, she wants more. She holds her own against the fighters as they seek the Golden Fleece, but a secret affair makes her question everything. Mythology always fascinates me. I love Jason and the Argonauts, and I’m sure a huge structural element of this book will be the journey. I’m intrigued by the story, but it probably isn’t necessarily at the top of my list. From Amazon: “A reimagining of the myth of Atalanta, a fierce huntress raised by bears and the only woman in the world’s most famous band of heroes, the Argonauts.”
Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay (May 16)
A couple things pull me to this book. First is the setting - Martha’s Vineyard. This was the location of my honeymoon. While it’s beautiful; it’s not fun at all when nothing opens until Memorial Day. (Spoken from Personal experience). Second, is the opposites of the characters - a book lover and an anti-book reader. Bennett, the book lover, is on a mission to find his father with nothing else in mind when he takes on the interim director position at the library. Samantha, a chef, is tasked with supervising her super smart brother, Tyler, as he spends his summer at the library in a robotics competition. Sam hates libraries and doesn’t like reading, so naturally the attraction is immediate. A Summer Reading Beach Read if I ever saw one! From Amazon: “When a woman who’d rather do anything than read meets a swoon-worthy bookworm, sparks fly, making for one hot-summer fling.”
The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes (May 16)
No better time to run home than after getting fired from your dream job and breaking up with your boyfriend, and that is exactly what Harlow Estrada does. Leaving New York, she finds herself back in Mexico at her family home. What’s special about her family? Their magic of course! I get a bunch of Encanto vibes from this as Harlow begins to worry that she is magicless. This just feels like a sweet read about family and love and self discovery. From Amazon: “With unforeseen twists, romance, and a heavy sprinkle of magic, The Enchanted Hacienda is a captivating coming-of-age debut exploring identity, unconditional family love, and uncovering the magic within us all.”
True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (May 16)
A romance author who has never been in love, poor Fizzy Chen doesn’t really know what to do now that she has to give a commencement address and has no real experience with anything she writes. A chance encounter with a filmmaker desperate to land his leading star in a new romance reality show could be just what Fizzy has been waiting for. So, basically we have a Bachelorette-esce reality show in a book. I’m a sucker for reality TV book premises, and I enjoyed In a Holidaze. I’m willing to give this little rom-com a chance. I just have to space it out with the others that have made my list! From Amazon: “Sparks fly when a romance novelist and a documentary filmmaker join forces to craft the perfect Hollywood love story and take both of their careers to the next level—but only if they can keep the chemistry between them from taking the whole thing off script.”
Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum (May 23)
I will admit that part of the fun in this book is some of the One of Us is Dead vibes I’m getting. The idea of these bored, wealthy women who are used to getting what they want with husbands who seem to be totally ignorant to what’s happening around them is so bizarrely humorous to me. So while none of them are actually good people, is one of them capable of murder? A summer in Fire Island where everyone has secrets seems like a great travel destination for me this summer! I was sold at ‘darkly comedic.’ From Amazon: “a whip-smart, propulsive debut about infidelity, backstabbing, and murderous intrigue, set against an exclusive summer haven on Fire Island.”
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (May 30)
I just love life-long friendships and the idea of taking trips with each other even as life makes us old and changes who we are and where we are in our lives. This book is about college friends reuniting after years; however, one of them has a secret that could change everything. I love the witty banter and humor that comes from the knowledge that there are probably ample amounts of inside jokes and memories these friends have, an ease that will come out through the stylistic approach Rowley is sure to take. I just want this to be a book that makes my heart happy. From Amazon: “A Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises—especially to ourselves.”
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (May 30)
A contest between people who are all vying for a copy of renowned author Jack Masterson in the real life setting of his books, Clock Island. Lucy, a teacher’s aid, desperately wants to win so she can try to adopt young Christopher who was orphaned after a tragic accident. Masterson is also plotting more twists and turns for his real life game. Again, another book about books. I love contests and competitions in books. This must stem from my love of The Hunger Games, but I love Lucy’s motivation. From Amazon: “Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.”
There are several others that have caught my eye that are on my Honorable mentions list, so if you are looking for something else to read, check these out:
The Daydreamers by Laura Hankin (May 2)
Liar’s Beach by Katie Cotugno (May 2)
Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban (May 2)
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer (May 9)
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (May 16)
The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis (May 23) Click here to read my review!
Planes, Trains and All the Feels by Livy Hart (May 23)
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle (May 30)
Leave me a comment and let me know what is on your May TBR!
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