August 2025 brings a wide variety of new books of all genres, from emotionally rich debuts to long-awaited releases by best-selling authors. Whether you’re craving mystery, fantasy, romance, literary fiction, or a mixture of them all, this month’s newest titles offer something for every kind of reader. And with summer coming to a close, there’s no better time to refresh your TBR and soak up the last of the sunshine with a new book in hand. Here’s my selection of 12 fiction releases that you won’t want to miss this August.
1. If Not For My Baby by Kate Golden
Releasing on August 5th comes a music-filled contemporary romance from the same author of The Sacred Stones series. Backup singer, Clementine Clark, isn’t looking for love after being raised by a mother who couldn’t seem to keep a boyfriend for more than a week. That is until she’s offered the opportunity to join Irish megastar Halloran on his first US tour as a backup singer. But trading her small town Texas life for sold-out stadiums is a bigger change than she anticipated, but she quickly learns that nothing compares to the rush of performing with the beautiful lead singer Thomas Patrick Halloran. Thomas seems to love nothing more than getting under Clementine’s skin, but over the course of the next eight weeks on tour, this sizzling feud has the chance to turn into a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. And if you’re a fan of Hozier, this ones for you.
“I adored this passionate, electrifying, and deeply moving love story. Tom and Clem’s connection is pure magic, and this novel easily earns five blazing, fiery stars! One of the best romances of the year.”
From Nilufer Ozmekik on Goodreads
2. Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings
Releasing on August 5th is a new enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance from the author of A Brush With Love. Eva Kitt is the host of Sausage Talk, a small talk show where she interviews B-list celebrities while sharing lukewarm hot dogs. She never expected her life to succumb to this after spending her life dreaming of a successful journalism career. But when Eva calls out her college ex, Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality who has built his platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity, and it goes viral, she finds herself thrust into the spotlight. Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal to take her on a series of dates to prove that he’s changed. But when these fake dates begin to feel real, Eva wonders if maybe the boy who broke her heart has become the man who’s here to heal it. Well, Actually is perfect for fans of Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop Dates!
“I can’t wait for this to come out and see all of you reading it, as much as I can’t wait to have a physical copy to put all my notes into. Make sure to pick this up when it comes out on August 5th, and be ready to fall in love with Eva and Cooper.”
From Lorena on Goodreads
3. The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh
Releasing on August 25th is a new fantasy romance from author Eva Leigh. After being condemned as a witch and being sentenced to death, Alys Tanner uses her innate magical powers to escape the Puritanical New England. After stealing a ship, she becomes captain of The Sea Witch, an all-female, sorcery-wielding pirate crew. While being chased by the colonial British navy, Ben Priestley, a naval navigator, finds himself captured by the Sea Witch crew, and dangerous truths are revealed. Alys doesn’t trust Ben, and Ben doesn’t trust her either, but when this mistrust grows into desire, they have to navigate these newfound feelings as they battle an enemy that will stop at nothing to rule the sea. Ending on a cliffhanger, The Sea Witch sets up perfectly for the rest of the Salt & Sorcery series.
“The magical worldbuilding is fantastic, the feminist adventures are rollicking, and the romance is a sizzling slow burn. What more could you ask for?”
From Victoria Stone on Goodreads
4. Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Releasing on August 26 comes a new dark academia novel from the author of the award-winning novel, Babel. Alice Law has sacrificed everything to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick, all to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world. But when he dies in a magical accident that might’ve been her fault, Grimes finds herself in Hell, anxious to go after him. Determined to not let his death stop her dreams, she risks her own soul, not realizing that her rival classmate, Peter Murdoch, has the same idea.
“With its sharp academic wit, themes of abuse, existential questioning, self-respect, and the infinite choices that shape our lives, this novel masterfully blends intellectual depth with an addictive rivals-to-lovers romance.”
From Nilufer Ozmekik on Goodreads
5. Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Releasing on August 19th comes T. Kingfisher’s newest novel, a haunting retelling of the classic character Snow White. Healer Anja has taken it upon herself to regularly drink poison in order to seek cures for the ones that everyone else has given up on. But when the King interrupts her quiet and herb-obsessed life due to his daughter, Snow’s, dying, he will do anything to have Anja save her. Assisted by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for science, Anja works to treat Snow, but when nothing seems to work, she gives up all hope. That is, until she discovers a secret world hidden inside a magic mirror. Anja rushes into the dark realm in hopes of finding what’s making Anja sick, but it might also be the thing that kills them all.
“It’s not dark, not scary, but instead, Hemlock & Silver is a fun cosy magical tale with characters who feel like people you’d want to sit next to at a small-town inn.”
From Jodie on Goodreads
6. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter
Releasing on August 12th, from acclaimed author Karin Slaughter, comes a new small-town thriller that’s sure to keep you turning pages. When North Falls hosts a night of fireworks, two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites. For Officer Emmy Clifton, it becomes personal as she was turned away when her best friend’s daughter needed help, and she’s determined to bring her home. But as Emmy begins to work through the puzzle that the girls left behind, she soon realizes that maybe she didn’t know them as much as she thought. Maybe nobody did. The town is hiding something, and Emmy is determined to find out what it is.
“The characters were flawed and believable. Their motivations and actions all made perfect sense. Emmy and Jude amazing and I hope they become the centerpiece of many more novels. I will be reading every single one.”
From Court Zierk on Goodreads
7. Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
Releasing on August 26th is the newest novel from the author of A Flicker In the Dark. 22 years ago, Claire Campbell’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared, and days later, her blood was found in a car, a man was arrested, and the case was quickly closed. In an attempt to escape her traumatic past, Claire ran away to the city to climb the ranks as an investigative journalist but when an unexpected call from her father forces her to come back home, she finds herself facing her trauma all over again. With the entire summer ahead, she decides to accept a seasonal job at Galloway farm, a coastal vineyard less than an hour away from her childhood home. As Claire starts to settle in, she comes across an old diary from one of the old vineyard’s owners, and the more she reads, the more sinister it becomes. As the summer continues and she becomes more secluded as she obsesses over the diary’s contents, she begins to feel like maybe her sister’s disappearance may somehow be related to it all.
“Days after finishing, I still find myself thinking about this story-how haunting, thoughtful, and beautifully unsettling it was. It lingers in the best way, quietly echoing long after the final page.”
From CatsBnB on Goodreads
8. Murder by the Book by Amie Schaumberg
Releasing on August 19th comes Amie Schaumberg’s debut mystery novel, Murder by the Book. Near a small college campus, a student is found posing to look like a painting of Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, strangled and abandoned. The scene taunts police with messages that they work to understand the crime, and Detective Ian Carter, a known straitlaced cop, is shaken and uncertain at the scene. That is until a chance meeting with a charmingly awkward literature professor ends with her accidentally solving a clue left by the killer. Professor Emma Reilly finds herself connected to the crime when she discovers the victim is the third student killed from one of her classes, and she realizes that her life may be more at risk than she once thought. Now Emma and Ian must come together and find the strength to confront the killer before he takes his next victim, who might be closer to Emma and Ian than they think.
“Schaumberg’s ability to blend intellectual rigor with gripping suspense makes this novel a standout in the genre. It’s a book I recommended for anyone who appreciates a mystery with a literary twist.”
From J Kromrie on Goodreads
9. Moderation by Elaine Castillo
Releasing on August 5th is Elaine Castillo’s newest literary fiction novel, Moderation. Girlie Delmundo is the best content moderator in the world, and her career is only growing from there, especially after her company, Paragon, acquires Fairground, the leading VR platform. As she steps into her new role, Girlie is promised wealth, prestige, and the power to finally fix the problems that her family has long struggled with. But as she dives deeper into Fairground’s virtual worlds and into the past of its cofounder, William Cheung, she begins to question what can truly be controlled.
“These chapters are in addition, interspersed with a slow burn romance. Less of a typical romance in their case as it is a connection of two souls. Could not get enough of this book, highly recommend as your next read!”
From Zara on Goodreads
10. The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman
Releasing on August 12 comes Sam Wachman’s debut young adult LGBTQ+ fiction novel, The Sunflower Boys. This coming-of-age novel, set against the backdrop of modern-day Ukraine, follows 12-year-old Artem, whose life is upended when war suddenly erupts in Ukraine. As Artem wrestles with the ruins of his childhood while fleeing with his younger brother after the loss of their family and home, he also must navigate the romantic feelings that have begun to grow for his best friend, Viktor. A heartbreaking story filled with themes of survival, identity, and first love, this book will take you on a deeply emotional journey through the realities of war, and the courage it takes to live and love as your true self.
“It will break your heart and also fill it to the brim with so much love. It overflows on every page throughout the book even when you think there’s no way love could be present in that moment, the pain I feel is completely worth it to know Artem Vovchenko.”
From Laura on Goodreads
11. Loved One by Aisha Muharrar
Releasing on August 12th is Aisha Muharrar’s debut fiction novel, Loved One. When Julia’s first love turned best friend Gabe dies unexpectedly at 29, she throws herself into a long journey to recover his possessions left with friends and acquaintances across the world. Throughout her journey, she encounters Gabe’s ex-girlfriend Elizabeth, who is effortlessly perfect and cool. Now as Julia and Elizabeth find themselves struggling together to reconcile their respective claims on Gabe’s memory, they have to find a way to find friendship in their rivalry.
“I feel like this book evokes a lot of emotion that many young adults will be able to relate to, and it’s overall really well written.”
From Rachel Romanczukiewicz on Goodreads
12. Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London
Releasing on August 12th is a new fiction book from renowned author Julia London. Lorna learned at an early age that she would always come second to her older sister Kristen’s addiction and problems. And it doesn’t help when everyone Lorna has ever trusted has betrayed her in some way. Not as an adult, she has retreated into what she refers to as her internal bomb shelter while she waits for the other shoe to drop. But when eight-year-old Bean from across the street wanders into Lorna’s life and an opportunity to buy her grandmother’s house comes up, Lorna must make amends with all the things in her life that have left her bitter. As she embarks on her journey, she begins to accept that there is nothing she could have done to change Kristen’s life, but she can change the course of her own and maybe that’s what has always mattered.
“Absolutely remarkable and tons of great things to take away to use in your own life for your own self-improvement even though this is a fictional novel. Easily 5 stars, i loved it!”
From Melany on Goodreads
13. Playback by Carla Malden
Releasing on August 12th, Playback follows 34 year old single mom, Mari Caldwell, whose life is nowhere near what she once hoped it to be. Once full of big dreams, Mari now feels stuck in a career going nowhere, weighed down by regret. But when she finds herself being given a rare second chance and mysteriously transported back to 1967 San Francisco’s Summer of Love, she finds herself reconnecting with the band she once knew and the musician that wrote her a love song way back when. Now, with her newfound wisdom of adulthood inside her teenage self, Mari now must decide if love, and a little bit of time travel, can change her life forever.
No matter what genre you’re in the mood for, these August new releases are sure to carry you through the end of summer. Be sure to preorder and add your favorites to your TBR before they hit the shelves!
Need to catch up on past releases? Check out our article Terrific June Releases to Kick Off The Summer!
To find these new August releases and more, check out our Bookshop 2025 New Releases You Need to Grab Today Bookshelf!
