Top new historical-fiction books in June 2025
Last updated:
June 30, 2025
June 2025 featuring new releases by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristin Harmel, Janelle Brown, Weina Dai Randel, Shirley Russak Wachtel, Meagan Spooner, Amie Kaufman, Hazel Gaynor, Katherine Reay, Leila Mottley, Elena Malisova, Katerina Silvanova and many more.
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Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
An epic novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program and the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits...romance · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · literary-fiction · audiobook · sci-fi · season-summer · friendship · family -
![The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel]()
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
Kristin Harmel, the New York Times bestselling author who “is the best there is at sweeping historical drama” (Kelly Harms, author of The Seven Day Switch), returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder...historical-fiction · mystery · historical · fiction · ww2 · war · friendship · female-mc · 20th-century · violent-conflict -
![What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown]()
What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown
A teenage girl breaks free from her father's world of isolation in this exhilarating novel of family, identity, and the power we have to shape our own destinies—from the New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Things and Watch Me DisappearThe first thing you have to understand is that my father was my entire world...north-america · usa · california · montana · fiction · historical-fiction · mystery · audiobook · historical · literary-fiction -
![The Master Jeweler by Weina Dai Randel]()
The Master Jeweler by Weina Dai Randel
From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Night Angels comes the epic story of a brilliant young woman’s dangerous rise to fame in the perilous world of jewelry in 1920s Shanghai―and the power of love and friendship.Harbin, China, 1925...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · poc-mc · audiobook · romantic-love · 20th-century · female-mc · book · adult -
![The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel]()
The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel
From the author of A Castle in Brooklyn comes an epic novel spanning decades about the broken bonds of family, memories of war, and redemption and hope in the face of heartbreaking loss.Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II...historical-fiction · fiction · ww2 · historical · mystery · audiobook · war · romantic-love · 20th-century · family -
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![Lady’s Knight by Meagan Spooner, Amie Kaufman]()
Lady’s Knight by Meagan Spooner, Amie Kaufman
An undeniably fierce, unforgettably funny, unapologetically queer feminist romp through the England of medieval legend. Bestselling and acclaimed authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner bring readers along on an epic quest for valor, freedom, and, above all, love...romance · fantasy · young-adult · lgbtq · historical · historical-fiction · wlw · dragons · fiction · humor -
![Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor]()
Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor
Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.Chicago, 1924: Emily Gale and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago behind for the promise of their own American dream...north-america · usa · arkansas · kansas · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · retellings · audiobook · family -
![The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay]()
The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay
Set in the art world of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece is a fast-paced read to the end, full of glamour and secrets, tensions and lies, as one young woman races against the clock to uncover the truth about a Picasso masterpiece. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Ariel Lawhon...historical-fiction · fiction · mystery · audiobook · historical · christian · suspense · thriller · cozy · womens-fiction -
![The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley]()
The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
From the author of Oprah's Book Club pick and New York Times best seller Nightcrawling, here is an astonishing new novel about the joys and entanglements of a fierce group of teenage mothers in a small town on the Florida panhandle.Adela Woods is sixteen years old and pregnant... -
![Pioneer Summer: A Novel by Elena Malisova, Katerina Silvanova, Anne O. Fisher]()
Pioneer Summer: A Novel by Elena Malisova, Katerina Silvanova, Anne O. Fisher
This star-crossed gay romance is a #1 bestselling TikTok sensation that took listeners by storm, made international news, and catalyzed one of Russia’s largest-ever crackdowns on LGBTQ representation The year is 1986, and Yurka Konev, 16, has been sent off for another summer at Pioneer Camp...romance · lgbtq · fiction · young-adult · contemporary · historical-fiction · audiobook · season-summer · coming-of-age · mlm -
![Blonde Dust by Tatiana de Rosnay]()
Blonde Dust by Tatiana de Rosnay
“A lovely portrait of female friendship, loss, and the unexpected ways in which a life can change. Haunting."— Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Women A “Hollywood tale with heart” about a reimagined friendship between Marilyn Monroe and a young maid whose life will be changed forever, from the New York Times bestselling author of Sarah’s Key... -
![So Far Gone by Jess Walter]()
So Far Gone by Jess Walter
A reclusive journalist is suddenly thrown into a wild, suspenseful journey to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren.A few weeks after the 2016 election, at Thanksgiving with his daughter and her belligerent new husband, Rhys Kinnick finally snapped. After an escalating fight about politics, he hauled off and punched the jerk...north-america · usa · washington-dc · washington · fiction · mystery · audiobook · contemporary · literary-fiction · humor -
![Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman]()
Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman
Set in the world of New York Times bestseller Seraphina, a boy on the run from a dragon — among other dangers — seeks refuge in a haunted abbey in this wholly original YA ghost story about what haunts us, and what connects us.A few things to know about the town of St. Muckle' It's too out-of-the-way to interest greedy lords, and too damp and muddy for marauding dragons to burn...fantasy · young-adult · dragons · middle-grade · ghosts · lgbtq · audiobook · fiction · paranormal · high-fantasy -
![A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman]()
A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman
In the latest USA Today bestselling, Victorian Era-set Countess of Harleigh Mystery from multi-award winning author Dianne Freeman, Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, uncover the secrets of backstage Paris to find out who’s acting the role of a killer to chilling perfection…Frances and George are enjoying some well-deserved leisure time in Paris when an old acquaintance from London,...romance · mystery · cozy · historical · historical-fiction · fiction · audiobook · industrial-era · victorian · crime -
![The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi]()
The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi
An antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress embark on a revelatory friendship in a haunting and hopeful novel about family ties, secrets, and belonging by the bestselling author of A Heart Like Home...historical-fiction · fiction · mystery · historical · audiobook · family · literary-fiction · fantasy · friendship · romance -
![The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray]()
The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray
The fourth book in the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series, which finds the amateur sleuths caught up in the whirlwind of the London Season—and in a murderous scheme involving the family of Edmund and Fanny BertramJonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other perfectly; it's a pity their families do not...romance · mystery · historical-fiction · historical · industrial-era · regency · fiction · cozy · retellings · audiobook -
![Flashlight by Susan Choi]()
Flashlight by Susan Choi
A novel tracing a father’s disappearance across time, nations, and memory, from the author of Trust Exercise.One night, Louisa and her father take a walk on the beach. He’s carrying a flashlight. He cannot swim. Later Louisa is found washed up by the tide, barely alive. Her father is gone, presumed drowned. She is ten years old...fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · historical · mystery · audiobook · season-summer · poc-author · family · drama -
![Murder at Hambledon Hall by C.J. Archer]()
Murder at Hambledon Hall by C.J. Archer
The genteel tranquility of a country house party is shattered when the gamekeeper is shot. Was his death the result of his recent indiscretions, or long-buried secrets?The weekend was supposed to be an enjoyable time with her family at the neo-Gothic manor of Lord and Lady Kershaw, but when the gamekeeper is murdered, Cleo can’t rest until the killer is caught...romance · mystery · audiobook · historical-fiction · cozy · historical · fiction · law-enforcement · crime · industrial-era -
![A Promise to Arlette by Serena Burdick]()
A Promise to Arlette by Serena Burdick
With the scope of a saga and the heart of a thriller, this is an evocative historical novel following a married couple whose idyllic 1950s suburban life is threatened by the promises they made during World War II...historical-fiction · historical · fiction · ww2 · family · romantic-love · audiobook · female-mc · 20th-century · friendship -
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![The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz]()
The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz
Lawyer James Kinney isn’t looking for love, and laundress Sara O’Connor doesn’t want to be found. When their paths cross in a British colony on the brink of rebellion, a marriage of convenience may be their best hope of survival.Canada, 1837. Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options... -
![One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver]()
One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver
The fifth and final installment in the Electra McDonnell series brings safecracker Ellie on a mission across World War II-era Europe to Lisbon, Portugal to rescue a key group of escaped POWs.Ellie McDonnell is about to embark on her most perilous mission go to Lisbon, Portugal to save her beloved cousin Toby who has reportedly escaped from a German prisoner of war camp...romance · mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · ww2 · audiobook · cozy · espionage · war -
![Last Dance Before Dawn by Katharine Schellman]()
Last Dance Before Dawn by Katharine Schellman
Last Dance before Dawn is the final book in the luscious, mysterious, and queer Nightingale mystery series by Katharine Schellman, set in 1920s New York.Vivian Kelly has finally created a home and a family at the glamorous speakeasy known as The Nightingale, where no one cares who you are in the daytime...mystery · historical-fiction · historical · fiction · audiobook · lgbtq · romantic-love · female-mc · racism · cozy -
![Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven]()
Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven
A decades-spanning family saga featuring the messy but loving Samuelson clan trying to make sense of the world after the loss of their son EllisWhen Sally Samuelson was eight years old, her golden boy brother Ellis went missing the summer he graduated high school. Ellis finally turned up at the bucolic Bug Hollow, a last gasp of the beautiful Northern California counterculture in the seventies...fiction · historical-fiction · audiobook · literary-fiction · season-summer · family · contemporary · female-mc · friendship · book -
![I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom]()
I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom
An epic, intimate novel about an unconventional and irresistible family—from the New York Times bestselling author of In Love, White Houses, and AwayImmigrating alone from Paris to New York after the crucible of World War II, young Gazala becomes friends with two spirited sisters, Anne and Alma...urban · new-york-state · fiction · historical-fiction · historical · literary-fiction · audiobook · lgbtq · polyamory · family -
![Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie by James Lee Burke]()
Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie by James Lee Burke
Bestselling author James Lee Burke tells his most thrilling and insightful story yet through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Bessie HollandAt the beginning of the twentieth century, as America grapples with forces of human and natural violence more powerful than humanity has ever seen, Bessie Holland yearns for the love that she has never known...north-america · usa · texas · historical-fiction · fiction · mystery · crime · historical · audiobook · noir -
![To Love a Beast by Karen Witemeyer]()
To Love a Beast by Karen Witemeyer
Beauty & the Beast in 1800's Texas. Once known among New York's elite as the American Adonis, Everett Griffin now lives as a recluse in the wilds of Texas. The treachery of a former admirer left his face and his spirit riddled with scars, so he hides himself away, his only companions a trio of trusted servants and an oversized dog...romance · historical-fiction · christian · fiction · historical · audiobook · western · retellings · fairy-tale · womens-fiction -
![A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox]()
A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox
Set in the waning days of the Dutch Golden Age, this enchanting, lush reimagining of The Little Mermaid is perfect for fans of Jesse Burton’s The Miniaturist and Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar.The Dutch Republic, 1650. One fine spring day in Friesland, twenty-year-old Clara van Wieren is faced with an ill omen: a whale, beached and rotting in the noonday sun...romance · fantasy · historical-fiction · retellings · fiction · historical · mermaids · myths · fairy-tale · audiobook -
![The Colony of Lost Souls by Kelsey James]()
The Colony of Lost Souls by Kelsey James
A young woman searching for her missing sister in 1930s California is drawn into a dark and dangerous cult in this intoxicating binge of sacrifice and obsession, strange rituals, alluring promises, and a beautiful prison for readers of Emma Cline’s The Girls, California Golden by Melanie Benjamin, and The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd...north-america · usa · california · historical-fiction · gothic · fiction · mystery · historical · cults · fundamentalism -
![The Lost Masterpiece by B.A. Shapiro]()
The Lost Masterpiece by B.A. Shapiro
A fascinating art history novel from New York Times bestselling author of The Art Forger, B.A. Shapiro, whose new mystery follows 19th-century Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot and her 21st-century great-great-great granddaughter, who inherits a Nazi-looted Èdouard Manet painting; for fans of Sarah Dunant, Elizabeth Kostova, Robin Oliveira, and Nancy Horan...historical-fiction · fiction · mystery · historical · literary-fiction · audiobook · poc-mc · romantic-love · ww2 · epistolary -
![A Kiss for the Ages: A Regency NOVELLA by Grace Burrowes]()
A Kiss for the Ages: A Regency NOVELLA by Grace Burrowes
Time, tide, and temptation wait for no man--or woman! Lysander, Earl of Montmarche, really ought to re-marry, if for no other reason than that he’s completely flummoxed by his rambunctious, outspoken young daughter. He surely owes the girl and his frazzled nerves the benefit of a step-mama’s steadying presence...romance · historical · fiction · historical-fiction · family · parenthood · industrial-era · regency · book · adult -
![A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry]()
A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry
H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing is a standalone, portal fantasy where Jonathan Strange & Mr. NorrelI meets A Tale of Two Cities in a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.The fairies stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faerie Realm...fantasy · historical-fiction · historical · fiction · fae · magic · retellings · audiobook · alternate-history · low-fantasy -
![Thus with a Kiss I Die by Christina Dodd]()
Thus with a Kiss I Die by Christina Dodd
The delightfully irreverent eldest daughter of the not-so-ill-fated Romeo and Juliet returns to sleuth another day in fair Verona, in this hugely entertaining historical mystery series with a refreshingly bold premise.“Woe, for I am the bug that meets the windshield's might,No longer the speeding glass, smooth, clean and bright . . .”You’re right...romance · historical-fiction · mystery · historical · retellings · fantasy · humor · satire · fiction · female-mc -
![A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari]()
A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari
Brilliant botanist Saffron Everleigh faces her hardest challenge yet when she returns to her childhood home in the fourth book in the charming Saffron Everleigh mystery series. “A cleverly plotted puzzle” (Ashley Weaver) in the vein of Opium and Absinthe, this is perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Sujata Massey...romance · mystery · historical-fiction · audiobook · fiction · historical · cozy · suspense · fantasy · crime -
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![Viscounts & Villainy by Allie Therin]()
Viscounts & Villainy by Allie Therin
Don’t miss the conclusion to this spin-off series from Allie Therin’s acclaimed Magic in Manhattan universe!Love redeemed them, but the past isn’t done with them yet.New York, 1925For jaded Lord Fine—Wesley, to the friends he’s surprised he now has—falling into his lover Sebastian’s world of magic and intrigue has changed everything...romance · fantasy · historical · historical-fiction · audiobook · paranormal · mlm · magic · lgbtq · low-fantasy -
![These Heathens by Mia McKenzie]()
These Heathens by Mia McKenzie
From the “razor-sharp and outrageously funny” (Taylor Jenkins Reid) mind of Mia McKenzie comes a vibrant novel exploring how one weekend can change your whole life.Dear Lord, please forgive me for the sins I’ve committed. And for the one I’m still planning to commit tomorrow. Amen...north-america · usa · georgia · urban · historical-fiction · fiction · lgbtq · coming-of-age · historical · feminism -
![The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans]()
The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans
Can a family's dark history repeat itself?Estella Ecker has returned to Rockfall House, the last place on earth she wants to be...mystery · historical-fiction · gothic · historical · fiction · audiobook · suspense · crime · ww2 · 20th-century -
![Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep]()
Of Silver and Secrets by Michelle Griep
In 1889 England, Eva Inman finds herself overwhelmed with responsibility. Haunted by guilt over her parents' deaths, Eva struggles to care for her blind sister and manage her family's crumbling estate. With the threat of overdue taxes looming, Eva's situation grows dire until an ancient silver ring is unearthed on her property...romance · historical-fiction · christian · mystery · historical · audiobook · fiction · industrial-era · victorian · suspense -
![The Palace of Illusions by Rowenna Miller]()
The Palace of Illusions by Rowenna Miller
This enchanting and atmospheric fantasy brings readers to a Paris breathless with excitement at the dawn of the twentieth century. But for a select few there is a second, secret Paris where the magic of the City of Light is very real. In the run up to the 1900s World’s Fair Paris is abuzz with creative energy and innovation... -
![Smoke on the Wind: A Novel by Kelli Estes]()
Smoke on the Wind: A Novel by Kelli Estes
In the magnificent Scottish Highlands, two devoted mothers separated by centuries discover a haunting connection in a gripping novel by the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk.Struggling with the tragic end of her marriage, Keaka Denney is on a bittersweet adventure in Scotland with her son, Colin...historical-fiction · suspense · family · fiction · female-mc · action-adventure · historical · mystery · book · adult -
![Legends of Gold by Mary Connealy]()
Legends of Gold by Mary Connealy
On a risky treasure hunt in the rugged wilderness, can love trump all odds?After years of solitude, Tilda Muirhead's life takes an unexpected twist when she accepts a teaching position at Two Harts Ranch following her cross-country pursuit of two brothers obsessed with a treasure map left by their grandfather...
