Who doesn’t love a happily ever after? Here are 16 YA romances that celebrate love and everything summer, from camp and vacation drama to jobs and sports and teens honing their writing skills while off from school. So grab your towel, sunscreen, and snacks, and head out in the sunshine to enjoy these summertime stories.

For teens who want that camp feeling, because of nostalgia or to live vicariously.

Baldwin, Erin. Wish You Weren’t Here. Viking. 2024. ISBN 9780593622698.
Gr 7 Up–For years, Camp Fogridge has been Juliette’s happy place. It’s the only place she can be herself. She can’t wait for her last year—until she learns that her roommate is Priya, her frenemy. Priya is amazing at everything she tries; even Juliette’s camp friends love her. Juliette’s having a miserable time. Could a flip in her feelings for Priya save the summer? Both girls are biracial.

Sortino, Anna. Give Me a Sign. Putnam. 2023. ISBN 9780593533796.
Gr 7 Up–Lilah uses hearing aids but still struggles with hearing; she’s tired of wishing people understood. Lilah applies for a job at a camp for deaf and blind kids—the one she attended one summer. It’s not easy being a camp counselor, but a crush on coworker Isaac could make it all worth it. Lilah is white and Isaac has a warm brown complexion.

For teens longing to jetset this summer—even if it’s just armchair travel.

Dietrich, Cale. The Rules of Royalty. Wednesday Bks. 2024. ISBN 9781250887757.
Gr 9 Up–Jamie Johnson learns on his 17th birthday that he’s a prince in this romance inspired by The Princess Diaries (yes, this book includes the famous “SHUT. UP.” line). His father, king of a small European country, invites Jamie to his palace for the summer and asks Erik, a prince from a neighboring country, to help Jamie navigate society. Erik is more than happy to help, but he never imagined that he would fall for the newly discovered prince. Jamie and Erik are white.

Eulberg, Elizabeth. Take a Chance on Me. Scholastic. 2024. ISBN 9781546129271.
Gr 9 Up–After her boyfriend and best friend betray her, Evie flees to England to stay with her father. They don’t have the best relationship; he’s controlling around food. Evie spends her time wandering the streets where she meets Aiden, a busker. They start talking and spending more time together. After her last relationship, Evie’s struggling to trust anyone again. Both characters are white.

Fedel, Sabrina. All Roads Lead to Rome. Delacorte Romance. 2024. ISBN 9780593705216.
Gr 9 Up–American teen Astoria, daughter of a diplomat working in Rome, ends up in a fake-dating scheme with Scottish actor Luca, who offers to pay for a scholarship she’s trying to arrange in her late father’s memory. He’s cute and charming, but it’s all fake…right? Come for the travel, stay for the fake dating. Both teens are white.

Lord, Emma. The Getaway List. Wednesday Bks. 2024. ISBN 9781250903990.
Gr 8 Up–After graduating high school, Riley feels lost. She hasn’t seen her best friend Tom, who moved to New York City, in three years. Against her mother’s wishes, Riley travels to the city to spend the week. After rediscovering herself, she decides to stay for the whole summer. What happens when she develops feelings for her best friend? Riley and Tom are white.

Quain, Amanda. Dashed: A Margaret Dashwood Novel. Wednesday Bks. 2024. ISBN 9781250907530.
Gr 9 Up–This charming contemporary Sense and Sensibility story follows youngest sister Margaret. She’s looking forward to spending six weeks on a cruise ship until Marianne appears out of nowhere; she and her boyfriend broke up. Margaret spends the summer trying to be more flexible like Marianne and not as planned and perfect as Elinor. But you can’t plan for love—especially when there’s a handsome crew member like Gabe. Margaret cues white; Gabe is Brazilian American.

Wibberley, Emily & Austin Siegemund-Broka. Never Vacation with Your Ex. Viking. 2023. ISBN 9780593326909.
Gr 8 Up–Kaylee’s dumbfounded when her parents act like nothing’s changed about their annual vacation with family friends—like she didn’t just break the heart of their friends’ son. Then she has the brilliant idea of helping Dean get over her with a rebound fling. But will spending all that time together make her fall for him all over again? Kaylee is white; Dean is biracial, Taiwanese and white.

For teens with summer jobs, who want some workplace romance.

Bennett, Jenn. Always Jane. S & S. 2022. ISBN 9781534482326.
Gr 9 Up–Jane, who experiences aphasia following an accident, is dating Eddie; he’s away on a trip and not answering her messages. When Jane meets his younger brother, Fen, the black sheep of the family, they have words—but it’s a fine line between love and hate. Jane is white; Eddie and Fen are Armenian American.

Hill, Kaitlyn. Love from Scratch. Delacorte. 2022. ISBN 9780593379165.
Gr 9 Up–Summer interns Reese (marketing) and Benny (culinary), who are both white, battle for the fall internship program at cooking network Friends of Flavor. When none of the chefs are available for filming, Reese and Benny fill in. Their chemistry is through the roof, and teens will be all in. Readers get a happily ever after, but this book might make them angry at the patriarchy.

Lee, Susan. The Name Drop. Inkyard. 2023. ISBN 9781335457981.
Gr 8 Up–Korean American teens Jessica Lee and Elijah Ri are spending their summer interning at a tech company. He’s the son of the big boss; her father works in the LA office. In a case of mistaken identity, she’s gifted all the perks, while Elijah is “slumming it” with the other interns. Elijah wanted a normal experience, while Jessica wanted to make some connections—could their moments together lead to a spark?

Smith, Eric. With or Without You. Inkyard. 2023. ISBN 9781335458070.
Gr 8 Up–The Plazas and Ortiz families have been fake enemies in viral videos for years. Offscreen, they are friends, and recent high school graduates Jordan and Cindy are dating. But when a reality TV opportunity comes knocking about their rival Philly cheesesteak food trucks, they can’t say no. With cameras in their faces all the time, their secret is bound to come out. Both protagonists are Latinx.

For creative teens seeking inspiration, these center aspiring writers.

Parker, Danielle. Love on Paper. Random/Joy Revolution. 2025. ISBN 9780593565315.
Gr 9 Up–Macy’s happy to be attending a romance-themed writing retreat. Attendees have a chance to win a place in a major publisher’s anthology, and Macy’s determined that one of the spots will be hers—but she’s having trouble putting words on paper. Her critique partner is Caleb, the son of her parents’ writing nemesis. Their attraction grows as they spend time together, but can they manage a relationship while competing for the same prize? Macy is biracial Black and Korean; Caleb has dark brown skin.

Taslim, Priyanka. The Love Match. S. & S./Salaam Reads. 2023. ISBN 9781665901109.
Gr 7 Up–At a wedding, Bangladeshi American teen Zahra’s mother meets an Auntie with a son. The mothers scheme; they set up Friday night dates for the pair for the entire summer. Zahra and Harun are horrified, but neither wants to disappoint their parents. Zahra is also determined to figure out her future; her mother doesn’t approve of her writing, but lately the words have been flowing. And the more time she spends with Harun, the more she begins to like him. Could their fake dating be the start of more?

Hand these romances to your sport fans.
Henning, Sarah. It’s All in How You Fall. Little, Brown/Poppy. 2022. ISBN 9780759556676.
Gr 8 Up–Caroline is an elite gymnast until a back injury forces her to quit. Unsure of who she is without gymnastics, she spends the first few weeks of her summer moping. Her brother’s friend Alex offers to help her find a new sport, something else to occupy her time. While reluctant at first, the more time she spends with Alex, the more she starts to fall for him. Caroline and Alex are white. 

Weber, Robby. I Like Me Better. Inkyard. 2023. ISBN 9781335453648.
Gr 8 Up–Zack’s summer takes an unexpected turn when he agrees take the punishment for a prank so his whole soccer team doesn’t suffer. He’s working off his community service hours at the local aquarium—the same one as Chip, his crush. Chip has turned him down twice for a date, but maybe the third time is the charm. Both teens are white. 
 

Jennifer Rummel is the young adult and children’s librarian for Cragin Library in Colchester, CT.