Books Like The Summer I Turned Pretty: YA Romance and Coming-of-Age Summer Love Stories

I adored “The Summer I Turned Pretty” for its vivid portrayal of summer crushes and the bittersweet feeling of growing up. If you loved that mix of sunny days and emotional firsts, I have gathered a list of books that will give you the same warm, nostalgic feeling.

This article shares my personal favorites that echo the charm of Jenny Han’s series, focusing on young adult stories with romance, self-discovery, and those unforgettable seasonal settings. To start, here are a few top picks I often recommend:

• “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han for its heartfelt letters and charming family moments.
• “The Unexpected Everything” by Morgan Matson, which turns a planned summer upside down with new friends and romance.
• “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Morgan Matson, a story of friendship lists and personal courage during a transformative summer.
• “Emergency Contact” by Mary H.K. Choi, featuring a unique connection and modern coming-of-age struggles.

First, Let’s Break Down the Magic of Belly’s Story

That feeling you get while reading Belly’s story is a special kind of magic. It’s a warm, nostalgic ache centered on three things: the deep bond of family friendship, the thrilling uncertainty of first love, and the unique safety of a summer house that holds all your memories. The emotions are big and real, from dizzying joy to heart-crushing grief.

Let’s do a quick vibe check on the writing. Jenny Han’s style is accessible and heartfelt. The reading level is perfect for teens, but the emotional depth resonates with adults, too. You feel like you’re right there with Belly, feeling the sunburn and the butterflies.

Many readers ask: are The Summer I Turned Pretty books like the show? The core heart of the story-Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, and Susannah-is beautifully intact. The show expands on some side characters and storylines, but the books let you live inside Belly’s head more intimately. If you love the show, the books offer a richer, more personal version of the story you already adore.

This series is a perfect match if you live for slow-burn love triangles, honest coming-of-age moments, and settings that feel like a character themselves. If you prefer fast-paced action or stories without romantic conflict, this might not be your beach read. When people search for “summer ya romance,” they’re often looking for this exact blend: a poignant, character-driven story where the summer setting directly shapes the romance and the protagonist’s growth. That audience—readers who crave deep character connections and heart-wrenching, emotional storylines—will find this series resonant. It’s a strong pick for fans seeking emotional depth alongside romance.

YA Summer Romances with That Same Heart-Swooning Feeling

If you’re craving more stories that make your heart feel too big for your chest, start here. These are my top picks for capturing that same bittersweet, sun-drenched magic.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune is the book I hand to readers who want a more grown-up version of Belly’s story. You can practically smell the pine and lake water. It spans six summers and one weekend, following Percy and Sam as they grow from friends to something more and then fall apart. Like Jenny Han’s series, it masters the ache of time passing and loves that are tied to a specific, cherished place. Note: This is New Adult, so it contains more mature romantic scenes than typical YA.

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther is pure, immersive summer energy. Set on Martha’s Vineyard during a massive family wedding week, it’s full of sunshine, lawn games, and a heartfelt romance that starts as a distraction from grief. The tone is slightly lighter than TSITP, but it shares that core of healing and finding joy within a big, loving family after a loss.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen is a classic for a reason. It’s a story of quiet transformation, set in a sleepy beach town where insomniac Auden meets Eli, a fellow night owl. The pacing is gentle and reflective, focusing on Auden learning to embrace the messy, fun parts of life she missed as a teen. It matches the emotional pull of Belly’s journey, trading a love triangle for a deep, singular focus on self-discovery.

For the Love Triangle Lovers

If your favorite part was the delicious tension between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, these stories deliver complicated, heartfelt entanglements.

• The Wrong Season by Jordan Pascoe: This captures the “two brothers” dynamic in a new way. When her longtime crush gets a girlfriend, Moira starts fake-dating his brother for revenge. It’s a fun, emotional exploration of what happens when pretend feelings start to become very real.
• My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick: This isn’t a triangle, but it beautifully navigates the conflict between family loyalty and new love. Samantha’s quiet world is upended by the chaotic, loving Garrett family next door, leading to a romance that forces her to make impossible choices.

Standalone Stories of One Perfect Summer

Sometimes you want the full arc of growth and romance in one satisfying book. These stories capture a single, transformative season. They explore the I like you theme in romance, friendship, and coming-of-age stories.

• Twenty Truths About Love by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka: Set in a beachside bookstore, this is a charming, self-aware story about a girl who tries to use a list of romantic tropes to find love for her dad, only to get tangled up in her own love story.
• Now & When by Sara Bennett Wealer: For a twist, this combines summer romance with a speculative element. When a teen gets a mysterious app that shows her future, she sees herself marrying her current crush’s best friend, throwing her entire summer into charming, heartfelt chaos.
• If you loved the vibe of A Summer Like No Other, look for its sequel, A Winter Like No Other, which continues the characters’ journeys beyond the summer sun.

Coming-of-Age Series About Growing Up and Letting Go

Part of the magic is watching Belly grow up over years. These “book series like the summer i turned pretty” follow characters across multiple summers, emphasizing personal growth alongside the romance.

The Summer series by Jenny Han itself is the blueprint. For similar journeys, try Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone and The Unexpected Everything. While not direct sequels, they exist in the same universe with crossover characters, showing different teens navigating summers of change, family, and first love. For readers wondering if there are similar great book series chronicles to the most popular ones they’ve already read, these picks offer a familiar heartbeat. They extend the same mix of friendship, family, and first loves across summers.

The Brightside series by Katie Cotugno is grittier but deeply focused on how time changes relationships. It follows messy, realistic characters as they navigate love, friendship, and ambition from high school into adulthood. It handles the passage of time with raw honesty, showing how people grow together and apart. These are excellent “summer ya romance books for young adults” that don’t shy away from complex themes of identity and consequence. They’re similar to other YA romance and drama novels that explore intense relationships and emotional coming-of-age stories.

Trilogies with Emotional Depth

For that satisfying three-book journey where you see a character evolve dramatically, consider these trilogies with summer-centric hearts.

• The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler (and companion novels): While not a strict trilogy, Ockler’s books, like Twenty Boy Summer and The Book of Broken Hearts, are interconnected standalone stories. They share a focus on healing from loss during summer, with each protagonist on a journey as poignant as Belly’s.
• The Hundred Oaks series by Miranda Kenneally: This series follows different characters at the same sports-centric high school. Books like Stealing Parker or Racing Savannah capture that same feeling of a transformative season where sports, friendship, and romance collide, driving personal growth.

If You’re Craving More Mature Summer Love Stories

Maybe you adored the summer vibes of Cousins Beach, but you’re hoping for characters a little older or themes with more complexity. I get it. Sometimes you want that sun-soaked atmosphere paired with the emotional weight that comes with characters navigating early adulthood.

These stories often live in the New Adult category or are adult romances with a very youthful heart. They feature characters in their late teens through their twenties. The conflicts can involve career choices, deeper family estrangement, or the bittersweet process of truly finding yourself. The summer setting remains a powerful backdrop for these bigger life changes, especially in coming-of-age novels focused on teenage alienation and self-discovery.

These books are perfect for older teens and adults who want the nostalgic, escapist feel of a summer romance but are ready for slightly more mature perspectives. If you’re looking for books like It Ends Us or Ugly Love, these picks offer intense contemporary romance and new adult fiction recommendations. More recommendations will appear in the next steps.

New Adult and Adult Summer Romances

If you’re ready to follow characters to their post-high school summers, here are a few perfect escapes.

• “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry. This is for you if you loved the lifelong friendship-turned-romance dynamic. Poppy and Alex have one perfect summer trip a year for a decade. The book jumps between their present, strained vacation and the magical trips of the past, asking if they can fix what went wrong. It’s witty, deeply emotional, and full of vivid travel scenes that feel like a summer getaway.
• “Every Summer After” by Carley Fortune. This one captures the intense, all-consuming feeling of a teenage summer romance and then shows the heavy consequences six years later. Percy and Sam had six perfect summers at his family’s lakehouse until she destroyed it. When she returns for a funeral, they have one weekend to confront everything. It’s a gorgeous, heart-wrenching second-chance romance with all the nostalgic feels.
• “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren. For a hilarious and tropical twist, try this. Olive, perpetually unlucky, is forced to go on her twin sister’s honeymoon with her nemesis, Ethan. They have to pretend to be a happily married couple for an all-expenses-paid trip to Maui. It’s a laugh-out-loud enemies-to-lovers story where the ultimate summer vacation forces two people to see each other in a new light.

Your Next Steps to Find the Perfect Summer Read

You have a great list started. Here’s how to turn these suggestions into your next favorite book.

First, think about your mood. Do you want the pure, sweet nostalgia of first love, or are you craving something with more emotional heft? You can absolutely pick one book from the core YA list and one from the mature list for a perfect summer reading balance. If you’re wondering what to read next based on your personal tastes, seek picks that match your preferences. That approach makes your next book a natural fit for your mood.

Next, pinpoint what you loved most about The Summer I Turned Pretty. Was it the specific beach house setting? The tension of a love triangle? The messy, realistic family dynamics? Finding the core element you connected with is the best compass for choosing your next read. If you loved the love triangle, lean into books with that trope. If the setting was everything, look for stories with a strong sense of place. And when you have a better idea of what you’re looking for, you can find heartwarming romance and love story recommendations that match your preferences.

Always read a sample chapter. Most online retailers and library apps like Libby offer this. It’s the fastest way to see if the author’s voice clicks with you. Checking a few reviews from readers you trust (not just the star rating) can also highlight if a book deals with themes you’re seeking or might want to avoid. Knowing your own tastes—genres and themes you enjoy—helps you pick books you’ll truly enjoy reading. That insight makes these quick checks even more effective for aligning picks with your personal preferences.

For newer titles, like if you’re searching for “summer ya romance books 2021” and beyond, use the “readers also enjoyed” features on sites like Goodreads or StoryGraph. Find a book you loved from this list, click on it, and scroll down. Those algorithmic suggestions are a goldmine for discovering recent releases in the same vein, especially when used alongside other recommendation tools.

Trust your instincts. The perfect summer read is the one that makes you want to drop everything and sit in the sun until you finish it.

Your Next Summer Reading Adventure

The best recommendations come from matching your specific mood, whether you want more complex family dynamics or pure, sun-drenched fluff. I’ve aimed to give you a tailored list, not just a general one, so your perfect next read is closer than you think.

I love hearing what catches your eye. Tell me in the comments which element of summer romance you’re most excited to read about next.

Written by Chrestos Plácida. Chrestos is an avid book reader and enthusiast. He reads and reviews countless books every year and has started multiple book clubs around his community where he helps the readers decide on which book to read next based on his personal reading experience. He also has a degree in literature and an interest in the classics and history and has written many books reviews for online blogs and review sites.