What to Read After The Summer I Turned Pretty — BookTok-Style Romance Picks
If you just closed The Summer I Turned Pretty and felt that mix of sun-washed nostalgia, major heart-moments, and “who will she pick?” tension, you’re definitely in that BookTok mood. That love triangle, the beach house setting, the summer changing everything — you want more of it.
Here are five romance novels that capture that vibe: warm setting, emotional growth, first-love intensity, and that feeling that one summer changed everything.
1. Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
If you loved the seaside atmosphere and the slow burn transformation in The Summer I Turned Pretty, Something Wilder hits that same sweet spot. Two childhood best friends on a wild summer adventure, learning what they truly mean to each other. BookTok readers rave about the “friends to lovers + summer journey” combo.
2. Beach Read by Emily Henry
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This one leans into the summer romance, with witty banter, emotional healing, and the backdrop of a beachy setting. If you liked Belly’s self-discovery and the shift from childhood to something more, Beach Read gives you that but in a fresh new storyline. BookTok loves it for its “romance + heart” balance.
3. The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren
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Another pick with great BookTok traction, this has that fun vacation/romance feel, characters who meet away from everyday life, and a story that slowly reveals deeper feelings. If you were drawn to the change of scene and the way characters in The Summer I Turned Pretty grew in one summer, this one will be your vibe.
4. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
For the readers who loved the nostalgic and emotional undercurrent of The Summer I Turned Pretty, this one explores teenage crushes, adulthood revisits, second chances and the weight of growing up. BookTok tags it often under #tearjerkerromance but with warmth and hope.
5. His Son Wrecked Me First by Shortbread
Another pick with great BookTok traction, this has that charged, small-town-return feel—one girl caught between two men, a ranch far from everyday life, and a slow unspooling of dangerous, complicated desire. If you loved the change of scene and emotional growth in The Summer I Turned Pretty, this one will be your vibe.
Final Thoughts
Finishing The Summer I Turned Pretty doesn’t mean the vibe has to end. There are plenty of romances out there full of summer magic, emotional growth, love triangles (or meaningful pairs), and that bittersweet moment when everything changes.
If you liked the feeling of “this one summer changed me,” any of the five picks above will get you back into that warm, heart-heavy, BookTok-friendly reading mood.
