2 Five-Star Romance Reads You Need This Summer | May 2026 Wrap-Up + June TBR

2 Five-Star Romance Reads You Need This Summer | May 2026 Wrap-Up + June TBR

Author: Under the Covers Book Blog June 5, 2026 Duration: 42:23

In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I walk you through everything I read in May 2026: eleven books, two five-star reads, and a lot of summer-ready picks that go beyond what BookTok is talking about. There's dark Hollywood romcom with revenge, a Paris fake-dating soccer romance ahead of the World Cup, a Loch Ness Monster shifter, a cozy vampire murder mystery with Interview with the Vampire energy, and two amazin five star books I'll be preaching about: a witchy urban fantasy and a biker MC second chance that wrecked me. Then a quick look at three June releases already on the must-read TBR.

Timestamps:

00:00 May Wrap-Up Teaser

00:53 Reading Stats Snapshot

02:05 Dark Hollywood Revenge

04:48 Paris Fake-Dating Soccer

06:28 YA Ghost Rivals Mystery

08:28 Hockey DM Meet-Cute

11:33 Off Campus Reread Thoughts

14:33 More Soccer College Vibes

16:06 Sapphic Vineyard Book Club

17:55 Loch Ness Shifter Buddy Read

21:31 Cozy Vampire Mystery Getaway

24:50 Five-Star Witchy Urban Fantasy

28:56 Five-Star Biker Second Chance

36:43 June Must-Read New Releases

41:40 Final Recap & Goodbye

Links


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If you've ever stayed up far too late, utterly lost in the world of a romance novel, you're in the right place. Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast is that feeling, turned into a conversation. Hosted by the two friends behind the Under the Covers Book Blog, this podcast feels like pulling up a chair in your favorite bookstore café. Each episode is a deep, often hilarious, and always heartfelt dive into the books they can't stop thinking about. You'll hear genuine, spoiler-filled discussions that dissect everything from beloved tropes and character chemistry to the sheer craft of storytelling. It's a celebration of the genre in all its forms-historical, contemporary, fantasy, and everything in between. More than just reviews, it's about the shared experience of reading: the anticipation of a new release, the comfort of a re-read, and the joy of finding a perfect book boyfriend. This is a space for fellow enthusiasts who understand that a great romance novel isn't just a story; it's an escape, a comfort, and a source of genuine delight. Tune in for passionate recommendations, thoughtful analysis, and the kind of enthusiastic fangirling that only true friends and book lovers can share.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Can't Get Over Interview with the Vampire? Start Here. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:59
If Interview with the Vampire broke you, these 6 books are what to read next before Season 3 (The Vampire Lestat) premieres June 7 on AMC+.Each book hits a different part of what makes ITV so consuming:- toxic immortal r…
Off Campus Season 1 Review: I Have Feelings (And Dean Is One of Them) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:15
I binged all 8 episodes of Off Campus on Amazon Prime in one sitting and I have a lot to say about it. I didn't re-read the book first on purpose and I think you shouldn't either. Today on Reading Under the Covers, a rom…
Ranking Every Elle Kennedy Off-Campus Book from Worst to Best [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:27
We’re going back to Briar, and yes, Garrett Graham is still a problem.In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, I’m ranking the books in Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus universe from my least favori…
April Reading Wrap Up: Paranormal Romance, Romantasy, Sports Romance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:20
April was… a month. I only managed to read 11 books, but when I did pick something up, I flew through it so we’re calling that a win.In this April reading wrap up, I’m chatting through my StoryGraph stats, the genres I a…
Tender Is the Storm Part 2: From Cover to Cover, This Book Is Nuts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:57
We're back at Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, with the second and final discussion of Tender Is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey for the Ripped & Ravished Book Club.This episode covers chapters 22 through…
The Rise, Fall, and Return of the Clinch Cover in Romance Books [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:27
In this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we’re going down the full romance history rabbit hole and talking about the clinch cover: where it started, why it took over, why it disappeared, and…
I Cheated on My Kindle with a Kobo (Here's What Happened) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:01
I've been a Kindle girl for years. But then I spent three months sneaking around with a Kobo Libra Color and honestly? I'm not going back.This is my full, honest breakdown of what it's actually like to switch from Kindle…
March 2026 Reading Wrap Up: New Obsessions & Reading Regrets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:04
Time to unpack everything we read in March on Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast.In this LIVE March Reading Wrap Up, we’re chatting:– Every book we finished this month– New favorite reads we’re low‑key obs…