The summer before college is a time when you get ready to leave your old life behind and embark on an exciting new one. Check out my list of YA Books Set the Summer Before College. Updated for summer 2025!
YA Books Set the Summer Before College
Romance, travel, bucket lists, makeovers – this list has high school graduates trying to make the most of that summer before college. Check it out and tell me what you think!
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Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia (2025)
- summer working in a bookstore
- Emma retelling
- Grumpy sunshine m/m summer romance
This Could Be Forever by Ebony LaDelle (2025)
- future founder and girl boss
- first in her family to be attending college
- a girl walks into a guy’s tattoo parlor…
All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel (2024)
- Summer in Rome, Roman Holiday style
- Scottish heartthrob
- Fake dating
The Night is Ours by Ronni Davis (2024)
- summer carnival romance
- nursing school or art school
- the most annoying boy ever!
Thirsty by Jas Hammonds (2024)
- Two girls want to join a secret society
- Rich girl poor girl f/f romance
- What would you do to get what you want?
The Someday Daughter by Ellen O’Clover (2024)
- daughter of a famous author
- summer book tour with mom: what could go wrong?
- cute video intern
- free on KU
Ready or Not by Andi Porretta (2024)
- last summer in NYC before college
- dare and risk games
- ride or die friend group
Exactly Where You Need to Be by Amelia Diane Combs (2022)
- OCD rep
- friends going on separate paths
- learning to take risks and trust yourself
- friends road trip (with your crush in the backseat)
The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad (2022)
- Caribbean rep
- meddling older brother
- ticking clock on connecting with your crush
- a little bit of mysticism
Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters (2022)
- male main character
- social anxiety rep
- Comic convention and Teen Pride
- An old crush comes back
- m/m romance
The Edge of Summer by Erica George (2022)
- Grief Book
- Marine biology
- Can you accomplish your goals and find love?
Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher (2021)
- Fandoms
- Book festivals
- Crush on a (teen) author
- A little bit of mysticism
- Perfect for fans of Fangirl and Heartstopper
Check out my review of Amelia Unabridged here!
Say Yes Summer by Lindsay Roth Culli (2020)
- a “perfect” girl starts to take risks
- Saying yes to everything
- Love triangle romance
Check out my review of Say Yes Summer!
The Marvelous Mirza Girls by Sheba Karim (2021)
- gap year
- summer in India
- family scandal
- romance
Check out my review of The Marvelous Mirza Girls!
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2021)
- Anxiety Rep
- Seeing your crush again
- Wedding planner families
Check out my review of We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This!
You Say It First by Katie Cotugno (2021)
- Political activism
- small town boy meets big city girl
- long distance friendship becomes more
Meet Me At Midnight by Jessica Pennington (2021)
- prank war
- Summer at the lake
- Friends to lovers romance
This is How We Fly by Anna Meriano (2020)
- Cinderella retelling
- Quidditch
- Summer in Houston
Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (2020)
- summer train trip
- strangers fall in love
- getting over an ex
Just One Day by Gayle Forman (2013)
- Summer in Europe
- ditching a school trip and finding love
- 24 hour timeline
- For fans of a famous indie film (see below)
My review of Just One Day, and my comparison to the indie film it resembles a LOT, is here!
Little Do We Know by Tamara Ireland Stone (2019)
- fight with your best friend
- near death experience
- questions of mortality and faith
Check out my review of Little Do We Know!
That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim (2017)
- summer job at a pie stand
- possibly love triangle
- Urdu poetry (best part!)
- Read my thoughts on Urdu poetry and more here!
My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp (2015)
- A YA Breaking Bad
- summer in a small town
- When dad loses your college tuition money, make moonshine!
- My review of My Best Everything
The Disenchantments by Nina Lacour (2013)
- summer after a breakup
- band tour
Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen (2009)
- summer in a beach town
- romantic night time bike rides
- grief, change, and finding yourself
Check out my review of Along for the Ride!
There is also an Along for the Ride series on Netflix!
Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr
- epistolary story (told in emails)
- reluctant roommate
My review of Roomies is here, on my sister site, YA All Day!
Interested in YA Books Set in College – check out my list!
I just finished You Say It First last night, and it a really great exploration of that period between high school and college. I appreciated that these characters were not necessarily following the planned paths, and rather, figuring out what they really wanted.
Thanks for the report and glad you enjoyed it! I love her writing but most of the books of hers I’ve tried have had love triangles, often with cheating. But maybe I will try this one!! Love the cover.
My daughter really enjoyed Fangirl. There are a couple there that I think she’d enjoy. I’m off to check out if my library has them. You Say it First is one I’m hoping they have, I think it sounds so good!
You Say It First comes out in mid-June, but maybe they’ve ordered it and you can put a hold on it!
WHY IS MY FAVOURITE YA EVER NOT ON THIS LIST? Just One Day by Gayle Forman, Jen! Add it, add it!
I think I left it off because the sequel was so disappointing, but I did love the first book which reminded me SO much of Before Sunrise. Ok adding it NOW!!!
Why have I not read any of these books?! They sound fantastic.
Thanks – hope you try one!
I haven’t read any of those but a couple of them sound interesting.
lol Mary your photo is CHILLING!!!
Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve only read one of these!
Your secret is safe with me.