Summer 2025 reading list: Top picks from Canadian authors

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With the arrival of warmer weather, that means it’s time to start planning your summer reading list. And for those who love supporting home-grown talent, why not add a few titles from Canadian authors to the list? 

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Both Indigo and Amazon have a dedicated Canadian landing page, making it easy to add some Canadian spirit to your summer bookshelf. You’ll find a range of bestsellers, new releases and prize-winning books to choose from, many of which are on sale right now. 

Whether you’re headed to the cottage, on a road trip across the country or are just looking for your next must-read, browse some of the best books for summer 2025 from top Canadian authors below. 

Best books by Canadian authors: Summer 2025

One Golden Summer, Carley Fortune 

Fans of Carley Fortune’s Meet Me By The Lake will be thrilled to revisit familiar characters in what’s sure to be one of summer 2025’s hottest new releases. Perfect for romance lovers, One Golden Summer is another heartfelt homage to cottage country and is an ideal beach read. 

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Release date: May 6, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

Julie Chan Is Dead, Liann Zhang

Author Liann Zhang’s debut novel is full of twists and turns as the mystery surrounding influencer Chloe VanHuusen’s death unfolds. When her long-lost identical twin, Julie, steps into Chloe’s glamorous world, she learns that there’s more to social media stardom than meets the eye. 

Release date: Apr 29, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

The Book of Records, Madeleine Thien

In this unique work of fiction, “The Sea” is a mysterious enclave where migrants from across the ages gather. Here, a girl named Lina cares for her ailing father and learns how connected we all are as she comes to know her neighbours and fellow migrants of The Sea. 

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Release date: May 6, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

She Didn’t See It Coming, Shari Lapena

This thrilling mystery follows Bryden and Sam, who appear to have the “perfect life”: a beautiful daughter, chic condo and supportive friends. But when she disappears out of the blue, their community is left wondering what exactly happened to the picture-perfect Bryden. 

Release date: July 29, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress, Max Kerman

Max Kerman, guitarist and frontman of Canadian band Arkells, shares a peek into his creative process with this thoughtful self-help book. In it, he details his growth in the craft of storytelling and performance, offering a framework for how to “make it” in creative industries.

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Release date: Apr 22, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

The Maid’s Secret, Nita Prose

The latest in Nita Prose’s Maid series finds Molly the maid in a glamorous rags-to-riches story after she discovers one of her gran’s antiquities is worth more than she imagined. When the treasure vanishes, Molly embarks on a whodunnit mystery to recover her family heirloom. 

Release date: Apr 8, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

The Summers Between Us, Noreen Nanja

When childhood sweethearts Lia and Wesley reunite at her family’s summer cottage, Lia must confront the family pressures and heartbreak that forced them to follow separate paths a decade ago. Told over five years in the past and one summer in the present, Lia learns that sometimes the only way forward is through the heart’s deepest scars.

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Release date: May 13, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

52 Ways to Reconcile, David A. Robertson

52 Ways to Reconcile offers an accessible, friendly guide for non-Indigenous people eager to learn more about Canada’s checkered past, as well as a way forward for Indigenous people looking to contribute to reconciliation efforts with 52 practical acts – one per week for a full year. 

Release date: May 13, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

A Curse Carved in Bone, Danielle L. Jensen

Danielle L. Jensen’s Book Two of the Saga of the Unfated picks up immediately following the events of A Fate Inked in Blood. With the magic of two goddesses burning in her veins, Freya must decide her own fate as she seeks to protect her home, Skaland. 

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Release date: May 13, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

I Hope You Remember, Josie Balka

From poet and radio personality Josie Balka, I Hope You Remember is a collection of poems based on universal experiences like family relationships, body image and nostalgia. The poems remind us that what’s important in our lives now isn’t necessarily what’s important in the long run. 

Release date: May 13, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo | Amazon

Every Salad Ever, Greta Podleski

Need some easy meal inspiration this summer? Greta Podleski packs over 100 simple and tasty salad and side recipes into this cookbook, making your next cookout or potluck a guaranteed success.  

Release date: Apr 15, 2025
Where to buy: Indigo

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