September is shaping up to be a very exciting month for my reading list, with plenty of highly anticipated new releases vying for a spot on my TBR pile. From family dramas and emotional stories to romance, mystery and festive Nantucket charm, this month has something for just about every reading mood. I’ve rounded up eight September 2026 releases that have caught my attention and, judging by the growing size of my TBR, my September reading schedule is definitely going to be a busy one!
The Summer Between Us by Jennifer Probst:
After a career-ending injury derails her dreams, former surf champion Rowan Delaney spends her days working at a Waikiki surf shack, haunted by what she lost—until she meets Kelsey, a lonely young girl eager to learn how to surf. Teaching Kelsey brings Rowan renewed purpose, but sparks tension with Kelsey’s devoted yet controlling father, Everett Hale, who has come to Hawaii focused solely on opening a luxury hotel and repairing his strained relationship with his daughter. As Rowan helps Kelsey discover confidence and joy in the ocean, she also challenges Everett’s carefully planned life, igniting an unexpected connection between them. Over the course of one transformative summer, love, healing, and second chances collide, forcing all three to reconsider what truly matters. This book publishes September 1.
The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters:
🇨🇦 The Birthing Tree follows Aliet, a woman raised in rural Nova Scotia by her fiercely loving grandmother, Kiju, beneath a tree sacred to generations of Indigenous women. After Aliet’s mother dies giving birth beneath the tree and her father remains a mystery, Aliet grows up surrounded by Kiju’s traditional teachings while witnessing increasing prejudice toward Indigenous birthing practices. Decades later, Aliet works as a nurse in the city, balancing modern medicine with the wisdom and stories passed down by her grandmother, while carrying a deeply personal tragedy. When Kiju dies suddenly, Aliet returns home, drawn back to the tree and her roots, where she begins uncovering long-buried family secrets and reconnecting with her heritage. Spanning generations, the novel explores identity, grief, tradition, land and the enduring strength of the women who came before us. This book publishes September 1.
This Changes Everything by Danielle McKechnie:
🇨🇦 Ellie McCain has always dreamed of a bigger life, so when she’s accepted into a prestigious acting school in New York City, she leaves her family, friends and first love, Rory Campbell, behind. Although New York initially seems like everything she hoped for, Ellie soon finds herself struggling to get ahead while watching those around her—including Rory, now a successful professional golfer—achieve their dreams. When she unexpectedly reconnects with Rory after ten years apart, Ellie begins questioning the choices she’s made, what she truly wants and whether the love she left behind might still have a place in her life. Told across alternating timelines and set in Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles, This Changes Everything explores first love, second chances and the possibility that the person you’ve always loved might also be the one you’re meant to end up with. This book publishes September 1.
Mother Daughter Sister Stranger by Hank Phillippi Ryan:
Eleven years after surviving the plane crash that killed their parents, sisters Eliza and Bea Ramsey have built their lives around an unbreakable bond—until Bea mysteriously disappears without picking up her beloved daughter, Piper. As Eliza searches for her missing sister, she uncovers shocking secrets that call her family’s tragic past into question and reveal a sinister legacy someone will do anything to keep hidden. With Piper’s safety at risk and time running out, Eliza must unravel the truth before history repeats itself in this gripping, twist-filled thriller. This book publishes September 1.
The Me I Used To Be by Kristan Higgins:
At their twenty-fifth high school reunion, former best friends Audrey, Micah, Jasmine, and Beck reunite after decades apart, forced to confront how far their lives have drifted from the dreams they once carefully planned together. Known in high school as the “Core Four,” their tight bond fractured after a tragic accident on graduation night, leaving unresolved hurt and silence that lingered for years. Now adults facing stalled careers, complicated relationships, outspoken children, and long-buried secrets, the reunion becomes especially urgent when one of them receives a diagnosis of early-onset dementia. Over the course of one emotional weekend, the friends must reckon with their shared past, rediscover the meaning of loyalty and forgiveness, and decide whether their friendship still has the power to reshape their futures. This book publishes September 15.
Falling For Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey:
As autumn settles over Peachtree Bluff, the Murphy women find their lives anything but calm: youngest sister Emerson is planning her dream wedding to Kyle while quietly struggling with challenges that dim her joy; pregnant middle sister Sloane watches her and Adam’s dream home spiral into a costly, stressful mess; and ever-reliable eldest sister Caroline is torn between a swoon-worthy new costar and her not-quite-ex-husband’s plea for another chance. Meanwhile, matriarch Ansley, newly happy with her husband Jack, is rocked by a town-wide scandal that threatens not only Peachtree Bluff’s reputation but her faith in the man she married. Through heartbreak, humour, and unexpected twists, the Murphy family must lean on their unbreakable bonds and the enduring charm of their small-town home. This book publishes September 15.
The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand / Shelby Cunningham:
September at Tiffin Academy brings the excitement and pressure of college applications, parties and final moments of senior year, but beneath the celebrations, tensions and secrets are simmering. Charley and East’s seemingly perfect relationship is faltering, football star Dub is feuding with his best friend Hakeem, and newcomer Pippa Sacks threatens to disrupt the school’s carefully balanced social hierarchy. Meanwhile, Head of School Audre Robinson fights to save her job and the school after a costly financial mistake, while questions surrounding an email sent to Dub by Cinnamon Peters before her death refuse to disappear. In The Thoroughbreds, Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham deliver a page-turning story of friendship, betrayal, ambition, secrets and the challenges of growing up. This book publishes September 15.
Nantucket Christmas Stroll by Nancy Thayer:
The Nantucket Christmas Stroll brings holiday magic to the island, with festive decorations, carolers, Santa’s arrival and bustling streets filled with holidaymakers. At the centre of the celebration is the Parsons family, who gather for their annual Christmas house party as parents Brick and Jane welcome their three adult children home for the holidays. Lydia is struggling to balance her successful career in New York with a new relationship, Florie is torn between love and the prospect of moving to Wisconsin with her poet boyfriend, and Lucas is anxious about revealing his unexpected career change to his father. As the family reconnects with old friends and former loves during the Stroll, long-held secrets and complicated emotions threaten to overshadow the festivities, but amid champagne, Christmas treats and sparkling celebrations, the Parsons discover that family and love can make even the most challenging holiday season brighter. This book publishes September 29.
I’m looking forward to getting through all of these September 2026 releases and discovering which ones end up becoming favourites. With such a varied selection, there should be something to suit every reading mood, and I’m excited to spend the month working my way through them. If your TBR is anything like mine, September may just be another month where the list grows faster than we can read it! Which book releasing in September is at the top of your reading list?
Jonetta | Blue Mood Café
I’ve got the Kristan Higgins and Hank Phillippi Ryan books on my plan.