When asked to close my eyes and go to my happy place, I’m relaxing on a beach, toes in the sand, and a good book in hand.
With Memorial Day weekend and the summer months quickly arriving, I wanted to share with you 5 books that would make for an incredible beach read. These are all books that I have read and liked, and think that you will too.
I share a mix of romance, drama, new releases, contemporary, & thriller (because it’s always better to read a creepy thriller somewhere happy and warm, right!?). For each book, I provided a little about the genre, why you’ll love it, and a quick summary. You really can’t go wrong with choosing any one of these!
Grab your beach bag, a pina colada, and one of these best selling books and you’ll be all set for a relaxing vacation!
1) 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
Genre: fiction, romance
What I Liked Most: Gosh I read this book over a year ago and I can STILL feel the love. Such a beautifully written story and the perfect read for the beach. After all, Hilderbrand is the queen of beach reads.
Quick Summary: Set on Nantucket Island, Mallory Blessing and Jake McCloud are each other’s “Same Time Next Year” for 28 summers. Their secret love affair has lasted decades, but it’s 2020 and this could be the summer that changes everything. With marriage, children and a polotical rise in the mix, this page-turning story-line explores the dramatic and complicated things one will do for love.
2) Verity by Colleen Hoover
Genre: thriller, romance, mystery
What I Liked Most: With over 400,000 5 star reviews on Goodreads, this book definitely lived up to the hype. It’s creepy, it’s shocking, it’s unpredictable, and even if you think you know what’s going to happen… you don’t. I couldn’t put this book down, and I’m still thinking about it!
Quick Summary: I went into this book blind and that was the best thing ever so I won’t be sharing a description for this read. BUT know that Hoover so perfectly takes readers down a dark and twisted road full of manipulation and uncertainty, and ultimately a search for the truth.
3) One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Genre: fiction, romance, contemporary, magical realism
What I Liked Most: This book will absolutely transport you to Positano. You will feel like you are exploring the village alongside the main character, tasting all of the delicious meals she eats and taking in the Italian sun.
Quick Summary: A light read about the unconditional love of a mother-daughter relationship. Katy’s mom Carol was her best friend, her other half, and when she passes Katy is at a loss. She immediately decides to take the trip to the Amalfi Coast that her mother had went on when she was her age, and that they had planned on going back on together. When Katy arrives, she discovers someone she never thought she’d find there – a younger version of her mother.
4) Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: fiction, historical fiction, contemporary
What I Liked Most: This was one of my favorite reads of 2021! I laughed, I cried (multiple times), I emphasized with the characters, & I was so incredibly hooked and attached to this story. I loved how this book takes you back to the surfing culture of the 1950s-80s.
Quick Summary: It’s 1983. The four famous Riva siblings are getting ready to throw their epic annual end-of-summer party, and by the end of the night the house will (literally) be in flames with shocking secrets and family drama.
5) Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Genre: fiction, romance, coming-of-age, chick lit
What I Liked Most: The magic of friendship theme in this story is so compelling. I think it would be a really touching, quick read for a vacation. It’s even been made a TV show on Netflix, but I of course prefer the book.
Quick Summary: In 1974, Tully Hart is the new girl in eighth-grade, and Kate Mularkey is and has been the outcast. The two soon become inseparable best friends. Spanning the course of three decades, the book follows Tully & Kate’s powerful friendship through secrets, anger, hurt, fame, jealousy, and even betrayal.
And that concludes the summer book recs! Let me know what book you’ll be grabbing for the upcoming summer months in the comments below! I’m always adding to my “want to read” list!
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