It’s summertime again! Who’s ready for some sunshine, some beach time, and some fun? I’m ready for all the sun and fun I can soak up this summer! I’m also ready to share with you all the great beach reads you should check out this summer.
All of these books I’m going to suggest are ones I’ve read this year and have enjoyed reading. I also feel like these novels are great books to take to the beach this summer. You can read them while relaxing on the sand or reading on the boat. If you can’t go to the beach, you can always read these books in the back yard soaking up the rays!
These six beach reads are in no particular order and are all fantastic! (In my opinion!)
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1. Beach Read by Emily Henry
January is a romance novelist and Augustus is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. They both have a serious case of writers block and have found out they are neighbors for the summer. One night they start talking and decide to challenge one another; Augustus has to write a sappy romance novel where the characters have their “happily ever after” and January has to write the next sensational novel! They spend the summer taking each other on field trips (picnics in the park and interviewing surviving family members of a cult) and the definitely don’t fall in love!
This beach read isn’t just a normal “fun in the sun” book! This book is so much deeper. The characters lift off the page and become your friends. You’ll root for them to get together and hope that they set aside all the baggage they carry. There’s one part where they argue about “Women’s Fiction” and how “Men’s Fiction” is just called “Fiction”. There’s also purse wine and humor that will make you laugh out loud! This book is a fantastic beach read for this summer!
2. It Started with a Secret by Jill Mansell
If you have ever read a Jill Mansell book then you know that most of her books are good! Believe me when I say that this book is classic Jill Mansell! This book is a fun and breezy read that will keep you entertained until the last page. Kit (a gay man) and Lainey (straight female) are close friends who need a place to work for the summer. They decide to lie and pretend they are a couple so they can stay and work for a family in England. This is just the beginning of a long summer of secrets and desires. If you are looking for a book with many characters with many different stories all going on at once, then this is for you!
3. Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
Honestly, you could put any Elin Hilderbrand on this list! She writes amazing beach reads with just enough drama to keep the reader satisfied. The reason why I chose this specific Hilderbrand book is that it’s a very interesting read. Winter in Paradise tells the story of Irene Steele who wakes up one day to the phone call that he husband has passed away in the Caribbean. Irene, along with her two sons, must find out all the secrets her husband had been keeping from her.
With the tropical scene in the Caribbean, this novel is perfect for the beach! This novel is part of a three-book series and so far I’ve read the first two. I promise once you finish the first book you’ll want to order the second one right away!
4. Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
Three best friends since grade school are in the mid-thirties and life isn’t turning out how they expected it to be. They decide to spend some time in North Carolina and rent out a home on the water. The landlord, Ty, is barely hanging on the the property by a thread and keeps hoping the tides will turn. One night the ladies invite a stranger to stay with them for the rest of the summer. This is about five people on different paths and how one summer can change their whole lives.
Mary Kay Andrews writes beautiful and compassionate summer novels that are easy to relax with. You will find yourself cheering for these characters and laughing out loud. I even snorted out some of my coffee one morning while reading this book. If you’re looking for a fun and breezy beach read with happy endings all around, then this one is for you!
5. The Viscount who Loved me by Julia Quinn
Anyone else a Bridgerton fan? Have you checked out the second novel in the Bridgerton series? Well, I’m here to tell you that the second novel, which centers around Anthony’s love life, is a great novel to read while lounging on the beach. Especially if you want to finish it before the second season is released on Netflix. The novel starts with Anthony swear to his brothers that he will marry and he has already chosen a wife! The only obstacle in his way is the meddling older sister, Kate, of his intended bride. Will he ever be able to charm Kate into letting him marry her sister or will the charming go a little too far?
One of the biggest problems in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels is that her characters do not communicate with one another! That is an observation from Luke (my husband) while watching the first season. “It will all be easier for them if they would just TELL each other what they are feeling!” That is a direct quote from Luke. While I was reading this novel his thinking kept popping into my head. This novel would be a lot easier for the characters if they communicated their feelings. I wonder if part of that is the time period or just part of the drama. Still, if you enjoyed watching or reading the first Bridgerton novel then you should check out this book! You can read it while sun-bathing and live vicariously through these characters.
6. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
I don’t know what I was expecting when I started this novel but I stayed up until 1:30 AM one morning to read this book. That’s how good it is! It had a twist in the plot that I had no idea was coming. No! I’m not going to tell you the twist but I will tell you it’s worth the read! Big Summer is about Daphne Berg who is a plus-size influencer who meets up with her high school friend, Drue, who convinces Daphne to be her maid-of-honor. The kicker? They haven’t spoken in 6 years and didn’t end on good terms. Drue has everything in life and seems to be marrying the perfect man. So why does everything go wrong? Can Daphne ignore the seduction that is Drue’s life?
The Beach Reads Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed reading these books the past few months! The only thing missing was the hot sun and a cold drink in my hand! I hope you take a chance and check out these books. I promise you any one of these beach reads will keep you on your toes during the hot summer months.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the list. I enjoyed reading Jill Mansell’s books in the past, so will definitely check out the one you mentioned above.
Thanks for the recs! Summer Rental seems right up my alley!
Thank you for these awesome ideas for great beach reads! I need to incorporate more fiction into what I read, and these are some great starts to get me out of my comfort zone and into reading some romance novels.
These all sound great! I haven’t read any of them before. I will have to add a few of these books to my summer reading list now.
Thats a great collection bookmarking it for later read ! But definitely don’t want more if the sun where i live !
My summer reading list just got bigger and I’m not mad about it lol
Such a great list! And fortunately these books aren’t too pricey which is a bonus! Big Summer might be interesting to read…so weird how friendships change direction but hey that’s life.
Never heard of these books 📚, but i am sure your readers will enjoy them.
Great book recommendations. I would love to read It started with a secret.
“It started with a secret” is a really good beach read! You should definitely check it out!
Great list! I’ll have to put these on my reading list for camping.
Yes! You should! These are all perfect escape reads for when you just want to relax and pretend you are at a beach.
I love a great fiction book, especially if I’m relaxing by the waves or the pool!
Same! There’s something about being by the water that makes a book ten times better!
Great suggestions. I’ll have to add a few to my kindle library!
Thanks! They are perfect for those summer days where you can just relax and read a good book!
I will check these books 🙂 My goal is to try to read more this year and its already past 6 mos. lol
Same! One of my goals for 2021 is to read 52 books. I’m on track so far but I’m starting to get into a slump!
such a great list. Thank you for sharing.