The Best Summer Reads
Why we love it:
- Beautifully written with vivid descriptions that make you feel as if you experiencing everything through the eyes of the main character.
- A story that delicately builds throughout before delivering a powerful final punch.
A real page-turner? Check. Beautiful descriptions of an exotic far-flung place? Check. A story that will hit you right in the feels? Double check. Delia Owens may have created the perfect summer read with “Where the Crawdads Sing”. Set in the dewy swamps of North Carolina, it follows Kya - a girl who’s been abandoned by everyone. Until she meets a local boy. This book is hard to pigeonhole, with a little bit of everything from a coming-of-age tale, a love story to a murder mystery. What isn’t up for debate, though, is that Delia Owen's beautiful writing makes you feel as if you’re living through every moment with Kya.
Why we love it:
- A brilliant second chance romance story.
- A novel that explores everything from self-growth to friendship dynamics and their impact on relationships.
Emily Henry’s latest book “Happy Place” has everything you’d want from a beach read, a couple of flawed but likeable romantic leads, a second chance romance trope and just enough steam to get the heart racing. Happy Palace follows Harriet and Wyn, who have basically been the perfect couple since college but, for some reason, have separated. They end up sharing a cottage together and… well, you can probably guess the rest. This book isn’t exactly breaking new territory, but it’s so much fun and with more depth than your typical fluff romance.
Why we love it:
- Will genuinely make you belly laugh.
- Has the perfect execution of enemies to lovers.
Who doesn’t love a good enemies to lovers story? The Unhoneymooners is about Olive, who has to make it through her sister's wedding. Through a turn of events - some dodgy shellfish - she ends up going on her sister’s honeymoon with her nemesis “Ethan”. While away, she bumps into her future boss and tells a little white lie, and before you know it, her and Ethan are pretending to be a couple. This is the stuff that great romantic comedies are built off of. And that’s what this book is, a great comedic farce with just the right amount of romance. Christina Lauren has crafted a book that will genuinely make you laugh out loud.
Why we love it:
- A genuinely complex main character that is fun, vibrant and yet still vulnerable.
- Classic Chick-Lit that hits all the right notes.
The tagline on the front of this book is “Love is in the heir” - that on its own should be enough to read this book. But if it isn’t enough, this book is pure chick-lit in the best sense. We’ve got 26-year-old Maggie Moore, who’s quirky and clumsy and is a bit down on her luck when it comes to romance. She lives in the Tower of London with her father, and just as she swears off men completely, a chance meeting with a guardsman changes everything. All the main notes are the same as some of the best chick-lit books, but Maggie is such a brilliantly complex character who’s outwardly self-assured but inside suffering from all the same hangups as everyone else. Oh, and like all great chick-lit books, you’re never more than a page or two away from a genuinely funny moment.
Why we love it:
- The perfect blend of sizzling chemistry, humour and schmaltz.
- A very steamy novel that will make you more than blush.
A story of a young romance with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you hooked from page one. It Happened One Summer follows Piper Bellinger, who is a bit of a wild child who ends up in prison after one glass of champagne too many. As punishment, she gets sent to run her late father’s dive bar, where she meets Brendan. This is classic opposites attract territory, with Brendan being a sea captain and Pipe being from Beverly Hills. Just like all good opposite attracts romances, this has just the perfect blend of sizzling chemistry, humour and schmaltz.
Why we love it:
- A slow, calm start that gradually builds as the story goes on.
- Will have you itching to move to Southern Spain.
- Lovely, warm characters.
Nothing says summer more than a trip to Spain. Although this isn’t quite as good as a trip to sunny Spain, this book will have you feeling like you are there. The story follows Eliza, whose kids have returned home after moving out, and she starts to find things all a little too cramped. She decides to try a bit of house-sitting in rural Spain as a bit of an escape. A little calmer and a lot less steamy than some of the other reads on this list, this book is more like a nice trip with friends that’s perfect if you want to unwind.
Why we love it:
- A brilliant story exploring that awkward period where you are just on the cusp of adulthood.
- Complex characters who are perfectly realised.
CoHo might just be the most popular author in the world right now, thanks to her ability to craft intensely passionate and unforgettable stories about broken characters and romance. Heart Bones is more of the same, following Beyah, who’s had a bit of a troubled childhood but has made good of herself until she is forced to spend the summer with her estranged Dad due to a bereavement. During this summer, she meets Samson, who is the complete opposite of her, and you can figure out the rest. This book in particular, brilliantly explores that awkward, vulnerable period when you’re right on the cusp of adulthood. It is beautiful, complex, sweet and like every CoHo book, will have you reaching for the tissues.
A true fan favourite by Coleen Hoover. Heart Bones tells the story of two star-crossed lovers who were drawn together, but are they meant to stay together? This book will have you feeling all the emotions this summer. This read is not to be missed.
If you want to dive into some more CoHo books, check out our post on what order to read Colleen Hoover books.
Why we love it:
- The documentary style makes this book standout.
- A will they, won’t they romance that will have you shouting at the main characters.
- An ending that is perfectly realised with a great twist.
You’ve probably heard of Daisy Jones before. The Amazon Prime series has become something of a hit, but the book is better. Daisy Jones and The Six follows one of the most successful bands in the 70s rocky rise to the top and their even rockier fall. Taylor Jenkins Read (or TJR if you’re cool), delivers this story in a sort of talking heads documentary style, where all the main characters are telling their side of the story. What this does brilliantly is interweave narratives so you get to see characters from every angle. This book is a proper page-turner that is tense, fun and sad all at the same time. By the time you’ve finished reading it, you’ll be reaching for the bell bottoms and learning the guitar.
And relax…
Now you've got your summer reading sorted, sit back and relax with your book choice in one hand and a cold drink in the other. If you’re looking for some other book recommendations, you can check out our posts on the Best Chick Lit Books, the Best Adult Fiction Novels, or the Best Summer Reads for your Book Club.
