Sure, classic books and romance novels can be read at any time of the year. However, when it’s 80 degrees outside, carrying a hefty Crime And Punishment in the crook of your arm might not be the brightest idea.
You can read those too; however, if you want to relax on the beach or get to be a passenger princess on a long road trip, you might want to bring something interesting enough to keep you engaged but not so serious that it will spoil your chillax time—beach reads are the perfect solution!
Although it would make sense to call a beach read a book that should be read at the beach, beach reads are not exclusive to only reading on a deck chair set up by an umbrella. Think of them as fun holiday reads, books for summer reading, or, as critics often put them under the “escapist fiction” umbrella, books to briefly escape reality. Good beach reads are usually light and “fluffy” and rarely address thought-provoking cultural questions. However, don’t get us wrong, some of them actually do tackle important societal issues. Still, that’s usually not their primary point.
Light beach reads are just the ticket when you only want to relax, have a good time, and let yourself dream a little. Also, although fun summer reads often fall in the romance genre, not all of them follow the hot summer fling trope (although we love those too). Hence, even if you are not a fan of the classic rivals-to-lovers trope, there’s definitely a beach read that will be a breath of fresh salty air for you.
To help you pick books to read at the beach (or wherever else the hot summer air takes you), we’ve compiled a list of the best beach reads to dive into this summer. If you have read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it, give it an upvote so it appears higher on the list and helps a fellow reader find it more easily. And as always, leave your thoughts about the books in the comments. Wishing you delightful summer beach reading!
#1 Dream On By Angie Hockman
What would you do if your dream was more than just a fruit of your imagination? In this romantic comedy by Angie Hockman, a woman wakes up from a car accident with memories of a boyfriend she has never met… and then runs into him one year later. This charming romance checks most of the criteria you seek in a rom-com!
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#2 Something Wilder By Christina Lauren
This eagerly awaited, super-fun frolic is the return of long-time writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. There’s drama, twists, and even violence as Lily and Leo go out in pursuit of a treasure that Lily’s father is believed to have located in the past. A wonderful getaway within the pages of a book, Something Wilder is precisely what we all need right now!
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#3 Nora Goes Off Script By Annabel Monaghan
There is too much to love in Monaghan’s adult debut. Ironically, Nora, a screenwriter for a “romance channel” writing about Happily Ever Afters, is going through a divorce. Oh, and the collapse of her marriage is also being turned into a movie. Nora Goes Off Script is the ideal choice if you’re searching for a charming, entertaining rom-com that will draw you in from the very first page.
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#4 Book Lovers By Emily Henry
The book’s protagonist is Nora, an ambitious literary agent who, unlike how romance flicks often portray their heroines, isn’t trying to act all cute, making her super relatable. When her sister convinces her to spend the summer together in a lovely little town, Charlie—the snarky editor she has avoided—is the last person she expects to run into. A rom-com fan’s dream, Book Lovers has everything a romantic comedy should have: flirtatious dialogue, a feisty heroine, a guy who occasionally gets a little broody but isn’t a douche, and very steamy encounters.
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#5 One Night On The Island By Josie Silver
In this surprising love story, dating columnist Cleo embarks on a “self-coupling” journey in honor of her 30th birthday. When she gets to the isolated Irish island of Salvation, she discovers that her little cottage has been reserved twice, so she will have to share it with a struggling father of two. This book is a perfect pleasure if you’re seeking a sweet tale of life, love, and all the challenges that come with it.
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#6 Part Of Your World By Abby Jimenez
This book is a charming love tale between a clever big-city girl and a small-town B&B owner/hot carpenter ten years younger than her. The only other information you need to know to start reading is that there is a baby goat in it. Like the sun emerging from the clouds, the book’s charming and hopeful love tale will warm your heart!
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#7 The Cheat Sheet By Sarah Adams
Sarah Adams is a master of humorous, sappiness-free rom-coms ideal for the summer. In the friendship-to-love narrative The Cheat Sheet, dance teacher Bree and her best friend Nathan, a professional quarterback, must pretend to date during the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. Although there are undoubtedly things you can nitpick about this book, generally, it’s a wonderfully wholesome, adorable, and lighthearted read.
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#8 The Hotel Nantucket By Elin Hilderbrand
The Hotel Nantucket is about a rundown hotel that gets saved and renovated by business magnate Xavier Darling. He hires a local woman, Lizbet Keaton, to get the hotel up and running. The story is filled with love, revenge, humor, and mystery, all in a beautiful cozy beach setting. The Hotel Nantucket will genuinely have you wanting to book a trip to Nantucket immediately!
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#9 From The Jump By Lacie Waldon
Liv is a busy bee used to missing out on all the fun. However, everything changes when she quits her job and leaves for South Africa to join her friends. There, she expects sun, safari animals, and a laid-back time with her pals. Yet, being so close together doesn’t help her deal with the emotionally cold Lucas. As they return to LA, Liv learns that her leap of faith has turned into a freefall, sending her plunging into Lucas’s arms. This summer rom-com about two friends who fall in love has many surprising twists to keep you intrigued and delighted from page 1 to the very end!
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#10 The Bodyguard By Katherine Center
This fun book feels like a summer blockbuster (Netflix, what are you up to?!). The plot revolves around Hannah, who may not have the most fitting look for the job, yet she works as a bodyguard for very important clients. One of them is a huge movie star who is in town visiting his family. Everything we adore in a romance is present within this book. Look no further if you’re looking for a delightfully funny yet poignant book!
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#11 This Time Tomorrow By Emma Straub
This is a love story—however, not your typical one. It’s about love between a daughter and her father. We are introduced to Alice on the eve of her 40th birthday. Her love life and career aren’t going well, and her father is lying in a hospital bed, counting his last breaths. Naturally, Alice has already started to grieve. After having a few too many, she wakes up on her 16th birthday in 1996. Leonard, her father, is in the prime of his life and is lively in ways she can’t recall or appreciate from when she was sixteen. Although it incorporates time travel, don’t let that deter you. It’s a beautiful story with a dash of comedy, inspiring gratitude for the time we have.
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#12 The Invisible Husband Of Frick Island By Colleen Oakley
Do you recall curling up under the blankets and waiting for a bedtime story? This book could be for you if you’re trying to relive that type of magic. Piper’s husband, Tom, passed away in a boating accident, and struggling to deal with her loss, she acts like Tom is still with her. When an ambitious journalist Anders is tasked with visiting a far-off island to cover a dull yearly fundraiser, he encounters an intriguing story about a village that pretends to see and interact with a man who’s no longer alive. Anders’ spidey senses go crazy as he realizes he has hit the story jackpot. Despite the unconventional premise, the plot is still funny and, at the same time, heartwarming. Hence, if you’re seeking a touching read, look no further.
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#13 Island Time By Georgia Clark
Love is in the salty sea air in this bright and hot romantic comedy! The Kellys are a loud, outgoing, and caring Australian family. The Lees are quite the opposite—an aloof and reserved American family. Apart from their daughters being married, they have nothing in common. While on a quick vacation to a secluded tropical island, a nearby volcano erupts, leaving the two families stuck together for six weeks. It’s a fantastic beach read that dives deep into queer romance and family relationships and exposes the skeletons that relatives keep in their closets. You won’t want to be rescued from this island, for sure!
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#14 The Break-Up Book Club By Wendy Wax
Like book clubs, breakups come in many different shapes and sizes and can shift our lives in an unexpected direction. One of our favorite beach reads by Wendy Wax follows four friends who connect over their mutual love of reading (and wine) and the growing realization that their lives are not turning out as intended. The women use literature, fun, and the joy of friendships to help them through the new and unexpected chapters in their lives as they balance parenthood, jobs, marriages, and in-laws. It’s a funny, charming, and heartwarming read, which will have you appreciate your friends (and books!) more.
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#15 Carrie Soto Is Back By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Who isn’t drawn to stories about individuals defying all odds to triumph over hardship and accomplish the seemingly impossible? Well, we are, and this book is the epitome of it. By the time Carrie chooses to retire, she has become the greatest tennis player in history. She knows the cost of success because she paid a high personal price to achieve it. So when an upstart threatens her legacy, she has no option but to rejoin the industry to defend her record and prove who she is to herself and the world. This one is a winner if you’re seeking a gripping, easy-to-follow summer read.
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#16 One Italian Summer By Rebecca Serle
Rebecca Serle’s book is sure to take you on a magical, breathtaking trip to Italy! As Katy’s adored mother, Carol, passes away, Katy grieves the demise of the woman who was also her best friend. Katy and Carol had planned a mother-daughter trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, but after Carol’s passing, Katy decides to take on the trip alone. While rediscovering herself, she finds out more about her mother than she ever could have imagined. After reading this book, we wouldn’t be surprised if Italy moved to the top of your travel bucket list!
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#17 The Missing Treasures Of Amy Ashton By Eleanor Ray
Amy’s collection has grown out of hand. She collects everything: aquamarine bottles, yellow crockery, deep Tuscan red pots—you name it. After going through a traumatic experience, she decided it was simpler to love and hold on to objects rather than people. Things will never leave you, but people do. However, Amy’s meticulously planned existence crumbles apart when a new family with two boys moves in next door and inspires her to open her doors, both to her heart and home, again. It’s a quirky, endearing, warm, and moving novel that shows it’s never too late to let go of things that don’t matter and welcome people who do.
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#18 The Guncle By Steven Rowley
Patrick (or Gay Uncle Patrick) has always loved his nephew Grant and niece Maisie. However, parenting and dealing with two kids is just a little out of his depth. But when tragedy hits, Patrick finds himself unexpectedly taking the role of primary guardian. Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new feeling of responsibility and the knowledge that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unavoidably human. The Guncle is the sort of feel-good, laughy-taffy book you didn’t know you needed. Also, think Palm Springs, pool time, and martinis… Should we count you in?
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#19 Anne Of Manhattan By Brina Starler
We love modern retellings of classic stories, so we were stoked to learn that Brina Starler’s debut novel would be a retelling of Anne of Green Gables! In this one, Anne has packed her luggage, bid her foster parents goodbye, and moved to the isle of Manhattan for graduate school. However, Anne experiences the shock of her life when Gilbert Blythe, her longtime adversary, shows up for their last year. The two erstwhile rivals, paired for their thesis, come to a reticent truce that develops into something far deeper—and sexier—than either had anticipated. This hits the spot for us as childhood enemies turned lovers of contemporary romance.
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#20 Mergers And Acquisitions: Or, Everything I Know About Love I Learned On The Wedding Pages By Cate Doty
This fascinating behind-the-scenes memoir takes readers inside a popular magazine’s weddings section, showing them the good, terrible, and downright odd through the eyes of a young journalist. When Cate Doty travels to New York City in search of love and to work as a writer for The New York Times, she discovers that the weddings section is the first step to her own happily ever after. However, Cate is soon thrust into the competitive world of the metropolitan society pages, learning the lengths couples will go to have their announcements accepted and the lengths writers will go to fact-check their stories. We highly recommend it for those seeking an entertaining read on a fresh topic!
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#21 The It Girl By Ruth Ware
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#22 Heartbreak For Hire By Sonia Hartl
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#23 The Homewreckers By Mary Kay Andrews
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#24 Berkley Dial A For Aunties By Jesse Q. Sutanto
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#25 Hook, Line, And Sinker By Tessa Bailey
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#26 The Summer Place By Jennifer Weiner
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#27 A Place Like Home: Short Stories By Rosamunde Pilcher
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#28 I Kissed Shara Wheeler By Casey McQuiston
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#29 The Girl With Stars In Her Eyes By Xio Axelrod
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#30 Easy Crafts For The Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir Of Mental Illness And Making Things By Kelly Williams Brown
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#31 In Polite Company By Gervais Hagerty
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#32 It’s Better This Way By Debbie Macomber
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#33 Mary Jane By Jessica Anya Blau
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#34 A Lowcountry Bride By Preslaysa Williams
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#35 So We Meet Again By Suzanne Park
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#36 The Setup By Lizzy Dent
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#37 Wildflower Season By Michelle Major
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#38 The Shell Collector By Nancy Naigle
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#39 Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired By Dorothea Benton Frank By Elin Hilderbrand
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#40 Beach Read By Emily Henry
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#41 Only Love Can Hurt Like This By Paige Toon
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#42 Same Time Next Summer By Annabel Monaghan
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#43 Summer Reading By Jenn McKinlay
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#44 Camp Zero By Michelle Min Sterling
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#45 The Cuban Heiress By Chanel Cleeton
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#46 The Villa By Rachel Hawkins
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#47 Confidence By Rafael Frumkin
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#48 Silver Alert By Lee Smith
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#49 Now You See Us By Balli Kaur Jaswal
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#50 The Celebrants By Steven Rowley
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#51 James Patterson: The Stories Of My Life By James Patterson
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#52 The Family You Make By Jill Shalvis
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#53 The Lies I Tell By Julie Clark
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#54 Lucy Checks In By Dee Ernst
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#55 My Summer Darlings By May Cobb
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#56 The Tobacco Wives By Adele Myers
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#57 Fake By Erica Katz
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#58 Gilt By Jamie Brenner
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#59 The Book Of Cold Cases By Simone St. James
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#60 Portrait Of A Thief By Grace D. Li
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#61 A Brush With Love By Mazey Eddings
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#62 The Counselors By Jessica Goodman
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#63 Husband Material By Alexis Hall
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#64 The Daughter Of Doctor Moreau By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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#65 Happy Place By Emily Henry
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#66 These Tangled Vines By Julianne Maclean
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#67 Practice Makes Perfect By Sarah Adams
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#68 A Perfect Vintage By Chelsea Fagan
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#69 Lunar Love By Lauren Kung Jessen
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#70 The Five-Star Weekend By Elin Hilderbrand
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#71 Sorry, Bro By Taleen Voskuni
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#72 The Fraud Squad By Kyla Zhao
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#73 Georgie, All Along By Kate Clayborn
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#74 The Codebreaker’s Secret By Sara Ackerman
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#75 Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow By Gabrielle Zevin
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