Soaking up the sun and enjoying a excellent book is essential to bookworms, even if some of us are still traumatized by summer reading in high school. Don’t worry, you no longer have to panic read The Catcher in the Ryein two weeks or think about the importance of the green light in The Great Gatsby(and if you don’t think it’s important that’s totally okay — F. Scott Fitzgerald stole his wife’s ideas anyway 🤭).
But it really is simply the best time of the year to read! The sun is out past 4pm, the Aperol spirtzes are flowing, and it’s the perfect time to relax. Whether your turning pages by the pool, listening to an audiobook on a hike, or enjoying your e-reader inside, we’ve got 17 books for you to add to your summer reading list.
Summer Lovin’ Romances
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Let’s go ahead and get this recommendation out the way, shall we? The queen of beach reads (literally) released a new novel, and the people are here for it!
Daphne’s world gets only a little — scratch that — a lot messed up when her fiancé realizes he’s in love with his childhood best friend. So she does what any sensible person would do and becomes a children’s librarian in Michigan. Hew new roommate, Miles Nowak, is the only person who can understand what she’s going through. Mainly because he’s her ex-fiancé's new fiancée’s ex. Yep, you read that right.
Daphne and Miles spend the summer posting deliberately misleading photos on their adventures together… but is it actually a ruse?
Enjoy the book that is about to be all over your feed NOW!
The House of Eveby Sadeqa Johnson
Sadeqa Johnson, author of The Yellow Wife, is back with another hit historical fiction.
The House of Eve tells the story of two young Black women in 1950s America faced with the consequences of unplanned pregnancies. Ruby and Eleanor are in different parts of the country and are dealing with society’s standards and how to navigate the world. Ruby can’t get away from the poverty and desperation that has plagued her family, and Eleanor is in love with one of Washington DC’s elite. Finding their place in the world is easier said than done.
As their stories collide, you’ll see how far one is willing to sacrifice to achieve it all.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Justin is the guy people date, dump, and then find their soul mates (very Nick Miller of him IYKYK). Emma thought she was the only person who others used to find their true love, so when she sees Nick’s viral thread on Reddit, she has a crazy idea. Let’s DM the only other person who has the same problem — maybe they’ll break their curse.
As the summer heats up, so do their feelings for each other. What if a summer fling is actually the real deal? And what if they found the love of their lives’ with each other?
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
Imagine a grown up, sexy version of The Summer I Turned Prettyand you would get this latest release from Carley Fortune.
One summer, Lucy escapes to Prince Edward Island (PEI) to get away from the hustle and bustle of it all. While she’s there, she has a steamy good time with a local named Felix, and she swears that while Felix was showing her a very good time, she really didn’t know he was her brother’s best friend. The two promise to never revisit that night, but promises are meant to be broken — and so they do every summer...for years.
When Lucy follows her best friend down to PEI after she skips town the week before her own wedding, she vows to stay away from Felix, but how can she?
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talie Hibbert
Eve Brown is a hot mess, and she knows it. So when she ruins a wedding by releasing some doves from their captivity, she’s not surprised her parents draw a line and make her grow up. But she’s not really sure how to do that.
Jacob Wayne has everything in his life planned. His next goal is to dominate the hospitality industry, starting with his own bed and breakfast…except that Eve Brown hitting him with a car was not on his to-do list. Now he has to keep his bed and breakfast afloat with one arm literally behind his back.
Tornado Eve Brown might be exactly what grumpy Jacob Wayne needs. As their feelings start to move from cozy to down right hot, both Eve and Jacob must confront their own insecurities and fear to embrace the unexpected sparks flying between them.
If you're looking for some grumpy-sunshine goodness, this one's definitely for you!
Daydream by Hannah Grace
Hannah Grace returns with her third book in the Maple Hills series following our reader-favorite Henry Turner and new-to-the-MH-universe Halle Jacobs.
Henry knows he has to survive his junior year of college, even though he’s taking a class with his least favorite professor. When he crashes her book club one night, Halle can’t help but to think she’s met her own main character love interest.
Eventually, Halle starts to tutor Henry in reading materials, and let’s just say he starts to teach her things that can’t be found in books (you know, unless you review smut ;)). The two will be fine as long as they stick to the assigned reading — and not fall in love!
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard haven’t seen each other in a while, or really since the accident that bound them together forever. But that’s in the past…at least it was until Grant takes a screenwriting job on Helen’s show.
The two are reunited and it’s exactly how they remembered it. Grant’s charming, funny, popular, able to connect with anyone in ways Helen never can. Helen is beautiful, talented, closed off to those around her.
As their backstage fling gets too hot to handle, they have to face what drove them apart in the first place and come to terms that maybe they weren’t meant to have a love story happy ending after all.
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
Fake dating and massive money? Yes, please!
Anna Green and Liam “West” Weston were married on paper for college. Not because of love, but because they needed subsidized student housing while at UCLA. When the grad caps were tossed, the divorce papers were signed.
Years later, Anna's living life as a starving artist, and Liam is trying to inherit his family’s millions of dollars. The one catch? He has to be happily married for five years and his family hasn’t met the woman he technically never divorced.
Anna and Liam navigate meeting the family, but during their time, Liam starts to wonder if you can ever really put a dollar amount on true love.
Summer Camp Thrills
The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington (Out July 30, 2024)
If y’all aren’t reading Joelle Wellington what are you doing? She's such an incredible author with unique and fun stories.
Like her first book Their Vicious Games, Joelle puts a new twist on classic horror movies. Remember watching Friday the 13th for the first time and genuinely being frightened or anxious? It’s sort of like that.
Devon and Drew are twin sisters looking to have their "Best Summer Ever" before college. One of the items on their list? Mess with an Ouija board. One of the items not on their list? Getting stalked by a demon.
Devon has to use all her horror film knowledge to keep herself and her friends alive, or their best summer might be their last.
Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus (Out July 30, 2024)
Kat’s mother Jamie is working one last Job as a jewel thief, and then after that, she’s going on the straight-and-narrow. When Kat tags along on the job, the duo travel to a famous billionaire’s birthday party for the final mission, and the last two people they expect to run into are Liam and his father — AKA Jamie’s ex husband and Kat’s stepbrother.
When someone at the party dies, it doesn’t take long for Jamie and Liam to become targets themselves. The two start looking for answers and find more than trust along the way.
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Rachel Hawkins is known for taking inspiration from some of the best suspense pieces out there and this one is no different.
Emily and Chess take a girls trip to Villa Aestas in Orvieto, Italy. It was formerly rented by rock star Noel Gordon one summer. Noel was joined by Pierce Sheldon, an up-and-coming musician, his girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister Lara. If you think this sounds like a Fleetwood Mac fanfiction, you are somewhat right! No one leaves the villa that summer the same, and Pierce doesn’t leave at all.
Emily digs into the history of the villa and Pierce’s murder, and as she gets closer to what happens, she sees her present is exactly what it seems. She’s racing against the final days of summer to figure out what happened to Pierce, and hopes she can do it before there’s another victim.
Fantasy Escape
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Evie Sage is desperate for a job, even if the offer comes from her country’s most notorious villains. The pay is great and the Villain is hot, so going in every day isn’t a total bummer. But when overseeing torture turns into actual danger in the work place, Evie has to find what, or who, is messing with her boss’ work.
Enjoy the witty banter and internal dialogue in this one! You will definitely laugh out loud.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Tress’ life has been simple, but just enough. She enjoys listening to stories of distant lands from her friend Charlie — and actually looks forward to them. When Charlie’s father takes him away to find a bride, Tress sees her chance to escape and see the world.
On the ship, Tress starts wondering what her new life will be and if she’ll be able to make it.
The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna
There is something so truly wonderful about the final book in a trilogy. Please, please, please pick up The Gilded Ones and The Merciless Ones if you are looking for nonstop action and incredible writing.
Deka is ready to stop the gods from ruining Otera, but she’s running out of time as her mortal body is failing. When her search brings her and her friends to the edge of their world and into a new realm, Deka might find all her answers, if she can answer one question. Would she rather be reborn as a god or bring about the end of the world?
Another Kind of Beach Read
Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones by Dolly Parton with Holly George-Warren and Rebecca Seaver
Something about Dolly Parton just screams summer to me. Maybe it’s all the pink and sparkles, but something about it just makes sense.
Dolly is ready to tell her full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion and how she developed her own look that continues to inspire people all across the world. This memoir also gives a glimpse to the woman behind the heels, wigs and glamorous makeup. She explains all her hit looks from the 1960s to now from all parts of her life — on stage and off. You’ll get a real look at the Dolly we all know and love while she encourages you to find your own beauty and confidence.
Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne
Patric Gagne knew something was different about her before she even started kindergarten. She never felt the emotions children her age felt, but growing up she tried her best to pretend she did. But the constant pressure to blend in with society was too much and led her to replace the nothingness with at least something.
Years later, she’s diagnosed as a sociopath, a word that’s associated with no normalcy and people who are considered monsters in everyday life. When Patric gets a taste of what life could be like outside her diagnosis, she starts her journey to change her future and shape her own life, one that’s filled with love and hope.
What Have We Here?: Portraits of a Life by Billy Dee Williams
Billy Dee Williams was born in 1937 and raised in a house full of love in Harlem. He fell in love with performing at a young age, and studied painting before pursuing an acting career with Herbert Berghoff, Stella Adler, and Sidney Poitier.
In his first film role, Paul Muni gave Billy advice he’s never forgotten. He continued to work and grind, landing him a role in Star Wars as Lando Calrissian, becoming a true pop culture icon.
This memoir is a super fun way to learn more about one of the most legendary actors of our lifetime.
Looking for more reading recs? Be sure to check out our storefront for even more books we love!
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Header image via Karolina Grabowska/PEXELS
