7 Super Romantic Summer Reads
We’ve all heard that spring is the season for love, but there’s nothing that says those hot and heavy summer flings can’t turn into the real thing. Whether you’re craving a sizzling storyline or just looking for the ultimate beach read, we’ve got seven novels that fit the bill. Pro tip: Incorporate these reads into your book club and use their fabulous, relatable plot lines to spark conversation with your gals.
1.Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch ($11): If you love travel and romance, Love & Gelato is your perfect summer read. Set in Italy, the novel focuses on Lina, a girl who’s landed in Tuscany on account of her mother’s dying wish. Grab this book — and some plane tickets while you’re at it, because the gorgeous descriptions of Italy will make you want to go there and see it for yourself.
2. From Rockaway by Jill Eisenstadt ($16): This is the classic summer romance novel that’ll make you nostalgic for those intense high school crushes. From summers spent lifeguarding and smoking weed to past romances and the hope and hopelessness of millennials, you won’t be able to put down this novel about the lives of four kids from “Rotaway.”
3. Once and for All by Sarah Dessen ($20): You’ll be ahead of the trend if you suggest this novel for your next book club read, since it comes out on June 6. If you feel like everyone around you is tying the knot, Louna, the novel’s main character, feels your pain. As a single wedding planner, she’s resigned herself to the fact that she’s never getting married. However, in classic Sarah Dessen fashion, a dreamy man enters the scene right on time.
4. The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks ($8): You didn’t think we could make a list of romance novels and NOT include Nicholas Sparks, did you? If you love The Notebook because of the way it intertwines past and present, then you might obsess over The Longest Ride even more. Featuring two couples whose lives collide, this book is two love stories in one.
5. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr ($17): This historical novel is set in France and Germany during World War II. Using Love Actually-esque tactics of interweaving stories, All the Light We Cannot See is romantic but intelligent. If you pick up this book, plan an entire day at the beach, because you won’t be able to stop reading.
6. #Famous by Jilly Gagnon ($18): It doesn’t get more modern-day romance than this debut novel from YA and comedy writer Jilly Gagnon. Rachel thinks Kyle’s cute, and tweets a photo of him. Kyle immediately becomes super internet-famous, à la the instant teen heartthrob Alex from Target. Imagine navigating a teen romance through social media fame and all that ensues.
7. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen ($15): This book was #1 on the New York Times bestseller list for many very good reasons. While romance is certainly involved in the plot, this gorgeously written book also features stories of mystery and history, as members of a 1930s traveling circus navigate their jobs and relationships. Plus, the movie version stars Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon, so you can treat yourself once you finish the book. What more could you want?
What’s on the top of your summer TRL? Let us know @BritandCo!
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(Featured photo via Getty)