Summer is just around the corner and I know your TBR is itching for some new books that have the power to transport you to the tropical vacation you desperately need. When it comes to picking your next beach read, whether you’re spending the day on a pool deck, lakefront, beachside, or in the comfort of your home with ocean soundscapes in the background, there’s nothing more refreshing than doing it with a page-turner that you can’t put down. From swoon-worthy romance to laugh-out-loud comedy, one of these award-winning picks is bound to hit the spot as you hunt for the next book to mark “currently reading” on your Goodreads.
- The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
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Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka tell the story of literary bestsellers Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen as they’re forced to reunite in a tiny Florida town to co-write the last book that their publisher’s contract requires. After having not spoken over the past three years, the literary stars have no option other than to work through their hate-filled differences for one another. While being obligated to write another best-selling romance, Katrina and Nathan give us a look into their angsty, heart-wrenching, and messy dynamic as they quickly learn that relationships require rough drafts, just as their novels do.
- Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
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In Kennedy’s coastal-inspired read, Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is eager to focus on growing her online business but ends up relocating to the beach town known as Avalon Bay to earn her college degree at her parent’s request. This is where she meets the town’s local bad boy, Cooper Hartley, who threatens her well-ordered reality.
While Cooper shows no interest in the trust fund kids that frequent his town, he soon realizes that Mac is anything but. Their run-in grows into a genuine friendship, where Cooper quickly catches feelings. Just as Mac starts feeling accepted by himself and his friends and feeling at home in Avalon, the secret Cooper’s been keeping threatens their newfound relationship and her love for the city.
- What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
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Told from a dual POV, Albertalli and Silvera tell a summer meet cute romance based in New York City where we follow Arthur and Ben through a string of comings and goings as they determine whether they’re meant to be. We accompany Ben post-breakup who’s a little older and more experienced and Arthur who is experiencing everything for the first time. Although the story follows the typical romantic comedy tropes many people know and love, the story feels realisitc and addresses topics that are easy to relate to or empathize with.
- It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
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Bailey always knows how to hit my romantic sweet spot and did exactly that in this Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com. The story takes place in the small, charming, beach town known as Westport, where we follow it girl Piper Bellinger as she spends her summer with her sister running their late father’s dive bar. After being cut off by her stepfather, she is determined to prove to him and the town’s grumpy, hot, local fisherman, Brendan, that she’s more than just a pretty-faced socialite.
- The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
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It’s not summer without a heartfelt Jennifer Weiner novel, and this year is no different. In The Summer Place, Weiner gifts us another unputdownable title following a large cast of characters that makes for an intricate and interesting family dynamic and a culmination of secrets. We follow the timeline leading up to 22-year-old Ruby’s unexpected engagement to her pandemic boyfriend at their family’s Cape Cod beach house. Along the way, true selves are revealed, secrets are exposed, and nothing will be the same. The story is known as a testament to beautifully messy family structures, forgiveness, and the endless surprises of love.
- The Layover by Lacie Waldon
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What was expected to be a quick stop to address mechanical problems turns into a weekend layover for soon-to-be ex-flight attendant, Ava Greene, and former pilot, Jack Stone. Ava has held a secret grudge against Jack for years and during their luxury pit stop in paradise, she quickly realizes that she may not know everything there is to know about the smug yet sexy pilot. Waldon’s witty friends-to-lovers rom-com brings us on the adventure of the summer as Ava starts to second-guess everything she thought she wanted and decides whether to keep her feet on the ground or her head in the clouds.
- Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
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A Fortune favorite that is bound to put you in your summer feels. Percy and Sam were inseparable until they weren’t, and their love was breathtaking until it was heartbreaking. After Percy made what she considers the biggest mistake of her life, she spent her days living in the city keeping everyone an arm’s length from her heart. When she returns to the lake in Barry Bay for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their chemistry is undeniable, as expected. But until she faces the decisions she made years ago, the couple won’t know whether their love can overcome their past.
The story is told over the course of six years and one weekend, filled with nostalgia, swoon-worthy romance, friendships, and family. Get ready to feel this book and every emotion that comes along with it.
- The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther
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Meredith hasn’t been back to Martha’s Vineyard since her sister passed. Her long-time boyfriend unexpectedly called it quits just weeks before her cousin’s wedding, leaving her without a date. Luckily, the Fox family has a long-held tradition of playing the ultimate game of Assassin every summer that can keep her distracted. As she sets her sights on forming an alliance with a cute groomsman, she’s determined to stay focused and not fall for distractions or another ill-fated relationship. It’s the perfect chance to honor her sister’s legacy, reconnect with her loved ones, and find herself along the way.
My TBR is overflowing with new books I’m eager to dive into and I’m manifesting perfect 80-degree weather, a sunkissed glow, and a summer romance I’ll never forget.