We’ve reached the point in the semester where I feel like my brain is fried. Between final projects and study sessions that last way too long, the only thing getting me through is the thought of finally being on vacation.
When I’m hitting that wall of academic burnout, I start daydreaming about my reward for finishing the year. For me, that reward is always sitting on the beach with an Emily Henry book. They are the ultimate easy beach reads that make you feel like you’re truly on summer break, no matter where you are.
If you’re looking for an escape to pack in your beach bag, these three are my favorites:
People We Meet on Vacation: Poppy and Alex are complete opposites who spend ten years taking summer trips together, until one vacation ruins everything. Two years later, they’re not speaking, and Poppy realizes she was last truly happy on that disastrous trip. She convinces Alex to take one final vacation together, determined to fix their friendship and finally face the truth at the heart of their relationship.
Happy Place: Harriet and Wyn secretly broke up six months ago. At their friend group’s final week in their beloved Maine cottage, they have to share a room and pretend they’re still together. Faking it gets harder as they realize they still want each other.
Funny Story: When Daphne’s fiancé leaves her for his childhood best friend, she ends up stranded in Waning Bay, Michigan, broke and heartbroken. She moves in with the only person who understands her situation, her ex’s new fiancée’s ex, Miles. Together, they fake a summer romance online, but their pretend relationship starts to feel real, complicating everything.
There is no better feeling than closing your laptop for the last time, hearing the ocean, and opening a book just because you want to read it. It’s the best way to reset your brain after months of textbooks and citations.
I haven’t had the chance to read her newest release, Great Big Beautiful Life, so I’ve decided it will be my official “I survived the semester” reward. I’m so excited to finally sit in the sun and read, with no deadlines hanging over me.