The Most Anticipated Summer Beach Reads
Because what's better than lying on the beach with a good book?
Reading on the beach is probably the most therapeutic summer activity there is. If you agree, chances are that you’re currently on the hunt for the book that’s going to be living in your beach bag this summer. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of all the new reads that will be dropping this summer for you to choose from! P.S. You’re welcome in advance for your impending tan.
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1. Mona at Sea by Elizabeth Gonzalez James
Click here to buy Mona at Sea.
We think it’s safe to say that graduating college amid a recession is one of the least exciting things on the planet – and the same goes for Mona. After her post-grad job at the Wall Street Journal dissolves mid-national crisis, Mona is seven months out of college and forced to move back in with her parents. With her parents’ marriage on the rocks and no romantic prospects herself, Mona has no idea what her next steps are. But when she joins a group for job seekers, Mona begins to see that there’s a lot more to real life than she had ever imagined.
2. The One You’re With by Lauren K. Denton
Click here to buy The One You're With.
Mac and Edie Swan are Oak Hill, Alabama’s perfect couple – high school sweethearts, married with two perfect children and both respected in their fields of work. They really couldn’t ask for anything else. But when a blast from their past walks right into Mac’s office one afternoon, the pair are forced to question their marriage, their roles as parents and everything they’ve ever known. Denton leaves no stone unturned as she explores how past decisions can change the course of one’s future forever.
3. They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman
Click here to buy They’ll Never Catch Us.
From the author of They Wish They Were Us comes a thrilling mystery of friendship, deception and jealousy. While Ellie and Stella Steckler are usually like night and day off of the cross-country field, they find a sudden commonality in their newest teammate – Mila. Mila may be a threat on the field, but soon enough both sisters are drawn to her irresistible warmth and find themselves trusting her quicker than they can keep up with. But when Mila goes missing during training and the Stecklers are the main suspects, only two questions remain – what happened? And who did it?
4. XOXO by Axie Oh
Jenny’s an award-winning cellist, and she didn’t get there by choosing boys over music – ever. Until she meets Jaewoo. He’s everything Jenny could ever hope for, but when she and her mother move to South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, Jaewoo is the last person she expects to find at her new school. But he’s not just any student – he’s a massive K-Pop star who isn’t allowed to date anyone. Now, Jenny and Jaewoo must decide whether a relationship is worth risking everything that they’ve both been working for.
5. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Click here to buy The Last Thing He Told Me.
It’s safe to say the average family drama has never been quite like this. When Hannah’s husband Owen goes missing and leaves behind a note ordering her to protect his daughter, Bailey, Hannah is quick to realize that Owen wasn’t who he claimed to be. But her new stepdaughter may be able to help her put together the missing pieces. Together, Bailey and Hannah find themselves uncovering Owen’s past and building a new life that they never thought was possible.
6. Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Click here to buy Seven Days in June.
There are two kinds of writers in this world – the kind who are extroverted and famous, and the kind who win their awards and quietly retreat to their corner of the Earth. But when these two worlds meet among characters Eva and Shane, the duo is forced to drudge up their decade-old night of passion amid a New York literary event. A tale of wary reconnection and long-awaited answers given, Tia Williams spares the emotions of no reader. So, we’d suggest some tissues to go with that sunscreen.
7. Shoulder Season by Christina Clancy
Click here to buy Shoulder Season.
Set at the iconic Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Clancy takes readers on quite the adventure in her latest must-read. In this evocative snapshot of American history, churchgoing, goodie two shoes Sherri Taylor loses her parents in quick succession. Desperate for a change, she’s immediately drawn to the allure of the historic house and its members. Sherri’s life as a bunny is filled with the thrills of financial independence, first love, sex, drugs, and drama. But when a tragedy strikes that will haunt her for 40 years, Sherri must learn how to heal herself.
8. Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley
Click here to buy Talk Bookish to Me.
Kara Sullivan has always been more than satisfied finding her happily ever afters in the pages of her latest reads – after all, that’s what writers do. But with her latest manuscript deadline looming and her best friend’s wedding a week away, Kara finds herself desperate to light a spark within herself that will close out her characters’ love story. (Un)Lucky for her, her maddening first love Ryan will be a guest at the wedding. All Kara knows is that she needs to weigh her options – is igniting an old flame for her art worth risking heartbreak, or should she let her career go up in flames?
9. The Guncle by Steven Rowley
Life with “fun gay uncle Patrick” has always been a treat. Patrick gets his niece and nephew for weeklong visits, sees them on holidays and brings them lavish gifts; all the fun and none of the responsibility. But when Patrick’s brother falls ill and his wife passes away, he finds himself the caretaker of two little critters. Patrick has barely been holding on since the loss of his great love and doesn’t know the first thing about parenting. The only thing he does know? He’s only human, and he’s going to give his niece and nephew the best life that he can.
10. An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi
Click here to buy An Emotion of Great Delight.
A hauntingly realistic take on one of America’s defining moments in history, Shadi is grieving. Her brother and father are dead, the U.S. has declared war on Iraq and hate crimes are surging through the Muslim community – which Shadi is choosing to ignore. Swallowed by her pain, there’s no time to deal with the cruelty that’s taking hold of the world. However, there’s only so much pain that Shadi can handle before she explodes.
11. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Click here to buy People We Meet on Vacation.
Poppy and Alex have been best friends since forever – well, at least they were. With Poppy in NYC and Alex in their small hometown, they’ve always made time for one glorious summer vacation side by side. But since everything was ruined two years ago, the pair haven’t spoken. That is, until Poppy convinces her former best friend to take one last vacation to repair their friendship – the last thing she’d expected was for him to agree. The only thing in their way is the truth, that Poppy needs to share, though she’s never been able to before.
12. Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
Click here to buy Somebody’s Daughter.
A heart-wrenchingly real, and beautifully written memoir, somebody’s daughter tells Ashley Ford’s story. Her entire life, she’s craved her father’s presence – even though he’s in prison and no one will tell her why. On top of it all, the changes in her body and unwanted attention from men are often too much to bear. So, when Ashley begins dating a boy that everyone disapproves of and winds up a victim of his assault, she buries it inside just as she’s done everything else. As if the secret wasn’t enough, she finally learns the reason for her father’s incarceration, which forces her to question everything she has ever known.
13. The Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen
Click here to buy The Things We Lost to the Water.
When Huong arrives in New Orleans with her sons, her only hope is that she will eventually be joined by her husband and her children won’t grow up without a father. But as time passes, and the boys search for ways to connect to their Vietnamese culture in less-than-ideal ways, Huong feels that all is lost. And it couldn’t possibly get any worse, until disaster strikes in their new home, that is. Now, Huong and her boys must find a way to reconnect as a family and cling to the ties which bind them together.
14. Madam by Phoebe Wynne
For 150 years, Caldonbrae Hall has remained a beacon of excellence for boarding school girls in Scotland – or at least it seemed that way until the school’s only new hire in the last 10 years shows up. Classics teacher Rose Christie has no idea what to expect, but she does note that the departure of her predecessor seems a little bit abrupt now that she’s arrived. The one point of clarity – there is darkness amid the halls of Caldonbrae, and Rose is determined to expose it for what it is.
15. Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
Click here to buy Arsenic and Adobo.
An ode to every romcom out there, Lila is forced to move back home amid the worst breakup of her life. Not only does she have to save her Tita’s failing restaurant, but all of her matchmaking aunties breathing down her neck. But everything changes for Lila when her ex winds up dead moments after a confrontation with her. With Lila as the only suspect and people looking for an excuse to uproot her family, Lila is forced to investigate on her own – assuming she’s not next on the chopping block.
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