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The best summer beach reads
These rom-coms and thrillers perfectly capture the essence of summer.
Pubblicato il 04 Luglio 2023
The True Love Experiment
Christina LaurenOur favorite BFF rom-com duo’s latest novel follows a reality TV dating show where the line between what’s real and what’s not is blurry at best. When documentarian Connor and romance novelist Fizzy (who made her debut in “The Soulmate Equation”) team up to work on a new reality show with Fizzy as the romantic lead and Connor as the producer, their off-screen chemistry goes off the charts.
Dream On
Angie HockmanFirst-year attorney Cass Walker is madly in love with the man of her dreams, Devin. Their three months together have been everything she could ever want out of a relationship. There’s just one problem: Cass got hit by a car and Devin and all her memories of him were merely a coma-produced figment of her imagination — quite literally the man of her dreams. Imagine her shock when, a year later, she runs into Devin in the flesh. The “Shipped” author’s twisty-turny rom-com is a delightful summer read with a mystery that will hook you from page one.
Hula: A Novel
Jasmin Iolani HakesThis immersive debut is a coming-of-age tale, fraught family saga, and a cultural history, all revealed through the ongoing trauma caused by the U.S. annexation of Hawaii. It follows the women of the Naupaka family, including young Hi'i, who wants to continue her great-grandmother’s legacy of hula despite being ostracized for her paternal lineage. Hakes reveals a Hawaii that only Hawaiins know in “Hula.”
The Summer Place: A Novel
Jennifer WeinerDubbed the “undisputed boss of the beach read” by The New York Times, Weiner (“Big Summer”) returns with another page-turner as a family convenes at their Cape Cod beach house one last time before it goes on the market. Young love and old secrets are threatened, and Weiner adds all-too-relatable tension by incorporating the pandemic into her story. “The Summer Place” is at once a comedy of errors and an emotionally wrought look at the meaning of family.
Summer Island
Kristin HannahRuby arrives to care for her injured mother Nora, but she has ulterior motives: She plans to write a book exposing Nora’s failures as a mother. As the estranged women begin to reconnect, Ruby realizes there’s more to their family story than she realized. Hannah (“The Four Winds,” “Firefly Lane”) digs into the complexities of mother-daughter relationships in this affecting story of forgiveness and legacy.
Bad Summer People: A Novel
Emma RosenblumIt’s business as usual in Salcombe, a summer haven for a close-knit community of upper-crusters who aren’t afraid to lie, cheat, and manipulate to get what they want. When a body turns up on the boardwalk, everyone from the socialites to the tennis coaches are thrown into suspicion. A darkly comedic and bingeable thriller that will add some drama to your next summer vacation.
Magpie
Elizabeth DayIf you’re reluctantly playing host this summer to unwelcome house guests, Marisa can relate. Her and her husband, Jake, must take in a lodger, Kate, to earn some extra income. Except there’s something off about Kate that Marisa can’t quite put her finger on. Maybe it’s her borderline obsession with Jake, or her complete disregard for personal boundaries. Whatever it is, Marisa is determined to get to the bottom of it. Nothing is as it seems in Day’s taut and twisty psychological thriller.
Saint X: A Novel
Alexis SchaitkinThis debut thriller topped all the summer reading lists of 2020 and has now received a Hulu adaptation. Claire was still in elementary school when her college-aged sister was killed during a vacation to the Caribbean, then the initial suspects were eventually released. Years later, Claire crosses paths with one of the suspicious men, which inspires her to start her own stealthy investigation.
Summer Stage: A Novel
Meg Mitchell MooreFans of “The Islanders” can return once again to Block Island, this time with a family of actors each seeking respite from their individual struggles. As the aspiring playwright, TikTok influencer, and Hollywood actor join forces to mount a summer Shakespeare production, they’re forced to confront contentious relationships, deep seated ambition and desires for fame, and family secrets.
The Time Has Come: A Novel
Will LeitchLindbergh’s Pharmacy is a celebrated local institution. Cheerful and quaint, its soda counter and milkshakes have long served as nostalgic reminders of times gone by. So why exactly is Tina Lamm about to rob the family-owned drugstore at gunpoint? The local grade school teacher is determined to expose alleged dark misdeeds happening behind closed doors and her decisions set off a chain reaction that changes the course of her and six other Georgians’ lives. As the story marches on to an explosive finale, Leitch cleverly illustrates the ongoing effects of the pandemic, Trumpism, and other social ills.
The Half Moon: A Novel
Mary Beth KeaneBeat the summer heat by escaping to Gillam, where an unexpected snowstorm isolates the small town. As the novel unfolds over the course of a single week, married couple Malcolm and Jess must confront the undercurrent of tension in their relationship. Unfulfilled dreams, infertility, debt, and the burden of small business ownership all take a toll in this slow-burn spousal drama from the author of “Ask Again, Yes.”
L.A. Weather: A Novel
María Amparo EscandónSouthern Cali equals sunny beach weather all the time, right? Wrong. Howling Santa Ana winds, drought-parched hills, and raging wildfires also abound in Los Angeles, and the well-to-do Mexican American family at the heart of “L.A. Weather” is forced to deal with the fallout from climate change. Publishers Weekly raves about Escandón’s “rollicking and hilarious family drama of telenovela-esque proportions that doubles as a fiery love letter to Los Angeles.”
I Kissed Shara Wheeler: A Novel
Casey McQuistonSpend your vacation absorbed in McQuiston’s (“One Last Stop,” “Red, White, & Royal Blue”) first YA novel: A lively high school mystery with diverse representation. In small-town Alabama, popular, pretty Shara Wheeler kisses L.A. transplant Chloe Green, and then disappears. Chloe and classmates Smith and Rory (who Shara also kissed) follow mysterious notes left by Shara, determined to find her before graduation. It’s no trivial read, as this fun story of intrigue explores heavier topics like bigotry and identity.
Blackout: A Novel
Dhonielle ClaytonBlack love and joy abound in this anthology from some of YA’s biggest stars. Six interconnected stories take place in New York City during a blackout. Despite the dark, the air crackles with romance, and we’re swooning over it.
Reckless Girls: A Novel
Rachel HawkinsAfter quitting college to take care of her dying mother, Lux MacAllister wants to get away from it all. Sailing around the Pacific with her hot new boyfriend sounds like just the antidote to put her dark past behind her — until there’s trouble in paradise. Sexy strangers, secret islands, and skulls abound in this soap opera-y thriller full of outrageous twists you won’t see coming.
One Italian Summer: A Novel
Rebecca SerleThe author of “In Five Years” is back with another time-bending adventure — and this time it takes place in dreamy Positano, Italy. When Katy Silver takes a solo trip to Italy while grieving the death of her mother, she inexplicably encounters her mother’s 30-year-old self (as well as a handsome hero, of course). Searle delivers a heartfelt story about deep love and the meaning of life.
Mustique Island: A Novel
Sarah McCoyWilly May, a wealthy widow, builds a home on the exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique, a private escape for socialites, celebrities, and even members of the royal family. But the more Willy becomes intertwined in Mustique’s dazzling social scene, the darker the island begins to feel. McCoy (“Marilla of Green Gables”) creates an atmospheric world that unites historical fiction, adventure, and family drama while exploring the devastating effects of colonization.
The Paris Apartment: A Novel
Lucy FoleyWhen Jess Hadley’s brother ends up missing, she asks the tenants of his creepy, once-elegant apartment building about his whereabouts, but each one deflects her questions. She soon finds out the building tenants are members of the same family who share a dark secret. Between the eerie atmosphere and quickly-paced plot, Foley sweeps readers away on an exciting thrill ride through Paris with plenty of unexpected twists and turns.
Siren Queen
Nghi VoIn the golden age of cinema, a young Chinese American woman will do anything in her pursuit of fame, even some sinister magic. If you love the glamour of Old Hollywood, strong queer protagonists, and a seamless blend of the real and the surreal, Vo’s newest release is a show-stopper of vacation-worthy reads.
Sleepwalk: A Novel
Dan ChaonWill is a loner, van-lifer, and mercenary in the not-too-distant future. When a strange woman contacts Will claiming to be his biological daughter, he begins to question everything in his life, including the secretive organization he works for. A twisty search for the truth ensues. Dark comedy, adventure, and speculative sci-fi make “Sleepwalk” a thrilling vacation read.
Pieces of Blue: A Novel
Holly Goldberg-SloanAn alluring Hawaii setting grounds Goldberg-Sloan’s tender novel about life after loss. Paul’s untimely demise amid serious financial woes at his company leaves his family spinning in grief and turmoil. In a bid for a fresh start, Lindsey packs up her three kids and purchases a rundown beachside motel to fix up. An evocative pageturner of a novel complete with a handsome handyman, plenty of twists and turns, and stunning descriptions of lush and vibrant island life.