Chapter Three: 19 Books That Feel Like Summer
Recommendations for every genre to pair with your next spritz
With Memorial Day weekend upon us, I’m ready to dive into my summer reads! Summer reading always feels like an escape from the real world, and time seems to move a little slower on those lazy summer days when you have a good book in your hand. I love to match my reads to the current season, and I’ll purposefully save books for the summer if they would be best appreciated poolside or on a porch paired with an Aperol spritz.
This time of year, I gravitate towards fast-paced thrillers, “lighter” romances and contemporary fiction, or books set in tropical destinations or places I want to visit. For me, this isn’t the time for super literary novels or dark, atmospheric fiction—it’s the time to fly through fun books and soak up those extra hours of sunlight outside.
So if you’re looking for your next read to take to the beach or pack in your suitcase for your upcoming vacation, I’ve compiled this list of books that feel like summer to me. I’ve read and enjoyed them all, and some of them actually take place during the summer, while others embrace the carefree, entertaining attitude of the season. Ultimately, this list is based purely on the vibes! It also spans genres so no matter your reading taste, I hope you can find your next favorite read here. I’d also love to hear about your summer reads—drop your favorites in the comments!
The links below take you to my Bookshop.org affiliate page, and if you choose to shop my listings (and support local bookstores in the process!), I can earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Historical Fiction
Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland
It’s 1934 in Atlantic City, and when a shocking tragedy rocks the Adler family, its members must decide just how far they’ll go to keep a secret.
Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
Alternating timelines in 1950s Havana and modern-day Miami reveal a story of forbidden love, family secrets, and political unrest.
Park Avenue Summer by Renee Rosen
Midwestern transplant Alice is swept up in the glamorous publishing world of 1960s New York when she’s employed by the first female editor in chief of Cosmopolitan.
Romance
Island Time by Georgia Clark
When two families are stranded together on a tropical island, queer romance blossoms, secrets are revealed, and everyone has to decide what they really want.
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
A heartfelt romance blooms between an unlikely couple in a Maine town: a widow seemingly grappling with grief and an MLB pitcher with the “yips.”
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
When two former best friends go on a cross-country road trip with their dying English teacher, they find love, but also healing and forgiveness.
Contemporary Fiction
It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian
After years of people-pleasing, Noni embarks on a pleasure-seeking quest around the world to prioritize herself and discover what (and who) really makes her happy.
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
The events of one summer barbecue impact three families, and guilt will fracture all the marriages, families, and friendships involved.
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
When Gay Uncle Patrick becomes the primary caregiver for his young niece and nephew, he discovers the importance of family and being true to yourself.
Excavations by Kate Myers
Four very different women must come together on an archaeological site in Greece to unearth its secrets—and stop a man who wants to change the story.
Who We Are Now by Lauryn Chamberlain
Four friends come together and fall apart throughout their post-college years, but when tragedy brings them back together, they must evaluate their friendship.
Suspense/Thriller
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
When a body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor hours before a wedding ceremony, suddenly everyone in the wedding party is a suspect for murder.
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
Years after her sister was found dead at a Caribbean resort while on vacation, Claire encounters one of the original suspects and is desperate to learn the truth.
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
Six people travel by boat to the desolate Meroe Island, but everyone is hiding something, and when secrets rise to the surface, there are deadly consequences.
Murder Road by Simone St. James
A young couple on their honeymoon is abruptly yanked into a decades-long ghost story when a hitchhiker bleeds out in their car under suspicious circumstances.
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
Years after their best friend died on a graduation trip to Greece and the media was convinced of their guilt, Bess and Joni are brought together again by more secrets.
Literary Fiction, Memoir, and Young Adult
Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis
To escape the Uruguayan dictatorship of the 70s, five queer women sneak away to claim an isolated cape as their own, as they fall in love and fall apart over the years.
Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur
When she’s 14, the author learns about her mother’s affair with her father’s best friend and unwillingly becomes her confidante, with devastating impacts.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Two sisters (one in New York City and the other in the Dominican Republic) grow up not knowing about each other but are brought together by their father’s death.
Thank you for reading and sharing Bookish Ramblings with your friends!
Wishing you all the five star reads,
Katherine
Evvie Drake is a great suggestion for summer! Even though I'm not a baseball fan, I really enjoyed it.
Great roundup! I loved The Reckless Girls!!