Inspired by the heat wave that has hit Connecticut this week, I have come up with a stack of can’t-miss summer reads to carry you through the dog days of summer. Most of these I have already read, and a few are anticipated summer reads for me that I will hopefully be able to squeeze in before the end of August.
The Vacationers- Emma Straub
This was a pre-bookstagram read for me, but an excellent summer pick nonetheless. As is Straub’s specialty, The Vacationers is a family saga set on vacation in Mallorca. It follows various storylines of drama, realizations, and a teenager determined to have a steamy summer fling. The backdrop of Mallorca is a drool-worthy setting for a summer escape. This was the first Straub I read, and I definitely recommend it.
Mary Jane- Jessica Anya Blau
I just happened to finish this book this morning, and I ended up really liking it. It took me longer than desirable to get sucked into this one, but I promise it’s worth it to keep reading. This had all the 70’s rock n’ roll appeal of Daisy Jones and the Six, but honestly that’s where the similarities ended for me. This book follows Mary Jane, a summer nanny for the Cone family. The Cones are nothing like her own straight-laced parents who love God, the president, and not making a lot of noise. Izzy, her five-year-old charge, is full of life and adventure, but that isn’t even the most interesting thing going on in the Cone household. Dr. Cone is treating a very famous patient in his psychology practice, and he and his moviestar wife are staying with the Cones for the summer. This book was equal parts heart-warming and exciting. It will make you want to sing at the top of your lungs. dance around the kitchen, and eat a maraschino cherry or two. I haven’t completed my full review on this book yet, but for now enjoy the Pinterest board and Spotify playlist I curated.
The Roughest Draft- Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund- Broka
I picked up this book after seeing a booktok video that it was similar to the ever-beloved Beach Read by Emily Henry. Honestly, I didn’t see the connection besides both books being about authors, but I enjoyed The Roughest Draft nonetheless. This book is about two romance authors who signed a multi-book contract to write romance novels together. There’s only one issue- after the first book is released (and tops the charts with flying colors), the authors refuse to even be in the same room as each other. In desperate need of new content and to complete their contract, the authors finally agree to write one last book together, in the place they last worked together… Katrina’s beach house in Florida. Nathan agrees, hope blossoming in his chest, but when he arrives Katrina is nothing short of icy towards him. Can they get past the drama to write another hit novel?
The Penderwicks- Jeanne Birdsall
I haven’t reread The Penderwicks yet this summer, but I have nothing but positive memories of this book and series from when I was a kid. I remember reading these books in fourth or fifth grade with a close friend, and we would daydream about what it would be like to be one of the Penderwick sisters and spend a summer frolicking about with each other, bunnies, and of course the boy next door. This book has all the quaint New England vibes you could dream of, while maintaining the sweetness of youth and fleeting moments of summer. Pinterest board and Spotify playlist here.
Goats in the Time of Love- T. Elizabeth Bell
This is a must-read for anyone who has spent time on the lovely island of Martha’s Vineyard in the summer. It is a sweet story of summer romance and island life- agricultural fairs and goat farms and craft shows and the Tisbury lakes and more. Even if you haven’t yet experienced the beauty of the Vineyard, this book will transport you there. Full review here.
The Summer I Turned Pretty- Jenny Han
Do I even need to explain myself on this one? I reread The Summer I Turned Pretty this June for the first time since middle school, and I don’t regret the quick refresher before watching the new series. Which, by the way, if you haven’t watched yet you need to drop everything and do it now! It was exactly the fix of teen angst and wallowing that I needed, and the summer vibes I can only long for now that I am an adult with a real job (tragic). I am team Conrad of course, but I think you have to decide for yourselves on this one. Pinterest board and Spotify playlist here.
One Italian Summer- Rebecca Serle
I am once again begging you to read this book. I just finished it last week, and I can’t seem to stop thinking about it. It was such a touching story of grief and love for one’s mother. It described Katy and Carol’s mother-daughter relationship so beautifully, and I just can’t shake the longing to visit Positano and the Amalfi Coast. This tiny blurb can’t do Serle’s story justice, so please read my full review here. I also made a Pinterest board and a Spotify playlist, of course!
The Paper Palace- Miranda Cowley Heller
To be honest, I was hesitant to read The Paper Palace because of how much it was hyped up on bookstagram last summer, but when the audiobook popped up as available on my Libby, I finally caved. I’m so glad I did!! I found myself sitting in the car 10 minutes after parking and extending my morning walks to keep listening to this book. It was a slow-burn story that all took place in 24 hours, which is always so cool to me. It involved flashbacks from the main character Elle’s past, all leading up to the moment that she slept with her best friend after dinner the night before. Should she risk it all and ruin her marriage to finally be happy, or suck it up and keep Jonas at arms-length like she always has? Set on the Cape, this is a summer drama you need in your life.
The Last Book Party- Karen Dukess
This was an early-quarantine read for me back in 2020, but it holds up as a favorite summertime read. This book is about an editor’s assistant, Eve, who finds herself invited to an event by an author she hugely admires at his estate in Truro, Cape Cod. She finds herself tangled (literally and figuratively) up in this writer’s secrets… and those of his son. This book is scandalous and suspenseful with all the right touches of Cape Cod charm and old money.
Songs in Ursa Major- Emma Birdie
Before the idea for this post came to me, I had recommended Songs in Ursa Major to a few friends as “Daisy Jones and the Six meets The Last Book Party”. Now having read Mary Jane, I can safely say that can be thrown into the mix as well! This book was all 70’s grit and glamour, but took place in an island off of the Cape (which I couldn’t help but imagine as Martha’s Vineyard). Jane Quinn is a singer songwriter who longs to get off the island she has never been able to leave. She lives with aunts, cousins, and sisters, and knows that if she gets famous one day, she’ll be able to finally stand out. One summer in her twenties changes everything- she meets music idol Jesse Reid at the island’s annual folk fest (MV has this as well, further proving my theory) and the rest is history. He does more than help her and her band get on their feet- he becomes someone Jane can’t seem to resist even when she knows it isn’t good for her. This novel has all the summer fling and rock n’ roll drama you could ask for. Fans of Daisy Jones must pick it up!
Beach Read- Emily Henry
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Beach Read is the holy grail of beach reads. Ever since I read it, I have worshiped the ground Emily Henry walks on, and if you haven’t read it yet I honestly have no words. This novel follows January to her late father’s old cottage in a coastal town in Michigan. The town is quaint to the point of ridiculousness- everyone is in everyone’s business, and you can’t avoid someone no matter how hard you try. Specifically, it is impossible to avoid one very pretentious literary fiction author, Augustus Everett. At least not with neighboring porches. Despite her best efforts, January finds herself in a book club in town run by Gus’s aunt, and before she knows it she is sending him messages Taylor-Swift-music-video style via holding up notes through their windows. Can they get past their rivalry? Will January get through her grief enough to finish her new book before its looming deadline? This book is THE blueprint. You simply must read it. Full review and Pinterest board here.
People We Meet on Vacation- Emily Henry
The epitome of friends to lovers summer romance is, in fact, this book. Poppy and Alex are best friends. They swear. Every summer, no matter what, they go on a vacation together and bask in such wonderful, special friendship. I think you can probably guess where this is going, but I am NOT going to tell you! This was such a fun summer read that I, once again, flew through last summer. Poppy and Alex’s relationship is so endearing and funny. I couldn’t get enough of their banter and obvious care for each other, and the flashbacks to past vacations contrasted with real life created a great slow-burn. Full review here, as well as a Pinterest board.
Book Lovers- Emily Henry
Shocking, I know! Another Emily Henry book! Book Lovers is her newest book, and it didn’t disappoint. It follows Nora Stephens and Charlie Lastra to a teeny tiny town in South Carolina called Sunshine Falls, which is NOT what either of them were expecting for a multitude of reasons. This book mixes the nostalgia of a hometown summer and the high hopes of a summer away and creates a NOT adorable (but pretty cute in its own way) romance. Will it be able to last through the summer? Of course I flew through this book earlier this summer, and urge you to read it too! Full review here as well as a Pinterest board and Spotify playlist.
Malibu Rising- Taylor Jenkins Reid
As I’m sure you know by now, I am a huge Taylor Jenkins Reid fan, and this is definitely her most summery novel. Malibu Rising details a 24-hour period of the Riva family’s annual party. With flashbacks from the past mixed in, the night’s mystery unfolds with every page. This book was suspenseful and unpredictable, and it made me feel like a carefree surfer girl who didn’t care if she got sand in the house. The family saga of the Riva siblings is fascinating on its own, but when you throw rock star Mick Riva into the mix (yup, one of Evelyn Hugo’s husbands and attendee of a Daisy Jones rager in the accompanying books), things take a wild turn. Also, fun fact, a spinoff novel starring Carrie Soto (the tennis player Nina’s husband leaves her for) comes out in August! I cannot wait. Full review of Malibu Rising here.
I hope you have the chance to pick up at least one of these lovely summer reads before summer comes to an end!
xx, Lauren
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