Summer is officially here and I think we can consider it socially acceptable to spend mornings, afternoons, and nights in the sun with book after book and not a shame in the world. Whether you’re spending your 4th of July poolside, beachside, or bedside, we’ve got you covered with can’t-miss summer reads guaranteed to transport you to your ultimate summer destination paired with a swoon-worthy romance. What could be better?
Hot Pick
Every Summer After
by Carley Fortune
SYNOPSIS: Persephone left the glittering lakeshore life she loved for skyscrapers and broken hearts and holds tightly onto the regret her decision brings her. The swoon-worthy romance that Percey and Sam spanned five inseparable summers that she thought would last forever. Once attached at the hip and now they couldn’t be farther apart until a certain call brings her back to Barry’s Bay, in Sam’s path, and no option other than facing her past head-on.
WHY: Percy and Sam’s story is told over the course of six years and one weekend and gives you all the feels. We’re not just reading their story; we’re experiencing it, and getting a first-hand look at every emotion that comes along with it. Who doesn’t love a nostalgic summer romance?
Dark Horse
The Roughest Draft
by Emily Wibberley
SYNOPSIS: Literary bestsellers Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen are forced to reunite after finding out that their publisher’s contract makes them obligated to co-write one last book. When inching toward the pinnacle of their careers, the duo parted ways on bad terms and refused to divulge any information to the public. With no option other than to work through their indifferences, we experience the two writing a new draft of not only their book but their relationship.
WHY: There’s no better summer romance than an enemies-to-lovers trope, and Katrina and Nathan give us exactly that. The messy yet beautiful and chaotic yet comforting dynamic that we experience is like no other and will have you on the edge of your beach chair until the end.
Beach Read
One Italian Summer
by Rebecca Serle
SYNOPSIS: Katy and her mother, Carol, were not just a close mother-daughter duo but the best of friends. The two had the trip of a lifetime planned for Carol’s 60th birthday in Positano, Italy—the place where Carol spent a magical summer before she got married—but Carol died before they made the journey.
The story takes place over the course of one Italian summer as Katy tries to grapple with Carol’s existence as a thirty-year-old version of herself and get to know her for who she is at the time—which turned out to be nothing how she imagined she would.
WHY: This book gives a unique perspective on second chances, the subjective experience of grief, and the highly personal journey to finding yourself in ways you never expected. All of us either already have or will have an Eat, Pray, Love moment at one point or another, and this story is a beautiful look into both Katy and Carol’s voyage all on their own.
Looking for more Three to Read line-ups? Check them out here!