The waves are crashing on the sand, and seagulls are squawking above. A comfy beach chair, its legs buried in the sand, under the shade of an umbrella. A cooler next to the chair with an open book on top. What could be better than that during the peak of summer? If that intrigues you, you will love these five beach reads with the delicious snack or drink, and their recipes, to go with them.
Beach Read by Emily Henry With A Fig and Honey Goat Cheese Board
Ironically, the first book on the list is Beach Read by Emily Henry. This adult romance follows a romance writer who has lost her spark and a struggling literary fiction author. The two are polar opposites, neither one agreeing with the other on how they see the world. Things change when they move into neighboring beach houses and strike a deal. January Andrews, the romance writer, must write literary fiction. Augustus Everett, the literary fiction writer, must write a romance. Writers block cured, beautiful stories written, and no love found… right?
A fig and honey goat cheese board is the perfect dish to pair with this story. A piece of bread, with some cheese, honey, and figs, is the perfect sweet but healthy snack. Although goat cheese seems scary, with the flavoring of honey and fig, it simply provides a creamy texture. Goat cheese appears in the novel as a small shared moment between the two characters, making it the perfect snack. The baked snack is easily contained in a cooler and is an ideal treat for basking in the sun.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han With Muffins and Pomegranate Margaritas
The Summer I Turned Pretty, written by Jenny Han, also adapted the series into the hit Prime Video show. The show also has a new season coming out on July 16, which can be accessed through the former link. This young adult summer drama story is about a young teenage girl, Belly. She loves summers as she spends them with her mom’s best friend, Susannah, and her boys, Jeremiah and Conrad. As tragedy strikes Susannah, and romance builds and burns bridges between Belly and the boys, her favorite season changes forever. Everything she knew would never be the same.
Now, while reading Jenny Han’s story this summer, you will want to pair this book with a delicious cinnamon muffin, a representation of the muffins that Susannah made. In the story, these muffins hold a deep meaning of family tradition, making them the perfect beach-approved snack. However, maybe you are looking for something else. Pomegranate margaritas are the perfect sweet drink while reading in the sun. These appear in the story on the Fourth of July, when Belly indulges a little too much. If you are not of age, please do not do as Belly did and try your hand at one of the mocktail versions.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid With A Shrimp Cocktail
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is the next story on the list. This adult family drama story takes you back to 1983 and follows the Riva family. They are a wealthy family, born from a famous musician, consisting of four siblings: Nina, Kit, Jay, and Hud. Nina is throwing her end-of-summer party, a massive party at their house that lasts all night. Everyone in Malibu wants to go, except the Riva siblings, who all hold secrets from each other. One moment, the liquor is pouring, music is blaring, and the next, everything they knew is gone.
A common food theme within Malibu Rising is seafood. Seafood restaurants appear many times in the story and include everyday seafood meals. Seafood can be a hit or miss with most people, but the perfect snack for Malibu Rising is a shrimp with cocktail sauce. During the summer, shrimp are considered in season, making it the ideal time to get fresh shrimp from your market and make a shrimp cocktail. This chilled seafood is easy to pack and perfect for your cooler!
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle With Italian Sodas
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle will be tugging at your heartstrings this summer. Katy, a young girl who has just lost her mother, feels lost. She has no one to turn to, and now she is left alone on a trip she had planned to go on with her mother. This wasn’t just some random trip; it was to this Italian town where her mother had the most fantastic summer of her life and met Katy’s father. As soon as Katy arrived, she knew her mother, Carol, was there. Katy didn’t mean physically, until her mother appeared before her, 30 years younger. Katy is stuck grappling with the grief of the mother she knew while learning a side of her she never saw.
An Italian soda is the perfect drink to pair with this book while reading. Yes, it isn’t actually from Italy, but the sweet, cooling drink is ideal to sip while reading. In fact, some beaches will offer stands selling Italian soda. Though it is not a drink that appears in the story, food does have a heavy theme, ranging from pizzas and pastas to different salads. While they may not be snacks, many delicious meals in the story are worth trying.
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean With Frozen Lemonade and Fruit
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean is releasing on July 8, 2025, and is available for preorder. A story about sibling rivalry unfolds as the main character, Alice, returns to her family after being disowned. She made her own life, though, away from them, and things were good. Until her father passes away, she goes to the funeral — mainly because she has to — and plans to leave as soon as it’s over. Her father has other plans. Instead, he hosts a challenge to gain the inheritance. Spend a week at their beach house on a remote island off the coast of Rhode Island. Her sister’s secrets and her brother’s behavior make it hard enough to be here, but now they are being constantly watched by her father’s second-in-command, who is all too handsome. How is she going to last a week here?
While These Summer Storms is not out yet, the food takes inspiration from Rhode Island instead. As it gets hot out there in the summer, especially in July, the perfect drink to pair with this would be frozen lemonade and a fruit salad. When the heat comes down heavy, a light snack and drink, that is also hydrating, is the perfect solution, especially when you can’t put down the book. This is another no-heat-required recipe, making it the perfect snack to bring to the beach, and even to share!
The sun is shining and the smell of sea salt hangs in the air. Nothing beats a day at the beach. With one book coming out recently, these are all the perfect summer theme beach reads that will have you turning each page. With a specialized snack or drink per book, your sunny beach picnic awaits!
Want more recommendations? Check out our Bookshop Weekly Recommendation page.
Check out these June 2025 book releases here!
