Top 5 Beach Reads to Add to Your Summer Reading List

Finding the perfect summer read is no easy task for a reader. With such a wide range of options from romantic summer flings to dysfunctional but lovable family trips to compellingly sappy teen dramas, it can be hard to find the ideal book to pick up on the beach, the plane, or the porch. Here are some of our favorite summer books to pick up for a vacation or staycation:

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The newest addition to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s repertoire is not one that you want to miss. Malibu Rising is a novel about the four adult children of legendary singer Mick Riva. Surfer and model Nina is going through a very public divorce, and she is not looking forward to the massive end of summer party she is throwing at her home in Malibu. Jay, a professional surfer, is discovering love again after a terrible breakup, Hud, a photographer, is deep into a secret romance, and Kit, the youngest, has invited a mysterious guest to the party. By the end of the night, secrets will be revealed and Nina’s house on the Malibu shore will go up in flames. The 1980s California setting, the drama within the Riva family, and the summer bash in a mansion on the beach make Malibu Rising a delicious addition to your summer reading list. 

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen’s teen romance novels are a staple of the Young Adult genre, and Along for the Ride is one of her absolute best. The story follows Auden, who just graduated from high school, and is spending the summer with her dad and stepmom at their home in a small beach town. She makes new friends at her job at a boutique in town and meets Eli, who has the same sleeping problems that she does, and takes her on adventures around the town at night. On their nightly outings, Eli helps Auden appreciate the messy and complicated life that she has, and Auden helps Eli make peace with the town where he has lived his whole life. Together, they learn to move forward from their lives in high school and inevitably fall in love. Along for the Ride has all the ingredients for a teenage summer fling, but with the addition of a more mature tone as the two main characters move from adolescence into their adult lives.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

People We Meet on Vacation is a story about best friends Poppy and Alex who could not be more different. Poppy is spontaneous and adventurous, while Alex is a homebody who enjoys predictability. She lives in New York City while he stayed in their hometown, but they get together every year for a week-long summer trip. Two years ago, though, they stopped speaking and ended their summer tradition. Missing Alex terribly, Poppy suggests that they put their differences aside and take another trip together to fix their decade-long friendship. The chemistry between Alex and Poppy is undeniable, and Henry draws readers into their complicated relationship, exploring their past and potential future together. At the core of the story is friendship, and how it can change our lives in the best ways. If you’re looking for a great friends-to-lovers story, don’t skip People We Meet on Vacation this summer.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

This is the ultimate enemies-to-lovers, fake-relationship story, but with a twist. Olive, maid of honor at her twin sister’s wedding, is pretty cynical about love. When everyone at the wedding comes down with food poisoning except for Olive and best man Ethan (who Olive despises), they are offered the chance to go on the bride and groom’s all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii. Not wanting to turn down a free trip, they begrudgingly agree to go together. However, when Olive runs into her new boss on vacation, she ends up pretending to be on her honeymoon with Ethan. Chaos ensues, love is discovered, and there is a fun sequence of mishaps along the way. The beach trip setting and well-executed romance tropes make this the perfect summer read.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuinston

The highly anticipated release from the author of Red, White, and Royal Blue is not one that you want to miss this summer. 23 year old August does not believe that moving to New York City will bring any kind of newfound magic into her life. Working at a diner and living with too many odd roommates, she quickly finds her assumptions correct. But one day on the train, August meets Jane, a beautiful and eccentric punk rock woman that she quickly develops a crush on. Of course, though, nothing is what it seems when it comes to Jane—August soon learns that Jane is actually from the 1970s, displaced in time in the modern world. She is forced to leave her old beliefs about New York City magic behind and help Jane get back… while falling in love with her. McQuinston is beloved for her adorable romantic scenes, high-stakes relationships, and lovable characters, so if you’re looking for a great summer romance read, be sure to pick up One Last Stop. 

Any of these books will be sure to make you swoon this summer, whether you’re hitting the beach or staying at home. Whether you love classic tropes or a totally unique story, all of these romances will satisfy the need for a perfect summer read.

-Kathleen