10 Summer Beach Reads

Time for sun, sand and surf and your favorite beach read. Whether you’re in the mood for a romantic beach read, a murder mystery or a spy thriller, these juicy books are perfect warm-weather reads.

Here are 10 summer beach reads I recommend.

1.    The Selection (The Selection Series Book 1) by Keira Kase:  This series is referred to as The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor. America Singer is a young girl who was selected to enter a competition called The Selection. The process is supposed to help the heir to the throne find his partner for life. In America’s case, she is chosen to be one of the thirty-five girls to compete for Prince Maxon’s heart, and to be the next princess of a future country called Illéa. However, this means leaving her family and secret boyfriend Aspen behind. She is stuck between two worlds and realizes that life as one of the competitors is not what she expected. I love these books.

2.    No Better Friend; One Man, One Dog, and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in WWII by Robert Weintraub: In 1941, 20-something British officer Frank Williams met a dog called Judy at a Japanese prisoner of war camp, and they became best friends. Together they survived starvation, malaria and a torpedo attack and lived to tell the tale. Judy is ultimately recognized as a hero. If you just read one book this summer, this is the one to read.

3.    China Rich Girl by Kevin Kwan: Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with a funny new novel of social climbing, secret e-mails, art-world scandal, lovesick billionaires, and the outrageous story of what happens when Rachel Chu, engaged to marry Asia’s most eligible bachelor, discovers her birth father.

4.    Unwritten by Charles Martin: Charles Martin weaves a story of one woman who purposely drops out of society and one man who reluctantly agrees to help her. This is one I could not put down.

5.    Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave: Set in the lush backdrop of California’s wine country, this heartbreaking, funny, and deeply evocative novel is about love, marriage, family, and wine and the treacherous terrain in which they all intersect.

6.     Submerged by Dani Pettrey: Submerged is a spellbinding mystery, full of suspense and a great story that will pull you in from the first page. I love the book is set in Alaska too! This book will keep you up all night.

7.    Saint Anything by Sarah Dresson: Saint Anything is about a family trying to piece together their lives after the eldest son, Peyton, is incarcerated. What begins as a somber story, carefully narrated by a polite young woman, builds to a gripping and unexpected climax and a satisfying conclusion.

8.    Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner: In her latest historical novel, Susan Meissner recounts events that transpired in London during World War II, when half a million children were evacuated from the city into foster homes in the countryside. The storyline is filled with unexpected plot twists that will keep you turning pages.

9.    The Knockoff by Lucy Stiles and Jo Piazza: This is a juicier version of The Devil Wears Prada meets Silicon Valley. The Knockoff is the story of Imogen Tate, editor in chief of Glossy magazine, who finds her twentysomething former assistant Eve Morton plotting to knock Imogen off her pedestal, take over her job, and reduce the magazine, famous for its lavish 768-page September issue, into an app.

10.  The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki: The story revolves around Sisi, the Habsburg empress and wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I. After falling in love with her sister’s fiancé and eventually making him her own, Sisi found all eyes on her as she ascended to the role. But in this new position of power, Sisi did not back down in the face of pressure and fame. Instead, she captured the hearts of her people. This is a fascinating story. Read this book if you enjoy historical fiction.

P.S. For more of my book recommendations, check out my Summer Reading List too.

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