Summer reading is my favorite – especially at the beach. I love becoming absorbed in a wonderful story while sitting in the sun with the ocean as my soundtrack. Here are the five books I read while on vacation this year!
Table for Two by Amor Towles
I just loved Table for Two by Amor Towles. I also loved Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow by this author, but this might be my favorite of his yet. It’s a collection of six short stories set in New York City around 2000 — all dealing with little encounters or mysteries with others that surprise or spiral — and one novella set in 1930s Los Angeles. It follows Evelyn Ross from Rules of Civility and imagines a new future for her as she becomes involved with those in the film business, and things take a more sinister turn (you don’t have to have read the book). All the stories are incredibly intriguing, engaging, intelligent, and beautifully written. I highly recommend this excellent book.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
I enjoyed Just for the Summer. It was not the light, summery romcom I was expecting (though there were certainly sweet, silly moments), but a bit more serious of a story dealing with familial and mental health challenges. It’s about Emma and Justin, who meet after Justin posts on Reddit, as the two have the same “curse” — after dating someone and breaking up, the other person always goes on to find The One. They decide to date each other in hopes that it will cancel out, and the pattern will be broken. But it doesn’t feel so simple once they meet in person. On top of her job as a travel nurse, Emma is dealing with her erratic mother Amber while Justin must assume custody of his siblings, all while they try to navigate their unexpected feelings for one another. This was a well-written story with two characters for whom you really grow to care. I recommend if you’re in the mood for a sweet romcom mixed with real-life realities. Despite the title, it’s not super summer-focused and can be read at any time.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
I loved Great Big Beautiful Life. It was a different style for Emily Henry — in addition to being a romance, it was also a mystery and family drama. It’s about Alice and Hayden, both writers who wish to be selected by the elusive and once tabloid princess Margaret Ives to write her biography. Margaret, who comes from a wealthy family that has spent decades in the spotlight, hasn’t been seen for years, until now. She grants Alice and Hayden a one-month trial period to interview her, and at the end, she will choose one of them to finally tell her story. Soon into the process, both Alice and Hayden sense that pieces of the story are missing, and they will have to put together what they can while agreeing not to talk about it (they’ve both signed NDAs) and processing the feelings that develop between them. The story goes between Alice’s talks with Margaret to her interactions with Hayden and in Little Crescent Island where they are staying. I enjoyed the Alice and Hayden chapters — they were both great characters — but initially found Margaret’s story a little boring. However, I became invested and loved how everything came together by the end.
The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly
Reading The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club on the beach in Rhode Island was perfect. I loved this book, mostly set during World War II in 1942 on Martha’s Vineyard. As the U.S. Army arrives on the Vineyard, teenage sisters Cadence and Briar Smith must keep their family farm running along with their grandmother and friend Bess, but without the help of their brother Tom, who has gone off to war. Cadence and Bess begin a book club while Cadence writes a local column and dreams of writing in New York City. Meanwhile, she finds herself in an unexpected romance. Their lives complicate after Briar believes she spots a German U-boat off shore and soon after, a mysterious man washes onto the beach near their farm. Meanwhile, in 2016, Mari Starwood travels to Martha’s Vineyard to meet the famous painter Elizabeth Devereaux, who lives on the Smith family’s farm and tells her their story, and through the telling, Mari has some personal revelations. I really enjoyed this book and loved Briar and Cadence as characters, as well as the history of the Vineyard during this time period. I recommend for an easy but interesting beach read if you like historical fiction.
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Broken Country is easy to fly through — I was captivated by this story set in the English countryside in the mid-1950s and late 60s. Beth is married to Frank, and they live and work on his family farm, a simple and beautiful life. Gabriel has returned to the village with his son Leo after going through a divorce. As teenagers, Beth and Gabriel were first loves, but it ended in heartbreak. When Beth begins to look after Leo, he reminds her of her own son Bobby who passed away in a tragic accident, and seeing Gabriel again stirs up old feelings. The book goes between Gabriel’s return in 1968, Gabriel and Beth’s past, Bobby’s childhood, and a murder trial in 1969. It was a well-written and compelling read that explores love and feels a bit like a thriller, and I highly recommend it.
I started The Names by Florence Knapp before leaving Rhode Island and am really enjoying it – I will be sure to share my thoughts when finished! What books are on your list this summer?
