8 Addictive Summer Reads for Your Next Beach Trip
There’s really nothing like a little fun in the sun with a good book in one hand and a drink in the other.
Your resort can sort out the bottomless margaritas, but I’ve gotchu when it comes to the books! Pull up a lounge chair, grab your sunnies, and let these perfect beach reads carry you off into a sun-kissed daydream…
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Are you a fan of fast-paced, creepy thrillers? If so, Paula Hawkin’s The Girl on the Train will have you hooked.
Dysfunctional Rachel rides the same commuter train every morning past the same row of back gardens. She sees the occupants of one particular house so frequently that she’s even given them names—Jess and Jason—and taken to imagining what their perfect life must be like. All of that changes when Rachel witnesses something shocking and gets pulled into the lives of the people she’s only ever watched from afar.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Anyone with fond memories of 90s-era Saturday Night Live or who binge-watched all seven seasons of 30 Rock will appreciate Tina Fey’s best-selling autobiography. Part memoir, part witty essay, and entirely hilarious, Bossypants dives into Fey’s childhood as an awkward theater nerd, her rise to comedy stardom, and her thoughts on motherhood and life in general.
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
This charming, breezy beach read follows the life of Becky Bloomwood, a financial writer who outwardly seems to be living the good life in a trendy London flat with her posh socialite friends. In reality, however, Becky has a secret—she can’t afford any of it. She hates her job and is in a crazy amount of debt thanks to her shopaholic ways, a bad habit that’s got credit card bills piling up at her door. When a story that she actually cares about crosses her path, Becky’s front-page article sparks a chain of events that will change her life forever.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor Oliphant lives a life of careful routine. She goes to work, avoids interacting with her coworkers, numbs herself with pizza and vodka over the weekend, and begins the cycle all over again.
Eleanor’s total lack of social skills and tendency to say whatever comes to mind has kept her isolated for a long time, but that all changes when Raymond, a kindhearted and bumbling IT guy, is hired at her work. Chance events weave Raymond and Eleanor’s lives together, but as Eleanor begins to emerge from her shell, dark secrets from her past—all seeming to converge on the frightening figure of Mummy—start to spill out, too.
A beautifully-written book that will have you laughing out loud and tearing up in turns, this one deserves a spot at the top of your reading list.
Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
Book #3 in Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians series, Rich People Problems is outrageous in the best possible way. Su Yi, the matriarch of the Young family, is dying, and family members are scrambling to lay claim to the massive fortune she’ll leave behind—a fortune that includes the keys to Tyersall Park, a pristine estate at the heart of Singapore. Campy, melodramatic, and totally indulgent, this book offers a peek into the lives of the ultra-rich as they battle for status, love, and (most importantly) money.
This juicy summer read is the definition of true guilty pleasure.
Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
Going through a midlife crisis is no fun, but reading about someone else doing it can be pretty entertaining!
Former college bandmates Elizabeth, Andrew, and Zoe are nearing fifty now, living in Brooklyn and attempting to hold onto the last scraps of their youth despite being middle-aged and married with kids. The summer that Zoe’s daughter starts sleeping with Elizabeth and Andrew’s son, uncomfortable truths about the past start to bubble up, causing tension between the adults as the fabric of their lives begins to unravel.
Straub’s novel tackles issues like the nature of marriage, questions of identity, growing older, and coming to terms with the past. Fans of funny, well-written family dramas will love this one.
The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
When she set off on a reporting trip to Mongolia in 2012, journalist and author Ariel Levy had it all—a loving spouse, a successful career, financial security, and a baby on the way. A month later, none of that was true.
Levy’s memoir is a raw, impeccably written look at grief, loss, and the fragility of the lives we build for ourselves. The author’s candid and unapologetic voice will have you thinking about this book long after it ends.
Girls Who Travel by Nicole Trilivas
For all the ladies who spend their free time skimming Google Flights, writing bucket lists, and daydreaming about far off places—this one’s for you.
23-year-old Kika Shores spent a year backpacking overseas and has been battling itchy feet ever since she returned. Her boring office job makes her miserable and she’s desperate to be back on the road again, so when she’s offered the chance to work as a nanny in London, she jumps on it. The adventure waiting for her in England, however, isn’t quite what she’d been imagining.
Light and witty, Girls Who Travel is exactly the kind of brain candy you want to indulge in while soaking up those golden rays.
Which book always finds its way into your beach tote? Let us know in the comments! 📚🏖️❤️
Courtnie is the founder & CEO of TravelBash. After years as an ambitious fundraiser, she took her passion for travel full-time. She has lived all over the U.S. and abroad and after planning her own destination wedding, she decided to help other couples plan their big day abroad too. She has written “Passport to Paradise: The Complete Destination Wedding Guide,” a top seller on Amazon. She has also been featured in Travel + Leisure, Destination I Do and The Washington Post. As a certified travel advisor, expert event planner and natural connector, she uses her powers to create VIP travel experiences.
