summer reading guide
book recommendations for every summer mood + what's on my TBR
there’s not much i enjoy more than specifically curated/themed lists, especially seasonal ones. over the last couple of weeks, as spring has turned into summer, i’ve started to think about all the different summer moods, activities, and overall vibes as well as my favorite summery books, and what i want my reading habits to feel and look like throughout all that this season has to offer. i had so much fun putting together spring’s guide and i’m excited to bring you the next installment. i think there will be a book or two here for every type of reader. i hope you enjoy and happy summer reading!
another huge thank you to bestie katie for the beautiful book banners <3
engaging, heated, romantic—books to pack in your beach bag or picnic basket, when you’re in the mood for sun-soaked love stories and sweeping family dramas.
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan: at once witty, heartwarming, and relatable, this beach read follows a professional organizer whose life is in chaos when she strikes up a summer romance that helps her rediscover herself and find joy again.
The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce: this second chance, forced proximity romance follows estranged exes who have to work together to plan a wedding for their best friend. As tensions rise, they are forced to confront the truth behind their unresolved history and the possibility of a new beginning.
These Summer Storms by Sarah Maclean: blending sharp drama, complex emotions, and tender romance, this book follows the long-awaited return of a woman to her childhood home off the coast of Rhode Island who finds a string of challenges and surprises in the face of her father’s death.
The Unwilding by Marina Kemp: exploring themes of love, grief, and memory, this novel follows the inner lives of three women as they attempt to unravel the family secrets and power dynamics that have followed them years after a pivotal summer spent together in Sicily.
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson: this story follows a woman from an affluent black family in new england who, struggling with a childhood tragedy, spends the summer in France where her past catches up with her, and she is forced to confront generational trauma, family secrets, and her own identity.
warm, breezy, relaxed—books to carry with you everywhere, for slow mornings, in between errands, and everyday life, when you want something that meets you where you are.
Sandwich by Catherine Newman: equal parts funny and sad, bold and quiet, this story follows a middle aged woman through a chaotic yet life affirming week in Cape Cod, sandwiched between the dynamics of her aging parents and growing children.
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand: set against the backdrop of idyllic Nantucket, this book follows a woman who, after a shocking life change, invites four friends from different phases of life to come together in a surprising yet captivating journey of friendship, self discovery, and forgiveness.
Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin: known as a modern classic, this is a clever and charming story about two best friends in New York City navigating adulthood, love, and the idea of ‘happiness’, while celebrating the bonds of human connection in the face of mundanity and hardship.
Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein: exploring themes of sisterhood, sacrifice, and legacy, two sisters, the responsible caregiver and the carefree athlete, are intertwined with their mothers hidden past as they pursue their own ambitions and navigate their futures in a small Maine town and beyond.
Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson: with witty and heartfelt storytelling, and themes of chosen family and forgiveness, a young woman’s quiet life is upended when she gets roped into a roadtrip with her previously unknown half-siblings on a quest of hijinks and healing to find their absentee father.
reflective, emotional, atmospheric—books for long drives, rainy days, and evenings on the porch, when you’re craving something a little more thought-provoking and deep.
The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff: a multigenerational family saga about a family in Texas who are at once in love and harboring life changing secrets from one another. Portraying both complicated but realistic family dynamics and emotional depth, each character navigates the effects of addiction, loss, and healing.
Homeseeking by Karissa Chen: an intimate and sweeping narrative following two childhood best friends and lovers who are separated by war and spend decades weaving in and out of each other’s lives as they confront and redefine their own ideas of home, identity, and love.
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck: a magical realism novel about a newlywed couple whose lives are disrupted by one’s diagnosis of a transformation into a great white shark. Used as a metaphor for degenerative diseases, this unique novel explores love, illness, caretaking, and the beautiful and terrible nature of humanity.
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters: this story follows the parallel lives of a young girl who goes missing in the blueberry fields of Maine, her brother, and an affluent, adopted girl in a nearby town as they each grapple with missing pieces of their past, overcoming trauma, and the search for truth and connection.
The Names by Florence Knapp: praised for its unique structure and emotional impact, this novel follows a mother and her son through three alternate timelines based on the name chosen for him as a baby. Using a “what if” framework, each path explores domestic violence, family bonds, and free will.
gripping, social, electric—books for staying up late to see how it ends, when you want something immersive and unpredictable to binge and tell all your friends about.
Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering: told from three perspectives across dual timelines and exploring themes of love, obsession, and betrayal, this psychological thriller follows a seemingly perfect relationship between a twenty-something woman and a charming older man that unravels slowly through deception.
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman: focusing on the complexities of female friendship and the lasting effects of trauma, this coming of age meets true crime novel follows two friends who, living in the fallout of a life-changing summer in Greece, are thrust back into each other’s orbit, and forced to confront their past and reconsider their role in the story.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore: spanning decades and told through multiple timelines and perspectives, this literary thriller follows a series of disappearances at a wealthy family’s summer camp, exploring the complex dynamics between the camp owners and the local community, along with themes of grief and family secrets.
The Guest by Emma Cline: known for its tense prose and ambiguous ending, this novel follows a young woman as she spends one summer week drifting aimlessly through the exclusive social scene in The Hamptons. Using her wit and charm to survive, and leaving behind minor chaos, she navigates class, desire, and her own morality.
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll: based on a real life but unnamed serial killer, this novel critiques the media’s romanticization of and obsession with serial killers and true crime, and shifts the focus to the victims and survivors. Told through dual timelines, the narrative follows two women as they connect through grief and a shared pursuit of justice.
here’s what’s on my summer TBR, featuring a few new summer releases on my radar and some backlist books i can’t wait to get into! i pulled from a few different summer moods to include some new to me authors, authors i already love, and a little variety in genres (looking at you, Red Rising). i’m excited to read in the sun, fall in love with new characters, and find something that makes me think a little bigger or deeper.
Pool House by Mary H.K Choi
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
Tropesick by Lauren Okie
The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston
Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane
Junie by Erin Crosby-Eckstine
Instructions For A Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell
Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidjia Hilje
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
thank you for reading! let me know what your summer reading mood is and what you’re looking forward to this season! until next time,
zara <3
love!!!!!!!!!!