10 Unputdownable Summer Reads for Book Lovers
Whether you're lounging poolside, curled up in a sunbeam like your favorite pup, or just need an emotional escape with iced coffee and an emotional support novel—this list is for you. These stories sparkle with wit, warmth, and just enough heartache to remind you why you love reading in the first place. Let’s dive in.
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1. A Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry – Raw, Radiant, and Hope-Filled
Emily Henry is at it again—unpacking the messiness of living, loving, and letting go in the most gorgeous way possible. This novel is bright, bruising, and wise, a heartfelt exploration of grief and joy interwoven like summer sun through lace curtains.
✨ “Not light, but unforgettable—best served with a cold drink and a warm dog.”
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2. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez – Small Town Vibes & Big Heart F![]()
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A high-powered ER doctor and a ridiculously charming carpenter walk into a goat sanctuary… and it somehow becomes one of the best opposites-attract stories of the decade. With emotional depth, healing arcs, and Jimenez's trademark laugh-cry combo, this romance is pure serotonin.
✨ “Swoon-worthy with a side of emotional depth. Jimenez delivers again.”
3. You, Again by Kate Goldbeck – Enemies, Exes & NYC Spark
An anti-romance romance between two people who are absolutely not meant to be together—until they are. Goldbeck gives us messy, magnetic, utterly real characters navigating friendship, love, and very bad timing. Witty, modern, and full of heart.
✨ “Like your favorite rom-com but smarter.”
4. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Fire, Family, and Fame
One party, four siblings, and a Malibu mansion burning to the ground. With its ‘80s glamour and deep family bonds, this novel rides the line between escapist and emotional like a surfer on a golden wave.
✨ “The perfect beach read—sun-soaked and sizzling with drama.”
5. Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez – Letters, Laughter, and Longing
A sweet, slow-burn romance between two doctors exchanging heartfelt letters and healing from their pasts. It’s cozy, tender, and oh-so-relatable for anyone who’s ever had anxiety... or an irrational fear of voicemail.
✨ “A love letter to vulnerability—with just the right dose of rom-com magic.”
6. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren – Enemies, Aloha, and Awkwardly Shared Beds
She hates him. He can’t stand her. They’re the only ones not food poisoned at the wedding. Cue fake honeymoon. This enemies-to-lovers romp is spicy, sun-drenched, and filled with laugh-out-loud lines.
✨ “Delightfully chaotic with big vacation vibes. Pack this one first.”
7. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – Octopuses, Grief & Unexpected Friendships
Featuring a surprisingly wise octopus and a tender exploration of loss, this debut is filled with charm, empathy, and healing. Like dipping your toes into cool water after a long, emotional hike.
✨ “You’ll never look at aquarium life the same way again.”
8. My Friends by Fredrik Backman – Loyalty, Loss, and Life’s Unspoken Moments
The beloved author of A Man Called Ove returns with a novel as tender as it is piercing. My Friends explores the deep emotional bonds between men, grief tucked between moments of quiet joy and unsaid truths. With Backman’s signature empathy and humanity, it’s a story of friendship that will linger like a midsummer night’s breeze.
✨ “Warm, wise, and quietly devastating—the kind of book that listens while you read it.”
9. Beach Read by Emily Henry – Writers, Witty Banter & Literary Love
A cynical literary novelist and a sunshiney romance writer trade genres—and grudges—at a beach cottage. The chemistry sizzles, the grief feels real, and the plot twist is chef’s kiss.
✨ “Smart, funny, and tender—it’s the reason the term ‘beach read’ exists.”
10. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – Summer Stories and Second Chances
Set on a Michigan cherry farm during quarantine, this novel is a meditation on memory, motherhood, and the roles we leave behind. If summer were a mood, it would be this book.
✨ “Like catching golden hour in a bottle. For reflective summer evenings.”
What’s In Your Summer Tote?
Complete your literary getaway aesthetic with our Beach Reads Summer Tote Bag—perfect for books, dog treats, and iced drinks that somehow never stay cold long enough. If only there were a bookish tumbler that kept them cold for over 12 hours...
📚What’s your must-read under the sun? Tell us in the comments or tag us on Instagram!