5 Perfect Reads for the Summertime
Who wants a hot girl summer when you could have a book girl summer
Summer is barreling toward the northern hemisphere, bringing with it hot days, cool drinks, and long afternoons made for lounging with a book. Whether you are on the beach, lounging poolside, or cuddling the air conditioning, summer presents the perfect opportunity for reading. This list features a mixture of engrossing romances, beach reads, and novels to satisfy summertime wanderlust.
Florence Adler Swims Forever
In 1930s Atlantic City, the Adler family is eager to snatch up all that summer has to offer in one of the Art Deco era's finest beaches. With old flames, a new baby on the way, and a mysterious new houseguest, the summer presents endless possibilities. Tragedy, however, strikes all too soon. It derails the family's plan and entangles all of the characters in an elaborate lie
Florence Adler was last summer's sleeper hit. I read it while on the beach. With the sound of the waves lapping in the background, it was a cathartic experience, reminding me that summertime plans have been disappointing and out of our control since the beginning of time.
Beautiful Ruins
Jess Walter follows the contemporary tradition of dual timelines: one story unfolds in the modern-day office of a Hollywood studio while the other occurs nearly half a century earlier in Cinque Terre. In mid-twentieth century Italy, a quiet innkeeper's life is shaken by the arrival of a starlet with a mysterious affliction. Almost 50 years later, he shows up in Hollywood; a weathered producer, a disgruntled novelist, and a wid-eyed assistant must help him find answers.
I read this book in the depths of winter, yet I felt transported to the sparkling Italian coast and the Palm Tree-studded boulevards of Los Angeles. This book is the perfect read for long, romantic June days and the concaving, reflective days of late August.
Red, White, and Royal Blue
This political romance follows the relationship between two fictional public figures: Prince Henry of England and first son Alex Claremont-Diaz. The two are not on good terms; both are extremely prejudiced against the other. After an incident with a wedding cake causes a public relations disaster, they fake a public friendship that blossoms into an intense, genuine romantic affair. What will happen when the rest of the world finds out about their love?
Red, White, and Royal Blue is a romantic comedy on a page; it is lighthearted, swoon-worthy escapism at its finest. Not only is it a romance, but it also presents a dreamy version of the world in which the United States has a respected and intelligent female president.
City of Girls
In the summer of 1940, wealthy, upper-crust Vivian has failed out of Vassar College; her parents exile her to live with her Aunt Peg in New York City. Aunt Peg owns the Lily Playhouse, a struggling but vibrant theatre in midtown Manhattan. Amongst the showgirls, actors, and theatre professionals, Vivian comes into herself, finding the joys and perils of personal autonomy. After a personal mistake has wide-reaching professional consequences, Vivian learns the importance and resilience, self-reliance, and reinvention.
With sexy romances, high stakes, and captivating characters, City of Girls is a dramatic, exciting novel made for long summer afternoons. The exciting, all-night New York City parties will have you craving a glass of champagne and a night out.
We Were Liars
In melodramatic and mysterious prose, Lockhart tells the story of a wealthy New England family coping with the fallout of an ambiguous incident. It takes place on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts. The protagonist has been going to her family's island for her whole life, except for one year after the incident, which caused her to lose all memory of that summer. She returns to the island two years later, haunted by the incidents of that special summer and hungry for answers. The ending is anything but expected.
I must confess, I held back from reading this YA novel for a few years as I thought it was too mainstream and popular. A few months ago, I gave in to literary peer pressure, and I am so glad I did! On the surface, We Were Liars is the epitome of champagne problems, but, on a deeper level, it deals with issues such as grief and family problems. It was written to be read in one long sitting on the beach.
