Reading may not the first thing on your mind during summer; most people want to go to the pool, concerts, road trips, etc, and not even think about books. But who knows? If you’re reading this, you’re most likely one in a million people who are interested in reading over the summer. Why not bring a book with you to read while you are tanning on the beach or sitting poolside? Here’s a list of some 5-star recommended books that will give you that full summer-feeling experience.
“One True Love” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“One True Love” is a contemporary romance novel that follows Emma Blair, who is in her 20s and married to her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life together in a small town in Massachusetts, far from anything getting between them. At least, this is what they thought. On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse goes on a helicopter ride over the Pacific when the chopper goes missing and Jesse is gone.
Emma quits her job and moves out of the house she and Jesse had lived in together. Years later, Emma, now in her 30s, runs into an old high school friend, Sam, and realizes she’s falling in love again. After some time dating, Emma and Sam get engaged. It feels like Emma is given a second chance at being happy again, that is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to return home to Emma. With Jesse back and Sam here as her new fiancé, Emma has to figure out who she is and what she wants while at the same time protecting the ones she loves.
“The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armes
“The Spanish Love Deception” is a contemporary fake-dating romance novel that follows Catalina Martin, who desperately needs to find a date to her sister’s wedding in Spain. Going alone wouldn’t be so bad, however, Catalina decided that it would be a bright idea to lie to all her family, her friends, her ex-boyfriend and his new fiancee, telling them that she had a new boyfriend even though she does not. Now enters Aaron Blackford, one of Catalina’s coworkers, who surprisingly offers to be her date to the wedding. Catalina and Aaron are the opposite of friends; she’d rather decline his offer until she realizes how embarrassing it would be for her lie to unfold in front of her family. With no other option, she reluctantly takes him up on his offer. She soon realizes he’s not as bad of a person as she was led to believe.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” by Jenny Han
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a young adult coming-of-age romance novel that follows a sixteen-year-old girl, Isabel “Belly” Conklin, and her summer at Cousins Beach with the Fisher family at their beach house. She is navigating the challenges of being a teenage girl, finding her first love, and dating in general. She has always had a crush on Conrad and has always been close friends with his brother, Jeremiah. She goes back and forth with her feelings about the two brothers, Jeramiah and Conrad, and whether or not she loves Conrad or if her friendship with Jeramiah is actually more than just friendship.
“Every Summer After” by Carley Fortune
“Every Summer After” is a contemporary romance, second-chance, and friends-to-lovers novel that follows Persephone Fraser and Sam Florek. The two are childhood friends who spent their summers together in their small town in Barry’s Bay. Eventually, their friendship turns into something more before a pivotal event happens that causes a rift in their relationship and a decade of silence. Years later, a tragic event happens that brings the two of them together, forcing them to reconnect and possibly rekindle their relationship.
“Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“Daisy Jones & The Six” is a historical urban fiction novel set in Los Angeles in the 1970s. The novel follows the rock band known as “Daisy Jones & The Six” and the members Daisy Jones (lead singer), Billy Dunne (lead singer and guitarist), Graham Dunne (lead guitarist), Warren Rojas (drummer), Karen Sirko (keyboardist), and Eddie Roundtree (bassist). It tells the story of how the group reached stardom and their eventual fall out. Their events are told through a series of interviews and flashbacks, exploring themes of fame, love, and the complications of relationships within a high-pressure situation.
