The best summer books are perfect for adults to read on lazy, hazy days this year. Summer is when many readers try to catch up on reading, which makes it all the harder to pick the best seasonal reads.
That’s why I read dozens of beach read books with “summer” in the title and showcased the best of all time in various genres, from swoonworthy romances to unputdownable mysteries. As a bonus, I also included the best new fiction of 2025, so you can catch up on the best of the year so far from BookTok and beyond. Browse the list to find a short and fun read for your summer bucket list below!
Best Summer Books of All-Time To Add To Your Reading List
TOP 3 PICKS
The best books about the summer season are the popular bestsellers 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand, best for fans of same time next year romances; Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez, best for fans of fake dating romances; and One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: best for fans of Gilmore Girls.
TAKE THE POLL
Romance Novels and Rom-Coms
- 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
- Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
- Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez
- Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
- This Summer Will Be Different by Carely Fortune
See more of my favorite summer romances on Youtube:
Light Historical Fiction Cozy Mystery Novels
- All the Summers in Between by Brooke Lea Foster
- The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
Easy Beach Reads
- The Edge of Summer by Viola Shipman
- One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
- Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland
- The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Historical Fiction
- A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
- Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Young Adult (YA) Novels Adults Will Love
- The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
My Reviews of the Best Summer Vacation Book Recommendations
Read these books in The Literary Lifestyle’s Summer Reading Challenge.
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
28 Summers is about two people, Mallory Blessing and Jake McCloud, who decide to have a “same time next year” meeting that lasts each Labor Day weekend. Naturally, this becomes more complicated with age, marriage, and kids.
While I can normally be critical about books that glamorize affairs, this book showed that all relationships are different and complex. any of Hilderbrand’s readers consider this a favorite for vacation reading.
Related Posts: Best Elin Hilderbrand Books | Elin Hilderbrand Books in Order
All the Summers in Between by Brooke Lea Foster
All the Summers In Between transports the reader to the Hamptons in 1967 and 1977. There, the rebellious visitor Margot meets and befriends a reliable local, Thea. But, a terrible incident drives them apart.
Ten summers later, Margot secretly returns and brings with her more problems that need fixing.
This is quite a complex female friendship! It shows the power some people have to force others outside their comfort zone, for better and for worse. The book maintains a light tone and reads very easily, making it a good book to read on vacation by an author like Elin Hilderbrand.
The Edge of Summer by Viola Shipman
The Edge of Summer blends mystery, family drama, and romance, while handling them with saccharine tones, weaving themes of “buttons,” sewing, and small-town romance charm into the narrative.
Sutton is grieving the loss of her mother when she learns her mother may have lied when she said her family all died in a house fire.
This leads her to a charming lake town in Michigan, where she meets a handsome athlete-turned-antique shop owner (yes, really!) and “unravels” the dark secrets of the past.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Every Summer After emotionally taps into the nostalgia of first love and second chances with characters you’ll root for.
Throughout six summers in Barry’s Bay, teenagers Persephone and Sam fall in love. Then, one Thanksgiving tears them apart. Years later, Persephone returns to Barry’s Bay, and she must face how she feels about him.
You’ll love the tropes and vibes as much as everyone else does, so add it to your TBR list!
Related Posts: Carley Fortune Books | Every Summer After Review
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
A Hundred Summers is a salacious book that masterfully connects the hurricane of 1938, which decimated a shore town in Rhode Island, to fiction.
It’s the story of glamorous Lily Dane and her old college football-playing flame, who shows up for a summer at Seaview, Rhode Island, married to her friend (or, as one may say, “frenemy”).
That’s just the beginning, though, as a passive-aggressive summer comes to a head when the great hurricane hits.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
In Just For the Summer, every woman Justin dates finds her soulmate just after breaking up with him. He meets Emma, who is similarly “cursed.” Together, they create a plan to date each other as a summer fling, so they can go on to live happily ever after with someone else.
They connect deeper than expected over their “mommy” issues. However, the chaos left by Emma’s mom may be too complicated to make the plan work.
This escape read features my favorite couple in Abby Jimenez’s books. They are quirky, lovable, have great chemistry, and support each other through difficult life issues.
Related Posts: Just For the Summer Book Review | Abby Jimenez Books Ranked
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel is a great feel-good novel about The Golden Hotel. The Catskills have lost their luster, and so has the relationship between the two families that own the hotel.
As everything begins to fall apart, figuratively and literally, an offer to purchase the property brings these two families together to decide its fate.
Business and pleasure converge in this light, nostalgia-filled story filled with memorable characters.
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Set on the Amalfi coast, One Italian Summer follows Katy’s solo “vacation” after the death of her beloved mother.
Magical realism comes into play when Katy meets a woman who doesn’t just look like her mother but appears to be her mother at age 30. This changes the course of Katy’s grief and her life. Plus, there’s a twist you won’t see coming.
Serle is known for blending grief with magical realism and is at her best here. It’s immersive, emotional, and memorable, especially for moms.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
The Summer of Broken Rules was inspired by Taylor Swift’s songs!
Meredith is a teen coping with the loss of her beloved sister when she visits the family’s island farm for a week that will culminate in her cousin’s wedding.
Before the wedding, the family plays a competitive game of Assassin, and, in an attempt to win it all in memory of her sister, Meredith allies with a cute groomsman named Wit.
This vacation romance is filled with all those warm and fuzzy feelings of lighthearted young summer love.
Related Posts: Taylor Swift Book Recommendations | Books About Martha’s Vineyard
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
The Summer I Turned Pretty begins a trilogy that follows teenage “Belly” as she, her single mom, and her brother visit their shared beach house with her mom’s friend and two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah.
It’s about how a young teen starts to bloom from that awkward stage to that “getting noticed” by boys stage. But, as life in the beach house takes a difficult turn, the course of Belly’s teenage life forever changes.
If you like dramatic YA romance books, you are bound to enjoy this poolside read.
Tip: The Amazon Prime TV series adaptation is fantastic.
Related Post: The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
The book Summer Romance is about Ali, a single mom and divorcee whose dog claims a man for her. Since summer romances are non-committal, she takes a chance. As they each help each other through some “hard stuff,” though, she starts falling hard.
The heavy stuff makes the couple feel real, and the light stuff makes the book feel romantic. It’s super breezy and quick summer read.
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Summer Sisters is a modern summer classic. In 1977, Victoria’s life forever changed when privileged and reckless Caitlin became her friend.
Years later, Caitlin is getting married on Martha’s Vineyard. Vix agrees to be her maid of honor because she wants to understand what happened between them.
Summer Sisters was so memorable that I have saved my copy since the late 1990s.
The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey
The Summer of Songbirds is a top beach read that has all those nostalgic summer camp vibes.
Three decades prior, June developed Camp Holly Springs into a summer retreat for girls, including her beloved niece, Daphne, but now its future is at stake. Meanwhile, Daphne and her old Summer camp friends Lanier and Mary Stuart are still in touch, navigating life’s “hard things” together as adults.
The characters and their friendships feel both real and mature. These are women used to coping with “hard things” together, and they do so as they work on their love lives.
The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
Sometimes a book just suits you. I really felt that way about The Summer Wives. This “soap opera historical fiction” book (I made up that genre) reminded me of great books like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Rules of Civility, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Need I say more?!
The Summer Wives doesn’t need a review or a summary. If you like the above books, it’s essential for summer travel.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
Add This Summer Will Be Different to your summer reading list for a picturesque love story with countless nods to Anne of Green Gables.
Years ago, while visiting her best friend Bridget’s beach house, Lucy had an electrifying rendezvous with Bridget’s brother, Felix. The problem? Bridget specifically forbade Lucy from falling in love with him.
Now, Bridget is getting married, and she frantically calls Lucy and Felix to the beach house. Lucy and Felix must confront their feelings again.
This lighthearted read made me want to jump on a plane!
Summer Reading Tips
TIPS
- Elin Hilderbrand books are a great place to start because she’s known as queen of the beach reads.
- The best audiobooks for summer road trip in 2025 is One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, one of best audiobooks of all-time because it’s narrated by actress Lauren Graham.
- The best books for your summer book clubs include Read With Jenna Book Club pick Summer Sisters by Judy Blume and Good Morning America Book Club pick Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez.
Bonus: Best Book Releases of 2025 That Make Great Beach Reads
My Favorite Books of 2025 So Far
These 5-star 2025 book releases are perfect for summer vacation:
- The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff: A debut about a family navigating addiction, told through three poignant perspectives with a full-circle ending. (Sarah Damoff Interview)
- Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall: A genre-bender that blends a love triangle, family drama, and a courtroom mystery into one epic saga everyone is talking about. (Broken Country Review | Broken Country Book Club Questions)
- Fun For the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith: A big-hearted sibling “dramedy” that will make you laugh and cry. Narrated by Lauren Graham on audio.
- Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez: A sad and heavy, but very realistic love story about dementia and long-distance dating. (Say You’ll Remember Me Review)
- What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange: A melancholy second-chance romance with complex family drama for fans of This Is Us. (Tracey Lange Interview)
Summer 2025’s Hottest New Book Releases
Some good beach reads coming out in 2025 by famous authors include:
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (6/3/25): This popular author’s latest release is bound to be a bestseller. (Taylor Jenkins Reid Books in Order | Taylor Jenkins Reid Books Ranked)
- Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (6/24/25): This popular thriller author is back!
- Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry: For fans of Colleen Hoover, this is the hottest new romance book for summer 2025. (Emily Henry Reid Books in Order | Emily Henry Books Ranked)
- My Friends by Fredrik Backman: For book clubs and fans of literary fiction, Backman delivers another emotional read.
- The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (7/8/25): This popular thriller author is giving us an anticipated sequel! (Ruth Ware Books in Order | Ruth Ware Books Ranked)
Recap
TOP 3 PICKS
Get started with the best summer books to read:
- 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
- Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez
- One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
