It’s hot . . . really hot. So hot that I long for the feel of the cold breeze churning out from my living room air-conditioner. So hot that I long for cold showers, frozen drinks and lazy days of pool lounging. So hot that I am willing to break my diet for a delicious taste of chocolate ice cream on a waffle cone. And despite news of shark attacks and killer bacterial viruses, I still have the strong urge to load up my car with large towels, umbrellas, brightly colored buckets and head straight for the beach. And we all know what goes hand-in-hand with the sun, sand and white foamed waves. Sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen would be a good guess. Volleyball, frisbee games and sand castles would be another. But I’m a writer and an avid reader, so, of course, my first guess would be hot summer book reads!
Summer gives me a reason to lay out on my beach chair, breath in the ocean air and crack open a book (either virtually or actual pages). Summer lets me spend quality time with my favorite authors. They take me to another place, introduce me to new characters with whom I can fall in love, allow me to share a laugh and shed a tear.
So, as I get settled in on this very hot day with a good book, here is my short-list of beach reads. Some are new, some are old but all still worth a read or re-read:
Plain Fame Series by Sarah Price
How Do You Know? by Meredith Schorr
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
Summer Secrets by Jane Green
Finding Audrey by Sophia Kinsella
Something Borrowed, Something Blue by Emily Griffin
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
Austenland by Shannon Hale
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophia Kinsella
Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
One Day by David Nicholls
The OMG Test by Pippa Franks
In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister
How to Fall in Love by Cecilia Ahern
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley
No One Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday by Traci Bloom
From Nottinghill to New York Actually by Ali McNamara
Jane by April Lindner
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t add my books to the list. I think they are pretty funny (The Shopping Swap comes to mind) and light (but then again I’m biased!)
Any of these books would be enjoyable for a day at the beach!
Enjoy the heat!
Erin