How do you define the summer season? To me it starts Memorial Day weekend and ends Labor Day weekend. By that metric I’m way behind in sharing my 2025 summer reading recommendations. But if you go by the summer solstice, I’m less than a week behind schedule!
I wanted to read most of the summer releases I was excited about before writing this guide. I don’t like to highlight books that I haven’t read. But there are a couple of books I’m saving to read on my next beach trip that I’m still mentioning because I’ve heard good things about them.
I went back and forth about how to structure this guide. Ultimately I decided to sort by genre. Then within that genre highlight some new favorites, some older favorites (to help library lovers find books with shorter waitlists), and some authors who write in that genre that never disappoint. I hope this helps every kind of reader find some books to complete their summer reading list!
Fiction
Romance
Newer
Fan Favorite by Adrienne Gunn
Do I watch The Bachelor or The Bachelorette? No. Do I like to consume content related to The Bachelor and The Bachelorette? Yes! So Fan Favorite (full review here), about a thirty-five year old woman who goes on a show like The Bachelor to reconnect with her high school boyfriend, was right up my alley. If you love reality TV or want hope that there’s still love to be found in your mid-thirties and beyond, add this book to your summer reading list.
And can I also use this as an opportunity to plug another book that is Bachelor adjacent? One to Watch is about what it might be like if The Bachelorette featured a plus-size suitress. I’ve read it twice and I’ll be back for more at some point.
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
I discovered Abby Jimenez last spring and fell in love, reading three of her books in three months (the Part of Your World trilogy—highly recommend). Abby’s 2025 release, Say You’ll Remember Me (full review here) is the first in a new series and is sweet and sad. This book may be triggering for those with loved ones suffering from dementia.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Now that Elin Hilderbrand is semi-retired, Emily Henry is the reigning queen of the Beach Read. Her latest, Great Big Beautiful Life (full review here), is my favorite of her books so far. But you really can’t go wrong with any of them. People We Meet On Vacation is my second favorite. It seems like it’s going to be released as a movie on Netflix any day now. I cannot wait.
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Atmosphere, a queer astronaut romance set in the 80s, is one book that I haven’t read yet. But I feel comfortable recommending it because Taylor Jenkins Reid never goes wrong. And it received a starred review from Kirkus which I always think is a great sign.
Older
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
The Dead Romantics, about a ghostwriter who has to suddenly return to her small southern hometown when her father dies, is one of my favorite romances of all time. It’s got a little bit of mystery and fantasy to it and a lot of heart. And the last 10% will fuck you up in a great way. I’m really hoping that Ashley Poston’s 2025 release, Sounds Like Love, will hit the spot, too, but I’ve heard mixed reviews. And her last book, A Novel Love Story, really didn’t work for me, so I’m holding off for now on recommending Sounds Like Love. I’ll let you know if that changes!
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
My favorite book trope is celebrities dating normal people. So it’s no surprise that Funny You Should Ask, a romance about a reporter who falls in love with a hot Hollywood actor when she goes to profile him (based on a steamy profile written about Chris Evans in 2011), is one of my favorite romances in recent memory. If you enjoy this one, keep your eyes posted for the sequel, Totally and Completely Fine, which comes out on July 8th (full review here).
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
Speaking of celebrity/normal person romances, my favorite romance of all time – Nora Goes Off Script! I don’t have enough good things to say about this book. Nora is a single mom who writes a screenplay about her divorce, rents her house out for the filmmakers to film at, and then falls in love with the celebrity who plays the part of her ex-husband. If you love this book, Monaghan has another book out this year that I haven’t read yet but I’m sure is great, It’s a Love Story.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
To me, one of the things that can really make or break a summer read is the setting, and author Carley Fortune nailed that with her debut novel Every Summer After. When this dual timeline romance about high school sweethearts, set on a lakeshore in Canada over six years, was released in 2022 I read it in one sitting, staying up all night until I finished it. And I’m excited to be hearing great reviews about its sequel, One Golden Summer, which came out in May and is high on my beach trip reading list (full review here). Carley’s other two books, This Summer Will Be Different, and Meet Me at the Lake, have a strong sense of place, too.
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Rebecca Serle is a very hit or miss author for me, but I thought her latest, 2024’s Expiration Dates, was great. Like some of her other reads, there are a lot of layers to it and it’s sad at times, but I think anyone who’s ever wondered if they can trust their intuition will enjoy it. Bonus – you can read it now for free if you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber!
On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves
I’m just going to keep recommending On the Island, a batshit steamy romance about a teenage boy and his tutor who are stranded on a deserted island for years, until someone reads it and joins me in fangirling. You really have no excuse because it’s on sale on Kindle for less than $6. But whatever you do, don’t read the novella sequel, Uncharted. Quit while you’re ahead.
Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff
Like your romances spicy but find yourself short on time? Pick up Big Fan (full review here) which is just 176 pages long. It’s the first release from new publisher 831 Stories, a company that specializes in romance novellas, and in my opinion it’s their best one so far.
‘Can’t Miss’ Authors
I would recommend basically anything by Emily Henry, Annabel Monaghan, and Carley Fortune. If you like a really steamy romance, you can’t go wrong with anything by Christina Lauren. Roomies and The Soulmate Equation (available on Kindle Unlimited) are two of my favorites from that duo (real readers know that Christina Lauren isn’t a person, it’s the penname of a pair of friends who write together!).
On the other side of the spectrum, Sophie Cousens writes some really sweet romances that are totally closed door (I think – correct me if I’m misremembering), my favorite being The Good Part. And then somewhere in the middle you have Katherine Center. I’d recommend almost everything of hers that I’ve read except The Love Haters (full review here if you’re wondering why I say that), and if you’re new to her books I’d start with The Bodyguard or Happiness for Beginners (both available on Kindle Unlimited).
Contemporary Fiction
Newer
Climbing in Heels by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas
If I had to name one 2025 release that I feel has been under-appreciated it’s former Hollywood agent Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas’s debut, Climbing in Heels (full review here). It’s about three Hollywood secretaries in the 80s who rise through the ranks to become power agents and it’s just plain fun.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
When the Moon Hits Your Eye (full review here) is a sweet and funny book about a month on earth during which time the moon is a ball of cheese and people around the world are trying to figure out what to make of it and how it might impact their lives and worldview. I know it sounds like science fiction, but it’s really not. It’s more about how people respond to unusual situations and the ways in which world events both unite and divide us all.
Far and Away by Amy Poeppel
Far and Away (full review here) is the latest from one of my auto-buy authors, Amy Poeppel. Fellow author Annabel Monaghan described Poeppel’s books by saying they “are so smart and evoke the total chaos of families and interpersonal relationships” and that’s spot on. Far and Away is set in multiple locations around the globe, including parts of Europe, which gives it a fun Euro Summer kind of vibe. Other Amy Poeppel books I’ve loved are The Sweet Spot and Limelight.
Food Person by Adam Roberts
Are you a foodie? Then Food Person (full review here) should be at the top of your summer reading list. It’s another celebrity/normal person story, but instead of a love story it’s about an unlikely friendship between a ghostwriter and the celebrity bad girl she is helping to write a cookbook.
Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein
This is a bold statement, but Spectacular Things (full review here), is my top read so far of 2025. Let that sink in. It’s the story of two sisters raised by a single mom and the sacrifices they all make in order for Cricket, the younger sister, to become a professional soccer player. It is bighearted and full of characters you’ll absolutely fall in love with as you follow their journeys over the course of more than 30 years. It’s also largely set in a small town in Maine, with many of the book’s most crucial scenes taking place on the beach there, so it very much fits the summer reading bill. Dorey-Stein’s 2021 release, Rock the Boat (full review here), is great, too, if you feel like being transported to a peaceful beach town on the Jersey Shore!
Older
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
The Husbands (full review here), about a single woman who comes home one night to find a strange man in her home, is one of the most unusual books I’ve read in recent years. That man turns out, somehow, to be her husband. And every time he goes up in her attic, a different husband emerges. This book is a great commentary on dating that’s currently being turned into an Apple TV+ miniseries starring Juno Temple!
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books (full review here) is the book our fractured world needs this summer. It’s about attempts to ban books in a small southern town, and what the people in the town learn when they actually take the time to read the very books they’re trying to banish.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
If you didn’t read The Wedding People last year, add it to your 2025 summer reading list. And do it before you read the description and are turned off with concerns that it’ll be too heavy. It’ll leave you with a full heart and a strong desire to plan a trip to Newport, RI.
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elissa Sussman
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, about two families who co-own a resort in the Catskills, is full of heart, with lots of interesting characters and storylines. Perfect for fans of Dirty Dancing, it’ll leave you longing for an old-fashioned summer family getaway.
Summer Stage by Meg Mitchell Moore
Theatre geeks rejoice – Summer Stage is for you! Summer Stage, set on Block Island, is the story of one family’s attempt to work together to put together a summer play. Find that you enjoy the setting of Block Island? You’re in luck. Moore’s latest, Mansion Beach (full review here), is a retelling of The Great Gatsby set there, if that sounds like your kind of thing.
Family Family by Laurie Frankel
The story of a well known actress and the children she has born and raised, Family Family is a heartwarming tale of one woman’s journey to building her family. And it starts a great conversation about all the different forms a family can take. Plus, it’s usually on sale on Kindle for $1.99!
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
Speaking of heartwarming and unusual families, let’s talk about The Guncle! This sweet book is about a gay man, Patrick, who has to take custody of his niece and nephew when his best friend dies and her husband, Patrick’s brother, is unable to take care of them. The chemistry between Patrick and his charges is electric and special, and the setting in Palm Springs makes this a perfect summer read. I cannot, however, recommend the sequel, The Guncle Abroad. It really missed the mark for me.
Humor Me by Cat Shook
Humor Me is about a young woman, Presley, reeling from the recent death of her mother, who lives in NYC and works on a show that is meant to be like The Tonight Show. She reconnects with her late mother’s best friend Susan whose husband is the head of the network where Presley works and whose son quickly becomes a potential love interest. There is nothing life changing about this book but it’s a fast paced read with characters you’ll enjoy spending time with.
‘Can’t Miss’ Authors
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it’s not summer if you’re not reading an Elin Hilderbrand book. She’s no longer publishing a new book every summer, but there are plenty in her catalogue to go back to. My favorite of all time is The Blue Bistro, set at a restaurant and perfect for foodies. The Hotel Nantucket, 28 Summers (this one leans more towards romance), and Swan Song are also great.
I also have to give a shoutout to Kevin Kwan, most known for the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. Sex and Vanity (full review here) is my least favorite of his books, but I’d even recommend that one. He can truly do no wrong in my eyes and all of his books give off the most impeccable escapist vibes. If you haven’t read his latest, Lies and Weddings takes you from Hawaii to Marrakech to the English countryside and more. Buying the book will be so much cheaper than a ’round the world trip!
Mystery/Thriller
Newer
Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
I’ve got another European Summer read for you, this time in the form of a mystery. Murder Takes a Vacation (full review here) is about an older widow and lottery winner who takes her best friend on a European river cruise, only to find herself caught in a deadly struggle to find an ancient artifact. I really hope this becomes a series because I loved the characters in this story!
Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza
Everyone Is Lying to You (full review here) is the story of two estranged college best friends, Bex and Lizzie. Lizzie is a struggling journalist and Bex is a millionaire tradwife influencer whose husband dies suddenly, the same day Bex has brought Lizzie to Utah to write a story about her brand. This is a twisty look at the behind-the-scenes of the influencer industry.
Dead Money by Jakob Kerr
Take a trip to Silicon Valley in Dead Money (full review here), a fast paced and surprising thriller centered around the death of a startup CEO. The characters are fairly likable (not always the case in a mystery) and there are enough plot twists to keep you on your toes throughout.
The Rules of Fortune by Danielle Prescod
The Rules of Fortune (full review here) is an unusual take on a mystery. The book starts off with the mysterious death of a Black billionaire on the eve of his massive 70th birthday party, but there’s no murder. His children and wife are left grappling with the legacy and wealth he’s left behind. This is nothing astonishing but it’s a fast and different kind of mystery and it’s available now on Kindle Unlimited.
Older
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
All the Colors of the Dark is hard to categorize, something I love in a book. It starts off as the story of a young boy in a small town who is kidnapped while saving a classmate from being taken by a stranger. He survives and the rest of the novel, which takes place over the course of many decades, tells the story of how his disappearance shaped his life as well as the lives of many others in the small town of Monta Clara, Missouri. It’s literary fiction, an epic love story, and a mystery, all wrapped up in one.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
The God of the Woods, about a young woman who goes missing at a summer camp, is really the perfect summer mystery. I’ve loaned my copy of this book to so many friends and family members and everyone has loved it. There are a number of threads and characters featured and the constant change in perspective will keep you turning the pages well into the night.
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Are you a true crime buff? Spend your commute listening to podcasts about unsolved murders? Then you need to read Listen for the Lie, a murder with a little bit of comedy and romance thrown in, about a woman who everyone thinks murdered her ex-best friend and the podcast host who’s trying to get to the bottom of the crime.
Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh
I won’t say much about Kill for Me, Kill for You, the story of two strangers who meet and each agree to kill someone for the other person, because I don’t want to ruin it. What I will say is that the twist that came up 75% of the way through the book totally surprised me in a way that rarely happens. This is not necessarily a favorite of mine, but if you live for a big reveal and surprise, you need to read this.
Falling by T.J. Newman
Falling, a thriller about a hijacked flight, written by a former flight attendant, is available now on Kindle Unlimited. That said, it’s the rare piece of fiction that I recommend reading on audio. It’s narrated by actor Steven Weber and he does a great job of keeping you in suspense.
Can’t Miss’ Authors
Emma Rosenblum writes great ‘rich people behaving badly’ stories. Very Bad Company, set by the water in Miami, is my favorite of hers so far, and I’m very excited to read Mean Moms when it releases on July 29th.
Prefer a more classic or even old-fashioned mystery? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I love Anthony Horowitz’s books. I especially love his Susan Ryeland novels, and the first two in the trilogy, Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, are both available on Kindle Unlimited.
Other
Newer
The Compound by Aisling Rawle (literary fiction)
The Compound (full review here) is a must read for anyone who’s obsessed with Love Island. It’s about contestants on a show that’s Love Island meets Survivor meets The Hunger Games. It’s dark, with Lord of the Flies undertones, and something that will leave you thinking even after you’ve finished the last page.
Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld (short stories)
I think short stories are great to read by the pool or at the beach, especially if you’re there with kids and don’t have long stretches to read. You can just read one story at a time and don’t have to work to remember where you were when you next pick up the book. Show Don’t Tell (full review here) would be my recommendation for this summer. If the wait time at the library is too long for that one, check out her earlier collection, You Think It, I’ll Say It (full review here) instead.
I’ll also take this opportunity to say that you can’t go wrong with any of Sittenfeld’s books. She is one of my favorite writers of all time and she writes across genres from romance (Romantic Comedy) to classics (Eligible, a retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in modern day Ohio) so any kind of reader will find something in her cannon to enjoy.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (young adult fiction)
Did you, like me, hate the first Hunger Games trilogy prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (full review here)? Well you’re in luck. Suzanne Collins’s latest, Sunrise on the Reaping (full review here), is much better. And somehow even darker. In fact, it’s almost hard to classify it as young adult fiction at this point. If you still haven’t read it, add it to your summer reading list. Or at least be sure to read it before the movie adaptation comes out in November 2026.
Older
Beyond That, The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash (historical fiction)
I’ve always had a fascination with Operation Pied Piper, the WWII evacuation of more than one million British children to safety. But I’d never known much about the impact on families until I read Beyond That, The Sea. In the book 11-year-old Beatrix is sent from her families in London to stay with the Gregory family in America. She lives with them for years, going to school in Boston, summering in Maine, until the war ends and she returns home. The book follows her time in America and then for the decades after as Beatrix, her parents in the UK, and the Gregory family process their experience.
The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki (historical fiction)
Historical fiction isn’t always fun, but The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post sure is. This book, a lightly fictionalized look at the life of Post heiress (and the original builder and owner of Mar-a-Lago) is the kind of thing that had me spouting new facts I’d learned from it for weeks. I couldn’t get enough. What an unusual woman who went on some fascinating adventures over the course of her life. This book would be a great fit for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
11/22/63 by Stephen King (genre bender)
I will start by warning you that 11/22/63 is long, coming in just under 900 pages. For some of you that will disqualify it right off the bat. But please, give it a chance, because this is one of my favorite books of all time! I call it a genre bender because it’s SciFi meets Historical Fiction meets Romance, with typical Stephen King vibes meets a Friday Night Lights kind of feel. It’s long, and a little hard to get into, but the payoff is worth it. If you didn’t read it when it was published in 2012 (or since), please add it to your list to read at some point!
Non-Fiction
Newer
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Hands down the buzziest non-fiction book of the year so far, Careless People (full review here) is Sarah Wynn-Williams’s memoir about the six years she spent working for Meta. It falls smack dab in the ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ category. Absolute must read.
Lorne by Susan Morrison
Lorne (full review here), a biography of Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels, is everything you’d ever want out of a celebrity biography and more. It is so deeply researched and sourced that by the end of it you’ll feel as if you know Lorne as well as some of his closest friends do (even if that isn’t all that well – after all, he’s a very private person).
Hunger Like a Thirst by Besha Rodell
Foodie readers, I’ve got a memoir for your summer reading list. Hunger Like a Thirst (full review here) is the story of food critic Besha Rodell. It’s also the story of a woman working to figure out her work/life balance in a way that I think many readers will relate to. And it’s just plain fun to read about her foodie adventures.
Who Knew by Barry Diller
Who Knew is a memoir by Barry Diller, Hollywood media mogul and husband of Diane Von Furstenberg. It’s made headlines because in the book Diller finally comes out publicly as gay for the first time after years of speculation about his marriage to Von Furstenberg. But theirs isn’t the platonic lavender marriage that many have suspected it was. Read this book to find out more about his interesting personal life, including his marriage, as well as to hear stories about the making of many of your favorite movies.
You Wanna Be On Top? by Sarah Hartshorne
Millennials, we’ve finally got it. An America’s Next Top Model tell-all! Season 9 contestant Sarah Hartshorne is spilling all in You Wanna Be On Top? (full review here), but be careful in reading it because as soon as you’re done you’ll want to cancel all of your plans and start binge watching old episodes of Top Model! And let me tell you, that show does not stand the test of time …
Older
In the Weeds by Tom Vitale
In the Weeds is the best existing portrait of Anthony Bourdain, a wonderful, flawed, and complex person, who much has been written about. The author, Bourdain’s long-time director, doesn’t shy away from describing the gray areas in Bourdain’s life and the less than wonderful aspects of his personality. This is a generous story of love, grief, and adventure that I keep coming back to over and over again.
Freaks, Geeks, and Dawson’s Creek by Thea Glassman
Freaks, Geeks, and Dawson’s Creek, a short and easy book about the stories behind seven teen TV shows (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, My So-Called Life, Dawson’s Creek, Freaks and Geeks, The O.C., Friday Night Lights, and Glee), would make a great beach read for fans of any of those shows. I hadn’t seen several of them and I still enjoyed the book, but if you wanted to you could only read the sections of the book related to shows you’ve seen.
Great On Audio
I read a decent amount of non-fiction. I love non-fiction. But I don’t think it’s what most people would choose to pop in their bag to go to the beach. That said, I associate beach vacations with road trips so I have rounded up a list of memoirs that I love on audio that I think would be great to listen to on the way to your next vacation. None of these are by people I previously felt strongly about, so don’t let that deter you if you don’t know these celebs. And if you’re not into audiobooks, these would be great to read on paper or eReader, too.
- Tell Me Everything by Minka Kelly
- Paper Doll by Dylan Mulvaney (full review here)
- I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
- Paris by Paris Hilton
- Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz (full review here)
- Going There by Katie Couric
- I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee (laugh out loud funny)
- From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough (narrated by Riley and Julia Roberts)
- Inside Out by Demi Moore
- Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
- Yearbook by Seth Rogen (featuring many cameos from Seth’s friends and family members who are featured in the book – super unique style of narration)
- I Must Say by Martin Short (this would be a great listen on a family road trip; Short intersperse sketches featuring some of his most famous characters throughout the book and some of those sections had me guffawing)
- Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry (also on Kindle Unlimited)
Looking for even more recommendations? Check out my 2020 guide to the best easy beach reads or my 2021 summer reading recommendations. Or you can go wayyyyy back in the archives and check out highlights of my 2017 summer reading! It’s wild to think that I’ve been writing about books on and off for eight years.
[…] books for friends to add to their summer reading lists! So I loved putting together my list of 2025 summer reading recommendations. It was also so fun to look back at old blog posts and realize I’ve been sharing my favorite […]