Beach reads: they’re the novels you often pick up on a whim, but their place in literature should not be underestimated. Whether you’re looking for a gripping thriller, an inspiring romance, or a heartwarming coming-of-age story, the beach read genre has something for everyone. With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to give your bookshelf a refresh with some of the most captivating beach reads out there.
Here’s What We Love About Beach Reads
Beach reads are lighthearted, easy to read, and set in settings that will make you want to jump in your car and head to the waterside. But, beyond the escapism they offer, beach reads also evoke strong emotions that can easily bring readers to tears, laughter, or shock. Here’s what we love about them the most:
● They often help us escape our everyday lives and take us away to a new location.
● They can make us cry, laugh, or jolt us with surprises every page.
● They often mix real-life topics with entertaining and suspenseful plots.
● They’re often filled with inspiring stories that can help us through difficult times.
● They’re comforting and can help us relax when we need it the most.
● They have the power to transport us to other times, places, and states of minds.
The 10 Most Captivating Beach Reads You Need To Read
1 To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a young-adult romance novel following the story of sixteen-year-old Lara Jean whose life is turned upside down when her secret love letters are mysteriously mailed out. While she navigates through the unspoken rules of high school romance, Lara Jean is heading for a whole lot of heartache and learning lessons to help her navigate young adulthood.
2 Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Big Little Lies is a multi-layered novel of secrets and love, lies and tragedy that follows the lives of three mothers living in the austere town of Pirriwee. The story unravels as the town’s seemingly perfect lives are thrown into turmoil by a tragedy at the local school.
3 Beach Read by Emily Henry
In Beach Read, Emily Henry follows the story of January Andrews, an author struggling with writer’s block, and Augustus Everett, an uptight and brokenhearted author. When the two decide to take a break and switch genres for the summer, they both find time for healing and an unexpected connection.
4 The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
The Summer I Turned Pretty is a heartwarming coming-of-age story about family and friendship. Following the story of Belly, a teenage girl enjoying her last summer before college, and her lifelong loves, the novel is filled with sun-soaked days, heartache, and soul-searching.
5 Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Where The Crawdads Sing is the story of Kya, a young woman growing up in the marshlands of North Carolina in the 1950s. After being abandoned by her family, Kya struggles to find safety in the only world she knows, while a murder accusation threatens to destroy everything she has built.
6 Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
Secrets of a Summer Night is an inspiring romance set in Victorian England. The novel follows the stories of four young ladies who battled high society when they joined forces as the Wallflowers, determined to help each other find love.
7 Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Me Before You is a heartbreaking romance novel that follows the story of Louisa, a young woman from a working-class background, who is hired as the caretaker for a wealthy paralyzed man. Will and Louisa ultimately challenge each other to live life to the fullest, regardless of their disabilities.
8 All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
All the Bright Places is a poignant novel about love and mental illness. It follows the stories of Finch and Violet, who, after meeting on the edge of a school-yard cliff, are both drastically changed in ways they never expected.
9 Normal People by Sally Rooney
Normal People is a modern, coming-of-age love story set between rural Ireland and Dublin, following the lives of two distinct, yet connected characters. Told over one year, the novel dives into the lives and loves of two flawed, yet all too relatable young people.
10 Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and The Six is a fiction novel about one of the most talked-about bands of the 1970s. The novel follows all the fame, heartache, and betrayal of the band members’ lives through the captivating words of the narrator.
Beach reads offer something special. Whether you’re looking for a lighthearted distraction during summer days or an uplifting story to help you through tough times, these captivating beach reads are sure to become some of your favorites. So, get ready to escape the everyday, and dive into a captivating beach read. You won’t regret it.
