Sorry for my friends and family in the Southern Hemisphere heading into winter, but it’s finally summer here! I’ve been reading a lot of books this year and writing about them in my Hayley Lately posts. But I thought it would be easier to feature my favourite beach reads in one simple post. I classify beach reads as books that are a) easy to read and b) captivating. Some are new, some are older, but they’re all good and perfect holiday reading!

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

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I had heard about Eligible when I was living in Melbourne, but there were so many holds on it at the library I never got to read it. Fortunately I got the chance in Vancouver, and it was worth the wait. It’s a new-age take on Pride and Prejudice, featuring a stubborn Darcy, a Bachelor-style reality TV show and five very different daughters. The Nest is also in my current book stack, which I read about on a different website. The writer said that if I liked Eligible I’ll like it, so I’m taking their word for it.

Truly, Madly, Guilty by Liane Moriarty

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Thanks to the popularity of Big Little Lies—and the subsequent TV series with an all star cast—Liane Moriarty has become one of Australia’s most popular authors. I always love reading Australian-based novels, and Moriarty’s specialty is taking normal people and putting them in unusual situations. I really enjoyed Truly, Madly, Guilty, as the story is told from different perspectives, as wells as before and after “the barbecue”.

I’ve also read Moriarty’s The Hypnotist’s Love Story this year while on the beach in Hawaii, but it wasn’t as captivating. I think my favourite is still What Alice Forgot.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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This novel is fluffy chick lit at its finest, and I completely gobbled it up. It’s set in LA and includes a Sliding Doors-style scenario. It looks into what happens if the protagonist, Hannah stays behind at her Welcome Home Party to hang with her ex-boyfriend, or if she instead goes home with her best friend. I found myself enjoying one storyline over the other, but at the end they kind of started to be so similar I sometimes forgot which story I was reading. It’s definitely one of the best beach reads to enjoy this summer.

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

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After reading this book, I really want to be friends with Anna Kendrick. It’s honest, it’s funny and it’s insightful. Kendrick takes you back to her childhood and her start on Broadway, which I had no idea about. She then talks about moving to LA and what went on behind the scenes of some of her films. I have been reading a few memoirs lately, probably because I’m nosy and I like to know how people got to where they are. If you’re like me, you’ll love this book.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

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This is a YA novel, but it’s a great summer read. It was also recently turned into a movie, which is apparently already available on Amazon. It’s about a teenage girl who dies, but keeps reliving the day over and over again. She goes through a different stage every day, from being a brat to saving lives. Before I Fall is easy to read, interesting and captivating. Sometimes I love a good YA read, even if I am close to my 30s!

The One and Only by Emily Giffin

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Giffin is known for her romantic novels and beach reads, but this was actually the first one I’ve read. A shock, I know! According to reviews on Goodreads it’s not her best novel, but I really liked the storyline. It follows a woman from a small Texas town who lives and breathes football, and falls in love with her best friend’s dad. The One and Only is basically your quintessential summer beach read.

The Futures by Anna Pitoniak

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This is a good coming-of-age book about a college couple moving from Yale to New York City after graduation. Although the lead characters can be a little irritating at times, I still thought the storyline was interesting and I think it would be the perfect book to escape into on vacation.

Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham

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Firstly, I really think this book is only worthwhile to Lauren Graham fans. If you aren’t a devoted fan of both Parenthood and Gilmore Girls, I don’t think you’ll get as much enjoyment out of it. She takes readers through each season on Gilmore Girls and behind-the-scenes of the Netflix special. I happened to be rewatching Gilmore Girls when I read this book, so all of the storylines were fresh in mind. Graham’s writing is both funny and inspiring.

An added bonus: Graham’s novel Someday, Someday, Maybe is also one of the most excellent beach reads. It’s loosely based on her beginnings in New York City and is set in the early 1990s, which makes it even better in my opinion.

The Vacationers by Emma Straub

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The Vacationers might be the most perfectly-titled beach read to buy before your next vacation. It follows an affluent-but-troubled New York City family (and their friends) who are on holiday in Mallorca for two weeks. It could be a boring storyline, but Straub’s writing style takes it somewhere else. I will pick up her book Modern Lovers next, which looks like it could also be a good summer read.

The Dry by Jane Harper

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Another Australian novel, this one is a little different from the fluffy beach reads mentioned. But, I had to include a suspenseful thriller on the list, to make it more well-rounded. It’s also one of those hard-to-put-down books, which are perfect for relaxing holidays. The Dry follows a guy returning to his small hometown after an apparent murder-suicide, which involved his best friend. It’s a really interesting mystery with an unexpected ending.

Other beach reads

I would also recommend any book by JoJo Moyes or Zoë Foster-Blake to read on holiday. I’ve basically had a girl crush on Foster-Blake since she was just Foster and created the website, Primped (now Whimn). She’s a total inspiration and her books are the best Aussie chick lit reads. The Wrong Girl was also turned into a TV show, just like Moriarty. I love it when the Aussies do well :)

If you have recommendations for other beach reads, PLEASE leave them in the comments.

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