Summer Reading List

Fun Fact: I read so often that not only does my husband get mad at me when I start a new book (because I ignore him the whole time I’m reading it), but I also have to constantly re-read old books because I can’t afford to buy books as fast as I read them (first world problems, am I right?!).

I seriously think Summer is my favorite time of the year simply because there is nothing more perfect to me than laying on the beach or by the pool and reading a good book (especially a sappy romance novel).  I usually stick to romance novels when it comes to favorite genres but I do tend to branch out from time to time.  Like most romance fanatics, my love for this genre came from reading Nicholas Sparks books and watching the movies.  I still have a tradition of not watching a movie until I can finish the book (which usually doesn’t take long because I get so sucked into them that I have to finish in a day or two).  Oddly enough one of the first Nicholas Sparks books I ever read was The Wedding, which is the sequel to The Notebook.  I accidentally read before reading The Notebook not knowing it was the sequel so some of it was a little confusing at first but I absolutely loved it (and still read it from time to time).  Another author that got me hooked on this genre really early is Sarah Dessen.  I swear I have read every single book she has written five plus times.  Now these books are extremely Young Adult, and although I have grown out of them I still pick up every new book she puts out, just for the sentiment of it!

Lately I have become a big fan of reading series, simply because it gives me more books to read.  One of my absolute favorite Authors on this planet is Abbi Glines.  I have read every single series of hers minus maybe one or two so many times and they just never get old to me.  I am constantly stalking her website to find out when her next book comes out in whatever series I am obsessed with at the time.  I can not get enough of her books (I am currently looking at the next series of hers that I am about to start as we speak).

For this list I am compiling a few of my favorite books from over the years that I think are perfect for any day spent lounging in the sun (hopefully by the water).  Like I said before I love a good romance novel when laying on the beach so the majority if not all of these are probably just that.  Let me know in the comments below if you have any suggestions of me (I am always looking for a new book to read) or if you have read any of the books I suggested!

The List

1. Forever My Girl/The Beaumont Series by Heidi McLaughlin
I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.
I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.  And now I’m going back.  After ten years.  I hope I can explain that after all this time.  I still want her to be my forever girl.
(Personal Opinion:  The movie was great but the book was WAY better.  If you haven’t already seen the movie, read the book first!  I am halfway through this series and still in love with it completely!!)

2. Fallen Too Far/Rosemary Beach Series by Abbi Glines
The wealthy son of a rocker. A tough farm girl from Alabama. Two step-siblings from different worlds. One summer in Rosemary Beach. The last thing Blaire Wynn wants is to move in with her father’s new family in Rosemary Beach, Florida. She has no choice. Blaire’s mother has passed away after a long illness, leaving behind a mountain of medical debts and no way for Blaire to keep their small Alabama farmhouse.  Driving into the wealthy resort town in a pickup truck with a pistol under her seat, Blaire knows she’ll never fit in. She’s even more disappointed to discover that her father has left for Paris, leaving her with her new stepbrother, Rush Finlay. The cynical, condescending, and unapologetic son of an infamous rock star, Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous—and he immediately gets under Blaire’s skin.  But as the summer goes by, Blaire begins to see a side of Rush she never expected, and the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore. Unknown to her, Rush has a secret that could destroy Blaire’s entire world. Will she find out what he’s hiding before she falls too far?
(Personal Opinion:  This is the book/series that started my Abbi Glines addiction.  I had just finished reading the 50 Shades series and desperately needed something new to read to get my  mind off that series.  HOLY WOW!  This series is everything and more!  If you love a good series this is the one to read!!  PS: there are 13 books in this series and they are all 100% to die for.)

3. Bared to You/Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day
He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I’d never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily…   Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other’s most private worlds…and desires.  The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn’t tear us apart…
(Personal Opinion:  If you loved the 50 Shades of Grey series then you will love these books!  They have a great story line and a very intense love story.  Definitely a must read!!)

4. Midnight Sun by Trish Cook
Seventeen-year-old Katie Price has a rare disease that makes exposure to even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. Confined to her house during the day, her company is limited to her widowed father and her best (okay, only) friend. It isn’t until after nightfall that Katie’s world opens up, when she takes her guitar to the local train station and plays for the people coming and going.  Charlie Reed is a former all-star athlete at a crossroads in his life – and the boy Katie has secretly admired from afar for years. When he happens upon her playing guitar one night, fate intervenes and the two embark on a star-crossed romance.  As they challenge each other to chase their dreams and fall for each other under the summer night sky, Katie and Charlie form a bond strong enough to change them – and everyone around them – forever.
(Personal Opinion:  This is another one of those books that I liked more that the movie.  I loved both, but the book was just better!!)

5. Boys South of the Mason Dixon by Abbi Glines
The only thing hotter than the weather South of the Mason Dixon line are the boys. Worn, faded blue jeans, slow Southern drawls, and those naughty moments in the back of pickup trucks a girl never forgets. Welcome to the world of the Sutton boys. Five brothers who fight, party, drink a little too much, but more importantly, they love their momma. Nothing can tear them apart… until the girl next door wins more than one of their hearts.
(Personal Opinion:  Abbi Glines did it again with another amazing series full of love, lust, and plenty of drama.  This series takes a close second in my list of favorite Abbi Glines books/series.  This book is the literally definition of the girl next door story and I love it!!)

6. The Weekenders: A Novel by Mary Kay Andrews
Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.  So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens…in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.  Told with Mary Kay Andrews’ trademark blend of humor and warmth, and with characters and a setting that you can’t help but fall for, the New York Times bestseller The Weekenders is the perfect summer escape.
(Personal Opinion:  I am going to be 100% honest, I thought this book was going to be one of those cheesy romance novels that you see old ladies reading on the beach.  I was half wrong.  It defiantly has cheesy romance novel tendencies, but wow was it good!  It is almost a cross between a romance novel and a mystery novel, which is a okay with me!  Plus it might have huge plot twist that I wasn’t expecting so it is highly suggested by me!!)

7. Breathe/Sea Breeze Series by Abbi Glines
Sadie White’s summer job is at the beach, but she won’t be working as a lifeguard. Since her mom is pregnant and refuses to work, Sadie will be taking over as a domestic servant for a wealthy family on a nearby island.  When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie were normal—if she hadn’t spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house—maybe she’d be excited about working for a rock star. But she’s not.  Even though Sadie isn’t impressed by Jax’s fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax, but he fights his attraction: Relationships never work in his world, and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. Yet as the summer stretches on, Jax’s passion leaves him breathless—and Sadie feels like the only source of oxygen.  Can their love overcome the disparity in their lifestyles? One breath at a time, they’re going to find out…
(Personal Opinion:  This I believe is the first series by Abbi Glines and it is AMAZING!!  I will say Breathe starts out a little slow, and is a little more PG than the rest of the series but stick with it because it only gets better from there!!  Again it has I think 9 books to it, all of which are totally worth reading, so just beware when you start this series, you will get hooked!  PS: Books 4 & 8 of this series are hands down my favorites.  They give me all the feels!)

8. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
A murder…A tragic accident…Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead.  Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare but she is paying a price for the illusion of perfection. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for a nanny. She comes with a mysterious past and a sadness beyond her years. These three women are at different crossroads, but they will all wind up in the same shocking place.  Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal.
(Personal Opinion:  Okay so this is book was the exception to my read first watch second rule, however I still kind of abided by it in a way.  I started this series on HBO as soon as I saw the preview for it.  I die for anything with Reese Witherspoon, so naturally I had to watch this.  I got through about an episode and a half, maybe two episodes and decided I needed to stick to my rule.  So I stopped watching and quickly read the book!  It was so good, but honestly I can’t say which one I liked more, I can however say, I am READYYYY for the next season to come out!!)

9. Once and for All by Sarah Dessen
Is it really better to have loved and lost?  Louna’s summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically.  But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged now that he’s met the one he really  wants.  Maybe Louna’s second chance is standing right in front of her.  Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after.
(I think I may have talked about this book before in a monthly favorites post, but it was too good not to mention again.  Sarah Dessen has been one of my favorite authors, and I can honestly say she might just be the one who sparked my love for books.  Her books are a little juvenile, but I still love them!  I could honestly add any of her books to this list, this one just so happened to be her newest, and the last one I read!)

10. When Life Gives You Lululemons
Welcome to Greenwich, Connecticut, where the lawns and the women are perfectly manicured, the Tito’s and sodas are extra strong, and everyone has something to say about the infamous new neighbor.  Let’s be clear: Emily Charlton does not do the suburbs. After leaving Miranda Priestly, she’s been working in Hollywood as an image consultant to the stars, but recently, Emily’s lost a few clients. She’s hopeless with social media. The new guard is nipping at her heels. She needs a big opportunity, and she needs it now.  When Karolina Hartwell, a gorgeous former supermodel, is arrested for a DUI, her fall from grace is merciless. Her senator-husband leaves her, her Beltway friends disappear, and the tabloids pounce.  In Karolina, Emily finds her comeback opportunity. But she quickly learns Greenwich is a world apart and that this comeback needs a team approach.  So it is that Emily, the scorned Karolina, and their mutual friend Miriam, a powerful attorney turned stay-at-home suburban mom, band together to not only navigate the social land mines of suburban Greenwich but win back the hearts of the American public. Along the way, an indispensable ally emerges in one Miranda Priestly.  With her signature wit, Lauren Weisberger offers an alluring look into a sexy, over-the-top world—and proves it’s style and substance together that gets the job done.
(Personal Opinion:  Okay, so I have only halfway finished this book but I had to add it because it is so far so good!  This is the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, which I read around the same time the movie came out and loved.  From what I’ve read so far, I think this book is gonna be a good one!!)

** All of these descriptions are via Amazon***

Now like I said before, I am constantly reading/looking for my next book to read.  This is why I love series so much, there is always another book to read after.  So naturally I already have a list of books lined up to read next!  These are the books that have caught my eye recently, in so specific order (thinking of  either When It’s Real or Same Beach, Next Year for my next read when I finish When Life Gives You Lululemons).  Let me know if y’all have read any of these, or if you have any favorites you’d like to share!!

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

When It’s Real by Erin Watt

Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

 

Until Next Time,