If you’re looking for a guide to the best summer beach reads of 2025 you have come to the right place!
Summer is quickly approaching in the Western Hemisphere and as a mood reader, the weather definitely has an impact on what I’m reading. Summer is a time for fun, relaxation, and enjoying nature and I always enjoy reading books in the warmer months that reflect those feelings in some way.
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The Best Summer Beach Reads
It would be quite frankly criminal to create a list of beach reads without mentioning Emily Henry. One of her most famous books is literally called Beach Read (which ironically is not a part of my list). Her writing is so descriptive and has the ability to make you feel completely transported into her stories.
My favorite book of Henry’s takes place in a small town called Sunshine Falls in August. That alone should be enough reason to add it to your TBR, the setting might make it one of the best beach reads of all time!
1. Book Lovers - Emily Henry
Book Lovers has a lot of lovely romance tropes like grumpy vs. sunshine, small town romance, main characters that keep running into each other, and of course we get some romance too. It’s not a spicy book by any means, but there are some scenes that will turn your cheeks pink and have you kicking your feet and giggling. I truly loved this book, it’s my favorite Emily Henry novel!
Nora Stephens is a no-nonsense literary agent who’s great at getting her clients deals—but not so great at playing the heroine in her own life. When her little sister Libby drags her to small-town Sunshine Falls for a "sisters' trip," Nora expects cute moments and charming locals, but what she gets is Charlie Lastra, a brooding editor who’s definitely not part of the plan. Despite their rocky history, the more they cross paths, the more Nora and Charlie start to rethink the stories they’ve been telling about themselves.
2. Funny Story - Emily Henry
Funny Story is Henry’s most recent release and one of the most anticipated TikTok releases of the year. As a Midwest girl, any mention of Michigan immediately brings me back to summers spent at the lake, eating cherry pie and soaking up the sun. This book had everything I was looking for in an Emily Henry novel: humor, heart, and incredibly descriptive scenery.
This would be the perfect book to read in the summer, but no matter what time of year it is, if you’re at the beach this book is going to fit the vibe. The banter, tension and romance was excellent and the forced proximity trope is one of my favorites.
Daphne’s life takes a major turn when her fiancé Peter dumps her for his childhood best friend, Petra, and now she’s stuck in a lakeside town with a barely-there paycheck and no support system. Enter Miles, Petra’s ex and a total chaotic mess, who becomes Daphne’s unlikely roommate and partner in crime. What starts as a fake summer adventure to make their lives look better turns into something a little more real—and a lot more complicated—than they expected.
3. Great Big Beautiful Life - Emily Henry
While Great Big Beautiful Life hasn’t been released at the time I’m writing this I am making an educated guess that it’s going to be at the top of most beach read TBR’s this summer.
Not only because Emily Henry is the QUEEN of beach reads, but it’s a romance that takes place on a little island and has a similar (ish) vibe to Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo which is arguably one of the most viral books of present times…
Alice Scott is a hopeful writer looking for her big break, while Hayden Anderson is a grumpy Pulitzer winner—and both end up on the same island to compete for the chance to write a reclusive heiress’s biography. Margaret Ives is only giving them pieces of her story, and with strict NDAs in place (plus a growing tension between Alice and Hayden), things get complicated fast. What starts as a writing gig turns into a mix of mystery, rivalry, and maybe even romance…
Another author who writes the perfect summer beach reads is Abby Jimenez. Her most recent release is Say You’ll Remember Me, but I personally recommend reading Part of Your World and Yours Truly for your summer 2025 beach reads.
4. Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez
I think about Part of Your World all the time….it’s a classic big city girl, small town boy romance but the tension, the romance, the MMC…it’s all so incredible. It’s the beginning of the Part of Your World series which is 3 interconnected standalone romances.
After a wild bet, a fancy grilled cheese, and some unexpected baby goat snuggles, ER doctor Alexis finds herself falling for Daniel—a super hot, younger carpenter who's the total opposite of her polished city life. The more time she spends with him and his small-town crew, the more she starts to question what she really wants.
5. Yours Truly - Abby Jimenez
The second book in the Part of Your World series is equally worthy of being added to your 2025 beach read TBR. Yours Truly dives a little bit deeper into character development in my opinion than Part of Your World, but the love story between Jacob and Bri is truly one of my favorites.
Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is a mess—divorce, a brother in need of a kidney, and a new work nemesis who’s driving her nuts. But then, Dr. Jacob Maddox—her personal pain-in-the-ass—surprises her with a letter that totally changes everything. What starts with awkward lunch dates and hilarious conversations about tiny horses quickly becomes something much more—especially when Jacob offers the ultimate gift: a kidney for her brother.
Pivoting to another popular beach read author, Taylor Jenkins Reid. Let’s start with my favorite of hers, the aforementioned Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid
If I could erase my memory I would read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo again. I think it is the best of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books and I really enjoyed how there are small connections to Malibu Rising and Daisy Jones and the Six.
The story follows the scandalous life of a Hollywood icon who spills the beans about her seven marriages to a journalist. There’s drama, there’s mystery, there’s humor and excitement and an awesome twist at the end. If you’ve never read anything by this author, I recommend starting here!
When legendary actress Evelyn Hugo decides it’s finally time to spill the tea on her scandalous, star-studded life, she picks totally unknown journalist Monique Grant to write it all down—much to everyone’s surprise, including Monique. As Evelyn recounts her rise to fame, her seven marriages, and one unforgettable love, Monique realizes there’s more to this story than just old Hollywood glam.
7. Daisy Jones and the Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Another really popular Taylor Jenkins Reid book (which was also adapted to an Amazon Prime Video show) is Daisy Jones and the Six.
The book unravels the story of a the rise and fall of a rock band in the 70s. If you like celebrity drama and pop culture this book would be perfect for you.
Daisy is a wild, talented singer coming of age in late '60s L.A. At the same time, rising band The Six, led by troubled frontman Billy Dunne, is dealing with its own internal drama. When a music producer suggests Daisy and Billy collaborate, what follows is a legendary, messy, and unforgettable rise to fame.
8. Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid
The final Taylor Jenkin’s Reid book that makes for a great beach read is Malibu Rising. This book is about a glamorous Malibu family who throws an epic summer party each year. This year however, the party ends with the house engulfed in flames. The setting of the book is obviously perfect for reading on a beach, but it’s also a quick and easy read.
The Riva siblings are famous, beautiful, and totally magnetic—and every summer, they throw a party Malibu won’t stop talking about. But this year, the night unravels fast, with secrets, heartbreaks, and long-overdue confrontations rising like the tide. By morning, their mansion’s in flames and nothing will ever be the same.
One more romance recommendation before I pivot to another genre!
9. The Seven Year Slip - Ashley Poston
The Seven Year Slip was one of my unexpectedly favorite reads of 2024. If you are a fantasy book lover and haven’t dived into the world of magical realism, you should definitely give it a shot. This book had everything I love about romance books (tension, longing, a lovable MMC) but also a magical aspect.
Imagine if your apartment randomly let you time travel—but only seven years into the past. That’s exactly what happens to Clementine. One minute she’s grieving the death of her aunt, the next she’s face-to-face with a man who’s not supposed to be in her timeline (yet). It’s romantic, a little dreamy, and surprisingly emotional.
Now, if you’re not as into romance as me, I always find mystery books to be the PERFECT beach reads because the good ones are total page turners. Here are some great, addicting murder mysteries to add to your beach read TBR.
10. The Perfect Couple - Elin Hilderbrand
Another author who should always be on a beach read list is Elin Hilderbrand. If you haven’t watched the Perfect Couple on Netflix, you should pick up this book ASAP.
Here’s what you can expect: a dream wedding in Nantucket, secrets bubbling under the surface, and of course, murder. This one’s got all the juicy family drama, a hint of glamour, and enough twists to keep you locked in.
It’s peak wedding season in Nantucket, and the Otis-Winbury wedding is set to be the event of the summer—until a body turns up in the harbor, hours before the “I dos.” Suddenly, the picture-perfect guest list is looking a lot more suspicious, and everyone has something to hide.
11. The Guest List - Lucy Foley
Lucy Foley books are often a hit or miss for me but The Guest List is my favorite book by this author. We have another fancy wedding on an island…this time it’s on a remote island in Ireland where all the guests have major secrets they are hiding.
It has multiple POVs, slow-burn tension, and is perfect if you’re into drama, dark secrets, and twisty endings (which Lucy Foley is known for).
A fancy wedding on a remote Irish island sounds like a dream—until the stormy weather, no cell service, and a dead body. Everyone’s got a secret, and as the drinks flow and old grudges resurface, it’s clear the guest list is more dangerous than it looks.
12. First Lie Wins - Ashley Elston
If you like an unreliable narrator in a murder mystery, this is for you. It’s about a woman living a totally fake life for reasons you don’t quite get at first (and it’s so good figuring it out). There’s espionage energy, a little romance, and definitely a page turner.
Evie Porter seems to have the perfect Southern-girl life… except she’s not real. She’s a cover identity created for a mysterious job, and falling for her target definitely wasn’t part of the plan. But when the past starts creeping in, Evie has to figure out if she can run the con—or if the con is running her.
13. Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie
We have to end on an oldie but a goodie with the Queen of mystery, Agatha Christie. Death on the Nile is one of my favorite books by her. Picture a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed couple, and a murder that pretty much everyone on the boat had a motive for. If you’re dipping your toes into Christie or love old-school mystery vibes, this is a great place to start. Her books are also very quick and easy to read which is a plus for a beach read.
A glamorous river cruise through Egypt takes a dark turn when the wealthy and stunning Linnet Ridgeway is found murdered. Lucky for everyone (except the killer), Hercule Poirot is on board, and he’s already clocked that something shady is going on. With secrets bubbling under the surface and nearly everyone a suspect, it’s classic Christie—twisty, clever, and so fun to untangle.
I hope you enjoyed this post with some of the best summer beach reads. Check out some other posts below!
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