By Christy Swift
Hey there, beach bums and bookworms! Summer is here, and it’s time to slather on some sunscreen, grab your favorite pair of shades, and lose yourself in romance, mystery, adventure, and inspiration. We tried to pick a variety of beach-themed reads to suit all tastes. Dig those toes in the sand while you crack that spine (or power up that Kindle). Happy summer reading!
Mermaid Beach
By Sheila Roberts
A small-town, feel-good romance, Mermaid Beach is the seventh book in the Harbor Novel series by Sheila Roberts. It earned 4.6 stars on Amazon, and USA Today describes it as, “A story of music, hopes, dreams and family, brimming with Sheila’s trademark humor and heart.”
Bonnie Brinks, her daughter Avril, and mother Loretta play together in the all-woman band, The Mermaids, the pride of Moonlight Harbor. Avril dreams of something bigger, and when she announces she wants to go to Nashville to pursue her music career, Bonnie doesn’t support her. Meanwhile, Loretta is looking for love and wants the same for her daughter. When the new owner of The Drunken Sailor turns the band’s life upside down, Bonnie’s comfortable life seems to be slipping away. Will these three generations of Mermaids find their happy endings on the Washington coast, or will they be left shipwrecked by the change in the winds?
Remarkably Bright Creatures
By Shelby Van Pelt
This 2022 bestseller is a feel-good story of an unlikely friendship between a widow and a giant Pacific octopus. A contemporary literary novel sprinkled with magic, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel earned 4.6 stars on Amazon.
Tova Sullivan copes with the mysterious disappearance of her son over 30 years ago by working at an aquarium and forming a friendship with a curmudgeonly giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. Marcellus, who knows more than he lets on, helps Tova uncover the truth about what happened to her son on the night he vanished. This novel is a heartwarming reminder that examining the past can lead to a brighter future.
The Beach is Calling
90 Devotions for Rest and Relaxation
By Dayspring
Ready to let the shore inspire you? “Beach Devotions: Refreshing Your Soul with Lessons from the Beach” is a daily devotional that provides a peaceful escape to the beach, where you can find rest in God’s love and care. It earned 4.9 stars on Amazon.
Each devotion includes a Scripture, an inspirational message, and a prayer to guide you in releasing your fears and receiving God’s peace. This devotional will encourage you to trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness during life’s chaotic moments.
Happy Place
By Emily Henry
For fans of the fake-dating-to-real-dating trope, “the beach reads master” Emily Henry delivers this new novel that Amazon describes as “glittering and wise.” It’s a little spicy, so make sure that’s what you like before you pick it up! It currently sits at 4.7 stars on Amazon.
Harriet and Wyn have always been a perfect couple, but for reasons they’re not discussing, they broke up five months ago and haven’t told their best friends. However, they find themselves sharing a bedroom at their friend group’s annual getaway in Maine, where they spend a week together, enjoying wine, cheese, seafood, and the coastal air. The cottage is also up for sale, and Harriet and Wyn don’t want to disappoint their friends by revealing the truth about their breakup. Instead, they agree to pretend that everything is fine and play their parts: Harriet will be the driven surgical resident, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer. But as the week progresses, they struggle to ignore their lingering feelings for each other, and their flawless plan to fake it becomes increasingly difficult.
The Wager
A TALE OF SHIPWRECK, MUTINY, AND MURDER
By David Grann
If you’re looking for a beach read with a little more grit, we give you this true, historical page- turner from David Grann. It’s brand new and a #1 New York Times bestseller with a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.
In January 1742, a group of thirty emaciated men washed up on the Brazilian coast, survivors of His Majesty’s Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had wrecked on an island off the coast of Patagonia while chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon during an imperial war with Spain. The men had built a flimsy craft and sailed for over a hundred days, facing starvation and storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes, but six months later, another boat landed on the Chilean coast containing three castaways who accused the thirty sailors of mutiny. The Admiralty convened a court martial to determine who was telling the truth, with the stakes being life-and-death for the guilty party. The Wager is a remarkable true story of human behavior at the extremes.
If you have other beach reads to recommend, find us on Facebook and share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!
