If you are planning any sort of trip for this summer – you might be wanting to bring a book, or two! I LOVE to read on vacation, but I also love a certain kind of book when I’m traveling. I don’t want anything too heavy – I want to be able to pick it up and put it down without forgetting what is going on – I don’t want to be scared – but I DO want to be entertained.

For me – I love books that feel like the movies I love, ESPECIALLY when I’m on vacation. Reading is one of my favorite things – and I usually bring way too many books in my suitcase hoping to get through them all. If you are in the same boat and wondering what books will be good to bring on a trip, let me share some of my favorites! A couple of them are releasing later this summer, so you might not have heard of them yet! My goal was to give some recommendations that you might not have read!

Also – every book is linked to make things easy if you are wanting to read any of these! They are affiliate links – so I might make a small commission if you purchase through them – but it does not change the price or experience for you – it also helps me see which books you guys are loving and what types of genres to recommend on social throughout the year

1.) Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

I think Nora might be my favorite character I’ve read this year. I LOVED her and I absolutely cannot get enough of this book! I read in a description that this is “Beach Read meets Evie Drake Starts Over” and I 100% agree. If you enjoyed either of those books, you need to read this one.

I love how the author writes. Every sentence felt so intentionally crafted but at the same time the rhythm of the book was so easy to get wrapped up in. I love Nora. I loved getting to know her, and her kids, and Leo. The side characters added to the story and I felt wrapped in in their world. Truly such a lovely book, one I won’t hesitate to recommend to all my friends. This book felt familiar without being predictable. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens, but also wanted to savor each page because there is something special in reading a book for the first time without knowing where it will end. This is one of those books. Beautifully written!

2.) Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

WOW WOW WOW this book. I had seen a few people recommend and I really loved it. Warning, it’s got some SPICY moments but the story kept me hooked and I love a back & forth timeline from past to present. It’s fun to put the puzzle pieces together as the book goes on. If you love movies like “Now & Then” from the 90’s, you’ll love this one! It has been compared to Christina Lauren’s “Love & Other Words”, but I can tell you – I liked this one much much better!

3.) Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst

If you love a cute story and also don’t need every main character to be a cute 20-something – grab this one! I LOVED it! If you love movies like “The 100-Foot Journey”, this one is for you. It comes out in August, so if you have a trip coming up – pre-order so it will arrive on release day!

It was fun to read about characters in their 50’s. Their life experiences really added to the story, and depth. It’s not a typical romance book, I would say its more of a chick-lit rather than romance. Nothing too spicy, only one scene. I also love the setting of the book. The Hotel Paridis is somewhere I’d love to spend some time. I loved the cast of characters who all lived there together. This book feels like an escape and something that will keep you company on any flight.  

4.) The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

An absolute DELIGHT. I did not want this book to end & could not put it down. I loved it so much. Katherine Center has such a gift for writing a mix of light and deep in the same book. I loved the characters in this book but also the story. It was the perfect Rom-Com and read completely like a movie. If you love movies like “Miss Congeniality” & “The Proposal” – do not wait to grab this book. It will make you laugh out loud, it will make you wish you could read it again for the first time. Truly one of my favorite books, the perfect vacation read – or when you just need something GOOD.

This book comes out in July – so worth pre-ordering if you have a trip coming up!

Also – if you are wondering about “Spice Level” – this would would be mild salsa!

5.) Summer of 1969 by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is the “Queen of the Beach Read”. Her books are all set in Cape Cod/Nantucket where she is from and they are literally THE PERFECT beach reads. They always have some drama, maybe a murder or a missing person, some spicy moments, and are filled with beautiful references to the food and scenery of the area. I’ve loved a lot of her books, they feel like a good version of a soap opera if that makes sense. Romance, Revenge, Secrets, Complicated Families. This one was my favorite though!

6.) Book Lovers by Emily Henry

I’ve loved Emily Henry from the first chapter I read of hers, so if you haven’t already read her other two books (“Beach Read” & “People We Meet On Vacation”) those are also worth picking up, both 5 star reads for me! But this one is her newest book and maybe my favorite. I LOVED it. It is definitely a romance, but nobody writes characters like Emily Henry – I feel like I know Nora & Charlie. This book does have some spicy scenes – but Emily Henry writes romance like nobody else. It is detailed without feeling explicit and the tension she creates in her books feels very much like “The Notebook” when you are just screaming KISS HER ALREADY! So good, loved it and I always love reading about books in a book. Top 3 of the year, so far for me!

7.) Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

If drama is what you are after, if Bravo is your favorite channel on TV, if you want complicated families, multiple storylines, and a wild party – pick up this one. This is a book that has a lot going on but also is so well written. It’s wild without feeling unbelievable and also so drama filled – it will be one you have no problem flying through while sipping an iced beverage in a beach chair.

I hope you found a book in this list that you are excited to pack in your suitcase or read outside in the sunshine! I’m already sad that I won’t be able to read these ones for the first time again. If you have a favorite summer or vacation read – let me know! I’m always looking for a new book to read in the sunshine!