Ah, those long, lazy days of summer. And what better to savor—along with those warm-weather treats like ripe juicy peaches, technicolor sunsets and afternoon naps in the hammock—than a big delicious stack of beach books? Of course, we all have different ideas of what makes a great summer read—also known as a beach book—but to me, the most enjoyable aspect of these pleasure reads is that it’s perfectly okay to ignore other people’s preconceived notions about their definition. Because don’t we all need an excuse to slow down and escape during this time of year, to discover (or just remind ourselves) who we really are? Desk-bound professionals may long to escape from must-read technical journals and business books and dive into the pages of a pulse-pounding thriller, a slow-burn romance or a novel of political intrigue, but there are also plenty of readers who see summer as the perfect time to finally dust off those classics they were supposed to read in high school or college. Proust, anyone? Some—like reader Anne Marie Lopicolo—see summertime as the perfect excuse to dig deep into challenging, weighty (intellectually and physically) tomes on serious subjects, books they might not have the time or bandwidth to tackle the rest of the year. “I like a thicker nonfiction book, history or memoir, or a tough classic in late July or August,” Lopicolo says. “It feels like I’m engaging my brain along with the kids’ back-to-school madness.” But a thoroughly unscientific survey I took of my own online community revealed, unsurprisingly, that the overwhelming majority of the more than 400 respondents to a question posed about beach books, said they choose lighter books with happy endings this time of year. “I save the heavy reading for winter, sitting by the fire with a quilt and an Irish coffee,” one woman said. Perennial New York Times bestselling novelist Elin Hilderbrand (Golden Girl, 28 Summers, Summer of ’69), who lives in and writes books set on Nantucket, believes “a great beach book is carefully crafted to keep your attention, despite the distractions of the cute lifeguard, and keep you awake despite the lull of the surf. You should look forward to your beach reads the same way you look forward to the first fresh-picked corn of the season or your first outdoor shower.” Susan Kehoe, the owner of Browseabout Books in Delaware, literally makes it her business to know beach books. Her store is located just off the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, a popular vacation destination for sun-seekers from all over the East Coast, including local homeowners, longtime customers and current White House residents Joe and Jill Biden. “Picture yourself sitting under an umbrella with your toes in the sand, armed with a glass—okay, a bottle—of rosé. What book would you want in your hand?” Susan asks. “Something well-written with relatable characters and a storyline that keeps you hooked, with a backdrop of sun and sand. Throw in a dash of romance, a pinch of mystery, a heap of humor and a sprinkle of tears, and you’ve got the recipe for the perfect, unputdownable beach read.” As someone who’s written more than two dozen novels with titles like Summer Rental, The High Tide Club, Sunset Beach and Hello, Summer, I think I, too, am qualified to weigh in on the subject of beach books. First and foremost, I wish people would stop referring to my kind of fiction as a “guilty pleasure.” Why on earth should anyone feel guilty about reading books that give them joy? When I sit down to write my novels, which are usually published the first week in May, I aim to create a totally immersive world for my fans to escape to. I want characters they’ll root for and a propulsive plot that will keep them turning pages so quickly they forget to reapply sunscreen, check their phone or start dinner. For my own summer reading, my choices run the gamut. I love well-written armchair travel non-fiction, like Peter Mayle’s timeless A Year in Provence and Frances Mayes’ Under The Tuscan Sun. And I savor the act of disappearing down a rabbit hole and reading deeply about one topic (like the summer, following a trip to England, that I devoured a slew of books detailing the incredible lives of the Mitford women, six aristocratic sisters, born between 1904 and 1940, who knew and hobnobbed with everyone from Hitler to the Kennedys). When it comes to fiction, I indulge myself in wild mood swings between the latest installments of my favorite mystery series, regency romances, thrillers and historical fiction set during wartime Europe—without the slightest pangs of guilt or embarrassment. Where to find these summer gems? Starting in mid-May, almost every popular general-interest magazine in the country runs their “most anticipated” or “best of summer” lists, including Parade. Sources like PBS’s News Hour and the New York Times have lists of recommended reads on their website, and other online sources like reader-generated Goodreads offer thousands of recommended reads and “reading challenges.” Local libraries are great resources for finding just the right book for a wide variety of tastes, too—and many now offer free eBooks and audiobooks that can be downloaded right to a patron’s own device, or on devices that can be checked out with a library card. Don’t forget to ask your local library for a list of books their book clubs are reading this summer. Or you could join an online book club, where readers offer their own lists, critiques and discussion topics. This year, a particularly relevant and popular reading challenge is to delve into multicultural books that explore and expand our intellectual universe. And one of the best community resources for book recommendations is, not surprisingly, a bookstore, like Delaware’s Browseabout Books, which is known for its huge selection of beach reads, prominently displayed and stacked high at the front of the store. “This table pays the rent from Memorial Day to Labor Day,” Kehoe notes. “And I’m constantly amazed, but never surprised, at the voraciousness of our audience for these books. We’re proud to feature so many novels written by women, for women, featuring strong female characters.” Our very own Friends & Fiction, too, is a prime spot to discover compelling summer reads. Our nearly 40,000 members are a fountain of recommendations, and the guests we host on our weekly Wednesday night show (7 p.m. ET)—such as Susan Wiggs (June 9), Mary Alice Monroe (June 16), Marie Benedict (June 23), Victoria Christopher Murray (June 23), Kristan Higgins (June 30) and Colleen Oakley (June 30)—are often some of the top voices of the season. But perhaps the best thing about summertime reading is the chance to share your beloved books with friends. “Often, summertime will have people gathering with summer friends at a beach, lake or poolside where their chairs will sit close together, and for these lazy days, they will form their own summer communities,” says Carol Fitzgerald of the Book Report Network. “It’s a great opportunity for an impromptu book club and for this, we definitely recommend lighter beach book fare, and whenever possible, a book set locally. Instead of gathering at someone’s home or a restaurant, circle the beach chairs and chat about the chosen book—and then recommend others that you each have enjoyed. The object here is to just keep it simple and enjoy!” Next, Can You Make Your Own Luck? Author Mary Alice Monroe Thinks Yes—Here’s Why Friends & Fiction is an online community, weekly live web show, and podcast founded and hosted by bestselling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry, and Mary Alice Monroe, who have written more than 90 novels between them and are published in more than 30 languages. Catch them and their incredible author guests live every Wednesday at 7 pm ET on the Friends & Fiction Facebook group page or their YouTube Channel. Follow them on Instagram and, for weekly updates, subscribe to their newsletter. Mary Kay Andrews is the author of the New York Times bestseller THE NEWCOMERas well as more than two dozen other bestselling novels, including HELLO, SUMMER, SUNSET BEACH and HISSY FIT.She is also the author of THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK. A former newspaper journalist, Mary Kay lives in Atlanta with her family—and their three English Setters, but spends lots of time fixing up and furnishing vintage beach cottages on Tybee Island, Georgia. Mary Kay is the co-founder and co-host of Friends & Fiction. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook and at MaryKayAndrews.com.
