Summer Reading Guide 2021
There is nothing better than summer reading, especially as an adult. The only required reading is the kind you make for yourself and this year, there are TONS of books I can’t wait to read. I had so much fun putting together my Fall and Winter Reading Guide so I’m back with another for the best reading season of the year.
I'm a seasonal reader so I like to save my beach reads for when I’m at the beach and wintery books for snow day, but with what I do here on the blog, I do have the read ahead sometimes. I’ve read a number of these books (but definitely not all of them) and I hope they find their way into your beach bags this season.
…drum roll please…
It’s time for the Read & Wright Summer Reading Guide! There are 50 books listed here that are on my summer To Be Read list, I’ve read in the past and loved, or can’t wait to pick up! I hope this helps narrow down or expand you reading this summer season.
May Releases/Available Now
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry—If you loved Beach Read last summer, you’ll want to pick up Henry’s latest! Two unlikely friends who, after a decade of summer vacations, haven’t spoken for two years. Poppy convinces Alex to join her for one more vacation to lay everything on the table. What could go wrong?
The Summer of Broken Rules K.L. Walther—When Meredith lost her sister 18 months ago, she fell into isolation. But this summer, with a family wedding and trip to Martha’s VIneyard on the horizon, she’s determined to connect with her extended family and perhaps make a connection with a groomsman.
Beth & Amy by Virginia Kanter—Available 5/25/21—In a follow up to Meg & Jo, Virginia Kanter brings a the story of Little Women to life in the modern world.
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi—This debut about an Iranian-American teenager has all the heartfelt YA vibes I crave during the summer. Parvin wants to make her ex jealous with the most popular boy in school, but she learns that being herself is the most important thing of all.
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters—One of the most buzzed about books of the year that needs to make it into your pool bag!
“This provocative debut is about what happens at the emotional, messy, vulnerable corners of womanhood that platitudes and good intentions can't reach. Torrey Peters brilliantly and fearlessly navigates the most dangerous taboos around gender, sex, and relationships, gifting us a thrillingly original, witty, and deeply moving novel.” —From the publisher
Finley Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano—Another loved book from this year that would make a perfect beach read! Finlay is a stressed out single mom and writer. When she is overheard describing her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she is mistaken for a contract killer and accidentally accepts a contract to dispose of a “problem husband.” Fast paced, funny, exciting, and a real life murder investigation abound.
While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams—Did you know Stacey Abrams writes Romance novels? And now she has her debut legal thriller about a brilliant young law clerk. and the truths she discovers when the judge she clerks for falls into an unexpected coma.
Don’t Breathe a Word by Jordyn Taylor—Jordyn is one of my favorite people and I can’t wait to read her latest book! Told in two perspectives, one in modern day and one in 1962, Don’t Breathe a Word connects two girls at an exclusive boarding school through a secret society, years apart. If you’re a fan of Truly Devious, this is a great book for you!
The Guncle by Steven Rowley—Available 5/25/21—This book is a delight and hit me right in the feels while also making me laugh out loud. When Patrick’s best friend and sister in law, Sara, passes away, their father asks him to take their children for the summer while he seeks treatment for addition. Patrick is a formerly famous television actor who doesn’t know the first thing about children but Maisie and Grant teach him more than he thought possible.
What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster—A sweeping story that spans years from North Carolina to Atlanta, L.A. and Paris following a community’s plans to integrate schools. It’s an intimate look at race and the American family and how the most intimate relationships can be affected by prejudice.
A Summer to Remember by Erika Montgomery—Set in the summer on Cape Cod, one woman discovers a mystery connecting her mother to some of the most famous faces of Old Hollywood.
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland—If you love the Catskills setting of Dirty Dancing and season 2 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, you’ll get lost in the nostalgia of this book! Two families co-own The Golden Hotel, which used to be a haven for the rich and famous. But the Catskills aren’t the vacation destination they used to be and when an offer comes to sell their legacy, new drama and financial secrets rise to the surface.
Kisses & Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau—This is a book that captures summer in Paris! It follows a young ballerina as she strives to achieve her dream of being accepted into the American Ballet Theatre’s apprentice program while studying with the Paris Opera Ballet. But one thing Paris in the summer always provides? A dreamy love interest, adventure, and being faced with difficult choices.
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler—This delightful YA about self discovery and first love is high on my summer list! Lara has only had eyes for Chase, a stupid hot football player and after he starts flirting with her, she finally has everything she’s ever wanted. But something is missing. The memory of a romantic summer spent with a girl named Jasmine keeps invading her brain, making her question if she truly has it all.
Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall—If you love books with baking and reality TV, this one is for you. Rosaline enters a contest similar to the Great British Baking Show in order to win the prize money and give her daughter the life she deserves. But when she begins to fall for a fellow contestant, she fears she’s making a recipe for disaster.
June New Releases:
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid—Available June 1, 2021—The TJR hype is always real in my opinion. Malibu Rising is the story of one long night in 1983 with the children of a famous singer and an infamous party they throw ever summer. By the end of the night, the mansion will be up in flames, but not before they are faced with the reality of secrets long kept.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston—Available June 1, 2021—I haven’t read many books that so perfectly capture what New York City is, but this is definitely one. Read my review here!
Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie—Available June 22, 2021—When famous musician Jessie Reid is in a near fatal accident, local singer Jane Quinn is tapped to sing in his place at a huge summer festival. After giving the performance of a lifetime, Jane quickly skyrockets to stardom with Jesse acting as her guide. This book confronts sexism in the music industry amidst a hot summer read.
Survive the Night by Riley Sager—Available June 29, 2021—I read Home Before Dark last year and even though it spooked me, I still had fun reading it. Sager’s new book is set in 1991, following Charlie as she finds herself suspicious of the man she’s sharing a car with as the threat of the Campus Killer looms.
Rock the Boat by Beck Dorey-Stein—Available June 29, 2021—I loved From the Corner of the Oval so Beck is an auto-buy for me! This is her first work of a fiction about olds friends who reunite in their seaside town one summer after each of their lives has upended.
The Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds—Available June 18, 2021—This is a YA book set in Nantucket following Abby Shoenburg during the summer before her senior year. She discovers a series of lost letters from her recently deceased grandmother that came from a mansion on the island. She meets the grandson of the subject of her grandmother’s letters who is determined to stop Abby’s investigation. But as the two grow closer, they must accept the burdens of the past in order to create the futures they want.
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon—Available June 1, 2021—Evie doesn’t believe in love anymore but after she witnesses a couple kiss, she finds herself able to see their entire love story, from how it began to how it ends. It brings her to a dancing studio where she begins to fall for a boy named X. But these visions of heartbreak leave her wondering if love is ever worth the risk.
Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon—Available June 22, 2021—An anthology by some of my favorite authors! Short stories about first meetings, long time friends, and bitter exes, all while a blackout rolls throughout New York City.
Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford—Available June 1, 2021—Ashley Ford’s memoir is a must read, especially via audio!
“Somebody's Daughter steps into the world of growing up a poor Black girl in Indiana with a family fragmented by incarceration, exploring how isolating and complex such a childhood can be. As Ashley battles her body and her environment, she embarks on a powerful journey to find the threads between who she is and what she was born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them.” —From the publisher
A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams—Available June 1, 2021—A determined New York CIty bridal designer returns to her hometown in South Carolina after her father suffers an injury. She finds a job opportunity at a local bridal shop and sparks begin to fly with the owner of the boutique.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams—Available June 1, 2021—A steamy second chance romance during a hot Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect after twenty years. Can Eva learn to trust the guy who broke her heart? This book celebrates Black joy and makes keen observations on modern motherhood.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dahlia Harris—Available June 1, 2021—This is a thriller-esque novel that I can’t describe better than the publisher!
“Urgent, propulsive, and sharp as a knife, The Other Black Girl is an electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing.” —From the publisher
July New Releases
While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory—Available July 13, 2021—it’s not summer without a new Jasmine Guillory Romance! Her latest follows Anna, an actress looking to become a household name, and Ben, an advertisement agent. They end up working together and soon their harmless flirting turns into much more, especially after Ben helps Anna in a dire family emergency.
Shoulder Season by Christina Clancy—Available July 6, 2021—This book sounds SEXY and FUN. I don’t think I can do it justice and I haven’t read it yet!
“From the Midwestern prairie to the California desert, from Wisconsin lakes to the Pacific Ocean, this is a story of what happens when small town life is sprinkled with stardust, and what we lose--and gain--when we leave home. With a heroine to root for and a narrative to get lost in, Christina Clancy's Shoulder Season is a sexy, evocative tale, drenched in longing and desire, that captures a fleeting moment in American history with nostalgia and heart.” —From the publisher
Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev—Available July 6, 2021—I love this modern Jane Austen series by Sonali Dev! After taking on Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, Dev is now talking Sense and Sensibility staring Indian American characters.
The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta—Available July 6, 2021—The fake dating trope takes on a whole new meaning in this sharp and funny take on modern love. Hollywood It Girl Win Tagore and jet setting playboy Leo Milanowski rely on each other to keep the press interested with their chemistry but never take it further than friendship. Until a trip to the French Riviera when secrets are revealed…
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson—Available July 6, 2021—I LOVED You Should See Me In a Crown last summer so I can’t wait for this book! This book follows Toni and and Olivia as they navigate new love, grief, heartbreak, and how the power of music can heal.
Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby—Available July 6, 2021—This books sounds fantastic and I think would translate so well to film! It’s a Black father and a white father, both ex-cons. Their sons are married and sadly murdered so they set out to find who killed their boys.
August New Releases
If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy—Available August 3, 2021—A reminaged CInderella in the reality TV world! Cindy is a fresh fashion grad who moves back in with her stepmother, producer of the reality dating show Before Midnight before launching her career as a show designer. When the lead bows out at the last minute, Cindy finds herself in the starring role which immediately thrusts her into the spotlight as a body positive icon overnight. But will she find a Prince Charming?
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang—Available August 31, 2021—A classic violinist becomes a viral YouTube sensation and embarks on a low stress summer of…one night stands. But when her first attempt with tattooed Quan Diep begins to feel more like a real relationship, her traditional family gets in the way. Anna must choose between finally living for herself and living for the expectations of others.
So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park—Available August 3, 2021—When Jessie Kim is laid off and overhears racist comments from her coworkers, she heads home to Tennessee to reassess her career. She reunites with her childhood rival, Daniel Choi, who helps her relaunch a passion project. But what happens when old rivalries return?
The Turnout by Megan Abbott—Available August 3, 2021—I was attracted to this book because it’s set in the competitive world of dance but it’s so twisty, I don’t think I can do it justice.
“Taut and unnerving, The Turnout is Megan Abbott at the height of her game. With uncanny insight and hypnotic writing, it is a sharp and strange dissection of family ties and sexuality, femininity and power, and a tale that is both alarming and irresistible.” —From the publisher
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia—Available August 17, 2021—A dark and twisty book set in 1970s Mexico City and a missing woman that connects a daydreaming secretary and an eccentric criminal.
Favorites from Summers Past
Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington—I’ve raved about this book before but it is such a perfect YA romance, almost New Adult, about two long time frenemies who’s pranks on each other at their family’s lake house finally have serious consequences. The summer before their freshman year of college, Sidney and Asher have to confront more than just their disdain for each other.
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria—Another favorite of mine!!! This is a steamy, sexy, romance about the making of a Netflix style telenovella. It’s a fun behind the scenes look at the acting world and how sometimes real chemistry can burn bright.
Say You Still Love Me by KA Tucker—A summer camp romance told in the past and present as two teens fall in love and years later, reconnect.
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson—This book had me WEEPING last summer. It’s another stunning lakeside YA but also deals with deeper themes of losing a parent.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager—I enjoyed the latest take on the haunted house that is loosely based on the true story of The Haunting in Connecticut.
When the Stars Lead to You by Ronni Davis—I loved this sex positive YA that deals with more than just romance. TW: suicide, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, racism
Michigan Vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen—I read this in summer 2019 and it really stuck with me. It’s kind of like a YA Beartown told from the female perspective.
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo—A MUST read! It will make you hungry and happy to read Emoni’s story as a single teen mom and her dreams of owning her own restaurant. Highly recommend on audio!
Recursion by Blake Crouch—I never read Sci-Fi but this was one that pulled me IN. Time travel, romance, dark and thrilling. The hype is real!
The Islanders by Meg Mitchell Moore—Head to Block Island in this perfect summer read about a baker, anonymous food blogger, and struggling writer as a storm looms in the Atlantic.
The Truth About Happily Ever After by Karole Cozzo—Perfect for any Disney fan! This is a New Adult romance that gives a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to work in the happiest place on earth.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren—Is it even a summer reading list without this book? Olive and Ethan can’t stand each other but when they’re left to take their married siblings’ honeymoon (after everyone gets sick, obviously) there’s more than just the hot Hawaii air between them.
WOO! And that is IT. If you read this far, THANK YOU! I’ll have more on my #ReadIntoSummer readathon on the blog tomorrow but I hope this list is helpful!