Do you love winning free books and connecting with other women who like to read? Do you enjoy hearing from your favorite authors? Then join our closed Facebook group, The Girlfriend Book Club, today. You'll love it!
I don't know why being on the beach makes me clamor to read. I enjoy nothing more than sitting on a lounge chair by the ocean, sand on my feet, an umbrella overhead and a book in my hand. (And yes, I am totally old school. I like a hardcover or paperback — no electronic reading device for me.)
I am not alone in my love of summer reading. The term "beach read" was first used in 1990 to describe popular summer books. Today, as summer approaches, many bookstores still devote a section to books considered great beach reads. They’re usually focused on lighter topics and are easy to get into. Many, though not all, are set on the beach.
Summer reading is a fun way to escape and feel like you are on a mini vacation from life, even if you’re sitting in your backyard and the only water nearby is in your Stanley cup.
There are several new books in 2025 that are ideal for beach reading. Here’s a list of the eight fiction titles I am most excited to dive into:
We All Live Here — Jojo Moyes
I devoured this book in two days while on a recent beach vacation. Best-selling author Jojo Moyes does it again with a story about a middle-aged woman named Lila who thought she had it all together — until it all fell apart. This book deals with serious topics like divorce, adultery and family issues with honesty and humor. I loved following Lila as she navigated through challenges, struggling to take care of everyone who needed her while also trying to rediscover herself.
Three Days in June — Anne Tyler
Summer is wedding season! Fan favorite Anne Tyler is back with a new novel about a woman named Gail, the socially awkward mother of the bride. The book navigates the days before and after Gail’s daughter's big day. Between dealing with her ex-husband and trying to get along with her daughter's new in-laws, it’s going to be a long three days for Gail, but a fun ride for readers.
Summer in the City — Alex Aster
Aster's debut adult novel is a rom-com set in New York City. Twenty-seven-year-old Elle is an aspiring screenwriter with writer's block who returns to Manhattan for inspiration and realizes her new neighbor is a guy named Parker, whom she hooked up with two years ago. Elle realizes that hanging out with Parker might be just what she needs to help meet her screenplay deadline, even if she can't stand him.
Great Big Beautiful Life — Emily Henry
From the author of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read, Henry’s latest book is about two authors (Alice and Hayden) competing to write the biography of an elusive heiress (Margaret). Margaret invites Alice and Hayden to Little Crescent Island for a one-month trial period, promising that she will choose one of the women to write her story.
The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits — Jennifer Weiner
In Weiner’s latest book, readers meet Cassie and Zoe Grossberg, the pop duo behind The Griffins Sisters. Together, they rose to the height of stardom in the early 2000s, but after one turbulent year, the duo broke up. Two decades later, the sisters could not be leading more different lives. Zoe is a suburban mom, and Cassie has totally disappeared from public life. But when Zoe’s daughter Cherry starts asking questions about their pop duo days, all three women are forced to confront their past and how it impacts them today.
Say You’ll Remember Me — Abby Jimenez
Jimenez, who wrote the bestseller Just for the Summer, is back again with another romance novel. At first, when Samantha meets Xavier, she is convinced she has met the perfect guy. But after their amazing date, Samantha realizes that now is not the right time for her to embark on a relationship, even with Mr. Right. She urges Xavier to forget about her, but my guess is that sometimes you can't let go.
One Golden Summer — Carley Fortune
This Summer Will Be Different by Fortune was one of my favorite reads last year, so I am very excited about her latest release. Once again, the action takes place at a lake and according to Alice's grandmother, good things always happen at the lake. Alice concurs, having spent one magical time there when she was 17. Now an adult, Alice returns to spend the summer at the lake, this time to help her grandmother, who has broken her hip. Back in this special place, Alice will be reacquainted with Charlie, the guy who makes her long to be a teenager again.
Atmosphere — Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & The Six is one of my top 10 favorite books (and I loved the miniseries version, too), so the minute I heard Reid had a new release coming out (available June 2025), I had to pre-order it. Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with astronomy for as long as she can remember. Even though Joan thought she was content teaching about space, she couldn't help but be intrigued when NASA advertised that they were looking for women scientists to join the program. Joan applies and is selected to train for a space mission. This book promises to be "out of this world" exciting, and I, for one, can't wait to read it.
No list of beach reads is complete without mention of the queen of summer reads, Elin Hilderbrand. Her next book (written with her daughter Shelby) doesn’t come out until September 2025, but in the meantime, check out one of her 38 sand-set sagas such as Swan Song, The Five-Star Weekend, Endless Summer and The Perfect Couple, all of which take place on Nantucket Island. Happy Reading!
What's been YOUR favorite book of 2025 so far? Let us know in the comments below.
