Memorial Day unofficially kicks off summer. It's the perfect time to soak up the sun, unwind, and dive into a great book. If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing better than finding a cozy spot by the beach or pool and escaping into another world. Whether it’s a thrilling mystery, a steamy romance, or a heartfelt story - after a long fall and winter, being whisked away to another realm gives me new life! Here are some summer book picks that’ll help you relax, recharge, and make the most of your sunny days.
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ROMANCE
Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan
If you're looking for a book that gives spice, freedom, bad-assness with real life challenges of caring for a parent while learning to love through it all, Can't Get Enough is for you!
Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry's rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it. She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions and is always striving for more. And in the midst of everything, she's facing her toughest challenge yet: becoming a caregiver. Who even has time for romance with all of that going on?
Tech mogul Maverick (Mav) Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and smooth velvety charm. From their first glance at a party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match.
Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself. But when Maverick gives chase pursuing her, spoiling her, understanding her. Is it time to let herself have something more?
Just Our Luck by Denise Williams
From the author of Technically Yours comes a feel-good romance full of heart, humor, and just the right amount of heat.
Sybil Sweet is down on her luck and feeling the pressure - from dead-end jobs to family doubts and dating duds. All she really wants is some stability. And maybe a donut. One impulsive lottery ticket later, everything changes.
Kieran Anderson gave up med school dreams to save his family’s bakery, but business is crumbling fast. Then Sybil shows up like a spark, and disappears just as quickl, leaving behind her winning lottery ticket.
What follows? A viral good deed, a fake relationship deal, and a sweet, slow-burn connection that just might be the real jackpot.
Perfect for a poolside binge, Just Our Luck is about second chances, unexpected wins, and love rising when you least expect it.
Steamy, sharp, and full of slow-burn obsession, King of Envy is the perfect summer escape for fans of morally gray heroes and high-stakes desire.
Vuk Markovic is rich, reclusive, and deeply scarred; both inside and out. He keeps his distance from the world. Except when it comes to her. Ayana Kidane, the stunning supermodel engaged to his best friend, is the one woman he can’t have but desperately wants.
Ayana’s picture-perfect life is all for show. Her engagement? A business deal to secure her future. But the best man? He’s dangerously real and dangerously tempting.
As secrets unravel and loyalty is tested, Vuk and Ayana are drawn into a forbidden connection that could destroy everything.
King of Envy is a deliciously angsty billionaire romance with depth, drama, and heat. Ideal for fans of tension-filled love stories with real emotional stakes.
THRILLER, SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY
Think your roommate's a little off? The Tenant will make you second-guess everyone, even yourself.
Blake Porter had it all...until he didn’t. Job gone, bills piling up, and a dream home he can’t afford. Renting out a room feels like the perfect fix…until Whitney moves in. She’s warm, beautiful, and maybe too good to be true.
Then come the whispers from neighbors. The awful smell he can’t scrub away. The noises in the night. And Blake’s growing sense that someone knows what he’s hiding.
Freida McFadden delivers another fast-paced, jaw-clenching psychological thriller that will keep you up late and make you check your locks twice.
The Wife Before by Shanora Williams
Looking for a summer read that’s equal parts romance and mystery? The Wife Before delivers with twists that keep you guessing.
Samira Wilder’s life takes a sudden turn when she marries wealthy pro golfer Roland Graham. But behind the mansion’s grand walls lie secrets, especially in the journals of Roland’s late wife. As Samira digs deeper, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her new husband… and fears for her own safety.
Perfect for fans of psychological suspense wrapped in steamy romance, this book will keep you turning pages long into the night.
If Only She Knew by Lisa Jackson
A chilling crash. A woman with no memory. And a face she doesn’t recognize.
When Marla Cahill wakes up in a mansion full of strangers claiming to be family, she knows something’s wrong. But with no memories and danger lurking in the shadows, every moment feels like a race against time.
Lisa Jackson’s If Only She Knew is a gripping thriller that will have you hooked from the first twist to the last heartbeat. Perfect for summer nights when you want suspense that won’t let you go.
HORROR
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Set in the Jim Crow South of 1950, The Reformatory blends historical truth with chilling supernatural suspense.
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens Jr. is sent to a brutal reform school for defending his sister. There, he uses his rare gift of seeing restless spirits to uncover dark secrets about the disappearances haunting the boys sent there.
With survival on the line and his sister fighting to save him, Robbie’s story is both heartbreaking and haunting. A powerful reminder of resilience in the face of cruelty.
This is a must-read for anyone who loves stories that stay with you long after the last page and will be perfect for readers who want summer thrillers with depth and heart.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Just out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a babysitting job for a family that seems like a fresh start until the drawings of their five-year-old son start to get terrifying.
Teddy’s innocent sketches shift into haunting images of a man dragging a woman’s lifeless body through the woods. What begins as unsettling turns into a supernatural puzzle tied to a long-unsolved murder.
Hidden Pictures is a gripping, chilling thriller that blends mystery with a touch of the paranormal. Perfect for summer nights when you want a story that keeps you guessing and glued to the page.
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I hope this list helps you discover a book or two (or three!) that fits your summer vibe and gives you the perfect escape. Whether you’re craving romance, suspense, or something jaw dropping, there’s something here for every reader. Wishing you a relaxing summer filled with great stories and memorable moments. Happy reading!
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