50 Can't-Miss Beach Reads for Summer 2023

This new rom-com was truly a surprise for me. Former child star Millie is forced to drive from D.C. to Key West with Hollis, a distant acquaintance, after all flights are grounded. Millie is desperate to get to Florida to deliver the ashes of her beloved neighbor to her long-lost love, who is in hospice care. What sounds like a sad story is actually a road trip rom-com with a whole lot of heart that will have you believing in happily ever afters.

Fans of Elissa Sussman have not yet recovered from last year's Funny You Should Ask. In her new novel, teenage pop star Katee Rose has a life in the spotlight as she dates Ryan LaNeve, member of boy band CrushZone. They have a messy (and very public) breakup, and Katee fades from public life. Many years later, another member of CrushZone, Cal, hires Katee to be the lead in a Broadway musical, reigniting her career and possibly an old flame. The story is told in a dual timeline, with the past narrative taking place at a summer theater camp.

This just might be the ultimate beach read of 2023. Sam and her fiancé return to her family's beach house to plan their wedding. Those plans are thrown off track when Sam encounters musician Wyatt, her neighbor and teenage love. Sam's funny and endearing family provides the perfect backdrop for this read that's begging to be packed in your beach bag.

(Available June 6)

Emily Henry's latest begs to be read beachside. In Happy Place, a group of friends reunites for their annual week at a summer house in Maine, only this time, everything has changed. The group finds out it's the end of an era, as the house will be sold after their trip. And Harriet and Wyn, the golden couple, broke up five months ago, but they pretend to be together for their final summer hurrah. Will they find a second chance at love or ruin the vacation for everyone?

Step aside for the queen of the beach read! Elin Hilderbrand is back with The Five-Star Weekend. After her husband dies unexpectedly, Hollis is struggling. On the outside, she's an influencer with a big following, but her daughter won't talk to her and she's reeling after her husband's death. So she decides to gather four friends (each from a different stage in her life) to spend the weekend at her home in Nantucket and her daughter joins them to film the festivities. Each friend is dealing with a big life event, from a concerning medical situation to being canceled for a controversial opinion. The weekend changes them all in unexpected ways.

Summer love is at the center of this brand-new romance. Will and Fern met by chance one one perfect day in college, with a promise to meet in a year. That reunion doesn't happen, until the two reconnect a decade later when they join forces to save Fern's family resort. Carley Fortune's follow-up to the BookTok sensation Every Summer After is a warm-weather must-read.

Christina Lauren fans demanded a novel about Fizzy, the best friend/scene stealer in The Soulmate Equation, and the authors delivered. This rom-com finds Fizzy, a romance novelist with a bad case of writer's block, cast on a reality dating show. There, she encounters filmmaker Conner, who complicates her mission to find love in front of the camera.

Manipulative friends Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker spend their summers on the beaches and tennis courts of Salcombe, Fire Island. Their husbands, childhood friends, have secrets to hide, and their single friend, Rachel, is on the hunt for a man. It's a normal summer for the group...until a body turn up on the boardwalk.

Get ready to turn the pages in this new thriller about the scandalous neighbors of Alton Road. On the night of their annual summer block party, a body is discovered, and the story takes readers a year in the past to uncover the mystery.

In this heartwarming story, rock star Greta James finds herself on an Alaskan cruise with her father after her mother's death. Still reeling from an onstage meltdown that could threaten her career, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Ben, a Jack London lecturer who is estranged from his wife. It gets my vote for best cover of the year!

This perfect-for-summer romance even has fireworks! Cass, a driven law student, wakes up after a car accident puts her in a coma talking about a mystery man named Devin Bloom. In Cass's mind, she and Devin had been dating for months before her accident, but none of her family or friends have heard of him, and there's no record of them in her calls or text messages. And yet, she draws vivid pictures of him and recalls specific memories of their time together, until one day she stumbles upon him in a local flower shop. The story takes the reader in some unexpected directions as Cass and Devin try to uncover the mystery of their connection. (July 5)

This might be the ultimate beach read of 2022. Christina Lauren are back with this highly anticipated, super-fun romp packed with action, adventure, and a treasure hunt. The authors describe it as Romancing the Stone meets The Hangover, and you'll understand when you read it! It's a bit if a departure for Christina Lauren, but there's plenty of romance and banter to keep their fans satisfied (plus...one sleeping bag!). If you're new to Christina Lauren, stop what you're doing and read The Unhoneymooners, a perfect choice for a beach read.

This page-turner is a perfect summertime read. Nora pays the bills by writing formulaic scripts for the romance channel. When she decides to write her own messy love story, complete with an ex-husband who leaves her with two kids and a mortgage, everything changes. A major Hollywood studio buys the script and decides to film at her own house. And then the leading man decides to stay...

There's so much to love about Monaghan's adult debut. Nora is strong, independent, and never a victim of her circumstances. She works hard for her two adoring children, who are the center of her life. She has the love and support of her friends and family. There are unexpected moments and laugh-out-loud interactions. I was wrapped up in this story like Leo and Nora on the porch swing from page 1. (June 7)

Henry's Beach Reads is an all-time fave. In her latest, Nora, a tough-as-nails literary agent who normally finds herself on the wrong side of the romantic storyline, travels to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, with her pregnant sister, Libby. Libby plans a small-town bucket list vacation, which takes a turn when Nora encounters her big-city rival, Charlie. What transpires is heartwarming, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Escape to Salvation with this new novel by Josie Silver. This unexpected romance follows dating columnist Cleo as she sets out on a "self-coupling" journey in honor of her 30th birthday. She arrives at the remote Irish island of Salvation only to find that her tiny cottage has been double booked and she'll be forced to share it with an American photographer and father of two who is struggling with some things in his personal life. The story packs a surprising emotional punch, but I really found myself falling in love with the island and its inhabitants.

This novel tackles some heavier topics, including abuse and complicated family dynamics, but at its heart it's a sweet love story between a sophisticated big-city doctor and a small-town B&B owner/woodworker/mayor. There's also a baby goat in pajamas, which is probably all you need to know to start reading. It will have you ready to pack up and move to Wakan.

Sarah Adams is a master of sweet (never sappy), funny rom-coms perfect for summertime. The Cheat Sheet is a friends-to-lovers story about dance teacher Bree and her professional quarterback best friend Nathan who have to pretend to be dating in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.

The Hotel Nantucket, Hilderbrand's 28th novel, surrounds a crumbling hotel that gets rescued by billionaire Xavier Darling. Xavier hires local Lizbet Keaton to get the hotel up and running and impress an important Instagram influencer. Oh, and the ghost of a chambermaid causes mischief. This book has been getting a lot of buzz, and I was happy to find it lived up to the hype! Intrepid Lizbet leads the charge of a charming and entertaining cast of characters, all while dealing with a breakup and a potential new romance. This was one of my favorites of the summer!

Lacie Waldon is back with a new novel after last year's vacation read The Layover. Graphic designer Liv Bakersfield is overworked and used to missing out, but everything changes when she quits her job and jets off to meet her friends in South Africa. The close proximity complicates her relationship with her friend Lucas Deiss. What will happen when they return back home?

This friends-to-lovers rom-com had plenty of unexpected turns to keep me guessing and entertained (especially Lucas's secret past!). I fell for all of the friends and coworkers and found myself rooting for Lacie as she faced adversity and found herself along the way.

This fun new novel by Katherine Center feels like a summertime blockbuster. Hannah may not look the part, but she works as a bodyguard for high-profile clients. In the midst of some serious drama in her personal life (her mother dies, her boyfriend/coworker breaks up with her), she is assigned to protect a major movie star who is in town visiting family. On the surface, it's a light-hearted romance, but it packs a bit of an emotional punch (along with some actual punches!).