By Aryelle Siclait and Elizabeth Bacharach
The standard by which a beach read can be measured is varied, but one thing’s for sure—it has to be entertaining. No, actually, engrossing. Because if the story isn’t going to serve as a mini-vacation from your vacation, it’s not doing its job. Plus, considering this’ll likely be the first time you’ve gotten to a beach (or a pool) in a very long time, the plot’s got to be worth it.
Now, with the wide selection of bingeable tales that—not by accident—find their way onto shelves near the end of the spring and start of summer, deciding what to read can leave you stumped. But this isn’t stress your vacationing mind should have to take on.
So, allow this curated list of 2021’s best beach reads to do the work for you. Whether you’re in the mood for a can’t-put-it-down thriller or a devour-in-an-afternoon romance, there’s a book that suits your exact literary tastes just waiting for you to discover it. From there, you can turn pretty much anything into a beach read…just add sunshine, sand, and water.
The only hard part will be deciding how many you want to pack, because it’s a major bummer to have not enough books to last you all trip long. (But if you’ve got an e-reader, consider that problem solved!) Ahead, these 35 best beach reads—old and new—will transport you to other worlds, all without leaving the sand.
Summer on the Bluffs: A Novel
Written by Emmy Award winner, lawyer, journalist, and The View co-host Sunny Hostin, this novel takes place in Oak Bluffs, the most exclusive Black beach community in America. There sits Chateau Laveau, a cottage owned by Amelia Vaux Tanner. Each summer, Ama’s three grownup “goddaughters” Esperanza “Perry” Soto, Olivia Jones, and Billie Hayden reconnect for a summer of relaxation. But when Ama announces she’s moving and the house is up for grabs, the three women must confront new and old secrets.
Read the rest of the list on WomensHealthMag.com.