Endless Summer Beach Reads

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • June 06, 2026

Summer is almost here! Whether lounging in a backyard hammock, spending long days at the beach, or traveling to distant locales, summertime calls for an abundance of good reading material. No matter which genres you like the best, ThriftBooks has got you covered. Over the next few weeks, we'll be putting together a few roundups from our Endless Summer Reads collection to help you fill out your summer TBR list. If you're looking for the perfect Beach Read, here are 24 comforting, escapist, and swoonworthy titles that pair well with sunscreen, sand, and snacks.

Best for lakeside reading

• Funny Story by Emily Henry—Daphne's new life with her fiancé, Peter, in his lakeside hometown was perfect. That is, until Peter left her for Petra, his childhood best friend. Meanwhile, Daphne's job as a children's librarian barely pays the bills. Which is how she ends up with an unexpected new roommate: Petra's ex, Miles.
• Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez—Justin and Emma share a common curse. After all their breakups, their exes go on to find their soul mates. After connecting online, they hatch a plan. Emma, a traveling nurse, will take her next stint in Justin's lakeside Minnesota town. They'll date for the summer, and then part ways to find their true loves.
• Every Summer After by Carley Fortune—For six summers growing up in Barry's Bay, Percy and Sam had been inseparable. Eventually their friendship turned into something more, before it fell spectacularly apart. Now Percy is back in town for Sam's mother's funeral. Their connection is still undeniable, but can they get past the mistakes of their past?

Best books to take you away

• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune—When Frankie's fiancé dumps her on the morning of her wedding, all she wants to do is wallow. But her best friend George proposes a different plan for healing Frankie's broken heart. He wants her to go on her honeymoon. With him. One week together in the lush rainforests and misty beaches of Tofino.
• The Missed Connection by Tia Williams—A busy casting agent Sasha doesn't have time for romance. But on her way to Paris for work, she's seated next to an attractive mystery man. Sparks fly—but they don't exchange contact info. Embarking on a worldwide manhunt to find seat F, Sasha hires a smoldering detective she knew in another life.
• And Now, Back to You by B. K. Borison—Competing meteorologists, Jackson and Delilah, have had their fair share of run-ins over the years. When they're forced to partner up covering a historic snowstorm, they suddenly have to figure out how to work together. And to confront the unexplored chemistry behind their clashes.

Best out-of-office reads

• The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren—Consumed by her research, scientist Emery is certain her neglected husband Luca will understand once her cutting-edge work is unveiled. But when a tragic accident takes Luca from her, Emery uses her classified technology to bring him back to life. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her.
• Beach Read by Emily Henry—Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. All they have in common is that they're both living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and struggling with writer's block. Until one evening, they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts.
• One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune—Alice's grandmother says good things happen at the lake. And it's true! After all, it was at the lake cottage with her grandmother, where seventeen-year-old Alice took the photo that would launch her career. Years later, she's back for another summer in magical Barry's Bay. And so is Charlie, the subject of that photo.
• The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren—Anna is a free-spirited artist. Liam is the buttoned-up heir of a grocery fortune. A fake marriage benefits them both. Anna gets access to affordable housing. And Liam satisfies the conditions of his inheritance. But when Liam's parents demand to meet his mysterious spouse, things get complicated fast.

Best with an ocean surf soundtrack

• Nantucket Second Chances by Pamela Kelley—Amidst a contentious divorce, Claire Shipman flees Manhattan to return to her hometown of Nantucket. Unexpectedly pregnant and single mom to a teen, she needs a fresh start. With the support of her mother and grandmother, old friends and new, she begins to build her second chance.
• Seabreeze Inn by Jan Moran—After discovering that her late husband spent their life savings on a beach house, cash-strapped art teacher Ivy heads to Summer Beach with her recently jilted sister with plans to open a bed-and-breakfast. But Ivy finds herself at war with the beachside town's mayor, who also happens to be her high-school crush.
• This Summer Will be Different by Carley Fortune—Staying at a beach house on Prince Edward Island, Lucy meets Felix, a sexy local who shows her a very good time. The only problem? He turns out to be her best friend's younger brother. Awkward! Lucy and Felix's chemistry is unreal, but they vow to never repeat that electric night. Easier said than done.
• Happy Place by Emily Henry—Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they began dating in college. Except they broke up six months ago and still haven't told their friend group. So, not wanting to ruin their annual coastal Maine get-together with all their best friends, they agree to pretend they're still together.

Best love triangles

• The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez—That one night, Larissa made a split-second decision that changed everything. She chose one of two men to drive her home and now he's her boyfriend. The problem? It's becoming clear that she should have chosen the other man: Chris, her boyfriend's best friend. This is book #2 in the Say You'll Remember Me series.
• Seven Summers by Paige Toon—Bound together by tragedy six years ago, Liv and Finn spend each summer together in Liv's native Cornwall even though Finn lives in LA. This summer, Liv meets Tom, a mysterious new arrival in her hometown. As they fall for each other, Liv begins to imagine a world where her heart isn't broken each autumn.
• Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan—At thirty, Sam's life is on track. She has the perfect doctor fiancé and a great job in Manhattan. But when she arrives to tour a wedding venue near her family's beach house, she's rattled by a run-in with her ex, Wyatt. As memories come flooding back, Sam remembers the girl she used to be.

Best to get your pulse pounding

• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid—In this unputdownable thrill ride of a novel, astronomer Joan Goodwin is selected as one of the first women to join NASA's 1980s space shuttle program. Alongside an exceptional cohort of new peers, Joan finds a passion she never imagined and embarks on a path that forever changes the trajectory of her life.
• Hidden Alphas by Victoria Pinder—Introducing three passionate hidden billionaires. And the three women who crash into each of their lives. But there's only one second chance for each of them. This meaty volume combines three racy thrillers involving enigmatic leading men, high-stakes drama, and dangerous, unpredictable action.
• The Favorites by Layne Fargo—Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, bonding over their turbulent, hardscrabble roots. But a shocking incident at the Olympics brings their partnership to a sudden end. Ten years later, Kat decides to go public with their story. Think Wuthering Heights meets Daisy Jones & the Six!

Best literary

• Heart the Lover by Lily King—You knew I'd write a book about you someday. Our narrator understands good love stories—their secrets and subtext, their highs and free falls. But her greatest love story, the one she lived, never followed the simple rules. This magnificent novel celebrates literature, forgiveness, and the bonds that shape our lives.
• Kin by Tayari Jones—From the author of An American Marriage, comes this story of Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in rural Louisiana. Best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, their adult lives go in starkly different directions. After many years apart, the two are reunited in the face of a devastating tragedy.
• The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett—Oxford, Mississippi, 1933: Eleven-year-old Meg has learned to rely on no one. Outspoken Birdie has come seeking her socialite sister's help. Charlie is a woman with little left to lose. When their three fates converge, Charlie comes up with an audacious—but dangerous—plan to claim what's rightfully theirs.
• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue—A brilliantly funny novel about friends, lovers, Ireland in chaos, and a young woman desperately trying to manage all three. Rachel is a student working at a bookstore when she meets James. He invites her to be his roommate and the two begin a friendship that changes the course of both their lives forever.

Hopefully this has given you a few good titles to add to your reading list this summer. Shop our Endless Summer Reads page where you can cash in on summer promos. Check out previous Ultimate Summer Reading lists:

• 21 captivating series starters for kids, teens, and adults

Keep an eye out for upcoming Endless Summer roundups, including:

• Special Editions
• Summer Kids’ Books
• Best Thrillers for
• Book to Screen Roundup
• Best new books for travel
• Summerween

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