Books
Every summer, there are dozens and dozens of new books released, each one claiming to be "the perfect beach read," but with so many choices out there, how is a reader supposed to keep up with them all? If you're looking for a juicy story you can finish in a single weekend, then check out these short beach reads you may have missed.
The term "beach read" means something different to every reader, but to me, its definition is simple: a book so good, so engaging, you risk getting a sunburn while reading it because you just can't put it down. Of course, if you follow my rule, a beach read could be basically anything, which means finding the perfect one can be a serious challenge. Should you pick up the most hyped thriller of the summer, the literary fiction novel critics won't quit talking up, or the romance bookstagrammers can't stop sharing online? The truth is, you can pick anything you want, but my suggestion is this: look for the hidden gems, the great titles that might be right below your radar, instead of the books you see everyone else with.
If you're hitting the beach this weekend and hoping to bring a great read with you, here are five short new books you may have missed this summer, but that should definitely be on your radar.
'When Katie Met Cassidy' by Camille Perri
Hardcover Page Count: 272
In this funny and tender romantic comedy by acclaimed The Assistants author Camille Perri, two very different women — one, a recently dumped Kentucky transplant with a strict set of traditional values, the other a native New Yorker who makes the rules on her own — find themselves swept up in the possibility of an unexpected romance. Now, each one must decide not only what they want, but who they are.
'A Double Life' by Flynn Berry
Hardcover Page Count: 272
In this Paula Hawkins-approved psychological suspense novel loosely inspired by one of the most infamous unsolved crimes of the 20th century, the daughter of a notorious murder suspect must contend with her father's vicious legacy, and the dozens of questions that swirl around his supposed crime. A searing examination of trauma, class, privilege, violence, and the lives of women, A Double Life is the definition of a page-turner.
'Dear Mrs. Bird' by AJ Pearce
Hardcover Page Count: 288
In this charming debut set in London during World War II, a lively young woman takes on a secret identity as an advice columnist. When women want to know what to do if they've gone "too far" with a man, or how to keep their children safe without evacuating them, Emmeline Lake — writing as her boss, the fierce and famous Henrietta Bird, — is on the job.
'Lady Be Good' by Amber Brock
Hardcover Page Count: 288
In this sizzling historical fiction novel set in the 1950s, author Amber Brock takes readers on a sweeping global adventure to New York, Miami, and Havana along side Kitty Tessler, the daughter of a hotel magnate who is as mischievous as she is lovable. When her father demands she settles down and marries his second-in-command, Kitty will do anything — even steal her best friend's fiance, a rich but awful man — if it means making the rules for herself.
'Bring Me Back' by B.A. Paris
Hardcover Page Count: 304
The author of the instant New York Times bestselling novel Behind Closed Doors is back, this time with a chilling suspense story about a missing woman, the man who loved her and had to let her go, and the sister who seems to be keeping secrets from everyone. A gripping mystery that will have readers on the edge of their seats, Bring Me Back is a truly captivating thriller you won't want to put down.
