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Margo and Caroline here. As promised, we’re back with even more easy reads that’ll capture your attention and keep you in the summer spirit (and off your phone). Consider this list an accurate representation of what our personal text chain looks like. And in case you missed it, check out part one of our summer reading list here.
Back After This by Linda Holmes
“I always recommend Linda Holmes to those looking for fluffy, comforting fiction, particularly after you’ve read something heavy or are trying to get out of a reading slump. Her latest follows the typical dating-for-media trope, this time with a podcast producer forced to document her She’s All That-meets-How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days dating journey. I’m about halfway through and have found myself chuckling as I read along.” —Margo Ghertner
My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
“What would a list of my summer book recommendations be without Tessa Bailey? (Nothing. It would be nothing.) While all of Bailey’s books are ideal for turning off your brain, My Killer Vacation feels tailor-made for summer reading. Set in Cape Cod, this standalone novel follows a bubbly elementary school teacher and a gruff bounty hunter who become unexpected allies in a murder mystery. I think it’s one of Bailey’s lesser-known, underrated novels, but it became one of my favorites when I picked it up on a whim on a recent vacation. It’s sunny, steamy, and pure escapism.” —Caroline Goldstein
Square Waves by Alexandra Romanoff
“After a grueling reading journey, I finally found my first five-star read of the year, and it was this novella from Alexandra Romanoff. In this sequel to Big Fan, we finally get 'the other woman’s' perspective and her journey to healing after being the center of a politically scandalous affair. Cassidy Weaver returns home to Berkeley after feeling emotionally unsettled and burned out. There, she gets a part-time job at a high school friend’s art venue and reconnects with a former classmate who drives her crazy in the best way. I saw one review call it glorified Monica Lewinsky fan fiction (derogatory), and I completely disagree. Romanoff is fantastic at humanizing her characters, and I walked away sad to let them go. Read Big Fan first, then this. Because both are around 200 pages, you can easily do it all in a weekend.” —Margo Ghertner
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
“On a beach trip last summer, I watched in envy as my friend tore through The Guncle, laughing all the way, while I plodded through Emma. This made me rethink all my life choices, starting with the reading material I take on vacation. At this point, Rowley’s story of a former sitcom star who becomes the unexpected primary guardian to his niece and nephew is a mainstay on summer reading lists — one I plan to take full advantage of while I’m sunning (okay, shading) myself by the pool. Sorry, Austen.” —Caroline Goldstein
All the Men I’ve Loved Again by Christine Pride
“While I’m patiently letting Dolly Alderton cook, I’m turning to this romance from Christine Pride. In it, Cora Belle finds herself in the very love triangle she was caught in two decades ago. Now nearing forty, she finally has to make a choice between her two potential love interests. If your whole personality is Ross and Rachel’s will-they-won’t-they plotline with Alderton’s charming coming-of-age angle, you’re going to love this.” —Margo Ghertner
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
“I know I’m very behind the curve with this one. But I recently binge-watched both seasons of The Summer I Turned Pretty and fell head over heels in love with it…and felt gut-wrenching nostalgia for my own teenage years (followed quickly by gratitude that I’m well beyond them). I also adored how the series viscerally encapsulates that carefree summer feeling — I could practically smell the sunscreen and pomegranate margaritas emanating through my TV screen. I’m planning to read at least the first installment of the trilogy before the third and final season drops on July 16. Team Conrad forever.” —Caroline Goldstein
Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess
“One of my favorite sources for book recommendations is my favorite authors. When I saw Annabel Monaghan post about this on Instagram, I was immediately intrigued, and now, this cozy mystery is at the top of my summer TBR. After losing her mother, Cath discovers that her mom purchased tickets to murder mystery simulation in the English countryside before her death. As Cath navigates her grief, she uses the trip as a way to solve a literal fake mystery, while unearthing more about her late mother’s past. I’ll always take a heartwarming mystery, no matter the season.” —Margo Ghertner
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
“I’ve been craving cozy fantasies this summer, and this cult-y one has been on my list for a while. This loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin follows Miryem, a young woman who takes over her father’s failing moneylending business. She quickly develops a reputation across the kingdom for her ability to spin silver into gold — as well as the attention of a dangerous race of ice-like fey creatures. I happen to gravitate toward any fairytale with an Eastern European bent (blame it on my shtetl ancestors), so I’m excited to dive into this one with the AC blasting.” —Caroline Goldstein
How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin
“I’m a firm believer that summertime is for bingeing ridiculous plotlines (and thoroughly enjoying them). I wasn’t expecting to be excited about a romance novel centering on an MLM, but I’m absolutely here for it. Alexa Martin’s latest involves Emerson Pierce, a kindergarten teacher who’s turned to makeup company Petunia Lemon for community and cash, and Lucas Miller, a divorced investigative reporter (whose daughter happens to be in Emerson’s class) hoping to take the company down. What follows is attraction in the midst of a mutual rivalry, but the premise alone has me hooked.” —Margo Ghertner
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