Unlock Your Ultimate Summer: 10 Beach Reads That’ll Crush Boredom and Boost Your Brain in 2026!
Ever catch yourself wondering if a good book can kick off a summer as perfectly as that first splash in the ocean? Well, what if I told you these picks don’t just promise page-turning fun but deliver a whole tapestry of emotions—from heartfelt nostalgia to swoony romance and everything between? As someone who’s spent countless hours proving SEO magic, I gotta say, the stories that truly resonate—like these here—are the ones that hijack your thoughts and sneak into your soul. So whether you’re chasing the slow burn of a beachside romance, the thrill of a gripping adventure, or the tender truths about friendship and family, there’s something on this list that’ll grab you tight and won’t let go. Ready to dive in and let these pages rev up your summer spirit?
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Annabel Monaghan’s novels always feel like a warm hug—and her latest, Dolly All the Time, is no exception. Dolly Brick is a single mom, school teacher, and side-hustler holding it all together for her family—just barely. When she returns home to Rhode Island for the summer, a fateful run-in with the town’s wealthy scion Stewart Whitfield soon turns into a fake-dating ploy that evolves into more. By turns swoony, silly, and sentimental, Dolly All the Time is a moving slice of seaside life. Just one caveat: If you plan to read this one in public, be sure to stuff a pack of tissues in your beach bag! —Amy Wilkinson, contributing entertainment editor
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To me, summertime always carries a sense of deep nostalgia for childhood—and this book perfectly captures that intricate mix of whimsy and mischief of early summers. I’ve been a fan of Frederik Backman ever since reading his novel Anxious People, a book that explores various unique characters (all with a witty, gently satirical tone) whose lives masterfully intertwine in the most satisfying way. My Friends follows suit but goes even deeper as it examines the painful yet beautiful experience of being human. This novel captures two different timelines: one that follows a teen girl as she grapples with grief and belonging in the present day; and a second that shares an older man’s recollections of his childhood friends and the summer they spent together. There’s some tough subject matter, but Backman does a phenomenal job of approaching heavy themes with a tone that’s both poignant and humorous—ultimately shifting the focus to the power of lifelong friendship, found family, and unwavering love. This isn’t quite your typical beach read, but it’ll certainly leave you with a sense of optimism and a profound appreciation for life. (TW: abuse, depression, suicide) —Kristine Thomason, interim fitness director
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Yes, this book from The Atlantic CEO is about the complicated relationships of fathers and sons. But it’s also about running and how the activity can be a sport, a therapy, a fresh challenge, a purpose, and more. Running is a microcosm of persevering through the tough things life throws at us, and it can give us the roadmap to doing so as Nicholas Thompson shows us in this heartfelt journey. —Ryan Brower, senior gear and reviews editor
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A friends-to-lovers romance with plenty of yearning, set in the stunning beaches and rainforests of Vancouver Island’s Tofino—Our Perfect Storm has all the makings of an ideal summer read. After the protagonist, Frankie, is dumped by her fiance on the eve of her wedding, her childhood best friend George has a wild idea: They should go on her honeymoon, anyway. This is author Carley Fortune’s latest book (her popular novel Every Summer After was just adapted into a Prime Video series), and it provides all the hallmarks of her stories: the magical feel of summer, slow burn romance, and sweet banter. —KT
Listen, I know most of us are not reading hockey romances for the love of the sport. But, if like me, you find yourself returning to the crease over and over again chasing the high of Heated Rivalry and Off Campus, may I suggest adding Her Slap Shot to your reading list? Here, the forbidden romance is between devoted hockey coach Finley Blake and her childhood crush (and her team’s new defenseman) Beckett Kane. Come for the confident, take-charge FMC and stay for the slow-burn sizzle that could melt ice. —AW
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In the eagerly anticipated sequel to A Forbidden Alchemy, we FINALLY find out what happens to Nina and Patrick. Book 1 roped fans in with its cinematic drama (many have made comparisons to Peaky Blinders) and impeccable character arcs. Book 2 jumps right into the action. Author Stacey McEwan does not disappoint with this continued world building—it reads like an epic film playing out right across the pages. So many more adventures, drama, action and will-they-or-won’t-they questions. I’m already counting down to book 3’s release next summer when we’ll get some closure to this trilogy! —Dangi McCoy, deputy visual director
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Catherine Newman’s whip-smart and hilarious writing will make you laugh, cry, and walk away vowing to live life fuller. And Wreck is short enough you’ll be able to finish it in one sitting under the beach umbrella. Our protagonist, Rocky, is a mom of two young-adult kids, a wife in a decade-long marriage, and a daughter to an aging father. She is relatable to say the least! I’m taking notes from her on how to roll with the hardships and find levity and humor on the journey. This is a follow-up to Sandwich (equally charming) but no pre-requisites are needed to enjoy this one! —DM
Part archaeological thriller, part summer romance, Fossil Feud is for the Jurassic Park girlies, all grown up. After a scandal forces her out of academia, paleontologist Ripley Adams (yes, named after that Ripley) forges her own path forward as a private fossil finder. But she can’t escape her past when handsome Oxford professor James Smithson crashes her dig asking for a favor. What starts as a working relationship slowly becomes more, as the two race to uncover a dino grifter in their midst. Reader, when I say I was on the edge of my seat during the novel’s concluding chapters, it’s not hyperbole. Fossil Feud is one of those special reads that makes good on both the love story and its narrative back bone. (Pun intended.) —AW
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If you have yet to sink your teeth into this buzzy romantasy series from author Lauren Palphreyman—which follows a human princess as she’s kidnapped by a powerful werewolf to use as a pawn in the ongoing war between the two species—now is pretty much the perfect time to do so. Not only is book 3, The Wolf Queen, scheduled for release in November, but Starz announced just last week that it would adapt the tale into a TV series. Let the wolf obsession begin! —AW
Author Madge Maril is back with her next F1-flavored romance The Paddock Club. (If you haven’t read her earlier book Slipstream, what are you waiting for!?!) Cat Cromwell considers herself something of a Romance Robin Hood—women hire her to publicly embarrass the men who’ve done them wrong and she uses the profits to help support her family back home. So far, she’s been able to keep her hustle largely under the radar. That is, until her latest assignment has her crossing paths with driver Faust Ferreira Sanchez, whose quiet intensity both unnerves and intrigues Cat—and has her wondering if he knows more about her game than he’s let on. Fashion, travel, romance, and social commentary collide in this juicy tale that’ll surely send your pulse racing. —AW
Amy Wilkinson is a contributing entertainment editor at Women’s Health, where she edits the magazine’s celebrity cover stories and writes health features. She has previously held editor titles at Entertainment Weekly and MTV News. In 2021, Amy completed her 600-hour teacher-training at Core Pilates NYC to become a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor.
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