Summer: the season of melting popsicles, questionable SPF coverage, and pretending we’re going to read “just one more chapter” instead of reapplying sunscreen. I set out with a massive summer TBR and somehow powered through 15 books between iced coffee binges and sweating through my bookmarks. Some reads gave me heatwave-level thrills, some were lukewarm at best, and a few I wish I’d left at the bottom of the beach bag.
Here’s the full recap of my summer fling with books—the ones worth packing in your tote, and the ones better left behind like last year’s flip-flops.
The “Shut Up, I’m Reading Award Winners
Summer calls for books that make you laugh, cry, swoon, and maybe Google “mobile book vans for sale.” Here are my five favorites that carried me through scorching afternoons, iced coffee in hand.
The Bookshop in the Shore by Jenny Colgan
If Mary Poppins ditched her umbrella for a book van and parked it in the Scottish Highlands, this would be her story. Zoe and her son Hari get a fresh start surrounded by chaos, children, and (yes) a mobile bookshop. Subplots I thought would derail the charm? They didn’t. The kids are chaos goblins in the best way, Zoe is messy but hopeful, and the cozy vibes are tartan-blanket perfection. A sweet escape with just enough heart to linger.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2019
The Unhoneymooners (Unhoneymooners, #1) by Christine Lauren
Enemies-to-lovers? Check. Fake honeymoon in Hawaii? Double check. The premise is utterly ridiculous—taking your sister’s honeymoon with the best man you despise—but that’s exactly what makes it delicious. It reads like a Hollywood rom-com: equal parts bickering, banter, and swoony moments that’ll have you grinning into your beach towel. Is it believable? Nope. Is it fun? Absolutely. Summer escapism at its fizziest.
429 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2019
My Ex-Husband’s Ex-Husband: A Novel by Rachel Cohn
This one is as messy and delightful as its title. It follows the tangled webs of relationships with wit, sharp humor, and a surprising amount of heart. It’s less about the “exes” and more about how family—chosen and otherwise—sticks together in unexpected ways. Smart, funny, and packed with banter, this is one to pre-order before everyone else catches on.
208 pages, paperback
Upcoming Release, November 18, 2025
James by Percival Everett
There’s a reason this book is topping charts and scooping up awards: it’s that good. Everett retells Huck Finn through Jim’s eyes, delivering a searing, heartbreaking, and brilliantly layered story about slavery, freedom, and survival. Just when you think you know where it’s going, it twists, reminding you that allegory can cut deep. It’s not a “light summer fling” of a read, but it will sit with you long after the pool water dries.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2024
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Where has this book been all my life, and why did I wait ten years to read it? It’s the kind of story that makes you laugh, ache, and then ugly cry into your iced latte. Quirky characters orbit around a cranky bookseller, weaving together themes of love, loss, and second chances. Basically: it’s bookish perfection. I loved it, and I’m already recommending it to everyone with a pulse.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2014
These five reads were the perfect mix of cozy, swoony, and soul-shaking. Whether you want enemies-to-lovers fireworks, mobile bookshop whimsy, or the kind of novel that redefines a classic, there’s something here to pack in your beach bag (or hide from your kids with in the pantry—no judgment).
The “Fine, I Guess?” 5 Books That Were… Okay-ish
Not every book is a life-changer, and that’s okay. Some reads are good, not great. Cozy, not earth-shattering. Solid three-star energy. Here are five books that left me shrugging, “Yeah, fine. I guess.”
Death Stake (Trasker, #2) by Andrew Mayne
Bangkok. Spies. Adrenaline. This is Mayne doing what he does best—fast-paced, cinematic, and full of “is someone following me?” vibes. The second Trasker book delivers plenty of thrills, but it doesn’t reinvent the genre. Think Mission: Impossible, but in paperback. Fun? Sure. Unforgettable? Not quite.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2024
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
A bookshop and magical realism? Say less. I adored the premise and cried more than once, but the whimsical flourishes sometimes stole focus from the plot. Gorgeous, emotional, and tea-time worthy, but left me wishing for a smidge less glitter, a smidge more grounding.
432 pages. Kindle Edition
Published June 22, 2023
Family & Other Calamities by Leslie Gray Streeter
This book is basically one big family reunion—complete with drama, chaos, and the occasional “who covered that up?” moment. Funny in parts, unbelievable in others, it reads like a sitcom you half-binge, half-side-eye. Still, it earns a spot on the “light summer read” shelf.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2025
Wizard of Most Wicked Ways (Whimbrel House, #4) by Charlie N. Holmberg
Holmberg closes out the Whimbrel House series with style—magical, whimsical, and centered on Owein (finally). It’s beautifully written and satisfying, but like any series finale, it carries the faint sadness of goodbye. Fingers crossed for an Owein spinoff because I’m not done with him yet.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2025
Lightning in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann
Heartbreaking, tender, and layered with themes of spousal abuse and recovery, this book goes deep. It’s powerful, but heavy—and at times uneven. A worthwhile read for those who want a story of resilience and self-discovery, but don’t expect it to leave you with a cozy glow.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2025
These weren’t bad reads—they just didn’t crack my “must-reread immediately” list. If you’re in the mood for spy chases, magical bookshops, or bittersweet self-discovery, these will scratch the itch. Just don’t expect fireworks.
The “Why Did I Bother?” Section: 5 Books I Wish I Could Unread
Sometimes a book is so meh (or so spicy with zero plot) that by the end you wonder if you could’ve just… not. These are the ones I wish I could gently pluck from my brain cells and replace with literally anything else.
Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot
Witches, small-town drama, mystical love interests—it should have been fun. Instead, it felt like high school gossip wrapped in adult clothing with a “save the world (well, Connecticut)” side plot. Magical, maybe. Memorable, nope.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2023
That Kind of Guy (Queen’s Cove, #1) by Stephanie Archer
Small-town spice, enemies-to-lovers, neighbor-next-door trope. On paper, it’s catnip. In reality? Just a whole lot of sighing and spice with nothing holding it together. If you’re here for plot, look elsewhere. If you’re here for spice? …Well, you’ve been warned.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2021
The Library of the Dead (Edinburgh Nights, #1) by T.L. Huchu
Do I like this book? Do I hate it? Still can’t decide. The paranormal elements hooked me, but the writing style? Absolute slog. The Scottish slang didn’t mesh for me, and finishing felt like wading through treacle. And yet—yes, I own book two, because apparently I hate myself.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2021
Steady Now by Liberty Stowe
This debut had so much promise, but it crumbled under its own weight. The pacing dragged, the characters felt half-baked, and the emotional payoff never landed. By the end, I was skimming, which is never a good sign. File under: “could’ve been great, wasn’t.”
437 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2025
The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn
Ah yes, city girl moves to a Scottish village, finds broody local love interest, and “saves” a failing coffee shop. Except plot takes a backseat to spice, spice, and—you guessed it—more spice. Cute moments? Sure. But when the entire storyline is basically subplot to the steam, I’m out.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2021
Every reader has a “why did I bother” shelf, and these are mine. Not the worst books ever, but definitely the ones that made me wish I’d just doom-scrolled Insta instead.
Summer Trope Report: The Good, The Bad, and The Sand in My Pages
Tropes that won’t die: brooding sad boys on summer vacation. (Do they all by their trench coats in bulk?)
Rom-com meet-cutes in coffee shops are still a thing–except now, it’s “accidentlly spilling iced lattes.”
Found family stories? Still thriving. Still the SPF of my reading life,
Reader Confessional: Spill Your Iced Tea
Okay, bookworms: which book made your summer sparkle? Which one you regret shoving into your beach tote? Tell me in the comments–I want your hot takes hotter than the sidewalk in July.
Final Summer Roast & Toast
Best Book of the Summer:
Worst Book of the Summer:
Overall Mood:
Coming Soon: My Fall TBR (a.k.a. My E-Reader is About to Explode)
Summer’s over, my iced coffee budget is crying, and now it’s time to swap poolside screen glare for cozy blanket borritos and the warm glow of my e-reader at 2 a.m.
What’s loading onto my digital shelves this fall?
Creepy thrillers that will make me side-eye the shadows in my house (thank you, backlit screen)
Dark academia picks to pair with overpriced coffee and the delusion that I belong at Hogwarts.
Cozy romances that will have me tapping “next page” faster than you can say pumpkin spice latte.
And yes–too many to-be-published on hold, forcing me into speed-reading chaos like it’s the Olympics.
So charge your Kindle, update your Goodreads, and tick off those wishlists–and get ready for my Fall E-Reader TBR Preview. Because this season, it’s less about stacking books and more about pretending 46 downloads don’t count as “too many.”
