11 literary beach reads to throw in your tote

The beach read sweet spot, in my opinion

Jul 23, 2024

Last summer, I had an aha moment. I had just read the final sentences of a summery new release and closed the cover. I was soaking in how much I loved it (which one, you ask? More on that below...) and connecting the dots between a few similar books I loved, realizing how they fell into the same subgenre. I realized I had found my sweet spot for beach reads: the literary beach read.

A literary beach read leans more literary but is still set in a *very* summery location. It features complex characters, whether they are family, young folks coming of age, or a group of endearing friends.

What I love about these types of books is that they have an impeccable summer setting and feel but more depth than a typical summer book. No shade, I love a good summer romance or contemporary fiction novel! But sometimes, you also crave something more complicated that dives into what it means to be human.

Curiously, several of these books have a horrendously low Goodreads rating. But they have all been 4+ star reads for me, so don't let yourself be deterred by the suspiciously low ratings. I'm chalking it up to the fact that the internet hates complicated women, many of which these books feature 🙃

11 literary beach reads to throw in your tote

The Wedding People by Alison Espach. After her husband leaves her and her cat dies, a woman heads to a luxury hotel in Newport, RI, intending to take her cat's pain medication and not wake up. Instead, she finds herself amidst a week-long wedding and quickly becomes enmeshed with the wedding party. This one’s out on 7/30. I read an ARC and adored it; I already know it’s going to be in my top 10 this year.

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead. A WASP-y family gathers at their island home to celebrate their daughter's wedding. It's chock-full of lobster, champagne, and family secrets. I've read this twice and am considering making it an annual summer read.

The Guest by Emma Cline. An edge of uneasiness threads through this novel set in Long Island during the last week of summer as a young woman who makes a living putting on a facade plans how to reunite with her lover.

The Summer Demands by Deborah Shapiro. A quiet novel that explores ambition and female desire set over the course of one emotional summer at an abandoned summer camp in central Massachusetts.

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. Set during one perfect August day at a rustic family home in Cape Cod, this novel is full of mystery and intrigue and feels like a hot summer's day.

Wait by Gabriella Burnham. Two sisters spend a summer at their home in Nantucket, straddling the worlds of the locals and the affluent summer families while they wait to see if their mother will be deported.

Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur. Complicated family dynamics abound in this novel set in Cape Cod during the lead-up to the patriarch's 70th birthday party, where secrets come to light.

Very Nice by Marcy Dermansky. A darkly funny novel about a mother-daughter duo who cross paths with the same man during one summer week at their sprawling Connecticut home.

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner. A 30-something woman needs a reset and takes a job leading a two-week cycling trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, during which she asks herself, "What's next?"

Swimming Home by Deborah Levy. A group of friends visit the south of France for their summer vacation and discover an unexpected guest when they arrive.

The Last Book Party by Karen Dukess. A coming-of-age story set over one summer in Cape Cod steeped in the power dynamics of the 1980s publishing world.