10 Beach Reads to Keep You Entertained This Summer

From new releases to old favorites, consider this your definitive reading guide for whiling away those hot summer days.

It’s hot. It’s lazy. It’s summer. It’s time to get stuck into a good book. Whether you're going on holiday or staying home, the extended break is the perfect time to lose yourself in a novel or work of nonfiction.

Whether you're partial to a romance story or prefer a good autobiography, this round-up of 10 books to put on your summer reading list is sure to keep you well entertained during the holiday break and take you on the ultimate literary escape.

1. Taste by Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci, the man behind Instagram’s favourite martinis and negronis, has written a whole memoir dedicated to food, glorious, food. He’s such a great storyteller, Stanley Tucci, and he writes this book about eating, tasting, feasting, and merry making with such pizazz and panache. It’s such a joy, and we can’t wait to spend all summer long reading this memoir.

2. Love & Virtue by Diana Reid

Compared to Sally Rooney’s Normal People only with a Sydney setting, Diana Reid’s Love & Virtue is on our summer reading wishlist. Reid has written a book about morality, friendship, class and connection, all set against the backdrop of the first year of university. There’s sex and lots of swimming too, which all summer books should have if they possibly can. A must-read.

3. Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Following the whirlwind romance between Cleo, a British artist in New York, and Frank, an older, successful advertising executive. Their impulsive marriage brings both passion and turbulence, exposing deep-seated insecurities and personal struggles – what more would you want to read about while lying by the pool? This page-turner captures the raw, often chaotic nature of modern relationships, blending sharp wit with poignant insights into the human condition.

4. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

Great Circle is just a proper Novel with a capital N. Maggie Shipstead tells a sprawling story in this epic book, spanning the decades as she charts the tale of a young explorer who is lost to the world, and many years later, the Hollywood star playing her in a film of her life. It’s a gripping book that you’ll want to sink your teeth into. Addictive reading for long, lazy weekends.

5. The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Delving into the philosophy and mindset required for creativity, American record executive and record producer, Rick Rubin emphasises the importance of presence, openness, and authenticity when it comes to creation. Sharing insights on how to nurture and harness one's creative potential, this mind opening book inspires the reader to think outside of the box, advocating for a holistic approach that integrates many different facets of creativity. A perfect summer read for anyone looking to harness their inner creativity, allowing them to flourish and thrive during the warmer months.

6. The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Nothing like a twisted, shocking murder mystery for a long day spent reading at the beach. The Talented Mr Ripley isn’t a new release, but we think it’s high time it’s enjoyed again by new audiences discovering it for the first time. The story follows Tom Ripley, a con artist who leeches himself onto Dickie Greenleaf over the course of a summer in Europe, with nasty ends for almost all involved.

7. The Gentleman From Peru by André Aciman

Sensual and intriguing, The Gentleman From Peru is the latest novel from the international bestselling author of Call Me By Your Name. Unfolding against the sunbaked backdrop of a luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast, a group of friends finds themselves stranded while their boat is being repaired. While marooned, they can’t help but notice the daily routine of another hotel guest – a mysterious older gentleman who smokes a cigarette, or two, on the verandah every night. A perfect summer read to accompany long and lazy beach days, or sleepless balmy evenings.

8. Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn

Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels are a light-hearted Regency romp and, with more than eight titles in the franchise so far, you’ve got plenty of material to get stuck into over your summer break – and fill the Bridgerton-shaped hole in your heart now that the Netflix series has wrapped up. You can start at the first book if you like and get reacquainted with the Duke and Daphne, but we definitely recommend reading book two so that you can become very familiar with the story of Viscount Anthony and Kate, whom we’re going to see a lot of in Bridgerton season two very shortly. There’s nothing better for a summer holiday than a bag full of romance novels, trust us.

9. Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan

Perhaps one of the best summer reads of all time, and only a small little novella, so you can race through it over the course of a single afternoon. Set during a summer in the south of France, when a precocious teenager joins her womaniser father at their house by the coast, it’s got a little bit of everything you could want in a summer read: love, family drama, ritzy parties and the glittering ocean. Addictive and glamorous and oh so chic.

10. Happy Place by Emily Henry

You can always count on Emily Henry to deliver the perfect summer romance page-turner. She writes relationships like no one’s business, and her latest novel, Happy Place, is no exception. Ex-fiancés Harriet and Wyn embark on a final summer trip with friends, only there’s one problem – no one knows they’ve broken up, and they’d like to keep it that way.