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Best Beach Reads – Best 2022 Summer Books

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Whether you’re relaxing next to the ocean or in a lounge chair on your back porch, your summer reading will be more enjoyable with one of these books in your hand and another in your beach bag.

Three summery book covers featuring beaches, center cover title The Unsinkable Greta James

What type of book makes a good beach read?

We want our summer books to be very engaging, but not super-deep. The kinds of books that keep the pages turning are key, especially when there are light, fun moments to counter serious scenes. Sometimes we want a love story, sometimes a family drama, and sometimes we want a gripping novel full of suspense. Our favorites are often those that allow us to escape to a different world for a few hours…usually one with more sand and more waves. Who doesn’t want to feel like they’re on an island for a while?

With that description in mind, we gathered some of our past favorite beach books as well as fun new titles for 2022 to give you a good book selection that will keep you entertained all summer long.

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The Best Beach Read Books

These 2022 books were our favorites last year. We'll update this post soon with the new 2023 beach read releases that we're most looking forward to reading!

PREVIOUS SUMMER PICKS

Looking for a book you might have a better chance of snagging at the library without a long wait?

These are our favorite summer reads published before 2022.

More Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List

If you love reading light and fun romantic comedy books in the summer as much as we do, you can browse lots of great rom-com book recommendations all in one place.

White text on pink background reading "The Best Beach Reads for 2022" - text over four beachy book covers

Have you read any great books for summer this year? Share them in the comments below!

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Best Books to Read in Spring

Saturday 11th of March 2023

[…] the best spring break books to read while lounging in the sand, be sure to check our list of the best beach reads for even more great springtime reading […]

Books to Read in the Fall of 2022

Friday 10th of March 2023

[…] also agreed that fall is a season of deeper reads after the light beach read season. Thrillers and mysteries for Halloween, back-to-school themes, and books with cozy fall […]

Audrey

Saturday 17th of September 2022

Read Homewreakers and The Hotel Nantucket this 2022 beach reading season. Both were excellent! Didn’t want to get of the beach.

Maria

Thursday 23rd of June 2022

Read this second volume short story; The Ritual. Its was funny and lighter than the first full novel which I love. The Ritual can be read without reading the first novel, it stands on its own. The Ritual: Volume Two of The Eulogist https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Y9J4SVM/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_8WAF58B1222FK9KGPF4W

This is his first book: The Eulogist https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VJLJ5W4/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_M9G3NDCBKGF2NDRDBH7V

Beth Gentry

Thursday 22nd of July 2021

Great list! I've read several of these. The Guncle has been my favorite this year. I really liked Shipped, Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, and One to Watch too. I've got The Siren and Road Trip on my list! I've started Big Summer a couple times, but I haven't gotten into it. I'm reading Dial 'A' for Aunties right now. I finished a fun beach read last week called The Layover.