Best Beach Reads For Summer 2018

The 10 Best Books You'll Read This Summer

Aug 29 2018 by Sian Meades

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Choosing what books to take on holiday is as much fun as picking out bikinis and shoes, and with all of the extra time you've got for lounging about and doing not very much in the sun, just one book isn't going to cut it (especially not if your flight is delayed). So here's our roundup of the very best books to read on your holiday. Whether you're into thrillers, charming chick lit, or something a little out of the ordinary, we've got you covered. There's even some debut authors in the mix so you can discover a brand-new writer; cue bragging rights when they hit the big time and you've loved them right from the start. Read on for the only books you need to squish into your suitcase.

Image Source: Unsplash / Angello Lopez

How Do You Like Me Now?

You know when Marian Keyes recommends a book that it's worth your time, and How Do You Like Me Now? (£8) is going to be the book that everyone's got on their Kindles on the beach. On paper, Holly Bourne's leading lady, Tori, appears to be absolutely winning at life, but she's living a lie and it's about to unravel.

The Sapphire Widow

Dinah Jefferies's latest novel, The Sapphire Widow (£4), is a Richard and Judy book club pick about a couple living in Sri Lanka in the 1930s (Ceylon, as it was called then), who are desperate to have a child. This is one of those books that will sweep you up while you lounge by the pool.

Promising Young Women

Caroline O'Donoghue's debut Promising Young Women (£9) definitely isn't your average career-girl novel. It tells the story of a drunken office party gone wrong and being the Other Woman, but the novel takes a Gothic and surprising twist.

The Female Persuasion

We'll stop whatever we're doing to read anything Meg Wolitzer pens, and The Female Persuasion (£9) is no exception. It tells the story of shy college student Greer, who is dazzled by the elegant Faith. Feminism, friendship, and ambition take centre stage in this timely novel.

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The Lido

Not got a holiday planned this year? Libby Page's debut novel The Lido (£8) is actually set in South London, so it's the perfect staycation read. It's about two women — Rosemary, who's 86, and Kate, who is 60 years her junior — and the friendship that's formed in their fight to save their local outdoor pool. It's completely charming.

Swan Song

If you're obsessed with old-school New York, you'll gobble up Swan Song (£8) before you've even gotten off the plane. This is the story of Truman Capote's self-destruction and his betrayal of his beloved swans, the society women who ruled Manhattan. If you're after glamorous outfits, beautiful women, and a huge scandal, this is the book for you.

Everything I Know About Love

If you've read Dolly Alderton's dating column in the Sunday Times, you might think you've got the gist of this book, but it's not really about men or dating. Everything I Know About Love (£8) is Dolly's bestselling memoir and it is about love, but it's also about female friendship and how to put yourself back together after heartbreak.

Lullaby

Think it's going to be jetlag keeping you awake at 4 a.m.? It's more likely to be Lullaby (£4.50). This thriller set in Paris is about the perfect family and their nanny — until something goes very, very wrong. The book takes its story from a real-life case, which only adds to the haunting story.

The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder

This is an unexpected thriller about a boy with synaesthesia called Jasper. He sees the world, and his emotions, in different colours. One day he sees the colour of murder, and his neighbour Bee Larkham (£8) still hasn't come home. This is an astonishing debut novel.

Bee Larkham

£8

from amazon.co.uk

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Little Fires Everywhere

If you like your beach reads to give you something to think about, Little Fires Everywhere (£6) is perfect. It's about a small but perfectly formed suburban town in Cleveland, OH, where an adoption case divides everyone who lives there and tears apart the lives of two women. Reese Witherspoon loved it, too.