The ‘best summer reads’ is a bold statement. But, honestly. I don’t care. In my opinion, these 6 summer books stand far above the rest. 

Being a mood reader in summer is hard, because most summer book recs are cute and cosy. Which is perfect for the days when I’m in the mood for an easy read. 

But, I also love plot twists, mysteries, secrets, and books that emotionally consume me. So I always think, “Where are the summer reads for us?” 

Where are the books giving summer atmosphere plus the darkness, tension, and emotional complexity? The books that don’t tiptoe around the hard conversations or topics? 

Some days, I want to switch off and relax. Other days, I want more. I want to laugh, I want to cry, I want to be awake at 4am saying just one more chapter. I’ll deal with the consequences later, lol. 

Quick Look

• For an emotionally heightened second chance romance try Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
• For a psychological mystery try We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
• For an unhinged romantic suspense try Nightshade by Briar Black
• For a dysfunctional family saga try Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• For emotional damage and family revelations try Beach Read by Emily Henry 
• For cosy vibes try Booked For The Summer by Kathryn Freeman

Morally Messy Protagonist? Yes Please.

I’m sure you’ve all seen by now the trending series on Amazon Prime, Every Year After. But, have you read the book? If you’ve not explored either yet, then this is the perfect summer read for you. 

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune is an emotionally heightened romance told over six summers, and one weekend.

I thought I was going crazy when I first saw the show’s name as Every Year After instead of Every Summer After. Until I found out that Fortune said in an interview that the name change opened the show up to live beyond the book.

Now, I don’t want to get too excited but, am I hearing more seasons? 

This is not a typical breezy comedy romance, it’s one of those friends to lovers to everything explodes in your face, with a very, and I mean very, morally messy protagonist. Persephone “Percy” Fraser. 

I’m kind of obsessed with her. Yes, she makes mistakes, and doesn’t go about everything how a person probably should. But, in my opinion, it’s so relatable. It’s real, and it really lets you into the mental battles she was facing, especially surrounding her clear undeniable connection with Sam. The development of their relationship being shown throughout dual timelines made it so much more convincing in my opinion. 

The nostalgia created by the vivid summer setting, the cosy cottage on the lake, the restaurant for all the locals. It made me want to visit Barry’s Bay myself, and book a lodge on a lake.

I noticed a heap of similarities to The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. The contrasting brothers. Betrayal. Grief. Longing. Regret. Mix it all up and you’ve got the perfect book for summer. A beautiful lakeside summer setting and an emotionally heavy, gradual, romantic awakening. What more could you want?

Memory Gaps. Private Island. And A Mystery.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a psychological mystery, set on a private island, following an extremely rich, seemingly perfect family. We navigate the story with Cadence Sinclair Eastman as she tries to piece together what happened 2 years ago in Summer 15. 

Now, I LOVE an unreliable narrator, and E. Lockhart channels that perfectly through memory gaps following a head injury. Normally I’m good at predicting plot twists, but in this book? There was no chance. I was in shock.

We Were Liars is perfect for summer, not because it has a gentle, calming, the-world-goes-quiet atmosphere, but because it goes one step further. The beautiful private island made me feel a sense of summer nostalgia alongside the overwhelming uneasiness. 

The romance is secondary and symbolic, rather than deeply developed, as the lies, secrets, trauma, denial, and incomplete memory take the reins. 

It’s a perfect combination.

She Did. He Did. They Did What!

Speaking of perfect combinations, it would be wrong not to include my own unhinged, feral, dark cottagecore, literary love affair, where you’ll reach the end thinking ‘wtf I did not expect that’. 

This plot heavy romantic suspense follows Suzie, a lost and lonely bee expert, who’s returned home to Cheshire to help save the bees at the huge country estate she once visited when she was a child, all the while figuring out how to find happiness again.

Sounds cute and cosy. Right? 

Wrong.

Nightshade is not just any old slow-burn forbidden romance. The vivid countryside setting that lets you feel the sun seeping through the trees onto your skin, and the sense of calm where everything feels softer and lighter is perfect for summer. 

And yes, Hugh Delaware, the brooding heir to the estate, is a total silver fox. 

But, the plot? It gets dark. 

We’re talking sabotage, lies, betrayal, murder, revelations, a private investigator, and you have no idea who to trust. 

If you want to gasp, hold your breath, adjust reading positions because you’re so on-edge, but also laugh out loud, and blush at undeniable connections, this one’s for you. Nightshade is the perfect romantic suspense book to read this summer.

The Last Hurrah And A Ton Of Unresolved Tension

When you hear Malibu, you think celebrities, parties, surfing, fashion. And you’d be correct. 

Kind of. 

Take all of the above, imagine it’s August 1983, and you’re at the annual end of summer party. The entire atmosphere perfectly creates that ‘let loose’ summer feeling. But, don’t be fooled, Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid takes all those expectations and mixes it up with secrets and betrayal.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has crafted an incredible dysfunctional family saga, packed with emotional weight, family revelations, unresolved tension, and catastrophe. 

I really sympathised with Nina, the eldest Riva sibling. Among the other 3, she never put herself first, always focused on everyone else’s needs and it really tugged at my heart. And aside all of that, I could not have predicted the catastrophe that was yet to follow.

If you love dual timelines, messy family history, and a strong suspenseful plot, you’ll love this book for summer.

Two Authors. One Summer. And A Deal.

2 polar opposite Authors, January Andrews, and former college rival Augustus Everett. 

Both stuck in a writer’s rut. January’s a happy ending romance author. Augustus will kill off every single character (my kinda guy). Obviously, I was invested from the get go. This one’s definitely for all my fellow authors, writers, and bookish people.

This emotionally heavy slow-burn follows the journey of two damaged people reconsidering love and pessimism from new perspectives. They unpack secrets, past trauma, grief, disillusionment, and complicated family revelations. 

The revelation that someone can be loving and still cause a lot of hurt, really touched me. The anger and confusion was extremely relatable, and watching January mourn a version of people she once knew after secrets unravelled shattered me. If you’ve ever experienced bereavement or complicated family situations you’ll connect with this book on an even deeper level. 

Beach Read by Emily Henry may not be entirely cosy, but let’s not brush over the fact that it’s genuinely hilarious. And the shared sarcasm, competitive history, and gradual intimacy between January and Augustus makes them seem genuinely compatible way beyond physical attraction. 

Set on the beautiful Lake Michigan, this book by Emily Henry is perfect for summer reading. 

Take It Easy. Or Don’t.

If an easy-read, cosy, summer romance is what you’re after then Booked For The Summer by Kathryn Freeman is the perfect choice. 

The atmosphere of this book really reminded me of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore. 

Yes, they’re set in different seasons. But, the cosy, comforting escape. Grumpy/sunshine trope. Small town vibes. It all draws the two books together in my opinion.

However, it’s not your typical grumpy/sunshine trope.

I think Liam surpasses the typical brooding byronic stereotype, his resentment towards the wealthier residents due to past experiences gives him so much more emotional depth and character compared to your typical brooding byronic man. 

And Jade’s determination to prove herself and not just be judged by her looks adds that extra complexity to her face-value stubbornness about saving the bookshop. I’m a sucker for strong, career driven FMCs and this really was the icing on the cake for me. 

Jade and Liam’s relationship turns lustful quite quickly. But, if you’re like me and love a bit of spice, then you’ll agree when I say it was perfect.

The summery, small town island atmosphere, and the breezy nature of the book makes this a very easy, perfect, lying-on-the-beach (or in your garden) summer book. 

Cosy Romances Aren’t Bad. Sometimes We Just Want More.

Don’t get me wrong. Even I, the kill-off-every-character, ruin-their-life, author, love a cosy romance. 

When I’m in the mood. 

Other times, I want more. No, I need more. I crave it. 

Even if I’m lying on the beach in a hot country on the other side of the world. I’m still a mood reader. And I know I’m not the only one. 

So, it drives me nuts when there’s no summer book recommendations to match how I’m feeling. 

Whether it’s a second chance romance with unforgivable mistakes, a psychological mystery, a dramatic family saga, or an unhinged romantic suspense. I want it. I want them all.