The 16 Best Beach Reads For Summer 2021

If The Handmaid's Tale is your thing, then this read is for you—just take it from Handmaid's author Margaret Atwood, who Tweeted her praise of Miriam Toews' "amazing, sad, shocking, but touching novel." After learning that they've been drugged and attacked by men in their community, eight Mennonite women set out to protect themselves and their daughters.   

Even your therapist sees a therapist. Take it from author and psychotherapist, Lori Gottleib, who delivers a deeply personal perspective on what it means to be human—be it if you're sitting on your therapist's couch or in the opposite chair. Not only the greatest title on this list (because, hello, that's super-relatable), but this nonfiction book is also a great health read.

What does it take to persevere in a new country? To pick up and move away from everything you've known? To try to navigate New York City as an undocumented immigrant? These are only some of the questions Melissa Rivero sets out to answer in her debut novel about an undocumented Peruvian woman trying to keep her family afloat in New York City. It may be set in the 1990s but there's an undeniable air of timeliness to Rivero's book that pulls you in and keeps you turning the page. 

Take a trip down memory lane with food icon Ruth Reichl as she details her decade spent at the helm of Gourmet magazine as its final editor-in-chief. Reichl offers you a glimpse into the part-glamorous, part-delicious, and part-turbulent world of publications—and her life—making you feel like an insider in her food-frenzied universe.  

This memoir-in-essays is a lovingly relatable pep talk to all those Type-A's out there (*raises hand*) who are on a mission to finish that life to-do list. It reads like your average convo with your sister, making it the  quintessential "light and easy" beach read, but leaves a mark as author Mary Laura Philpott gently reminds you that sometimes life happens when things don't go the right way.  

Nothing says beach read more than a love story. But, curve ball, this isn't your average Nicholas Sparks romance. Sure, it's just as captivating and heart-warming (if not more! yep, I said it), but it's also a super-fresh take on how modern romances progress. 

What really makes Rooney's novel a can't-put-it-down sensation? Her quirky yet relatable characters that leave you thinking about your own past love affairs. Who needs a summer fling with you can follow this one?  

Believe it or not this is Melinda Gates' first book. If lounging beach-side leaves you yearning for more to do, Melinda's wisdom-backed writing will help alleviate that restlessness. By sharing countless lessons she's learned through her work and travels around the globe, Melinda inspires you to open your eyes to new ways to connect and encourage fellow women. 

If you're married, this title alone might be enough to send chills down your spine. All Lucy ever wanted was to please her mother-in-law Diana. Fast-forward 10 years later and Diana is found dead with a suicide note...only for the autopsy to reveal evidence of a suffocation instead. You won't be able to put down (or forget) this twisty, turn-y family thriller. 

Balli Kaura Jaswal's novel about family drama follows three Pubjabi sisters as they travel to their homeland to bury their mother. Considered an Indian This Is Where I Leave You (here for it!), this A+ read delivers laughs, tears, and a serious book hangover once complete—the tell-tale sign of a good novel. Odds are you'll be left contemplating your own family's quirks, the tensions between tradition and modernity, and the challenges of being an immigrant. Woah. Sign me up

While a book of essays isn't everyone's idea of a summer read, this raw and comedic collection will change your mind. Strung together by the theme of mother-child bonding, each essay is different from the next. You'll be left contemplating what it means to be your mother's child—and feeling like you should probably give Mom a call—stat.   

From the author that rocked the lit world with her 2018 novel The Kiss Quotient, comes an equally addicting read that is perfect for summer. Author Helen Hoang tells the story of an arranged relationship between Khai, who struggles to feel emotions due to autism, and Esme, a Vietnamese girl who just wants to belong. And before you know it, you're pages deep in a modern romantic read, where you, alongside the characters, are learning that there are in fact many different versions of love. 

Ever heard of a little (*sarcasm*) novel called Eat, Pray, Love? Well the same acclaimed author who wrote that beloved phenomenon is back for round two with this highly anticipated summer read about 1940s New York City. Told from the perspective of an older woman looking back on her youth, Gilbert's newest fiction is an undeniably fun exploration of female sexuality, promiscuity, and individuality—all wrapped up in a juicy love story. 

Jennifer Weiner's newest novel follows the very disparate paths of sisters Jo and Bethie Kaufman from their childhood in 1950s suburban Detroit throughout the iconic 60s, 70s.

Sure, it's fun to dip into the waters of history, but what really make this book a summer sensation is Weiner's female characters that capture your attention and make you feel lots of feels. Set a reminder on your phone to reapply SPF because time will fly reading this one... 

With a plot that's ever-so-slightly reminiscent of Where'd You Go Bernadette?, this book's tangled story (ex-wife drops off kids, ex-wife disappears, man tries to juggle it all) is everything you could wish for in a satisfying summer read. Taffy Brodesser-Akner's page turner doubles as a satirical take on modern relationships as the main character, Toby Fleishman, is also faced with navigating the murky waters of life post-separation with dating apps (and children and, oh, an MIA ex-wife). 

Fact: On every long list of summer reads should be a juicy female friendship story. 

Also fact: This is the one for 2021. 

Lauren Mechling's novel offers a look into the highly competitive world of New York media, from print to podcasting, and the (ugh) nearly as competitive world of women. It's a painfully yet shrewdly relatable story of the trials and tribulations of adulting with friends who are all at different stages in life.   

Two words: Colson Whitehead. Okay, that's just a name, but it speaks volumes. Whether you're new to the world of Whitehead or you've already read his iconic titles like The Underground Railroad, you will without a doubt be consumed by his newest novel based on the real story of a reform school in early 1960s Jim Crow South. The horrors of Nickel Academy aren't always easy to digest—and that's exactly what makes this read so captivating and eye-opening.