8 Summer Reads You Won’t Be Able to Put Down

Put on your reddest lipstick and pour yourself a drink: You’re about to be plunged into the glamorous world of 1950s Texas society, as you follow lifelong friends Joan and Cece through one pivotal summer.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to retreat to a quieter way of living, this novel—which follows a Southern gentleman returning to his hometown with his New York wife in tow—makes the case that the simple life is never actually that simple.

This is the book you’ll be hearing about all year. Mohsin Hamid’s tale of two people who fall in love—and are then forced to escape their country as it’s torn apart by violence—is lush, powerful and evocative. It’s both a timeless love story and a timely commentary on immigration.

Both a portrait of 1970s Italy and a tale of family ambition, this novel (out July 11) follows three young men and their families as they attempt to build a textile factory from scratch. Read it, then book a ticket to Tuscany ASAP.

Fans of sweeping wartime epics need to pick up this beautifully written novel, stat. Set during World War II, the story follows three very different women (a New York socialite, a German doctor and a Polish teenager) through several tumultuous years. While at times incredibly sad, it’s also a powerful reminder of the importance of real friendships, dignity and grace.

This debut novel is the nostalgic camp friendship saga that will have you daydreaming about your own childhood. Summer BFFs Rachel and Fiona reunite as counselors at the camp where they first met, only to discover how much has changed since their days as carefree kids.

You’ve never read the Lizzie Borden story like this. Sarah Schmidt’s captivating debut novel (out August 1) retells one of the most famous murder cases of all time from the views of four people, focusing less on the actual murders and instead on the secrets of a turbulent household. 

What, you didn’t think we’d forget to include a book set in the Hamptons, did you? Cassie and Peck are half-sisters with little in common when they inherit a beach house from an eccentric relative, and the story that unfolds is both a tribute to the classic Fitzgerald tale and the East End itself.