Hey friends,

It’s officially summer!

I know that in the U.S. and especially in New Jersey/on the Northeast Corridor, we have been embracing summer since Memorial Day Weekend (#mdw). But June 21st (or 20th…) was the summer solstice, which is the OFFICIAL start of the summer season.

In an effort to embrace the summer, I have been reading a TON of summery books to really get myself in the summer mindset. And nothing says summer more to me than a quick jaunt to the New England seaside.

For those of you who are also looking for New England Coastal vibes without having to travel, I have some 5 star book recs to get you there!

Nantucket

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand

You can’t talk about Nantucket reads without talking about the queen of Nantucket reads, Elin Hilderbrand. This is her final Nantucket based novel (and I believe her 30th book set on the island). The story follows Chief of Police, Ed Kapenash, as he investigates one final case before his retirement involving the Richardsons, a new couple to Nantucket who host swanky parties and whose summer ends with their mansion being burnt down and their personal assistant going missing. It’s part who dun it, part “I’m here for the summer vibes.” The final pages of the novel got me a bit misty eyed. And Hilderbrand always does an amazing job of making her “beach read” books feel somewhat literary. I loved all the characters and really got sucked into the setting. A great beginning of summer read.

Martha’s Vineyard

Liar’s Beach by Katie Cotugno (YA Thriller)

I got to be honest, at first I was like, “Hm. This is ridiculous.” But then…I kind of really liked it. The dialogue was a little cringey in parts and the “thriller” part was kind of lame…but if you’re just going into this for a quick read and an immersive Martha’s Vineyard experience, then proceed full steam. The story is about Linden, who goes to visit his rich boarding school friend, Jaspar, at his family’s house on Martha’s Vineyard at the end of the summer. When Jaspar’s family nemesis is found comatose in Jaspar’s family’s pool after a party, a whodunit ensues. It’s equal parts reimagined teenage Great Gatsby mixed with a bit of Agatha Christie and a dash of Harriet the Spy. Mainly, you spend time with the characters as they get ice cream, swim in the pool, and party at bonfires on the beach. Total New England summer vibes.

Cape Cod

The Darlings by Hannah McKinnon

If you love old money snobbery, this book is a win. The novel head hops between Tish (the grandmother), Cora (the mother), and Andi (Cora’s daughter). When Tish reveals a deep dark family secret, the state of the Darlings and their summer home, Riptide, is thrown into chaos. I enjoyed all three women’s stories but was really disappointed by the lack of redemption or character development for Tish. And the ending was a little…quiet. Overall, the story is teeming with summer beach vibes that will make you feel as though you are summering with the Darlings on the Cape. For that alone, I gave it 5 stars.

Block Island (Rhode Island)

Summer Stage by Meg Mitchell Moore

A great summer read about mending family and finding happiness. At its bones, the novel is about Amy, a once aspiring playwright, her brother, Timothy, a successful actor who found fame and fortune, and Amy’s daughter, Sam, a Disney child star, who returns to Block Island after leaving the TikTok house where she’d been filming in Manhattan for mysterious reasons. Amy, Sam, and Timothy work together to produce a play that will hopefully help them find their way back to each other. I swear to you, while I was reading this, I felt like I was on Block Island. I felt the hot sun while I was riding bikes with Sam. I could see the ferry as I disembarked with Timothy. This book shouted summer to me so viscerally that I can still remember how I felt reading it…and I read it last summer.

Newport, Rhode Island

The Lost Summers of Newport by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

I ate this book up when I read it in 2022. So much so that I went on to read other books by these authors because I couldn’t get enough. (I also love Newport, Rhode Island, so I might be a touch biased.) The novel centers around a house on Newport that is an aging Gilded Age mansion chosen by a hit reality renovations show for updates. But we head hop between Ellen Daniels who is employed by the Sprague family in 1899, Lucia “Lucky” Sprague, who in 1958, hides a terrifying secret, and Andie Figuero, host of Mansion Makeover, who, in 2019, runs into some roadblocks with the owner, Lucky Sprague. I got totally lost in each of the women’s stories and in the hallowed halls of Sprague Hall. You also get the glitz and glamour of Newport as you attend parties and events with each of the different characters. I can’t recommend this book enough.

The Gilded Newport Mystery Series by Alyssa Maxwell

I cannot, in good conscience, talk about Newport, Rhode Island, and not mention the The Gilded Newport Series by Alyssa Maxwell. The series is a cozy mystery, following the exploits of Emma Cross, as she solves murders among the 400 in Gilded Age Newport, Rhode Island. These books are a true love letter to Newport and that period in history. I recommend any of them (as they can be read as standalone novels). However, if you need a break from the sunshine, Murder at Rough Point is my personal favorite. Emma Cross is hired to write a piece on an artist’s retreat hosted at Rough Point by Edith Wharton, the summer cottage owned by her uncle, Frederick Vanderbilt. As the artists start dying under mysterious circumstances and a storm rages, leaving the participants stranded at Rough Point with a killer, Emma must employ her wits to solve the crimes before anyone else falls victim. A 5 star read, for sure.

Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon

I discovered Hannah McKinnon this summer and am so delighted that I did as she seems to set most of her novels in New England. Mystic Summer tells the story of Maggie, a Mystic native who returns home for the summer for her friend’s wedding. Caught between her life in Mystic and the life she left behind in Boston, Maggie must decide what happiness truly means to her. Fair warning, there is mention of childhood illness, if that is a subject you want to avoid. Otherwise, this was a delightful beach read that really put you in the middle of downtown Mystic, which is a magical little place. It’s also a pretty quick read, perfect for a sunny afternoon by the pool.

Final Thoughts

That’s it for now friends!

Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list. There are too many great books out there. But these are some of my most recent reads combined with some major standouts.

Please let me know what you’re reading! I could always use recommendations!

Until next week. May your days be filled with sun and good books!