Tater’s Top 10 Beach Reads

With the holiday weekend approaching it’s time to relax, curl up in a pool chair, on a beach towel or even in your recliner and relax with a good ol’ fashioned summer read.

What makes a good choice for a summer read? Romances work best in my opinion. The book needs to be light, not overly dramatic or emotional (though a good mystery is nice too, as long as it’s not too gruesome…. I’m looking at you, Darkly Dreaming Dexter!). A little humor is a plus, but it should leave you with an allover good feeling. The perfect summer read is the equivalent to a nice all-over massage. You want to feel refreshed and relaxed afterward!

Here are ten of my suggestions for beach/pool/summer in general reading:

1. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, by Jenny Han

Amazon / Goodreads

You may have rad my recent excitement over this being turned into a Netflix movie!

When Lara Jean’s top-secret love letters accidentally get mailed out to every crush she’s ever had, all hell breaks loose. But it might end up being the best thing that ever happened to Lara Jean!

This YA is the perfect summer read. It’s got swoon-worthy boys, an uber-relatable and delightful Korean-American heroine and, thanks to LJ’s sister, Kitty, plenty of humor!

My niece and I took this on a road trip to Kure Beach last summer, taking turns reading it out loud to one another. It was the perfect accompaniment to a little fun in the sun!

2. Getting Schooled by Emma Chase

Amazon / Goodreads

This is a newly published second-chance romance, but I was able to listen to the audio version on Audible early and it is ADORABLE!

Callie Carpenter comes home to care for her parents who have hilariously rendered themselves temporarily unable to care for themselves. When she gets a job ateaching at the local high school she finds the football coach to be none other  than her high school boyfriend, Garrett Daniels…

I wish I had a teacher like Garrett when I was in high school! He is total book boyfriend material. The chemistry between he and Callie was electric.

As soon as I finished I made the bestie listen to it and she agreed it was adorbs. We both recommend this one as a quick, fun summer read.

3. Up in the Treehouse by K.K. Allen

Amazon / Goodreads

I reviewed this one not that long ago. It surprised me. I wasn’t ready to love it so much!

OK. There are some feels in this one. It’s not completely light and frothy, but the story is well worth it.

Gavin and Chloe have been friends since childhood. That’s also how long she’s loved him. But a tragedy made them lose track of one another. Now they’ve reconnected and it’s a beautiful thing.

This novel is so wonderfully written. It’s one of my top reads from 2017. All the characters are wonderful and it had me thinking about it days after I finished reading. In a good way. In fact, this might call for a re-read. I could spend some time this summer with my friends, Gavin and Chloe!

4. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Amazon / Goodreads

What can I say about this book that many others haven’t already said? I mean, check out the Goodreads reviews; every word is true. With a rating of 4.23, the book is near perfection (hey, you can’t please all the people all the time, right?)

Lucy and Josh work together and are competing for the same promotion. Therefore, Lucy and Josh hate each other! Or do they?

Part workplace romance, part enemies-to-lovers and all perfection, The Hating Game will have you spitting out your poolside margarita in laughter!

One of my favorite quotes:

“What are you imagining? Your expression is filthy.”

“Strangling you. Bare hands.” I can barely get the words out. I’m huskier than a phone-sex operator after a double shift.

“So that’s your kink.” His eyes are going dark.

“Only where you’re concerned.”

Both his eyebrows ratchet up, and he opens his mouth as his eyes go completely black, but he does not seem to be able to say a word.

It is wonderful.

5. Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

Amazon / Goodreads

It’s cute that you thought I might make any best-of list and not include the great Penny Reid. I love this book so much I have it in every format I could possibly have it — trade paperback (yeah. It’s autographed), audiobook and ebook (because that’s how I prefer to read). In fact, if I want to give Penny any more money for this piece of perfection I’m going to have to start buying copies in foreign languages!

Truth or Beard tells the story of Duane (*sigh* Duane….) who falls in love with the sheriff’s daughter, Jess. But Jess yearns to travel; she has wanderlust. Does Duane love Jess enough to let her take him away from his family and the only home he’s ever known?

Admittedly, I’d find it pretty damn hard to leave the Winston Brothers clan too. They are fiercely loyal, deeply funny and dead sexy. Take this to the pool, the beach, the freakin’ doctor’s office! Just take it with you!

Find a few of my favorite Truth or Beard quotes here.

6. Lingus by Mariana Zapata

Amazon / Goodreads

I’ve mentioned Zapata before and her talent at writing an engaging slow burn. Lingus is the story of Kat Berger who, while attending a porn convention, meets porn star Robby Lingus. Turns out porn stars, they’re just like you and me! LOL

Use my handy dandy Amazon link to the left and pick this baby up for only $0.99! It’s a perfect read for a lazy day in the sun!

Here’s the blurb:

Most people would describe Katherine Berger as a responsible girl with a big heart, a loyal friend who takes care of those close to her, and the possessor of a wicked sense of humor. There was something about her that most people didn’t know. “My name is Kat Berger, and I love porn.” When twenty-five-year-old Kat is dragged to a porn convention by her best friend, she’s both embarrassed and nervous. The last thing she ever expected was to meet someone who makes her laugh like no other. This is a story about acceptance and friendship, and a love born out of the most unexpected of places.

7. Play by Kylie Scott

Amazon / Goodreads

There’s not a lot more that I can say about this book that I didn’t say in my review.

I love a good rock romance and this is probably the absolute best one I’ve read. Mal Ericson is perfection.

Here’s the blurb:

Mal Ericson, drummer for the world famous rock band Stage Dive, needs to clean up his image fast—at least for a little while. Having a good girl on his arm should do the job just fine. Mal doesn’t plan on this temporary fix becoming permanent, but he didn’t count on finding the one right girl.

Anne Rollins never thought she’d ever meet the rock god who plastered her teenage bedroom walls—especially not under these circumstances. Anne has money problems. Big ones. But being paid to play the pretend girlfriend to a wild life-of-the-party drummer couldn’t end well. No matter how hot he is. Or could it?

8. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Amazon / Goodreads

I love YA novels so I’m surprised I don’t have more of those on here. Maybe it’s because most of the YA I read deals with deeper subjects than I am tackling on this list…. But Anna and the French Kiss is a must for this list. Really any book from this series (Lola and the Boy Next Door and Isla and the Happily Ever After are numbers 2 & 3) is a great summer read!

Who wouldn’t like to fall in love with a cute British boy in Paris? Anna is living every teenage girl’s fantasy!

The blurb:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris–until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

9. Ball Peen Hammer by Lauren Rowe

Amazon / Goodreads

I should mention that this list is in no particular order, because if it was this one would be SO MUCH higher!

I’m pretty sure if we still used physical dictionaries to look up definitions of words and we turned to the Fs, this book would be pictured right there under “fun” because it is the very definition of fun!

Keane Morgan fancies himself a second coming of Magic Mike. He goes by the stripper name of Pall Peen Hammer, He’s got the moves. He’s got the confidence. He lives by the motto to lead a handsome and happy life.

It would be very easy to hate the brash, obnoxious (cocky? or just confident?) Keane. But Rowe makes it impossible. To quote our heroine Maddy, “I’ve never met anyone like Keane Morgan. He’s Daffy Duck trapped inside Prince Charming’s body.”

No matter where you are, Ball Peen Hammer is a MUST READ!

10. Counterfeit Boyfriend by Cindi Madsen

Amazon / Goodreads

Newly published, this book has been released just in time for summer reading!

I just recently reviewed this and though I only gave it fours stars, I do highly recommend it for a bit of fun summer reading!

Gwen takes Ethan home on a road trip thinking he is his twin, Evan. I guess some guys really will do anything for their brother. But it turns out that Ethan may be the twin that Gwen was destined to be with.

The sexual tension between the two is palpable. Gwen never really believed in PDAs, but suddenly she can’t keep her hands (or her lips) off of her “boyfriend.” Together they’re off on an epic road trip and the readers are in for the whole wild ride. This read is totally fun and perfect to chill out with this summer.

So what about you, dear readers? What are your summer reading recommendations? Hit me up in the comments!