If there’s one thing the LIY Team did this Summer [besides go for boat rides and drink seltzers] – it was read. Audio books, Kindle editions, good old fashion physical copies… you name it, we read it. While we went through a few that weren’t so great, we did find a few worth passing along! Get ready to add to your to-read list, friends. These are the Best Books We Read this Summer!
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I was lucky enough to get access to an electronic copy of this not-yet-released Rachel Hawkins book! I LOVED The Wife Upstairs when we read it for our LIY Reads Book Club, so I was extremely excited when this opportunity came! SHE DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I really love Rachel’s writing style (I can pretend we’re on a first name basis, right?!)
In true Rachel Hawkins fashion – The Villa will keep you guessing until the very final page. Explore the parallel lives of characters separated by decades, diving into the competitive nature of friendships, sacrifices made for creative outlets and what aspects of a personality can be brought out by those around you surround yourself with.
Offer From A Gentleman // Romancing Mr. Bridgerton // To Sir Phillip, With Love // When He Was Wicked // It’s In His Kiss // Entire Bridgerton Series
I started listening to the audiobooks of the Bridgerton Series sometime last year, but found myself with more listening time this Summer and was able to get through 4 of them. Each month I use my Audible credit on a Bridgerton book, then fill in the rest of my time with free Audible listens.
After the reveal of Lady Whistledown, I was worried the books would be less interesting to me, but that hasn’t been the case. By this point I’m pretty invested in finding out how all of the siblings find love, and can’t wait until my next credit on Audible releases so I can listen to the final book!
I mean honestly… what WAS that?!?! Wow this book is intense, in allllllll sorts of ways! Colleen Hoover keeps you guessing until the very like page as always, and there are SO many roads your mind will wander as you try to figure out what is going on. Verity is a page turner, that’s for sure!
Check out the rest of my reads here!
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
The perfect quick, young-love Summer romance! I fell in love with the characters and found myself rooting for them throughout the book. It’s a quick read and explores the power of first loves. Yes, my heart ached throughout the read and it left me wanting more from this author! Fun Fact: if you read/loved this one, Carley Fortune’s next novel, “Meet Me at the Lake” is coming in May of 2023!
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Holy smokes, this book. If you were a fan of Verity or The Wife Upstairs, this is a must-read. It kept me hooked (as in, heart pounding and palms sweating) from the very beginning. Bonus: this one is free on Kindle Unlimited! PS. we rounded up more favorites on Kindle Unlimited here!
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover
To be completely honest, this was one Colleen Hoover book I had been putting off reading. The summary just didn’t catch my attention, however, it is on Kindle Unlimited. And free books are free books, am I right? I’m so glad I decided to give it a chance! I went through alllll the emotions; laughed, I was heartbroken, I was angry, I fell in love with the characters. If you’re looking for your next CoHo read, this was a cute, pleasant surprise! PS. we rounded up more favorites on Kindle Unlimited here!
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins & The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Okay, so I read these earlier this Spring, but if quick, light Summer reads are your thing, add them both to your list! Reckless Girls wasn’t my favorite book of Rachel’s (I can pretend we’re on first-name basis, right?), but it was fast-paced and something totally different than other books I’d been reading. Plus, it takes place on a deserted island – what could go wrong? 😉 PS. if you’re a fan of Rachel Hawkins, be on the lookout for The Villa coming January 2023!
The Unhoneymooners was laugh out loud funny and such a cute storyline. While it was quite predictable, I fell in love with the characters and was rooting for them the entire time! Again, if you like short and sweet books for Summer, these are it!
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
We can pretend it’s still technically Summer, right? Right. I’m currently reading Taylor Jenkins Reid’s newest release, Carrie Soto is Back for our Fall Book Club. I have to keep it real with you guys… I wasn’t hooked when I started it and I actually only got invested about halfway through. If you’ve started it and are struggling, keep going! I promise it gets better. 😉 And if you’ve never read anything from Taylor Jenkins Reid, I would suggest starting with Daisy Jones & The Six, Malibu Rising, or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. *chef’s kiss*
For my fellow Nicholas Sparks loving ladies in the group! I was lucky enough to get access to an electronic copy of his not-yet-released “Dreamland”! I’m not quite finished with it yet, but loving it already! Fun fact: it takes place in St. Pete Beach, FL and if you’ve ever visited, you’ll recognize the bars, restaurants, and hotels he refers to in the book! I don’t want to give anything away, but so far, so good! Add it to your to-read list for this Fall and pre-order it on Amazon!
Check out the rest of my reads here!
She’s as witty as she is sweet, Claire is one of our Content Creators and our official LIY Book Club aficionado. Between writing blog posts that will make you LOL, curating questions that will get your brain turning for our next book club discussion and snappin’ her feminine style [blush is her middle name], you can find her living life on the lake with a beer in hand and a fishing pole in the other.
