There is nothing better than your bum in a beach chair, feet in the hot sand, the sound of waves in the background, and your nose deep in a book. One of my favorite parts about vacation is getting a hot minute to relax and catch up on my reading. There is something about a beach and a good book that go hand in hand.
As Spring Break is almost here, I have compiled a list of books that I have either read in the past, or are high on my reading list that would be perfect for the beach or any vacation.
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
If you have been living under a rock and haven’t seen the Netflix movie “Dumplin” that was sweeping the TVs of America, then this is for you. I watched the movie and I thought it was super cute, but I am 100% that person that prefers the book over the movie so I am excited to read the story about Willowdean Dixon — the Dolly Parton loving, fearless, not your typical beauty queen. This is an uplifting and comical story about a girl who shows the world that beauty queens come in all shapes and sizes and they deserve to be on up on that stage.
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
This is a Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Book Club pick, and the current book on my nightstand. I am only about half way done with it, but it is a charming and funny story of a woman who turns down her boyfriend’s surprise proposal on the Jumbotron of a MLB baseball game in front of 40,000 people. Saying no wasn’t the hard part for they have only been dating for a short while, and he spelled her name wrong on the Jumbotron. But dealing with the aftermath of being known as the girl in the viral social media video who shuts down her boyfriend on the big screen is hard enough.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Surprise – another Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick! I love Reese’s book club because she focuses on female authors and books that are well-written, humorous, and just overall great reads. Eleanor Oliphant is a socially awkward lady who is getting through life one weekend at a time filled with frozen pizza, vodka, phone calls with Mummy, and little to none human interaction. It is beautifully written, however it took me a handful of chapters to get into it. It is a little strange at times, but tells a great story.
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
A major motion picture is where this title gets its fame, however the trilogy of “Crazy Rich Asians” is quite appealing to me. “Crazy Rich Asians” is the first of the trilogy. When Rachel Chu agrees to spend a summer with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, with his family in Singapore, she was in for a treat. She imagined a quaint little town with lots of family town. Little did she know that the Young family was the richest family in Singapore, and were practically royalty. Follow along as Rachel tries to impress the crazy rich family of her boyfriend and has a massive target on her back the minute she steps off the plane locking arms with Singapore’s most eligible bachelor.
Food Whore By Jessica Tom
Take The Devil Wears Prada and mix in the elite dining scene of New York City and you will have “Food Whore”. I stumbled upon this book researching for this post, and I seriously might be ordering it off of Amazon ASAP. Tia Monroe moves to NYC in hopes to make it big in the food critic industry. After a failing internship she meets legendary New York Times restaurant critic Michael Saltz. He lets her in on a career-ending secret: he has lost his sense of taste. How can one be a food critic with no tastebuds? Now he wants Tia to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her lavish meals, a closet full of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s all fun and games, until she sees her reviews in print with Michael’s name on it.
The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani
A romantic novel with a plot full of a magical multigenerational love story that spans internationally, two World Wars, and the quest of two star-crossed lovers to find each other again. This has my name all over it. I love a good romance read on the beach, and this one seems like the perfect one. “The Shoemaker’s Wife” has been on my reading list for some time, and I am excited to get my hands on a copy of it and dive in. I also love some good history in my books. I enjoy getting to learn about what actually happened in the world through storytelling.
Girl Wash Your Face By Rachel Hollis
We all know that adulting can be hard. With painful honesty and fearless humor, this book unpacks and examines the falsehoods that can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unworthy. Rachel reveals practical strategies that helped her move past these doubts. Throughout the book, she encourages, entertains, and kicks some butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the confident woman you were meant to be. We all could use a little motivational read when you’re on vacay so when you get home you’re ready to kick some major girl boss butt.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Now, I first read this book a summer in high school for the “summer reading program”, however I re-read it as an adult post college, and I got so much more out of it. I love a book set in the south, and this one is set in South Carolina in 1964. It tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been revolved around a blurred memory of the afternoon when her mother was killed. When Lily’s sassy black “stand-in mother,” Rosaleen, insults three of the most racist men in town and get in some trouble, they decide to flee and escape to Tiburon, South Carolina. Tiburon is a town that holds the secret to her mother’s past. Taken in by a trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees, honey, religion, and so many more secrets that she unfolds.
The Young Wives Club by Julie Pennell
Being a future bride, the title of this book drew me in. A charming novel that takes place in Toulouse, Louisiana. In this town, finding your one true love happens sometime around high school. If you end up being a lucky one, he might just be the man you thought he was. But as four friends are about to find out, not every girl has luck on her side. As these young wives come together to help each other through life, love, and heartbreak, they discover that there are no easy answers when it comes to love.
My (Not So) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
Being a blogger, social media is everywhere. I try to be transparent of how my life actually is, and letting everyone see the “filter-less” side of things. This novel is just about that and I can’t wait to pick it up and read. Everywhere Katie Brenner looks, someone else is living the life she longs for, particularly her boss, Demeter Farlowe. She has the perfect little family, house, always dressed to the nines, while Katie is riding the struggle bus. After getting fired from her job she goes home to London to help at her parent’s farm during the busy vacation season. It’s all going good until Demeter shows up unannoucned as a guest. Katie quickly learns that Demeter’s perfect life isn’t so perfect while the secrets spill out. Katie learns what really makes a meaningful life and that it is not just what you see on Instagram.
I will most definitely be adding all of these books to my reading list for spring break and this summer. Let me know if you have read any of these or if you have any other recommendations.
Cheers y’all and happy reading!
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